the last post

Well folks, this is the last post from this blog, fun as it has been,

For me the Ironman journey has taken me to Taupo twice for two very different results, now, as I prepare for the long distance triathlon world championships in Henderson Nevada, I reflect upon the support I have received from all the wonderful people along the way,so thank you all very much,

My blog will continue, this time from within my own site, so I encourage you to continue to follow the journey, amazing things happen when you dare to dream,

http://nickruane.co.nz/wp/?page_id=6

Changing destinations but the vision remains the same

Well the last couple of months since IMNZ 2011 have been challenging for me, to be not training has actually been harder than to be in training, some mornings I woke up and felt like I had nothing to do and missed training, going to the pool for squad, getting on the bike, going for a run, all the things that make an Ironman programme what it is.

This year for me now has direction, about a month ago, actually on my birthday, (April 27th) I received my confirmation that I was going to Henderson Nevada for the Long Distance Triathlon World Champs in November. TriNZ tell me that I will be the 1st para athlete to go to a LD Worlds so that is a huge honour and I can't wait to go.

My year is also about raising awareness about disability issues within the broader community. I'm starting to work with water safety groups to promote disability awareness in the teaching of learn to swim as this was something I wasn't taught as a child, it's a vital issue that I'm passionate about.

Another issue I'm actively working on is the way disabled candidates are perceived with the workplace and by employment agencies, this is another issue that I am hugely passionate about, using education to help employers and the employment sector make more informed choices about candidates.

My vision has always been to break the barriers in terms of what is expected for disabled people and let each person decide what they want to achieve. All of these projects fit within that vision and I'm proud to be working to achieve them.

In the meantime, bring on Vegas....

the year ahead

Well, I've had three weeks off to relax, eat and drink and soak up the amazing day that was the 6th March, and reflect up how much hard work it took to get there, also how much support I have received from all the people around me to get me there as well, so thank you to everyone who has helped in what ever way to get me to the start-line, my mind was on every one as I went through my Ironman day, I thought about all the support, all the belief I received and knew it was impossible for me not to complete on that day.

This year is a very important year for me, In the next few weeks, by the end of April I will find out whether I get to go to the Ironman World Champs in Kona, Hawaii in October. It is my dream to go, and it will fulfill a life ambition to go, so I am very much waiting for the result on that at the moment.

Right now though is a funny time training wise, as its an in between time, we don't know about Kona so I've just started back into the pool and I haven't started bike / run yet because we don't know what will be required so I'm almost in a holding pattern till the Kona decision, it's a 'watch this space' kinda thing...

Post IMNZ 2011 Report

IMNZ has been ticked off the list, and I'm very glad about that, it was a big target looming on the horizon for a long time, we had been building up to it for 12 months, since the last attempt, no need to go over what happened at IM 2010, and its great to have the pressure of that goal achieve and ticked off the list.

It was a strange feeling to come home after all that pressure had been lifted, half of me wanted to get straight back into the training, while the other half of me on Monday / Tuesday of the post IM week was feeling a bit flat.

The post race week is a weird week, the week before is such a huge week, and there is such a massive release on race day that to feel a bit flat on Monday is natural. Lynley has me on total rest, although I am doing walks when my legs get really in need of a work out.

I know that come April things will start up again, I'm expecting a decision about whether we can go up to Kona this year at that time, and my back up plan is to go to Long Distance World Champs in Vegas if Kona cannot happen, so I will definitely be training through the winter.

I'm making the most of the rest time right now, as I know it will run out sooner or later and the training will be much more intense than last year. In the words of Mike Reilly; "If you think you're training enough for Kona...your not!!"

IMNZ 2011: Run

The run is the last discipline of the Ironman, people say that the Ironman proper starts on the 2nd lap of the run, I can say that that is defiantly true.

My 1st lap was comfortable, I ran probably a little too fast. I listened to a seminar by a coach, Jon Ackland, who said start the run at the speed you plan to finish, so my speed was too fast in reality.

I had amazing support from my team and people I have trained with, people I know through Ironman,people I don't know!!, all throughout the run it seemed that every few metres someone would should out support which was amazing for my personal motivation on the 2nd lap,

Adam decided he would pace me on the 2nd lap, my legs weren't in the best of shape, I was doing more of the walk than run, but I was totally line focused and the line was pulling me in regardless. We had some special moments together in the last 15km of lap 2, moments that neither of us will forget.

Adam left me to finish the last 1km by myself, I ran the last km,he said "you might not remember a thing about the last 5km, but you will remember forever the last 100m"

I remember entering the finish shoot, there was no one there, I had it all to my self, I ran down the shoot, it was dark, there were light and TV camera lights at the end, I ran toward the lights, as I ran toward the light the magical voice of Mike Reilly became clear:

"...Nick Ruane.... You are an IRONMAN..."

IMNZ 2011: Bike

The weather (rain!!!) would prove to be constant during the ride, it only stopped during a 10 min period on lap 1, that's during a 7 hour ride. There was so much water on the road that the wheels on occasions were not making contact with the road but were aqua planing.

On lap 1 I saw an ambulance heading out on the bike course, there were a few accidents and many punctures during the day, thankfully none by myself

My nutrition worked well, it was temperature dependant though, meaning it only worked for 5 hours unless it was chilled, so I used a camel bak bags for both laps, the bag for the 2nd lap was kept on ice till I picked it up.

The volunteers out on course were fantastic, when I had to stop to exchange drink bags, the volunteers couldn't be more helpful, they were all there to help me get away as fast as possible which was great.

My 2nd lap heading out to Reperoa was affected my a headwind, it was slower than the 1st time heading out there, and I was very glad to turn around and receive the tail wing home for the last time for sure with the knowledge that I only had the run to go until I had completed.

When I had completed the Bike I went into T2, at this point I transitioned myself as Adam was on course waiting for me and supporting other athletes. I knew I had plenty of time for the run and wanted to get myself ready to run so I took a few minutes extra in transition.

IMNZ 2011: Swim

This was the biggest race of my life to date for sure, I had all the pressure on my shoulders that I was placing myself to exit the swim plus the expectation of the people present on race day and within the team.

I remember saying to my board paddler, Sarah, that "this was a huge day for me" I was talking about my personal expectation to exit the water, she could sense the tension and partial fear hardened into steely determination.

As the cannon went off we let the main pack go, my strategy was to swim my own race, to not let anyone dictate my swim, my strategy was also to 'dominate' my swim, not to let anything get in the way of completion.

I must have had a good swim as I passed people in the water, "that never happens" When we got to the turn at half way I noticed that Sarah was really starting to put the pressure on on the return trip. She was really increasing the direction and support to encourage me to swim the best swim I could swim on that day.

I turned the can at the end of the course, there was only 200m to go, there were people screaming both on the water and on the beach, when I reached the beach I stood up and at that moment I looked up and saw the timing clock, it said 2:11, I looked to my right and Wayne Reardon was standing there ready to high five me, I had said to him last year that I would be back for that in 2011. What really cemented it for me was Mike Reilly shouting "You will be an Ironman Today"

I met Adam at the water and we ran to T1, that is quite a run up T1 after a 3.8km swim. I am so glad I took the decision to ask him to be with me on that day, he was the perfect person to be there with me as would prove itself later in the run.

T1 went very smoothly, Adam stripped the wetty off and got me ready to ride, the crowd was great on T1, the weather was wet at this stage but the rain would get harder during the day and prove to be a major factor on the bike