Roger Canham competed in the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii
for the 7th time.
327. Roger Canham.... 1:11:47.... 5:26:53.... 3:21:26.. =..10:00:06.... Age Group 7th.
swim 2.4 miles in the Pacific Ocean.
bike 112 miles - out and back.
run 26.2 miles.
Temperature 89oF
Roger's Report is here:
"I arrived on the Big Island 10 days before race day to give myself
sufficient time to acclimatise and adjust to the 11 hour time
difference. In recent weeks stories of an unusually stormy weather
system had been common place with frequent typhoon conditions and
exceptionally hot weather. Madame Pele was clearly planning a real
treat for the athletes visiting the island this year.
It was great to be back at Kona and I quickly slipped into the daily
rhythm of swimming on the course each day followed by breakfast with
friends old and new. It’s great to have time to hang out with like-
minded athletes and exchange stories from the season just coming to a
close and speculate on who would win the 2015 edition of the Big Dance.
As race day approaches you can sense the daily ratcheting up of energy
levels to the point that by Thursday I stayed away from race ground
zero and the near hysteria surrounding it. I felt surprisingly calm
which in a way was a little disconcerting; a little nervous
anticipation is usually a good thing.
The weather forecast see-sawed all week and you could usually find one
that suited your preference. Race morning I walked down to the pier
observing little movement in the palm trees but waves that were a
little noisier than I would have liked. My pre-race routine is well
practised and I was quickly through the melee of athletes checking and
rechecking their bikes in transition. An almost irrational paranoia
descends on athletes as they try to settle their nerves and reassure
themselves the bike is indeed as they left it and will, as usual, make
it round the 112 mile course.
The Kona swim is undoubtedly the toughest one on the circuit. It's a
non-wetsuit slightly long 2.4 miles, the conditions are invariably
choppy and you have 2000 A type individuals determined to use their
physical attributes to get round, under or over you to make forward
progress. Even before the cannon has fired the front line is edging
forwards in an attempt to get the smallest of advantages. I slotted in
a couple of rows back but nevertheless when the gun fired it was a
melee of elbows and feet coming from every direction. I held my line
and as we progressed the feet started to melt away but there was still
the occasional elbow to wrestle with. I made the turn in reasonable
time but the prevailing current made the return leg a much more
workmanlike effort. I glanced up at the clock as I climbed onto the
pier, registered the mediocre time split and then refocused on a smooth
T1.
The first 6 miles is a hilly loop in Kailua Kona before heading out on
the Queen K highway out to Hawi and back. Many athletes cannot resist
the urge to get out of the saddle and hammer round the short circuit as
the supporters whip them up before they lose sight of them heading down
the Queen K. The first section is nearly always with a tail wind, and
feeling fresh, the speed is close to 25mph for the first 31 miles. By
the time I reached Kawaihae, I was really starting to feel the heat but
had enthusiastically started to believe this was one of the fast years
and I might get close to the elusive 5 hour bike split. I ground my way
up to Hawi only to be met at the turn by warm rain. This wasn’t a
significant issue but by the time others came through it had become a
tropical storm, such is the fickleness of the weather on the island. On
the way back to Kawaihae the temperature continued to rise inexorably
and I had to switch to riding on heart rate alone to ensure I
controlled my core temperature; power output and absolute speed were
now very secondary considerations. As I made the turn onto the Queen K
the head wind and temperature continued to pick up, the last 25 miles
quickly being reduced to just a hard slog as I ticked off the land
marks and made little progress through the field.
I staggered off my bike as I hit the dismount line and hobbled round
the pier and into the transition tent. I felt pretty hot and bothered
and not at all optimistic that I had acquitted myself well up to this
point, it was just hard work. I took some time to collect my thoughts
and press the reset button. It was clear my core temperature was not in
a good place and I would need to manage it down over the first few
miles to ensure I didn’t blow up.
I ran out onto the course with the sole focus being to get to the first
aid station to grab some cold water and coke. I hit the first aid
station at the 2 mile mark and walked through to carefully take all I
needed to freshen myself up. That didn’t work, within 100m I was hot
again and feeling drained. I usually enjoy the run down to the
turnaround at St Peter’s Church on Alii Drive but not today, I just
couldn’t find any rhythm. I worked hard to keep my heart rate below 160
bpm and get back running after each aid station walk. The mile markers
came and went but with little fanfare as I slogged along Alii Drive,
impervious to the huge energy being put out by the crowds.
I braced myself for the sharp ascent up Palani, shuffling my way up to
the aid station and a welcome excuse to walk again and take in more
fluids. Left onto the Queen K and a strange sort of release from the
intensity of the crowds in town. This is normally the hardest part of
the marathon, 8 miles of tarmac and little else to the Energy Lab. This
is where it is easy to lose it, faced with the brutal conditions and
the reality that despite feeling spent, you are not yet half way
through the run. It was later reported that the temperature on the
black top was close to 120oC. I had no notion of where I was placed in
the race so forward motion was not driven by a wish to be competitive
but a focus simply in the moment, step by step. The Energy Lab came
surprising quickly and with it a little cloud cover. Whether it is the
fact that a chunk of the run was now done or the cooler conditions but
I felt a positive lift in spirits, although not pace. I found myself
for the first time scanning the bibs of athletes coming back the other
way and it quickly became apparent that actually, in my age group,
there weren’t many. Back up onto the Queen K and a fellow competitor
told me I was probably in the mix for the top 10. Clearly I was having
a bad day but others were having a worse one. Only now did I start to
race, ensuring I kept fuelling and maintaining what was transpiring to
be a competitive pace and, I was starting to enjoy it despite 9 hours
of racing in my legs!
I pushed to the line, passing a couple of guys in the last mile which
was two edged; two places higher but one mile smashing out any life
left in my legs to ensure I wasn’t repassed. Down the finishing chute
to the voice of Mike Riley calling out ‘you are an Ironman’; you can’t
buy that. Almost as soon as you cross the line it’s like taking the
cork out of a bottle of emotion. It’s ok to start feeling again, both
your body and soul.
72 hours later I am still smiling, thrilled with the result that seemed
so unlikely at almost every point of the race. It really never is over
until it’s over, ironman is unique in that respect and the Big Island
doubly so. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to race on Kona and
never take it for granted, it’s very special."
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