When Guy and I traveled to compete in Taiwan 70.3 last year for the first time we had such a great experience we said we would definitely be going back. No just the race itself, but the location at the Yoho resort, the organisation and the fun atmosphere. So it was always going to be on the schedule.
When our season was thrown a curveball after IM Louisville with the cancellation of IM Lake Tahoe we took a bit of down time, although it felt like we have been resting for weeks anyway!! We focused on GKEndurance, in particular our athletes racing in Hawaii.
On returning to Boise it was back into it…we had 3 weeks…including packing up our life from the last 6months and returning to Perth. It was going to be CRAZY!
After 2 days of travel via Auckland we were back on the West Coast of Australia for 4 days then few the red eye Thursday night to Taiwan. We arrived Friday afternoon. Excited to be back!
The lead up to the race including getting to hang out with the AWESOME crew from Ceepo! A photo shoot on the new 2015 Katana, autograph signing, night markets and Smokey Joes Pizza for dinner!
Race morning came around quickly and I was excited to get to swim this year (last year swim was cancelled due to a typhoon!) after a 3.45am wake up and 4.30am Shuttle bus we arrived with plenty of time to spare! Which I needed! A few mechanically issues and a flat tyre race morning were quickly fixed thanks to Gilles from Ceepo and I was ready to go!
I loved the swim! Yes…it was a little long…but I didn’t care. The water was beautiful to swim in and became clearer the further out you went. I went hard at the start and found myself sitting in second with Dede way off in the distance. Just before the first turning buoy Maki came round me and for the first time in a long while I sat on someones feet for the swim! It was great!! I had become so used to swimming on my own that it was a nice change! Although it was just the 2 of us….I was able to hang on and we ran into T1 together.
The first 20km of the bike I felt like I was struggling a little bit, legs felt heavy, couldn’t find that comfortable/uncomfortable place. I continued to eat and drink and just push through telling myself the legs will either come around or it will be a good solid training day. Always something to gain! It wasn’t until 3/4 way through the ride I really started to feel good and by the time it was over….I wanted to do another lap 🙂
Onto the run and I was Excited! I love to run but reminded myself how challenging this course was. Point to point run, hot, humid, rolling hills, you might not see anyone for the entire 21.1km. I felt good the first 7km, had settled in, getting lots of fluids in and rolling with it. But “BOOM!” The lack of training hit me and the last 7km was a struggle. I had to dig deep/real deep to hang on to 3rd spot…you know that feeling you get when you are running, but you feel like you are tripping over your own feet! The facial expression in the photo above says is all! I am glad that finish line was not any further away!
Within a few hours I was feeling normal again, enjoyed a late Buffett Breakfast and a fun afternoon on the water slides! (that was so much fun!)
Congrats to Dede on a dominating performance and Dimity who laid it down on the run! Also Michelle, for putting me in the hurt locker!! 🙂
A big thank you to the incredible support team I am surrounded with! Ceepo, Rolf Prima Wheels, Coeur Sports, Challenge Tyres, Profile Design, ISM, Ryders Eyewear, BlueSeventy and SwimSmooth. Churchill Cycles, and Tri Town Boise RaceMate Storage Solutions. Computrainer Keeping me fuelled GU and Upbeat Beetroot Juices and recovery by Ruth Chang Physio and Matt Booth Boise Therapeutic Associates, %110 Play Harder, Recovery Boots, Compex, Finally Kel at Swish Design!
