Is there a word that describes feeling happy and disappointed at the same time? If there isnt, I think those Oxford people should invent one.
This was the last race of my 7 week long season in a series of 5 races. Waikiki, Sing Bi, Aviva, NUS Bi then OSIM. Last week, I decided that I wanted to end the season on a high, so i got some good quality tapering work done on both my swim and my bike. (i decided against running much to let the shins recover) I was really looking forward to hammering it out on the bike, cause by all accounts, the power i was able to generate and hold on it was improved from last year during the tri-factor period.
My race strategy for OSIM was simple. Swim fast, fly on the bike, then hang on the run.
The race turned out almost according to plan. The key word here being almost.
There was a surprise on the swim. I thought the tidal stream would not be very strong, as the tide was changing. O how wrong I was. The waters were ebbing and it kept pushing everyone including myself under the lane rope on the first stretch. It was most annyoing, and despite my best efforts to compensate by aiming right, it was to no avail. Only after turning past the first buoy then it was better. BUt since it was a two loop swim, we all had to go through that stretch for another round. I would eventually come out in about 23 min+. Could have been better, but taking in the conditions out there, I was quite pleased with it. First out again =)
The bike was where i really wanted to extend my lead. (I had about 3 mins from the swim) The moment i got on the bike i felt real good and was going at 37 to 38kph. Some guy from the earlier wave came up to me and 'jio' me to ride with him. It was good as we were pulling each other at 38kph COMFORTABLY. then on the S-bend at the sailing centre, i went into the curve too hard. the back of my bike smacked into the barrier, but i kept my balance and continued on. However, I couldnt push my speed. Even mashing at 90rpm on a big gear i was struggling to maintain 30kph. It was ridiculous. My hamstrings were burning and powerless, and i was trudging along at 27 -29kph.
I was thinking that there was something wrong with me, and my body had just "bonked". After half a loop, i just stopped by the side. I concluded I was done, and was prepared to walk back.JJ had stopped to check on me, but i was pretty miserable at this point. People were overtaking me like nobody's business at this point, including Josh. Then as I was about to push my bike back, I noticed the problem. After the knock with the barrier, my rear brake had shifted and was basically rubbing with my rear wheel. $#@%*&! FREAKING HELL! i quickly adjusted the brake and went off as if a fire had been lit under my arse.
I was basically doing an individual time trial at this point, just hammering it nonstop, at for a moment imagining that i was Fabian Cancerella. My swim lead had evaporated, and it was down to my bike to try and salvage the situation. The next 2 loops i averaged 38kph, and went into T2 in second place just seconds behind JJ, who i managed to catch just metres out of T2. I knew my run was going to be pretty horrible, so i just wanted to do what i could, and make those who wanted to catch me really work for it.
Gdness. Months of not training my run was obvious. I struggle to find any rythmn i could sustain (excpet for my pathetic miserable snail like pace). Not to mention the heat. I asked God for no rain, so i cant really complain since He really did take the rain away and returned it with the sunny weather. After the first loop (it seemed longer than 5km. really. sumpa.) Josh and Lemin had both overtaken me, and despite my mind's pleadings to stay with either of them, but legs refused to listen and i was just wanting to finish the run.
Finally, after 50mins (SLOW RIGHT!!! 5 min per km... retarded man. deprove by 10 huge freaking mins...........) i finish the race... results showed my total time was 2:24. bike time was 1:10. Really wasted. I thought I could do 1:05 or better with the way i was going. That half a loop with the brake rub really destroyed my race. It was my mistake that I did not stop to check after the little incident with the barrier.
Overall, Zhiyun got first for her cat, then Josh won ours, followed by Lemin then me. JJ also got fourth, so it was basically a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th place sweep. BUT I cannot stop thinking. What if? What if i had stopped to check the brake? I would have been able to continue to build on my lead and take a much bigger gap into T2, and make josh and lemin work that much harder to catch me (MUAHAHAHA evil laughter) or MAYBE, not catch me at all. That one mistake by me cost me my race.
Dun get me wrong, credit must really go to Josh and Lemin for pushing themselves and they really deserve their placings. Lemin pushed till he was on the verge of throwing up at the end. Take nothing away from them. Im just disappointed that I was unable to give a better account of myself, and in a sense, felt that i had let myself down. I am happy that we had all down well, but on a personal level, this was not how i imagined how i would end my season- let down by a mistake.
gotta thank all who came down to support! Coach David, zhan yuan, dex, jason, lala! and YING LIANG!!! our ever-dedicated man with the camera! on this note, im gonna take break from tri-ing for a while, bout a week or 2 to focus on my exams. i'll still keep swimming, and maybe do a bit of gym for core and overall strengthening. maybe just a little cycling, but definitely off the run for at least 4 weeks to let my shins recover. then it's onto IRONMAN FRANKFURT!!!
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