Motivation of doing this LPT because of the outperform in 2009, I wouldn't expect if this would not be better than last year, however...
Training for this LPT is zero if I compare with last year, I didn't do any specific hill climb, didn't strengthen the upper body, didn't work on the core, didn't do any long run after the ironman Taiwan, I don't want to put any excuse from work stress but apparently it's quite true.
Preparation?! After ironman Taiwan, my left knee was quite weak, only done 1 30k hilly ride, 50% club training (mainly swim), 1 x 40k cycling time trial, 1 x 10k run, that's it.
Logistic-wise, this time is much simpler, we stayed in the laguna beach hotel is where nearest the swim start, transition, finish area, pasta party, simple and easy, we had a connected room with Fred and Su so we still got the feeling of sharing the villa, we can also hit the beach and cheap cafe with walking distance! Nice! Our new friend Tim and his friend Glendo also stay in the same hotel so we always go out together.
Arriving 2 days in advanced, 1st evening was feel like holiday, 1 day before the race was all about preparation, stock up water, setting up bike, test ride, test swim, registration, shopping in ironman expo, pack for race day, briefing, carboloading dinner, and force ourselves sleep at 10pm.
Tim, Su and I saw several big jellyfish in the swim course, Gigi was panic!! It's lucky that Sebastien know a shop selling the lotion which help to prevent jellyfish!! We all buy one for protection, problem solved!
The carboloading dinner is not as chaotic as last year, since we manage to get a table for our group and we were having fun chichating!! We even became the last group to leave the restaurant. Well we just live upstairs...
I really have some mental issue since I was too exciting and couldn't sleep until 3am....it's better than Taiwan where I could not sleep at all.
Wake up at 5am, buffer breakfast at 5:30 but it's difficult to swallow down food in such early morning, no choice! I need energy! Go to T1 for setup, bump up G tire, no problem, A good sigh!
Then we all head to swim start by the boat, I usually keep myself quiet before the race start. and I learnt not to worry too much, just go for it!
The Swim
This year, they split the start time into 3 section, I started with the pro and all men with the pink cap 30-34 which believe to be one of the largest population, it about 300 ppls swim together so its not as massive as last year, but still battle a little in the first few hundred before teaming with a few Triton gangs to swim with. 1180m before jumping in the warm and green lake but I suspect it's longer than that since we actually need to swim around 4 bouyance in rectangular setting 900m before cutting back to exit...anyway, 36:48mins for 1800m swim, reasonable 2mins/100m pace, feeling strong and hi five Ren Ho!!
Chiam flying pass me in T1 where I spent 3:14mins there, problem in my race belt clip...bike start and start raining, not a good sign for riding down those steep hill. Really, climbing up is still ok just push push and push but going down is dangerous, to not ruining my rest of the vocation, and my brake pad cannot stop my bora wheels in the controllable pace, I decided to carry my bike to walk down the first and the steepest section of the course, I believe this is the smart move, Gabriel passed me there but I quickly catch up with him in the next climb, passing thought the danger zone, rest of the course is fun, the rain help me flying my bike, no braking effect for all those cornering, the rain also eliminate the heat and dehydration, I pushed a lot on the motorway, after windy Taiwan, it's more easier. On the ride back to laguna, ppls clipping hands for the cheers up, I really appreciated that.
1:59:14 for 55k bike ride, cool weather, feeling strong. I though I could go faster.
1:51mins for T2, simple and easy, just change to run shoes, grab and visor, gel and go!
The run
It's never easy for me, especially I didn't prepare for it and just let go and see what's happen, eventually my breakfast are all digested well and need me to take 2 mins toilet break after holding them for 6k....
1:27:43 for 12k is again another very ugly time, but I accept it.
4:08:50 in total, feel like even slower than last year that I wasn't in shape.
Where is G?
I though she was about 3k behind me since I exit the golf course when she was running in, I waited in the finish line, saw all the Sonic girls finishing except G, at last she came in, running strong but not looking happy, she was crying and up till that moment I realized she fallen down twice in the yellow flag zone and a lot of scratch on the knee and the bottom and she mange to keep going and finish it. That's her will power and at least she finish the race.
Fred is another unlucky man in this race, he passed all the hills but fallen off before the first aid station, he wouldn't like to race with wound and blood and DNF....
The Party
Work hard, train hard, race hard and party hard! Tougher we trained tougher we raced, more crazy in the party! We missed the post race party last year and this is the really crazy one!
Y.M.C.A. Young man!!!
Training for this LPT is zero if I compare with last year, I didn't do any specific hill climb, didn't strengthen the upper body, didn't work on the core, didn't do any long run after the ironman Taiwan, I don't want to put any excuse from work stress but apparently it's quite true.
Preparation?! After ironman Taiwan, my left knee was quite weak, only done 1 30k hilly ride, 50% club training (mainly swim), 1 x 40k cycling time trial, 1 x 10k run, that's it.
Logistic-wise, this time is much simpler, we stayed in the laguna beach hotel is where nearest the swim start, transition, finish area, pasta party, simple and easy, we had a connected room with Fred and Su so we still got the feeling of sharing the villa, we can also hit the beach and cheap cafe with walking distance! Nice! Our new friend Tim and his friend Glendo also stay in the same hotel so we always go out together.
Arriving 2 days in advanced, 1st evening was feel like holiday, 1 day before the race was all about preparation, stock up water, setting up bike, test ride, test swim, registration, shopping in ironman expo, pack for race day, briefing, carboloading dinner, and force ourselves sleep at 10pm.
Tim, Su and I saw several big jellyfish in the swim course, Gigi was panic!! It's lucky that Sebastien know a shop selling the lotion which help to prevent jellyfish!! We all buy one for protection, problem solved!
The carboloading dinner is not as chaotic as last year, since we manage to get a table for our group and we were having fun chichating!! We even became the last group to leave the restaurant. Well we just live upstairs...
I really have some mental issue since I was too exciting and couldn't sleep until 3am....it's better than Taiwan where I could not sleep at all.
Wake up at 5am, buffer breakfast at 5:30 but it's difficult to swallow down food in such early morning, no choice! I need energy! Go to T1 for setup, bump up G tire, no problem, A good sigh!
Then we all head to swim start by the boat, I usually keep myself quiet before the race start. and I learnt not to worry too much, just go for it!
The Swim
This year, they split the start time into 3 section, I started with the pro and all men with the pink cap 30-34 which believe to be one of the largest population, it about 300 ppls swim together so its not as massive as last year, but still battle a little in the first few hundred before teaming with a few Triton gangs to swim with. 1180m before jumping in the warm and green lake but I suspect it's longer than that since we actually need to swim around 4 bouyance in rectangular setting 900m before cutting back to exit...anyway, 36:48mins for 1800m swim, reasonable 2mins/100m pace, feeling strong and hi five Ren Ho!!
Chiam flying pass me in T1 where I spent 3:14mins there, problem in my race belt clip...bike start and start raining, not a good sign for riding down those steep hill. Really, climbing up is still ok just push push and push but going down is dangerous, to not ruining my rest of the vocation, and my brake pad cannot stop my bora wheels in the controllable pace, I decided to carry my bike to walk down the first and the steepest section of the course, I believe this is the smart move, Gabriel passed me there but I quickly catch up with him in the next climb, passing thought the danger zone, rest of the course is fun, the rain help me flying my bike, no braking effect for all those cornering, the rain also eliminate the heat and dehydration, I pushed a lot on the motorway, after windy Taiwan, it's more easier. On the ride back to laguna, ppls clipping hands for the cheers up, I really appreciated that.
1:59:14 for 55k bike ride, cool weather, feeling strong. I though I could go faster.
1:51mins for T2, simple and easy, just change to run shoes, grab and visor, gel and go!
The run
It's never easy for me, especially I didn't prepare for it and just let go and see what's happen, eventually my breakfast are all digested well and need me to take 2 mins toilet break after holding them for 6k....
1:27:43 for 12k is again another very ugly time, but I accept it.
4:08:50 in total, feel like even slower than last year that I wasn't in shape.
Where is G?
I though she was about 3k behind me since I exit the golf course when she was running in, I waited in the finish line, saw all the Sonic girls finishing except G, at last she came in, running strong but not looking happy, she was crying and up till that moment I realized she fallen down twice in the yellow flag zone and a lot of scratch on the knee and the bottom and she mange to keep going and finish it. That's her will power and at least she finish the race.
Fred is another unlucky man in this race, he passed all the hills but fallen off before the first aid station, he wouldn't like to race with wound and blood and DNF....
The Party
Work hard, train hard, race hard and party hard! Tougher we trained tougher we raced, more crazy in the party! We missed the post race party last year and this is the really crazy one!
Y.M.C.A. Young man!!!
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