Latest / Happy Pace - a triathlon podcast / Episode 9: The Best Kind of Tired (Cairns 70.3 Recap)

Transcript

Episode 9: The Best Kind of Tired (Cairns 70.3 Recap) · Happy Pace - a triathlon podcast

• Mardi: ⁓ Hello and welcome to Happy podcast. ⁓ Our little post ⁓ cans debrief. are you, Jax? ⁓ Jaclyn: I am good, recovering from last weekend, ⁓ or last week and last weekend, ⁓ nice and slowly. How are you? Mardi: I am pretty good. Yep. I I think I am still also also recovering. It's like it's not just the race, right? It's the whole the whole thing. Jaclyn: It's the whole thing. It's such a big week. Like the whole week is so big. But I think, yeah, there no one even warns you about that like bone fatigue that you get after after a 70 point three and after a big week like that. Like my bones feel tired. Mardi: Yeah, mine too. It's like mentally like physically, yes, but then like mentally, emotionally as well. Like it just it's the best, but ⁓ it can be such a come down. Yeah. Jaclyn: It's it's quite the company, especially after I feel like Cansweek kind of hits different to any other to any other seventy point three. Like, you know, like we had Gold Coast or like Western Sydney and you we kinda just go for the weekend. like Friday through Monday, but you know, it that whole week just hits a bit different, doesn't it? Mardi: Mm. for sure. And then just like you've got so much that into like the logistics of race week and ⁓ like getting your bike up there, doing any stuff, coming home. And then the roller coaster of your own race and ⁓ sharing the experience with everyone. Like it truly is ⁓ Tiring in every sense, but in the best possible way. Jaclyn: I agree. We don't have it any other way. Mardi: Would not have it any other way. And that is what we're gonna get into ⁓ in the podcast today. We're gonna do a full wrap of cans. and yeah, So before we get into it, despite having the race, there was actually, you know, some sessions in in the week beforehand. So Jax, what was your session of the week? Jaclyn: ⁓ I think it's gonna be hard to pick one session this week. I had such such a good week in that taper week leading up to up to the race. but definitely one of the highlights would have been the amount of times that I sat ⁓ after a session during the at the coffee shop ⁓ and eating banana bread. ⁓ We did share one photo on the Happy Pace Instagram where we were like, if you know, you know. So those of you that have been listening to the pod would know that I was hanging out to sit at that coffee shop ⁓ and just have a coffee and banana bread and be with my friends in the sun and the warm weather. And it was everything that I needed it to be. which was amazing. so yeah, like my god. Mardi: Ugh. ⁓ It was like Nitro's healing. Like when I saw that, I'm like, yeah, Nitro's healing. Jaclyn: Everything is right in the world. Or everything is right in my world. in terms of like specific sessions, like we do with my squad, we ⁓ there's a hu there was a huge group of us up there this year, and most people were doing the 70.3. ⁓ so we kind of like tweak our sessions a little bit, obviously for tapering. then like a little bit later and things like that, which is really, really ⁓ Mardi: Exactly. Exactly. Jaclyn: Nice. but my actual session of the week would have been my Tuesday morning taper run. It's kind of the last little bit of quality that we tend to do before before a race, whether it's a short distance race or whether it's 70.3. So Molly and I had I think we had six by one minute on, one minute off, but it's was kind of like our first proper session in the cans humidity. So We dropped it down to five by one minute on. I think it was actually ninety seconds on, ninety seconds off now that I've said that. ⁓ we dropped it down a little bit. So we kind of all met as a group and then we ran out through Palm Cove and then out onto the highway and started our session, which was which was nice. And then finished up with the rest of our group and then jogged on into the coffee shop. ⁓ which was so nice. ⁓ what about yours? What was your session of the week? Mardi: ⁓ I love that. Just sounds like it's yeah. Just like such a good week to be able to do all your sessions, like not only up in cans and like in the race conditions, but ⁓ also all together, like as a big group, it would just I don't know, just add to all the excitement of the race. Jaclyn: It's one of those races where you're just like or one of those weeks for us where we're just like it's like being on school camp. We're kind of like all together in the morning or come together for our afternoon session. We do our own thing during the day. Some people will work in and whatever. But it's kind of one of those weeks where yeah, it really is reminiscent of being on school camp a little bit. Mardi: Mm. Yeah, no, I love that. ⁓ my session of the week was I think also my Tuesday run. Yeah, Tuesday run it was. I lost track of the days at this point. ⁓ so I came into Cairns late on Monday night and then was working remotely for Tuesday. So I went out for my run on Tuesday night and it was like I was staying in Cairns itself, so just along the run course and I was just really special because I I had had a big day. I was had the logistics of travelling the night before, long day at work, didn't get out for the run until like six forty-five PM. but I didn't realise it already set up a lot of the race infrastructure, including the finish chute and ⁓ some of the area just around toward the boardwalk. And it was just really like I just had a big flashback to to the race last year and ⁓ one thing added ⁓ to the end of the finish shoot this year, which you would have seen, ⁓ is ⁓ you are an Iron And it was just like this little moment of like, ⁓ like it I did the thing ⁓ and I'm back here. I ⁓ thank you, I am ⁓ Jaclyn: I am, I am. ⁓ Mardi: But like it w it was just just really nice. Like yeah, just really and especially I think just reflecting on it because the rest of the week there was a lot going on, And I think just having that ⁓ having that run by myself, like reflecting on the year that has been since that ⁓ since that race is was just really nice. So couldn't tell you anything about session. I think it was ⁓ similar to yours. So I think I had some ninety seconds ⁓ Jaclyn: Yeah. Mardi: Yeah, it was like a mini file, like like ninety on, ninety off, sixty on sixty off descending. but yeah, it was just really nice and a great way to start race week properly. Jaclyn: Nice. How good. And I think, yeah, for you it would have been like a massive kind of trip with a lot of reflection in it as well. And I know like we had some friends doing the Iron Man. Like you would have been thinking back to to how you would have felt at that time last year. and just like sort of building up. So I think you would have had a lot of empathy and a lot of respect for the people who were who were gearing up for their first Iron Man. Mardi: Yeah. Yes, totally, totally. so yeah, let's get into our Cairns race recap. so obviously we've talked about race week and and the sort of sessions that you you and the team do in race week. What was just generally the build into Cans like for you? Jaclyn: Yeah, I think this race was so different for me. I like not in terms of like every cans race. I'm kind of up there a week early or and things like that, but I just think this overall kind of week was a little bit different for me. I've never felt so I relaxed isn't the right word because I wasn't relaxed and people who are with me know that I wasn't particularly relaxed. But I guess like I had this this sense of like calm going into the race. Like I was doing all of my favorite things. I was with a lot of my favorite people ⁓ in terms of like who was who was there. I was going to coffee shops. ⁓ I like the weather was nice. ⁓ I stayed with my really, really good friend Les, her husband Lawrence and their four year old Alex. So there was there was that and I think Just knowing that I knew what to expect and I knew what I had had to do really gave me this sense of like being relaxed and being really, really calm. which was really nice because I think typically I am on the more anxious side or the more nervous side going into a race. ⁓ so it was really, really it was it was so nice going into that week. ⁓ we also did like so many fun things as well, which I think there were opportunities where I could just take take my mind off The race coming up on Sunday. And like Molly and I went into Port Douglas one day with her mum and her stepdad, which was just so nice. And it was just like a good opportunity to get away from that kind of race environment. So we did that on Wednesday. We went out to Port Douglas for lunch. And then one of my favorite highlights of the week was actually Friday, ⁓ where we did an open water swim. And then we had Regan Hollyoak come and have breakfast with us. ⁓ ⁓ which was so nice. And I think like that just made me really excited and filled my cup up in another way. get into hang out with Regan and then obviously we did that short little interview for the pod, which just also just made me feel so happy and so excited. And I think having that extra stuff last week was so helpful for me when it rolled around to race day. Mardi: I love that. And I feel like that's maybe a little bit different to how you've approached some previous races where you're like trying to cut all the like cut all the faff, cut all the fat out of it and like purely focus on the race. Like it was almost like yeah, you were able to spend time doing other things that filled up your cup and maybe that set you up in a different way. Jaclyn: A hundred percent. And I think I just really leaned into that. Like I was like, this is what I've been like I've been waiting for twelve months to be back here. Or I've been waiting for like this whole build as soon as the weather started to change in Melbourne. Like this is what I've wanted to do. and you should have seen me at the coffee shop on Tuesday morning. I was like, guys, we're here, we're doing this, ⁓ and I was just like, was and I think I messaged you the same time. ⁓ and we were just like, ⁓ Mardi: Yeah. Jaclyn: It was the best. ⁓ and like that kind of really set the tone for me for the rest of the week. We went out for a steak on a wen on Wednesday night. Like honestly, like the whole week could have revolved around me and I wouldn't have noticed if anyone was there. But I just had like I just had one of those weeks where I was like, This is where this is where I'm meant to be. Mardi: Yeah. Yeah, I really love that. And I think as well, coming into then the race itself, if you feel like your cup is already full and you're already yeah, you're already like satisfied or fulfilled to some degree, then the race, it's not to say that the race doesn't mean as much, but it's like you're not searching in the race for that. And you're not like, ⁓ everything is about today, everything is about this moment, my race, you know, experience, my race time. You're just like, yeah, this is part of a really great week for me. It takes the pressure off, but it also kind of just gives you permission to just give it your best on the day. Jaclyn: Yeah. And it's perspective, right? Like that was my tenth 70.3 and and I didn't actually realize until like Wednesday I was sitting in the car and I'm like, because I was talking to Molly about the race, like it was her second, and I'm going, nah, no, no. And I'm like, ⁓ it's 10. ⁓ which is is really cool. And I think with that, at some point like experience has to show and you have to get more perspective over time and Mardi: Mine too. We should have like noted this somehow. Jaclyn: I don't know where where this kind of newfound perspective has come from, but I think I really like it. Mardi: Yeah. It's happy happy place bars, you know, like we're just Yeah. Yeah. Jaclyn: Happy pace vibes. Tell me about your week. Tell me about your leading. Mardi: Yeah, I think if we talked about the the last race I did Western Sydney, you'll remember afterward I was like, I think I'm just gonna pull out a cans. I think I'm just gonna come up and watch. Which lasted twenty four hours, of course, 'cause like I love cans and I love doing triathlons. but ⁓ yeah, so I think leaning into the race, like yeah, I have done the three races. It will be three races in twelve weeks, I think it is since ⁓ Jaclyn: Hehehehe Mardi: T100, so like I'm pretty dialed in in terms of my like race plan of like knowing what power I can do and all that sort of thing. I've done a couple of good sprick sessions ⁓ as well as just my week-to-week training leading in. So I yeah, I was feeling pretty good. One thing that always catches me in race week and particularly in Cannes is like I work generally in an office and so I would do Unless it's a run day, I'll do like five to seven thousand steps a day max. And if I I like if you look at my step count, I think, ⁓ pull it up on the app. Like it literally like increases in the number of steps I did every day in Race Week, just with like all the logistics of going down to literally all of the logistics of like going down to the expo, like doing check-in, taking the bus up to bus up to Palm Cove, all of that sort of thing. Jaclyn: Mm-hmm. Really or about Mardi: Yeah, it really increased. I think it basically went from like it was like 10,000, 12,000, 15,000, 17,000. On a Saturday before the race, I did nineteen thousand steps. And like, what is wrong with me? Like, why can't I help myself? ⁓ so safe to say I didn't come into the race like super fresh in that regard. ⁓ but there's so much to enjoy about raceweek, like just being there, obviously doing all those things I mentioned. We went to the women for try breakfast. Jaclyn: ⁓ good Lord. Yeah. Mardi: on the Friday, ⁓ which is run by Iron Man. Such a good event. They had it last year as well, where they have a panel of pros and ⁓ age group athletes, all women, and sharing their journey to the race, some really inspiring stories. ⁓ also just really nice being in a room full of women, ⁓ of all ages doing the race. I think there was probably I guess it's 20% of the the Iron Man field and thirty four or thirty-five percent of the of the 70.3 field were women. ⁓ and for a lot of women, if it's their first race, it's such a great experience to that event with ⁓ women and and to be able to make some connections before the race. ⁓ yeah So ⁓ so that was really great event. ⁓ we also did some little shakeout ⁓ yeah shakeout rides, shakeout runs ⁓ along the way. ⁓ And ⁓ yeah, was of my lead in. Jaclyn: That's I I know. It was very like your week was very different to mine having to work as well. Mardi: Hmm. ⁓ yeah, I my boss I think my boss listens to this podcast, so I won't complain about it because I do love my job. And I would do all of that in a heartbeat, but it was a little bit ⁓ I'm not gonna say stressful, but I was managing a couple of priorities throughout the week, ⁓ You ⁓ you make it work. You always make it work with what you have. Hmm. Jaclyn: No, we're not complaining. We're not complaining, but it was different. It's just a different layer, isn't it? Like I know that I'm really fortunate that I didn't have to have to work. but I think it it's just another layer, it's fine. Mardi: Yeah. Yeah. And I also knew like that I wanted to be in Cairns for that whole week leading in and there's something about just being there. Like I didn't want to wait till Thursday morning or something to fly up. I wanted to be in there and soaking it all up. ⁓ in the lead up to the race. I always yeah, yeah, don't regret being there for longer for sure. Jaclyn: Exactly. I think you made the right decision. Mardi: so another factor for me this year was also having some coached athletes doing the race. ⁓ so I did have a couple last year, but this year I had ⁓ five of my own coached athletes and I think eight ⁓ eight coached happy paste athletes. ⁓ yeah, doing the full and the seventy point which was Jaclyn: Yes. Amazing. Mardi: Yeah, so exciting. And also I feel like for race week and the weeks before, I was so focused on their them being prepared for the race. Like I really wasn't thinking too much about my own race and my own prep because we were having our race planning conversations, checking nutrition plans, going back and forth on a few last minute things ⁓ with each of my athletes. And I was just so invested and really excited about their day. For some of them, it was their first 70.3 I think all of them it was their first time at Cairns as well. So yeah, I was like I think it really similar to what you were saying about like doing stuff that fills up your cup for me, like that just filled up my cup ⁓ to be able to to help them prep. And knowing that I had my day at Cairns last year, I was like, This is like this is their day and this is yeah, like this is something that that they're gonna have a really special memory of and I want them to have the best time possible. So Yeah, I think that that probably just ⁓ just really added to my experience of Race Week and and added a different dynamic to previous years for me as well. Jaclyn: That's so nice, and I think let me tell you the amount of people that said to me, like I saw this girl in a happy pace tri-suit, or I saw this happy pace person, I saw this happy pace person. So I think that goes to show like there's some tri-clubs up there that had like lots and lots of athletes racing, but I think the happy pace kit really stands out, and I think that's something that you should be super proud of. Is that the amount of people that commented to me about how many happy pace people Mardi: Yeah. Jaclyn: Or ⁓ happy pace athletes they saw ⁓ Like I think that's so and ⁓ and so so cool. And know that really has like filled up your cup ⁓ over the last few months as well. Mardi: Yeah, totally. ⁓ so we should get into the race. Now, I think firstly to say the conditions for race day. So Gans is pretty well known for having a generally a pretty warm and humid race. ⁓ race day, generally pretty sunny. There is always a prevailing wind coming from the south, which creates a headwind, as we talked about on the pre race podcast. And I think this year felt a little bit more tropical, the weather. In that there was like a lot more showers in the days before the race. That classic like it's rainy for like ten minutes, then there's blue sky, then there's a rainbow, then like an hour later it rains again. Like it was that really unpredictable. I feel like I've become used to it coming from Brizzy, but I know people from Melbourne looking at the forecast were like, ⁓ my god, it's gonna rain. ⁓ my god, it's gonna rain. Yeah. No. Jaclyn: Yeah, like it's not the weather I go to far north Queensland for in in July and ⁓ but I think like it also probably wasn't as hot as maybe as what it had been other years. So maybe that rain helped a little bit. ⁓ but yeah, the wind Mardi: Yeah, definitely windy. And I think previous years like the wind has been has picked up later in the morning and perhaps throughout the day for the full athletes. Whereas the wind was definitely there from first thing in the morning. Yeah. Jaclyn: Yeah. ⁓ It really was. I think I I walked out of like my hotel, like we stayed in Palm Cove, and I walked out of my hotel and I was like, it was actually pretty still when I first walked out. but then as I was going into transition, there was just like this like downpour of rain, like right at 5 a.m. and it was just like vertical rain. Mardi: ⁓ Mm. Jaclyn: ⁓ right at five A. ⁓ And like I was like I was a bit nervous that it was gonna be wet, but I I think for quite a few years, I think one of my coaches said you'd have to go back probably seven or eight years to find weather like this. Mardi: Yeah, right. Yeah. So that was definitely a factor. And I people were pretty smart about it. Like I know a lot of group messages going around throughout the day saying, like, put your put your stuff in a plastic bag inside your transition bag, like ⁓ giving s people sending tips to each other, ⁓ which was really good and definitely relevant ⁓ and helpful, ⁓ helpful the day. Jaclyn: Les and I took our bikes at like ⁓ we were the radar. We were like, ⁓ okay, we to check our bikes in by 430 or whatever it was. ⁓ and we're checking to see like when the last bit of rain was going to come in that we could kind of have control of not having our bikes in transition for. ⁓ and it got to like two thirty, I think, and we were like, all right, let's just take our bikes down. ⁓ But it so ⁓ windy ⁓ that in time when we took our bikes down. But I think you took yours in the morning, ⁓ which was when the weather was a little bit bit worse. Like was really grey, really windy, quite rainy when it during the morning. Mardi: Yeah, the vibe was a little bit off, but I all I could think of was I was like, I'm really glad I did the full last year because I thought if this was me last year and this was the this is the conditions, I would be I think I would actually have been a bit nervous about it. But all good. yeah, we got all of our transition stuff sorted and then race morning set up and everything all good for you, Jax. How'd you go? Jaclyn: Yeah. Yeah, when I went into transition, as I said, it just there was just kind of like this vertical downpour of rain at 5 a.m. as we were all walking in to transition. It opened at 5. And I was just like, what the hell? Like this was not my not what I signed up for this morning. Not on the brief. And I was just like, all right, like Mardi: Not on the brave. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Jaclyn: I I knew I knew I would be okay. ⁓ and we'd had lots of discussions about weather the day before. ⁓ and I was just like, okay, cool, not it. Pumped up my tire lay bike tires, ⁓ put my stuff out, and I was just kind of like I don't like to spend a lot of time in transition on race morning. I feel like there's just like this nervous energy that just kind of gets to me a little bit. ⁓ so I kind of just like did what I had to do, got out. but yeah, like it was It was fine. Like in and out. Went back. ⁓ had something else to eat. And then I was just kind of like, All right, I need to get this morning I need to get this morning moving as much as I can. Yeah. ⁓ Yeah. But I didn't even see I didn't see you on race morning for long. Your bike was in a different area to mine. Mardi: Let's go. Yeah, let's get started. Yeah, I was in the the All World Athlete section of the so I did think about this. How about frequent trier? Jaclyn: The frequent flyer section. I like it. Very gorgeous. I like it. Mardi: Yeah, frequent trial. ⁓ the yeah, I was in the All Lords athlete section, ⁓ which yeah, I think I described in in Western Sydney. But ⁓ one benefit of that is that there is a lot of guys in that. I know that that's not great for gender equity, but it's really good if they're gonna come out of the swim before you and leave your the rack completely empty. but yeah, I was in Jaclyn: Ha ha ha. And I also think Cannes is one of those races where being AWA actually really does pay off. Like I think there's other races where it's a bit like, ⁓ yeah, like Geelong I found it more annoying, but I think Cans is one of those races where it does pay off. Mardi: Yeah. Yeah. I ⁓ yeah, got got my we took the bus up from Cairns on the race morning, ⁓ which was fine. and then got into transition, set up the bike and all of that sort of thing. I'm someone who likes to take my time doing that. I like to double check like ⁓ everything, like check ⁓ in the right gear, check like ⁓ check my shoes are turned to the level the Boa system. Like I will check every little thing. ⁓ And then yeah, jumped out of transition and we went to like just met up at a cafe with all the happy pace athletes. ⁓ there's a little bit of time to kill, so we just grab a coffee, use their bathroom and ⁓ yeah, just put on our wetsuits, get ready for the race, which was really nice. Got to see ⁓ Stu, who's one of our athletes, he was doing the full, which was so cool. And just being able to talk to him before his day started and and everything is just really exciting and Yeah, inspiring 'cause you know what's ahead for them and you're not gonna see them till like five o'clock or whatever time they're coming in off the bike. So it's ⁓ was really nice to experience all of that. ⁓ and then ⁓ then off went for the swim. Jaclyn: ⁓ the swim. It was ⁓ it ⁓ it different, wasn't it? ⁓ this Mardi: The swim. Yeah. So I have to say, like we really we've obviously talked of cans a lot in the last couple of weeks and like ⁓ the course is beautiful, like such a nice race, amazing, yada yada. And like two minutes into the swim, all I could think of was like, we really oversold this. I was like, I'm so I'm so sorry. Jaclyn: ⁓ Yeah. Sorry to everyone who signed up for Cans on our ⁓ behalf. On our advice. We're sorry. No, no, no. I think so I was standing on the beach for quite a while. Like I just I keep to myself. ⁓ Marty knows this. Everyone knows this that I I like to keep to myself on race morning. And so I Mardi: This is a public apology. Mm. Jaclyn: But the the downside of that is I kind of have to then find someone to help me like drop my wetsuit and stuff like that. But it's it's fine. People are so helpful. I just asked some guy's partner ⁓ after she had done up his wetsuit, like, could you please drop my wetsuit? I I jumped in and I did like a little warm-up. And the thing about the 70 point three is it starts at basically sunrise as the sun's coming up. So that means that you're doing your warm-up in the dark essentially, and you're just kind of like diving into this really murky, dark, crocodile water. and you're just kind of hoping for the best. So my thing is I just dive in, I do five to ten strokes, I get back out, and I do that maybe two or three times. ⁓ I got out at one stage and I saw one of our coaches and I had a quick chat to him. ⁓ and then it was ⁓ kind of time to start. So ⁓ there was ⁓ quite a long a quite a strong southerly, southeasterly wind on race morning ⁓ I dived in on that first part, I was like, ⁓ my God, how am I going to get to this first turnboy? ⁓ was so choppy. ⁓ then that sort of south swim was also super hard. ⁓ then I got to the second turnboy, and ⁓ really obviously hard to recognize someone when you're in the swim. ⁓ I was swimming along, swimming out into the ocean towards like the third turnboy, ⁓ I saw one of my friends ⁓ who I train with. And we I thought we made eye contact and I told him this. I was like, Yeah, we saw each other in the swim and it was like, I didn't see you. ⁓ but in my head, like he was there. And then that was actually quite reassuring for me because it was like, okay, like it's just Tuesday, you know, like we're just at swim squad, we're just doing what we do every week. ⁓ kind of thing. But that sort of second left hand turn where you're swimming out into the ocean essentially, ⁓ that was probably the hardest part of the swim. ⁓ and then there was a bit of a nice current as you're swimming north, but I don't think I really noticed it as much as I thought I would. It was quite bumpy and quite quite choppy swimming up north. And then I was just kind of like ticking off siding boys like I was just like, okay, so I didn't know how many there were, but I was just like, Okay, siding boy, like each siding boy, I'm like that little bit closer to to the swim being done. ⁓ and I got to the last turnboy and I got kicked in the face. but you know, that's open water swimming, especially when it's choppy. ⁓ and then made my way into the beach and honestly I I had no idea what my swim time was when I got out of the water. You could have Mardi: I feel like it was so hard to like 'cause I couldn't you couldn't even see like your watch. Like I went to like look at my watch when it buzzed and I'm like couldn't tell ya. Couldn't tell you what it said. Yeah. Jaclyn: couldn't tell you like and even when I lapped my watch like when I got out I was just like if you told me that that was a forty minute swim or a forty five minute swim like I a hundred percent would have been like you know what fair like I believe you I I didn't I had no idea and then yeah came out of the swim into T one but yeah what was what was your what was your swim like? Mardi: Yeah. Yep, me too. Yeah, as I said, like I think two minutes in, I was like, I've really over oversold this. Sorry, everyone. it's pretty gross. ⁓ because it was like basically doing like not even like bubble bubble breathe, like bubble breathe, bubble breathe, like ⁓ single strokes, like bubble and drown, out there. And I think yeah, as I it was actually really similar to the Noosa swim I did maybe a couple of weeks ago, where it was like quite wavy, probably a little bit less visibility, but Jaclyn: Bubble don't drown, bubble don't row. ⁓ Yeah. Mardi: As I said then, like I just love being able to like find my calm and find my center amongst all of those, ⁓ amongst all of the waves. But probably similar reflections to you, like I just took it boy to boy, couldn't tell you how many boys there were because you couldn't see them over the waves. and similarly just looking at the pace, couldn't see the pace either. So just gave it gave it the best, to be honest. Like gave it a good crack. ⁓ probably my highlight of the swim. I don't know if you saw did you see the rainbow? Jaclyn: No Mardi: ⁓ no, maybe you're breathing to the other side. It was probably closer to the end of the swim, ⁓ just coming into the last turnboy, but looked up to the left into the shore and there was a beautiful, like a complete rainbow, like whole thing. They they actually got some drone footage on the on the ⁓ Iron Man Instagram, but that was a really nice little nice little highlight. and yeah, not much not much else to report. Jaclyn: ⁓ wow. Not much to report out of the swim. Mardi: Yeah. Yep. ⁓ transition. Jaclyn: Yeah, got into transition. So my my transition hack is that I write the row number of where my bike is on the back of my hand in permanent marker because there is something about like when I am racing, I I don't know what my race number is, I don't know where my stuff is, I don't know I I don't know. So I just like make things as easy for myself as I can. But there was row no row numbers on the on the bike transitions in T1. Mardi: Ooh. Good tip. Mm-hmm. Whoops. Jaclyn: So I had vaguely remembered that I was on a concrete slab. So anyway, got to my bike. ⁓ yeah, I like there were still quite a few bikes around when I came out of the swim and I was like, okay, maybe, maybe that wasn't as long as I thought it was. I put my shoes in transition. ⁓ so shoes ⁓ on, helmet on, shoved my in my bag. and and basically got out of there. Like I didn't want to be in there for too long. But the run from the beach to your bike, ⁓ especially when you're when you're not racked in frequent trier, ⁓ i is quite is quite far. How was your transition? Mardi: ⁓ my transition was good. I got out of the swim and saw my friend Eloise. ⁓ and she had yeah, she'd come up to spectate. Yeah. So like literally as soon as I got out, I saw her. ⁓ and she was cheering, so that was so nice. ⁓ and then yeah, got into transition. So random, but like so obviously we have the transition bags and stuff, and the volunteers had cleared the peoples next to me quite quickly. and so my bike was just like by itself. Jaclyn: ⁓ that's right, she came up. Mardi: yeah, which makes it sound like I was like the last person. I wasn't the last person, but anyway, the people next to me weren't there. ⁓ but randomly there was like a perfectly folded towel on the ground next to my bike. Which I think was the I know, I think maybe the guy next to me didn't put in his bag or something, but it was really muddy, as you know. And so I was like, ⁓ like this is okay. ⁓ just yeah, I did. Jaclyn: Hello? Did you wipe your feet on his towel? Mardi: I just like wiped my feet. I stood on it, put my socks and shoes on. ⁓ which is perfect because I'd literally just bought like an old t shirt to to wipe my feet. I didn't want anything too bulky. ⁓ so yeah, it was just really nice. It was like someone's laid out like the welcome mat for me. Yeah. yeah, so random. And as I said, there was like literally no one else in the whole rack. So I don't know. Do my feet, do my yeah, do my shoes, do my yeah, ran out of transition. Highly uneventful. I think ⁓ Jaclyn: Take it. Mardi: The there is those cobblestones like we had talked about after the after the T one mounting line, but obviously we're very well across that. And actually we're on the bus on the way up here, little sidebar story, ⁓ on the way up to to Palm Crove in the morning, and we're sitting next to a guy on the bus and he was like, ⁓ you know, have you heard like there's the cobblestones after T one after the T one mountain line and like Jaclyn: After the mount line. Mardi: This is like well into the bus trip. Like we'd had some small talk already. It's like well t into the mountain and you know, you really need to like take it on the left. ⁓ and I was just like, ⁓ yeah, I actually know I've done cans like four times. Yeah, like this was his first time, like he'd all talked about how this what I meant, this wasn't yada yada. And I was like, ⁓ yeah, like I've actually done the seventy point three here three times and I did the full last year. Jaclyn: I've been here before. Mardi: And I felt like I was really full of myself saying it, which I know is not the case, but I just hate being mansplained too. Like Yeah, it was just like his assumption. He hadn't asked us anything about our race and it was like there's three of us girls going up. He probably thought it was like our first seventy point three or something, but yeah, I was just like, Thank you. Like, I'll I'll I'm okay. Anyway, So add onto bike course and Jack's like, ⁓ You smashed the bike. ⁓ You absolutely smashed it. ⁓ Jaclyn: Thank you. yeah, the bike course was yeah, I don't know. So I came out onto the bike and I I wasn't expecting to see anybody that I knew because ⁓ a lot of my friends were racing and the I think the full people would have been like starting to get organized. So coaches would have been down there. ⁓ so I headed out onto the bike course and you kind of like you go over the cobbles and then it's kinda slightly uphill, you do a right-hand turn. ⁓ and then you come out onto the highway and you do a left-hand turn, you do a U-turn. ⁓ and it was kind of starting to spit a little bit as I started out onto the bike and I was like, okay, it's fine, like it's fine, like you train you train in this weather. Like you've been out to the Dan literally every time you've been out to the Danny Ongs, it's rained in the last probably 12 months. So I was like, okay, it's fine. And then I just started riding. And I again like I am so forgetful when I start riding my bike, especially when I'm racing. I write like what my power goal is and tape it to my base bar. And I also write where the aid stations are and where like key points on the course are, and I tape those to my base bar as well. So I had all the information that I needed in front of me. And I started writing and I was like, okay, like the conversation I'd had with my coach was this is your power range that you're kind of aiming for, but let's sort of start towards the lower end of that. And then you can build up into it as the race goes on. I was like, okay, cool. And then we had kind of said use of sort of first five Ks to get settled onto the bike, like get comfortable, ⁓ work out how you're feeling, kind of thing, and just like e ease into it essentially. So I started writing with all of this in my mind. and I just kind of got comfortable straight away and I was like, okay, we're we're we're okay here. And then I sat up to have, I realized I got to about 10 or 11Ks and I hadn't had any water. I'd had nutrition, but I hadn't had any water, which in cans delaying that water intake, you can you can pay for it later on. Like you don't necessarily feel like you're delayed coming out of the swim. But when the water's 24 degrees and you're wearing a wetsuit, you are gonna be dehydrated coming out of the swim. So I grabbed my water bottle and I have it kind of like on my between the arms ⁓ bottle cage, and then I'm like having a drink. And then I just kind of needed to regain my balance a little bit and I dropped my water bottle. and there's always that moment in your head where you're just like, should I pick it up? And the recommendation is obviously pick it up because you can get a littering penalty from dropping things that aren't when you're not in a litter in zone. So just keep that in mind ⁓ as I continue with this. But I did keep writing. ⁓ because it's also weighing up like how many people are behind you and how safe is it going to be. for you to stop as well. ⁓ so I kept riding and then you kind of start to come into the rolling hills a little bit. I knew Rex's lookout was about 18Ks. ⁓ so I was riding quite strongly. The wind ⁓ was pretty pretty gusty even on way out. ⁓ Nice strong tailwind but it was pretty gusty even on the way out. ⁓ And I was I was feeling good and there was lots of times when I was able to get into error. I was I was climbing really strongly. and just kind of like taking each section of the course as it came. ⁓ I got water at the bottom of Rexes so I was able to like replace my water. So that was not a big deal. I wasn't that far away from that eight station when I dropped my water. and yeah, just kind of Anticipate like I ride outside so often. I was just kind of like anticipating when the wind would come, ⁓ which direction it was coming. Cause it was definitely I remember coming up and over one hill and being like, All right, the wind's gonna catch my front wheel a little bit here, but I was fine. and yeah, I was just kind of I don't even really know how to explain the bike because I don't really remember it that well. I was kind of for for lack of a better term, like I was definitely in a flow state. on the bike. Like I I honestly just don't remember a great deal. I remember coming back into Palm Cove at about 45 Ks and looking at well just before Palm Cove, looking at my garment and knowing that I was kind of on track for a 240 kind of bike time, which I just felt like in those conditions was was really, really strong. And then ⁓ coming back in I kind of was like riding on my own for quite a while. Mardi: Insane. Yeah. Jaclyn: on the highway and then a group kind of came back came up behind me. and I was kind of able to stay within sort of a good distance of those guys. And there was two other girls that were in my age group in that group as well. So ⁓ yeah I was just again like I don't really know what to say like other than I am so proud of that bike ride. I think like two years ago Mardi: Yeah. Jaclyn: I would not have been able to ride my bike like that. Even a year ago, I couldn't ride my bike like that. But I'm so proud of the work that I've done, especially in the last 12 months, riding my bike. I ride outside. And like this is not the answer for everyone, but I ride outside a lot. and I think just my bike handling, my confidence on the bike, my confidence in my training, to know that I could have a really, really strong bike ride. was really, really important. And I think as well, like I was way above my power, ⁓ my anticipated power for what my coach and I had kind of discussed, but there was never a point in the on the bike when I felt like I was overriding or that I'd overdone it or ridden too hard. And I just and I was actually able to sort of increase my power in the last thirty Ks a little bit as well and and hold on for a really strong bike ride. yeah. Mardi: ⁓ I love that, Jax. And I think there's a lot to be said for like riding outside and just having the bike handling, having the confidence on like some of the undulating sections and the the descents to be able to like change gears, to be able to yeah, pedal on the downhills. ⁓ also just be confident in the wind 'cause I think as you said, like you do do get blown around a little bit in some of those exposed sections. Like it's just such a credit to you and like all the work you've put in to to get that and yeah. Insane on that course to do the bike time you did. So yeah, you're amazing. Jaclyn: Tell me about your bike. Tell me how you went. Mardi: it's funny because like I did the same like data wise I did the same normalised power as Western Sydney, like pretty much exactly the same normalised power. So I don't know why I'm disappoint. I don't know why I'm disappointed. But I did feel like I had ⁓ I could have done not like I could have done more on the day. I feel like I got the most out of myself on the day. I don't think I could have gone any harder. ⁓ but I think Jaclyn: That's great. Yeah. Mardi: Maybe it was just coming in like a little bit fatigued from from the week. Like I said, just a lot of time on my feet. ⁓ and I sounds like a cop out, but I did have a sore lower back ⁓ for most of the ride and I just wasn't super comfortable in T T position. And I have been so comfortable in T T position doing all my rides outside, like my interval sessions outside and stuff. So I just feel a bit disappointed in some aspects of that. Yeah, I think I do just love the Cannes course and I love that it's not just all about your your effort and your power, being able to ride the course, go up and down the hills, like stay strong and stay confident and upright in the wind. ⁓ yeah, I really loved those aspects of it, but I think it left me feeling like I wanted I wanted more out of it. So I think that's probably just the summation for me. Jaclyn: I think I think try not to be like too, too disappointed. Like it's easy to say now, sort of six days removed, but try not to be too disappointed. I think that bike course was super, super, super, super challenging. You've raced a lot. Like there's probably like a bit of accumulation of fatigue. And it's actually one of those courses where it's actually not particularly easy to ride in arrow a great deal. I know that there was bits when, especially like along the sugar canes. Mardi: Hm. Mm. Yeah. Jaclyn: ⁓ back towards Cairns where the wind was catching my wheel a little bit more. And I think, yeah, it's like with time comes perspective a little bit. But and I think like in a couple of days' time you'll be super proud of that that bike ride in those conditions. We went to ⁓ the present the Iron Man presentation and the Iron Man roll down for Kona on Monday. And Penny Slater, who actually won the pro race, she's raced Cairns five times and she said that That was one of the toughest sort of cans conditions that we've had ⁓ in the time that she's been racing. And definitely the same conversation that I had with friends of mine who have raced cans many, many, many times. And they were like, like that was harder. We said that last year was the hardest conditions that we'd ever raced in, but actually this year was harder again. Because I think the difference this year is that there was the element of the rain, but also it was quite gusty as opposed to last year where it was just like blockhead wind. So I think Mardi: Yeah. Jaclyn: I think the b the bike handling was was different this year to what it was last year. Mardi: Yeah, yeah, I agree. And I do think on some of those tougher exposed sections, all I could think of was like, I'm so glad I did the full last year and not this year. Like it just yeah. And such a big respect for the people who did and it it's all part of the day. Like everyone has the same conditions on race day, in that year, so it's all part of it. But yeah, certainly certainly ⁓ happy with that. Jaclyn: ⁓ my god. Mardi: ⁓ just talking to some of the Iron Man people after the race by the sounds, there was actually which I didn't see, there was like quite a few crashes and people like coming off their bike, which could be a combination of things. I think the the conditions themselves. ⁓ if you're used to riding on the trainer or yeah, bike handling is not as strong, then it's it's a perfect storm for for g coming off your bike. ⁓ yeah, just people with their bike handling being able to ride close or past each other and even just I think by the sounds like people who can't ⁓ change a tire or who maybe blew a tire and and didn't have all the right things to be able to fix it. So that would be such a shame to have your race end prematurely when you've worked so hard toward it. But ⁓ yeah, just definitely something to be said for making sure you're prepared for any conditions on race day and also any outcomes ⁓ on the bike. Jaclyn: The thing with that bike course is the there's so many changes in the road quality, like there is lots of potholes, just because it's a highway, where I would suspect lots of big trucks travel and things like that. ⁓ so there are lots of potholes on that bike course, there's lots of changes in like road quality, like as you move through different, I guess, areas and jurisdictions and things like that, the road quality changes a little bit. ⁓ so I think all of those things, and then obviously. Mardi: Mm. Yeah. ⁓ Jaclyn: There's lots of road works and there was parts when the road was quite narrow, but also just like the drop off of the road. Like it it's just different. Like, ⁓ and I hope that like people who did have crushes, I hope that they're okay. yeah. Mardi: Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ the on the bike course. That's right. Amazing. Always stunning. I feel like you take it for granted when you've done the race a few times, but just debriefing with some of my ⁓ athletes, like ⁓ their some of their remarks around how beautiful it on the bike course. You're like, Yeah, it is ⁓ it is easy to get distracted. You're on one the most beautiful stretches of road in Australia, if not the world. So ⁓ Jaclyn: ⁓ yeah. Yeah. Mardi: Ten out of ten, Iron Man, great job on planning yet another beautiful bike course. ⁓ transition and yeah, heading out onto the run. How'd you go? Jaclyn: ⁓ well, Got into transition, and as I said, there were sort three of us in the same age group who came off the bike at the same time. ⁓ so we got in and ⁓ My I ride an extra small bike. and so I always typically rack my bike in transition by the saddle. And one of the volunteers came up to me and was like, ⁓ you need to rack your bike the other way around. And I was like, I can't. It's too small. And I was also like, also like, I'm racing here. ⁓ so and I'd sat down on the ground, I'd pop my shoes on, I'd grabbed my Snaplock bag ⁓ that had my nutrition and my sonnies in it. ⁓ and I was having this conversation with the volunteer while I was trying to like get out of transition. And he's like, Don't worry about it, I'll fix it for you. And I was like, Great. Like he's like, actually, you know what? Just leave your helmet and your shoes, I'll deal with this for you. And I was like, So I literally just left like my helmet and my shoes on top of my my run bag and he fixed up my bike and he fixed up my my transition spot and tidied it up for me, which was so, so nice. ⁓ Mardi: ⁓ that's so nice. Jaclyn: And so I grabbed my ⁓ race belt and my nutrition and I got out of there pretty quickly, which I was really, really, really happy with. And as I was running past, I had like my race belt done up. And I remember when I got onto the run course, like I'd managed to get my Sonnies on my head, but I was trying to like get stuff out of my my satlock bag, and I had my sat lock bag in my mouth at one point as I was trying to get my hands sorted and this spectator goes, Wow. That's such good coordination. And I was like, thank God. I looked like I knew what I was doing. ⁓ the run for me look, I had some I had some pretty decent run goals in mind based on how I'd been running for the last few months and kind of the improvements that I'd made in my running and during training. Unfortunately, ⁓ I did get some cramping issues on the run within the first kind of I don't know, one and a half. Mardi: Mm-hmm. Jaclyn: kind of K I did start to cramp, which was really disappointing because it was kind of one of those things where once you start to cramp, it's hard. It's hard to stop. You can't necessarily control it. It's really hard to come back from. ⁓ and there were points where I actually just had to physically just stop moving. which I'm super, super disappointed with because that run wasn't a reflection of the work that I would that I had done. Mardi: Had to come back. Mm. Jaclyn: or my runnability at all. But I I was just like s talking to myself and I was like, it it's fine. I in a really good headspace despite that happening and I was like, if if I can run like don't count yourself out. Like like just stay in this because you don't know what's happening to other people during the run. ⁓ ⁓ you don't know what other people are going through. and I just remember having to be so mentally strong on the run in the Gold Coast because it was like I was having different issues that I just too hot. ⁓ but I just remember at one point thinking on that run at the Gold Coast, I was like, ⁓ You you don't know when gonna come good. ⁓ And ⁓ I just kind kept in mind. So ⁓ looking at my Strava splits, you can definitely see it's clear as day where I was cramping and but when I was running, I was actually running ⁓ Mardi: Mm. Jaclyn: Re really really well. So disappointing overall in my run, but I think I think the thing to take home is like to still be able to run the way I did off the bu that bike ride. I think is super positive and and we can go away and sort of problem solve that. sort of why that happened for the next race. But you know, like I had such such a fun day and I think yeah And I think we said, like I'd had such a good week and ⁓ coming to that, yeah, that's disappointing. But also that was a race for me. Like that would probably be the most consistent, most rewarding, ⁓ most fun ⁓ 70 point three I've probably done in in ⁓ three And ⁓ at least go into why that's the case. Mardi: Yeah. Jaclyn: It's it's one of those things where I'm just so, so proud of that race that I was able to put together. and knowing I so close to the whole whole race ⁓ coming ⁓ is really, rewarding. And ⁓ I think like you and I sometimes have different mindsets around racing and what we expect But I think ⁓ that something that's really helped me is some conversations I've had with you and with Sarah ⁓ over the last few months that just really changed my mindset into this race. ⁓ anyway, back to the run. So I ⁓ so yeah, I got onto the radar Mardi: ⁓ that's so nice, Jax. Nah, that's the best Jax. I also think like we it's like we're always chasing the perfect race too. Like that's what keeps well I was talking about this with with Danny, one of the girls I coach before the race because she was like really wanting to be and she's so organized and real wanted to be so prepared and and wanted everything to kind of go perfectly. and I was like, ⁓ gosh, like this is your first seventy point three. I'm like it everyone is chasing the perfect race and like Jaclyn: It doesn't. Mardi: Everyone will come away from the race, be it they whether they came first or fifth or last or whatever they came and they will still find things that they want to improve on or that didn't go perfectly. And I think that's like just the magic of the sport. Jaclyn: ⁓ for sure. And like chatting to Regan before the race on the Friday, she was like, things are gonna go wrong. Like i especially in an Iron Man, like a full distance race, like you're out there for ten, twelve, fourteen hours kind of thing. Like things are gonna go go wrong. Like you don't go to work ⁓ and be at work for ten hours and have nothing go wrong in your workday. So why would you expect that the same's gonna happen when you're doing an Iron Man or you're doing a seventy point three? Mardi: Mm. Yeah, totally. Yeah. Jaclyn: so across the finish line. super, happy. Like my friend Kim, ⁓ was she'd done an aquabike, she was at the finish line. ⁓ I said a couple of weeks ago, I'm a crier, so I had my cry. ⁓ and then I just kind of hung out in the recovery tent. ⁓ came in ⁓ the rest of rest of my squad came in. So yeah, tell me about your run. Mardi: Yeah, I I approached the run a little differently to how I'd approached ⁓ the last two runs of T one hundred and Western Sydney. So I think I have always been like for however long I've done tries, or seventeen point three's my runs have been very consistently around that like one well they first were around the one fifty-seven to like two just over two hour mark, then the last four or five have all been like one fifty two. one 152-ish to one fifty-four. Like really pretty consistent, but I just felt like I haven't been able to break any lower than that. ⁓ at Western Sydney, I felt like I was almost like forcing it that I was really just focused on my pace ⁓ as a number and also like following a nutrition like following my nutrition plan to the nth degree. and like trying to manage my asthma and also like hydration s salt and ⁓ and yeah and carbs like quite ⁓ proactively and I was reflecting on cans last year and I had a really good run. Like my run was so consistent at the Iron Man and I was like, what was it that what was it that was good about that? And I think it's because I approached it with almost like this the almost like a curiosity and almost like a Rather than being like proactive, almost reactive, but like really present to what I needed and like what do I need in this moment? Like I'm smart enough that I know how many carbs and everything else that I'm gonna need, but like when's the right time for them? And when's when when am I gonna need it? And what do I need right now to be able to maintain what I'm doing or improve what I'm doing? And I I think that that just really helped me ⁓ yeah, helped me approach it mentally and physically. So I went into the run. ⁓ with that mindset and I just had my focused on my heart rate. I knew what I'd done for for previous seventy point threes. And when I had run well and when I was running consistently what my heart rate was, I put the like put the carbs in when I needed them. And I in my little bottle on the run, I just had hydrolite, which is like my favorite flavor. And that's what I did for the Iron Man and it worked a treat. Yeah, just sipped at that, had the water from the aid stations and really just focused on like almost like managing myself the whole run of like, okay, what do I need now? How are we going now? What's the heart rate? What's a nutrition like? Just really like really curious, not too heavy on like the numbers and the goal. I think on reflection feel like I definitely could have pushed more on the run. And like I know that I can run faster than that. But at the same time, I was just so keen to be able to do ⁓ and to be able to like execute a good run off the bike that I'm like, the next race I focus on getting faster. Like this race for me was about knowing that I could do ⁓ yeah, could do a solid run off the bike that I could not let it fall apart at any moment and like I'm just so proud that I was able to stay composed the whole run and I didn't have that moment like I had in Western Sydney or like I've had in the past couple of races where it kind of goes down and then goes back up again. Like it just stayed steady. I felt really in tune with my body. And I think knowing that I've done that now, it just makes me excited for the next one. Cause I go like, yeah, I know what I can build on. Like I I I I've got the confidence of that run now and I know what I can build on. Jaclyn: How good. I think that's so cool. Like just changing your mindset to approach something with curiosity as opposed to like expectation. it like that's a skill. Like that takes a lot of a lot of practice. And I think ⁓ this is what I love about sport is it teaches us so much about how to just approach things in life. And I think if if more of us approach things with curiosity, I think the world would probably be a better place. But but how good that you are able to apply your learnings from Mardi: ⁓ Jaclyn: such a big race twelve months ago to then ⁓ to this race that sometimes we get in that mindset of just a seventy point three. But to apply those learnings to this now, I think again, like you're you've got you've got a really great run run coming. Mardi: Yeah, yeah, totally. So I was happy with the time for the run in the end, ⁓ from the goals and and training perspective. And I finally, finally cracked sub one fifty on the run. Finally, off the bike, which is has been, as I said, hanging over my head for a little while because I know that I c I'm capable of it. And it just felt really good to be able to execute that. ⁓ but I think a real highlight of the run is obviously the lapped course. So getting to see everyone Jaclyn: Hmm. Mardi: Coming around on the run. I think on my first lap I saw quite a few coming off the bike. ⁓ and then yeah, just just seeing everyone kind of lap on the run was really, really special. And seeing them with a big smile on their face ⁓ as well was really good. And then coming into the finish area, so I walked like straight in and I saw you and and Molly and the group that you train with ⁓ all together, having some chippies and cherry juice. And and that was really nice to be able to see you guys and like debrief the race a little bit, even though I was a bit of a space cadet. I think straight afterward. You had I know. Jaclyn: I was so concerned about you here. I was like, are you like okay? Mardi: Yeah, I think I was just like, woof, that was really hard. But it was so nice to debrief with you guys. ⁓ my friend Amy came in not long afterward, ⁓ and then a whole bunch of friends I have ⁓ from another training group that yeah, we just like it's just like a catch up. I don't know. It was like being at a a bar or a club and you just like see all these people you know and you're like catching up and all of this sort of stuff. So that was so nice. And then ⁓ I went out back out to the finish shoot and got to see ⁓ four of my athletes come through the finish line and it was just so special. Like they didn't know I was there, obviously, but like they yeah, just seeing them come through the finish shoot with the biggest smile on their faces, ⁓ finishing their race was just so, so nice. So yeah, I loved that. I really loved it. Jaclyn: Yeah, I love that too. Like there was a huge group of us that raced and ⁓ we all came into the finish line like ⁓ relatively close together. So ⁓ that was really, really nice. ⁓ I think Iron Man did really great job with that ⁓ celebration area ⁓ this year. really liked that. Mardi: Mm. Mm. It was really, really good. And the chippies were on point, as always. Oof. Yeah, there is something about those post race chips. ⁓ so yeah, that was a race. Jaclyn: They were. Mardi: ⁓ and then I guess the rest of the day, like obviously the Iron Man's on on the same day. The pros were out on the run course well just after we had finished. ⁓ And ⁓ then you've got people coming in off the bike and out onto the right to probably about six thirty pm ish, So the vibes definitely are on for the rest of the day. ⁓ did you get up to between the end of the race and then? Jaclyn: we went back out the ⁓ club tent and just hung out there for a little Then we went and got some lunch and then our friends who were the full ⁓ were coming through. And then yeah, we were just kind of hanging out at our at our tent. ⁓ I feel like the afternoon went quite quickly. But 'cause the run course is lapped, as we've said, like you you see people that you know coming through so often. You can see the pros coming through, which I really, really love. ⁓ yeah, it was just ⁓ a really nice I think. Mardi: Yeah, we just grabbed a ⁓ grabbed a cocktail ⁓ on the run course, but then like kept just like being like, ⁓ sorry, I've got to go, my friend. Like, I'm just gonna go down and cheer and then I'll come back. And like I reckon we spent a collective well like had the table for like two hours. I reckon we spent a collective, like not even five minutes at the table, the three of us together. Like, 'cause we were just like, ⁓ sorry, so and so's coming. I'm just gonna go down and like we just, you know, went straight across the road to be able to cheer. But it was just so funny because it was like normal girls like having a drink on a Sunday afternoon and like we are just like so like dressed up nicely. I know trying to watch an Iron Man, but like sorry, just gotta go. Yeah, I'm just gonna wait there. ⁓ the tracker says there's still a few like we were just all over it. ⁓ but it was great. And that's what I absolutely loved about the day. ⁓ got to see, yeah, the friends coming in off the off the bike on the fall, like let friends hyping on the run, messaging other friends, updates or Jaclyn: Trying to watch an Iron Man. Mardi: other people in other positions on course. Like it was just so ⁓ it's just so much fun to follow and yeah, yeah, just so awesome to see see so many people out there doing doing it. Jaclyn: For sure. Mardi: a special shout out. We had some friends doing the full Stu, who's a happy pace pace at athlete, he just looked so strong out on the run course and like had such a good day, hit his ⁓ sub eleven goal, which was super special and is currently contemplating his Iron Man tattoo. ⁓ Which I love. I love. and yeah, one of my friends or one of our friends, Raz, she did the full and yeah, we stayed out to her finish time, which was a little bit later in the evening. And it was honestly like magical being on the finish shoot in those last couple of hours ⁓ of the race. Like just so amazing. And ⁓ her partner Josh, who won his age group a little bit earlier in the evening, and he was out there supporting her as well, and like Jaclyn: ⁓ wow. Mardi: Yeah, just magic. Like hearing someone be called over as an Iron Man is wow. So special. Jaclyn: I agree. I'd also like to say, our our other friend Amy Taylor, who I know listens to the pod, she also did her first Iron Man. She actually messaged me during the week and was like, What is the running equivalent of Bubble Bubble Breathe? ⁓ referencing an episode a couple of weeks ago. ⁓ which was so nice to hear first of all, but also ⁓ yeah, massive shout out to Ames. Like I know for her it was this has been a long time coming and like super, super special. Mardi: Yes. Yeah. Jaclyn: And then also my friend Leslie who ⁓ absolute like gun. She came second overall. and she won her age group. ran a 304 marathon, which ⁓ was actually the female runtime of the day. ⁓ like including the ⁓ So absolutely amazing So ⁓ Mardi: She like won no, she came second overall. Yeah. Pour Including the pros. Wow. Smoked it. Jaclyn: I I get the pleasure of like getting a front row seat to to her triathlon, ⁓ being one of my really, really good friends and yeah, like hu huge builder, like navigates some different things to what the like what we navigate. ⁓ everyone's navigating something in this journey, but I think, yeah, super, super special for her. Mardi: Yeah. And just seeing everyone have their day, like regardless of goals, I think overall in the seventeen point three and the full, like everyone's got different goals. They've got different yeah, different they've got something different out of the race, they've had a different day. But I think by and large, like the vibes post race for everyone were just really positive. So yeah, love this. Love this so much. Jaclyn: Agree. so there was also a ⁓ pro race at Iron Man Cannes. ⁓ so ⁓ for the ⁓ Penny Slater out the win, ⁓ which was nice to see her get the win after her fifth time at Cairns, ⁓ which was really cool. ⁓ Then we Skye Wallace in second, young girl, I think she's just finished uni. ⁓ so good on Skye for getting second place. ⁓ Mardi: Yeah. S Sky is yeah, from Victoria, trains with I think momentum endurance is potentially her coach. And so awesome to see her develop over the last few years. She was doing really well in the Two Times You series, stepped up in distance. ⁓ she actually posted on Instagram that she only entered Cannes a few weeks ago. Like it wasn't part of her Yeah, it wasn't part of her plans to do the Iron Man this year. ⁓ or for this race. So like Jaclyn: Think so. ⁓ я so. Mardi: Yeah, amazing performance to come second. Jaclyn: And then we had Bet Clark finish in third. Unfortunately, Regan had to step off the run course. ⁓ it was about two K's in, I think. She's had a little bit of an injury niggle that she's been managing. ⁓ and obviously not being a pro series race. This wasn't necessarily an A race for her, with her heading over to the States next month. ⁓ so hopefully everything is okay. Mardi: ⁓ Mm. Jaclyn: ⁓ and we'll see her lining up at seventy point three Boise and Lake Placid over the next month or so. Mardi: was super I was super shocked to read that. I sort opened up Instagram in the afternoon. I was like, ⁓ no, like that's really devastating for her. ⁓ especially leading in off the bike. So hopefully yeah, hopefully she can manage that. But I loved seeing Penny take out the win of that race, as you said, being a fifth time. She's such a she's almost like a local it's like almost like a local race, even though she's from Canberra. But she was just so, so stroked and ⁓ like one of those Jaclyn: Yeah. Mardi: pros who's been on the scene for a long time and hasn't got a win, so yeah, go penny. Jaclyn: I really I really love when you see how much these wins or even these races mean to to pros. Like I think you you think that they get like they race so often they get really immune to sort of sort of racing and things like that. But I really love when you see how much like it crossing an Iron Man finish line, whether it's first or whether it's seventh. I love how much it means to these pros ⁓ as well. Mardi: Mm. Yeah. And On the men's side ⁓ t you're speaking so Nick Thompson took out the win. That was his also his first ⁓ Iron Man professional win, ⁓ having come second last year. So it was yeah, that was really awesome. You saw the videos of him coming down the finish shoot. He's just so always so passionate and emotional ⁓ coming down the line and particularly so on Sunday. So ⁓ Yeah, also raised by Nick. Second place was Ben Hill, who's also an Australian athlete. place was a athlete. We're gonna get the pronunciation his name. Jaclyn: Jump A Kuruya. Mardi: Yeah, so he he ⁓ that's his second or third podium in a row, which is super awesome. ⁓ and then it actually only had a pro field of nine women in the end, I think seven finishes potentially, and then on the men's side thirteen ⁓ thirteen finishes, I I believe it was. So a lot smaller of a pro race than last year, but so nice to see ⁓ local athletes ⁓ get some success out of it. just on the corona qualifications too on that race. So they had two slots for men, two slots for women. ⁓ on the women's side, Penny Slater took ⁓ her slot, and then Sky Wallace, ⁓ which will be a first Kona, took the took the other slot. then on the men's side, Ben Hill took the first slot. ⁓ so obviously this is like of the last races that there is to qualify for Kona. Those slots are really ⁓ yeah, like hard to come And ⁓ the ⁓ only being two. So it had rolled down to Osborne in fifth place for the second slot. ⁓ and then ⁓ he declined the slot because he has a close wedding on that day. ⁓ And ⁓ in crowd watching was like gave like a big boo and someone yelled out like, don't go. I was just like, ⁓ man. ⁓ so then Caleb Noble in sixth already had a place and so it went to seventh, Jack Sasinski, who is a Gold Coast athlete. So yeah, just really lucky day for Jack for it to roll down so far. But how would you be being Jared's friend, knowing that you've you've ⁓ made him turn down his spot to Kona 'cause you're wedding. Jaclyn: Yeah. Your mate's a pro triathlete, but he's gonna come to your wedding instead. ⁓ And I know, we were chatting to Beck before ⁓ before the roll down and she was I don't know if Sky's gonna take her spot. Like, I don't know, like ⁓ so I think she would be a bit disappointed. ⁓ missing out on a spot there, but you know, that sport. Mardi: He's coming to your wedding. I tell you what, better be a good party. Mm. Mm. Yeah. That's what amazing. Jaclyn: Alright. I think that'll do on cans. Mardi: I think that'll that wraps it. ⁓ Can Strange Twenty Seven we there see you there. Can't Strange Twenty Seven. We're definitely gonna have have a happy face up there. ⁓ if you think about it as a goal, they're gonna open up entries like next week, I think. ⁓ so the date is locked in already. Like, yeah. Ten out of ten recommend. Always the best. And ⁓ yeah, thanks to everyone for following the journey to the race and also all of the race week fun that we had. So yeah, absolutely loved it. Jaclyn: See you there.