In total we had 35 names added to the list with a couple of other folks pledging a donation to the winning charity. So up for grabs for the winning charity is R3500 and some change.

There were some wild predictions optimistic predictions that were off by hours and there were a couple that were off by a long way in the other direction, one in particular is worth noting. Well done to Bianca Tait who completed her first Ironman last Sunday. She predicted she would finish in 13:18 and she smashed a 12:01!

But in the end it was really close with only 1 second separating the top three predictions and here they are:

1. Richard Wright has predicted Brad Brown’s time – 12:21:32 Official Time 12:21:43 – difference 11 seconds (Pinkdrive)

2. Vincent Nortier predicted time – 10:45:00 Official Time 10:44:48 – difference 12 seconds (Pinkdrive)

3. Julia le Roux predicted time – 15:50:39 Official Time 15:50:26 – difference 13 seconds (Mothers Unite)

So congratulations to the PinkDrive who win the moola! It was really close and my finisher photo says 12:21:44 but the official result finish time is 1 second quicker. So in the end it was almost a dead heat but regardless the money would’ve gone to the PinkDrive.

Here are the bank details for the the PinkDrive for you to send your R100 to:
Account Holder: PinkDrive
Nedbank Clearwater Mall
Account number 1825011109
Branch 182505

The reference you can use is “Ironman Wager”

Thanks for playing and doing some good for charity.

The calm before the storm

I’ve now only done three but my guess would be that it would be difficult to get closer to perfect a day weather wise for Ironman South Africa. Compared to last year’s Ironman Katrina, last Sunday’s conditions were phenomenal.

The atmosphere on the beach was electric again this year (as always). I get such a thrill singing out national anthem at the start of a sporting event and even more so when I am part of that said event. Before I knew it, the cannon fired and we headed into the sea. The swim this year was different for me. I found it a lot rougher (especially on the first lap). There just seemed to be more bodies than usual so I got kicked and punched a bit more than I usually do. The swells also seemed a bigger this year with the result being I drank quite a bit, particularly heading back to the pier (it doesn’t help when you can only breathe to the left). I also got swum over for the first time ever, with the pro’s starting 15 minutes before the age groupers there was always going to be a chance of that happening. Just like last year I fed the fish my breakfast as I approached the last bouy. Thankfully that was the only ill effects of me drinking half the Indian Ocean. Out of the water in a touch over 1:16.

I headed out on the bike feeling reasonably good but really battled to get comfortable on the bike. That battle continued throughout the bike leg. It was really refreshing not having a head wind heading out to the bike turn around (for a change). Although it didn’t feel like it at the time in hindsight I went out too fast on the bike. I was aiming for a sub 6 bike so the plan was to lap in around 1:58. Lap 1 I dipped under 1:50. Sub 5:30 pace. Stupid. I then backed off on lap 2 and went through in 1:58 but I could feel my legs were tired. I really struggled on lap 3. The uncomfortableness continued. My feet hurt, so did my back. I was losing feeling in my hands and I just wanted to get off the bike. A 2:06 final lap ensured a 5:55 bike leg. I was grateful to be off the bike but wasn’t sure how my back was going to hold up.

I had planned on needing to run a 4:30 marathon to dip under 12 for the day and left T2 with 4:40 left in the bag for the marathon. Within the first kilometer on the run I knew my back was going to be ok. I went through the first 8kms of the run in 48mins. Everything was on track.

Then the wheels came off. I hit the wall like I have never hit it before. From around 8km to 17km I really battled. It was around the 16km mark that I saw Jodie Swallow (former 70.3 world champion), who was leading the women’s race at the time, walking. She was not looking good. I am a huge fan of Jodie’s and it really put things in perspective. Everybody hurts at times in a race like Ironman. But as bad as it seems then, it does get better. It may get worse again but it definitely does get better. I got better (so did Jodie apparently too, she finished second).

My second lap felt much better than the first and by the time I reached the turn around point to pick up my last lap band I was feeling pretty good. I was also quite excited that I avoided a glowstick. As I approached the turn around point I spotted my brother and I had closed the gap significantly. He is a much better runner than I am and in many races prior to this one I have beat him out the water and off the bike but then he would catch me easily on the run. Today was different though. He was out the water about 6 mins ahead of me and our bike splits were virtually identical (mine was 8 seconds quicker) but I was closing that gap on him on the run. I caught him within 1km of the turn around and he was hurting. Badly.

I knew my original goal (Sub 12) was not on the cards after my first lap of the run so I decided to stick with him for the last 11kms and make sure he finished in one piece. He was feeling really ill and had walked the last 4kms. We slowly got him running again and we ran walked the last bit of the marathon. For the first time in the build up to an Ironman I hadn’t thought about my red carpet celebration. I would never have thought of this one. Something that crossed my mind more than a few times during the race was how grateful I am to be able to do Ironman. That I made the decision to get off that slippery slope I was on at 165kgs 4 years ago. Every time Paul Kaye announced on Sunday that “Pound for pound the fastest Ironman racing today!” I was just grateful. Not many people get the opportunity to experience what it feels like to cross an Ironman finish line. I’ve been lucky enough to experience that 3 times now but after Sunday I’m even more grateful I got to cross that line with my brother.

Official time – 12:21:43. 53 minute pb. Happy? Yes. Am I going back? I don’t know.

My brother and I crossing the line at Ironman South Africa 2013

There is less than a week to go until Ironman South Africa. All the hard work has been done and it is now just a matter of resting up and staying healthy as race day approaches. This past Sunday was interesting to say the least. All day I sat working out where I would be on race day. What time I would be out the water, when I would be on my last lap of the bike and most importantly when I would be running down the famous red carpet. If you are racing Ironman South Africa on the 14th of April you probably did something similar on Sunday.

I’m not sure about you, but I have a goal for the race as far as a finishing time is concerned. I’ve been rather hesitant to share it publicly because it is quite ambitious but I feel like I have done the work for it and if all goes according to plan I should achieve it.

I’ve also been thinking about a little challenge for the day. If you are racing and even if you are not let’s wager a little something to make the race a little more interesting. Here how it is going to work:

1. If you are taking part predict your finishing time or if you’re not racing predict someone else’s finishing time.
2. Choose a worthy cause or charity that is close to your heart.
3. Pledge 100 bucks to charity.

All the 100 buck pledges will go into one pot. After race day, who ever got closest to the finish time they predicted will get all the money for their chosen charity. Simple. Let’s do this.

Pop me a mail at bradb@highveld.co.za with your name, charity you want to support should you win and your predicted time and I’ll add you to the list. Once the winner is decided I’ll pop you a mail with the charity’s bank details and it will be up to you then to make the transfer. If we can get 100 people to do this a charity will get R10 000. So here goes:

1. Brad Brown – 11:58:32 (The PinkDrive)

2. Hannes Marlin – 11:16:08 (Reach for a Dream)

3. Mandy Marlin – 14:59:40 (Reach for a Dream)

4. Keri Swift – 12:28:12 (PinkDrive)

5. Garron Mosley – 9:43:12 (Starfish)

6. Jeff Hinds – 11:57:17 (SPCA)

7. Hannes Otto – 12:29:20 (SPCA)

8. Bianca Tait – 13:18:00 (Sunflower Fund)

9. Kristian Fesel – 10:45:00 (Rainbows and Smiles)

10. Vincent Nortier – 10:45:00 (PinkDrive)

11. Dianne McEwan – 9:25:00 (Qhubeka)

12. Ross McEwan – 9:35:00 (Qubeka)

13. Beverley Davey – 12:43:38 (Youth with diabetes)

14. Cyndi Starr Strydom – 15:30:00 (Free Me)

15. Odessa Perelson – 12:00:00 (Cat Care PE)

16. Derrian Nadauld – 11:55:00 (PinkDrive)

17. Julia le Roux – 15:50:39 (Mothers Unite)

18. John McKay has predicted Odessa Perelson’s time 11:54:48  (Isithembiso Babies Home, PE)

19. Lucie Zelenkova – 9:16:32

20. Celeste Erasmus – 12:15:03 (Hospice)

21. Joff Gouveris has predicted Brad Brown’s time 11:56:32 (Reach for a Dream)

22. Cari-Ann Botha has predicted Dianne McEwan’s time 9:24:05 (Qhubeka)

23. Cari-Ann Botha has predicted Brad Brown’s time 11:57:24 (Qhubeka)

24. Andre Bekker – 9:55:00 (South African Guide Dog Association)

25. Glenn Ambrose – 11:55:00 (Rainbows and Smiles Foundation)

26. Conrad Greer – 11:57:00 (Rainbows and Smiles Foundation)

27.  Shawn Letts – 10:52:45 (Choc)

28. Mark Newby – 13:29:55 (Stop Rhino Poaching)

29. Richard Wright has predicted Brad Brown’s time – 12:21:32 (The PinkDrive)

30. Alec Riddle – 9:54:59 (Hein Wagner’s Charity)

31. Alec Riddle has predicted Brad Brown’s time – 11:59:58 (Hein Wagner’s Charity)

32. Ian Hendry has predicted Brad Brown’s time – 11:50:00 (Guild Cottage)

33. Ian Hendry has predicted Chris Baker’s time – 10:28:00 (Guild Cottage)

34. Ian Hendry has predicted Quinton Walker’s time –  10:15:00 (Guild Cottage)

35. Adam Kelly – 12:50:00 (PinkDrive)

Who is next??? Get on the list now, mail me at bradb@highveld.co.za

Mark Wolff of 32GI has generously offered to donate to the charity of the three closest predictions as well.

If you want the longer version, here it comes and hopefully it will inspire you a much as it has me. My older brother was selected to represent Central Gauteng last season. It was last season too that I beat him for the first time in a race. My entire life I was the chubby kid who got picked last. I have always loved sport but have pretty much sucked at everything I tried. He has always been a pretty decent sportsman. Growing up he excelled at most sports and even played provincial football. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t about me wanting to beat him. He is the one who got me into the sport and that lone win last season gave me belief that maybe I had some ability.

It’s mind boggling to think of myself and sporting ability in the same sentence. I mean for someone who once (not so long ago) weighed 165kgs to even think of doing a sport like triathlon, never mind discover you’re actually ok at it seems a bit far fetched.

At the beginning of this season I set two triathlon goals. The big one was Ironman South Africa and the other one, which I told no one about, was possibly making it onto the Central Gauteng Tri team. I just wanted to get the email saying you’re on the team. It never crossed my mind what would happen if I actually did make it.

Gauteng trials were in February at the Joburg City Triathlon and I had a pretty decent race. My swim was ok, had a very good bike and then ran ok’ish but felt I went a bit too hard on the bike and that cost me in the end. I did however beat my brother again. For the second time ever. I realised after that race that I am in a very competitive age group. I was hoping for a top 10 place but missed it by 2 minutes. I also then realised I was only 7 minutes off finishing 5th which I was chuffed about and then said to myself next year I would give it another bash. I then set about my next goal which was getting ready for Ironman in April.

A week or so later I got a text message from a mate of mine and all it said was ‘congrats’, my response was ‘for what?’ To which she answered ‘you made the team’. I didn’t have a clue what she was on about so I said ‘what team?’. It was then that I checked my email and there it was, the letter announcing the team and I was on it! Now what? SA Champs were in East London this year and I knew I wasn’t going to come close to winning the thing but I had to go because I figured I might not make it again.

As far as my training went in the build up I didn’t even think about the race. With Ironman looming I just kept on with that training. SA Champs weekend arrived and Friday afternoon we were on a plane to the Eastern Cape. Saturday morning we headed down to the beach for an early swim on the course. The water was pretty chilly but the sea was flat which was great for someone who only ever swims in a Virgin Active pool. Race briefing was on Saturday afternoon and that is when I realised the company I was in. Race briefing at an Ironman is pretty impressive with some really fit individuals but there are always a few average Joe’s to level things out. This one was scary, racing snakes as far as the eye can see. And me. I felt like Miss Piggy at a Weighless convention.

Race morning arrived and I was feeling good albeit a little bit nervous. Before I knew it we were in our wetsuits and on the beach. I had thought about how I wanted to race the night before and had decided I was going to go as hard as I could on the swim, hold back on the first lap of the bike and then hammer it for the last two laps and was going to try and run a sub 50 min run (for the first time ever, even when not coming off the bike). The siren sounded and it was race on. First lap of the swim I felt quite heavy and sluggish. I stayed out of trouble and rounded the three bouys and headed back to the beach. The first half of the swim felt quite slow but I hit the beach in 13 minutes so I wasn’t going as slow as I thought I was. Out and back again and not the beach again with 26 minutes on the clock.

The run from the beach to transition in East London is quite long and steep. By the time I got to T1 28 minutes were gone. I had a relatively slow first switch and headed out onto the bike course. The first half of the bike route was quite technical and it was quite hilly. I felt really good on the bike but got passed by quite a few people on the first lap. I was quite worried about coming back up the North Eastern expressway but it really wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. Lap 2 and 3 I went quite a bit harder and passed a tone of people. I felt really good on the bike and was looking forward to the run.

T2 was a lot quicker than the first and I headed out on the run. First kilometer split was below 4:50 and I was feeling good. It was fairly hot out on the run, I got to the turn around point feeling decent and then hit the wind on the way back. I went though the 3km mark in just under 15 minutes so I was on track and that is where I stopped enjoying the run. I won’t lie, the rest of the run was really hard. I managed to hang to a 5:20 pace for the run so I’m not too disappointed in my run time.

In the end I finished in a touch under 2:45 and finished 15th in my age group out of 25 starters. The goal was to make sure I didn’t finish last and I was way off that mark. 15th doesn’t sound that impressive but I’m pretty proud of it. From 165kgs 4 years ago to the 15th fastest triathlete in my age group in South Africa. I don’t know about you but, but that fires me up. I can probably lose a bit more weight and I know I can go faster. Who know’s what is possible??? I’ve set the goal already so let me put it out there. There is a national team tri suit with my name on it that is going to a world championships in the future. Watch this space.

I know this has been quite a long post but there are a few people I need to thank for helping me get this far. To all the folks at Garmin and KTM Bicycles for all the support and encouragement but most importantly for believing in me before I did. To the guys at CareerFIT for helping me get to East London and then lastly to you for taking the time to read this and for all the kind words and messages of support.

Believe. Anything is possible.

I don’t know Lance Armstrong so I can’t vouch for his character but what I can say is that I was a huge fan while he was racing. Some of my favourite cycling memories are from the seven tours he won. I actually think that one of the reasons I love riding my bike stems from that time. I fell in love with the Tour de France back then too and to this day can watch every minute of every stage.

I’ve seen a lot of anger aimed at Lance over the last two days and broadly at the sport of cycling and it got me thinking. It is like that era of cycling never happened but it did. Even though everyone was cheating there was some great racing. As Lance put it “It was one big lie”. What it reminded me of was of Christmas. Weird I know, but it did and in particular Santa Claus. That is probably the best way to describe the way I felt this morning. It was like I found out Santa was not real.

As a kid I think you know long before you actually know that he does not exist. Do you know what I mean? I see it with my son now. He is at that age where his friends at school have told him Santa is not real, he probably knows Mom and Dad are Santa but deep down he wants to believe that he is real. He loves the idea of it and doesn’t want to give up on it just yet. Now that I am an adult I love Christmas even though I know Santa isn’t real.

I feel exactly the same way about cycling. While those tours were happening they were magical and mesmerising. But now that I know that Lance Armstrong wasn’t real it hasn’t changed the way I feel about the tour. I still love those magical three weeks in July but most importantly I still love riding my bike.

There are almost as many ODI memories too. 438. The Jonty Rhodes flying run out. The 22 off 13 balls and then off 1. Alan Donald’s run, don’t run, run. Some are definitely better than others.

I have great memories of this time of the year watching boxing day test matches. There have been some classics over the years. Boxing day for me has always been about left overs and test cricket. And that is probably why I am so sad that there is no test match starting today for the Proteas. For whatever reason Cricket South Africa chose to schedule a T20 international today instead of a five dayer against the visiting Black Caps. I am sad that they have robbed me of a chance to create more memories around a game a I love so much. They have robbed my son of the chance to create some of his own.

It is not that I dislike Twenty Twenty cricket. It definitely has a place in the game. I think it is a wonderful way to introduce people to a game that is very difficult to understand the nuances of. It is exciting but in my opinion to win a test match takes a lot more skill, patience and consistency than to win a T20. I fear though that T20′s and the way international schedules are being organised are going to be the downfall of the longest format of the game.

The last two test series’ that the Proteas were involved in against Australia and England were phenomenal. But too short. What has happened to the 5 match test series? At the end of both of those tours I felt as though I had been short changed. Like there was so much more to come but I wasn’t allowed to see the end.

I get the same sense about sevens rugby and the 15 man game. That sevens has its place but will never be an equal to its big brother. I feel though that rugby has got it spot on. They are almost run as two separate games. And because of it both forms of the game are flourishing. The world sevens series continues to grow and feed some great players into the 15 man game. Gio Aplon is just one example of a player that has successfully crossed the gap. Speaking of gaps it is also helping the so called minnows close it by playing world class opponents more often. Look at the likes of the Kenyan sevens team and their recent successes. And Portugal. Do they even play rugby?

I understand that economics plays a major role in growth of any sport. One of the reasons T20 exploded was because of the IPL. But let’s be honest, unless you’re in India, no one gives a continental now. I thought the aim of T20′s was to speed the game up? When you play forty gazillion games in a tournament it kind of defeats the point doesn’t it? Then there is the Big Bash and the Champions League. That is before you look at the internationals and the World Cup. Aren’t World Cups played every four years?

I don’t know about you but I can’t remember a single incident in a T20 or an entire match that I will look back on ten years from now and say that was an absolute classic.

I think cricket administrators need to realise they are force feeding the goose that lays the golden egg. So instead of watching ANOTHER T20 this afternoon, I’ll be playing a game of backyard cricket with my boy dreaming of the test greats.

KTM Solus Master – Isn’t she sexy???

A few weeks ago KTM put me on a time trial bike. It has got to be one of the sexiest bikes I have seen for a long time and I knew it would make a difference but I didn’t realise how much. The KTM Solus Master is a full carbon machine with Shimano Ultegra components. The wheels are Mavic Cosmic and are a lot better (and lighter) than the wheels I currently have on my road bike.

It is set up rather aggressively for someone who has never ridden a tri bike before. It took some getting used to. The tri bars are quite close together which took some getting used to. Truthfully I’m still getting used to the set up. Having my elbows so close together puts quite a bit of strain on my upper arms and the sides of my neck. The first few times I rode it I was quite stiff the following day. I have now got to the point on the bike where it is more comfortable in the bars than sitting up which is a good thing.

The performance of the bike is what really excites me though. I can’t get over how much faster it is than my road bike when you’re in the bars ticking over a solid rhythm. I have had a few training rides where I am comfortably cruising well above 40km/h on a flattish stretch without too much effort. I haven’t raced on it yet but I can’t wait. I’m looking forward to the second Joburg City Triathlon early next year. I really like that cycle route and had a good race there in my season opener in October on my road bike. It is going to be interesting to compare the two bike legs once I’ve done it.

I also chat to Samantha Cowen from 94.7 Highveld Stereo’s Breakfast Xpress about her running career, how she got going and some of her long term goals. Ian Laxton joins us to chat about the Spar Ladies race series. Finally I look at this week’s race calendar and what events are available to do on Saturday and Sunday.

Couch Potato to 10km in 20 weeks training programme – Week 1

Monday – 30 minutes of brisk walking

Tuesday – Rest

Wednesday – 30 minutes of brisk walking

Thursday – Rest

Friday – 30 minutes of brisk walking

Saturday – Rest

Sunday – Rest