LUKE WHITMORE "Professional Triathlete"
2009, Port Macquarie Ironman -2nd (25-29)
(14th overall 8:58)
The 5th of April 09, what a day it was for me in Port Mac. It was my sixth Ironman and fourth in Port Macquarie. I approached the day and the previous three months training with a quiet confidence but complete respect for the distance and my opposition. I my time of 9:16 from last year was not going to be competitive enough to win back to back 25-29 Australian Championships, coming up against David Clark (x AIS athlete) and Ben Orr who was ageing up from 18-24.
In the days before the race North Coast of NSW was belted with rain causing severe flooding just up the road in Coffs Harbour. The hastings river (swim course) was not its usual sky blue colour, instead and mirky, dirty brown colour. Transition resembled a boggy marsh and the already dead surfaced roads were wet, covered in crap and littered with pot holes. Making the hilly bike course even more challenging.
I started the day with a pb in the 3.8km swim, swimming 53.25. I was excited with this time as I felt I had swam slower and not pushed hard enough at the end of the swim. Building on the confidence gained from this swim I set a great tempo on the first lap of the bike, making time up on the lead group of age groupers and feeling quite strong. However at the start of the second lap I developed tightness in my right hamstring and new I would need to back of the pace. I backed of for about 10km got in some food, salt and drink and set about setting a steady tempo for the remaining to laps.
I got of my bike with a time of 5:09 and a combined swim/bike time of 6:05, 3 minutes quicker than last year. This got me incredibly excited as I knew I was in the best running form of my life and set about picking of the twenty something age groupers in front of me. By the end of lap 1 I was into the top 10 and steadily reeling in the rest. I finished with the fourth fastest run time overall, the quickest age group run split and caught all but two other age groupers (one of them also in my age group). I felt immense satisfaction crossing the finish line in 8:58 and will now enjoy the next two weeks reflecting on an incredibly successful season.
After a successful day personally I then had the pleasure of supporting my wife, friends and three of the athletes I coach achieve their goals. I was still dressed in my comfy degani race uniform at midnight having watched my old man finish his first Ironman in 16:22 a monster effort (considering he was riding his bike for 8:30 straight!).
A sincere thank-you goes out to all those who have contributed to my success this season.
Ryders Sunglasses Thanks Neville for giving me a new pair of amber lenses the day before the race, they made negotiating the rain and pot holes much easier on the bike course.
Saucony I absolutely love my paramount training shoes and the fast twitch racing flats were extremely light , yet supportive helping me to run the fourth quickest marathon of the day.
Winners Bars Provided some great nutrition for the bike course.
Degani Café Bakery My cycling and race uniform have been extremely comfortable and look great and made training and racing a easy with out concern of chaffing and saddle sores. Also providing me a beautiful new Guerciotti road bike has made many of my training kilometers an absolute pleasure.
DTR Sports Management Without Dans support and confidence in me, I would not have known where to begin to develop relationships with my fantastic sponsors. He also lent me his Zipp 808 wheels, which where a pleasure to ride.
Eric Hansen Continues to challenge me in training and racing to aspire to things I thought not possible and ensures me I still have plenty of room for improvement.
Tarryn My beautiful wife and training partner, without her support and shared passion for triathlon and in-particular Ironman I would not have been able to achieve that long term goal of breaking 9 hours.