Anderson 2nd to McKenzie in Japan
Sunday, 22 June 2008 10:50
So put yourself in Mitch Anderson's shoes. You've done the training, you've tapered well and all you have to do is get out there and race well in order to maybe win your second Ironman title. Well it was going well until Mitch was sent the wrong way during the marathon. So that might've ruined his day but fellow Australian Luke McKenzie also had a hand in making Mitch's trip to Japan a little more painful. To Mitch's credit he was his usual philosophical self and let's us in on his day and what happened out there on the run course.
Mitch well done on today
Thanks Phil. I'm a little disappointed but I can't belly ache about my day. The better man on the day was having a better day than me.
The week before the race would you have expected Luke McKenzie to be going as well as you?
Look I expected him to probably lead off the bike by a couple of minutes depending on how my bike went. And you know three Australian's rode under the course record a few years ago and today had perfect bike conditions. If it had of been going to script I would've thought I would've run him down. He (Luke McKenzie) had a very solid run today. I probably got a bit mentally cracked by being sent the wrong way. That was early on in the run. I was probably about 4 - 4 and half minutes in arrears and I was thinking that I was running well. Then I had to do about 400 metres extra but it was stop go sort of stuff and you know you lose a bit of rhythm and he picked up a minute and half or so. The next time check I got he was five and half minutes up the road. But those things happen in racing and he would've won anyway today. His swim bike run combo was supreme.
When you come out of the water 5 minutes down was that expected? You might've expected to be closer?
I've been swimming with a new coach for a month now and I think I lost a bit of the top end speed that I gained by being up North for a couple of weeks. so that's a bit of an issue I'm going to have to address in the future. But I was pretty happy. I got out in 52 minutes and that's a pretty solid time. It's a pretty difficult swim course actually there was a bit of chop on today but it is a perfect 3.8 except for the pros crimping the course. Which really gets my goat.
How much did the other professionals get by sneaking ahead before the gun?
Only about 20 - 30 metres. I know it's tiggy touchwood. It's just unprofessional and the problem is that once one person starts crimping everyone starts to as well. And unfortunately profanity doesn't have much traction in Japan as it might have out in Australia (laughs). I gave it to a couple of athletes who were crimping the start (laughs).
I was looking forward to you telling me about the 'little l'alpe d'uez' that they have on the course there but it is gone?
They've actually taken it out of the course. This is not the same course as a few years ago. They've put some tunnels through some of the larger climbs so for the last three years it's been a bit more tame. but that said it is still a tricky bike course and it's rained here for the last four days pretty much straight. It's really sketchy. And as you know Park Byung Hoon came off and fractured his leg today. You know he was the pre race favorite, so they said (laughs). The press conference was very interesting. They focussed very much on Kawhara (Hayato who came 4th) and Park and part of the was the language barrier, but the Aussies weren't going to get a look in. So today is a good day to say Australians are going pretty well.
So when you hit the run about 8km in you were sent the wrong way
It was at about 9km but I don't want to make a big deal about it. I think that Luke would've won anyway He ran a 3.02 (marathon), I ran a 3.08. But I really did lose my mojo from about 34km onwards. It's satisfying to get second but frustrating to get second again so soon after Port Macquarie (IM Australia) because I really set myself to win this race.
Now for you how long until you start thinking about the next one, or do you take a while to get over Japan?
I've scheduled a block of rest for four weeks. So I'm going to do a bit of Cam Brown and take a month off. I've had a few little injuries with my calf so I'm going to do some rehab on those and spend a month actually getting a bit fat and then I'll do a truncated build for Hawaii with a view to really peak in December for Ironman Western Australia. Getting a win this year was my aim from the outset and i don't think Hawaii will give me the win this year. I think it's important to win a race when you're a full time professional, it's got to be one of your main aims.
So is this one going to haunt you or do you review the race? What is your post race process?
I won't think about it too much. I will look at my SRM file and I'll have a good chat to Bridie and Damien Angus and have a think about where I might've gone wrong nutritonally in my build up. Due to the events I raced it was a bit of a rush and I didn't get a chance to do the speed work in my run that I need to do despite doing the right amount of volume. it's such a interesting learning experience and I look at what Luke's done today and it gives me confidence that a win is just round the corner for me.
Thanks for your time
Thank you.
