Post Ironman Race Blue

As expected, it happened again. After any major race, you get withdrawal syndrome. I am no different.

As all of you are aware, i was back to work yesterday with only 24hours of rest, or something like that. I am not the only one as i know many others are back to work too doing what they does for a living to pay the bills and feed the stomach of the family.

Reflecting back, i must say i am fully satisfied with the race. I can't complain and i have no complains about how i did. Good or bad timing is secondary. Most important is that i went out to do what i was supposed to do, and did it.

Infact when i returned to the office on Monday, i felt like some hero of sort. A few senior managers that knows i did the race came to ask how was the race. A few colleagues too, showed interest. Even my new Asia MD emailed me personally to asked how was my race and shared with me his SCHKM which he did a 21km run.

"25 Degree C in 85% Humidity and it was a bad day of race for me", he said.

The outgoing MD too, told me that there were four participants from the SCHKM that was still in hospital with a big handful collapsing on the run.

I have never expected Langkawi to be any easier this week due to the weather and i was weather-watching everyday to ensure i know what to expect. At 12:00 hours into the race, the official ironman.com website reported that there were only 92 finishers.

Wow! 12Hours with only 92 finishers?

"Oppresive weather in Ironman Langkawi with temperature of 46Deg C at 70% Humidity, which sees it being raised towards the evening"

Operating word here is Oppresive.

I've been scouring the net for some race reports. So far, it is only Senn and Arif that wrote about their adventure.

Arif's Dee En Eff were a look at how racing wisely and knowing your body limit might save your life.

Senn's The Year I Raced Amongst Ironmen were a tribute to the supporters that were there and understand the Ironman spirit and why we did it. Great read.

Sofian's We Are So Happy talks about how delighted he was to know certain people he knows qualified for Kona and how his prodigies beat him flat in the race.

I am still waiting for the others to blog about their race so that i can read and share what goes in their mind on race day.

Mine were done via my Race Report which was written with my mind being in a blur confused state. I hope they made sense.

What i failed to do was to thank all the supporters that were there on race day, and those that tracked all of us online the whole day for they, like Senn said, were the real hero that made it possible for people like me (the backmarkers chasing cutoff).

Apparently, 538 came, 9 did not start the morning and 116 did not finish. There were only 422 finishers with me being placed at number 419. I am proudly 3rd Last.

There are too many to thanks, but here's a try:

Those at race venue - Wifey, Bandit, Mac, Josephine, Julie, AJ, Halim Jantan, Cmdr Chan+Mrs, Patrick, K, Zee, Alisa, Ho+Family, Eric+Family, Jabir+Tesa, Razman+Eva, Ramzul+Diana, Farouk+Af, Melody, Razani, Jenn Jenn, MJ, Stephanie, Azah+Family, Mrs. Yee, Li-Ann, Nik, SK, Jason, Ezer's Mum, Mich Looi, Sargeant Sam,

Those racing - Yusran, Edwin, Ishsal, Omar, Shiraz, Barath, Kam, Fathi, Kok Aik, Arif, Senn, Adeline, Ezer, Faisaal, Jun Shen, Farhan, Elaine, Raymond Tan, Raymond Hee, Uncle Yee, Siok Bee, Chris, KK, Carmen, Ah Thiam, Simon, Fadhli, Emma, Keat Seong, Meng Lian.

Those tracking from home - Jansen, Kash, TSB.

If i miss out anyone, sorry as it wasn't intentional. 

Today, 72hours after the race, i am still technically recovering. I have eight blisters on both feet total - 5 on left and 3 on right with the biggest ones at the ball of the feet and scattering fews on the heels at the thickest part of the skin. I puntured the blisters as the pressure made it difficult for me to walk and i needed a scissor to make an incision as pins just could not penetrate the thick skin. Today, i am still walking with a limp as not to exert too much pressure to the sole of my feet and i am walking using the outer side of my feet to reduce the pressure.

My calves and thighs were pampered in the the Scholl's DVT socks after race and in the 2XU compression tights until yesterday and today i had the calf guards on.

Yesterday, i rewarded myself with a double prosperity burger with a sundae and share the fries with Ryan and Nadia. It was a binge i needed badly. Then before i slept i gobble down a thick mix of protein powder, BCAA and spirulina mixed in a pack of soya milk for recovery.

But something has been bothering me. My hands swelled to about 40% more from normal with my wedding ring impossible to be removed right after the race. I showed it to Tey and he said it is a symptom of lack of oxygen and electrolyte imbalance.

Guess the blood hemo/iron issues never did leave me.

And from Sunday, i had strange palpilation of the heart otherwise known as arrhythmia. It comes in many condition and i believe mine could be not enough rest and electrolyte imbalance. I hope.

I was suprised that i had a resting HR of 46 at 3.30pm today as i sat down during one of the quarterly review with a client. Obviously i was drifting away and i felt nauseated as if i was lack of oxygen in the system. the low HR sort of made the heart palpilation/skipping/beating more apparent as it is similiar to how one would feel when they suddenly felt scared/excited/worried. It is like the heart drop down to the floor.

I believe a good rest is what i really need and will try to get it. This week is simply too busy with work and more work and i can't say no to work as it pays my bills and feed the family.

Oh ya, to counter my post-race blue - i've agree to join a 42km Hash Run with a bunch of people i hardly know (in a team of four, with at least one women in the team). It is the 7th International Hash Run to take place on the 1st May 2010.

How's that for a different type of marathon?