Time to reflect and review our sports development program in Singapore

This piece has been reproduced with the kind permission of Mr David Tay.

 

Time to reflect and review our sports development program in Singapore

I do hope Tao Li’s ‘failure to get into the finals’ will put her into a more introspective state of mind to reflect over how things have been for her the last couple of years – her relationship with her coaches, the support teams, the program, and her attitude in general. Also, it is probably an opportunity for the sporting authorities to review its current high performance program (and funding) for our elite and high performance athletes.

 

I may not be in the same shoes as her and I may not comprehend fully the impact of the ‘failure’ to get into the finals, but all of us have our share of ‘failures’ in our lives (be they sports, studies, careers or relationships), so to a certain extent there are similarities. We just failed to arrive at our expectations, but that does not make us failures.

 

To Tao Li: Though it is not in my place to advise you how to respond to queries about your performance, I feel it might be best for you to take ownership and responsibility for everything. To insist that the change of coaches was the reason for missing out of the chance to move to a higher level of performance, simply reeks of arrogance and ignorance. No one held a gun to your head to change coaches – you initiated it! You created that outcome and yet, you deny responsibility.

 

Be gracious in losing, and be magnanimous with your remarks about everything and everyone.

 

Looking at all these athletes at the Olympics, many of them have probably worked just as hard or even harder than you to achieve what they did in their races. Maybe some of them may not even have the luxury of a million-dollar program in their journey to the Olympics. Maybe some of them may not have full time dedicated coaches to look after them. Maybe some of them sacrificed their fundamental needs for this Olympic quest. Maybe.

 

We will never know for certain how they arrived at the pinnacle of excellence, but we know a fair bit about your program (and development) in Singapore.

 

Acknowledge the people who believed in you, the many committed coaches who have groomed you from a ‘just a face in the crowd to who you are today’, the swimming and sporting authorities who have gone the extra mile to provide you with the best resources that they can garner, and all others (especially the younger ones) who looked up to you for inspiration and motivation.  Gratitude is good attitude.

 

It is probably time for you to move on. Make way for the numerous talented and aspiring athletes in Singapore who are dying to get a fraction of the type of support you are getting. And when you do leave the program, you will free up valuable resources (especially financially) for these budding athletes. You may feel you still have it in you to have a shot at Rio 2016 but your journey from Beijing 2008 to London 2012 showed us, you have lost it – your drive, your determination, your hunger. They are shadows of your past. And sadly, we do not see a role model of humility and exemplary conduct.

 

On this note, I appeal to the prime movers of the sports funding, to open your eyes (and hearts) to feel the heartbeat of many aspiring and talented athletes in Singapore.  Bring more of them into the radar of our elite and high performance programs, instead of focusing on just a few athletes. I am certain we will see the emergence of many outstanding athletes who will step up to the challenge and rise to the occasion.

 

It is painful to see these budding athletes (from youth to early adulthood, especially those in the tertiary institutions) being sidelined for reasons known only to the authorities. Yet too often we hear these national bodies (& sports authorities) lamenting that there are no talents among our local athletes, and that these athletes are not ‘hungry enough’. Without a proper talent scouting and/or development program, or even giving these athletes a chance to show who they are, and what they are capable of doing, how much can we expect the ‘cream to rise to the top’? And we are not talking about a ‘once-off’ race but to put them through a systematic development program, over the years.

 

Isn’t it strange that with so many years of focus on ‘youth development’ and the set up of the sports school since 2003, we have not seen many new faces (from these programs) in the sporting scene (but the same old, same old names)? Where is the depth and succession planning in our sports program? If any of these current elite athletes should ‘retire’ tomorrow, do we have immediate replacements to carry on the torch for Singapore? Or, do we want to ‘flog the horse till it dies’? or, do we still prefer to take the route of importing ‘ready-made’ athletes?

 

I appeal to the relevant authorities to do a thorough review (or maybe an overhaul) of our high performance program. And until we are prepared to do so, we may find ourselves stuck in an endless bind of a ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude, be inevitably caught in a groupthink mindset, and be unconsciously living in the illusion of past glories!

Race Report: Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore 2012

The Skinny

Swim: 30.32

Bike: 2.27

Run: 1.42.32

Total:  4.43:34; 3rd 25-29yrs AG; 1st Singaporean

The Fat

This is about 3 weeks late and I had no idea that so much time had gone by since the race.  Looking back, it was a very ordinary performance and not one that I find particularly memorable.

The highlight (or lowlight, depending on how you look at it) was the wardrobe malfunction I had about 10mins before my race start.  Went to use the portaloo, pulled up my brand new trisuit and what do you know…there was a split in the outer layer!  I would describe the location of the tear, but I’m sure the following picture delivers the message with more impact.

At least it was just the outer layer…

So what can you do?  Line up at the start and pray that the tear doesn’t get any bigger, that’s what!  Thankfully, the stiching around that area of the suit held together and there was no unintentional revealing of oneself.  The swim was 2 clock-wise loops and we encountered the usual challenge of getting through the swimmers from previous waves.  There were a couple of strong swimmers in my wave so after the first couple of turns, I settled into my own rhythm and tried to keep some other competitors in sight.  Out of the swim in just over 30mins, so far so good.  The suit hadn’t ripped to shreds so off to the bike.

Well, this is where it fell apart pretty quickly.  3 laps of coastal but this year, we got to ride out onto the ECP which made for less turns and in theory, faster times.  If you have a look at the results, the bike times were pretty quick this year.  Not mine though, it was pretty dismal.  Thi year’s route favoured the guys (and girls) that would get down into their aero positions and just crank away.  If you’ve ever met me, you’ll know that power isn’t really my thing…that plus an obvious lack of mileage meant that I was in trouble pretty early.  I tried to stay with the guys I had exited the water with and it was going alright.  But on the straights with a tail wind, I was finding it hard to push a gear big enough to keep pace.  With 1 lap to go, I was pedaling squares and going no where fast.  Eager to get off the bike, T2 could not have come soon enough and after 2h.27min, it did.

In my head, I was running through all these scenarios where I easily ran through the field with graceful form that would rival ballerinas.  As usual, it was easy enough for the first km out of transition then came the cramps.  I was wearing bright orange COMPRESSPORT ForQuads under my suit and they definitely helped in getting me up to there.  But when the cramps decide to come, they do not take no for an answer.  I did the usual stretches by the side of the road, tried to massage and loosen up my left quad then walked a bit.  With Plan A out the window, it was down to hanging on and dragging myself through the 3 laps.  And of course, trying to not look absolutely destroyed in any photos that might be taken.

One thing I’m very, very grateful for is the constant stream of encouragement I received all through the run.  Meryl, William, Joe, Minkers, Ford and my dad, who were stationed near the finish kept my spirits up when my legs were breaking down.  And so many of the spectators that clapped and cheered as I plodded through the course.  I had my visor low over my eyes and my shades on, and if I had had the energy at the time, I would have wanted very much to acknowledge every “keep it up” and “looking strong” I was given.  It was very kind of you all to use the word “strong”.

So finally, after another 1hr43 mins, I crossed the finish in a total time of about 4hr43mins.  I was told that I might still be the first Singaporean, but I knew I was beaten in my AG.  When you’re finished, it’s easy to admit to being insufficiently prepared and say I did whatever I could.  And while I did, a poor result is always hard to accept.  I was uncompetitive on a day where conditions were tough and I was not strong enough.  Almost 20mins slower than in 2011 but yet feeling like I suffered twice as much.  As athletes, it is painful to be a participant in a race as instead of being a competitor.

Thanks to 100plus as well

I haven’t planned any races in the coming months but I have at least learnt from this race that there are big holes in my training that need to be plugged.  With no races on the horizon, I won’t be pressed for time to squeeze as many sessions in as I can so hopefully I will diligently go about training to be stronger.  However, the flipside is that every day that you do nothing, the easier it is to do nothing.  Which brings us to today – 3 weeks since the race and I have trained a total of 2 hours!  All happening in the last week.

But I’m a little more motivated now.  When you get tired running to the bus stop and actually have to walk a bit in between, you know its time to start training again.

See you out there.

To the (endless) pool!

I got to try something a little different today.  Instead of heading over to the swimming pool in the slight drizzle that had fallen in the late afternoon, I decided to go for a swim at Cannasia @ Vertex.

Cannasia has an endless pool installed at their Cannondale showroom, the only one in Singapore I believe!  I had to pass my Powertap to VJ to have a look at so I thought it’d be good to get out of the cold and rain outside and have a swim indoors.

heater not included

Man, if I had known how cold it’d be, I would have worn a tri suit instead of my speedos!  For those still wondering what an endless pool is, its like a gigantic bathtub with a motor at the top of the tub.  It’s like a treadmill for swimming!  It takes a while to get used to swimming in the turbulance generated by the motor, but having to constantly battle the ‘currents’ and maintain your balance in the water helped make the time pass quicker than following that black line up and down the pool.

 

 

you too can swim for ages and not move anywhere!

 

Give VJ a shout and try out the endless pool.  Just remember to bring your wetsuit!

 

Race Report: Super Sprint Series @ OCC

Last Sunday, an extremely enthusiastic group of athletes descended on Orchid Country for the inaugural Super Sprint Series race.  Athletes would swim 2 loops around the beautiful olympic size swimming pool then run 3 loops of a challenging run course around the premises. 

The total distance of the race?  250m swim, 2.5km run. 

The organiser set out to put together a race that would appeal to beginners and experienced athletes alike.  The distances were not daunting but any one that has taken part in a super sprint race knows one thing – the shorter the race, the more it hurts!  Throw in a multi-lap course that allowed the spectators to get up close to the action and you had a quick, highly entertaining race for all!

After the age group races, there was a unique addition to the Super Sprint Series.  Some of Singapore’s multi-sport ‘superstars’ were invited to take part in a Showcase event and they gamely accepted!  Slated as an informal inter-triathlon club competition, 10 athletes (3 ladies, 7 guys) from SIM Aquathlon, ANZA Cycling,  BPTC, Team E, Tri Project, Triathlon Family and Team Sworke took to the start.

Raced over a tweaked format of 1.7km Run/250m Swim/ 1.7km Run, the ladies were given a 2min 15sec headstart over the guys.

The girls tried to negotiate for a larger lead, but the guys were having none of it! 

2min 15sec was the handicapAnd we're off!

Time passes extremely slowly when you’re waiting around during a race.

And we're off, finally!

After a ‘neutralised zone’ of barely 50m, athletes made a left turn up a steep hill following which carnage ensued.  Everyone took turns off the front and we were strung out barely 300m into the race. 

By the end of the 2 laps, my only concern was how not to drown during the 250m swim.  I was in 4th place heading into the swim and I knew it was time to take matters into my own hands!  However, even some underhanded moving of shoes belonging to the athletes ahead of me was not enough to slow them though!  The leading 4 remained fairly close in the swim and we managed to claw back some time on the ladies.

On to the 2nd run, Arnaud shot out of T2 like a bat out of hell!  I exited T2 in 2nd but was soon passed by Melvin as we descended the first steep hill.  I knew I was toast!  I tried to limit the damage and prevent my lungs from exploding, keeping an eye on David who wasn’t too far behind. 

In the end, Arnaud took line honours with Melvin in 2nd and me in 3rd.  

It was a very hard, painful 15mins and anyone who thinks that a “super sprint” is easy has no idea what they’re talking about!  Definitely much more enjoyable standing around at the end without that burning sensation in my legs!

The laid back atmosphere of the race with spectators walking along the course cheering the athletes on was a welcome change to from the races where its just you out in the middle of nowhere.  It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves and while the athletes definitely pushed as hard as they could, no one was taking themselves too seriously.

Congratulations to everyone that participated in the Super Sprint Series at Orchid Country Club and thanks to the athletes that took part in the Showcase!  Special thanks also to the management of OCC for providing a great venue and supporting the event.  Here’s to the next Super Sprint Series race!

Photo credits to Bjorn Wong and Tang Wei Kiang.

Upcoming Race: Super Sprint Series @ OCC

The first race to kick off racing for 2012 will be the Super Sprint Series aquathlon on 12 Feb 2012.

To be held at Orchid Country Club, this is going to be an exciting series that aims to change the way Singaporeans approach their races.  Organisers want to show that ‘longer distances’ aren’t the only way to make races tougher.  By implementing shorter distances and multi-lap courses, you’re guaranteed exciting, high intensity, spectator friendly racing!

Check it out at http://www.supersprintseries.com , registration is open!

this will change the game!!

What to Wear…

So January is almost done and dusted, but I’m not closer to finding a tri suit to race in for this season!

I know…its hardly a life and death situation.  But c’mon, if you don’t look good, you don’t feel good right?

Choices are few and far between here in Singapore.  Ideally, I’d like to wear a 2 piece because they tend to be a bit more comfortable for the longer races.  However, I don’t use a speed suit, so the drag from the tri tops is always a concern.  I’ve used a bargain-bin Orca one piece tri suit the last 2 years and I really can’t complain.  It fits well and doesn’t get too hot under the sun but all my race photos sice 2010 have started to look the same so for vanity’s sake, it might be time for a change.

The more pressing matter is the same ol’ tale of how training has been struck by inconsistency.  Whether its work or being defeated by the tag team of my pillow & comforter, its been a challenge stringing together consecutive sessions.  And it is starting to annoy me.  The funny thing (not ha-ha funny) is that physically, I don’t feel as bad as I think should. 

I’m definitely not counting on good feelings to carry me through though.  No amount of optimism or wishful thinking is going to help me breeze through Aviva in a few weeks.  To show (myself) that I mean business, I’ve got my serious-training haircut (meaning I cut my hair instead of letting it look like I’m wearing a brush on my head) and have made big plans to shave my legs.  Nothing says “serious” like shaved legs!

The Super Sprint Series aquathlon is in 2 weeks and its amazing how a sense of dread regarding much its going to hurt adds a little more motivation to get your act together!

See you out there!

11 Weeks To Go – Aviva 70.3

So thats the A-Race for the first quarter of 2012.  While Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore is the biggest race on our local triathlon calendar, it certainly pales in comparison to what will take place less than a week after the race!  But more on that later!

The preparation towards Aviva started weeks ago at the start of December 2011.  Well it did…sort of…technically.  Which means yes, I did dust off all my gear and head to the pool, track and road.  However, Christmas and the holiday season proved to be a larger challenge than I had anticipated.  I made several bold moves to pen down a training session after a planned night out…Christmas morning…New Year’s morning…needless to say, they were cancelled and replaced with some amount of guilt.

But its not all doom and gloom!  Even with the inconsistency, I feel like I’m drowning less than before when I go swimming.  My lungs feel less like exploding when I go running.  Even my bicycle seat isn’t as unfriendly anymore!  So surely, ever the optimist, this can all only mean that things are looking up!

Now that the spirit is willing, its just a matter of making my body get with the program.  I did get a boost from the Dec/Jan issue of TriMagAsia.  I am featured as one of the age groupers of Asia and who doesn’t like to get their face into a magazine??  With my newfound minor celebrity status, I can’t let my adoring public catch me lazing at the hawker centre pigging out to a plate of nasi padang, I must train!

Finally! In a magazine!

Thanks to Meryl, I am now the owner of a very cool looking but very annoying alarm clock…which hopefully is another piece to the puzzle and what I need to start getting into some serious training.  Its worked the last 2 mornings, so fingers crossed!

Picture of aforementioned alarm clock

 The plan is to have a couple of pretty big weeks ahead which will get me in the right frame of mind to push through the mahjong, pineapple tarts and bak kwa at Chinese New year.  Well, I just need to get past the Mahjong, I can always pack the tarts and bbq pork with me on the bike.

 

Happy New Year everyone!  Train safe and see you out there!

False Starts and the Season Ahead

At the end of October, I had planned to write one of those retrospective season wrap ups for 2011, that dragged on for a few weeks with very little action and before I knew it, December had rolled around!  So here we go with take #2, a quick round up of 2011 and a peek ahead to 2012.

2011 was a considerably short racing season for me and one that passed by very quickly.  I started my own business at the end of March, a specialty running store called The Runner’s Gait.  With growing the business firmly at the top of my priorities, training was coming in second best.  I was unprepared for the adjustments that came with running the business – the amount of stress, the extra hours of work here and there…it started to add up and my training was met with an inconsistency that it had never experienced before.  Overslept?  Too bad!  It is much harder to disappear in the middle of the arvo to go training when its your ass on the line at work.

I had a great race at Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore in March, winning my age group and setting a PB on a fast course.  I ran my fastest half-mara off the bike (1hr27) to date en route to my best outing of the year.  My other goal race (as it was in 2010 as well) was Ironman 70.3 Philippines in August.  This race was an absolute disaster!  Derailed by a flu I couldn’t kick and a foot injury that I nursed for the greater part of the year, I struggled from the word “go” and would walk my way (extremely slowly) through one of the darkest days I’ve had to endure in spandex.

After not making it to any of the Malaysian races this year, the only other two triathlons I took part in were Singapore’s largest most prestigious triathlon (I’m kidding by the way), the OSIM Triathlon, and the Trifactor Triathlon.  I managed to win both races (AG at OSIM and Overall at Trifactor) but I knew that I hadn’t improved compared to 2010 (where I went 5mins faster at OSIM). 

Outside of triathlon, I lined up at a handful of running races.  My times were average and left me with a huge monkey of mediocrity on my back.  I played a bit part in my 9 Div team’s win at the Army Half Marathon in September, where some superb running from my teammates brought us our first ever title!  Melvin and I stumbled our way to a win in The Northface 100 (50km duo category).  A horribly organised race, but probably some of the most fun I’ve had, getting the chance to race as part of a team instead of as an individual.

So here we are in the middle of December.  The long anticipated return to training sputtered to a halt thanks to an annoying cold.  It’s almost on its way out (it had better be!) and hopefully it will be all systems go.  The few sessions I managed last week have served as a reminder that getting ready for 2012 is not going to be a piece of cake.  Speaking of cake, I’ve eaten a lot of that through my off season, so I should have lots of energy for the next few weeks of base training.

Inspired by the exciting racing at Ironman Western Australia last week (props to Arnaud for locking up his 2012 Kona slot with an outstanding race) and the mandatory Ironman Hawaii issue of Triathlete magazine, I’m looking forward to getting down to business for the season ahead.

Crowie got it done in 2011!

14 weeks to Ironman 70.3 Singapore.  That is the goal for the first part of the season.  I found a bunch of holes in my armoury this year and I am sick of finishing races with excuses for not being stronger.  I guess the aim is simple – swim better, ride stronger, run faster. 

I’ll try to update this blog more regularly in 2012.  I also intend to buy a few more alarm clocks. 

See you out there!

Race Report: Trifactor Triathlon 2011

The Skinny

Swim:  21:11

Bike:  1:01.33

Run:  40.0something

Total:  2:02.something

1st Men’s Open OD

The Fat

2 weeks after the disaster of my race in the Philippines, I was looking for a bit of redemption. 

I signed up for the Trifactor Triathlon as a bit of a ‘filler’ before the Desaru LD triathlon in September.  But since I decided to pull the plug on Desaru and I was finally feeling healthier after a lousy last 5 weeks, I was hoping for a good hit out as I unloaded the bike and made my way to the race site.

Good thing the rain spared the grassy trasition area

Compared to the OSIM Triathlon, the transition area was significantly smaller.  One thing I don’t understand is why race organisers always decide to use the smallest signs possible to mark out the participant numbers on the various bike racks.  Making signs that are larger than post-it sized will not throw your budget into turmoil.

With "The Machine" at the start

Getting to the swim start was a piece of cake compared to the obstacle course during the OSIM Triathlon and after a quick warm up, I joined the rest of my wave in the small holding pen.  It was a nice change to have a Men’s Open category instead of the usual age groups, allowing athletes across the various age groups to go head-to-head. 

Trying not to get kicked as I ran across and down the beach

Points for style?

Calmer seas and a smaller field made for easier swimming at East Coast this time round.  I hit the front after the first turning buoy and tried to settle into a rhythm for the 2 x 750m swim.  Out in 21min11sec and what I hoped would be first, it was time for the bikes!

Deciding to ride to the road bike with clip-ons this time

Anyone who has raced a triathlon at East Coast Park knows that crowded roads and sharp corners are part and parcel of the bike course, so nothing out of the ordinary here!  However, you can always count on competitors swerving all over the shop as they jump from wheel to wheel or try to take u-turns on their aerobars to keep you on your toes. 

John Lieto having a flyer on the bike

Nelson The Machine

Kenley looking very comfortable

I was feeling pretty good on the bike, much better than at OSIM.  There wasn’t much time since getting back from Camsur to train, but it made a difference that I was feeling much healthier.  Through all 3 legs of the race, it was just good that I was able to push my body harder than in past weeks.  Things were dandy till the 4th lap of the bike when some one blew past me on the long straight to the u-turn.  I recognised his BPTC (Banana Prata Tri Club) tri suit and Compressport Quad + Calf combo and knew he had been standing next to me at the swim start.  I knew Arnaud wasn’t around so I had no idea who this was, but man, these BPTC boys can ride their bikes!  I tried to keep the gap to BPTC-Compressport guy from growing, but even while pushing a higher wattage than before, I was losing ground!  There were 5 waves for my category and I had no idea how fast any of the guys in those waves were going, but I knew that if I couldn’t win my own wave, it wasn’t going to matter.  So it was damage limitation towards the end of the bike as I tried to put myself in contention for the win with the run remaining.

distinct lack of a marshal screaming "DISMOUNT HEREEEEE" at Trifactor

 I racked my bike and took a look down the rack.  Unfortunately, there it was!  The white Cervelo with number 558!  I did hold out some hope that BPTC-Compressport guy was actually a lap down, but oh well.  As I picked up my visor, I saw Olivier (it is shorter to write his name than BPTC-Compressport guy) already some way out of T2 so I knew I had a couple of hundred meters to make up. 

5 more km to close the gap

The run course was one that I had run many times before, 2 x 5km.  2km in, I hadn’t made much in-roads on Olivier.  I could sorta see him there or therebouts, always a couple of bends in the road ahead.  At the u-turn, I finally had a chance to see just how far back I was, maybe about 200m.  I picked John up at a water point and we ran together for the rest of the 1st lap. 

With 1 lap to go, I was only 50m down and with Meryl urging me to pick up the pace, I wanted to shut the gap down ASAP!  I bridged up to Olivier, we traded some encouragement and kept going.  I had a step or 2 on him so put my foot on the gas and made my move!  I suspect my increase in pace was far more impressive in my mind than it was in reality.  I had a 30m lead with at the last u-turn.  I skipped every water point on the way back and focused on holding as much of my form together to the finish.

Not the most stylish of my finish line poses...

I crossed the line in just under 2hr03min, won my wave and the overall!  I was very pleased with how I raced and the effort I managed to put out, especially after the disappointment of 2 weeks earlier.  The bike route was short so the time doesn’t really count, but I felt much better than during OSIM a month before.  Even though I wasn’t in peak racing form, at least I was healthy and that made racing much more enjoyable!

Actually made it to the Prize Preso this time!

So it was a good day at East Coast!  A solid race and the win!  My foot held up and isn’t aching much today as I write this report, which is hopefully a good sign for the Singapore Bay Run this weekend.  There was actually a prize presentation to attend (take some notes OSIM Triathlon) and prizes that the winners actually had use for (take MORE notes OSIM Triathlon)!  Cheers all around!

Congratulations to everyone who raced on the weekend and to the Trifactor team for bouncing back to put on an enjoyable race.  Bigger hydration stations on the run would be good!  As always, a huge thank you to Meryl for the great photos, unwavering support and enthusiastic ringing of the cow bell!

See you out there!

Nelson, winner of 21km Run (Men's Veteran)!

 

With John and Kenley, manufactured rivals

With Olivier post race. 1st & 2nd Men's Open in Compressport!

Will post the official results when they are released!

Race Report: Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines

The Skinny

swim: 29.01

bike: 2:33.02

run: 2:39.48

total: 5:49.04

The Fat

Boy, these reports are a lot less fun to write when the wheels fall off and the race blows up in your face.  But what can you do…the show and the reporting must go on!

With Nelson The Machine in transition

Pinoy superstar, Raymond Croc Borromeo

Race morning was cool and given the potential for a ridiculously scorching day in Camarines Sur, no one was complaining.  I was in the 3rd wave and we set off at 6.25am.  A few hundred meters into the swim, I started to catch some of the back markers from the previous wave.  I dodged the majority of flailing arms by swimming around the large packs of athletes that massed near the lane ropes.  I emerged from the 2nd lake unscathed but with an unspectacular swim time of 29.02.  Good enough for 1st in my AG at that point, but much harder work than I would have liked for a mediocre result.

rain all ride long, time for T2

On to the bike and looking back, all the signs pointing to it being a long day were all there.  I just didn’t expect it to be THAT long!  10km in, I lost my bottle of isotonic drink when my rear water bottle commited suicide and ejected itself along the bumpy roads of Naga.  No worries I thought as I grabbed a bottle of gatorade at the next hydration station.  Of all the bottles being held out, I had to pick the bottle of gatorade (in the regular retail packaging) that did not have the screw cap removed!  So I cleverly held onto the bottle between my aerobars for a couple more km because I wanted to avoide getting done for littering on the course.  As I approached a long, gradual descent, I sat up to open the gatorade finally and have a drink.  Brilliantly enough, the guy in front of me decided to play it safe, sat up and got on the brakes.  Before you could say “Gotcha sucker”, I was on his back wheel, bottle in one hand, brakes NOT in the other hand, chatting with the draft marshal next to me.  4mins in the sin bin after T2, it was going to be one of THOSE days.

Nelson into T2

It started to thunderstorm mid way through the bike and we were bucketed with rain as we passed through the rolling terrain in Camsur.  By the turn around I knew I wasn’t doing well.  I was struggling to find any rhythm and pushing a gear lighter than I would have liked, even in the windy conditions.  But to help me out, my bike came up with a plan of its own!  With about 30km to go, I lost my spare tube, tyre levers and CO2 catridge.

Happy to be back in T2 after what seemed like an eternity (2:33.02 to be precise), I threw the shoes on and proceeded to check myself into the Penalty Box.  I was told that I was the most pleasant person in the Penalty Box that day, if only they would have given me an award for that!  I spent the world’s longest 4mins stretching and chatting with the volunteers to try to remain positive.  I had my reservations getting out on the run and I had modest expectations.  I jogged out around Lago Del Ray and saw Meryl, who had been in the rain for hours with her poncho and cow bell!  I gave her a smile and wave and proceeded on my merry way.

In happier times...haha

If you remember my report from last year’s race, I spent most of the run walk-a-jogging.  This year, after about 6km, I knew my goose was cooked.  I spent most of the next 15km walking, not even particularly briskly.  I couldn’t believe it.  My gut was killing me.  I constantly felt that any exertion would lead me to demand that the local supporters hand over jurisdiction of their toilet to me.  Naturally, when I finally did find a portaloo, I had serious cramps and nothing else.  After about 4hrs on the course, I was starving and running low on energy.  I would try some gel and more sports drink, then spend the next few minutes fighting the urge to throw up.

Last evidence of me running

To cut a long and very slow moving story short, there wasn’t the 2nd half resurgence I had hoped for.  I walked, then walked some more.  Defeated, ashamed, angry, disappointed…After my obligatory shuffle across the finish line, I made a bee line to transition to get my gear, found a very anxious Meryl and retreated to my room.

2 years I had come to Camsur with such high hopes.  Both times, I have fallen sick in the fortnight before and then had to drag myself to the finish.  Both times, Meryl has had to endure hours wondering what in the world had happened to me.  Both times, I’ve had to hang my head and leave Camsur a beaten man.

Bike Check-In the day before

I know the reasons for this year’s disaster – illness, injury, lack of consistent training.  But when things go bad, all these reasons turn into excuses.  I was simply under prepared and got my ass whooped big time…by every man, woman and child (if they were allowed to race).

The biggest frustration is knowing that it will take weeks and months, not hours and days, to show that I’ve overcome this bad result.  On the other hand, the only way to go from here is up right?  I know where some of the changes have to be made training-wise.  There’s a lot of rebuilding that is going to have to take place for me to be strong enough to be up there with the big boys!

Too much time at the buffet perhaps?

Congratulations to all the athletes!  There were some super performances in tough conditions.  The Pinoys as usual, fantastic support for all the racers, regardless of what speed we went at!

I want to thank everyone for their support leading into the race and even more so after.  Special thanks to Meryl, who has had to put up with a lot of bitching and whining from me this past weekend.  I’m extremely grateful that she indulges my wallowing, before telling me to suck it up and get over it!

A few days to sort out my health/injury issues then I’ll see you out there, with a vengence!