eimear Mullan
  
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tougher times 

5/28/2015

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I suffered quite badly with stomach issues after the race in Fuerteventura (and sore legs but I blame Corinne for that), I presumed that it was just because of the hard hot race and the nutrition I had used but the problem didn't clear up and it got worse over the following week. I had planned France 70.3 and desperately wanted to race but by Wednesday I had to spend the whole day I bed and wasn't able to move with what was apparently a stomach infection. I tried to do some light training but it was hopeless as I was unable to even run easy for 10 minutes without being completely out of breath and dripping with sweat! I decided to stay in bed and rest with the hope that I could start the race.

Deep down I knew I shouldn't have started but it's hard not to when you are there and desperately wanting to race. We drove to the race start and hid the car keys as I planned to do 30-40k of the bike and then spin back for the car. I felt shocking in the swim but actually swam ok so decided to start the bike. On the bike I felt good on the flats and terrible on the climbs which direct is the opposite of what I usually feel. I kept going until the end of the bike and was in 4th place so started the run, that's when I knew fore sure that I wasn't ok. I struggled to run at all so not long after I dropped out and that was the end of my day. It's a horrible feeling not being able to finish but it probably would have felt worse if I hadn't tried at all.  I would like to say I have learned my lesson about racing when not completely healthy but I seem to be a slow learner when it comes to things like this!

I felt really bad after that both mentally and physically but over the next week I begun to improve and was ready to get back to training in preparation for Ironman Lanzarote at my favorite training location Ferrer Hotels in Mallorca. However, now I had an injury creeping up though as usual I thought if I didn't talk about the niggle it would go away. It was hip/hamstring problem which I have had before but in the other leg, usually caused by my saddle being too high. I ploughed on through the training with the focus on Ironman Lanzarote. It hurt but I put my head down and got on with it. I was running pretty badly and it felt really strange, there was no bounce in my step, and it felt like my left leg (the sore one) was shorter than the other one. It was like running on dead legs.

It wasn't until I arrived in Lanzarote that I made an appointment to see and osteopath (Gunter at Osteo 43). As soon as I saw him and gave him a brief explanation he described what he thought the problem was and it completely made sense. I trusted his judgement and he clicked nearly every part of my body back 0in to place (at the same time shaking his head at how I had let myself get in such as state). It made a massive difference, I could now move my legs and hips in a normal way and the pain was reduced when running. It wasn't perfect but a lot better and I knew it would be good enough to get me through the Ironman. 

So I prepared for the race and was on the start-line on Sunday morning ready to hit one of the toughest ironman races on the circuit. This time the toughness was multiplied by the ridiculous wind which had been howling most of race week. The swim was a mass start and for me it was horrible, by the first bouy I was swamped by the age group athletes and the rest of the swim was a punching match. At one point I was between two men getting smacked on both sides, I was thinking I'd be lucky to make it out without a broken nose so my only option was to literally swim over the top of one of them (sorry about that)! 

On to the bike I planned to set off at a steadier pace for the first 90k then to go for it in the last 90k. The first 90k was terrible for me. I was being passed by what felt like everyone and there was nothing I could do, my back and hips were so stiff and sore and it felt awful just turning the pedals, the wind was making matters even worse. I kept going in the hope that things would turn around. I was in 10th after the first 90k and suddenly something clicked, I pushed on and I felt like I was actually moving now. I started to feel really good and within the next 30k I had ridden back up to 4th place and was getting excited about the prospect of the marathon (normally that’s right about when I start to dread the marathon!). It was just then when I was finally really up for the battle my rear tyre went down. I tried using Pitstop to fix it but it didn't work so it was game over! 

I couldn't believe that my brand new tubular had punctured but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. When I got my bike back I couldn't see a cut or hole in the tyre, I took it to a mechanic who checked the valve and it turns out that the valve and a long piece of plastic stuck inside it which wasn't meant to be there. It was disappointing not to be able to finish the race especially when there was loads of Irish support there, but this was my first proper mechanical in a race so I guess I've had it pretty good. Looking back I think it might have been a blessing that I didn't make it on to the run as my hip really wasn't in good enough shape to run a marathon and who knows if I had run it may have been the last race of the season. 

Now I'm heading back home and will reluctantly be taking some time off running to try to sort out the problem and I'll also try to get to the bottom of my ongoing stomach issues. I love racing and am very frustrated that I haven’t raced much so far this season. I have entered a couple of races so hopefully after a bit of recovery time I'll be back to it very soon.


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challenge fuerteventura 

5/28/2015

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Challenge Fuerteventura at Playitas Resort was the season starter again for me this year. It's a very tough course and always attracts a top class tough field so it's the perfect opportunity to kick off the season with a true test to see where you are. I was lucky enough to be able to train at Playitas before the race and it was a real luxury not to have to travel at all to race. This year the female field was stacked as usual with many current and former World and European champions on the start list. I felt a bit out of place at the press conference amongst the big guns but I was a real honour to be there beside them. My aim for the race was to go hard and to try to hit the podium which I knew wouldn't be easy. 

Usually the male and female pros start together which is a very unfair start to the race (especially for weaker swimmers) so at the race briefing I asked for a separate start and the organisers agreed instantly which was really great to see. They gave us a 2 minute gap from the pro men. 

I had a quick running start from the beach and was one of the first in to the water, I had an idea of who I thought I would swim with and I knew exactly where they were however I realised just a little too late that the pace was a little too slow and sprinted to catch the group just in front of me. I worked hard but didn't make the group so I ended up swimming alone for the entire swim, I swam well for the first lap but drifted a little in the second lap but I felt better in the water than I had for a while so I could take some positives from it. 

On the bike I set off at what I thought was a steady pace; I didn't feel great but good enough to get me through. I tried to ride my own race which is hard to do when you know that the faster swimmers are pushing each other on the bike all the way and that there are a few strong bikers behind. At around 40k Asa Lunstrom came past me so I stayed with her for as long as I could, I found the climbs really easy but I really struggled to stick with her on the slight downhill sections, I was pedalling like crazy where she was cruising along. Eventually at around 65k she got a gap on a downhill so I rode alone until near the end of the bike when Corinne Abraham came past me and stayed just in front of me in to T2 where I got off the bike in 7th place.

I knew that the first 3 were quite far ahead and running strongly but I could see 6th 5th and 4th just ahead of me and I set off steady but strong to catch them. Just before the first turn point I was in 4th but I could tell from the start of the run that this was not going to be easy. I felt shaky and strange towards the end of the bike and was feeling the same on the run. Last year my run on this course felt really good, I was strong and in control and though I worked very hard it felt good. This time it was different, I was working hard and it didn't feel good at all. I pushed to get a gap from the girls behind me but when we got back in to the resort I turned to see that Corinne was right on my tail and running extremely strongly so I knew that I couldn't let up at all or she would be right with me. I started to feel worse and I felt quite weak then just before I moved into 3rd some stomach issues starting to creep up (which I haven't experienced in a half before). A gel and some coke perked me up a little and somehow manage to keep pushing until the end to cross the line in 3rd. I was really happy to make the podium and to share it with Daniella Ryf and Anja Bernak.  




Huge thanks to Alameda ON Triathlon Team, FSG Property Services and Ferrer Hotels
also Ekoi, ON Running, Multiusport Distribution, Nordic Oil, Swans goggles 

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