A Kidd CAN do Ironman too!!

The words I have wanted to hear over the past year rang through my ears on Saturday night, 1^st March 2014 at 10.35pm.  Steff Kidd, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN.  I raced my perfect race and had the most perfect day. 

My day started at 4am after a great sleep.  I woke once during the night to the sound of some severe wind and then again by my alarm.   The wind had fortunately died down so I got up, got changed, had brekkie, double checked my gear to take down and then was off with Jan to start my day of all days!

I headed to the registration tent to hand over my gear bags and then into the bike rack to locate my bike.  It was buzzing in there but I focused on what I needed to do and completed this almost in robotic fashion.  I had been going over and over these moments in my head for the past week so it was just a case of carrying it out.  Check bike tyres, drinks in cages, food in pouch, unclip helmet and get outta there!  Located Jan outside the bike racks and had a quick nervous chattery skip down the hill to the loos.  Made my final loo stop, wetsuit on, gear in bag, cramp stop up leg, timing chip on, goggles and hat in hand I made my way to the start line.  Threw my bag up to the truck and then found the matted area to stand on to keep my toes warm!!  Then everything started to fall into place.  Located my awesome family for a photo shoot and hugs before heading into the water.  It was electric in there but just focused on my swim, had a quick paddle around after the pro's went off and then before I knew it, it was my turn.

 

The cannon went off and I slipped into the water to 'have a little swim'.  That is how I put it to myself.  The reality of it was that it was actually a bit of a thrashing.  Settled into my swim fairly quickly but definitely battled with bodies the whole 3.8km swim.  Got dunked under a beauty at one stage and had few moments of clear swimming. But I was still moving forward so just had to keep on going.  The final buoy was a blessing as I was starting to dream about eating butter chicken pies! I knew from training I must have been close to the end once this started happening!  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would exit the water after a 3.8km swim with a smile on my face and plenty more energy in my tank.  The highlights of my swim: Giving my family a cuddle on the way past up the chute to the transition tent; people yelling my name in support; getting up those steps! I managed to jog up to the transition tent, locate my bag and then start on phase 2.  Swim time: 1:16:23.

 

The transition tent was a buzz of excitement and people nervously chattering to the helpers.  A lady came and tipped my bag onto a table for me and I methodically placed all of my gear on, again remembering what I had rehearsed in my head for the past week! It was then a case of breaking the ride down into 4x 45km stages!  The first leg out to Reporoa was quick and easy - settled well into my own pace and was careful to eat and drink regularly.  Watched my line behind people and was sure to keep back my required 10 mtrs to stop a drafting penalty.  Waved to spectators, waved to photographers, chatted to the technical bike guys and in general - enjoyed my time out there.  The turn around was awesome.  Sally was out there with smiley signs and it gave me a lovely little boost to get back into town.  Was still feeling great but knew I had a long way to go.  The wind on the way back was constant but not enough to be a pain.  Just focused on eating, drinking and peeing regularly!  Before I knew it, I was back into town and getting lovely support from my awesome family, friends and complete strangers.  I had already decided to stop at the RATS drink station at 90km so it was awesome rocking up there to familiar faces and the family on the other side cheering also.  Headed off again and this is where my first/only wee blip occurred on my radar for the day.  I had a wee twinge of cramp in my quad going up the Napier/Taupo hill heading out onto the 2nd lap of the course.  I stopped at the top of the hill and took a salt tablet which was AMAZING.  It cured the cramping straight away but little did I know the other effects it was going to play for the next 90km!  Stopped to grab my salt n vinegar chippies out of my special needs bag and then headed off to stage 3!  Just a little ride to Reporoa and back, again!  Within about 10 minutes my eyes started getting a bit sore and stingy.  I kept blinking it away,  which actually made it worse.  It took me a wee while to register that although the salt tablet fixed my cramp immediately, it actually made me cry salt for the next 90km!  I managed to get by with pouring water into my eyes at the drink stops and blinking profusely and continuously!  Although it was a pain, it wasn't going to break me so just got on with the job at hand.  Was really careful to keep my pace steady and constant so that I still had enough energy in my legs to deal to a marathon after dismounting!!  I met some amazing people out there on the bike course who all became Ironman ‘friends’.  We egged each other on, had a wee laugh, sang songs to pass the time and competed for our elusive spot in the toilet line!  I also saw all of my training buddies and gave them a shout when I came across them.  Stage 2 was complete again before I knew it and my highlight of the bike course was coming down Centennial road for the final time and hearing the cheers of Greg and the kidds from his car -Just the lift I needed for that last little burst into town; high fiving my mum and dad, Penny, Peter and Margie on the lakefront as I headed out off on my bike; and not getting a puncture. Bike time: 8:00:25.

 

Coming off the bike, I felt absolutely AMAZING.  I had a spring in my step and fire in my belly “You got this”, I said to myself over and over and this just made me want to get to the finish line faster.  I had a 5 min transition time between bike-run, which was made easier by having Knisha helping me out in the tent.  She asked me if there was anything I needed and my reply "Just a hug"!  I headed off for my marathon run, running!  I basically realised that I would get  to the end quicker by moving forward and quickest by running.  So that is what I did, for the majority of 42.2km.  I managed to run the whole first 18km and was only reduced to a walk due to urgently requiring a loo stop!!  The run course was 3x out and back laps.  I broke the laps down by going drink stop to drink stop.  Completing the same process at each one.  2 waters please ( a few drops of Elete electrolytes in) cup of water on my head and a cup of ice down my top.  This was my routine up until around 21km when I started adding in a cup of coke at each stop also.  Coming from someone who never really found the joy for running in my training, I have to admit - I loved every minute of it.  The atmosphere and support out there on the course was unreal.  It was like nothing that you have ever imagined.  People were calling my name, tooting, singing the ‘PORSE PORSE PORSE for a better day’ song, fellow competitors cheering for you, high 5's and it all just made me happier.  I don't think I could stop smiling and just got on with the job at hand, to complete 42.2km which ever way I could but all moving forward! I just loved seeing my family, coach, friends, support station volunteers and training buddies along the way. People just kept popping up, it seemed, when I needed them the most and I am forever thankful for the support from everyone I saw on the day.  I could name you all but would hate to forget anyone, so each and everyone of you who came out and cheered me on, or left messages of support, or watched me all day on live stream - THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU.  The highlights of my run: Seeing the look on my family/ friends/coach Zippy's face when I yelled at them "Don't worry - I've got this!" on the way back in from my 1st lap;  Hi 5's/hugs from my kids; Coming down the hill in Wharewaka point to the most amazingly big chalk message of support on the pathway just for me; seeing Laurel and her kids and wishing Riley Happy birthday; hugging my mate Korrin who came from Australia to just watch me; seeing my uncle at Wharewaka point when I was having a wee walking pity party!; having Belinda pop up with her smiley shirt; Smiley face signs just for me; Steve and Katrina treating me like royalty at the Sweat to 7 aid station; Jacky focusing me at the same aid station; someone from the RATS group yelling 'only 4 laps to go' when I headed out on my first lap (made me giggle!); running/walking parts of the marathon with Lee-Anne and Teri;  Sarah whacking me on the ass as I cheekily danced past the huge contingent of RATS supporters; the proud look on my parents, husband, daughters, son's, friends faces at the finish line; and of course, sprinting to the end of my very first Ironman.

 

The last 2km was a real buzz and I was still running, I was so excited I could almost taste the finish line before I got to it!  I picked up my pace as I still felt AMAZING and yes, I was still running.  I soaked in every step, thanked everyone I passed and managed to contain my emotions enough for that last little sprint into the finish line.  Running up that shoot was incredibly emotional, so many thoughts running through my head and I managed a little dance with the commentator before taking my spot in history.  Stage 3 was complete... Run time 6:03:49.

 

STEFF KIDD, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN.  Overall time 15:35:43. 

 

This will ring in my ears forever.  No one can take this away from me but many people were there with me. It is now my time to bask in the glory of competing in one of the toughest races in history.  Again, hugest thanks to my family, friends, supporters, volunteers, coach, fellow competitors, training buddies, sponsor PORSE and anyone who played a part in my journey.  We did it!