Best laid plans and all that...

Well.  It is now the 7th of March and I am not an Ironmatron.  Or an Ironman.  Or an Iron anything really.  Ironman New Zealand 2012  was postponed and shortened to a 70.3 distance race.  How did I feel after training for a year only to be told I wasn't going to lose my Ironmaidenhood?  Freakin excited that's how!  Why?  Lots of reasons!  I didn't have to go out and ride my bike in a raging headwind (we like that), I wouldn't have to worry about my friends and family battling to be volunteers and supporters in what was being billed as "a storm of the likes we have never seen before", and more importantly, because of my lightbulb realisation that Ironmaiden 2012 was still going to happen, she was just going to take the campaign on tour!

In fact, the only real disappointment of the weekend was that The Storm never really got to Taupo - the wind certainly came and in its own right was a show stopper, but I wanted the drama and thrill of The Storm.  But a minor detail.

So stay tuned for Ironmaiden to take a whole new direction: Ironmaiden International

But more of that later.  There was a race on the weekend.  So a 70.3 is a half-iron distance. Having already done one this length I could go in a lot more confident than I would have gone into the full.  I think a lot of us pushed too hard, but I lived to tell the tale and even went a few minutes faster than I did in December.

Not without calamities of course.  As if I could spend 7+ hours doing anything and not have some calamitous episodes....

• On the bike - I was riding along, day dreaming about travelling to France to do an Ironman...and I strayed off course, almost into the grass.  I over corrected and then over-over corrected (I really am not good at driving those aerobars) and before I knew it I was sure my wheels were heading off in two different directions.  Miraculously I recovered, and then as the relief wore off, I did a quick glance around to check no one saw.  Unfortunately, a man cycled up beside me shortly after and said "Wow, you nearly took a tumble back there!"  Dammit...I tried to swear him to secrecy, but he wouldn't have a bar of it.

Still smiling after 90kms

• In the run - the run went pretty well until the last 500 metres or so.  I had turned into the main street, right in front of the pub where all the cheerful people were watching the less cheerful runners...only to get cramp in my right hamstring.  A massive cramp.  A "turn my leg into a jointless wooden post dangling from my hip" cramp.  I did a big "Craig Barrett about to collapse at the Olympics stagger" and grabbed the railing.  Cue shocked gasp from crowd. I couldn't get the damn leg to work, I clung to the railings, begged a stranger for help, and all I could think was that I wasn't allowed to crawl, bum shuffle, or drag myself to the finish line with my lips!  Stupid international Ironman rules!  But then I realised, I could walk backwards!  I fooled my hamstring into thinking I wouldn't need it anymore!  So I walked backwards through the main street of town.  Cue smartarsed comments from crowd.  I got to the last aid station, gulped back half a cup of Coke, inadvertently splashed coke all over the poor volunteers shoes as I discarded the half empty cup in the wrong place, then turned around and ran!  Forwards!  Cue delighted applause from crowd.

I still got a towel, a t-shirt and a medal.  Truth is in the eye of the towel holder right?

So I finished.  I was sore!  But  on a whole a good day.  It was great seeing so many people out supporting.  And now I have a trip to plan and an Ironman to knock over!

Till next week, go google "serendipity", and you'll understand how I am feeling.

love
Ironmaiden