After finishing 2nd one year ago at Ironman 70.3 Cebu I returned again this year hoping for some similar success. Things this year were a little different as I was coming off the back of my goal race of the year, ITU Long Distance World Championships whereas last year I was heading towards Worlds. Nevertheless this race was something that I was really looking forward to. After experiencing the race for the first time last year I knew that those racing were in for a treat. This race really is the gold standard when it comes to the insane crowd support which lines every inch of the race course. Add a world-class men’s field into the mix and the race was set to be one to look forward to.
Race day approached and with a deep-water start the race was underway just before 6:30AM. I knew that I had to swim hard to put pressure on the rest of the guys and I led the swim for the first 400 meters. Clayton Fettell moved around me at this point and we both swam hard to get as much of a gap as we could to the rest of the main players. Clayton and I emerged from the swim with just over a 1 minute lead to the chase pack.
I had a fast transition and hit the bike leg in first and immediately set about setting a solid tempo. I was surprised not to see Clayton with me and spent the first 15kms or so out front solo. Soon enough the catch came and I settled into the pack. I tried to stay in the front few riders however there was a lot of shifting of positions going on with everyone trying to stay as close as they could to the front of the pack while still maintaining the 12 meter non drafting zone.
Just after the far bike turnaround point a gap opened up 2 riders in front of me and I tried to get across the gap however just couldn’t bridge up to the leaders. I was forced into the chase group and set about trying to limit the gap to the leaders for the remainder of cycle leg. In the last few kilometres I caught Craig Alexander and after transition I hit the run leg holding down 5th place.
Unfortunately it was at this point where my day really came apart and I suffered some bad stomach cramps. Craig Alexander and Mitch Robbins came past me and I spent the first run lap of two chasing Luke McKenzie and trying to hold off Pete Jacobs. Half way through lap two my stomach was in knots and Pete Jacobs made the pass on me to take over 7th place and put me in 8th which is where I stayed until the finish line.
Ironman 70.3 Cebu was a real disappointment for me performance wise as I know that I am better than the performance I delivered on race day. The race is something very special with the amazing crowd support and top notch organization making this a very fitting place for next years 2016 Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships where I look forward to once again tackling this course.
My next Ironman 70.3 race will be Sunshine Coast which I am very much looking forward to.
