The TEAM CORE Chat Forum

AVIVA Singapore 70.3 Ironman

Here's a funny little report from Andrew Menschelyi regarding his experience of racing in the heat over in Singapore:

The race that stopped a GIANTMAN

THE AIR WAS STILL AND MY LANDCRUSIER TOOK A SECOND LONGER TO START AT 4.00AM ON THURSDAY THE 30TH OF AUGUST 2007. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT TO CATCH A PLANE TO A FOREIGN LAND TO COMPETE IN A HALF IRONMAN DISTANCE EVENT.

IT WAS 6 DEGREES WHEN THE PLANE TOOK OF FROM PERTH AND I WAS KICKING MYSELF THAT I DIDN’T WEAR A JUMPER AS IT WAS BLOODY FREEZING BOTH AT THE AIRPORT AND ON THE PLANE. BUT THE THOUGHT OF $20/KG EXCESS BAGGAGE MADE ME PACK LIGHT. AS IT WAS MY BIKE BAG WEIGHED IN AT 31KG.

THE ARRIVAL TO SINGAPORE AT 1PM QUICKLY ERASED THE MEMORY OF THE NEED FOR A JUMPER WITH 29DEGREE HEAT AND 80% HUMIDITY HITTING ME IN THE FACE. FLOATING THROUGH CUSTOMS (DOES ANYONE OTHER THAN THE U.S AND AUST HAVE CUSTOMS?) AND A QUICK TAXI RIDE I WAS AT OUR HUMBLE ABODE IN LITTLE INDIA – THE FRAGRANCE HOTEL – INTERNATIONAL BACKPACKERS. ITS CALLED THE FRAGRANCE CAUSE EVERY ROOM HAS ITS OWN FRAGRANCE AND AS WE WERE IN THE BASEMENT, IN A ROOM WITH 3 BUNK BEDS 5’6” LONG AND NO WINDOWS YOU COULD IMGAINE WHAT OUR ROOM WAS CALLED. I LIKED TO CALL IT THE DACHAU ROOM AFTER THE FIRST CONCENTRATION CAMP HITLER OPENED UP JUST OUTSIDE MUNICH BACK IN THE 30’S.

NOW ALL I HAD TO DO WAS MEET UP WITH PAUL, JANET, SALLY AND MICHAEL KEATON (AKA MIKE GEE WHO WILL BE REFERRED TO AS BATMAN FOR THE REST OF THE REPORT AS HE IS A SUPERHERO).

I THINK I HAD TOLD JANET AT LEAST 15 TIMES THAT I WOULD BE AT THE HOSTEL BY 1.30PM. WHEN IT GOT TO 2.15PM THE EVER PATIENT GIANTMAN WAS GETTING A LITTLE EMOTIONAL – ESPECIALLY AS LITTLE HAD BEEN EATEN SINCE THE “GREAT” MEAL ON THE PLANE.

BY 2.30PM IT WAS ALL GOOD THOUGH AND THE REST OF THE DAY AND EVENING WAS SPENT WALKING AND EATING SINGAPORE! WE WENT AND REGISTERED (IT WAS THE WORST EXPO EVER) AND WE MET UP WITH JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE FOR DINNER AT A DESIGN IT YOURSELF PASTA HOUSE – NICE! BATMAN SLIPPED INTO A COUPLE OF TIGERS SO HE COULD AT LEAST FEEL SOME EMPATHY FOR EVERYONE ELSES DEHYDRATED STATE. DID I MENTION HE IS A SUPERHERO?

DAY 2 – FRIDAY – THE START OF THE DECLINE…..
WELL ITS TWO DAYS OUT FROM A RACE – NOT ANY RACE, THE SECOND LONGEST RACE THE SLIGHTLY INSANE WILL EVER DO. YOUR IN A HOT, HUMID AND FOREIGN COUNTRY – WHAT WOULD YOU DO? SLEEP, STAY IN THE AIRCONDITIONING? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO – YOU HAVE IT ALL WRONG.
WHAT YOU DO IS FIRST OF ALL GO FOR A RIDE. THE STREETS OF SINGAPORE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE QUIET IN THE MORNINGS. WE RODE FOR AN HOUR AND AVERAGED 18.3KM/HR. THAT’S AN IMPROVEMENT FROM THE DAY BEFORE OF 14.5KM/HR BUT THAT WAS IN PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC.
AFTER YOUR RIDE, WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN DRIPPING SWEAT FOR AN HOUR FOR BUGGER ALL BENEFIT, YOU NEED TO GO FOR A RUN. THIS WILL REALLY GET YOUR BODY HOT AND SWEATY AND USED TO THE CONDITIONS – TWO DAYS OUT FROM THE RACE! IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE HEAT OR A DODGY BANANA BUT JANET DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR A LAST MINUTE/PRERACE RAPID WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM. YOU CANT SAY IT DIDN’T WORK – SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE TO RACE A PB!
THEN YOU NEED TO HAVE A QUICK BREAKFAST AND SOME REHYDRATION BEFORE PACKING A BAG OR BACKPACK, NICE AND HEAVY SO YOU WILL GET SOME BENEFIT IN THE SHOULDER MUSCLES LATER IN THE DAY AND THEN PROCEED TO GO FOR A 4 HOUR WALK THROUGH THE HOT AND HUMID SINGAPORE. THIS WILL REALLY HELP THE BODY ACLIMITIZE AND YOU WILL FEEL THE BENEFITS ESPECIALLY ON THE SECOND HALF OF THAT RUN.
BUT THEN THIS IS THE BEST THING TO DO AFTER THAT. SIT BY THE POOL AT THE MARRIOT SINGAPORE FOR 3HRS ON POOL CHAIRS IN BUDGIE SMUGLERS AND BIKINIS AND USE ONLY MINIMAL SUNSCREEN. I MEAN THE LOCALS HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR GENERATIONS AND DON’T USE SUNSCREEN SO WHY SHOULD WE. WHAT TOOK THEM 1000’S OF YEARS TO ADAPT TO WILL ONLY TAKE US A COUPLE OF DAYS SURELY!
IT WAS AT THE POOL SIDE THAT PAUL AND I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A DROUGHT AT THE MARRIOT HOTEL. A CLUB SANDWICH COST US S$19 EACH WHICH WAS EXCESSIVE IN ITSELF BUT A MAN HAS TO EAT. IT WAS THE PRICE FOR A 750ML BOTTLE OF EVIAN THAT STUNG TO THE POINT OF BRINGING TEARS TO THE EYES. $14 EACH – YES ITS NOT A TYPO. I WORKED OUT THAT WITH THE NORMAL 1.5LT BOTTLES IN THE 7/11 BEING S$1.80 WE NEEDED TO DRINK 30LITRES OF WATER EACH TO BRING OUR AVERAGE WATER PRICE DOWN. NOT HAPPY JAN.
SO THERE WE ALL WERE TWO DAYS OUT FROM THE RACE – SLIGHTY DEHYDRATED, SUNBURNT, CROOK IN THE GUTS (JANET), AND COUGHING LIKE A RACOON (SALLY). WHAT A SORRY SIGHT WE WERE.
THAT’S NOT WHERE DAY TWO ENDS – THERE IS STILL SOME MAGIC TO BE HAD. WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TWO NIGHTS OUT FROM A RACE – A SHIT NIGHTS SLEEP – YOU GOT IT!
WE ALL HIT THE HAY QUITE LATE AS IT WAS, HAVING EATEN LATE AT THE OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE WITH POMMY ROB AND IRISH HELEN. WE ALL ASSUMED OUR POSITIONS IN THE BUNKS – WITH ME ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE 6’6” DOESN’T GO INTO 5’6” ENOUGH TIMES, WHEN SOME OF OUR FOREIGN FRIENDS FROM THE ROOM NEXT DOOR DECIDED TO HAVE A DEEP AND MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION IN SOME MIDDLE EASTERN TONGUE THAT SEEMED ONLY TO PAUSE FOR A BREATH EVERY TEN MINUTES. I WAS CLOSEST TO THE DOOR BUT I THOUGHT SURELY THEY MUST BE NEARLY FINISHED AND AS NO-ONE ELSE WAS COMPLAINING I TRIED TO BLOCK IT OUT. NEXT THING JANET IS OUT THE DOOR IN PJ’S GIVING THE MUSLIMS A HURRY UP AND WITH A THREAT OF SHOWING MORE SKIN THAN WAS ALREADY ON DISPLAY THEY MOVED DOWN THE HALL WHERE THE SOUNDS DISAPPATED TO THE MUFFLE OF AN UNDERGROUND TRAIN PASSING OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR. AT THIS STAGE MY EARPLUGS GOT UNPACKED AND I WAS READY FOR SOME SILENT SLEEP.
BUT THAT COULDN’T BE ALL THAT HAPPENED TWO NIGHTS OUT – IT WAS ONLY MIDNIGHT – THAT’S NOT LATE – REALLY!
SO I GET UP TO GO TO THE TOILET, IN MY JOCKS AND SO IM DOING A BOLT DOWN THE CORRIDOR. LITTLE TO MY KNOWLEDGE WAS THE FACT THAT JANET DECIDED TO GO JUST AFTER ME. SO WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE ROOM I THOUGHT EVERONE ELSE WAS SAFE INSIDE IN BED. JUST AS I ENTERED THE BEDROOM A LITTLE MAN OF SUB-CONTINENT ORIGIN WAS EXITING HIS ROOM NEXT DOOR. REMEMBER IM IN MY JOCKS. I GAVE HIM THE NOD AND DARTED INTO OUR ROOM AND I SCRAMBLED INTO BED AFTER LOCKING THE DOOR. ALMOST INSTANTLY THERE WAS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR. I AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMED IT WAS AHMED RASTIF FROM NEXT DOOR LOOKING TO BORROW SOME SUGAR. SO I LAY THERE WITH THE EAR PLUGS IN JUST IGNORING THE SOFT TAPS AT THE DOOR THAT SEEMED TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUEST AND MORE ROBUST. NEXT THING SALLY IS ABOUT TO OPEN THE DOOR. I TOLD SALLY NOT TO OPEN THE DOOR AND THAT THERE WAS AN ANIMAL, A FREAK TRYING TO GET IN (CALL ME A PARANOID HUNGARIAN). THEN THERE WAS A CRY OF “IM NOT AN ANIMAL” AND IT WAS JANET, IN HER PJ’S (WHICH DON’T QUITE MEET MUSLIM STANDARDS) STANDING IN THE HALLWAY WITH TWO CRICKETERS NOT KNOWING WHERE TO LOOK. THIS WAS NOW ABOUT 1AM.
AT ABOUT 1.30AM – SALLY HAD A FUR BALL OR IT MAY HAVE BEEN A SUSHI BALL STUCK IN HER THROAT. I HAD TO GET UP AND SLAM HER BETWEEN THE SHOULDERS. OH WHAT A NIGHT!

DAY 3 – SATURDAY – 24HRS TILL RACE!
IT TOOK THREE DAYS BUT FINALLY PAUL AND I FOUND A SMALL BOX OF NESTLE CEREAL IN THE LOCAL 7/11. IT WAS THE FIRST PROPER BREAKFAST SINCE I HAD ARRIVED AND TO BE HONEST I FELT PRETTY GOOD AFTER. YOU COULD IMAGINE THE COMINGS AND GOINGS IN THE ROOM WITH 5 TRIATHLETES TRYING TO PACK THEIR BIKE AND RUN BAGS AND BIKES TO TAKE THEM TO TRANSITION. IT WAS CHAOS. BUT EVENTUALLY (ABOUT MID-MORNING) WE WERE ALL READY TO MAKE OUR WAY TO TRANSITION 1. THE SINGAPORE RACE HAD TWO TRANSITIONS. T1 WHERE WE HAD TO TAKE THE BIKES PRIOR TO THE RACE WAS ABOUT 10KM – OR THE OTHER SIDE OF SINGAPORE – AWAY. SO WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE 5 PEOPLE, 5 BIKES, 15 BAGS OF GEAR AND A LONG WAY TO GO? YOU TRY AND CATCH THE MRT (UNDERGROUND TRAIN). THE NEAREST MRT STATION WAS 1KM AWAY – IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. AFTER WHEELING OUR BIKES AND BAGS THROUGH LITTLE INDIA AND DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE MRT STATION WE WERE PROMPTLY TOLD THAT BIKES ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE MRT. NICE!
SO WHEN YOU CAN’T CATCH A TRAIN, CAN’T GET A CAB, AND CANT THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE – YOU RIDE. PAULS ERGOMO (THAT “CHEAP” POWER METER THINGO) WAS TELLING US IT WAS 40 DEGREES. WE WERE ALL WEARING JUST NORMAL GEAR AND MOST OF US JUST NORMAL SHOES. SO THERE WE WERE RIDING 11KM THROUGH SINGAPORE IN 40 DEGREES 18HRS BEFORE RACE START – I WAS REAL HAPPY AT THIS STAGE!

AFTER PUTTING THE BIKES IN TRANSITION WE DECIDED TO TEST THE WATERS AND SWIM A SMALL SECTION OF THE COURSE. THE WATER WAS LUKE WARM AND SMELT OF DIESEL. THERE WAS DRIFT WOOD AND OTHER INDESCRIBABLE DRIFTIES IN THE WATER THAT REMINDED ME OF SWIMMING IN A CHILDRENS POOL IN MEEKATHARRA.

WE HEADED TO T2 FOR THE PRE-RACE BRIEFING. WE CRAMMED IN TO THE MEETING ROOM AND WENT THROUGH THE INS AND OUTS OF THE RACE. ITS AMAZING WHO YOU SEE AT THESE THINGS. SOME ATHLETES FROM THE EAST COAST AUSTRALIA WERE THERE THAT HAD DONE BUSSO THE YEAR BEFORE AND WERE ON THEIR WAY HOME FROM IRONMAN KOREA – HARD CORE I TELL YOU!

IT WAS ABOUT HERE THAT I STARTED TO GO DOWNHILL. I HAD DRUNK ABOUT 7LITRES OF WATER THAT DAY BUT I STILL FELT WRUNG OUT. BY THE TIME WE WALKED BACK TO OUR HOSTEL I WAS IN NO MOOD FOR FOOD. YOU KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BIG MAN WHEN HE DOESN’T WANT TO EAT AND THAT RIGHT THERE SHOULD HAVE RUNG WARNING BELLS FOR RACE DAY.

SO THE OTHERS WENT OUT FOR DINNER AND I STAYED HOME, SIPPING WATER AND COOLING DOWN. EVERYONE HIT THE HAY REASONABLY EARLY – WITH A 4AM WAKE UP CALL JUST AROUND THE CORNER NO-ONE WANTED A LATE ONE.

BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
BATMAN IS OUT OF BED – 4TH GREAT NIGHT SLEEP IN A ROW – THIS GUY IS HONESTLY A FREAK. EVERYONE IS SPRUNG INTO ACTION – TOILET, DRINK BOTTLES, SWIM GEAR, SUNSCREEN, TOILET – WE ALL KNOW HOW IT GOES BEFORE A RACE.

WE ORGANISED SAM (THE MAXI CAB DRIVER – ONE OF 10 IN SINGAPORE) TO PICK US UP AT 5AM BUT HE IS THERE AT 4.30 READY TO GO. I WENT TO THE TOILET AND I WASN’T FEELING GREAT – I NEARLY GRABBED PAUL TO TELL HIM I WAS OUT BUT I DIDN’T WANT TO TAKE THE FOCUS OF EVERYONES PREP FOR THE RACE.

WE ARRIVED EARLY TO TRANSITION 1 IN THE DARK AND AFTER LINING UP FOR BODY MARKING (THEY USED STAMPS LIKE THE PROS IN THE ITU WORLDS) IT WAS THE USUAL ROUTINE OF PUMPING TYRES, CHECK NUTRITION AND BIKE PERVING. PAUL MADE US COUNT HOW MANY DISC WHEELS AND AERO HELMETS WE PASSED IN THE RACE – ID SAY I PASSED MORE THAN PASSED ME ON THE DAY SO THERE IS TOO MUCH MONEY OUT THERE!

AFTER MY BIKE WAS READY TO ROCK ‘N’ ROLL I SAT DOWN IN A LATHER OF SWEAT – YES THAT’S RIGHT I WAS SWEATING FROM PUMPING UP MY TYRES, I WAS STILL CONTEMPLATING PULLING OUT. THE SINGLE GREATEST FACT THAT KEPT ME IN THE RACE WAS THAT I WASN’T GOING TO ORGANISE TO TAKE MY BIKE BACK THAT 10KM TO THE HOSTEL WHILE THE RACE WAS ON – ID RATHER RIDE 90KM. SO I THOUGHT I WOULD SEE HOW I FELT AFTER THE SWIM.

THE SWIM WAS A BEACH START, WITH A 250M SWIM STRIGHT OUT TO A BOUY, LEFT TURN THEN ABOUT 750M TO ANOTHER BOUY, LEFT TURN, 100M, LEFT TURN AND BACK TO START. I WENT OUT PRETTY EASY BUT HAVING MOVED UP A LANE IN RECENT TIMES I THOUGHT I WAS ON FOR A PB. THAT’S WHEN I SAW SOME LOCALS SWIMMING NEXT TO ME AND OVERTAKING ME DOING BREASTSTROKE. THEY WERE GOOD BREASTSTROKERS! I DIDN’T LET IT GET ME DOWN – I WAS HERE FOR THE EXERCISE NOT TO WIN THE RACE (THAT WAS BATMAN AND PAULS JOB).

FINIALLY I GOT OUT OF DIESEL HARBOUR AND LUCKY DIESEL DOESN’T HAVE A LOW FLASHPOINT CAUSE I WOULD HAVE IGNIGTED. GETTING OUT OF THE WATER HERE IS LIKE GETTING OUT OF A SPA IN A SAUNA.

WELL A QUICK LOOK AT THE WATCH TOLD ME THAT NO RECORDS WERE GOING TO BE BROKEN TODAY SO I WENT INTO THE BIKE LEG WITH THE AIM TO STAY HYDRATED AND IMPLEMENT A GOOD NUTRITION PLAN. IN RETROSPECT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID.

THE BIKE COUSRE WAS A 10KM ONE OFF SECTION TO VIRTUALLY T2 THEN IT WAS 4 LAPS OF 20KM. HALF WAY ALONG THAT 10KM SECTION I SAW SALLY WITH A FLAT TYRE. WHAT ROTTEN LUCK WHEN YOU ARE A CHANCE TO HAVE A GREAT RACE. WHEN I HIT THE FIRST LAP, THE LEAD FEMALES WERE JUST STARTING THEIR SECOND LAP – DESPITE STARTING 10MINS BEHIND THESE WOMEN I WAS A LONG WAY OFF.

SO I THOUGHT I WILL JUST TRY AND PACE THE BIKE AND SEE IF I CAN HOLD OFF BATMAN AND PAUL AND MAYBE CATCH JANET. THERE WERE A FEW OUT AND BACK SECTIONS ON EACH LAP AND I KNEW I WAS GETTING CLOSER TO JANET BUT AT THE SAME TIME BATMAN WAS MOWING ME DOWN LIKE A RICKSHAW DRIVER ON REDBULL.

AT 40KM INTO THE BIKE - EVEN AFTER GOOD NUTIRION AND HYDRATION I HAD MY FIRST ONSLAUGHT OF CRAMPING. NORMALLY I CAN HOLD IT OFF TILL THE RUN BUT TODAY WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL AND OH DID I FEEL IT LATER.

WELL WITH ABOUT 10KM TO GO (FOR BATMAN) HE PASSED ME AND PAUL CAUGHT ME JUST AS HE FINSIHED AND I STARTED MY LAST 20KM LAP. BUT JANET I NEVER CAUGHT – SHE HAD A STELLA BIKE LEG WHICH NO DOUBT WAS ATTRIBUTED BY THE WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM TWO DAYS PRIOR.

ENTER THE PAIN – I MEAN RUN – I CAUGHT JANET WITHIN THE FIRST 4KM AND RAN WITH HER FOR 12KM. SHE WAS STEADY AS A ROCK WHERE I WAS STRUGGLING FROM AID STATION TO AID STATION WITH CRAMPS THAT SEEMED TO LOCK MY LEGS UP IN VICES UNTIL I COULD GET ENOUGH SALT IN.

IT WAS WITH 5KM TO GO THAT I HAD TO LET JANET STREAM AHEAD – I FELT LIKE I WAS IN A WAR AND HAD TO LET THE REST OF THE SQUAD GO AHEAD AND I HAD TO FEND FOR MYSELF WITH THE LIMITED RATIONS I HAD LEFT. JANET THREW ME HER LAST SALT TABLET, THAT LASTED 500M. MY EELCTROLYTE RAN OUT WITH 2KM TO GO. SURLEY I COULD BREAK THROUGH THE PAIN FOR THE LAST 2KM. THE AIR WAS LIKE AN OVEN. IT HAD BEEN SPRINKLING RAIN SO THE HUMIDITY WAS 98% AND THE AIR 34 DEGREES. THE ICE SOAKED SPONGES NO LONGER WERE COOL OR WET JUST AN ANNOYANCE THAT YOU HAD TO CARRY AS EVEN IN THE RACE YOU WERE TOO SCARED TO LITTER.

FINALLY IT CAME TO AN END AND I WAS THE LAST IN OUR GROUP TO FINISH. BATMAN WON OUR AGE GROUP AND CAME 13TH OVERALL. PAUL CAME 5TH, SALLY 4TH, JANET 4TH, ROB 20TH AND ME 39TH.

4 HOURS LATER JANET HAD TO TAKE ME TO THE RAFFLES HOSPITAL IN SINGAPORE. AFTER AN AGONISING 30MINS IN EMERGENCY WAITING, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HEAT EXHAUSTION, TEMP ABOVE 38 AND BLOOD TEST FOUND THAT THERE WAS SOME LEFT IN ME.

AFTER TWO PINTS OF SALINE I HAD TO PASS URINE – THANKS TO JANET FOR HOLDING THE CUP FOR ME. APPARENTLY I OWE HER BIG TIME – I CANT SEE WHAT FOR.

THE NEXT TWO DAYS SAW A FURTHER 12 PINTS OF SALINE INJECTED INTO ME AND A LOT OF ESPN AND HBO MOVIE CHANNELS.

SINCE ARRIVING HOME I HAVE DEVELOPED A CHEST INFECTION, JANET HAS A VIRUS, SALLY A THROAT INFECTION, PAUL DEHYDRATION AND FATIGUE AND BATMAN, WELL BATMAN HAS JUST HAD TO PUT UP WITH FEELING SENSATIONAL AND NOT TRAINING.

SO THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE FROM THIS TRIP IS….

UNLESS YOUR BATMAN DON’T RACE IN SINGAPORE.