Busselton IM Race Report 1/3-The Swim
In the days leading up to the race and also on race morning, I felt the most prepared and calm I have ever felt before a race. I felt a strange sense of peace that I had done everything I could to give me a good day and now it was just up to the race gods. So, standing on the beach surrounded by so much nervous energy, I didn't let it get to me and I hit the water ready to race!
I clearly didn't seed myself properly in the rolling start as I straight away was passing so many swimmers, but checked in with myself and knew I wasn't working too hard. The water was clear and calm and after hooking a left to pass under the jetty I was able to find a really good rhythm and sat on the outside of the slower swimmers to be able to get in front. I could feel that the current was pushing us in the right direction so I worked a little harder here to make up even more time without expending as much energy. The buoys passed quickly and before I knew it I was turning left again to head back towards the jetty.
The current that had been helping us in the other direction was now against us and it was much harder to move quickly, but unlike other races I didn't worry about it and didn't try to fight it, kept my HR low and knew I'd be turning away from it soon. This section of the swim was REALLY shallow and I was thinking that if I wanted to I could drop my feet and touch the bottom-this was thanks to the shark in the water in 2017 when I had been pulled out of the water after 3mins into the 70.3-thankfully no signs of sharks in the shallows today!!
After keeping my cool in the strong current, I took a left again for my second lap of the swim. I was unsure how this would go as I knew we would be turning into much slower swimmers and it would get crowded. I wasn't wrong. It was a bit hard to manage at first-not only was the pace off a lot of the swimmers weren't swimming straight so it was hard going to get around them. Thankfully this was also the section with the current in your favour so I worked into it, and just navigated my way through the other swimmers without getting too stressed.
Once we turned back towards the jetty, I was able to sit on the outside and avoid the crowds and I was stoked because I knew I was heading to the finish of my first leg! As I hooked a right towards the beach I was incredibly pleased with how I managed that swim-I had no idea about time (I had set my watch up so I wouldn't know so I couldn't judge it)-but I felt like it was the most strategic swim I had ever done and was really proud of how it had been managed.
As I stood up and hit the sand my calf threatened to cramp but I managed to avoid it and I ran up the sand harder than I ever had before-I was going to be racing T1 for the first time in an IM!
One leg down, 2 to go!
Swim time: 1.09.01 (distance on watch 4061m-some extra metres weaving through the swimmers!)
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
