I’m finally sitting down to write my race report for the Asia-Pacific 70.3 in Phuket, Thailand.  I am lucky to be traveling in such a beautiful place, distracted with visits to temples, meeting new people, Thai massage training and enjoying the Thai culture that being on my computer has not been at the top of my priority list.

As a preface to my race report I must share a little background of the week leading up to the race.  As you know, I raced the previous weekend in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, had a blast and ended with a great result.  The swim courses of the two races are nearly identical, so no preview needed there.  The bike course, however, is very different, one because it is much longer and two, because the course travels in the opposite direction, leaving the challenging hills for the middle and end of the 90K course.  The 2 run courses were different, but used some of the same areas, being mostly flat and traveling over pavement, grass, mud and sand.

The Thursday before the race, Martha and I thought it a good idea to rent motorbikes to preview the bike course and see a bit of the island.  This was good in theory, except neither of us had driven a motorbike more than once or twice.  So we traveled the first 30K of the course and I had a total operator error in driving my bike, nearly crashed into Martha, but instead, hit the pavement rounding a corner.  With a quick assessment, I was thankful that nothing was broken, but managed a skinned up elbow and a bit on my knee and hip.  This quickly led to me passing out on the side of the road and Martha taking over as medial service.  All was OK after a bit and we drove (carefully) back to town, paid up for the damage to the scooter, and got cleaned up at the medical clinic… where they told me I couldn’t go in the water for 7 days.  Yeah right!  We devised a plan that would still allow me to race.  The result would be a long T1 to remove the bandages and replace them with dry ones for the remainder of the race.  The risk of an infection from swimming in both salt water and then a nasty lagoon was not one I was keen on taking, so I decided to play it safe, take the extra time in T1, and still get to race and enjoy the event.

So on to race day.  It had rained the night before which made me a little nervous for the technical bits of the bike course but I also knew it was nothing I couldn’t handle.  It was great having Martha there as race support, as well as a few new friends to share the day.  The ocean is beautiful in Thailand and again I felt so lucky to have this experience.  As the weekend before, we had 1300m in the ocean, a quick run over a sand spit, and then a final 600m in a warm, murky lagoon.  The swim felt surprisingly good and  I was happy that my bandages were secure and the shoulder not too sore to inhibit my stroke.  No jellyfish and only a few sea-lice bites so I was elated.  Into T1 I had 2 volunteers assisting me with changing my bandages and I was out of there with only an extra 3-4 minutes on the clock.

The first 1/2 of the bike was fairly flat with the most interesting bit being a bridge crossing where we had to dismount our bikes, push them up a ramp, across the bridge, down the other side, and then rolling again.  Around 40K we hit some major hills on the east side of the island with amazing views of the Gulf of Phuket.  The hills were tricky with the wet pavement, I was in my easiest gear and yet I couldn’t stand on the pedals or my back tire would slip.  People were falling over and pushing their bikes up the incline.  (For those of you in Madison, it was like climbing Cleveland road covered in oil.)  At 50K it started to rain, which quickly progressed to downpour and at 51K I heard the tell-tale pst-pst-pst-pst of a flat.  I stopped, checked the tire, pouring rain, managed to get 1/2 way through the process before race support showed up and took over, eventually sorting it out to get me back on my way, crossing my fingers that is the only mechanical for the day.  While standing on the side of the road, watching my race with the lead amateur females pass me by, I realize that out of 12 years of racing, this is only my 2nd flat in a race.  I have beaten the odds thus far, so I shake it off and get on with the day.  Even in the rain, there were groups of school children screaming encouragement and extending their hands for a high five.  I could only smile, laugh and show them my gratitude for their support.  The final 40K treated us to a few more significant climbs (more Cleveland oil slicks) and grinding in the saddle at 30rpms.  I was elated when I made it back to transition with Martha looking both worried and happy that I had finally arrived.

I wase motivated to make up some time on the run so I’m out at a steady pace, through the elephant farm, past Canal Village, onto the golf course and through the mud onto the long out n back stretch along the coast.  I count the girls in front of me… lots to catch.  I felt great on the run, passed as many as I could, and think that must be one of my best 70.3 runs in my racing career.

At the finish I was both happy for what I was able to accomplish and frustrated for the bits I could not control.  It is all a part of racing and I am just thankful for the opportunity to challenge myself and race in such a beautiful place.

At the end of the day, my place didn’t even matter, only that I am healthy, safe and gave it 100%.

If you are considering a destination race and up for an adventure, I strongly recommend the Laguna Phuket races be added to your list.  Who is in for 2013?

One great advantage to traveling to a race is that you get to be on holiday for a bit and sometimes even have time to write a race report!

Thailand has been wonderful so far.  I’ve been here nearly 4 days now and am fully enjoying the experience.  I was able to stay with a group of people from Hong Kong (friends of a friend) and that was a lifesaver.  I instantly had ‘groupies’ to share meals, organize for the race, socialize and support eachother.  What a gift, cause without them, I’m pretty sure I would have been a hermit these past 4 days.  They have now all left and my friend Martha will be arriving tonight.

The race on Sunday went great!  I survived the ocean swim without getting stung by a jellyfish (which was my biggest fear going into the race) and came across the line as the first age group female.  Traveling to a foreign place and not knowing a single soul before my arrival, I didn’t really know what to expect.  I never check participant lists, and even if I had, it would not have alerted me to my potential competition.  So to come out on top is a shock as my only goal was/is to have fun and enjoy a new adventure.

The swim was a 2 part swim, the first 1200m in the ocean, then a little run up and over a spit of sand, then across a lagoon for the final 600m.  The ocean swim was warm, pretty clear (I did see one jellyfish- ahh!) and fairly calm.  I stayed relaxed on the 100m sand run and then flopped into the even warmer, murky, dirty (yet ‘fresh’) water of the lagoon (which felt much more like ‘home’ for me).

The bike course was amazing.  We had a couple pretty significant climbs in the first 1/3 of the race with a lot of twisty roads through jungle type scenery.  The locals were out cheering and my favorite was a whole crowd of school children in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere on the course.  We rode through a rubber plantation, along the Andaman coast, down a stretch of highway which was flat and fast, and continued to twist and turn through rural Thailand.  It was absolutely beautiful, I cannot even count how many times I smiled at the local children cheering us on.

The run was kinda crazy as well with bits on road, sand, grass and gravel, your legs never really knew what to expect next, which for me was great since I prefer trails and challenging terrain.  The coolest 2 parts were running through where they keep and train a couple elephants (as a tourist attraction) and running on the golf course which brought me back to my college cross country running days. I felt pretty good on the run but it was sure heating up by then.  Ice cold sponges at every aid station were a lifesaver for sure.

Coming into the final bit of the run I actually had no clue where I was positioned in the field so when I heard them announcing my name and shouting that I was the first ag female I was surprised.  What a perfect ending to an incredible and tough race.

Race results can be found here: Laguna Phuket Triathlon Race Results

The 70.3 next Sunday will be twice as tough with the sustained potential for jellyfish on the swim, a lot-lot-lot more climbing on the bike and nearly twice as far to go on the run… in the heat n humidity.  Sounds like fun, right!?  I can’t wait for the challenge.  I’ll keep you posted.

With just a couple more big events left on the US triathlon calendar, including IM 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL on Nov 14 and IM Arizona on Nov 22 (GO JEN-RN!), many of us are already well into our off-season.  And if you aren’t celebrating yet, you are probably looking forward to taking a break in the next couple weeks.

I take my off-season very seriously.  It has been over a month since my last race and I have done little more than what even a casual exerciser would call a workout.  I can count 3 times on my bike, 3 jogs of 45min or less, and zero trips to the pool.  And the primary reason for the 3 bikes and runs were simply to enjoy some of the beautiful fall days we have had here in Wisconsin (after all, I love to run, bike and swim).  But instead of hours huffing and puffing, I have traveled to spend time with family, watched several movies (including “Race Across the Sky”, a documentary on the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike race (crazy!) and Warren Miller’s new “Dynasty” extreme skiing movie (crazier!)), slept more than 8 hours a night and spent time with friends and training partners celebrating (and not sweating… unless you count dancing).

It is difficult for some exercise junkies to believe that someone like me can take 1-2 months at the end of a season and cut out exercise pretty much cold-turkey.  However, I know that for me, in order to be ready for the next season, I need a serious physical and mental break.  I am not saying that this is the recipe of success for everyone, I just know that it works for me and I have no shame in telling anyone that I love to be lazy in the last couple months of the calendar year.  I have no guilt in this confession.  And if I put on a couple pounds, so be it (I am not stepping on a scale anyway!) and I am healthier because of it.  And as the holidays approach, I, like many of you, shift my focus to prioritizing more time with family.  When it comes down to it, I’d rather spend time in the kitchen helping prepare the daily feast than trying to squeeze in a little workout before dinner.  But that is just me.  Do what works for you in the offseason, but most of all, give yourself permission to take a break, to try something new, to spend more time with family and friends and to enjoy some rest and relaxation before ramping up toward your 2010 goals.

Three cheers for the off-season!  Cheers!

In the several days leading up to the race, I wish I could tell you that I was excited and happy to be in Kona and preparing for race day.  In reality, however, I have to admit that I was scared out of my mind.  I was grumpy, I didn’t feel well, the heat and humidity were a big concern, and in some ways, I was dreading race day.  However, I continually reminded myself that it was an honor and a privilege to be racing in the Ironman World Championships, that I had gladly accepted this challenge, that I was physically prepared for the race, and I was going to figure out a way to get out of my funk and be ready for race day.  I had no doubt that I was going to cross the finish line, and likely even have a great result, I just knew that it was going to be a tough and painful journey.  Bannink always ‘shows up‘ for race day, I reminded myself.

Race day came with sun and warm in the forecast and I was ready to go.  While getting body marked in the dark, a childhood friend who I had not seen in 15 years called out my name and that short reunion seemed to ease the morning tension and bump up the excitement of the day.  I got everything settled in transition and had plenty of time to find a quiet place to relax before the race.  30 minutes to go and we started to prep for the swim, waved to our cheering section (Heidi, Emma and Chad), found Timex teammates (Tim, Jackie and Mike) and headed into the water.  Based on the layout of the buoys, I decided to start toward the left side of the start line and near the front.  The cannon sounded and the mass started kicking and splashing.  I got bumped around quite a bit at the start, but not the worst start I have experienced, and I was even able to find some clear water to swim my own race.  Even though the buoys seemed to stretch on for miles, it was just a crossing of Devil’s Lake, I reminded myself, and swam steady to the turn around.  Half way, feeling good, and the water opened up on the return trip so I was able to get in a groove.  The coolest part of the swim was seeing the navy ship out in the harbor and noticing that the cadets were surrounding the deck and standing at attention in their stark white uniforms.  I finished up the swim with the entire Aquasphere crew going nuts (thanks guys!), glad that part was over, and knowing that would be the easiest part of the day for me.

T1 went just fine, but I wasn’t in a huge hurry to get out of there, making sure I was slathered in sunscreen and had retrieved everything I needed from my bag.  Then it was off to ride ‘The Dutchess’, the absolute fastest, lightest, most comfortable bike I have ever ridden (my new Trek TTX).  We had a long day ahead of us and I was looking forward to the ride.  I keep my effort easy in the beginning miles and just tried to keep my power output and perceived effort easy and comfortable.  Going through ‘hot corner’ I heard my name from several groups and felt lucky to have so many people out here cheering for me.  Then, it was a long ride out of town.  I got passed by A LOT of people on the bike and I was totally OK with that, I wasn’t racing anyone else but myself.  It was a little frustrating when a pack of about 50 guys swallowed me up and spit me out, I couldn’t get out of that mess fast enough.  The weather started to heat up through the lava fields (I heard mention of 100deg) and I doused myself with water at every aid station along the way.  These water stops were a little piece of heaven every 7 miles and a big part of my heat management strategy.  The climb up to Hawi, the turnaround, was much longer than I expected and I enjoyed the challenge, reminding myself how much I like to climb and how much fun it would be to descend on the return.  I made the turn through town, and a couples mile out on the descent I saw JB making the climb.  Yes, he made it through the swim!  This gave me a boost until the most challenging part of the ride, miles 70-100ish and a nice stiff headwind.  This is definitely where the heat of the day, the body fatigue and my waning emotional energy made it tough to press ahead.  I was nearing the end of this ride, so I continued with the self talk “this is a privilege, come on Bannink- you can do this, remember that this is an opportunity!”  And then a gift, as we turned towards town for the last 10 miles, the wind became a cross/tail wind and I cruised in the remaining miles.  Several of the pros were already headed out past the half-marathon on the run and I was looking forward to progressing towards that part of my day.  I jumped off my bike and part ran, part walked, and part hobbled into transition, sat down and decided that this was a pretty good spot to take a little rest.

The cool towel on my shoulders, the shade, the stillness, it all felt amazing… so this is my excuse for my snail pace T2.  I stopped in the potty (my only stop of the day) and I was back out on the road again, taking it easy as I knew this could turn into a very long day if I didn’t pace this well.  I felt surprisingly OK starting out the run and knew my nutrition had been solid on the bike (1600 cals, 1000mg Na+/hour, and as much water as I could drink).  I was put-zing along with plenty of company, taking in water, dumping water on my head, and stuffing sponges in my top at every aid station.  I grabbed a powergel when I felt like I need it, probably 2 per hour and continued to pop the salt every few miles.  This seemed to work well for the entire marathon, in addition to dumping ice down the front of my bra… now that was a good idea.  I hit the first run turn around at 5 miles and saw JB just a little later heading the other direction.  I was concerned about him as I thought he would have passed me by now, but he was positive and much too cheery at 8 hours into this gig.  I got just past 10 miles and took the right turn up Palani drive (steep!), my first ‘permission to walk’ and I did.  I saw Heidi and Emma cheering me on and that definitely helped.  At the top, on the turn back onto the Queen K, my mental/physical fatigue took over and I had a hard time motivating for the run.  This section, from 11-16 miles would prove to be the most mentally challenging part of the day.  The turn to the energy lab could have been over the next hill, or the next hill, or the next hill, and this was getting to me.  I walked some sections of the uphills, battling in my mind, trying to convince myself to keep running and dissolve any excuse I could come up with that would allow me to walk.  A positive along this section was that I got to see all of my teammates (Tim, Mike, Jackie, Sergio) and many friends (Mike, Jim, Mike) as they were in their final miles heading toward the finish.  Some of them looked great, and others not so great, and we all knew that we were out here together, sending some encouragement across the course with just a little nod or a thumbs up.  Then finally, I saw the solar panels at the top of the energy lab and I knew I only had 10 miles to go.  Down into the lab and hit mile 18, only 8 to go, then on the way up and out, the final stretch of the Queen K.  I hit 20 miles, only a 10K to go, and said to the guy next to me, ‘lets get this bleeeep over with!”  I continued to walk the aid stations as I had done since mile 10, but was able to keep running in-between.  My quads and my brain were fried, and I was able to keep pushing, knowing that this would all be over very soon.  I desperately wanted to walk up the last hill, but by the grace of God, I found another nudge of motivation to crest that hill, pounded my quads down Palani, cruised around the block, then down onto famous Ali’i Drive.  I was going to do this thing… the crowd’s cheers were deafening and I was smiling.  I crossed the line in 11:11:37.  What a journey, what a day!

After thoughts:

-My goal was to race 11 hours, figuring on a 1 hour swim, 6 hour bike, and 4 hour run.  I met those predictions within minutes and feel very proud of that.
-I think I ended up 27th in my age group, and to be honest, I don’t even care.  This day wasn’t about placement, it was about achieving a goal, doing something that most people can’t even dream of achieving, enjoying the opportunity to race on the world stage and capping off my short course race season with an IM finish.
-And saving the best for last… Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who supported me on this adventure.  Your encouragement leading up to the race, your excitement for my opportunity, and your desire to share in my day truly kept me motivated and encouraged throughout the day.  Thank you for your inspiration and support.
Thanks to my sponsors: Timex, Trek, Bontrager, Aquasphere, Powerbar, my localMadison Trek Store and the Wisconsin Fertility Institute, I could not have done this (or afforded it!) without your support.
And a special thanks to Heidi for making the trip to be my biggest fan and carry me around (literally!) in the days following the race.