Ironman Australia Part 2/4 - The Swim
I walked up to the water. As did everyone else, there wasn’t the hustle and bustle that you normally get at the start of a race. I guess this was because your time didn't start until you crossed the line, it was nice and almost peaceful. The water was now up to my waste, time to start swimming.
A couple of strokes in and emotions started to hit me “I’m doing it, by the end of the day I will be an Ironman, this is what I have been training for” a few minutes later and this emotion had decreased slightly so I could just focus on my technique. Also being the rolling start and starting with other people of my ability it wasn’t as common to get passed or knocked about by other swimmers.
After a few hundred metres I was feeling really comfortable. I didn’t really notice that I was going against the current and was just focusing on the next orange buoy. There was a slight turn to the right and then continuing. I got to approximately the 1,200m mark where we turned to the left to head under the bridge, there weren’t many swimmers around me but I was still feeling pretty good.
As I got closer to the bridge I really started to feel the current pushing me sidewards. It wasn’t too strong but it was noticeable enough that I had to swim on a slight angle before getting to the bridge, this was also because the nice man in his boat made me aware that I was heading towards oncoming swimmers.
Under the bridge and one the other side the water wasn’t really moving so I was able to swim straight towards the steps, as I got closer to the weir I got excited again, this was leg 1 of the 3 leg swim over. Looking at my watch, 55 mins so far. The volunteers gave us words of encouragement as we walked across the platform and down the other side, In I go and WOW!
The water on this side is cold, I know I am in a wetsuit and happy about that because the water temperature was unpleasant. On the way out the turn around buoy I kept knocking into another swimmer who very abruptly stopped and told me that I kept swimming in an arc towards him “Sorry about that”. After letting him get a bit further ahead of me before setting off again, all I could think about is wow, if it took me 55 minutes to swim 1,600m this is going to be a long swim. I spent a while working out how long the swim was going to take me and started to freak out that I wouldn’t make the cut off time, “This is not good”
Getting around the turn around buoy I started to pick my stroke rate up a little to make sure I’d get back in time. Looking to the shore I noticed someone on a paddle board just casually cruising along watching me. This probably means there aren’t many people in the water anymore and its easier to keep and eye on individuals.
This time when I made it to the weir, I wasn’t quite as full of energy as I was the first time. The volunteers at this platform were still encouraging us, but also making sure we were holding onto the rails as we crossed. Leg 2 down, one to go.
I decided that it was more important to save a little energy, focus on my technique and make sure that I would be able to ride after the swim. At this stage my biggest focus was on my hand entry, as it has been pointed out to me that I angle my hand upwards when I fatigue slowing me down significantly, so this is something I have to watch out for.
Keeping my mind on this made the distance fly by, it seemed like I’d only just gone by a pink buoy and I’d be at the next one. I could now see the swim exit area and the excitement came back, “I am really doing this, I am about to be officially an Ironswimmer! only 3 years ago I couldn’t swim and I am about to finish 3.8KM how amazing”
I could now see the swim exit ramp and the turning buoy was maybe 50 metres ahead and I was at least 20 metres further out than it, I really noticed the current “Ahh. . . This is why this has felt so much easier”. Rather than aiming at the buoy I started heading towards shore, and soon enough the current pushed me past the buoy. Time to put in these surge efforts that I had been taught in the pool, aiming a little upstream but mainly towards shore I was going as fast as I could.
I DID IT! I made it to shore and started to walk up the ramp out of the water, once I was out I started to jog a little, so excited. When other people were walking I was happily jogging, I heard them call out my name and I ran through the showers feeling like I was on cloud nine. I turned around and got a little emotional as I saw mum proudly shouting “Go Matty!” from the sidelines, this was the first time that she had been there to witness one of my sporting achievements since I was 15 playing hockey.
Transition
Time to head into transition, I pulled my wetsuit down to my waist. Grabbed a cup of water to wash the salt out of my mouth from the water station. Up and over the bridge, wow this felt like a long run. I got to the changing tent, found bag 391 and headed into the males changing area. As soon as I was in there I was a little confused. I’m sure that I was one of the slower people but why are there so many people in here. Trying to find a spare seat I headed towards the middle and then people were calling me over. Oh yes, that’s right we have people help with this.
I found a guy who would have been in his early 50s with an assistant who looked like he was maybe 17 and sat down in front of them. As I continued pulling my wetsuit off he opened up my bag and started taking stuff out, the first thing he grabbed was my water bottle “I’ll take that thanks”. I had a decent sip as I just basked in the moment, I may not have been one of the fastest, but I did swim just as far, if not further than all of those before me.
He helped take my wetsuit off and I started to prepare for the bike leg. The young boy went and grabbed the bottle of sunscreen for me to lather up. I went through a checklist I’d made in my head. Helmet, Coolcore Multichill, arm coolers, gel bottle, Gatorade bottle, ANZAC biscuits, water bottle, socks, shoes. Yup I’m ready “Thanks guys” and it was time for me to move on, I left as they were packing my stuff into my bag.
Off to the bike, this was a little different I’m not used to running with my cycling shoes on. I got to my bike, put my water bottle in the holder on the seat tube, ANZAC biscuits in the bag on the top tube, and then stopped, again just to bask in the moment, there weren’t many bikes left, but that didn’t bother me, I had accomplished so much to get here. Hours of training and it was all coming to fruition. Okay, time to go, grabbed my bike and headed out to the mount line, across the line I went and alright, time to ride
