The Swim to Bike transition was quite a messy affair...
After all the competitors ahead of me the grass area where the bikes were racked more resembled your typical Tough Mudder obstacle course...
After all the competitors ahead of me the grass area where the bikes were racked more resembled your typical Tough Mudder obstacle course...
In some places the mud was just past my ankles as I splodged through the mud in my riding shoes to the bike. I picked it up cyclocross style then slipped and slid my way to the transition exit.
The atmosphere was great going through the foreshore of Palm Cove, following the Paris to Roubaix style slushfest and slippery cobble stone speed humps making some rider's bidons launch out of the rear cages. I just sat on mine each time I had to go over the humps. I had to stop to pick up one bidon that I actually think I pushed out while in a hurry to get back behind the seat.
I made my way out of Palm Cove then on to the road north bound for Port Douglas. I saw Greg and mentioned that Sharn and Craig were apparently 10 minutes ahead and said I was going to go and catch up with them.
It was about 5 minutes later (around the 12 minutes into the ride) that I caught up to Sharn and Craig. I went up past them, saying g'day and then dropped back my 12 metres (per the drafting regulations) and settled in for the wet ride north. A few minutes later Greg turned up and said that we didn't have to worry about the drafting rule as long as we rode single file and kept out of the way of the other competitors.
I was so relieved because after months of worrying about this very issue, including right up to that point I had no idea how we were going to be able to give Sharn and Craig support of any kind; moral or otherwise from 12 metres behind or in front. Luke and Ben arrived shortly after. The S4S support team was complete. Justin stopped for a chat before heading off one his first IM. Jason was already powering ahead on his mission for a personal best race time.
We had a good pace within a range of 20-29kph. To be honest, the following 8 hours and 39 minutes only really felt like maybe half that time.
The first accent up to Rex Lookout going north was at between 10-12kph. With both Sharn and Craig pedalling they made light work of the climb. Spirits were up and looking forward to the flatter parts of the course to make up time at a higher pace.
Our first visit to the Port Douglas turn point was met with an excited reception from the crowd as each of our names were announced and real-time video of our ride in to town was displayed on a massive screen at the turn around point.
 |
| All smiles going north to Port Douglas on the first climb up Rex Lookout. (Right to left: Sharn, Luke, Ben and me) |
Our first visit to the Port Douglas turn point was met with an excited reception from the crowd as each of our names were announced and real-time video of our ride in to town was displayed on a massive screen at the turn around point.
The cheers had given us all a boost. It was now 45km and 1h:50m into the ride. Ahead of us was a 33-ish kilometre ride back over Rex Lookout before turning around at Wangetti and the return trip to Port Douglas.
This lookout is only 50m above sea level so normally climbing is not problem... unless you have to do it four times towing a fully grown adult on a recumbent bike. By the last repeat of that 2km climb it will feel like 20km!
The mood had been good all the way up but the feeling within the group now was at a new high.
The mood had been good all the way up but the feeling within the group now was at a new high.
As we were starting the Rex Lookout climb from the north side, going south Sharn's bike slipped sideways on one of the steep cambered corners. Maybe due to the gradient of the hill and wet climate of the tropics the camber of the road on the corners were probably the steepest I have come across.
Greg and I sat up the front, describing upcoming terrain, warning Craig on steep cambered corners and distance to the top of each pinch. Craig would then relay the information back to Sharn.
Within a few minutes of the slip Luke and Ben called me back to where they were behind Sharn. "What do reckon about that tire? Does it look like it is going down to you?...", Luke says referring to the wheel on Sharn's right hand side. It looked a bit low but it was hard to tell. We watched it for a few minutes. It was definitely going down. Sharn started to fish-tail on the extreme camper of the road and around the corners.
We rode up and told Sharn the tire was going down but looked okay at the moment and that it would soon get to the point where it will drop quickly.
I dropped back again behind Sharn to monitor the tire and her stability. It didn't take long for the tire to go completely flat. We were over halfway up the climb. Sharn was happy with the control of her bike so a decision was made to push on with the climb because the gradient was too steep to stop and get off the bike or restart riding safely.
I dropped back again behind Sharn to monitor the tire and her stability. It didn't take long for the tire to go completely flat. We were over halfway up the climb. Sharn was happy with the control of her bike so a decision was made to push on with the climb because the gradient was too steep to stop and get off the bike or restart riding safely.
We told Sharn and Craig that if they kept up momentum they would soon be at the lookout where there was a mechanic to help fix the tire if needed. We couldn't risk stopping on that hill.
I hung back with Luke who was reassuring Sharn everything was okay and to just keep pedalling. With the tire being so low the recumbent bike Sharn was riding was prone to further slipping if they didn't keep up a good momentum and run a little wide or high through the corners, close to the middle of the road.
I hung back with Luke who was reassuring Sharn everything was okay and to just keep pedalling. With the tire being so low the recumbent bike Sharn was riding was prone to further slipping if they didn't keep up a good momentum and run a little wide or high through the corners, close to the middle of the road.
When we reached the lookout everyone quickly dismounted and checked the flat. I pulled the spare, CO2 canister and valve fitting out of Sharn's backpack. It was then we realised the valve on the wheel was a schrader type yet the canister fitting was only for a presta valve type...
Okay... We have a problem! This was the first time they'd had a flat on Sharn's bike, after all that training. Greg had a new pump but didn't know if it was compatible. It didn't matter. There was an event mechanic across the road, shelter from the rain and wind. It was 12:30pm and a good opportunity for Sharn to take her medication which was due at 1pm anyway.
Okay... We have a problem! This was the first time they'd had a flat on Sharn's bike, after all that training. Greg had a new pump but didn't know if it was compatible. It didn't matter. There was an event mechanic across the road, shelter from the rain and wind. It was 12:30pm and a good opportunity for Sharn to take her medication which was due at 1pm anyway.
Looking back on the Garmin data, the whole stop was around 20 minutes. The mechanic replaced the tube and checked the inside of the tire for the offending object while I patched the punctured tube just in case we'd need another repair. Whatever caused the puncture, it was very small. it may have been a shard of glass.
It was freezing! I am sure I wasn't the only one relieved to get going again. Down hill toward the Wangetti turnaround point only 7km away.
The tube repair lasted 40km. We were on our way back up the coast to Port Douglas having climbed and descended Rex Lookout from the south for the second time. That pinch was definitely getting harder for Craig even with Sharn literally pushing him up the hill as she pedalled.
Getting closer to Port Douglas I rode up ahead a few kays and found a petrol station with a pump at Craiglie. I checked how high the pressure would go then headed back to the group. Meanwhile Luke and Greg hung back to get some electrolytes and check Greg's pump fitting. Sharn and Craig kept riding. We were all reunited around 1km from the petrol station.
Good news! Greg's pump had a schrader valve fitting!
The petrol station pump could get the tire to 65psi. About 10psi less than we needed it but it would do the job.
The decision was made that we couldn't risk another 20 minute stop. We would use Greg's pump to top the tire pressure up. If it went low every 40km then we would stop for only a minute or so. No big deal.
110km down and another great reception at Port Douglas once again boosting our morale but the pressure was on. You could see it on everyone's face.The decision was made that we couldn't risk another 20 minute stop. We would use Greg's pump to top the tire pressure up. If it went low every 40km then we would stop for only a minute or so. No big deal.
We had to keep a good pace on to the final Rex Lookout climb and the home stretch. The rest of the course either side of the lookout was flat so the focus was now to pick up some time as long as that tire didn't give us any more trouble than just a top up here and there...
 |
| Cycle Leg Bike Splits |
Craig and Sharn's pace dropped noticeably on the way back. Craig's cadence was still high, around 110rpm. Sometimes higher. His legs were really feeling the strain but didn't have the ability to put too much power into the pedals.
Ben was was up the front doing the sums and setting a slightly higher pace that they could match and sustain.
Craig's energy and fluid intake up to this point in my opinion wasn't sufficient to fuel and hydrate his body at this intensity. Regardless of what you eat though, the body can sustain this intensity for only so long before breaking down.
Craig's energy and fluid intake up to this point in my opinion wasn't sufficient to fuel and hydrate his body at this intensity. Regardless of what you eat though, the body can sustain this intensity for only so long before breaking down.
To be honest, I am just as bad. My biggest problem is that I don't eat or hydrate enough, particularly when mountain biking so I would have been the same if I was in his situation. This is something I concentrated on during the later part of my own IM training - eating and drinking.
As we got to the start of the last climb up to Rex Lookout Craig was at his lowest in terms of pace and morale. Every small incline since the last Port Douglas turn around point was a becoming a struggle so this climb was going to be to sole destroyer!
On queue, just like something out of a movie, Sharn's husband Russ appeared out of nowhere on the back of a motorbike. The timing could not have been any more perfect! It was quite an emotional moment, particularly for Craig whose body by this stage was being pushed well past it's breaking point as the gradient increased.
Russ turning up was probably the only thing aside from Sharn's pedalling that got Craig up that final climb.
If you have seen the footage on the Channel 7 Sunday Night program of Craig drawing on every bit of power in his legs to get up to the lookout, you will know how much he was hurting! It has to be seen to really appreciate and was truly amazing to witness first-hand.
When we got to the top Craig's legs quivered, almost giving out as he backed off the pressure to sit up and freewheel down the incline. He was cooked! He was done... I think the relief of knowing he didn't have to climb the lookout again was enough to get his head back to a place where he could focus again.
When we got to the top Craig's legs quivered, almost giving out as he backed off the pressure to sit up and freewheel down the incline. He was cooked! He was done... I think the relief of knowing he didn't have to climb the lookout again was enough to get his head back to a place where he could focus again.
On to Palm Cove. Not much happened between the lookout and Palm Cove. As you can see in the timing splits (above), we were really pushing it for time with the very real possibility of being disqualified due to not making the cut off.
We knew the main cut-off from the bike leg was at 6:10pm however we had no idea where the other timing cut off points were on the bike course. We were certainly reminded of how close we were to disqualification every time the Sag Wagon came passed giving us a cheer or when a straggler rode past, also worried about their day being cut short...
We weren't too far from the airport when we had our final technical problem. We stopped to top the tire pressure up with Greg's pump. As with most rims that have schrader valves, the valve stem is usually so tight in the hole that the rim cut through the rubber!
All we needed to do was top it up. Now we had to change the tube again! We didn't have another 15-20 minutes to fix the tube! This was a devastating blow to morale.
Thankfully we patched the initial flat tube so we did a Grand Prix style wheel repair - lifting Sharn, bike and all while the tube was replaced and pumped back up. Done!
The repair only took 3 minutes! Awesome! I don't know why it took the mechanic so long the first time!
Home stretch...
Craig was pumped. Off we went. We still had a chance to get to to Cairns with time to spare. As we got closer to the outskirts of Cairns and the airport, the Channel 7 Sunday Night program correspondent Denham Hitchcock needed to interview Sharn and Craig. It was really not the best time for it considering how much time we had left to the 6:10pm cut off.
With the interview over the final maybe 7-8 kilometres were ahead. We were expecting a fairly straight run in where we could ramp up the pace however traffic cones ("witch's hats") set up to separate the ride course from the vehicular traffic, also using the road were too close to the edge to safely fit the width of Sharns's bike.
She was at constant risk of either sliding of the road due to the camber or losing control and getting bounced out if a wheel ran over the edge or into a cone causing it to get stuck underneath the carriage so I rode ahead of the group kicking the cones from the base out into the road enough to get them through. It was still tight but it made for easier passage. This went on every 10 metres or so for around 3km.
The final few kays wound its way through several suburban back streets to get to The Esplanade, again slowed things down as Sharn and Craig negotiated their way around the corners at safe speeds. Ben and I up the front literally had to stop and wait for them to go round the corners and catch up. It was that slow-going through that area.
She was at constant risk of either sliding of the road due to the camber or losing control and getting bounced out if a wheel ran over the edge or into a cone causing it to get stuck underneath the carriage so I rode ahead of the group kicking the cones from the base out into the road enough to get them through. It was still tight but it made for easier passage. This went on every 10 metres or so for around 3km.
The final few kays wound its way through several suburban back streets to get to The Esplanade, again slowed things down as Sharn and Craig negotiated their way around the corners at safe speeds. Ben and I up the front literally had to stop and wait for them to go round the corners and catch up. It was that slow-going through that area.
It felt like there was one thing after another trying to keep us from making that 6:10pm cut off!!!
As we got closer to the Cairns event centre we heard the cheers from spectators and competitors on their run leg. The group reconfigured to move Sharn and Craig up to lead us in to town.
As we got closer the noise of everyone cheering was deafening as the number of people lined the streets increased. It was like riding in a stage of the Tour de France. What a buzz!!! People out to dinner in the restaurants left their tables to line the road and cheer us on as well.
Even now (27th of August), I still feel a lump in the back of my throat just thinking about the experience of that moment we came in to town.
The relief on Craig's face was obvious. All we/they had to do now was a couple more hours of running - 42.2km and they would be in the Finishers' Chute!
... Next Post: Not as long as this post - Run Leg...
