A brief race report of the Ironman 70.3 japan today:

– 92% finishers

– 1985 participants signed up 1500 raced

– 20% foreigners

– 1400 volunteers!!!

Why is it #1?

The organisation is flawless, the volunteers were everywhere at each bike turn of the 90km, warning for turn, speed, bumps etc. The logistics is incredible they being the bikes back from T2 to near the hotel, all lined up by numbers!

SMALL ISSUES to work on next time:

– wetsuit too tight, feeling compressed and harder breathing

– drop the bike chain at around 70k while changing gear for a bridge

– forgot my salt tabs but aid stations had them on the run

SWIM

nice setting, wetsuit allowed, choppy. Long transition 1 quite some distance from swim out to bike.

BIKE

The course was tough, lots of turns and change of speed. It really required good bike handling skills to avoid accidents. A bit too crowded during the first part of the bike. Hilarious to have to ride through the Lixil toilet factory, the title sponsor, staff where at the entrance standing next to lixil toilets that they would use as seats when they were tired to stand up. I pushed a lot more on this bike race, but with all the turns and the final 30k in the countryside with numerous slow sections it was hard to be consistent. Transition 2 is at the handa playfield (stadium), they had a band playing in the grandstand.

RUN

a nice course hilly and in a mix of countryside roads, parks, roads, seaside paths. Quite diverse. Good pace the first 16k then the last 5k were very tough. Pace was decreasing every km.

FINISH

Judo therapy massage, a bliss after a day of endurance! Head back to hotel to pack, award dinner with Hiro who raced very well today.

Off to bed, fly back to HK tomorrow morning. A great weekend and great memories!