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There is something about new shoes that I just love. I am not talking about Jimmy Choo Choos (no triathlete would), but rather, about my ‘high-inducing’ running shoes! That said, I have no shame in admitting that I have had a love affair with the Asics brand since I first started my running career – but I don’t need to vouch for their quality or popularity – Asics have dominated the running shoe market in South Africa for years. Not because of gimicks or flash, they have simply proven themselves as a technologically advanced shoe that has carried most runners comfortably through crazy distances to PB’s. Yes, I am biased, but I can say that a few years back due to a team sponsor obligation, I was forced to use another running shoe brand. Never, have I, or my feet been so unhappy! Between us, I secretly ran with my Asics in the dark early hours . I am not saying that everyone should be wearing Asics, although looking around this is almost possible, but having a great relationship with your running shoes is akin to running bliss!

Following the disappointment of Ironman SA, I have not rushed back into training to avenge myself, instead I have taken things easy. After such a mentally and physically tough day, I had to let go of being angry with myself, and give myself the chance to recover slowly. This has never meant no exercise, just enough exercise to amuse myself, when I wanted, and how I wanted. It has been great to just smile, chat and laugh with friends, paying no attention to time, distance, speed etc!

Now, since we are approaching the 4 week mark since Ironman, my body and mind have started to let me know that they have recovered and I am starting to feel ready for the discipline and ‘pain’ that I thrive on . For me, the best way to start over with a new plan, is with a new pair of shoes . I simply love taking a new pair out of the box, admiring the new season colours and giving them a good sniff! Yes, I enjoy the smell of new shoes !! More importantly, running shoes become like friends – at first a little stiff and then they become the shape of your feet. New shoes for me always imply new aspirations – they have not yet seen pain, PB’s, disappointments or the hills of Bedfordview!

I always think back to my high school days when I got my very first pair of ‘real’ running shoes,a pair of Asics Tigers I might add, and how very proud I was of them . New shoes won’t make you run faster, in theory of course, but I have always found myself inspired by their unsoiled shine and unscuffed soles. I just feel like running with a new pair of shoes on my feet!

Now, as I look towards my next goals, I know that my faithful friends will be with me to share in part of the journey …

My 16th Ironman done. Notably, my second worst finish ever (the worst being Ironman Mexico back in 2009 and that epic 28km walk of shame…). Ironman South Africa 2012 will definitely go down as one of the toughest days I have ever had.

I am ashamed by my performance, embarrassed that the climatic conditions got the better of me. Sure, the weather was the same for everyone, but my body just succombed, the months of preparation amounted to a test of survival and battle of will. That is Ironman, Unpredictable and you rarely get what you want. The more you race, the higher the chances are that you WILL be guaranteed a bad day somewhere along the line. Of course, when these days come you feel like you have let a whole lot of people down – sponsors, supporters, friends, coaches but most deeply yourself.

Port Elizabeth this year dealt me a blow that has taken me a day to ponder over. The weather was the worst I have ever experienced – even having raced in Germany and Switzerland on pretty nasty days nothing compares to this! The day started in pouring rain, with spectators and supporters soaked from way before the starting cannon was fired. The fact that the temperatures hovered between 11 and 14 degrees did not help matters. I was shivering and blue with cold by the time we set off from Hobie beach! The ocean which had been so magnificently calm the days prior to the race, became  an angry, dark force to be contended. I was relieved to leave the tumultuous swells of the ocean and get out on the bike.

I was reasonably well placed around 7th position, as I headed out onto what would be my hardest Ironman bike ride ever. The winds in PE where gale force and in excess of 100kph in some places!! While the Claire and Dianne, my fellow compatriots from Cape Town seemed quite accustomned to the wind, I have to admit to being overwhelmed and I struggled! At some points I felt really afraid after being sent into the bushes for the 3rd time by the wind! Out of my own observation, I could see that the larger guys were coping reasonably well, but the smaller guys and girls were fighting to hang onto their bikes and keep themselves upright! In addition to this rather remarkable wind, it was bitterly cold, and even though I had an additional two cycling tops and arm warmers, I was freezing cold and losing time and places with increasing rapidity. Interestingly, by the end of lap 2 I had eaten every scrap of food I had taken with me (normally I don’t get through even half!), and my body was crying out for any calories it could get…

The bike leg took me an astounding 6h30! I knew that I was far, far down, and probably the last of the Pro women, but I thought to myself, this is Ironman, anything can happen and you know that you can run! I set off for the run with nothing but my Compressport arm sleeves thinking things would be warmer on the run….HA!

Although my legs felt reasonably good at the start of the run, my ‘tank’ felt pretty low. Despite everything that I had eaten, I kept needing more and more fuel, it seemed the colder I got the more energy I was consuming. While I had every intention of at least trying to make up some of the lost time, I was incapable of doing more than a survival shuffle….which got slower and slower….and slower! I knew that I was way off a top ten position, I was close to 2hrs behind what I would normally do, but I ran every step, always in the hope that things would get better.

I have to thank all my fellow athletes, especially Adnaan and Paul from Cape Town who kept me company in those very dark moments when the storm came over, the sun had long gone and we were struggling on in the cold. I am not proud of my performance at all, which is certainly not worthy of an athlete racing in the professional category, but if I look back, and try to think of anything that I could have done differently, there is nothing significant. I trained hard, I rested well, I simply failed at the weather! Perhaps investing in a training camp in Siberia???

Thank you to all sponsors and supporters….a disappointed athlete becomes a motivated athlete! Bring on the 35degree race ;D!! I’ll be back….

 I have a nifty gadget watch that counts down the days til race day, and today, it is shouting out 2 days until Ironman South Africa. This will be the 8th time that I compete in this event. I firmy believe that no two races are the same, and even though I have done this race 7 times not one has been alike.

Of course everyone is asking how I feel going into this race, and as always,I feel unsure of answering this until the test is actually done. A bit like an exam, you never really know how well you studied until you get the result!

Currently, the main concern 2 days from race day is the weather forecast. How quickly we change our goals from specific time expectations to survival! Of course, I and all the participants are fearing the 7pm weather forecast more than fear itself, but really, we have no choice. PE, the friendly city, is what we must remember – bad weather, gale force winds are actually a gift. I say this is a gift, because I have alreay completed 15 Ironmans, and the initial challenge of ‘just finishing’ is a doubt that I have long lost. Suddenly, with Sunday’s race in sight I realise that I will not only be facing the challenge of my fellow competitors, but the gift of rediscovering the strength in myself.

Bring on the hurricane, rough seas, soul destroying headwinds and relentless pain…..I won’t give in!!

Thank you To:

Datadot – Sponsorship
Minopex – To Ed Holmes, I will race for you!
Linda Steyn - Physiotherapist with a heart of gold
Asics – The best shoes and the years o support
Token
Addidas Eyewear – for the ‘Evil Eyes’
O2 Creation – My race outfit (watch out for it on Sunday!)
Continental - The best tyres
Ominco – For the new Giro helmet
Halftime BnB – Marizanne for being such a generous host
Mom – Putting up with the daughter who has the pain obsession
Special - For the unconditional support, even when I have been tired, grumpy and stressed!
Friends – Who will always support me

Saturday morning saw me do a last minute flight to Port Elizabeth, with a duel purpose – ‘participating’ in the ATU African Cup and attending the TSA awards evening on Sunday evening.

I have to honestly admit that I cannot remember when last I did a draft legal race! Call me a little ‘old school’ but when I started doing triathlons ALL races were non-drafting, and yes, for me this is the sport that I love! Well, although my focus has been on the long stuff for a few years now, I was in PE, so I thought I could get in a good training session with the fast Olympic girls and enjoy some sun . In reality, I was not prepared for how much things had changed, and how very, very fast these races are!

Being a little shell-shocked that I could not ride my Time Trial bike, I scrambled to find a regular road bike to do the race with – I eventually decided (for fear of damaging someone else’s lovely machine), that I would would remove the pile of clothes and punctured tubes from my old Alu Cannondale and use that for the race! Sure, it is around 15 years old, but I thought if it was good enough to win the SA Champs back in 2003, then it would be just fine . Trouble is, I didn’t actually make it onto the bike ;D…

The race started at a furious pace, with many of the local and international girls having nothing but Olympic points in mind. Unfortunately, my own attempts at being ‘fast’, resulted in me diving into a less than impressive wave which completely dislodged my goggles and left me one contact lens short! For those that understand my particular eye condition this is not good! After replacing my goggles I attempted to catch up to the splashes of feet ahead of me. With the swells and my distorted vision before I knew it all I could see was blueness all around me, I was way off the pace and heading fast in the direction of Durban rather than the swim exit! Needless to say, I had the misfortunately embarrassing moment of exiting the water (in the completely wrong place ;D) last, and much too far back to actually be of any significance in the race… Decided it would be best to stay out of the way and go and prepare myself with one lap of the Ironman run instead …

The good part of the day came later in the evening, at the TSA awards evening. Here I have to comment on how much the athletes have been valued and supported since Debbie Alexander has been at the head of our Federation…
The hardest part of accepting an award is not the decision of what on earth to wear, or shaking hands, but in remembering that awards do not come from a single event, but from many sacrifices and even more failures! There are many hard moments, when the constant struggle for money, the sacrifices, frustrating injuries wear you down and entice you to quit for the sake of an easier life. Being awarded the Oscar for ‘LD Triathlete of the Year’ carries tears, memories and the words of those who never fail to believe in the dream . Thank you all.

Another weekend and another road race podium! After my third place finish at the Vaal 21k last week, I stepped up one this week with a second place at the challenging Remax Half Marathon . This one was a nice surprise considering that I woke up T.I.R.E.D (the favourite 5 letter word of all Ironman athletes at this time of year), Special even commented ‘You’re running funny this morning..’ as I tried to conjure up a jog to the start. So yes, my legs were feeling less than Olympic, eyes like a Panda from all the early morning starts and I felt more like tea and Hot X buns in bed than tackling the hills of Edenvale! That said, a few weeks ago, I was crying because I couldn’t run, and the memory of that was enough to motivate me into action…

I have always enjoyed road races in South Africa – the atmosphere and people are simp;ly unbeatable! Joburg especially, has such a culture of road running that leaves one with a feeling nothing short of proudly South African . Now, especially in my attempts at getting running fit again, I have enjoyed the road races that I use as ‘catered training runs’, but and here I say a big BUT, runners need to mind their manners!

There are certain things that I wish to highlight, that may just make the running experience of all a more pleasurable experience…

BAD B.O. – At the start when you are packed in with 3000 other runners, the comaraderie is great, but sometimes you just get the misfortune of standing next to someone who reeks of bad body odour and seems completely oblivious to it! The said person, almost always male, seems to regale himself in arm-lifting warm up exercises releasing more of his nauseating wafts, in your face level. I know that water is a precious resource, but I would like to promote the idea that a good bath will make you faster in the morning .

Beeping Watches - Like many Triathletes, I love gadgets, and emphatically support their use, BUT…make sure that your watch does not speak it’s digital language out loud throughout the race. I am sorry Garmin, but the constant chirping and satellite searching every kilometre is most irritating and ruins the outdoor experience!

Spitting - Ok, I am not sure what the biological reason is that women (for the most part) are able to refrain from doing this publically, while men seem to think that expelling various shades of white, yellow and green (yes, I am also gagging ), is perfectly acceptable? I, myself, have had the misfortune of having ill-timed gobby missiles land on my shoes, arms, and yes, wind-assisted on the face! If you have to do it, carry a good old Kleenex or get off the road and do it under some camoflauge.

Jingles -  Why is there always someone who insists on running behind you with pockets full of schrapnel?? Can the constant jingling of keys, coins and whatever else not be prevented? As a tri-geek, I would be concerned about the effects of the extra weight and the mental insanity, but really, stick it all in a little bank bag, wrap it up tight and you’ll have better company!

Water sachets – Are an incredible South African invention, but the deployment by said users is questionable. Particularly in cooler temperatures, is it necessary to attack the little bags of plastic with the ferocity of a Great White? The result is usually a great big explosion of water, spraying onto unexpectant runners and volunteers. Open with gentle caution, please…not everybody around you is keen for the shower …

Groupies – This usually pertains to being a female runner – the entourage of male runners that seems to surround us is most certainly flattering, but at the same time, when they cause you to trip, mess with your pace or prevent you from accessing water/coke at the aid stations it is a tiresome waste of energy!

Despite all my venting, I can assure you that I am a big fan of the colourful people that make up road running in South Africa! With road races as big as ours, we could become one of the fittest, if not always the most polite nations on the planet….

It is never advisable to go to war with half your artillery of weapons, but sometimes in racing, it is worth taking the chance against all the odds. Today, a mere 19 days and 7 training ‘jogs’ since the 6 week lay off that I had with the stress fracture in my foot, I decided that I had nothing to lose by racing the Prestige SA Long Distance SA Tri Champs – if anything I might surprise myself, and a few critics who have told me what I can’t do.

Sure, the top step of the podium was what I aimed at, even if I didn’t have the form, my mind was wanting it! I was rather nervous this morning, knowing that I was in for a day of hurting, and I could have quite easily regurgitated my breakfast! I had very little idea of what my body would give me, but I was prepared to give whatever there was!

In the absence of the Uber swimmers, I managed to exit the Vaal river in 1st place – a motivating start to the day! The bike course was a flat, beautiful delight, and I thought I was riding super fast until I was caught by a bike machine called Natasha Gorrie about half wy through. I put the bike down a mere 3 minutes behind her after the 90k cycle, and theoretically still in with a shot…
Unfortunately, you cannot hide from a lack of training, and even though I willed my legs to run faster, they simply could not, and would not! Natasha was the (much) better athlete on the day and gets a great big pat on the back from me for a formidible performance – Well Done Tash!

As my friend Kristian has remarked, there is never a race without a ‘Bean’ moment for me, and this race had two significant ones that I cannot fail to mention! The first – on my 2nd lap of the run, I spotted an age-grouper just ahead of me, heading out on her first lap of the run, carrying a whole bottle of brightly coloured energy drink! For some reason, I could not resist! I absolutely had to have what she had!! I had been unable to respond to my supporters all day, but in this moment of madness I was able to construct a sentence sufficiently well to BEG the lady for a sip of her drink! She obliged without question – if only she had known I would have paid 100 bucks for a sip of that drink right then! So to the lovely lady in pink, you are a great sport and I say thank-you .

The second moment happened at around the 15km mark on the run (again), this time running through the particularly vibrant Globe Flight water point – I happen to collide rather unexpectedly with the Globe Flight mascot! I think the costume (a big green replica of mother earth), was rather large and difficult to manoeuvre with the poor chap inside, but in any case I think he did not see me coming, because he took a few jolly, bouncy steps into my path at the inappropriate moment! Naturally, with reflexes impaired at this stage of the race, evasive action could not be taken, and I bounced off of him, with legs crumpling at the sudden disruption of rythym! Somehow, I stayed on my feet, apologised to the globe, rearranged my cap and continued on with business!

Today would not have been possible without some special people who offered their support and encouraged me to keep pushing on and give the best of me today! Thank you to Asics for the fantastic new Hyper 33 (which I plopped on my feet for the first time today, on race day, and carried my with such comfort!), Compressport which offers nothing but the best in compression calf sleeves, and  my specials Milan, Jillian, Big G, Frank, Jackie Seddon, Energiser who all cheered me on so enthusiastically :)

2012 started out a little unexpected for me. Some things good, other things very good, and of course some unexpected not so good!

The past 5 weeks I have been off the road – running, that is! A stress fracture in my foot (4th metatarsel), caused, not from over-training or letting a heavy object fall on it, but rather a simple over-compensation ‘sensation’. One day running, next day too much pain to walk! I know that I probably did over-indulge in holiday season gastronomy, but I am certain that this could not have been caused by a little extra weight! The course of action? Instinctively,  I  limped into Linda’s office (my physio), looking for one of her ‘miracles’, or at least advice that sounded reasonable. Luckily for me, she never delivers the verdict in a gut-wrenching terminal manner, but is always rather light-hearted and positive. I couldn’t face the prospect of being limited to hobbling around in a moon-boot “whatever” for weeks on end, so I opted for the ‘behave yourself and stay off your foot as much as possible’ option . Of course, I am also a believer in mind power conquering all and speeding up the process…

Five weeks later, I tempted a little run on the grass of the local track, with Linda V (the Boksburg AC club secretary) for company – my goal: to jog with no pain and then go on to win Ironman, Linda’s goal: get fit and run a 21k in 2012. That little jog after 5 weeks was like being given the get-out-of-jail card! Not only was the excruciating pain gone, but I just enjoyed the simplicity of moving my legs and entertaining conversation – isn’t that what we enjoy about running in the first place?

One more 30 minute jog later, and I decided that there was no way that I would miss out on one of the best races in my hometown of Benoni – the Johnson’s Crane Road Race! Although I was in no state of fitness to contest the marathon or even the half marathon, the new 10.56km event proved to be the perfect option!

The 2012 edition of this race was just as outstanding as the 30 previous editions – excellent organisation and ever-increasing and much appreciated support from the regular sponsors, including Johnson Crane Hire. The event does seem to be ever growing though, and now caters for every fitness level, with a 42k, 21k, 10k and 5k, making it the perfect challenge for friends, families and dogs (Yes, my friend Debbie ran with Spoke the Staffie who also got his medal ). This race, embodies for me, what Benoni and East Rand people are all about – good times and friends. Due to my racing schedule and international travels, it is rare that I get to do a race where I can meet up with old friends and re-energise myself with the inspiration that they provide…

Jillian

 To mention just a few…

Jillian, my good friend, who despite her many physical limitations, shows the world that she’ll always just get on with it, and run until a bus hits her….err literally! She ran the 21k yesterday, and narrowly missed setting a new PB. No problem, she smiles, finds the positive in the great training week she had, and gets on with it! Hang in there Jill, the 1h45 barrier is going down!!

With Frith Van Der Merwe

Next up, it was an enormous pleasure to meet up with Comrades legend Frith Van Der Merwe who inspired me as a teenager, and led me to believe that it was cool to be a runner, and well, that it was possible to beat a few guys in the process ;D. Frith has also won the Johnson Crane marathon a few times in her career, but yesterday proved to me that a lifelong enjoyment of the sport is the most important thing – she was smiling just as broadly finishing 2nd in the 21k Vets category to the equally legendary Zola Budd.

Milan, with his first medal

Lastly, my most heart-warming and proud moment came when I got to see Milan, my very special, my newbie runner, come down the finish chute (with an impressive race face ) to finish his very first 21k, in under 2 hours! He reminded me just how much that very first medal means, and how life-changing a simple running race can be – thank-you!

As for my race? Thought I would just be pleased to enjoy the scenery and torch up a few calories – seems after a five week lay-off, I am ready, motivated and inspired to torch up some competition – a second place in the 10k

Thank you to Benoni Harriers, Johnson Crane, and special people for making this race an unbelievable start to my sporting year!  

Signing up for a surprise 2nd place

Guadeloupe – yes, I know, where the hell is that? I exclude all my French friends from this comment, as, although it is far removed, it is indeed a department of the French metropole. So, for the benefit of the geographically challenged I have inserted a map indicating the location of this butterfly shaped island.

It was not my search for Johnny Depp and The Pirates of the Caribbean that brought me to Guadeloupe, but rather my quest for an exotic end-of-year race.
The Fiat Karukera Triathlon, now in it’s 19th year, certainly exceeded my every expectation, and was by far worth the epic voyage to get there!

There are so many people who made this one of the best trips of my sporting career, but out of honour and respect for what these guys do everyday, I have decided to put them right up there, at the top of my story. The race was organised by the Gendarmes (a kind of specialised branch of the French military) of the Abymes station in Guadeloupe. These guys serve, protect and even risk their lives for their country on a daily basis, yet found the time to organise a triathlon that can only be described as world class organisation.

Apart from Cyrile Pistre, chief in charge, I don’t think that many of these guys have actually ever done a triathlon (je lance le defi Monsieurs les Gendarmes ;D!), but I sincerely believe that they are capable of organising anything from a 3yr old’s birthday party to a multi-national military operation! Chapeau to all of you guys, and my greatest respect to your profession!

 My first sightings of the Island of Guadeloupe left my mouth hanging wide open. The beauty and diversity of the island is truly spectacular, as well as a savageness that can only be the product of centuries’ old volcanic eruptions. I can hardly blame the French for claiming this piece of paradise as their own! Similarly impressive is the amount of cars that can be seen blocking up every road, at any time of day here! People here love their cars, and are willing to sit in traffic in the heat and humidity simply to let their wheels turn, and listen to an array of Creole and Reggae tunes. I have to admit that I was seriously considering where I was going to ride my bike! Fiat, the race sponsor, generously came to our assistance and offered us a number of cars to use during our stay – was pleasantly surprised to see the ’green’ advances in terms of automated fuel efficiency, especially in a place where traffic backs up alot…well done Fiat!

Sunday morning, and as the sun glowed over the turquoise Caribbean waters, I could hardly wait to get going! There is nothing more motivating for me than racing in a beautiful and balmy venue . I was told to expect some serious competition from the feisty Guylene Louis, so I knew that I had to make the swim count. Luckily, from the gun the boys set a very fast pace, and I managed to plug myself in with a little group of four.

The top step of the podium

 The most amazing thing about standing on the top step of the podium, is not just the view, but the heights that it encourages you to reach in your next event. I had such a fun time out on the race course, that the pain of some of this season’s failures just evaporated as a distant memory, and all I wanted to do was cross that line first!

 

A special mention has to go to these guys Thierry (left) and Laurent (right) – apart from making me laugh and forcefully making me go to Mc Donalds to eat a Mc Flurry, they are truly special people. The guy in the middle is indeed a cardboard cutout of their clubmate Vince who died at the age of 25 from cancer. Every race they go to, Vince is right there with them, and I am so priveleged that I too, got to know Vince!

Post race:

Lolling in the sea at St.AnnesShopping on the beach The best food for monkeys and me!Exceptional spice markets

 

Always wondered about coconut palm fatalities

Pierre our race announcer flirting with the sorbet seller

 

 

The secret cascades deep in the forest

Doing what the sign says you are not allowed to do !

Local kids get swimming lessons in the sea!

View from my beach resting place

Climbing palms to try and get coconuts!

Black sand beach and swimming with the turtles at Malendure

Thanks to Pierre Cessio and anyone else I may have stolen pictures from! 

There are some races I will simply never forget. Usually, one would expect these to be races that I have won or fought an impressive battle, but no, I did not win the Indian Ocean Triathlon, and even though I got a credible second place, this is far from the reason that this has to be one of the most memorable events in my career as an athlete…

I have never been to Mauritius before, having largely thought of it as an expensive honeymooners joint with not much to do – boy did I have to swallow my words! When one does the maths, you will actually find that a week in Mauritius, all inclusive will probably cost you less than a December week in Cape Town, where everything is super expensive, the south easter blows everything away, and  the water is a chilly 13 degrees, oh, and the men in the dark suits lurk in the sea (FYI the Great Whites)…. 

The Indian Ocean Triathlon is most probably one of the best kept secrets in the world of Tri. Not only do you have the perfect, idyllic setting with warm, magnificently clear waters, but you also have roads in surprisingly very good condition. The locals in Mauritius are friendly, and realise the importance of being good to the tourists who visit their shores, so are usually willing to go the extra mile for you…at no extra charge!

On landing in Mauritius (a mere 4hr flight from Johannesburg), it was impressive to see that these people are on the upward move – a new, state of the art airport is being constructed adjacent to the old one, and should be completed next year…

 Unlike many island destinations, I found Mauritius to have retained much of it’s rustic charm, and to be less ‘commercially’ touristy – in other words, you still feel like you can go by unnoticed as a tourist, and not be bambarded by people trying to sell you things.

On arrival, I was picked up by my own personal chauffeur service, with a friendly driver, who even had the sense to hand me a bottle of water for the journey to the south of the Island which was to take about 45 minutes. The weather in Mauritius at this time of year is very pleasant, I like hot, but I think at this time of year it never reaches beyond 30 degrees. The road leading south is lined with sugar cane fields as far as you can see, and dotted with small villages. Houses in these parts, although colourful, always seem to be ‘under construction’…dogs seem to casually wander across busy roads, not seeming to have one owner, but rather being collectively owned by the village.

  A large group of athletes from all over Europe, including France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and Italy had decided to make the Indian Ocean Triathlon their last race of the year, and a week in the sun before the European Winter sets in. VO2Max Voyages flawlessly organised everything for the athletes (Most of whom were the most fun people I have ever met!) from the hotels to the actual race logistics. I got to stay in the magnificent Tamassa hotel/resort, which offers nothing less than excellent service, beautiful gardens, stunning ocean views and an athlete’s nightmare – buffet meals! I arrived not knowing anyone, and I have to say by day 2 I had already made some memories with some really good folk

The best part of the Indian Ocean Triathlon, is that for a week, everyone, including Pros, Age-Groupers and Partners hang out with each other. Prior to the race, bike rides, runs and swims were organised , and amazingly I think that nearly all the race participants joined in! Everybody got to  meet the Pros and chat to legends like Thomas Hellriegel and Laurent Jalabert.

Some of the most fun I ever had was riding at the back of the group with some people that made me laugh so much I could barely keep pedaling – Mathias from Germany, who quickly understood the African way of doing things – his bike was irreparably damaged by the airline, so he decided to ride a ‘local’ mountain bike, complete with gel seat cover, squeaky brakes and a good 2 sizes too small. Next was Celine from Aix-les Bains (France), who was impecably dressed, who managed to execute the most graceful crash when her dropout snapped – she got up, smiled, laughed and decided that she would probably finish the climb of Chamarel in the support bus (yes, there is a bus where partners and family can also check out the course, and take some pictures). But the guy who really reminded me that everything about doing triathlons should be fun was Pierre from Lille. Pierre has a less than state of the art bike, which is most likely indestructable, but probably last had a service before he got his first grey hair. Thinking that Laurent Jalabert might feel inferior if I sat his wheel the whole way up the climb, I thought it would be more fun to join Pierre on his personal attack on the monster of Chamarel. He stopped to take a few breathers going up (the heat and humidity being a touch more than the north of France at this time of year),and of course I gave him the option of no options. He did not quit and get in the bus, which turned out to be a good thing – poor Pierre managed to pick up a stomach bug the night before the race and ended up not racing .

Pierre conquers Chamarel!With Thomas Hell and Jaja

Race day. I would have to say that there were more laughs than there were nerves, the Indian Ocean Triathlon is not a place for menacing scowls!

The start takes place on the white sands of the beach of Les Pavillons hotel, and within seconds of the gun firing we hit the clear warm waters of the coral reefs. Of course, things would be idyllic were in not for the surprise beneath the surface – a current strong enough to bring the great Thorpedo to a halt!  The path to the first buoy I am sure took me 15 minutes, and then the return trip of 15 seconds for 500m. Needless to say I couldn’t help but giggle under the water at the uselessness of my force against mother nature! The swim exit had to be executed with NASA precision – one overestimation and you would be swept past the exit altogether…

Next up was the 55k bike course – nothing, I thought, for someone more accustomed to the Iron distance. What I did not expect was that the race organisers would put a little ‘sting’ in what would have made for a pleasant ‘holiday’ race…. the Chamarel! Locals know this climb well, and you could just see that, for them, it has been the site of many a training battle!. Unfortunately, as we started the bike (me in second place behind Charlotte Morel), nature decided to shower the Mauritian Island with what the Luxemburgers dubbed a ‘warm shower’. Given that Charlotte is a strong candidate for the French Olympic team, I knew I would be a little off her pace on the swim, so I hoped, that I might be able to catch her on the bike. It was not the climb of the Chamarel that troubled me, but rather the going down the other side! Normally, I can be pretty reckless on descents, but this time, I had to go down like a real Mary Poppins! I did have the honour of being passed by Jalabert….like a rocket (impressive his uphill sprinting ;D!), only to see that he had crashed on the descent, remounted and then punctured himself out of the race….you see even heroes have their bad days!

After surviving the not-so ‘easy’ bike that I imagined, I maintained my second place ino the run. Once again, the run had to have some true Mauritian flavour to it – more sand and beach than you could dream of . The three lap run course, mostly on off-road paths, had a particularly challenge section on the beach itself – made for great pictures, but boy, by lap three there was more wobble than legs!!

I ended the race in a pleasing second place behind Charlotte. The men’s race was won by Fred Belaubre (who will compete for France in the Olympics next year), followed by Hell on Wheels (or should I say Hell on a Buffet ;D!), and Christophe Jouffret.

As for me, I cannot wait for next year’s edition, and this time I hope to take a team of Springboks with me….who’s in???

Some more pictures in case you have some doubts

Time out...Beach podium

Coconuts!

I only eat carrot sticks – or so the myth goes! Nobody ever questions the contents of the plate of an Omnivore, or Carnivore for that matter, but heaven help you if are a Vegetarian! I have been a “full – on” Vegetarian for 18 years now, yes, that’s right folks, no animal, fish or chicken flesh has entered my mouth or digestive system for nearly two decades now. I have been questionned and ‘advised’ more times than I remember, and can only but sigh when asked “You must be lacking something??” or “How do you manage to do all the training you do and you don’t eat meat??”. And of course my favourite (usually softly spoken as if referring to a terminal illness) “Why don’t you eat meat?” – funny, no-one ever asks meat eaters why they EAT meat?!

Anyhow, for the pleasure of my readers, I have decided to try and dispell the myths without reverting to any sarcasm .

1. Why I don’t eat cow, fish or chicken  -  Vegetarianism has always been in me. I have never liked meat since childhood. As an adult, I do not approve in any way of killing any creatures for food – I believe it is intensely cruel and barbaric, and completely unnecessary. Humans can survive perfectly well without it. To top things off, ‘meat production’ (here we could never refer to animals, capable of feeling emotion and pain, it would make us far to uneasy), has a hugely damaging impact on the environment….so we put our blinkers on and pretend that what we do not chose to see cannot possibly affect us.

2. I only eat carrot sticks – Or salads for that matter. Go to any regualr restaurant as a Vegetarian, and ask for the available options, the first response is almost always “Oh, er… (stunned expression), we have some lovely salads!”. Yes thank you, after a 6 hours training day, a salad is exactly what I am looking for ! The ladies in the gym changerooms are also experts at this one – “Eish! You must be eating only salad to be so slim??” *sigh* it could never be the hours of training that could be the contributing factor to ‘slimness’?. Ok, so put the myth to rest, I actually do love carrots (my favourite veg), I am an expert in salad preparation, but I do eat lots of carbs and proteins (the type without eyes ).

3. I must be lacking something – Of course Vegetarians are lacking in everything, except a conscience ;D. We are pictured as pale, hippy like people who wear crochet and tie-dye . Naturally, if you ever happen to have a sniffle or a bad race, it has to be because you are ‘lacking’ something! Vegetarians are not allowed to show any form of physical weakness without being lambasted by the ‘normal’ folks. Interestingly, the ‘something’ that we are lacking is never quite defined. To prove this theory wrong, I submitted myself to a series of blood tests after feeling a little ‘off’ after my travels to China last year. The Doc had absolutely no idea that I am a Vegetarian, and on the return of my blood tests, he revealed that I was in fact in excellent health, not lacking in ‘anything’ and that I merely had picked up a little stomach trouble from eating food I was unaccustomned to. To prove the point, I specifically asked for my protein and iron results- and guess what? Wasn’t short of any of those…

4. I do not belong to any strange religious sect – This one makes me giggle . I do not abstain from flesh for any ‘religious’ requirements, though, if I were not an Aethiest I would probably be rather supportive of any religion or cult that condemned flesh eating!

5. I am not offended sitting at a table with meat eaters – I cry tears for every animal that is killed to satisfy human greed, maybe you don’t! I do not care what is in your plate, the guilt is yours to bear, not mine. In the same breath, do have the decency NOT to analyse my carrots!

6. Yes, it is very possible to be a competitive athlete and not eat meat - Just ask Dave Scott.

I do not wsh to lecture anyone, or promote Vegetarianism to anyone with a penchant for a Sunday Braai, but I do wish to eliminate the myths!

Now being comfortably in my thirties, I, like many others my age, have started to realise that I do have to pay attention to what I eat (actually, how much I eat). Gone are the days of my youth where I was able to eat a whole pile of junk after training because ‘I deserved it’. Nowdays, it is quite possible that my jeans can feel a little tight in the post-race season ;D.