Lindy Kato (Writer)

Last night I was watching the triathlon from the Paris Olympics on TV. How Flora Duffy took out that swim had me recalling my first triathlon. In fact, the second triathlon took place in a river (much cleaner than the Seine) but with a current that washed me past the exit point so I am aware how tough that Olympic swim must have been.

When there is a zero in my birthday, I take up something new. Fifty being a big birthday, I decided that Everest Base Camp was the thing. But it was quite a short-term thing, I needed a goal to sink my teeth into. Also on the Bucket List, Complete an Ironman.

I was 19 when I first heard about a race in Hawaii. The story goes that the competitive spirit between runners and swimmers started at the finish of the Hawaii perimeter run. Each reckoned they were the fitter but in fact, on paper, it was Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx who had tested fittest in terms of oxygen use. No one at the Perimeter race (which was a relay) had cycled the Island’s bike race, but given that there was a bike race (Around-Oahu Bike Race 115 miles which was raced over two days) and a swimming race (Waikiki rough-water swim over 2.4 miles), as well as the Honolulu marathon (26.219 miles), they felt it would be a great idea to combine the events. The first race in 1978 was only men, fifteen started and twelve finished. They ran out of water for the marathon and had to drink beer! I put that race on my list.

I couldn’t swim. Plenty of people point out that I still can’t. OK, I swim like a rock does. I am confident though – flapping about and not drowning. I can’t remember a time when I couldn’t ride a bike, and at the time of my first triathlon, I could at least run. Not great but not liable to collapse either.

A women’s only event, in an area I know well, seemed like the perfect opportunity to dip my toes in the water. Literally.

Training seems like cheating to me (I changed my tune quite quickly). The point of a women only event is that there is less to feel intimidated about. That notion or need has hopefully had its day. This is the report I wrote after my first triathlon.

Distance and conditions

300 m swim, 10 km cycle, 3 km run, all flat.

Perfect day, flat calm sea, water just right. Had a bit of a head wind for some of the cycle and getting a bit hot on the run.

Results:

14^th overall, 50: 26

62^nd out of the water in 10:13 (did Australian side stroke most of the way, Stan says it was dog paddle).

15^th off the cycle leg 23:43

9^th in the run 16.30 (slow for me).

Thoughts:

Swim: OK, the swim needs improving. It’s the first time that I have ever swum with people around me in any kind of race. I should be used to a bit of biffo from aquarobics. I swam ten, determined strokes (freestyle I believed), then had a choking fit and had to put my feet down. I didn’t walk. Getting kicked wasn’t the problem, I wasn’t kicking for fear of kicking someone else! I got left behind very quickly, so it became irrelevant. I can’t swim in any discernible direction and with the sun obscuring the buoy I couldn’t be sure where I was aiming. Some ladies were walking in the shallow water.

Getting out was better than I expected. Running across the road ignoring the stones, much too slow, but not overly crying about my poor feet.

Transition: Slow; the towel should have been at the top of my box not the bottom. If my bike were on concrete rather than on recently cut grass, I wouldn’t have grass, twigs, etc., stuck to my feet. In this instance, water in the bottom of the box would have been more use than a towel. I hadn’t racked my bike because the stand looked like it would collapse, and my bike looked a lot cheaper and heavier than the others. I sat down as well. I didn’t see anyone else doing that. Little stones and sand are likely to cause blisters so water in the box may be a good idea regardless.

Should I take my hat and goggles off while running from sea to transition as the others did, or am I better being able to see? My goggles are prescription goggles you see. The elasticated shoelaces were good, the socks went on OK my wet feet without much argument.

Bike: Went well. I need to practice cornering without the brakes, or at least change down a gear before entering the corner for a smart pull away. I’m not good at gears and I don’t have toe-straps. I wasn’t happily in the groove until around seven kilometres, so I need longer races (apart from the swim problem). I need to take in more water, I don’t have a bottle on the bike, afraid I will fall off trying to get it. The head wind was drying.

Second transition was good. Number must be turned from back (bike) to front for run.

Run: Note to self: stretch before getting off the bike. I could see the blood pooling in my ankles which got alarmingly swollen. My leaden legs would barely move, it was much worse than I imagined. It took 16:30 to do a 15 min run. Fortunately, most of the field were slower, but for me it was a poor run. I didn’t take in enough water on the bike, or in transition.

Next: Triathlon is in twelve days’ time. (500m, 17 km, 5 km), hills. I need to swim!!!!! Everyday, pool or sea, no excuses. Training!

Notes: Try and sort toe clips for bike. Practice getting off bike and running, need to do it where the bike won’t get nicked!