Race report – Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau – Natalie Stevenson
The Kraichgau region in southwest Germany is known as the land of the 1000 hills. I have wanted to visit Germany for a very long time. Once I found out that my husband has a friend who lives here my A race for 2019 was decided.
With about a month to go I was feeling really good. I had one of my best ever sessions on the track at Bellahouston, my new bike was flying and it was one of those happy sunny days. Unfortunately that ended ten minutes sooner than it should have. Another cyclist moved to leave the track and crossed ninety degrees across my path without looking.
These things happen. At the time I was devastated and very sore. It turns out my body is good at mending and the thing that would eventually impact on my race wasn’t a little tumble but a stupid decision I made at about the same time.
Race day was amazing. But hot, very hot, 30 degrees and felt like more. My bike and kit was racked the night before. It was the first time I had done an Ironman branded event so everything was new to me. About 2700 athletes, I didn’t spot anyone else from GBR at all.
The atmosphere was buzzing with Jan Frodeno talking over the loud speakers before his race started and a Fusion Triathlon Club turbo classic, Bingo Players ft. Far East Movement – Get Up (Rattle), blasting out as the gun went off…. If that doesn’t give you chills then you haven’t been to enough Fusion turbo sessions!
The swim went well, they held us back from the first wave so I was anxious I wouldn’t have any feet to follow but that wasn’t an issue at all. The lake was warm and calm, the swim was great… if you have ever read ‘Turning by Jessica Lee’ it was exactly as I would have imagined (if you haven’t feel free to borrow it from me).
I wasn’t okay running through T1 but more on that later… Loved the cycle. I had done a few days riding during the week before the race so I knew what to expect. Fast descents (65kmph max), lots of climbs, some technical bits and a crazy 12% hill… loved it… I ran out of steam a bit at 70km but the sun was really baking down on us at that point (I didn’t realise but I was getting very sunburnt). A kind German gentleman complemented me on my riding and that made my day. I managed my nutrition really well and was second in my age group coming off the bike into T2.
This bit I don’t recommend. If I told you I also taped ibuprofen to my bike you’d know how anxious I was during taper week about the run. I couldn’t walk without pain and being tourists we walked a lot. I dropped my bike off in T2 and I knew… I couldn’t put my foot down properly as I crossed transition. For the first km of the run I was doing it, living the adrenaline dream, managing race pace and almost believing… then I hit some cobbles, a corner, a hill, 30-degree heat and I couldn’t. I hobbled round the next 20km too stubborn to DNF taking thirty-five minutes longer than I had hoped.
I probably should have pulled out but there were lots of reasons not too. There were some very dark places on that run. There were also thousands of supporters and lots of small children with Super Mario power-up signs. I high fived them all – on every lap… My race was gone but there are other reasons we put ourselves on the start line and it was time to think of those.
Six weeks or so before my race I changed my shoes, from my bouncy soft Hokas to their new carbon soled racing shoes. I loved them, I still do, but the tendons in my left foot cant take such a stiff shoe. It was the same when I tired to wear track spikes, but it has been so long since then I had forgotten. My bike crash also meant I rushed the process of wearing them in, although I don’t think that would have really made a difference. I wouldn’t have changed it, I still think the carbon Hokas are the most amazing shoe I have ever run in, but I wont run in them again.
It’s taken a while for me to be able to look back and see how much I learnt in this race. I have a lot of good stuff to take away from it and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone. Things don’t always go to plan, but it’s more about the journey than the result after all.
