Myron's ITU world Championship race report

Unfortunately, my triathlon race ended after a wicked crash left me with a smashed bike and broken collarbone. A disappointing end to the season.After the aquathlon race on Wednesday, I started feeling gross with a dry cough and constricted chest. I saw the team doctor and found out I had bronchitis. I was feeling pretty bad about this, but was hoping a couple of days of rest would get me feeling good enough to race. When I woke up this morning for the race, I was still not 100% and had to fight off the negative thoughts. My hope was that the excitement of the race would get the adrenalin going and my training would kick in to allow me to have a good race. As recommended by the team coach, I had shaved down my whole body to feel extra speedy for the race - just like the pros. The transition area was huge, but well organized. We found out this morning that the temperature of the water was 20 degrees, so the race became wetsuit legal. I did a good run and swim warm up, but still felt a bit sluggish. We lined up for the start at 8:47, with about 150 men in my age group leaving in that wave. I was calm and ready to see what the day would bring. When the horn went off, I hit the water running and made it to first buoy towards the front of the pack. I tried to find a good person to draft off, but couldn't seem to find the right fit. The group spread out fairly quickly and I focused on keeping a long stroke and a positive attitude. I finished the 1500 m swim in about 21 mins - not my best swim, but good enough to keep me competitive. I think I was about 20th or so out of the water.My transition went well and I managed to do the running bike mount without mishap. I quickly settled into a 40 km / hour pace and 100 rpm cadence. About 5 mins in, I started feeling really strong and picked up the pace, passing several riders. By this point we were mixed in with the other waves of racers on a two lap course and the riding was fairly congested. It was frustrating to see big groups of pelotons forming, in total disregard of the drafting rules. I tried to work my way past these pelotons as quickly as possible, staying to the outside to avoid problems. By this time, I was flying: 43-45 km / hour pace and moving my way up the ranks. I was on track to go under 1 hour on the bike leg, which would have been a great ride for me.Unfortunately, about 18 km into the ride, disaster struck. At a section where the road narrowed, a rider in front of me swerved to avoid a pylon, and two riders crashed right in front of me. I swerved to try to avoid them, hit a barrier and went flying shoulder first onto the road. There was a pile up of about 5 riders. I jumped up, pulled my bike out of the pile and tried to hop back on but the front handlebars were completely bent and the bike was not rideable. I then noticed a searing pain in my right shoulder. I first thought I had broken or dislocated my shoulder, but it became obvious that I had broken my collarbone. I got whisked off the course to the medical tent and spent the afternoon at the hospital getting x-rays, etc. There were at least 6 other racers there from several different bike crashes that had happened. Of course, I am bitterly disappointed. Despite feeling lousy from bronchitis, I was having a good race and feel like I could have placed well. I know that there many positives from this whole experience: (i) this goal motivated me all year and I got in the best shape I have been in during the last 20 years; (ii) I had a great season and achieved personal best times in the half marathon, half ironman and olympic triathlon distance races by huge margins; (iii) I had an amazing holiday with my family in Australia; (iv) I got to experience representing Canada at the World Championships; and (v) my body hair will grow back (I hope). Nonetheless, this was not the result I wanted and it will be a long flight home. I guess I get a forced rest from training for the next couple of weeks to let the collarbone heal. After that, it will be back to the drawing board to map out my plan for conquering Ironman France in June, 2010.

Myron