IRONMAN 70.3 Xiamen 2018 and how it compares with Shanghai

First of all, let’s congratulate many of our friends who made new PB in this race! Please also allow me to share my race report in this Club NEWS and little comparison between two races (Shanghai and Xiamen)
Sacha Cheong 5:15 (PB)
Charles Hui 5:43 (PB)
Idy Chiu 5:54

I thank you my G and my family to allow me to do what I like, and share the post-race with me.

I aimed for making a Personal Best when I enrolled this race one year ago.

I would say the focus were shifted to im703shanghai in the last 6 months as we set it as team target race. I made the new new PB in 5:51hrs with the advantage of flat course and chilly weather (included 10mins plenty). I believed that I’d made another record in Xiamen!

Right after Shanghai, I had a week off to Weihai ITU coaching course, and a few skipped sessions, I was in pre race self-doubt if it would be a make or break.

Coming to Xiamen I feel a lot relax as I can purely enjoy the privilege being support by G and staying at 5 stars Shangra-la hotel! It really a race-cation! And Xiamen is nowadays really a civilized modern city! I can really relax and focus!

On race day, 5:30am wake up for usual routine and arriving at 6:15am for T1 setup, still plenty of time to start breakfast prior the national anthem and swim start. 

The swim

They changed the course a little bit so it became first 550 swim out to turning buoy and then 1300m along the current swimming with 5-6 guiding buoy. I didn’t swim greatly, didn’t feel great at all and stop to clear the goggles, still clocked 30mins the best 1900m swim split so far!

T1 was smooth and well executed, just enough to offset by 750m run....

The bike

On the Bike, nutrition plan well executed, sip a Maurten drink every 15mins, first gel at 45mins then 1.5hrs and 2:15hrs, had a small bit of bonkbreaker at 2:30hrs, temperature stay around 20-21C and pouring rain at some point but it didn’t affect the speed and rhythm at all. Maintaining a constant 80rpms most of the way,  overall it’s a fast bike course but not as easy as Shanghai since there is a bridge to climb twice, and there are few 1-3% slopes segment to deal with, some false flat and some head winds, most of the course was set on the 3 lanes highway, part of the ride I couldn’t see anybody ahead and behind me! I was aiming at 2:45hrs bike split eventually back at 2:51hrs same as Shanghai.

The Run

T2 again was smooth and well executed, first 2.3k is about -1% down slope so it was quick to pickup the rhythm just I need to remind myself to maintain the form when you run back the +1% slope.

Nutrition plan went well, no stomachache, no diaphragm cramping, no water and stuff for first 2.3k. Then SIS electrolytes gels at each 2.3k, 9.3k and 17k turning point. Salt tablets at 6k, 13k and 17k turning points, slice of banana and cokes only after 15k aid station. Still, It required a lot of focus after 15k mental block to hang in there. Otherwise the save from the 6mins swim will be ruined. A new PB was still in sight, and that’s why I entered this race for! Come home in 5:42hrs, made a new PB after 4weeks!

Charles Hui

The attitude with which we approach the situation can determine our success or failure. —PEYTON MANNING

IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai vs Xiamen

Many people ask me which one is a better race compare Shanghai to Xiamen?

Location-wise: Chongming in SH is more remote, country side, cooler temperatures 15-20C, fresher air; while Xiamen is an Southern urban, comfort temperature around 20-23C, lot more choice and accessibly for hotel and restaurants.

Swim course: SH water temperature was 18C lake swim, XM was 21C sea follow the currents, you can’t see your hands at both courses but you won’t be slow in XM....

Transition: both SH and XM have the same flow for gear bag pick up > tent > drop , but I’d prefer the road surface at XM that barefoot friendly while SH was an uneven grass fields.

Bike course: without a doubt SH is a lot faster due to really pancake flat total elevation just 100m, while XM was 480m consist of two bridges and few 1-3% gentle slopes segments.

Run course: I’d say SH run is really easy just a walk in the park under tree shades and very chilly 20C temperatures, I didn’t even get sun burn on Trisuit mark. XM course layout is less mentally exhausting but still warm and humid than SH (not the killing one as HK), you can easily see your friends along the course running up and down.