I found this article by Paddy Cloete on the Ironman South Africa website useful in absorbing everything and if you haven’t read it yet, it’s worth the 5min.

With regard the technology, I would have been fine with a stop watch and nothing else but to go cold turkey on such a big day more than just shook me, it frustrated me and made me extremely angry which hardly helped the situation. As such I have discarded the offending HR monitor and bought a new one and will certainly ensure that from now on my T2 bag has a cheap stop watch as a spare in it (now don’t get any ideas about stealing my T2 bag, its going to be a R9.95 cheapie alright! ).

On the bright side of things, I have discovered the joys of Suunto and can recommend their products to everyone out there.

Pacing devices are not allowed in running races.

Bike and TRI dont seem to have same restrictions, not sure about ITU distance run or lets say in the Olympics!

L8r

Lawrence - apologies mate. 1:40 a bike lap was my first lap. 1:20 is the last 30km of IM France.

Heart rate monitors are important but feel is key too. I didnt have 1 heart rate monitor reading in my race either, but I stuck to the plan of around 1:45 a lap on the bike, and 1:05 on the run. The footpod was a great help to calm me the hell down on lap 1 of the run, I was smoking it waaaaaay too hard out of T2.

Interesting about world records as well and no use of timing aids like HRM`s and Footpods, etc… how does that work for World Cycling champs with powermeters? I have seen them on the track guys bikes and they use them for cycling in Tours, but I know alot of guys tape the wattage LCD closed and just keep distance and speed on there.

I find my HRM and Footpod give me consistency, and teach me what my limits are in training, by tempting blow-up, so that I know how hard to push on raceday. I would never race a 1/2 IM or a Olympic distance with a HRM - i tried it once and it scared the crap out of me, I averaged 186 for 2 hours at sealevel that time.

You will have better, and worse races, I guarantee that. Elite age groupers are always pushing the limits and at times, we go KABLEEEEEWWWIE!!! but other times, we are unstoppable.

See you out there man.

I know how you train Robin with your work and family obligations so it is amazing that you have these results. It would be great to see what you would do if you dedicated yourself 100% to Ironman (can anyone ever really do this?).

So I think your result is amazing. You have confirmed your result from earlier this year (was it 9:17 in Ironman Western Australia) because Ironman South Africa is one of the hardest courses in the Ironman series. It is not hard like Lanzarote or Ironman UK which is quite obvious that it is hell and you hold back from the first second, but it is hard in a sense that it always gives you some hope, sort of cheats you that you can maybe go a bit faster, but in fact it is not possible.

Ironman South Africa does not have huge hills that you know in advance will make you slow. It does not have super heat or mountains on the run. So people tend to expect more while in fact, I think, Ironman South Africa is a super hard course. Partially it is hard because of the conditions and partially it is a huge test for the mental attitude.

I know so many people who are totally confused by this race - including me. In Challenge Roth you know you can go fast and you do, in Lanzarote you know you have to survive so you do that. I have no idea what to do in Ironman South Africa - the race is in that most horrible limbo - inbetween going hard and survival.

If you are a PRO than you always go hard, but at around 9:00-9:30 it is most hard to figure things out. You are not taking it easy but you can not give it all you’ve got either.

I think you have done very well in this race - I mean you finished it within your ability.

Every time you accelerate yourself you need to learn how to pace yourself over again. And Ironman South Africa is the toughest place to experiment with pacing. I think you have done very well. You managed to run all the way though and still finish in a very good time.

It is an experience from which you learn a lot.

I do not know what you expected but I would be happy to just finish Ironman South Africa - I know I can do around 9:20-9:30 on a normal easy course but I know the risk I would take if I would chase in PE so anything that includes me finishing the race would be good.

I think you have done great!

Interesting that both you and Raoul comment on how important your heart rate monitors are (and Raoul’s footpod) to have a good race. Your timing seems better than Raoul’s though, he was on a 4 hour bike it seems (3×1:20=4hrs)

Out of interest, both heart rate monitors and footpods or any pacing device other than a stop watch are not allowed in championship running events so world records are set without them.

The first sub 8 ironman (I speak under correction) was done with no timing device or bike computer, just feel.

A few studies have shown percieved effort to be a better indicator of effort than Heart rate.

I personally would love to race with power and would hate to run wthout a stop watch, but the km markers do seem a bit haphazard in PE, so maybe i should concentrate on running on feel. Actually i should just concentrate on running the whole way.. hah hah