Swimming with the ducks!
The whole trip was meant to be a fun 6hr road trip from Bend, Oregon to Everett Washington in the coolest van on the road the “manvan” with special guest super dog Mili (Matt’s Lieto’s awesome little fox terrier). So Friday morning we were packed ready to roll out, a quick fire coffee stop to start the day was a necessity luckily as the stop gave matt a chance to realise he had left all his drink bottles at home so we popped back to get them and then were on our merry way.
Three quarters of the way through while I was driving (gutted that I was when it happened) in cruise control all of a sudden warning lights started flashing and the steering wheel turned into a jack hammer. Making an emergency stop on the side of the freeway we couldn’t work out what it was but it seemed to be manageable at 50miles an hour so we limpet our way into Everett.
So finding the nearest mechanic the next morning we took it in to be advised that we were lucky to have made it hear, that the drive shaft had exploded along with the transfer case…awesome…car less and a race to do the next day!
Luckily we had some great friends that offered assistance and we were able to make the early morning start and somewhat prepare for a tough and competitive Half Ironman.
I had this great plan to push the pace in the swim and have a handy lead that would allow me to settle and then follow my main rivals throughout the ride. Being an undulating and somewhat technical ride I was confident that this would suit my strengths and I would have a good day. As it was I lead the swim but only by a handful of seconds. Early in the ride I gave up the lead not by choice but because my legs weren’t doing what my mind wanted them too and for the next 30km’s I was riding like I was on a recovery ride, slipping back to 6th place with the rest of the top 10 not far behind. I then saw Matt on the side of the road with a broken chain, I felt so bad for him that our troubles were still continuing and that I couldn’t do anything to help (was ready to give him my wheel if he had a puncture) I thought I have to muster on and get to the finish no matter what. Pushed on and started to find the legs that I was hoping to have at the beginning of the race, and made my way back through the field. Managing to come in off the bike in third place beside Jeff Symonds a good 3mins down on the leaders we set off into the 13 mile two loop run. Jeff and I ran side by side for the first 6km until the reality of the pace and what I would potentially be like at the 16km mark (more than likely a bit like the manvans drive shaft and casing) I drifted off and settled into a rhythm that I felt a little more comfortable at.
So running into the finish shoot in 4th place I was super stoked, I could have easily have pulled the pin during this race as things were so awful at points but I hung tough and showed that some will and stick ability you can change the outcome and be proud of a race.
So now I am recovering at the downtown Everett Travel Lodge with Matt and Mili waiting for the manvan to be repaired so we can make our way back to Bend, it’s been one of those trips where everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I’ve decided to miss the Alcatraz triathlon to take care of a few sore spots and get some needed strength back before my next few races in a month time.
Over and out!
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