As adults sometimes we forget to dream and we settle into a comfort zone where time just breezes on by and waits for nobody. Yes, I was once a spectator of life and in no time at all I had lost a Decade just like that. Fortunately I awoke before I checked out of Mother Earth with the ‘dance’ still inside of me and I have once again become an active participant in Life, chasing my dreams.
This past Sunday I did the SA Ironman 70.3 in East London, an event which comprised a 1.9km swim, a 90km cycle and a 21km run. Having hit a wonderful high in winning my age category at the World Ironman 70.3 Championships in Las Vegas last September, I was probably expected to be at the forefront of my age category in East London.
However, things don’t always go according to plan and although I was better prepared than ever before for the East London event, the script had me facing challenges I had never anticipated or would even have dreamt about in my wildest nightmare. But, I am learning to roll with the punches and deal with the hands as they are dealt and amazingly enough, wonderful opportunities very often surface from beneath the obstacles, as long as you have an open mind.
Usually I do all of these events as a solo competitor, so doing this event as a Relay was a totally new experience for me, but it turned out to be quite pleasant in the end…..and if you are confused, then I suggest you read on, as it was quite an amazing experience.
Race day dawned ever so perfectly, with great weather and ocean conditions and I had enjoyed the perfect sleep, so awoke excited and keen to do battle with not only my fellow age groupers (50-54), but also with some of the promising youngsters in the race too. I am fortunate in that I tend to handle pressure fairly well, in fact I thrive on it, so I was fairly relaxed lining up on Orient Beach for the start of the swim leg, after saying a quick Good Bye to Michelle, Camryn and Jamie.
I had a great start (Wave 3) and was swimming really well until we caught the back of the ‘Wave 2’ group just before the second buoy and then I lost my way a little, but was still pleased to exit in 32 odd minutes, good enough for 6th in my age group. A reasonably neat transition and out onto the bike course for the hilly 90km bike leg in seemingly perfect conditions. I was ready to test what I thought was some really good bike fitness, which when combined with a lean body (5kg lighter than 2011) could lead to a really good time.
So the first leg of my Relay was going well, as I was flying (for me) through the field, even though I was trying not to push high Watts up the climbs. I was in my element, as I was doing what I love most, I was competing and testing my physical and mental abilities…. ….But then, things started to go pear shaped as I felt my rear wheel deflating at about the 22km mark. I remember saying to myself stay calm, this is not an issue and I pulled over to insert some slime and air from a special canister I had purchased in America. That worked like a charm, or so I thought and I was back on the road in no time and quite chuffed that I had only lost a minute.
Then, disaster struck as the tyre went flat within a kilometre…. Now you are faced with agonising decisions, do you try one of your precious bombs and hope the slimb will hold, or do you change the tube first to be sure? I opted for what I thought was more certainty and less risk, thinking I could get this changed and still be a contender, so I whipped out all my spares and probably did a world record change….. back onto the bike and in responding to the banter of some of the cyclists I was passing, I said well let’s hope that is the last puncture for the day….. only to hear BANG! It was an almighty burst and in the heat of the moment, in the midst of the race I roared my disapproval and I’m not proud of the word that left my mouth to express my utter frustration, so sincere apologies to all those in earshot.
On pulling over, somebody shouted that my valve had shot into the middle of the road…. we do strange things under pressure, so I ditched my bike and went searching for a valve I wouldn’t need (you brainless idiot I thought later), as I was going to change another tube. As I was carrying two tubes, this was literally and figuratively the last throw of the dice. I checked the inside of the Tyre and found nothing, so made the change and applied my final ‘bomb’ and all of a sudden another explosion….. well I think I joined the extreme Frisbee group, as my wheel got tossed deep into the bush and my race was well and truly done!
I had spent the past 10-15 minutes trying to remain in contention, but now I was frustrated, disappointed, depressed and agitated. I managed to retrieve my wheel from the bushes and thankfully most of those who came past (and it felt like thousands) shouted some encouragement and some even offered their spares. At this stage I was starting to accept my fate and was thinking only of finishing, the problem was that most normal tubes don’t fit my race wheels, so I was stranded and awaiting the back-up vehicle. I saw the ever smiling Paddy Cloete cycle past and I joked about a Chapter (“I will always Paddle back out”) from Shaun Thomson’s book, although I wasn’t sure I saw the humour in it at the time.
A lift was offered and it was so tempting and I recall thinking I could go and support my mates from the comfort of the side lines and fortunately I had the presence of mind to say not yet. Then, all of a sudden, my race, my whole day changed…… whilst awaiting the back-up vehicle, Team Garwood, comprising Father Kevin and his ever so brave son Nicholas*, came cycling past and in a moment my outlook changed. I started reflecting on how fortunate I am to be able to do these events, both in South Africa and abroad and in an instant I knew I was going to finish and finish with a smile on my face.
(*Nicholas was born in May 1998, six weeks premature. The umbilical cord was wrapped twice around his neck and he suffered from a condition known as Microphthalmia, where one of his eyes had not developed. It was not until he was six months old, however, that doctors discovered he had a severe and debilitating brain injury that would prevent him from ever being able to walk or talk.)
After what seemed like an eternity the back-up vehicle arrived and I was given more spares and after one more failed attempt to get back on the road, I received an adaptor and a foot pump and eventually got my rear wheel functioning again. You may be asking about the RELAY Team, well you see my first leg was as a determined competitor, perhaps a little too consumed in his goals, maybe forgetting to appreciate what life is really all about. As a competitor I had completed a 1.9km swim and a quarter of the cycle route before the ‘Team Garwood’ transformation and I took the Baton from the competitive Riddle, to complete the second leg as a fully-fledged participant.
I was going to attempt to do the final three quarters of the bike and the 21km run as a participant, with no hope of winning, no podium, no slots…. I was going to do what thousands of people do, people who make our sport what it is and I was going to encourage them, I was going to embrace the spectators and appreciate the volunteers.
It was a new experience for me, it was foreign and initially uncomfortable as I was no longer in my comfort zone. You see most competitors only know one world and that is to compete, to be singularly focussed, to cut out most of what happens in a race. So here I was seeing a race through new eyes, from a very different perspective and I loved every minute of it and I want to salute all those who tested themselves, congratulate all those who finished, in particular the 1,000 plus novices.
Very often we all get too consumed with the pressing or urgent issues, rather than the important issues. We get caught up chasing material things and measuring ourselves in terms of worldly standards and I am guilty of that too. Perhaps we need to stay in our lane and not aspire to be in somebody else’s lane, so sometimes we need to pause, we need to reflect, we need to appreciate the challenges that Nicholas Garwood and his lion hearted Dad, Kevin and supportive Mother, Cheryl, face each and every day of their lives. Unfortunately they didn’t make the finish line, as they missed the cycle cut off by about a minute and I hope they will return, I hope they will persevere, as when I caught up with Team Garwood on the bike, I rode next to them for a while, offering some encouragement and I saw the fire, the light in young Nicholas’ eyes. He so badly wants to cross that finish line and claim his medal, something many of us take for granted. Believe me if I could and if necessary, one day, I would gladly swop my competitive ticket, to guide Nicholas around the course, in the hope that he can fulfil one of his Dreams.
Then whilst running you witness a remarkable man like Hein Wagner, who is blind, taking on the Ironman 70.3 and you realise just how much we have to be grateful for. I was fortunate to accompany Hein to the Korean Ironman in 2006, not as his guide, but as a friend and fellow competitor. And when you spend time in his company, you get a new appreciation for the gift of sight. Perhaps Hein can’t see the way we can, but he has a clearer Vision of Life. He doesn’t have blinkers like we do, he can’t see the course, or the path he elects to follow, but he does so boldly and he hasn’t given up on his dreams, he does not dwell in a comfort zone, he does not let time or life just breeze on by and neither should we.
With Ironman anything is Possible! It’s time to start Dreaming and Appreciating the gift of Life.
God Bless these Ironman Warriors!!!
Thanks to all of my sponsors for their support, in particular Isuzu…. I chose the longer road this time and it was well worth the ride!!
The Riddle of an Ironman's Life 