Taupo Ironman NZ 2011 – Qualified for Kona!

An article by Scott McNab    2 Comments

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This is a post by Scott about his race at IMNZ last week. His very first Ironman and he did awesome! 9 hours 14mins 57seconds and is off to Kona Ironman World Championships!

You can see all the 2011 Kona qualifiers here

A very wet day at the swim start

Pre-race

Up at 4:30 for breakfast

• 4 pieces of toast, peanut butter and jam. Mmmm
• Coffee (first in two weeks), this felt great and straight away got me focused.

I arrived at transition to a very wet day. I had already prepared mentally for this so was actually looking forward to it and enjoyed the rain. It wasn’t cold at all. I had plenty of time to take my time getting changed and sat in the transition tent and relax. It’s amazing how many people were getting changed in the rain rather than coming inside the tent.

The walk down to swim start was pretty long so I headed down at 6:30 and took my first gel with water which worked out exactly right. I was able to get into the water at 6:45 as soon as the pro’s started. Had a little warm up and a few practice starts and I was ready to go. I moved to get a good spot on the start line early. With the rain it was very dark. I had 10mins floating at start line waiting for go time.

Good

• timing of everything spot on
• had prepared mentally for the weather so when it turned bad I was smiling while most were not.
• electric feel in the air before race start

To remember

• Dark enough that early and even darker if poor weather which meant at the start I could hardly see the first buoy. So take two goggle options to race in morning.

1500 competitors all start at the same time

SWIM – 56min

The canon goes and all hell for leather for the first 200m and then it settled a bit. I just focused on staying relaxed with nice long strokes and reminding myself that I had a long day ahead. I found some feat and simply sat on them for as long as possible before faster ones came through or they swam off course a bit. I was only looking up half as much as I usually do. I was a bit worried in the water that I was swimming too slow but made the decision to maintain a very comfortable pace.

On exiting the water I was gutted to see the 1:11 showing before I realised that was the pro’s clock and mine was 56:11.

Good

• started in perfect position
• relaxed stroke, felt comfortable for entire swim.
• managed to swim nice and straight for shortest route possible

To remember

• at Taupo the run to t1 is long and narrow so it is even more impt to get out a little further forward if possible.
• a light lens choice for goggles would save a bit of pre race panic.

T1 – 5min

It’s a long run up to the transition tent. It was a single file line through the long transition and I think I lost a lot of time sitting behind people who had worked hard in the swim and were struggling a bit for air. I had decided to put shoes on in the tent and run to bike because of water in t1 and also wanted to wear socks on bike to keep feet warm. This was right decision. Found bike easily and got out onto the road.

Good

• felt fast enough
• had practised two days before the order of putting stuff on and into pockets so that went smoothly without panic.

To remember

• stuck behind people running up from the water. This is essentially where the winner of my AG beat me.

Bike – 4:59

I felt good for most of the bike, was sitting in a nice pace line for the whole ride. My nutrition went spot on. I carried water and electrolyte and drunk electrolyte for the majority, only drinking water when my stomach felt a little iffy. I had a Leppin squeezy every half hour for the first 3.5hrs. Then moved on to on-course gels, taking one every 20-30mins as I felt I needed one.

At the last aid station I took a bottle of coke and used that into t2. For the last 45km I took any opportunity to push the pace and break the pace line up. I was trying to weed out some of the weaker bikers who had been just sitting on the back. I find it’s easiest to do this through aid stations and over climbs.

Good

• nutrition felt great
• pacing felt good, legs didn’t even feel heavy until the last 45km.
• positioning in pack was good to avoid getting dropped and cover anyone going off the front

To remember

• cycling in large race numbers is very tactical even with the 7m draft zone.
• listen to the stomach
• steady effort is key.
• peeing on the bike can be hard so take each opportunity, feel much better for it.

T2 – 1min 30s

My transition from bike to run was great. I left my bike shoes on the bike. Practice makes this flow so quickly without the panic factor. I decided not to change my socks.

Good

• Don’t think I could do much faster without rushing to much.

Smiling after a few km off the bike

Run – 3:11

I broke the run down to 4 parts and tried to smile as much as possible.

First 2km: I ran at a slightly higher pace than is natural with a real focus on leg turnover. This was sitting on 3:50pace running shoulder to shoulder with eventual winner of my AG.

KM 2- 21: I ran at a natural pace. Focusing on leg turnover particularly on any climbs. I didn’t worry about how fast I was moving up them just on turning the legs over quickly. RELAX – 4:30pace

KM 21 – 32: I continued to run on natural pace focusing on the fact I was past halfway and with each step I get closer to the run back. RELAX 4:30 pace

KM 32 – 42: I turned around to come home. My body was starting to feel very uncomfortable and my pace had slowed. I concentrated on cadence and started to push a little. The last 5km I lifted it up to a pace that hurts, it was time to get this thing done.

Nutrition: I made the decision after the first aid station to use a brisk walk through each one to make sure I got in what I needed. I picked up one gel at odd aid stations and would use it just before entering the next so I could chase it down with water. After the third gel my stomach wasn’t feeling very good, so stopped taking gels at 7kms in approx.

I was taking two cups at each aid station. One of coke and the other alternating between water and Horleys. If my stomach was feeling queasy I took water and coke, if it felt good then I had Horleys and coke. I only missed the very last aid station.

Peeing: I made the mistake of going to the toilet to pee the first time. During this period a number of people past while I was in there. Only had to go again once more with about 14km to go and just went while walking through an aid station. No one past me this time.

Good

• pacing felt good although I feel I could have started to push harder earlier on the last leg home on the run.
• nutrition, listening to my stomach meant I was able to adapt what I took in depending on how my body felt.
• walking aid stations, made sure I got all the nutrition I needed although if I had been able to run through each and get this then I could have been a lot faster.

To Remember

• need to practice running and drinking out of plastic cups
• take splits of people in my age group in front of me so that I know roughly where they are. Never want to miss out on first by under a minute ever again.
• Smile, smiling and thanking supporter’s helps a lot with how the mind is feeling and on the run that is the most important thing.
• don’t need to use toilets for peeing, waste of time.

Stopped raining for a minute

And it's raining again - still looking strong off out for the last 21km

Total 9:14 absolutely over the moon.

NEXT: KONA!!

Got a trophy and medal for coming 2nd in age group 25-29

Thanks to my support crew who stood in the rain all day!

Scotts grandparents, his parents, my parents and me!

Dressed in a rubbish bag to keep the rain off

Scott's proud poppa

Scott's mum and dad and me

Relaxing in the thermal pool at Reparoa the next day