Half Ironman Start Line

Extract from Stronger Every Mile

At 6:30 a.m., we walked down to the start to drop our bags in the drop off zone and then stood on the edge of Lake Taupo. The supporters were gathered on the high banks, looking down onto the beach. There was a nervous tension in the air, with a complex mix of anticipation, excitement and anxiety.

The Welcome Ceremony began with the sight of the dragon boat paddling to shore, followed by a Māori blessing and the Haka. It was mesmerising and very emotional; a completely surreal and spine-tingling experience.

Overlooking the lake, the sun was rising, so it was lighter now, but it was still cold and windy. The choppy lake from yesterday was now like a wavy ocean. I looked on in complete and utter disbelief at how we were going to survive this. Apparently, these were the roughest conditions they had experienced for years. We hadn’t swum in anything like this before; I’m not sure many of us had. Nothing had prepared us for this.

We had travelled halfway across the world for this. What were we even doing here with these fit athletes? I felt out of my comfort zone. My head was full of self-doubt and fear. What was I thinking?

The competitors were lined up from the top of the slope and down the path that led to the beach and the start line. They were lining up according to their cap colour. In our lilac caps, we were at the back of the pack. Adrenaline surged through my body as I tried to prepare myself for the immense physical and mental challenge ahead.

Facing the Elements

I was surprised at how many people were swimming in the lake before the race. I was already cold, so there was no way I was getting wet prematurely, so I could stand there shivering.

Of course, I knew I would have to relieve myself in the lake just before the start, but I was going to leave it until the last minute. I hadn’t yet mastered the art of doing it while I was swimming. Maybe that was a skill I needed to work on.

A Moment of Panic: Calming Caitlin’s Nerves

Suddenly, Caitlin bent over, held her stomach and said she felt sick. She was crying, having a panic attack and saying she couldn’t do it. She had suffered from this in her street dancing days when she would freak out before a performance. But this was much worse. I hugged her, held her tight and told her she could do it. I advised her to take some deep breaths.

Caitlin’s state of mind was a distraction I wasn’t prepared for. I needed to focus on the tough conditions ahead and think about how I was going to survive this. I couldn’t cope with seeing Caitlin like this. It was awful!

I started crying; tears before a race were not a good start. I needed Tim to step in. He gave her a big, strong hug, told her to believe in herself and reassured her that she could do this. He calmed her down and told her to look at him and take deep breaths; he wasn’t a headmaster for nothing. He had years of experience dealing with students at school.

Emma persuaded Caitlin to go into the sea to get used to it and have a quick swim. There was absolutely no way I was going in, but then the race was about to start, so I rushed in and quickly ran out. It was so cold!