Having only read that headline post race "Hell in Paradise" it really lived up to the name.
Arriving in Thailand for the inaugural (due to flooding last year) Koh Samui Triathlon (4km swim / 122km bike / 30km run) on the Thursday before the race i had time to experience the temp and humidity that was to be expected come race day. Set the bike up and went for a ride at 4pm on the Thursday to have a look at the hill that would be tackled. It wasn't that bad during the afternoon, once i stopped only 8kms into the ride to register that's when the heat and humidity was noticed. Instantly sweating profusely and couldn't believe the heat the body produces.
Back over the hill and it was a little like Cootha going up the Scenic Dr side, longish constant gradient then kick at the top for a total of 1km. Come Sunday and 60km into the ride at 38deg heat i changed my thoughts...more on that soon.
Hydration was important even if you're not over here to race, constant water, banana smoothies with chocolate ice cream (best ever) and no beer. Koh Samui is so much nicer than Phuket, laid back with no annoying Thai traders pushing there trinkets onto you or screeching "Hello, sexy man" or "Very big man" that i had last time i was here (when i was a very big man). I completely rate this part of the world now and would definitely add it to the will come back to locations.
Street vendor food is edible, they even have BBQ on little kayaks that cruise the beach or walk the beach an you can buy fresh fruit, BBQ fruit in front of you, cooked chicken skewers (well i didn't see many cats but think its chicken), best of all the banana pancakes. I saw this in Patong Beach in Phuket before but not game to try it, here it just seems different.
Anyway, race morning, walked down to the race start about 1km from my tropical bungalow, this walk just reminded me of walking to rack my bike at local race where you need to park kilometers from the venue, bike was racked on the Saturday so could ride it down. Set everything up, strap on spares (need to somehow test spares), pump up tires etc etc. Chat to someone who spoke English and find out anything i missed at the briefing, Yep!!! There is a cup that was needed for the aid stations on the run, supposedly they do this at Embrunman and as they were the organisers decided on the same plan. Here is David Dellow's (race winner) cup...unsure how long he carried it.
Once i found out about the cup I'd finished setting up and walking through the race in my head. Drink, eat, drink, drink, cool down, eat, drink...you should get the idea. So it was then off to race start and a quick swim to warm up. The warm up was short and sweet as the water temp was about 30deg so it was more pleasant than standing on the coarse sand but still not that great. A quick wait and the women were off, there was about 25 women in total with the pro's being about half the field. 5 minutes later and we were in the water. Being about 50 men it was more like a local race than a larger pro race with contenders such as Faris Al-Sultan (former Ironman World Champ), Marino Vanhoenacker (current Ironman World Record Holder), Dirk Bockel (multiple top 10 finishers in Kona) and up and coming Aussies like Dave, Aaron Farlow and Ben Allen. It's impressive starting a race with them, calm, poised and prepared, it's like they do it every day!!!
The swim was 2x 2km loops but sure it was longer as they wind had blown on side of the course further but for me it didn't matter it was still a long swim. The course was like a trapezoid with the longest side 900m and its opposite a beach run of 150m (which doesn't count on the swim but does the time). Being a 30deg water temp i needed a drink half way through and luckily remembered to leave a water bottle on the run leg, quick mouthful and then back in. Not sure on my swim time but i think it was a 1hr 4mins as i remember looking up at the clock and it was at 1:09:xx when i ran into transition and we started 5mins after the woman.
Transition was slow as i wanted to get sunscreen and sun sleeves on my arms, drink some water and head out. Once on the bike i started well, had a gel and some Gatorade. I thought pre-race to fill both water bottles with Gatorade as I'd need electrolytes and my process was to finish one by the time i got the first aid station which was 20km in and then get some water, BAD MOVE. Finished both bottles just before the aid station and was really needing water. At that station i grabbed 2x water and 1x coke, one water went over me and drank some the other bottles into the biddons.
Its the first time I've had coke during a race and Muddy, Jiggles and Macca have all said it perfectly "Coke and water will get you through". The first two aid stations i repeated the process with 2x water and 1x coke. At the half way point it was stinking hot and just needed a break so i stopped at that aid station and took on 2x ice sponges which went over head and shoulders, 1x coke, 2x water and 1x Gatorade. I felt like new, nice and cool and hydrated. 5kms later came the Cootha like hill from Thursday, it now felt like Beechmont (which i rode with the crew at Cycling Science in December). It was a very lonely ride and this hill is where i saw and past only the 3rd person of the day, he was struggling which i understand completely. This stopping now became my tactic to get through each 20km bracket. The locals were fantastic at each station, running out ready to give you what you need, helping however by emptying water bottles over you, taking pictures with you, getting bananas but they unfortunately didn't stop the cramps when you unclip.
Stopping at the aid stations was also for the Pro's...Faris Al-Sultan (former Ironman World Champ and 2nd place Koh Samui)
Little did i know that at the aid station at 100km was going to be the last i saw for the day. I went round a corner in a small little village at approx 114km and my front tire was spongy, within seconds it was completely flat. I wasn't running tubular so i stopped and changed it over, put a little bit of air into it and then inflated with CO2 canister, immediately it started leaking. It wasn't from the inside of the tire as i had checked this upon removing the previous flat but i pulled it down and checked again, no nothing inside the tire. It was just to the side of the valve where they join it to the tire. I hadn't had any issues with this before but i know plenty of people how have. Why today? Why in Koh Samui? Why, after a butt load of money spent on another race? Why not in Robina or Raby Bay, a local race that didn't have 14hrs of travel? Why my second long course race in 2 months with mechanicals?
Anyhow, another 1hr sit on the side of the road waiting for a ride back to transition, no food, no water in the heat of the day. This was a little different than Falls Creek as i was only just starting the ride and then waited in the cold.
The new bike (Giant TCR SL0) from Giant Cycling World Ipswich rode seamlessly and I was set for an approx 4hr ride which was much slower than i was hoping for but considering the conditions on the day i was over the moon. Legs were feeling bad with cramps on the climbs and on the aero's so most of the 2nd lap was spent on the hoods. I was looking forward to the run, wasn't sure if i could make 30km in that heat especially cause i didn't have my CUP!!! In transition my legs were feeling OK (the hour rest helped), the cramp feelings had stopped and the run could have been OK but once again I'll never know.
In the back of the ute on the way to race venue we drove past the run course. We had just past Dave and he looked good but not sure how he was positioned, next only 100m behind him i saw Faris, i thought that could be the lead. At the race venue and grabbed some food and water and sat down in the shade i bumped into Ben Allen (who flatted also) and had a brief chat about how tough it was out there. Ben is an Xterra Champ so is used to some hard racing, maybe not hot but hard. Then over the PA the announcers had indicated that Dave was in the lead and only a few kms from home. This was great news for him as it was an 800,000 Baht prize purse. Dave crossed the line in 6hrs 11mins with second place only 1min 20sec behind. It still amazes me that in such tough conditions these pro athletes stay within such a close range. Caroline Steffen (Dave's girlfriend) also came in first for the women's race.
I grabbed a Songtaew (pickup with 2 bench seats like a bus/troopie) with my bike back to the hotel where i grabbed some lunch, koko banana smoothie (with chocolate) and then the air conditioned room.
It was certainly a tough tough day out on the course and if i had managed to make the run would be suffering for days with heat exhaustion, muscle fatigue and cramps. Who knows though, I'd been doing some good training of late with my little buddy and sure her Jedi mind tricks of ice sponges and cold water would have got me through.
That was the end of one tiring race, however it didn't stop there for me this crazy Sunday in April...you can read more in my next edition
Arriving in Thailand for the inaugural (due to flooding last year) Koh Samui Triathlon (4km swim / 122km bike / 30km run) on the Thursday before the race i had time to experience the temp and humidity that was to be expected come race day. Set the bike up and went for a ride at 4pm on the Thursday to have a look at the hill that would be tackled. It wasn't that bad during the afternoon, once i stopped only 8kms into the ride to register that's when the heat and humidity was noticed. Instantly sweating profusely and couldn't believe the heat the body produces.
Back over the hill and it was a little like Cootha going up the Scenic Dr side, longish constant gradient then kick at the top for a total of 1km. Come Sunday and 60km into the ride at 38deg heat i changed my thoughts...more on that soon.
Hydration was important even if you're not over here to race, constant water, banana smoothies with chocolate ice cream (best ever) and no beer. Koh Samui is so much nicer than Phuket, laid back with no annoying Thai traders pushing there trinkets onto you or screeching "Hello, sexy man" or "Very big man" that i had last time i was here (when i was a very big man). I completely rate this part of the world now and would definitely add it to the will come back to locations.
Street vendor food is edible, they even have BBQ on little kayaks that cruise the beach or walk the beach an you can buy fresh fruit, BBQ fruit in front of you, cooked chicken skewers (well i didn't see many cats but think its chicken), best of all the banana pancakes. I saw this in Patong Beach in Phuket before but not game to try it, here it just seems different.
Anyway, race morning, walked down to the race start about 1km from my tropical bungalow, this walk just reminded me of walking to rack my bike at local race where you need to park kilometers from the venue, bike was racked on the Saturday so could ride it down. Set everything up, strap on spares (need to somehow test spares), pump up tires etc etc. Chat to someone who spoke English and find out anything i missed at the briefing, Yep!!! There is a cup that was needed for the aid stations on the run, supposedly they do this at Embrunman and as they were the organisers decided on the same plan. Here is David Dellow's (race winner) cup...unsure how long he carried it.
Once i found out about the cup I'd finished setting up and walking through the race in my head. Drink, eat, drink, drink, cool down, eat, drink...you should get the idea. So it was then off to race start and a quick swim to warm up. The warm up was short and sweet as the water temp was about 30deg so it was more pleasant than standing on the coarse sand but still not that great. A quick wait and the women were off, there was about 25 women in total with the pro's being about half the field. 5 minutes later and we were in the water. Being about 50 men it was more like a local race than a larger pro race with contenders such as Faris Al-Sultan (former Ironman World Champ), Marino Vanhoenacker (current Ironman World Record Holder), Dirk Bockel (multiple top 10 finishers in Kona) and up and coming Aussies like Dave, Aaron Farlow and Ben Allen. It's impressive starting a race with them, calm, poised and prepared, it's like they do it every day!!!
The swim was 2x 2km loops but sure it was longer as they wind had blown on side of the course further but for me it didn't matter it was still a long swim. The course was like a trapezoid with the longest side 900m and its opposite a beach run of 150m (which doesn't count on the swim but does the time). Being a 30deg water temp i needed a drink half way through and luckily remembered to leave a water bottle on the run leg, quick mouthful and then back in. Not sure on my swim time but i think it was a 1hr 4mins as i remember looking up at the clock and it was at 1:09:xx when i ran into transition and we started 5mins after the woman.
Transition was slow as i wanted to get sunscreen and sun sleeves on my arms, drink some water and head out. Once on the bike i started well, had a gel and some Gatorade. I thought pre-race to fill both water bottles with Gatorade as I'd need electrolytes and my process was to finish one by the time i got the first aid station which was 20km in and then get some water, BAD MOVE. Finished both bottles just before the aid station and was really needing water. At that station i grabbed 2x water and 1x coke, one water went over me and drank some the other bottles into the biddons.
Its the first time I've had coke during a race and Muddy, Jiggles and Macca have all said it perfectly "Coke and water will get you through". The first two aid stations i repeated the process with 2x water and 1x coke. At the half way point it was stinking hot and just needed a break so i stopped at that aid station and took on 2x ice sponges which went over head and shoulders, 1x coke, 2x water and 1x Gatorade. I felt like new, nice and cool and hydrated. 5kms later came the Cootha like hill from Thursday, it now felt like Beechmont (which i rode with the crew at Cycling Science in December). It was a very lonely ride and this hill is where i saw and past only the 3rd person of the day, he was struggling which i understand completely. This stopping now became my tactic to get through each 20km bracket. The locals were fantastic at each station, running out ready to give you what you need, helping however by emptying water bottles over you, taking pictures with you, getting bananas but they unfortunately didn't stop the cramps when you unclip.
Little did i know that at the aid station at 100km was going to be the last i saw for the day. I went round a corner in a small little village at approx 114km and my front tire was spongy, within seconds it was completely flat. I wasn't running tubular so i stopped and changed it over, put a little bit of air into it and then inflated with CO2 canister, immediately it started leaking. It wasn't from the inside of the tire as i had checked this upon removing the previous flat but i pulled it down and checked again, no nothing inside the tire. It was just to the side of the valve where they join it to the tire. I hadn't had any issues with this before but i know plenty of people how have. Why today? Why in Koh Samui? Why, after a butt load of money spent on another race? Why not in Robina or Raby Bay, a local race that didn't have 14hrs of travel? Why my second long course race in 2 months with mechanicals?
Anyhow, another 1hr sit on the side of the road waiting for a ride back to transition, no food, no water in the heat of the day. This was a little different than Falls Creek as i was only just starting the ride and then waited in the cold.
The new bike (Giant TCR SL0) from Giant Cycling World Ipswich rode seamlessly and I was set for an approx 4hr ride which was much slower than i was hoping for but considering the conditions on the day i was over the moon. Legs were feeling bad with cramps on the climbs and on the aero's so most of the 2nd lap was spent on the hoods. I was looking forward to the run, wasn't sure if i could make 30km in that heat especially cause i didn't have my CUP!!! In transition my legs were feeling OK (the hour rest helped), the cramp feelings had stopped and the run could have been OK but once again I'll never know.
In the back of the ute on the way to race venue we drove past the run course. We had just past Dave and he looked good but not sure how he was positioned, next only 100m behind him i saw Faris, i thought that could be the lead. At the race venue and grabbed some food and water and sat down in the shade i bumped into Ben Allen (who flatted also) and had a brief chat about how tough it was out there. Ben is an Xterra Champ so is used to some hard racing, maybe not hot but hard. Then over the PA the announcers had indicated that Dave was in the lead and only a few kms from home. This was great news for him as it was an 800,000 Baht prize purse. Dave crossed the line in 6hrs 11mins with second place only 1min 20sec behind. It still amazes me that in such tough conditions these pro athletes stay within such a close range. Caroline Steffen (Dave's girlfriend) also came in first for the women's race.
I grabbed a Songtaew (pickup with 2 bench seats like a bus/troopie) with my bike back to the hotel where i grabbed some lunch, koko banana smoothie (with chocolate) and then the air conditioned room.
It was certainly a tough tough day out on the course and if i had managed to make the run would be suffering for days with heat exhaustion, muscle fatigue and cramps. Who knows though, I'd been doing some good training of late with my little buddy and sure her Jedi mind tricks of ice sponges and cold water would have got me through.
That was the end of one tiring race, however it didn't stop there for me this crazy Sunday in April...you can read more in my next edition
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