Cairns Ironman

It has been almost two weeks now since I cross the finish line of the first Cairns Ironman along esplanade drive.

All those months of preparations and sacrifices I had to make since January just to make sure I have no excuses for myself not to perform. And I am glad I made the right choice. If having to put up with all of this to break a new PB of 20mins for my bike and overall 4mins for an Ironman, so be it. I will keep doing what ever I am doing and not let it break me.

Cairns is a beautiful place with its nice coastal area, people and awesome coffees.

I didn’t know how much to expect for Cairns as I was also realistic about my Kona chances this year, having moved up to a new age group and being the youngest in it. The one thing I was very sure of was that I needed to break a new PB for myself as what happen to me in Kona, given the short span of time to rest and train after I qualify in Korea, didn’t put me in the best position to enjoy and embrace my very first Ironman World Championships. I had unfinished business.

I had 3 days prior to the race to do all my equipment check and test my gears but the skies decided to come down on us every single time I put on any form of lycra. It was indeed frustrating as I spend most of the days waiting out the rain and storm.

Eventually, I only managed to do a short run on Thursday and a short ride on Friday before the bike check-in on Saturday. Without any swim, I had no idea what to expect but just hearsay from other fellow competitor that the water were calm.

The short run on Thursday helped calm me down a little as I know that my legs were good and I should have no problem with my shoe.

I could not say so for the short ride on Friday. Equipment wise I choose to use my F6R over my F9R generously sponsored by ENTRO Cycles taking into consideration the slight undulation and wind conditions that I will be riding along the coastal road of Port Douglas.

Traffic was live as due to the rain, I had missed the road closure window in the morning for athletes to ride so huge trucks and speeding cars were very much real. Just barely a few kilometers onto the Captain Cook Highway, I had to make a turn back to the hotel with Alan as I could not take the close proximity the trucks were driving alongside and the air turbulence they were stirring. It was really intimidating as the trucks in Cairns were all way bigger than the one in Singapore!!!

Not being able to do a complete ride left me clueless about how my legs will be on Sunday.

I guess I just have to relax and that everything will turn out just fine on race day.

Without wanting to stress myself out too much with the pre-race tension, decided to sleep in later on Saturday just in time to have breakfast and check in my bike at T2.

It was like the calm before the storm I guess as I spend much of the day relaxing at all the neighboring café’s, trying out all the different types of coffee with my partner in crime, Alan, before we started looking a right place for dinner. I went straight back to hotel for an early night right after that.

With one big stretch and one big yawn, I jumped out of bed. I never felt this fresh, I never felt this good before an ironman. I had a perfect and undisturbed sleep and I can already feel it was going to be a good day.

Alan and I packed up out street gear and headed down to the race start at 0530hrs. He’s racing his very first triathlon and already a 70.3! I have seen him on a good day and he can be really fast!! Huge potential from him

It’s nice going to a race with someone who is not stranger to you, their presence seems to help.

Swim start was as hectic as ever just like in every race. Ironman Cairns was unique in its way as it was a water start. Strong swimmers prefer starts like that as it gives them the confidence and edge over the average swimmers. The only downside of a water start is that you will first need to get on the pontoon via a narrow bridge, which acts like a choke point and cause some major human traffic delays and late starts for the competitor.

Off the sound of the horn and I frantically throw my arms as fast as possible to try and get into a good position and group for the swim. The murky water condition did not make it a fantastic swim for me. Visibility was low and I could not see past my elbow. Yes, it was that bad. I eventually make it out of the swim at 1.17hrs. Not the time I was expecting but the race was still long. I know I can and need to make up time on the bike.

It was a long run to the transition area, as we had to cover the full stretch of the jetty approximately 300m. The pebbles on the road made it really painful to run and I was really concern I may injure my foot again just like the stupid lump which plagued me just before Aviva. Thankfully, everything went well and I managed to slip on my bike shoe to run from the changing tent to the bike depot.

Had a smooth sequence picking up my bike and gears and I wasn’t as frantic by this point. I knew the bike would be strongest leg. All I needed to do was to do what I do best, love riding my Argon bike! As the saying goes, plan your race and race your plan!

One by one as I overtook the faster swimmers, I was feeling even more confident in my ability. One look down on my right wrist was all I needed as I continue to power down with every stroke of the pedal. On the first u-turn point at Port Douglas, I spotted Adrian and tried to Gauge his distance from mine. It was not as much as I expected, it was either Adrian was easing off the pace or I was going much better on the bike this time round compared to Korea.

By the final u turn point, I knew I could and should not hold back, I needed to give myself a good ride rather than finish the race not giving anything at all. By this time I was climbing the Infamous the 4th time back, it was a brutal 900m climb with a max gradient of 11%. I ate a bar and fill myself up with all the nutrition I will need for the run later on. I was so dialed into my position and wouldn’t swap my beloved Argon E116 for any other bike; I actually ate a bar while climbing and overtook the other competitor on the climb with me at that point of time. This is indeed turning out to be a good ride compared to the murky swim start!

30km soon turned into 10km and before I knew it, I was jumping off my bike and into T2 to change into my favorite pair of Newton Running shoes proudly sponsored by Key Power International. Thank you Robert, Joey and Raymond for making it happen for me!!!

Just like any ironman race where if you give too much on one leg, the following leg will have to pay for it. The initial 23km of my 42km run went pretty well for me as I always enjoyed running from one point to another, I clocked in a time of 2hrs 10mins. My form was good and I had a steady rhythm running through the scorching cane fields. Having been accustomed to running in such heat, I saw many other competitor resort to walking, boosting my confidence even more.

With 19km more to go, it was than at this point where the fatigue begins to take its toll on me. I reach out into my pocket to grab my secret stash of electrolyte gums only to find my 300calories worth of nutrition transformed into a lump of sour-smelling goo. It had melted in my pocket under the heat of the day. I was more concern about having an upset tummy after consuming it for the remaining of the run and decided to throw it away.

With no more nutrition left, I resorted to the remaining cokes left at the aids station for whatever calories I may be able to consume. On my way to the final three loops I needed to do along esplanade drive, my trusted supporter Alan appeared and shouted and cheered me on. It gave me the assurance that the day was all coming to an end soon as long as I pressed on hard. My legs were giving way as my left thigh was retarded in keeping up with my right. Still, it was never an option for me to quit or start walking. One stride at a time, I travel and move with my arm swing in sync with the motion.

 I crossed the line at 11:21:00. It was not good enough for a Kona slot this time round but I broke my previous record of 11:25:07. An extra sweet consolation this time round for me would also be my bike timing of 5hrs 35mins. I may not necessary have the best run this time round but and I won’t make up excuses why it didn’t work out for me. Rather, I am already looking into besting myself even more for the next race and how I am going to do it. I went through crap and back again for this and I am proud of my achievement as a woman.

I would recommend anybody who is looking to take on a beautiful bike course Ironman to race Ironman Cairns. The course overall was great, people were all very helpful and friendly and most of all, the food here are awesome!!!

For everybody who made it happen, thank you all. I couldn’t have had a better race than this.

Aviva 70.3

I return from the Aviva 70.3 with so much more returns. Much more than I can possibly imagine.

I have mixed emotions as to how my race went. As this year I am no longer racing for myself but rather, I am racing for a foundation that I very much support. They are a non-profit charity organisation who raises funds for children with clef lips called Operation Smile. I have the responsibility of racing for a good cause and to me, which is a very important factor why I should be racing. I did not manage to accomplish my goal of setting a new women’s course record in breaking the 5hours mark. I prepared and did everything I physically could for it but that’s the beauty of triathlon. You can never be totally prepared and sure of what is going to happen. I am still a student of the sports. And I am humbled by this very experience.

On a lighter note, I did however break my previous course record, aviva 70.3, of 5.08hrs and came in 5.07hrs. Ran a personal best for a 70.3 at 1.50hrs. So I guess the record is still mine and remains unchanged as the fastest local female for now. The weeks pertaining to Aviva were extremely stressful. I am not a professional athlete so I need a day job to pay the bills. I do not seek this as an excuse as we all are the choices we make in life.

I guessed the most disturbing part was that I develop a lump just next to my previous accident operation scar, under my right foot 4 weeks before Aviva and it affected both my rides and runs a lot. The lump had a growth inside and hurts very badly whenever I churns the pedals harder, affected my running form as I am unable to take much impact and pounding on my foot, and I grew increasingly frustrated at it.

Multiple visits to different doctors, x-rays with no results and doctors who misdiagnosed the lump and asked me to go under the knife. So many different opinion and conclusion but the one thing that was affirmative across the doctors was that racing was definitely not possible for me.

Miracles do happen to people who believe in it. And it happened to me.

Just a week to go before Aviva, the lump had some secretions coming out from it. I got Alan to make a puncture with a sterilized needle as we attempt to squeeze out all the pluse. Countless painfuls tries later, we more or less got everything out. The sigh of relieve I had was indescribable as I felt immediate relieve and assurance that everything was going to be okay and racing was once again the top of my agenda. Four weeks having to deal with the lump, I must admit it was draining to keep up with a positive mind at time and hiding it from everyone else so as not to show any sign of weakness. I did everything within my abilities to salvage what I could do in the final week.

Race day came and all my close friends came by to support me. I managed to find a quiet spot for some tranquility to do my pre race rituals and final preparations. Everything looks set in place.

The sound of the horn went and I soon plunge myself into the human washing machine just like any other triathlon races. I got hit on my arm from a few other swimmers but to be fair, I too gave a couple of blows back to fight for my rightful position. Thoughts were running through my mind as to how I should execute my race plans, it was probably for this slight moment of thinking did I dropped a few positions back. I let a few swimmers pass by me taking into consideration that the race is still long ahead and that I could easily make up the few positions on the bike. That decision proved costly.

I went into transition 1 hoping to be able to make up time on my bike. As I ran across the wooden walkway, I slipped and flung myself backwards. Landing my right ankle in an awkward angle, I stood up and realised immediately that something was not in place. My shin felt sore all the way down to my ankle as I pick up my bike in a hop-jog manner out of transitions and back onto the race course.

A million thoughts went through my mind and my legs definitely did not felt good. I could barely push down hard on the pedals and it really did play with my mind, ever more than I could imagine. I was definitely in a position that I was not used to. I held back for the first 30km and by the time I realised it and going into my 2nd lap, I was already too far back on my target. I could not let this happen, I needed to press on to make up whatever time I could, as much as possible. It’s not just me I am racing for, it for all the children of Operation Smile. The bike course was a fairly technical one with a couple of sharp and slippery turns and a ramp midway into the course. I could work in a group with the boys but I would lose time everytime we hit the turns. Eventually when I came back into transition 2, I did a below par timing in my opinion and once again, it played in my mind. 

All my supporters were shouting and cheering me to press on along the run course. It was because of them, it spurred me to press on even harder for the run. I needed to put up a good fight and show for them even if the odd of breaking the sub 5 was stacked against me. First and second lap went pretty well as the course was still fairly clear and I ran in a good tempo. The final lap was a lot messier as the majority of the age grouper started their run with the less experienced one running all over the place and deviating from their line. At the last water point, I had to really shout and shove just to fight for my drink as the water station was crowded with the weather taking its toll on all the competitors out on the course. I could barely remember who I passed and what I did; only crossing the finish line matter now.

I raised my hands to salute all my friends and supporter and had Alan already waiting for me at the finishing line with my recovery drink. I could barely stand when I crossed the line, this had really been a emotional race for me with so many moments and happening.

I must say I was disappointed in not making a podium place but I was still consolidated with the title of first Singapore Women’s finisher and still being able to break the last year course record by a minute. With all due respect to the top 3 ladies, it would have been even sweeter if one Singaporean Woman could have been represented on the podium for my age group and also as a representative of Operation Smile. Triathlon will always be a part of me and I dedicate my love towards it. This race has been truly humbling for me having dominated the previous age group for 3 years. I now seek a even bigger challenge to put myself up there in the bigger and much more experience league in the 25-29 age group as a true competitor and I am already looking forward to the next edition of the Aviva 70.3 Singapore. I am fuelled to want to perfect myself to strive better.

Congratulation to all aviva 70.3 2012 finisher and of cost to a good friend whom i got to know for my KONA ironman 2011 experience,

李筱瑜, being the fastest female age group of the day.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a special thanks the following people and sponsors for beliving in me unconditionally. They are:

Entro cycle for all my biking necessities.

Key power for my 2XU race suit and newton racer.

Last but not least Alan. Thank you. ☺

Journey to my world championship part 3

Race day is here

8th of October is my calling. The most anticipated day in the whole year for me.

Woke up at 0400hrs and munched on my cereal. Taste was bland and the restless night of tossing and turning didn’t help to the start of my day.

I was really lucky to have found a parking lot close to the race site despite all the hectic of a World Championship.

Got all my equipment’s out of my red truck and set off to the transition area.

Tires checked, chain checked, bike checked, swim and running gears checked. Last but not least, body marking checked. I am looking good so far.

Checked in my baggage at 0615hrs and it was a long wait up to 0635hrs before I was permitted to head into the water along Kailua Pier for my warm-up.

The swim start of the Ironman World Championships is like a bike washing machine. Nervous, intense and physical made me feel as if the clock has come to a standstill and that the moment would never pass.

Than it came, the traditional ‘boom’ from the cannon sounds off the start of the swim start.

It was chaotic during the initial swim, I felt it was only sensible for me to find a decent pack and follow them throughout the swim rather than risking myself out at the front and tiring myself out in such conditions.

It was really physical; up to a point where I did not dare to look up for sightings and just follow the pack to the PowerBar buoy, which signals the u turning point.

The u-turn was just as hectic as GSS when there is a 70%off sign. Pushing and pulling were all part and parcel. Nobody wanted to waste energy taking a larger turn around the buoy, thus creating a rubber band effect.

I’m lucky enough to spot another swimmer in a full skin-fit suit among all the chaos and tagged on to him for the remaining of the swim. We distanced ourselves from the initial pack and haul ourselves back to shore. I came out of the water with a timing of 1.13hrs.

Being the youngest age group, our transition area was furthest away from the bike out area. That would also mean that we would have to run the furthest within the transition area.

T1 went smoothly and it was time for the bike leg.

The first 10km was really harsh on my body. I was trying to ride into a rhythm with my legs and my lungs having to adapt to the sudden change of breathing.

It was all thanks to the wonderful volunteers and fans along the Alii drive that created such a great race atmosphere and ambience to get me through the 10km.

There was a slight incline before the Queen K highway but that didn’t deter me. I was soon riding into a good rhythm and was flying. Nutrition and hydration was good. The road conditions were relatively flat apart from the occasional gust of wind. The 50km of riding felt really good. This was one of those special moments where I couldn’t believe I was riding alongside of the famous lava field.

My special moments were however, short-lived.

The kilometer after the 50km mark could not be described better than the word unrelenting.

Wind conditions were erratic and coming at me fast and hard. Wind coming from all direction but never from my personal favorite, the tailwind. It was just crazy to be riding in such a condition.

The single file pace line that we had form cycling was now oscillated across the very wide and vast road here in Kona, Hawaii.

Having come across a near fatal accident in my life, I was more concern about crashing down on the road than finishing the race at the point of time. All I could recall was gripping as hard as I could on my aerobars and prayed for the best.

As if Mother Nature was playing a trick on me, she decided to bring the wind conditions a couple notch higher for the next 16km, on a slight incline and just before the U-turn point.

Going at 19km/h, there weren’t any riders passing me. It somehow actually seems normal to be riding like this.

I told myself that such difficult wind conditions would not last and was sure that after the u-turning point there would be tailwind for me. Sounds very logical if you are someone who has spent countless hours out on the road riding and understand how wind conditions will help you save energy.

I was wrong.

There was no slightest change in the wind conditions at all. Not even on the downhill stretch. It was relentless.

It was only around the 120km mark when I returned back onto the Queen K highway did the wind subsided barely.

Up to this point, there were damages done to my body to a certain extent.

As I was not able at any point of time during those insane windy moments lift my hands off my aerobars, my hydration and nutrition plan was ruin. My initial goal of clocking a sub 6hrs ride was now seems not achievable.

It was damage control from now on. I need to make some changes to my game plan.

I pressed on hard for the next 50km before easing off on the last 10km stretch of the bike leg to save some juice for my run.

I completed the bike leg in 6hrs 3mins. 3mins off my initial target.

The wind conditions really took a lot out of my body. I was aching all over. I was really caught off guard by such conditions, as I never once knew.

I calmed myself down at T2. Took my time to get my gears in place and told myself to get over what I just went through and focus on what is ahead and coming for me.

I needed to prioritize finishing the race with a respectable timing over my personal ambition of setting a PB this time round. The race is very spiritual to the locals here and I too had the same believes as them. The race must be respected.

The initial 8km on the run was just as difficult for me during the first 10km on the bike. Having a nutrition plan that didn’t really worked out as a plan, didn’t help the situation.

All I could do was to take in as much hydration and nutrition that I brought along without over-doing it. And hope for the best.

Feeling better, I set myself a steady pace to make up for lost time.

After 10km of nice steady tempo, and approximately 2 stations before the turn into the infamous Energy Lab, my left leg began to crack under pressure.

I was in pain at the area of my broken femur and I had to stop and stretch just for it to ease off to a point where my legs could be walk-able.

What started off as a brisk walk within 1mins had slowly evolved into a jog and by the 20km mark I was back into a running rhythm.

A left turn, on the road and I was ready to tackle the infamous stretch along the Energy Lab. It was really hot and gruesome to be running in such conditions.

It was a low point for me in my run and if it was not for the motivational points and markers, my morale would sure to have been low.

Nothing felt more comforting and assuring than seeing your special needs tent, after having gone through what I had covered over the last 9hours or so.

I was so looking forward since the start of my run to my bag of gummy bears.

I could not take in any more gels at this stage of my race, as I have grown so sick of the taste. I was solely depending on coke as my primary source of fuel.

If some were to say I am stubborn with my approach to racing, so were my left leg injuries.

My legs felt worst after the energy lab.

I followed the formula, which worked very well previously that is to stretch, walk, and jog and than finally breaking into a run.

I managed to get into a tempo race pace and found myself running along with a group of 4 other runners.

We weren’t talking to each other about how our race has been so far.

It was the synergy and energy that we all felt bonded and obliged to make it to the finish line. We all worked well together pacing and having each other company up to the 40km mark.

I was feeling much better and decided to pull myself away from the group on the last 2km. I somehow felt a certain familiar pain creeping up into my body soon enough.

The final 1km was like liberation for all the pain that I have gone through and put up with. Those pains that I have grown so accustomed and familiar to during this race were just of non-existence now. It was a feeling of ten thousand volts of electricity flowing through your veins. Pride, fulfillment and the world greatest sense of accomplishment were just some of the emotions. I simply felt out of this world.

I reached out for my country’s flag, which I have been carrying all this while in my Spi-belt, and crossed the finish line in rapture. The feeing was insanely out of this world.

I was greeted and ushered by two volunteers, and was awarded with my extremely oversized and hard earned finisher medal. It was really the size of pancake!

The experience at the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii was just simple breath taking and out of this world. Every single finisher is treated just as if they were a World Champion themselves. Simply awesome.

Knowing I have just made history and broken a National Record in Singapore. I am in a world of my own.

Weeks after the World Championships, looking back at all experiences that I have gone through and put up with. All the wonderful people whom I have met. People who have help or advised me to be a better athlete myself. The strict discipline I had to go through. The bare minimum of social life that I had to limit myself to. The no-late night life-style that friends around my age are all living in. The sacrifices that I had to make. The insanely limited 24hours in a day that I have to work around my schedule. The constipating weather that I sometimes have to put up with during training sessions. Everything that I may or have given up and to put up with all the pain and suffering that lasted the 11hrs and 40mins.

It is not something that in the public eyes, normal people deemed as normal. Having broke your leg in a near fatal accident. Coming back to win races again and qualify for the World Championships.

It is with all this difficult time comes these opportunities for me to come back stronger and better.

Everything happens for a reason.

I would like to give a tribute to the people who have made all this possible for me. If it was not for them, my Ironman dream will still be just a dream.

My Family- For always believing in me and supporting in what I myself believed in. And never giving up on me, ever. Thank you all very much.

My BFF’s- You girls have been fantastic. You girls being in heels and me in sports shoes, I bet you probably understand only half the stuff I share and rant to you about but yet you never fail to spare a listening ear. It does help me think out of the box sometimes. Thank you so very much for sticking around.

My training buddies- For putting up with my erratic schedule and demanding training sessions at time. I am just glad I have all your company to pull me through each and everyone of those sessions. It makes training a breeze with you guys.

Entro Cycles- For choosing and believing in me to use your brand, Argon18. And for the flawless FFWD F6R wheelset that has travelled with me through hell and back on the bike. Thank you so much for your support and faith in me.

Key Power International- For having me as your Newton running shoes and 2XU triathlon series ambassador. Always accommodating to my last minutes changes and request. Thank you so very much for facilitating all my gears.

All the friends I have come to know in my life. The kind words and great support from all of you, and believing in me. Your beliefs acted as prayers to me, to move another inch further during my stint, racing in Kona. Thank you all so very much.

Journey to my world championship part 2

My season for 2011 started January after the New Year celebration. I signed up for china ironman and Aviva 70.3. My main goal was to try to qualify for Kona world championship before I go into the next age group, 25-29. I drew out my training plans and followed according to it. I had no coach. Just simple routines everyday and progressively increasing my mileage for the endurance weekends.

12 weeks into training, it was Aviva already. I’m already clocking 120km on bike, running 25km and swimming up to 3.5km on most weekends. Aviva was schedule as a time trial towards my china ironman. Turned out, not only did I shaved off 15mins from my 70.3 PB, I was ranked 1st as local female overall. Sweet victory!!! The finishing line was awesome, i was greeted by a few of my best buddies who had been there for me during the recovery of my accident. This meant so much for us and i did it for the team.

A few weeks after aviva, china ironman got cancelled and I was given Korean ironman slot which was 4 weeks later of china ironman date. I managed to schedule an OD distance on the date for china ironman for a time trial to peak my training. It was fun to do some short distance again. I came in 1st overall and got myself a getaway weekend in malaysia. :)

After the OD weekend, I had 2 weeks of good training and 2 weeks of tapering. I am super nervous and excited in becoming an ironman finisher. FINALLY!!! With a couple of my training buddies, we headed to Korea.

The race week was crazy. It was raining a lot in jeju. i only managed to go for a easy ride, run and swim on the race course 2 days before the race. I remembered i only managed to sleep 4 hours the night before the race. @@ Stress!!!

On the race day, lucky things turned out fine. I was able to race hard for that day. I have not run any marathon for the past 3 years, was actually very nervous about the run. In the end, I managed to win my age group and ran a 4.07 marathon. Total time11.25hours!!!
With that, I won a slot to KONA world championship 2011… :)

I had a week holiday in Korea, Seoul, after the ironman race. It was a well deserved break after 7 months of hard training for my first ironman. Back in Singapore, I took an extra break of 2 weeks before going in my Kona training.

Here we go again!!!

To be continue...

Journey to my world championship part 1

2 years ago, just 3 weeks away from 70.3 world champion, I got hit by a car while cycling alone. I broke my left femur bone, right ankle, tore ligament on my right knee, fracture my tail bone and because of my helmet, I managed to only have a small blood clot in my brain. Initially, I was totally demoralized. Doctors telling me there’s no way I can run with the damaged ankle and knee I got. I had the hardest 3 months of my life.

I remembered on the 3 months review, the doctor gave me a green light to start swimming. So I started swimming 6 days a week while I’m still on crutches. I actually signed up for kapas swimathon just 6 weeks into coming back of swimming. I trained very hard for it. I can’t bike or run, so I just swam everyday.

There comes the 6 month review and the doctor allowed me to start walking again. That was a week before I headed up to kapas for the swimathon. So I was pretty glad I did not need to bring my crutches along for the competition. I did very well and came back 10th in position. I was so proud myself.

The moment I got back to Singapore, I signed up for Philippines 70.3. I had 4 months to train for the 70.3 and I actually only just started to walk. Deep down, the 70.3 world championship is still an unfinished business for me. For the start, I did a lot of cycling and swimming. Most of my cycling sessions was done at home. All I did was just easy spinning, progressively to make my body use to long distance cycling again. There wasn’t any running for the first 6 weeks.

But the time when I was back 3 weeks cycling on the road, I started jogging again. Very short sessions like 3x10mins and slowly going up into 45mins run. I only managed to do till 16km just before the Philippines 70.3. I was going into Philippines not knowing whether I would be able to finish it.

Thank god, the swim and bike turned out well and I jogged my way to the finish line. Finishing at a time of 5.40hours and winning my group age. Well, it was a very hot day and the girls in my age group were walking. I managed to secure a slot to the 70.3 world championship which I'm supposed to go a year ago.

I went on and completed the race in 5.20hours. In the end, it took me an extra year to complete this race. it was the best experience of my life racing in the world championship. I took a break of 6 weeks after the world championship and started my 2011 season on an ironman mission.

To be continue…