Sunday, October 18: How I got eaten by the Kona beast
It's the evening after the race and the rain starts to gently fall as Jan Frondeno (Ironman World Champion 2015) takes to the microphone for his winner’s speech. He jokes that all he wanted was rain in the latter part of the run as the brutal Kona sun blazed down on him. If he found it hard then us mere mortals were going to find it tough! I warn you now this is probably going to be one of my longest and most honest blog posts to date so you may want to grab a coffee and if you read as slow as me, a big slice of cake as well!
If you have read any of my previous blogs you will know I was in the shape of my life going into this race. Training had gone well and I felt physically and mentally ready to go. I had loaded a lot into this one 'A' race with it being my only full Ironman of the year. It was pressure that I believed I could handle and was happy to do so as it was my main focus and I had put everything aside for it to work. I put most of the pressure on myself as the goals I had set were personal ones to help me progress to another level. I am in no way comparing myself to an Olympic athlete as they are on a completely different level, but I am beginning to understand the pressure they put themselves under to perform perfectly for that one day every four years. Timing is crucial.
The days leading up to the race were good. I got the training in I wanted and felt I had the body clock adjusted. Anyone going from Dubai time to Kona time needs at least a week to adjust. Island life was great and the heat wasn't a huge factor what with living in Dubai. Yes, a different sort of humidity but I enjoy being in the heat so for me it wasn’t a factor.
Race morning came and I was ready. I woke just before the alarm was to sound and bounced out of bed to eat my staple Ironman breakfast of porridge, bananas and apple sauce with a black coffee - the first of many caffeine hits I would get throughout the day. Walking down to the bike rack area I got into the zone, going through the race in my head and focusing on what I had to do to meet my own expectations. There was a huge amount of hustle and bustle but I was in my own little world right up until I went through the process of having my number tattoos put on and weighing in (I was bang on race weight, 71kg). I was then in transition attaching nutrition to my bike and making sure the bike was ready to roll. The sun was starting to rise and the pros were getting ready to go. The American national anthem played, the conches sounded and the canon fired – Kona 2015 was underway! The pro men burst into life first followed shortly after by the pro women. It was time to suit up. I put on my Huub swim skin and made my way to the start.
I waited as long as possible before entering the water as I knew I would just be there treading water and wasting energy. I began to focus as I stood on the sands at Dig Me beach with the water lapping against me. A Hawaiian prayer was broadcast and the conches blown again. At this point a shiver travelled down my spine at the realisation the biggest race of my life was soon to start. I took a deep breath, dived in and swam out to the start line. I weaved in and out of the bobbing blue hats until I found my spot at the front in the middle of the pack. I don't mind a fight in the white water at the start of a race. I give as good as I get and want to be as close to the front as my ability allows. I was treading water for about 3 minutes before the cannon fired and then all hell broke loose! The water bubbled with guys thrashing around, I had arms and feet to dodge, bodies to climb over and it carried on that way for at least the first 100 metres. The fight continued but it wasn’t quite so congested as the faster guys came to the front. My plan was to slipstream as much as possible and conserve as much energy as I could after the initial battle. Kona is a simple out and back swim course which should measure 3.8km, but as most people in the know say - it measures long. The two times I have done it I have clocked 4.2km on the GPS watch and I know I don't go that far off course!
I first took a look at my Garmin once I had taken the turn around the boat and was heading for home. It read 27mins - a good sign. I was on for under an hour as planned. The swim back was a little choppy and definitely the harder part of the swim course. Similar to the way out I tried to stay on the hips of other swimmers, great for slipstreaming but also a great way to swallow half of the Pacific Ocean! I exited the water in 59 minutes which was great - the Garmin read 1min 26secs per 100m. In those conditions on a non wetsuit course I will take that. I was 22nd out the water in my age group and 157th over all, happy with that.
T1 went as well as can be expected - bag grabbed and into the madness of the changing tent, swim skin whipped off - underneath I had my new Taymory trisuit rolled down which I managed to pull up without too much hassle even though it was wet through going onto wet skin. I decided on this sort of suit to protect me from the blazing Kona sun as well as making me more aerodynamic. On with the socks and bike shoes and I was running out to find my Specialized Shiv. Bike located without any trouble and I was on my way to the line where I could jump on and get going.
The first part of the ride in Kona is in and out of town with guys hammering straight from the start. I knew this was not wise for me so I kept to my power plan and held it as best I could. On one of the turns down the hill out of town I heard the crunch and scraping of a bike hitting the deck behind me and with a quick glance over my shoulder I could see a guy sprawled out. Thankful that it wasn't me, I was off up the road tapping out the power. Before I knew it I was onto the Queen K Highway – this is where the race begins. I would be spending a big part of my day on this red hot highway both cycling and running. With it being a simple out and back bike course I headed north towards the turn at Hawi. My plan was always to aim to spend around 5 hours on the bike, if the wind was in our favour and I could take advantage then I would go for sub 5 or perhaps just over 5 so I had enough in the tank for the run.
I got to the turn in about 2hrs 40, around the 96km mark which I was happy with and was greeted by some rain for a short period of time which was quite welcome. The route up to Hawi is a climb – so after the turn it's a pleasing descent. I tried to take advantage but the wind turned and on the route home she blew into our faces, making it a tough return. This didn't bother me as I had my power targets set and just stuck to them, I overtook some guys who had blown up having gone out too hard but was also overtaken by others who where looking strong as they passed. I hoped to take revenge on the run. The last hour seemed to go on for a long time heading back to town with the wind against me. At the aid stations I only ever grabbed water to drink and pour on myself to cool me down. All the nutrition I needed I had on the bike and I consumed everything as planned. Off the bike in 5hrs 4mins, 45th in age group and 207th overall – more than happy with that as I would grab a lot of places back on the run – or so I thought!
T2 was smooth as could be. I left the bike with the volunteers and then had to go some distance to grab the run bags and hit the change tent. I found a space on the floor and changed into my Puma Faas 500s, a quick body assessment and everything felt good, legs a little tired as they had just done 6 hours of exercise but felt good to run. The Target for the run was sub 3 hours 15, at worst 3 hours 30.
As I ran out of the tent I slipped the visor on, doused myself in sun cream and I was off. This is the time the race really starts and I felt confident I had it in my legs. The first 500m felt a little hard but no more than expected – I would find the gear and I be on my way. To my frustration I never found the gears I wanted – it felt like my body wasn't even in first gear, more like in reverse! I thought I could shake it, that in time this would change. I simply kept moving forward just not at a pace I would expect. I hit the first aid station and refuelled as best I could, hydrated as much as my stomach would take. I was still passing guys in worse condition than me (which must have been bad) but adding to my frustration numerous guys were overtaking me now. I was in a strange frame of mind throughout the run. I couldn't comprehend why my legs wouldn't get into action. I attempted to change the situation a number of times. I would get up to pace then come crashing back down, only ever really walking through aid stations and up the mountain that is Palani Hill. It felt more of a shuffle than a run most of the time – this wasn't what I was used to and I knew the result I wanted was slipping further and further away. However, the idea of quitting never entered my mind. It was never an option. Yes it was hot, yes I was dehydrated, yes I was in pain but the only thing troubling me was my lack of pace and the thought of not achieving what I set out to do. I turned out of 'the energy lab' (another aid station) and took a look at my watch - just over 9 hours in. I had just under one hour to run 11km and I would be home in under 10 hours. ‘11km in about an hour is easy,’ I thought. Full of beans with thoughts of damage limitation I set off again, only to come crashing back down. With around 9km to go my toes curled over in my right foot and cramp struck throughout my foot and up my calf. Painful? Yes. Going to stop me? No. So I carried on moving forward.
Coming toward the finish, however bad your race has been, you can't help but smile and appreciate the support of the crowd. It is electrifying. One last turn and the finish line was finally in sight. I took one look behind to make sure no one else was coming, high fived some of the crowd, ran up the ramp and raised my hands more in recognition of completion than celebration. Kona 2015 was done.
My run time was 3 hours 53, my slowest marathon to date and not one I want to repeat! I ended up 74th in my age group and 365th overall. The only good I could take from this result is that I managed to finish over 100 places better than I did in 2013. Finish time 10 hours 3 minutes.
I've had a couple of days to reflect and I have been over the race time and time again. The swim was good, the bike I came off feeling ok and bang on the targets we had set. Even coming off the bike to the change tent whilst running my legs felt good compared to normal. Then on the run the wheels fell off, lack of hydration on the bike, under-fuelled or the Kona heat taking more of a toll than I thought. Thinking back, as gross as this sounds (ironmen will understand) I never peed myself. Normally I would have to at least once on the bike and once on the run. Maybe this shows a lack of hydration. Honestly I am still not sure but one thing is for definite: I came out here to race, to put down a great time and to build something in the sport for myself from there. Kona is a tough and unpredictable place to race and it showed me just how tough when I compared this year to when I raced in 2013. Nearly 20 minutes slower after what I am sure has been 2 years of progression but in contrast 100 places better. It was never going to be easy, I knew that, but I thought I was ready to tackle the beast better than I did.
The response I have had from family and friends since race day has been overwhelming. I am not pleased with my final result but still people use the words inspiring and motivational. One comment has stuck with me and summed it up quite nicely: “You may not have achieved what you wanted in this race but maybe the greater achievement might be the effect you have had on the people around you.” I hope this is the case. I will cling to it as it lightens the disappointment!
One other thing I want to mention about the race and an inspiration for me is the 83 years old Japanese guy by the name of Hiromu Inada. He missed the 17 hour cut off – which would have seen him become the oldest man to ever complete the Ironman World Championships – by just 6 seconds! He of course is still a winner in my eyes even though officially not crowned an Ironman. Will he give up? No, he has already said he is set to return next year to complete the brutal course. One word... legend.
So, what to do now? Currently I'm sat with my feet up as I can hardly walk on my left foot and three toe nails on my right foot are coming off. I will take a bit of time off as this has been a long season and I need some down time physically and mentally. I will decide what to do and what new goals to set. One thing is for sure, whatever triathlon throws at me I still have a huge love for this sport and despite the pain and or disappointment it can dish out I am thirsty for more!
Finally I would like to say a massive thanks to my sponsors this year. First of all the best bike shop in the world The Cycle Hub – without these guys’ understanding I wouldn't have been able to commit the way I have. Also to Airwings for supporting me, making it possible to travel to races and to live in Dubai. It has also been great to work with Puma, Compressport, Huub and Oakley Middle East – you guys rock. I have to thank all those in the triathlon community who have shared in my enthusiasm this year but in particular a couple of friends, they know who they are, who have shown great support throughout this journey, thank you. Gulf News, thank you for running the "Long Road to Kona" story and blogs, I think we have kept some people entertained! And of course my support network is never complete without my close-knit family (even if we are thousands of miles apart). They pick me up when I am down and make me realise the important things in life.
Thanks for reading, and until the next time...
Thursday, October 8: Not a bad spot for a morning swim
I have just got back from one of my last rides. A picture perfect morning with blue skies, but the howling Kona winds are still there to make me realise it's not just paradise. Yesterday there were brutal winds on the island and the sun blazed all day long. It changes day by day here and so quickly, but come race day we know it will be a combo of hot, humid and windy. But to what severity is up to Mother Nature herself.
Last night we had the Parade of Nations and Team GB was represented by over 140 athletes. Free comedy T-Shirts were provided by Fusion and Blade Printing with the words "God Save The Queen K" printed on them. This is a joke for anyone who knows anything about Kona. It was amazing to walk through the streets representing our country as people cheered for us. The next time that will be happening I will be in a little more pain, but hopefully moving a lot quicker as it is where the run course starts and finishes.
One of my favourite times here in Kona are the early morning swims. It's a great way to start the day and during race week there is the coffee boat about 500m from shore which you can swim up to, grab a free coffee after or during your swim set, have a chat with the other athletes and then carry on.
Another great thing about race week is a lot of the brands have events. 'Specialized' invited us to their house for a BBQ and to mix with some legendary past winners, like Crowie and Macca and future champions such as Tim Don. It was hosted at an epic little house by the sea and there was free food, so I'm never going to say no!
Another magical thing about this special Big Island are the sunsets. Every night we are treated to such spectacular images as the ball of fire drops behind the Pacific Ocean.
I have checked in and got my race number, which is 1980 for anyone who will be tracking me. On race day that's the number you need to look out for.
Monday, October 5: The Dubai heat has prepared me well
Life is great here in Hawaii. Since landing it has felt amazing to be back on the Big Island. Doing the hard work to get here is made all worth it when you get to be here and be surrounded by super-fit individuals. Everyone looks so lean and race ready.
On the evening I landed I treated myself to a short run to ease the long journey out of my legs and I was rewarded with the most spectacular sunset over the Pacific Ocean.
Mornings have been spent going down to Dig Me beach for a swim (this is where the race will start). You jump into the lukewarm ocean, swim with the coral underneath you. It's so nice to have the tropical fish to watch for entertainment!
It's good to be back in the open water again as most of my training before this has been in the pool as the sea in Dubai is way too warm over summer.
We then usually head to a local coffee house for a mug of the world-famous Kona coffee and the chance to watch the world go by. Or watch the lean, mean athletes running or biking up and down Ali'i Drive. The buzz on the island during race week is one to savour. It is unlike any other event and is what makes it so special.
Afternoons are usually a bike or run. Today was a run for an hour up Ali'i Drive and the legs felt great. Despite the midday heat, the body's response was very positive. I have covered some parts of the bike course along the Queen K Highway on the Specialized Shiv. Even in the strong side winds she holds her own and is ready to race. It's just down to me to make sure the engine is fine tuned for the 10th!
The weather is good so far - I think Dubai has acclimatised me well. It is a different sort of heat but either way I have become used to sweating buckets. The only downside to island life is the cost of food. We know I love to eat! I thought Dubai was expensive for food but Kona certainly goes up a step. It won't stop me filling my face though!
Friday, October 2: How I found out who my friends are
I sit here aboard a plane San Francisco bound - the long road to Kona is in transit! The actual journey to get there started a long time ago. The qualification for this World Championship began in Malaysia around a year ago. I gained my spot by coming third in my age group. Malaysia was the toughest out of the four Ironman I have competed in, but my reward for this was to compete in the Ironman World Championships 2015. Since then I have dedicated a huge part of my life to getting here in the best form possible. I have committed to endless hours on the bike, looked at the bottom of a pool for too long to think about and sweated on some runs more than I thought was humanly possible!
Not only do I train for all these hours, but I also miss out on social events, adventures and nights out. This is all part of getting to where I want to be. Ironman can be a very selfish sport that takes up a huge part of your life, but I love it . At the end of the day it's my choice to do it. There are so many people out there who for medical or other reasons are not so lucky as me to be able to do it. For this I feel blessed ... so here's to many more hours of training and competing.
I sit on the plane, take a deep breath and reflect on where I am at now. I am the fittest I have ever felt; I have done sessions that I thought I would not be capable of; I have learnt to battle with pain better; I have taught myself to dig deeper than ever before and what is more I have enjoyed it all. You learn a lot about yourself training for Ironman and also a lot about others. True friends stick by you and I have many, with continuous support from them and my family. It certainly does make things more worthwhile.
Since moving to Dubai in November 2013 I have met so many people who I have been inspired by, learnt so much from and who have helped me out in ways that show how kind some people can be. Working at The Cycle Hub has helped me cross paths with so many liked-minded individuals. I have spoken all things triathlon for many more hours than the boss would probably like! The generosity shown by certain individuals and companies (you know who you are) has help me get here with a lot less stress than I thought possible. I am truly grateful.
I now look forward to getting to Kona, breathing in the tropical air and settling into the Hawaiin way of life. It's not a holiday as some people think. Before the race I will still have training up until the big day and keeping to a regime. The down time is something to look forward to afterwards.
Wednesday, September 30: I tried for a cheeky upgrade, but no such luck!
Friday, September 25: On the importance of my training partner
Thursday, September 24: 'I burn 8,000 calories. Here is what I eat'
This is little bit on what I think about nutrition as I get asked a lot what I eat. Below you will find a sample day when I am training. It varies on the amounts and portion sizes depending on the demands of training or what I think my body needs. My main thing is keeping nutrition as natural as possible with the odd treat thrown in. I don't believe that one way of eating is correct - for example being 100 per cent Paleo, vegan or vegetarian. Taking information from all ways of eating and adapting it to suit your needs is the way forward.
Read Luke's blog entry: 'How I burn 8,000 calories in a day'
I make most of my meals myself, but I do have a massive advantage working at The Cycle Hub as I can always turn to The Cycle Bistro to get my healthy fix. It usually just takes some good time management to find the time to food prep. You can make enough for the next few days so if you are late from work or training you reach for the left overs not the takeaway menu!
I think it is important to try and use as many different varieties of food as you can. It keeps the body guessing; it's good to surprise it with new vegetables and spices that we get numerous health benefits from. For example, how good turmeric is as a natural anti-inflammatory. Don't get me wrong I have my everyday staples that I always turn to, but it’s good to mix it up to make cooking interesting if nothing else. And before you know it you are getting vitamins and minerals from other food sources which your body is probably craving even though you didn't realize it.
I don't believe people should be on diets - it should just be a normal way of life. Diets usually come to an end and yes maybe you will get short term gains and then the weight goes back on anyway. You will be back to square one. Make changes for the good. More and more evidence and research is showing that sugar is such a killer and cause of many weight related illnesses. I am no professional in this field, but have been saying for a long time how bad it is. Don't get me wrong, I have a sweet tooth and have a fix every now and again – but everything in moderation. The scary thing for me with this is the rate at which parents are giving their children sugary treats and fizzy drinks. My question is: Why? Do some research and educate yourself so you can educate the next generation. It is not needed in your diet and especially not a child’s.
The main supplement that I always take is Omega 3 to get the extra essential fatty acids my body needs. The rest of my nutrients come from my food. I try to eat as locally sourced and as organic as possible, but there is sometimes a cost issue as a huge part of my income is spent on food. I do believe that if you feed your body the right fuel, it leads to much better gains in the sporting world and a happier way of life. When I have my off season and I am not so regimented about what I eat I really notice a change in my mental and physical state. It gives me all the reason to get back on the way of healthy eating.
Make the change today to start eating healthy, you will not regret it.
Menu on a typical training day
Quinoa Porridge with Berries and banana
Coffee with coconut cream
4am: Ride
Paleo energy bars from The Cycle Bistro or banana and water.
Recovery shake (I feel it helps recovery if I have another session the same day)
Main breakfast: Omelette, avocado, leafy greens, coconut water, berry smoothie (or both!)
Full fat Greek yogurt with nuts and honey
1pm: Swim
Lunch: Salmon salad (always try vary salads and vegetables as much as possible)
Snacks through out the day: Nuts, home made paleo bars, shredded coconut, apples, grapefruit, oranges or other fruits.
5pm: Yoga or mobility work
Evening meal: Steak and vegetables
Dark chocolate and chamomile tea at night (I am very rock and roll!)
Monday, September 21: Saddle sores, Veet and chlorine do not mix!
Last Friday was about four weeks out from race day so I hit what we call a "big day". This consisted of a 2am alarm call. I was on the bike at 3am to cycle for 180km which was done in under five hours.
I then jumped straight into the car and headed to the Fit Republik Gym to swim 4.1km in around an hour. It was then straight on to the treadmill for 1.5 hours. All done before 11.30am, and my body’s response to the test was good. It felt strong and coped with the demands well.
Ideally, the swim and run would be done outdoors, but with the weather in Dubai we are restricted. Hence, we have to compromise a little, and work around the weather and conditions.
I had a big decision to make this week and that was to shave, wax or veet (hair removal cream)! I am usually pretty slack at keeping on top of this boring task as it just takes up extra time.
With race day drawing closer I thought I’d best do something about my blonde gorilla legs. There are a few reasons why I do like hairless legs. If you come crashing off, it saves the pain of pulling hair out of the wound and massages are much better as the hair doesn't get pulled.
I am sure it doesn't make us any faster, but it makes me feel I go faster. And, it makes your legs look more ripped! I chose to veet – that was until I used up one tube on my upper legs. The other half was decided for me and the razor came out. Maybe I’ll save waxing for another time!
I thought all was good until I went bounding into the pool to realise that the cream must have gotten too close to my continuous saddle sores, and mixed with the chlorine made for a shocking/painful experience … a little word with myself (man up!) and I smashed out the swim set!
My social life saw me head out to the local bar for a glass of bubbles this week (soda water). Luckily it was to meet some more guys and girls from TriDubai, the main local Tri Club. It's great when you make your exit at 8.30pm and no one looks at you strange as they all know the score and are in the same boat.
Saturday, September 19: Want to better yourself? Stop the excuses
Sunday, September 13: Physiotherapy - using an iron bar
Rolling on from last week, this week has been a good solid block of training as well. I went over to Hatta and did some hill training. There is a great route from Hatta Fort Hotel to Kalba and back. My main aim on this session was to fatigue the legs early and then see what they had on the return - the response was good. I came away from the ride happy with the work done.
I have done some monster sessions in the pool with some sets being over 5km long. All my sessions are all in the pool currently as the sea is still too warm. A great thing about some swim sessions is I can use them as a tool for "active recovery" as it is low impact and great way to get some fresh blood pumping round the body, as long as you take the easy sessions easy!
I went over to see Dr Tamara at Diversified Integrated Sports Clinic in Healthcare City for some physio work. Dr Tamara and her team have been helping me out a great deal with any sporting injuries this season and doing their bit to get me to Kona in top form. Check out my Instagram (@trihardluke) for what treatment she used on me this week! It involved a metal stick! She always likes to inflict some pain in a good way and it's highly beneficial - so I am ok with that! She really knows what's she is doing and talking about. I know I am in safe hands.
Before
After
Recovery is key in the sport of Ironman and often neglected as we become obsessed with getting so much training in that we sometimes forget an important element "sleep"! This week I made sure to try and do some later morning sessions to get the extra few hours in bed to help repair and rejuvenate my body.
It's not just training, eating, working and sleeping all of the time. I did make it for my house mate's birthday, but I was drinking water on the rocks and still home by 9:30. I know ... wild right!
All is well in the world of Luke...
Thursday, September 10: 'Support of friends and family is crucial'
Saturday, September 5: 'How I burn 8,000 calories in a day'
This week has seen me increase the amount of training significantly from the previous week as I felt fit enough to do so. It meant being able to get some ‘big days’ in. One thing I often get asked is how many calories I burn in a day or a week etc. It is not something I keep a close eye on but on one of the 'big days' by looking at my data it says around 8,000 calories, which means having to consume a lot of food! As I have spoken about already I eat clean and natural most of the time but I did get my house mate to bring me a tub of ice cream back to share that night – we all have to have our treats and are human!
It has been in total about a 27 hour training week. A big bulk of this was spent turning the pedals on Al Qudra with my good training partner and fellow Kona qualifier David Labouchere. David is the fittest 52 year old I have ever met and is looking in fine form for this year’s race. It is great to train with someone who has so much passion and drive for the sport. He is also good at entertaining me with stories of old which help tick off the hours on the saddle.
My swim training continues to tick over nicely – for me I try and concentrate on getting quality time in the pool and not worry too much about speed all the time as I know the more efficient I become in the water the speed will follow. One of my highlights of the week was a nice 90 minute run early morning with the new moon casting its light over me whilst every other sane person slept. It was very peaceful and a great way to start that day.
Thursday, September 3: '14 hours on the bike'
Sunday, August 30: 'Sometimes you have to take a break'
This training week I had to shorten some session due to illness and concentrate on quality and not always about quantity as I knew this would deplete my already not fully fit body. It is hard as an athlete to take time off when such a big race so close but we have to listen to our bodies sometimes and take the rest. I missed sessions and even had to take a couple of days off in the last week due to this. I have been working on some great strength work though to help activate musclesthat I should be using more on the bike to make my stroke more efficient. I am now hopefully on the mend and will be ready to get back on track next week.
I get asked a lot what I eat and main thing for me is keep it simple, natural and stay away from processed foods. Lucky where I work is The Cycle Bistro which is a Paleo Bistro and my favorite of post work out food is an omelette packed with mushrooms, served with The Cycle Bistro hashcake, kale and avocado washed down with a berry smoothie. Just what you need to start the day after cranking out some miles on the bike. Also make sure to carry healthy snacks with you for those times you get hungry fruit and nuts are perfect and better than reaching for that chocolate bar all the time!
Thursday, August 27: 45 days to go
