Wednesday, 24 October 2012

World Championships Race Report



I remember sitting in my bedroom about 4 months ago and working out that it was 100 days till I raced at World Champs. It’s scary to think how quickly those 100 days have gone.

It’s been a very tough, gruelling and mentally and physically exhausting lead up for the world championships, but I've never had a better preparation for a race before. Leading into the meet I was fit, I was in a great head space, I was relaxed and happy and so focused to get the job done.

I arrived in Auckland a week before the race to meet my Mum and Dad at the airport. There was no mucking around; it was straight to the motel to get ready for training that afternoon. We had an awesome week of training leading into the race. The wise wisdom of coach took us out onto the course, training different sections all week to make sure we knew exactly what to expect.

Come Saturday when the racing started, I was getting edgy for my race to be next but I knew I had to wait till Monday. Around lunch time on Saturday I was hit with a massive surprise. My sister decided to make an appearance out of nowhere, flying over for 2 days to watch me race. This was an unbelievable surprise!

Lying in bed on Sunday night I went through my final preparations, running over the race once more in my head, planning out my morning and reading good luck messages to get me fired up. Monday morning I was up at 5am, iPod in the ears and getting my full focus on the race, warmed up just like any other race and time to head to the start line.

I wasn't nervous standing at the start line, more excited to see what I can do on this challenging course. I jumped in the 14 degree water, awaiting the start, taking big breaths and focusing on those  first 30 strokes. I needed a good start and that’s exactly what I got. As the gun went off I got a good jump and found myself in a fast group. Swimming solidly to the first buoy in the long straight line of about 8 guys and that’s how it stayed for the remainder of the swim.

It was rough and felt like I was swimming through 5 foot swell.
Coming back in I looked up to see the thousands of spectators and it sunk in where I was. I ramped up my leg  kick to get the blood flow back into the legs as I knew it was a long run into transition and this was where I could make up a bit of time. I was out of the water 10th and in a comfortable position.

Onto the bike and I knew this was going to be a tough ride. Again, full credit to my coach Corey, who had prepared me so well for this course both in NZ and back home in Canberra. We had been
simulating this course for months and trained on the race course all week so I was familiar with it.

I attacked every up hill, I pushed my limits on every downhill and gave it my all on the flat. It was a 2 lap course of 20km per lap. Basically 10km of up and down hill and 10km of flat with a massive head wind, it was far from an easy course but I left not one stone unturned. I stepped of the bike in 4th with 3rd place only a couple of bike lengths in front of me.

Run time. I knew the ball was now in my court. This was my weapon and I needed to use it. It was a two lap run of 5km per lap. I found my run legs very quickly and taking 3rd position within the first 1km. I settled into a nice rhythm only thinking about the process to catch the next person in front. I stayed relaxed and focused. Hearing the splits from Dad and Coach were comforting knowing
that I was running much quicker than the two guys in front.

One lap down and I was still in 3rd but 2nd was only 30 meters in front. I didn't smash myself to catch him. Instead I just held my pace and caught him with about 3kms to go. I was now in 2nd place and it started to hit me what was going on.
I was in 2nd place at the World Championships.  
It felt surreal but I knew I still had a job to do before the finish.
I put my head down and picked the pace up again. There was not much time left so I gave it my all, running as fast as I possibly could knowing that anything could happen.
I would not give up, even if I didn't catch the leader, I would run as hard as I could to the finish line.
I turned into the finish chute to see my family and coach hanging over the railing and it hit me like a brick wall.
I’d come 2nd in the World Championships. Un-freaking-believable.

As soon as I’d crossed the line a NZ friend came to congratulate just behind the finish line.

"Grant, how awesome is this, Congratulations mate".
Out of breath but elated I replied,
"Yeah thanks heaps mate, I gave it my all and I’ll take 2nd!"
He looked shocked and told me the news that the leader had stopped about 2.5kms from the finish line.
"Grant, you won, you’re the World Champion".
I couldn't believe it. I listened as the commentator announced it.  
I did it.
That thought I’d had a few minutes earlier about ‘anything could happen’ was true.
I’d run into the lead and won without knowing it.
I heard my name being screamed and it was one of my best friends from QLD. There was nothing stopping me seeing her. I jumped 2 barriers to get to her. She normally keeps her emotions in check but now she was in tears!!
It was only than that it really hit me. I completely lost it and turned into a blubbering mess.
I looked up to see my coach running at me in tears as well, then my sis, then my dad, then mum.
I had never seen them like this and it was such a raw and spectacular feeling.  
I had gone through that race so many times in my head.
I knew I had to do the little things right, I knew I could not give up, I had to give it everything, I knew I had put in the hours at training and all I had to do was race it like any other race.
Before I flew to New Zealand and people asked me how I thought I was going to go in the race, I would tell them that I would swim as fast as I can, then I would ride as fast as I can, then I would run the fast as I can. Simple really!
And that’s exactly what I did.
I left nothing out on the course and I'm so grateful and proud that the hard work paid off.

I need to thank a lot of people.

First of all to my family; Mum, Dad and big sis. Wendy, Bruce and Brooke.
These are 3 people that I could not live without. They have been by my side every step of my journey and support me through the good and bad times.
To my Coach Corey. …. WE DID IT!
Every early morning, every time you told me to push that little bit harder, every time you kicked me up the arse, it was all worth it and it paid off.
Everyone that supported me at the race in NZ, thanks for being there and making it such an amazing atmosphere.
Everyone who supported me from back home, I would read your messages, watch your videos or talk to you on the phone and it would just keep me so positive and give me the best feeling.
My training Squad PTC (Performance Triathlon Coaching) and my old squad and coach back in Forster, thank you for pushing me and leading the support I needed at training.
To my mentor, Dan Evans, you have been amazing, lending me a kind and supportive word whenever I needed it and keeping my head screwed on straight.
To my sponsors Alison and Chris from Champion System, Tim from Compressport, Sean from Peak Bike Hub and Nick and Gareth from Runners Shop Canberra.  Thank you all so much for your support. , I couldn't have done it without you.

So where to from here?   I’m racing this weekend at the Nepean Triathlon then it’s a week off from training and a well-deserved holiday on the coast for a week. After that it’s back to business to get ready to race the domestic season.

Thanks again for the support.
Signing off the first and only time as,

Grant Melzer,

Under 19's Olympic Distance World Champion.