Monthly archives: July 2011

By semi-accomplished I mean that my goal of going under 12 hours (my previous IM best was 12.04 in Langkawi – which was an easier course than Korea) was achieved, but my goal of qualifying for Kona again wasn’t.

An 11.51 would have been good enough to qualify for Kona in the said Langkawi race I think, but unfortunately being away from IMs for five years has made me blind to the fact that there are so many more people doing this now, and they’re getting faster!

I’m not too disappointed that I didn’t qualify really, for a number of reasons. First, as mentioned, it’s because I went sub-12 in conditions I dare say were more testing than any other IM I’ve done (even the 2006 IM Korea which was a different course). Secondly I had a good run split, my fastest in an IM so far. Thirdly, I triumphed mentally over pain, which really set in at 90K on the bike, went away for the last 50K or so of the ride, came back on the run, before I finally found my rhythm about 15K into the run. The key in IMs is really not to give in to pain. You will win, eventually. Fourthly, I’m proud of the fact that I did a good, clean race. You should have seen the packs of drafters out there. At some points you could even call them pelotons. I mean, what good is it to clock a great time knowing it wasn’t on your own strength and effort? I shouted at quite a drafters who passed me on the bike but it didn’t help much; one chick even gave me the “up yours”. I wish you well too.

It was good to see familiar faces out there on the course, and to make new friends from HK too. Nic Gallagher was fantastic in her first IM; we’d passed each other back and forth a few times on the bike, but only at the last time when she passed me did I realise she didn’t recognise me for most of 180km and so didn’t hear me cheering for her as I passed her each time! Can’t blame her, I think you can barely hear anything in those aero helmets. We were in the bike-run transition tent together and she finished soon after I did. Ling Er from Singapore was also doing her first IM; we got out of the swim together and she started the bike first as I was fiddling with my Specalized Boa lacing! Anyway never saw her again till the run, where I ran across to her to give her a high-five for the great race she was having. She ended up winning her age group and qualifying for Kona and posting a fantastic time (fastest for a Singaporean female ever), but unfortunately she also told me after the race that she had drafted during the bike and got a four-minute penalty for it… no comment.

You could say I drafted on the bike too – on the wings of the Lord. He answered my prayers for mercy on the second loop of the bike. What was a strong headwind/crosswind along a coastal section on the first loop of the bike became a tailwind/very slight crosswind on the second loop. God answers prayers. He does, he does.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to a month of rest/easy training and deciding what to do next. An ultra? A multi-day race? An IM? Can’t decide but will do some short-distance stuff in the meantime for fun. Bring on the mini off-season!