Macca came flying down Hulalalai Road like a man possessed. His face was like steel and he was on a mission. I thought, hello, there is someone on his tail, and sure enough then next guy turned up, then the next guy, and so on. What a race. Chris McCormac took out the men’s title for the second time, 3 years after his first win. It was obvious from the minute Macca started the run in pursuit of Lieto, that the race was his. He looked so fresh, and his run form by far superior to anyone else before him. It was simply incredible. Then about 9 minutes later, Craig Alexander followed looking equally as threatening. This was going to be a huge day at the pointy end for the pro men. I was stationed o Kuakini H’way at the start of the run, then moved down into Hualalai for the next 3-4 hours. What a day…. (Race report for the mens can be viewed here: http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/kona2010/kevin-mackinnon-recaps-the-mens-race-at-the-ford-ironman-world-championship#axzz127ZRc6sq)
Pam and I got up and went through the usual Ironman pre-race routine (well, I didn’t, I just pretended!). Pam was calm, and managed to eat her breakfast and keep it down – all good so far. I dropped her off about 300m from transition, along with 3 Dutch athletes we have met at the condo….and that was my job done. Pam was awesome. Like Bjorn Borg – cool on the court. Parked car at strategic getaway position then walked back to mark my territory on the sea wall at the Palace gardens. Got soaked as the HUGE swells kept us all entertained from 5.15am to the pro start at 6.30. Met a German guy called Thorston who was obviously alone, and chatted merrily to while away the hour of wait.
 |
| Agegroup race start lineup - 9 Oct 2010 - Kona Hawaii |
BANG – the pro’s set off at a rate of knots that defied logic. I was several hundred metres from the start line and could not believe the speed they were travelling! Then the agegroupers turn 30mins later – BANG – and they were off. At this point the tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of Pam embarking on the biggest day of her life, and the utter pain she was about to put herself through. For about 2mins I thought “that could be me”, and thankfully that’s as long as it lasted. The relief was immense. My memories of that swim, that bike, and that run are simply of excruciating pain and my body is just not in any condition to take that punishment right now so the reality was bliss! So as the experience Ironman junkie, I adopted Thorston for the day and showed him how to watch an ironman! Heather and Annette had volunteered so we all did our own thing. Up Palani road we went – coffee at Starbucks and at the Queen K intersection in time to see Andy Potts fly down the hill as first man out. Yeehaar – it was all on! How cool was this! Had a blast. Really interesting to see how on their return UP Palani, the pro men looked comfortable, took in the crowds and enjoyed the attention – it would be a long time befor they see the crowds again, so they milked it. Cheered for Torenzo and Cam as they came passed in the same bunch (drafting allowed on Palani). Then the girls – cheered on Gina and Jo – it was all great fun. Bike bling and ass count lookin’ mighty fine right now…..
Saw lots of kiwis and Ben the Englishman, so my spotting skills were honed nicely. Then came Pam in the infamous Karatane yellow aero helmet – what a find that helmet is – look at me, look at me! She looked great – really comfortable and ready to kick some serious butt. 15mins or so later, up she came again to receive much yelling and bell ringing from myself, Thorston and Dan (Ben’s partner). Huge fun – we had a ‘tour de france’ line up at the top of palani, a nice narrow strip and Mexican waves and the lot going. The agegroupers were loving it. Whilst yelling at Pam, heather heard and saw us from her posie just a little further up on the Queen K, so joined us. We watched the last cyclist leave (Vivian, my South African friend who is 76 years young) then headed off to Lava Java, of course! A quick dip in the pool, then on to Hot corner to see Chris Leito round the hay bales to start the run. He lloked as though his hammies were attached to his shoulder blades, so I figured he was going to have a tough day at the office. He did well all the same! Then they started piling through! Cameron looked awesome also – as far as form goes, Cam, Macca and Craig A looked superb. Torenzo looked as though he really really wanted whatever was in his stomach to eject itself, so was quite distressing to see that knowing he had 42k’s to go.
So we set up camp on Hualalai in a nice clear spot so we could see runners in both directions. The pace was incredible. We had a fabulous time there, and stayed there to watch the winners in both mens and womens races to return for the 3rd time to turn right onto Ali’I drive. Fantastic. Mirinda Cafrae was a machine. It was frightening to see how fast she runs in real life – TV is one thing, but the reality was gob smacking. If only, huh…? Yeah, right.
Watching so many people I know race was so much fun and a real challenge but I managed it. I don’t think I missed anyone. Laura was having a bad day at the office with a Haemoglobin count of 103 at the start, and finishing at 80. How the human body can function at those levels is amazing – total proof that ironman is 99% mental. And Laura has all of that 99% in tune. Amazing and inspirational stuff.
And then came Pam – now she was FLYIN’ down Hualalai, let me tell you! She looked amazing! And on cue, with text updates from wayne giving me feeds on her mins per km pace, I was ready and waiting at the precise time she turned back to head out to the Queen K. She looked great! I told her she was in 15th place and that at this pace she could run herself into a podium position. The look on her face told me everything I needed to know…..it was a big ask.
Dan and I wandered down Ali’I towards the hubbub of the finish ready to see Ben come through in 10hrs 20 something – so exciting to see given that in 2007 I ran passed him on palani with only 1km to go. He gave Hawaii a nudge this year and did the business! Yay Ben.
So now I was on my own as heather was in the finishers chute handing out Leis (as a volunteer), so I watched heaps of kiwis, and people of all shapes and sizes zoom in under 11 hours. How they do it is beyond me, and I sat there ringing my TIMEX cow bell with such vigor, wondering what they had that I didn’t. So motivating – their faces showing such elation and excitement. YES, I thought. That’s gotta be me next year. Oh hell, it’s in print – gotta do it now! (not sure about the sun 11, but I can do the elation and excitement!)
Pam and I were hoping for a finish somewhere between 11.30 and 12.00, so at 6.30pm I positioned myself in the chute ready to high five her as she came in. The minutes ticked by. Her splits wayne had texted me told me she could be in any minute, and I was sitting there willing the next person to resemble Pam, then the next, then the next. Then there she was – with a clean view of the chute, with no one in front of her, she had the whole show to herself. I high fived her and watched with HUGE satisfaction and plenty of tears as she ran up under the finishing arch to be greeted by heather with her lei. I watched it on the big screen until she was no longer visible, then made a bee-line out the back to see her. 12hours 15mins and 6secs in 16th place in her age group.
Heather and her catcher led her into the chaos out the back, then I took over and helped her to massage. We talked about her day, and the words she used to express how she felt and what she was feeling said it all. The total amazement of how tough it is out there. No matter how much somebody tells you it is tough, you can never be mentally prepared for just how hard it really is. She could not believe the pain in her legs, and how the race ‘got her’ at about the 21k mark. She was done. But mentally, she pulled herself together and toughed it out till the end. It surely is one hell day – and now Pam has done it. Yay you pam!
 |
| Our Hawaii Ironman Finisher - Pam Morris - 16th Place 50-54 Female |
 |
| Pam and her support crew from Hibiscus Coast tri Club - Heather, Annette and ME! |
The four of us partied till midnight at the finish line accompanied by Pam's brother and sister-in-law. A huge day at the office for me to - standing from 5.15am till 00.30am the next day (apart from 30mins or so at Lava Java!). And for those who want the full low down on Chrissy wellington's race withdrawal, visit : http://www.chrissiewellington.org/blog/looking-forward/
No comments:
Post a Comment