I never thought I'd be writing a race report about the time we won it on the final paddle. My love/hate relationship with water sports means I'd love to be good at them, but hate actually getting in the water. And I've been spending a lot of time in the water while paddling. Thankfully the craft provided in adventure racing are near uncapsizable and take no skill to stay in so I can focus on thrashing about with my inefficient stroke and the growing blisters on my hands.

X Marathon 48 hour race was based in the charming seaside village of Marlo for 2018. It doesn't pass my threshold as a town lacking a major supermarket or, at least, an IGA. But it had the convenience of the holiday park being a one minute walk to the pub which was doubling as race HQ. After driving 5 hours from Melbourne airport the last thing I want to do is try to source dinner but the organisers Sergey and Maria are veteran racers themselves so have the foresight to include pre-race dinner as part of the entry. Being able to focus on marking the maps rather than cooking is just one of the many small things which make this event competitor friendly.

The 4.30am wake up was less friendly on race day and we piled into buses for the 3 hour drive to MacKillop's Bridge on the Snowy River. It was already heating up when the gun went off at 9am and was forecast to hit high 30s later on. Not exactly what you want for an ultra endurance race. Our team, Wild Earth - Tiger Adventure saw Gary Sutherland, John Laughlin and I team up for the 3rd time with Sunshine Coast hard-man Russell Stringer completing the team.

Starting with a split leg, Russ and John ran to CP1 on a nearby hill top while Gary and I pack rafted down river to the pick up point. And waited. And waited. After a few coo-ees in the bush the boys appeared after taking a longer route than planned and we'd been passed by a few teams. We were then passed by a lot more teams when our raft deflated and we spent time looking for the puncture. Hot tip: make sure the air valve cap on your raft is always done up extra tight. Reinflated, we started making up spots and enjoyed the more exciting rapids on course, with Gary and I taking just one swim in the process.

Pack rafting is possibly the least comfortable thing I've ever done. I'm too short to sit in the raft without my elbows hitting the sides. While kneeling gives superior power transfer, it leaves my knee caps prone to being shattered by submerged rocks and 6 hours in that position, leaves my body screaming for mercy. Raft designers - can you please get across this and build decent seats into your products? Using our 'waterproof' dry bag as a seat only revealed it to be neither air nor water tight.

Out of the rafts we quickly packed them and hiked straight up a mountain. 400 metres ascent over 800 metres horizontal in 36 degrees and my calves weren't the only things burning. It was late afternoon and we'd only complete the first leg and now had our bikes to build. The first MTB had 2400 metres of climbing in it which made my Hobart-standard 30 tooth chain ring a good choice. I hadn't drunk enough during the rafting and felt quite nauseous with a pounding headache as the sun set. Some paracetamol and ibuprofen sorted that out so I was in a better state than a lot of racers who were vomiting with heat stroke and unable to continue. Getting back on top of my fluids and a steady diet of warm, stale Vegemite and cheese sandwiches kept the sodium levels nicely balanced.

Passing a couple of teams during the hike we were now in 3rd with the race favourites in front of us. The uphill riding was tough but the downhills were unbelievably dicey. Extraordinarily steep and loose I knew some less experienced riders may lose some skin or worse. It was great to have a team of guys competent on a tricky descent and my heart was in my mouth several times keeping up. There's often no single-trail in races but that doesn't mean it's not technical. We take bikes places they have no business being. More on that later.

At the next transition we headed straight out on the rogaine. After suffering on the first run and bike leg, the boys sent Gary and I out to get the most distant CPs. We trotted around spotting the two other teams out on course. It was close racing but we focused on making less mistakes, keeping moving and let the race unfold. The former didn't go well as we added a degree of difficultly by forgetting the CP descriptions for this leg. Luckily most of the flags were in the places you'd expect them to be. Coming together with Explore East Gippsland during the next pack raft was a real lesson. It was one of those frustrating rivers where the water was alternately deep then too shallow to paddle meaning a lot of in and out of the raft. The experience of racers, like Rob and Kathryn Preston, showed as their paddle to run transition was smooth and efficient while ours was awkward by comparison. After an hour Gary and I had our routine sorted - I jumped out and grabbed the gear bag while he shouldered the raft. Except that one time I failed to hear him ask for a food break and we both kept walking, leaving the raft behind us. Communication is key.

The electronic wrist bands are a welcome addition meaning all team members have to go to all check points. No more dodgy punch cards!

Caving was a fun addition to the race but non-tourist caves meant a lot of sliding through small spaces would be required. This section was untimed in that it was estimated to take 20-30 minutes but we could not leave on the next leg until our mandatory 60 minute stop was up. This enabled us to relax a little and really enjoy the caves which, after the initial tight squeeze, opened up into fascinating caverns. Having to navigate both horizontally and vertically is a special skill which we discovered John possessed at our XPD race. The hardest part was finding the entrance but after that we got through quickly and had time to pack our rafts and assemble our bikes to leave right on the the end of our hour 'rest'.

We had remarked on the lack of hiking in this race. Well there turned out to be plenty of hiking, it was just in bike shoes. We passed Explore Gippsland just after the start of the second mountain bike leg, collected some CPs and then hit the river crossing. One pack raft was provided by the race to transport 4 bikes and people across the river. This meant the bikes got a dry ride while the people swam across with any 'not to be wet' items thrown in the boat. This did not include my race food but the ziploc bags keep things dry 90% of the time. I was discovering that wet bread is a lot easier to eat than dry bread when one is low on saliva anyway. A short time later we started the 4km hike-a-bike section. This may have been a steep, rough walking trail 20 years ago but now it was overgrown and littered with fallen trees and rock sections. The trail would have been difficult with just a backpack, but trying to carry a bike up there was an exercise in frustration and sheer willpower with branches catching handlebars and cleats slipping on rock. We caught up to Thunderbolt after a short time and it was nice to chat and take our minds off the badness. One advantage to doing it at night is we didn't have the extra challenge of the sun beating down on us while we pushed. Four kilometers took us two hours so to say it was slow going was an understatement.

We banked on emptying the legs on the bike as we wouldn't need them on the final paddle. Pulling into transition slightly ahead of Thunderbolt I had a wave of dread. I needed to go to the bathroom. And no, not to wee. There was no way I could sit in a boat for 3 hours and hold in what urgently needed to get out. Damn all those sandwiches. I begged off to the toilet block to also fill my Camelbak and then suffered the ultimate female dilemma - no toilet paper. In a scene which took me back to my old nightclubbing days, the woman in the stall next to me had her husband run to the men's and help us both out with supplies. The sisterhood is alive and well in the country town of Orbost.

Unloaded, we hit the water about 200 metres behind Thunderbolt. You know how the story ends, but here's how it unfolded. Gary basically called me soft and implied I'd given up because we are not known as a paddling team. This is because I'm fully aware that at least one half of the team (the Tasmanian half) does almost zero training for this discipline except for the odd trainer session in the garage. That was enough for us to start closing the gap, while the boys tried to hang on in our wash. Yes, being slightly pissed off is a fine motivator. Once we'd caught up, sitting in the other team's slipstream make paddling about 50% easier, like drafting does in a bike racing. The first team to reach the checkpoint has the advantage as they create a gap while the second team punches their wrist bands into the CP sensor. Working hard to close the gap after the first water CP, we knew we couldn't keep hitting the CPs as the second team. The effort would blow us apart.

The next CP involved leaving the boats, trekking across a field, on an aquaduct where we spotted the CP flag - across a disgusting, brown canal in which something may have died recently. But almost-winning makes you do crazy things so we all jumped in, swam across, back, then headed back to the boats. The final run across the field was the only chance to get a gap and we took it. I have no idea where my leg speed came from and I knew I'd pay dearly for it later but we hit the water first and turned ourselves inside out for the next 6 kilometers to the final CP on a beach at the entrance to the bay. It, of course, required a sand run, which is usually how these races end. No wonder I have such painful memories of running on the beach. We punch the CP and ran back to the boats, passing Thunderbolt still making their way to the marker. Congratulations were given as they realised we would most likely hold our lead on the short paddle to the finish line. We actually extended it as I cracked the whip, adamant that the other team wouldn't give up until we'd finished. It's not often I hear Gary tell me to slow down and take it easy on the last part of a race.

After a couple of now-famous near misses last year, it was more relief than elation crossing the line in first place. It was special doing it with a great team of guys. We bicker like siblings at times, but it's because we can and still look after each other and get the job done. The course was 220 kilometers of fun and challenge, although the heat ramped up the latter. It's not often you look forward to getting wet in ARs and collecting checkpoints across waterfall pools we were almost tempted to stay in a little longer. I heard a lot of reports of people suffering from the heat. But if anyone was going to suffer it was the Tasmanians. That we not only survived but managed to win, shows that functioning in extreme temperatures is possible by having strategies in place to look after yourself. I love this sport because the conditions - both hot and cold - are treated as just another 'feature'. There's no 'hot weather rule' in AR. You just deal with it. To those who vomited their way through - I salute you.

Must have abs of steel to get a spot on this team.

Hugs all round!

Huge thank you to my team mates - you guys are amazing! Thanks for your never say die attitude and your freakish sense of direction. Thanks to Sergey and Maria of Adventure Junkies for another awesome event. We can't wait to come back for 2019. Thanks also to my supporters who make my racing possible:

Ride Mechanic

FC Sports and Events

Infinit Nutrition Australia

NS Dynamics

CEP Australia

Wild Earth Australia

Ingredients

* 4 Tbsp Infinit MUD

* 2 Tbsp crunchy Peanut Butter

* 1 Tbsp LSA

* 1 Tbsp desiccated coconut

* 2 Tbsp dried cranberries

* 2 Tbsp cacao nibs

* 4 Tbsp warm water

Method

Blend ingredients together in a food processor and then mix with spoon.  Refridgerate for 1-2 hours and then take out and form 10 small balls.  Optional: roll the balls in additional coconut.

Nutrition Analysis Per Ball

306kj (73 cals), 3g protein, 5g carbohydrate, 4.4g fat, 0.96g dietary fibre, 12.5mg caffeine.

From the Chef's Mouth, Dietitian Steph Gaskell....."I would have a couple of these balls when wanting a lift (bit of a caffeine effect depending on how many you have) and as a top up snack.  The balls contain some good sources of healthy fats from LSA and flaxseed meal (MUD) and some good quality protein from whey protein isolate (MUD).  You can change the peanut butter to another nut butter, just be mindful if more liquid consistency you may need to add some more protein powder or LSA to it to help with forming balls."

Jase and I had Dave Chick and Nath Fitzakerley rolling in the Infinit Truck with us. The boys let me ride shotgun, which was awesome of them – I think they realised how much they needed me to be there!! The trip down was uneventful. We caught up with Kephren Izzard and Sherry Ey on the Highway at Wild Horse Mountain and convoyed down with them. They had brought Matt ‘Flemmo’ Flemming with them from Bundaberg who had generously donated his weekend to run Support Crew with me for all 5 of our riders.

Check in at the motel on arrival at Grafton, a quick once over for all the bikes and a roll down the main street to iron out any niggles pre-race, and we were all headed down to the pub for the Race Briefing and to register. Everyone was in good spirits and excited about the Race in the morning. A quick stop at the local pizza shop, a major carb load and then we were all off to bed – except Flemmo, who was still polishing off Peroni’s like a man possessed. I was beginning to think Support Crew duties were going to be all on me the next day. I figured he’d be useful to help start the car if we ran out of fuel – those Peroni fumes had to be good for something, right?!?

The 5.30am alarm sounded loud and clear the next morning. A quick breakfast (how Jason throws down a tin of creamed rice pre-race every time blows my mind!), a few quick photos and the guys rolled out to the start line. Flemmo looked surprisingly fresh when he emerged from his Peroni induced slumber which made me feel a whole lot better. I was planning on following him out of town, but quickly punched the race route into my phone after we finished dinner the night before.… just in case!! As Support Crew we had to be out of town and on the road before 7am because they closed the road behind us for the race to begin. This was a bit annoying as I was keen to see the start of the race and get a few action shots of the guys as they took off, but rules are rules.

It was a mild 15 degrees in Grafton on race morning. There was a little cloud cover, but if anything it was clearing and looked to be a spectacular day. Awesome conditions for riding a bike!! The road was a little damp as I pulled the truck out onto the Gwydir Highway for the first leg up the range to the first Feed Station – 120kms away. I took my time knowing that the Division 2 guys didn’t kick off until 7:25am and Dave and Sherry were at 7:35am, so I joined the convoy heading out. To be honest, it was a great drive; some truly stunning scenery as we rolled through the hills heading west. When I hit the first climb I thought to myself, “Geez, they weren’t wrong about this hill – it’s steep!!”, before I realised that I was nowhere near “The Hill”!! The rolling hills soon turned into a straight up climb into the fog and low lying clouds. It was a tough drive in the car, let along punching up it on a treadly!! As I climbed, the temperature dropped. The gauge in the car was reading 10 degrees at one stage – that’s Arctic for this Queenslander!! I passed by heaps of turn offs for waterfalls and lookouts/viewing areas which I would have loved to stop at, but I was more concerned about making it to the first Feed Stop and getting ready for the guys to come through.

Flemmo and I arrived at the Feed Stop at around 8:30am. There was a coffee truck and the local Rotary Group selling tasty treats. Oh, and it was freezing cold. I took my place in the line up for the port-a-loos and tried to stay warm!! It was a good few hours before the first group of riders came through – these were the Elite guys racing the NRS and boy was it an eye opener for me!! It was like the TDF!! There were cars with bikes on the roofs, there was shouting, support crews were running into place, cars were pulling off the road and zooming past one another – and just as quickly as they arrived, they were gone again. It was definitely a flurry of excitement, but what surprised me the most was the sheer size of some the guys riding. I thought my husband was skinny, but these blokes were next level in need of a cheeseburger and fries. How on earth they climbed that hill was beyond me!!

Another hour or so later, the lead riders came through from Division 2. I knew Fitzy would be the first one in our posse that would be heading my way, so Flemmo and I grabbed our little bags with the nutrition bottles in them and set up on the side of the road. The organisers did a great job ensuring that only the required supporters were on the roadside at the right time. The first couple of lead groups came through before I spotted the Fitz. There was another cycle kit on show which was very similar to the Team Farrago kit that my guys were wearing so I had to be on my game – especially if there was a big group!!

Now, for those of you that know Team Infinit athlete Nathan Fitzakerley, you will know that he is the consummate professional. Possibly one of the fittest and most talented guys getting around on the Triathlon scene, and certainly a very strong cyclist. Fitzy doesn’t enter races just to finish, if you know what I mean. I was therefore very nervous about running Support Crew for Fitz. So much so that Jason and I had actually had a chat the night before which basically ended with Jason saying, “If I’m too slow and you need to leave the first Feed Stop to get to the 2nd one in time for Fitzy…..just do it babe. Don’t worry about my nutrition, I’ll be right.” No pressure, right?!?

Anyway, getting back to it….Fitzy looked like death warmed up. I have never seen him like that before!! His eyes were blood shot, his face was pale and he was sweating like a wilderbeast. He looked at me, straight faced, and said two words. “Holy. Moly.” It was at that stage that I prayed I had packed the right bottles into his feedbag and they weren’t the ones filled with just water…. On a positive note, the bag exchange went off without a hitch and Fitz was off up the road with my ever supportive and positive words ringing in the cold air….”Looking strong Fitz!!”

My plan was to stay for no longer than 40mins waiting for both Jase and Dave to come through, then I would head off to get to the 2nd Feed Stop at Glen Innes in time to see Fitzy again. Jase came through about 10 minutes later, riding solo. After the flawless bag exchange with Fitz, I was feeling confident Jase and I could pull off another one without any dropped bottles. We’d also spent the previous morning at home practicing the ‘bag grab’ on the road outside our house, much to the amusement of our neighbours, so I was excited to now be in ‘race mode’!!

So Jason rolls up towards me as I’m holding his bag out…..and suddenly starts to slow, turn his handlebars straight at me and……stops. The man literally stopped dead in his tracks and got off his bike. Whaaaaaat?!? He then proceeded to lie down on the side of the road and stretch his back. I was kinda pissed – after all our practice, he just stops!! And I was 1 from 1 already….I was killing it!! Jase’s back had tightened up on the climb up the hill and he’d dropped off the pack he was riding with, hence him flying solo. After a quick stretch and a bit of a chat (because we all know how much he likes to do that) he spotted a couple of guys coming up behind that he decided to cruise along with. And then he was gone.

Next up – David Chick. Chicka is a machine. Even though he started with Division 3 - 10 minutes behind Division 2, we knew he would be cruising with them by the time he got to the first Feed Stop. I waited for Chicka with Flemmo – who was eagerly awaiting the arrival of both Keph and Sherry – for about 20mins before I decided to pull the plug. I definitely didn’t want to miss Fitzy at Glen Innes. I left Dave’s nutrition with Flemmo, and wouldn’t you know it, just as I pulled back onto the Highway in the truck, Dave came up over the rise, pulling half the field through to the Feed Stop!! Machine I told you.

Glad to be back in the warmth of the Infinit Truck, I gave Jase a beep as I passed him and then headed out onto the Highway again headed for Glen Innes. Unfortunately I got stuck behind a large bunch and it seemed like every car in front of me was too scared to pass the cyclists. This cost me a lot of time and I started to panic. That horrible sinking feeling in my stomach set in as the realisation that I was not going to make it to the 2nd Feed Stop before Fitzy did finally hit me. I knew I’d never hear the end of it, and it was starting to stress me out!! And then there was a gap, and goddamn it, I was taking it. I’m sure the drive to Glen Innes was as pretty, if not prettier than, the first leg, but I was too busy hauling ass to really notice. I’ve attached a photo showcasing the scenery for those of you playing along at home.

So I finally arrive at Glen Innes – and found the Feed Stop with no dramas at all. There weren’t that many people there so I lined up on the grid with a young guy next to me. He said that not too many riders had been through since he had been there, so I felt somewhat confident that maybe I hadn’t missed Fitzy afterall. And then I saw it. A sight for sore eyes. He was resplendent in black and gold – the Team Farrago Kit in all its glory. Holy cow – here comes Fitzy!! I didn’t miss him!! I grabbed his feed bag and stood tall at the side of the road, a wave of relief washing over me.

And then the sun hit the silvery greys poking out from under his cycle helmet and I can honestly say, I have never been so disappointed to see my husband in all my life. With his sore back, I knew Jase hadn’t caught up to, let alone passed, the Fitz, so I quickly had to swap over feedbags from Fitzy’s to Jase’s. But it was all in vain and is if to compound my frustrations, he stopped. Again. Why did we even practice this bag snatching thing in the first place?!?! Ya just gotta ride past me babe!! We had another chat while Jase necked his can of coke and rode off again. Wow. Fitzy’s gonna be pissed. Oops.

I didn’t have too long to wallow in my own self pity though before Chicka came through in a massive pack. I actually don’t think he saw me, and I knew he would be looking for Flemmo, because he handed off Chicka’s nutrition at the first Feed stop. I saw him reach down to grab his empty bidon out of its cage to throw away and realised he really hadn’t seen me at all. I had to yell at the top of my voice to get his attention and, without even hesitating, he looked up and swooped down on that feedbag like a triathlete jumping on a roll down spot. He nearly took my left arm with him, but for a big unit, the man moves with total grace.

Flemmo called me shortly after that to tell me both Keph and Sherry had been through the first Feed Stop and he was on his way to Glenn Innes. He said he was concerned that he would miss Kephren at GI because Keph was a fair way ahead of Sherry, and as a result, he had been held up at the first Feed Stop waiting for Sherry. Kephren might not get the rest of his nutrition. Well, this is where my Support Crew prowess came into play. That morning, Flemmo had given me a can of V Energy Drink to put on ice in the back of the Infinit truck for Keph, and I knew Jase had one more bottle of Infinit that he hadn’t used – ta daaaa!! Kephren’s feedbag was sorted. Now to wait and see who showed first – Kephren or Flemmo.

And you guessed it, Kephren came through before Flemmo arrived with his nutrition. So the ‘make do’ feedbag would have to suffice. As disappointed as I was to see Jason earlier, Kephren was at the exact other end of the spectrum. I have never seen a human being emit such joy at the sight of a can of V. He was still going on about it the next day, and I feel it may be a story that will be passed down through generations of Izzards. Making Keph’s day was my favourite part of the day!!

Flemmo arrived and we agreed he would stay and wait for Sherry, while I headed to Inverell to face the music with Fitzy. I wasn’t keen to leave, but getting lost in Glen Innes gave me a little extra time to think up a good excuse and hopefully to let Fitzy calm down at the Finish line!! I finally found my way out of Glen Innes – it was actually a pretty little town, and the red and yellow autumn leaves were spectacular. Flemmo had given me Keph’s nutrition and told me he had cleared it with one of the Officials to just feed him outside of the designated ‘Feed Zone’. I’m guessing he may have sweetened the deal with some Peroni’s, but I didn’t ask any questions….

It was good fun driving the route and passing all the guys on the way to Inverell. There was one section of the race that diverted off the main road, but for the majority of the way, there were cyclists pushing on to the finish. The locals were out in force too!! Spectators had stopped on the roadside and there was a random BBQ with plenty of cheers and beers in the middle of nowhere on one of the properties. It was awesome to see. I finally managed to get radio service and heard that the winner of Division 2 had just crossed the Finish Line – in record time, so it was definitely a good day to ride your bike!!

I passed Keph and offered him his nutrition, but he was still frothing over his can of V and said he was good to get to Inverell on his mega caffeine hit. Jase had made friends with a couple of randoms and looked to be happy as Larry as he chewed their ears off. Chicka was cycling like a demon and, once again, pulling half the field home with him. Everyone was doing so well!! I figured Fitzy probably wasn’t though….on to Inverell!!

I pulled into Inverell and found a spot close to the Finish line to park the Infinit Truck. I thought there would be a bit more of a show at the Finish and a lot more locals come down to see what all the fuss was about. Instead, there was one tent selling sausages on bread and hamburgers and then there was the stage and the podium. I was super proud of all our guys and really hoped there would be a big fanfare at the end - afterall, it was a BIG day out!! Amongst all the finished cyclists, I found Fitz. He led with the obligatory, “What happened to you?!” and then proceeded to fill me in on how he had to borrow water from a bloke he was riding with after his throat nearly closed over suffering severe thirst and heat exhaustion…..nah, just pulling ya chain Fitz!! He was pretty good about it in the end…..but he did have to ask another rider for water which I do feel really bad about – Support Crew FAIL. I don’t think I’ll hear the end of this for a while!!

The other guys rolled in one after the other and Sherry came home in the SAG wagon. She is one tough chick and did so well, especially given that the SAG wagon was averaging 24kmph and if it caught you, you were in. Turns out that she got pinged just before the 2nd Feed Station, but the bus was full so she rode to Glen Innes anyway. She was keen to ride the next 70km to Inverell by default, but after a stern word from Flemmo, the rain began to fall, and that cemented the deal. After driving that course, I definitely know why they call it the toughest road cycling race in Australia – I would’ve just jumped in the SAG wagon at the start line!! If it’s any consolation, Sherry did win the After Party….You’ll smash it up next year Rooster!!

Choc Repair Chia Pudding

Ingredients

1 x scoop Infinit REPAIR

1 x Cup Dark Chocolate Almond Milk

3 x tbsp. Chia Seeds

Method

1. Mix 1 scoop Infinit Repair with dark chocolate almond milk in a mason jar. 2. Add Chia Seeds to jar, shake to mix, and let sit for 5-10 minutes. 3. Shake jar (this helps prevent clumping) and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.  If possible, shake the jar every couple of hours. 4. Shake or stir well before serving. 5. OPTIONAL: Serve garnished with dark chocolate shavings and/or fruit of your choice (we love berries with this recipe!) 6. Enjoy!!]]> Thu, 13 Apr 2017 00:29:44 +0000 https://www.infinitnutrition.com.au/blog/konaparttwo/

The first week after my surgery I took things a bit steady. Short sessions on the wind trainer, slow 20 minute walks down the road and zero swimming was what I was restricted to, and pretty much all I could manage. I had to wait about 14 days post surgery before I could get back into the water due to the risk of any possible infection of my wound, so it was all bike walk and an eventual slow jog. I was determined to make the most of it and build some serious strength in my legs.

My short wind trainer sessions started to get longer, with some efforts thrown in for good measure. I was completing all my sessions on my trusty road bike…A) because my TT bike was still in the shop and B) I was still suffering slight pain in my shoulder and wasn’t too confident in getting down into the aero position. I was pounding the pavement too; I didn’t ever dream walking 20 minutes down the road could ever have taken it out of me like it did that first couple of times. Eventually I was trekking up and down Mt Coolum with confidence though and ready to break out into a slow jog.

After the all clear from the Doc, I was finally allowed to jump back in the water. Apparently only in the pool, but you don’t swim in a pool at Kona…..I’m gonna swim Mooloolaba Bay with the boys. The swim was what worried me the most. I couldn’t even lift my arm over my head – how the hell was I supposed to swim 4kms in 5 weeks time?!? My first swim back was with one arm, on the back of everyone’s feet with a long walk back along the beach to where we jumped in….but it was a start. Since then I reckon I’ve deep water run to China and back, my left arm is the most powerful limb I own and I can use a kickboard like it’s nobody’s business.

“Hirdy’s Pain Cave” became my second home. For about 4 weeks – 3 times a week – I would rock up at Michael and Jenny’s place for a 4:45am set up on the computrainer and a session of PAIN!! The long rides were the worst – 6 hours in the garage on your own can play some serious games on your mind!! I got through it though and am back out on the road, even managing to negotiate the Thursday morning bunch ride this week….with maybe a little sphincter pucker involved early on!!

I’ve got 2 long runs under my belt. At present though, I am stoked to be able to run pain free. I don’t know how long it will take me to do the marathon, but I bought new shoes and I’m gonna wear them goddamnit!! In a nutshell, if I run fast I’ll do a good time, if I run slow – I’ll do a bad time. I certainly don’t have any expectations when it comes to the run, that’s for sure.

So that’s where I’m at. I can swim, I can bike, I can run and I’m really looking forward to the race. There are so many people that I can’t thank enough for getting me to where I am right now. Dr Kate Gazzard, Dr Brett Collins and my physios Rach Paxton and Meredith Hill. Hirdy and Jen for those epic computrainer sessions and being super generous with allowing me to come and go as I pleased. Dave Chick for the loan of the Altitude Mask, my training buddies for the support, encouragement and never ending roll out of kangaroo and roadkill jokes, and to my wife for being awesome throughout this whole journey.

I'm really excited and so looking forward to being a part of the biggest race in our awesome sport this weekend. I'm keen to hit the start line and give it a red hot crack!! I'll give you a run down of the race and my recovery after the dust has settled. Thanks for all the razz ups....keep them coming for Saturday!!

Tuesday mornings are generally a loop through the back blocks and taking in some hills, but a change of plan saw the boys decide to ride the coastal route. I took off from home in the dark at 5am and met up with the other 4 lads down the road from home. I was sitting second wheel and we were on a great bit of road with a fairly wide shoulder / bike lane when we went around a semi-tight left hand bend. The boys at the front couldn’t see the kangaroo lying lifeless across the road’s shoulder into the dark until the last minute and it was then that they only just got around him. With no time to yell shit, F8ck, lookout or anything…. Boom!! I hit the roo right in the middle of his back.

I remember being launched over the handlebars of my bike and then hitting the deck flush on my right elbow. I think I hit my head on the road too, and then my mate Benny hit the ground right beside me. I could feel that my back was all wet and I jumped up thinking that it was roo blood only to discover that one of my water bottles had burst open and I was lying in a pool of Infinit. Holy moly - how did that happen? At that stage, I think I was in shock. My mate Fitzy asked me how I was and I told him my shoulder was a bit sore but otherwise I was ok. I had a feel around my right shoulder and there was a huge lump where it should not be. Hey Fitz can you have a look at this?? Fitzy reckoned something was broken, but I was good to get back on the bike.

The nicest guy turned up in a ute and asked how we were. He asked if I wanted a lift home. No mate. I'll ride home. Fitzy said that I’d been in a crash and I was getting a lift home. Yeah righto Fitz, I can’t find my bike anyway. I didn’t realise at the time, but my bike had bounced off the roo and over the guard rail into the low lying drain. By the time Fitzy started to walk me to the ute, I started to get really dizzy really quickly. What a legend taking me home to Rach who was in tears, and a call to the Ambo's.

Geez Ambo's are nice guys!! They started to take the piss out of me straight away and I told them that I liked them. Then they gave me the green whistle……whoooaaaa, my new best mate. That thing was epic!! Off to the hospital to see the doc and an X-ray. You’ve broken your collarbone Jase, here’s a bandaid for your elbow and a sling for your arm. Here are some drugs and catch ya later. Hey doc can I have a copy of the X-ray? Thank you. The whole process actually took a while, but that was my hospital visit in a nutshell.

Apparently the sling was going to fix me, but after speaking with Rach Paxton (physio) and forwarding her the X-ray, my only hope of getting to Kona was via the operating table. A referral to Kate Gazzard (sports doctor) confirmed Rach’s initial thoughts and I was forwarded on to Brett Collins (surgeon). Within 10 minutes I was booked in for surgery in Brisbane on Friday. Game on!!!!

I have never had an operation before, and to say that I was nervous was an understatement. I was shitting my pants and the sooner they knocked me out the better. I don't think the nurses at Brisbane Private will let me back into the hospital ever again though. I’m a shit of a patient and as soon as I was out of recovery I had ants in my pants and wanted to get moving. After I’d pressed every button on the bedside remote and nobody came to help me out, I managed the trip to the toilet myself. Then I decided to wander up the hall to the Nurses Station where I showed them the aftermath of me attempting the toilet journey solo and requested to exchange my wet dress for my own clothes. I think the nurses really got annoyed when I refused the wheelchair on the way to x-ray and then kind of left without seeing the doctor, but no way was I going to stay the night. I'm not staying in here Rach - lets high tail it out of this joint. Rach took me to the Cake shop for recovery.

As soon as I broke my collarbone I had such mixed messages from people. My Physio, Sports Doc, Surgeon and Pro Athletes or fast athletes all said the same thing, that I have heaps of time to get it right for Kona. It seemed that the slower the athlete, the more that they tell me that Kona is out of the picture. I don't know how breaking a collarbone 7 weeks from Kona is going to work out with whether I can race or not, but I am going to give it everything that I can to make it happen. True, I’m no longer a sure thing for the Age Group title, but I’ve reassessed my goals and I’m going to give my all to make sure I’m there to toe the line on race day.

Why? Why try and race Kona? It never entered my head that I wouldn’t race Kona. I don't know why. I didn’t think about it. I am paid up and I'm going. I can’t get it out of my head. I have got a cousin Charlie who has got Leukemia and has just had 8 months of Chemo and my mate Jayson Searle who fell of his bike a month ago and is still fighting in a Coma. I can’t imagine telling either of these blokes that I'm not going to race Kona because I have a sore shoulder; when they are lying in bed with bigger issues going on and fighting their guts out. I know they’d tell me to HTFU and get on with it. I don't know if I will make it, but there won't be any should have, could have, would have bullshit when race day rolls around in October.

Thanks for all of the support. It has been amazing and I really appreciate it.

Ps. If you tell me that my Kona race is done and I get a bit funny, don’t take offence if I go a bit strange.

Then the training kicks in. You’re bleary eyed from the 4am starts, you are wearing through your Hokas like there’s no tomorrow and you’ve had your bike serviced 6 times in 3 months. You are doing some big miles. You are constantly tired. You are constantly grumpy and you are bordering on emotionally unstable. Your long runs and long rides are becoming a toll and weekends are no longer something to look forward to. The dreaded ‘bonk’ has tapped it’s long spindly finger on your shoulder, weighing you down like a lead balloon on more occasions than you would care to remember. Sound familiar?? Wondering why??

The majority of the time, one of the most important aspects of any athletes training, is the one factor that is either totally forgotten about or totally messed up. Too many times, athletes go into a race with little or no knowledge of how they are going to fuel their bodies during their race, let alone how they are going to help it recover afterward – from the inside out. They have spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, on all the ‘essentials’ to complete any endurance event, but they have forgotten to place any emphasis on the engine that is eventually going to haul them over the finish line – their body.

Dictionary.com defines nutrition as, ‘the act or process of nourishing or of being nourished’. You need to nourish your body people!! Whether it be with a banana, vegemite sandwich or everyone’s ‘go to race staple’ – the gel. Common sense would devise that whilst you are exerting energy, you need to replace it. Just like what goes up must come down…..what goes in, must come out. Simple really. And the easier it is to organise pre-race, to carry during the race and ultimately, to throw down the hatch, the less time you have to spend worrying about it.

That’s where liquid nutrition comes into play. Not just any liquid nutrition either. A nutrition mix that has been customised to you; your event and your physical characteristics. A powder blend that has all the calories you need to fuel your engine and all you have to do is mix it with water – 2 scoops, 1 bottle. You’ve got bottles on your bike – fill them with Infinit. You’ve got bottles in your run belt – fill them with Infinit. We even have open water swimmers who strap their Infinit to their bodies because it is THAT GOOD!!

At the end of the day, you’ve customised your ride – bought the latest wheels, upgraded the groupset and booked in for a bikefit. You’ve test run all the latest and greatest footwear and you’ve splashed out on pool toys, a wetsuit and a season pass to the local aquatic centre. But have you researched nutrition? Have you practiced in training what you are going to put into play on race day? Are you recovering properly? Food for thought.....