"Ironman 70.3 Austria
It got off to a shaky start, having to break into my own car, racing to the airport at 5am, only just getting my bike onto the plane, making it to registration with under 5 minutes to spare - it seemed like bad omens were all around.
Arriving at registration was like being at a music festival, only no-one was drinking and most were in the 30-50 age bracket. The atmosphere was great and the weather was perfect. Not a place for the homo-phobic as skin tight white Lycra was abundant and continentals can be quite camp at the best of times. Setting up bikes and bags with gear for each section took the guts of 3hrs but the organization and sign-posting was flawless and not speaking the language was never a problem.
Race day starts early, after breakfast we got a taxi to the race area. Access to bikes to check tyre pressures etc is between 5.30 & 6.30 am. The occasional sound of tyres bursting really added to the pre-race nerves. Luckily, being a ginger, weather on the race day was just like home, cool and overcast.
The Swim
There were 8 waves of competitors starting off over an hour and 25 mins, the Pros starting from a diving position and everyone else from a water-start. I made the mistake of starting at the back of the crowd and ended up adding a lot of time to my swim having to re-adjust my goggles and trying to swim away from the washing machine of other swimmers - I've played rugby games with fewer punches and kicks to the face! The swim was in 2 freshwater lakes 900M each with a 200M run separating them. The run added to the excitement for the spectators and it was also a nice break in between. The buoys were clearly visible and the water quality was excellent. I will definitely make a charge for the front in the next one though.
The Transitions
Both transitions were relatively long, having to run 400M from swim to bike, but the ground was carpeted, gear bags were easily accessible and they were very well marshalled. 5 Minutes for a transition still seems a bit too long though.
The Cycle
Starting on a closed 20K section of motorway, the bike was fast, very fast. The road condition was as smooth as I've ever seen; nearly all flat, completely dry that day and no wind to speak of. There were 3 short, but challenging hills and these were the only sections of the cycle where I actually passed anyone out, the hills were only stages where being on a road bike was advantageous as opposed to a tri bike. Through-out the cycle the road was littered with kids and other spectators all shouting encouragement at you "Hopp Hopp Hopp Hopp" which I assume means "Go Go Go Go" and yelling your name as you went by (names were written on the race number). The 3 descents were interesting, the first being a little too steep, I didn't have the balls for it so ended up breaking a lot. The 2nd one being long and fast enough to gain some serious speed - I was literally screaming with joy on that one, my friend got up to 79Kmph on it! The 3rd brought you freewheeling back to the 2nd transition.
The Run
A completely flat course, 2 laps of a riverside run, through the shiny buildings of the business district, a running track, and through the stadium 5 times. The course was unbelievably well set out with spectators throughout and food station every 2K. Every sort of food, water, energy drinks, sponges were available at these. I ended up running one of my best ever half marathons under these perfect conditions. Finishing up in the stadium with hundreds of people cheering was the best feeling in the world. After the race there was food and free beer - but if you are expecting a party after these races think again. I think we were the only people drinking in the whole of Austria that night. All in all, the race was a complete success and I would highly recommend it to everyone, especially for people completing their 1st half distance as it was as easy a course and as well organized as I can imagine. If I’m still alive after Nice, I’ll be doing this race again next year!"
