The Big Beach Challenge 2010

"Epic!" That’s how I would describe it. It has to be the most scenic run I have ever done. The roaring pacific on the left and beautiful sand dunes on the right looked something out of this world. The view of waves cracking on the huge ship wreck was just mind blowing.

Schoey (white t-shirt in photos) is a top bloke from trannies. He allowed me to crash at his joint in Newcastle; force fed me the breaky, and gave me a lift to the start, which is 50km from Newcastle. Thanks to people like Schoey, the tranny brotherhood will be always alive. One our way to the Birubi beach, we saw the free range ch0oks by the side of the road. “Now that’s really free range!” Schoey said. The race registration went without hassle. It was a bit chilly in the morning so I didn’t take off my clothes until 5min to the start.

The first half: The race started on time. For the first half of the race, we ran on flat hard sand along the water line. The strong head winds sand blasted the athletes and the excitement of race made it feel like a war zone. It looked like a race in a desert storm, but thankfully, not as dry. I drafted behind three different athletes at different times and found it works, at least to shield off the sand blast. I was in the front pack from the beginning. While Schoey dropped behind in the beginning, he came back charging strong and overtook me around the 20km mark. He finished 10min ahead of me.

The second half: The first half gives a wrong impression of how hard is the second half. By 18-20km, I was feeling a bit of fatigue, but was strong enough to hammer another 12-14km on the similar terrain. Then the terrain changed. The sand became softer and steeper. The steps started to sink, the muscles started to fatigue and cramp. The running form was gone and we were just wrestling with the sand. After a lot of struggle, what I thought would be the 25km mark was surprisingly the 22km mark. That means I wasn’t running as fast I was thinking, and the race felt like getting longer and longer. The athletes who were running a great form a few km ago now looked crippled. Some of them struggling to even walk. I have huge respek for those who kept pushing from there on, and made it to the finish line. YoYo said “I have heard it’s harder than climbing Everest.” I would have to agree.

I could see the colourful flags at the finish line from about 3kms. It was relief to see that there is an end to this. I looked behind, and saw that no other athlete was close. Cooked, cramped, thirsty, hungry, tired, extremely satisfied with the sense of achievement, I breathlessly hammered my way to the finish line with whatever I had left. It was all over in 3h35, and I was the 11th athlete across the line. The sausage sandwiches after the finish were the best!

The organisers did an extraordinary job in setting up the aid stations on the beach. It is a very awkward task. I was impressed by their enthusiasm to run down the sand dunes to the athletes with cups of water and electrolyte drinks. Saves athletes from running up the sand dunes! However it gives too many expectations from the volunteers. The guy at the 28km aid station was sitting up a sand dune with the aid station table in front of him, and poured drinks as athletes come, otherwise chilling out in the sun enjoying watching pain on the faces of athletes. That aid station felt the hardest to reach. Then he said “You don’t look as bouncy as in the morning?” Funny guy iniit? Chambo (who was 2nd at the PM Ironman beer mile) made a top effort to ensure the athletes get water at the 5, 10 and 15km marks. Then he ran from the 5km mark to the finish. Great job by the organisers and the volunteers who helped the athletes so passionately. Awesome party environment at the finish.

There are many long distance running races held every year around Australia, but this race is mind blowing. I would highly recommend it to whoever enjoys a good running challenge, and the best way to race it is in budgy smugglers! If it is held again next weekend, you bet I will be there :-)

Ironman Australia 2010 - Port Macquarie

I am writing this race report 11 weeks after racing Ironman. The primary purpose is to recall the ups and downs I experienced in the race, and prepare myself for the Ironman Regensburg in six weeks from now.

On the race day, I woke up at 2am and started feeding as per the feeding strategy advised by my mentor George Lowe. The feeding strategy was simple. Eat one gel one hour before the race, one gel half an hour before, and one gel just before the start. Then a gel every 20min on the bike, and a gel every 30 min on the run. I prepared a high concentration thick shake of protein powder and electrolyte, which was equivalent to 6-7 bottles of normal concentration, that I would sip and drink water afterwards.

At the start, I was relaxed it didn't feel any different than a normal training day, except for that I don't train with such a large group. My approach was to race it as a long training day, with primary goal to finish it, and secondary goal to enjoy it.

Although I had trained plenty, I was not sure how the body will respond to the race pace. It was the zone of uncertainty. I considered plenty of worst case scenarios, including that I may sweat out all the selenium (essential to keep the ticker thumping) in my body during such a long race – resulting in cardiac arrest, and made sure I take some supplements day before.

The waters were calm. There was a false start at the pro end. Probably triggered by some spectator blowing a pressure horn. The announcer announced “bring them back .... bring them back...” but the pros were already swimming hard with their head down in the water. It was too late to stop them. The cannon fired soon after that, and the main pack started the swim. There was plenty of sea weed floating around that would occasionally get stuck in my goggles. I kept swimming my own pace, and feeling good after the first lap. So I started to push slightly hard in the second lap. There was some pole in the middle of the course, and I collided head on with it. It was marked with a buoy, but I wasn't looking ahead – watch out for it!

I came out of the swim feeling good, and was quick in the transition. I started the bike leg overtaking heaps of people. I knew it was going to be a long ride, but I was feeling good, and kept that pace. First lap was a breeze and the crowd at Mathew Flinder Drive hill was fantastic at cheering. The cyclists were super slow up the hill and blocked the whole road. I suddenly found I had to pull brakes, but didn't lose much momentum. The second lap was slightly hard. The highlight of the race was being chased by a man dressed in green mankini like Borat up the MFD. I thought it was in response to me chasing the pro cyclists in Tour Downunder up Willunga Hill back in January. It was a great effort, a brave one!

The third lap was hard. I couldn't get enough water at the drink stations as they were giving only half filled small biddons. I could carry only one on my bike, which won't last until the next drink station. After 150km, I was feeling back pain. I changed the riding position from aero to the bull horn bars. From my past experiences in half Ironman, I found that I can't engage core muscles during running if I break my back during the cycling leg. The wind picked up, on the third lap, and I was going really slow, sitting upright instead of in aero poistion. I could have gone faster, but wanted to save myself for the marathon. My chain came off twice during the third lap.

After finishing the bike leg, a volunteer took away my bike. I didn't know it works like that, and I forgot to take off my Garmin 310xt off the bike, and had to ask a volunteer to bring it to me. The volunteers were great and brought it back as I was about to finish the transition. I had a quick transition and was off running at a good rhythm, feeling pretty fresh. I went 11km in the first hour. After 14k, I started to feel that cramps are building up in my calves. I ate vegemite and swollowed it down with water at the next drink station. It didn't help much. By 18km, my speed had really dropped. By 28km, my legs seized. It felt like if I continue running now, the muscles will pop out of my calves, and I wouldn't be able to even walk, and the finish would be impossible. So, I started walking. I walked for 7-8 km, then tried

to run. In first attempt I failed. Then I tried again. The body says “lye down on the side of the road.” Starting to run again is the hardest thing I felt in the Ironman. It was purely mental. I started to run, but every step was hurting. I could feel my toes are hurting due to pressure against the tip of the shoe, but just like everyone else out there on the course, you suck it up princess. Later I had a black toe nail which fell off after two months. During all this suffering, the spectators kept cheering me, and that's what kept me going.

When I reached the finish chute, it was the moment of joy. I knew I have made it. The uncertainty about whether I can do it was gone, replaced by the happiness. The joy went through the roof. I opened my arms wide to embrace the majestic environment. Then I started dancing with happiness. I was full of joy, and danced crazy hard despite the calves cramping really bad on every move of the leg. Pain didn't matter anymore. Peter Murray was the announcer at the finish line. He gave me a “hi five” and said the big words “Gi Singh, you are an IRONMAN!” I danced mad at the finish line, and Peter called me back to dance again in front of the spectators. It was an honour. I kept dancing with joy until another finisher – Chris, picked me up and took me away from there. The spectators loved it. I loved it. It was an epic moment, that will remain fresh in my memory for a long long time.

I had so much fun that I can say it was without the doubt the best day ever. I loved the crowd at Port Macquarie. I have to go back next year and race it again. I can't wait for that long. So I will be competing in two more Ironman races before Ironman Australia in May 2011.

Check out the dance at 3:00min mark in this video:

Sri Chinmoy half marathon - Centennial Park, 13 June 2010

Race Report:
On the race morning, Tom was giving excuses for not wearing budgy smugglers. "It's seven degrees Gi!," he said. As we know that Tom was sick last week, and still decided to run 7km anyway, we can let him get away with this excuse this time. I think the weather couldn't have been better. When it is a bit cold, the athletes don't feel too thirsty in a half marathon distance race. There were a few people running in HTC gear and many familiar faces from different triathlon clubs. I was hoping for a PB over my road race time at Sydney half marathon four weeks ago, but wasn't sure I would manage to get a PB after I looked at the course. It was a hilly cross country course through the Centennial Park. Running on grass and sand is relatively slower than road running as grass/sand absorbs a bit of force you apply on the ground.

The race started 5min late. There was a minute of silence and then they announced "Runners Go!" I was the first off the block, and led the palaton for about 300m. Then I realised I don't know the course and not sure should I follow this fence or go straight. So, I eased up a bit and let the fast runners lead. By 1.5km, I was 8th. Since then I kept dropping places. It is a scenic course around the duck ponds, hills and dense trees. My HR for the first 7km was over 180bpm. I felt I was going too fast. So I floated for the next 7km and picked up the pace in the last 7km to finish it off in 1h47min. It was still a PB of 8 min over the Sydney half marathon 4 weeks ago, and I was happy with that. Sri Chinmoy races are very well organised with water station every 2km. They cost 1/4th of the Sydney half marathon price, and that includes bananas, oranges and pancakes at the end of the race. Tom would race just for the pancakes. He ate four pancakes! The next PB... err... the next SC half marathon is at Dolls Point on 11th July. See you there!