SECTION HEADING
JUNE 23
SWISSMAN EXTREME IRON DISTANCE
TRIATHLON IN SWITZERLAND
3.8KM SWIM / 180KM BIKE / 42.2KM RUN
Six days to recover from Celtman... what was I thinking? The course
at Switzerland was equally as brutal as the race in Scotland, but
different brutal! The relatively balmy eighteen degree point to
point swim was easy enough. The bike was altogether different.
Three major climbs that saw us complete more than 4000 metres
in total of climbing on the bike. The marathon was equally
ridiculous; finishing at 2050 metres, with 1500 metres of altitude
gain for the marathon. A 5000 metre day of climbing is not easy on
fresh legs, yet alone on old decrepit legs that have just completed
an eighteen hour event the weekend prior. But that’s what I signed
up for right?
No use complaining then, suck it up and get on with it hey?
Which is exactly what I, along with my compulsory support person
in Robert Boyd did. Don’t ask me how, but I felt amazing on the
swim, got through the first two climbs on the bike, before I blew
to smithereens on the third climb, then totally had nothing for the
entire marathon, which, while brutal in its never ending climbs
and descents, was merely teasing you for its epic finality; the valley
town of Grindelwald the real ‘pain-train’ began.
The final nine kilometres to the finish line at the ski resort of
Kleine Scheidegg, saw an altitude gain of over a thousand metres;
insane and totally unheard of in any other triathlon around the
world. It was brutality at its worst best! In the end we got there, but
man I went through a world of hurt.
5000 METRES OF CLIMBING
- NOT FOR THE FAINT
HEARTED
JULY 1
CHALLENGE ROTH IRON DISTANCE
EVENT IN GERMANY
3.8KM SWIM / 180KM BIKE / 42.2KM RUN
My biggest fear in conquering this three race challenge was
getting sick or injured. I escaped the injury part but sickness
descended upon me two days after Swissman. For four days I was
bedridden. The fifth day I was well enough to register for Roth.
The next day I toed the start line with the other 3050 participants.
Fifteen hours was the cutoff for Roth. Sure I had my doubts. What
sane person wouldn’t? But once again, as soon as I started the
swim, I knew my body and mind were up for the challenge of a
third Iron distance event in fourteen days. I simply felt in control
and strong for all three legs for the twelve hours and forty two
minutes that I was out there racing.
Roth is a much quicker course, conditions were ideal except for
the strong winds on the bike, but I was still amazed I could do that
time with the past two events still in my legs. It was my quickest
time over the Iron distance in five years and nine past Iron distance
events. Go figure...
Each of the three triathlons had their own positive merits.
Without a doubt I have no hesitation in saying get out there and
experience them. The two extreme triathlons will test you like you
have never been tested before, both mentally and physically. The
stunning scenery is worth the entry fee alone. Whilst Challenge
Roth is the biggest, most exciting race on the planet - no question
about that - thanks to the amazing support from in excess of
200,000 spectators.
I was overjoyed that my race goal was completed. My thoughts
turned to home. Thirty two hours of travel to Australia and into the
arms of my two beautiful girls. Four weeks apart from them was
more painful than anything I put myself through in those events.
Sharky’s Final Words
I get asked all the time; Why? Why? Why? Swissman, Celtman,
Norseman (insert your event here) athletes have been building up
to for their entire lives, even if they do not know it. Physical and
mental tests like this do not come along often in life. These tests
are good for the mind, good for the soul. Get's the normality of
life out of your system. It is what drives most endurance athletes.
It’s getting back to when we roamed free and lived off the land.
That drive to overcome anything that stands in our way, to succeed
at all costs, the desire never to give in. It’s within us all, but the
modernity of our lives has softened us and made us lazy, and it’s
challenges such as this that awaken what is internally hardwired
into the very fabric of our beings, the person that we are all meant
to be! I like to tap into that emotion occasionally, for it is what
keeps me sane.
MULTISPORT MAGAZINE | 45