2024 Miyakojima strongman triathlon: race Report

They say third time's a charm and that was certainly the case for me with the Miyakojima Triathlon. With a 38-year long history, the All Japan Triathlon Miyakojima Strongman Triathlon (phew!) is one of Japan's OG triathlons. It's also lottery-based, and for the 2024 race, 1,500 athletes were 'accepted' out of the 2,041 applications...

After not being selected for 2020 (which wound up being cancelled due to the pandemic) and 2023, I was finally selected for 2024. While stated as a lottery and random selection, it's alleged that this is only true to an extent. Top-place finishers and repeaters seem to be 'welcomed back' at a suspiciously high ratio. In the past, applications from foreign nationals seemed to be accepted a significantly higher rate than Japanese nationals. However, from personal observations, this trend may no longer hold true, especially for foreign residents residing in Japan (despite using international addresses and using the English registration). Then again...how would they know? 

Anyway, the race report. Here's what you came for: 

LODGING AND STUFF
A girl friend and I stayed at the Hotel Miyakojima, which came with a kitchenette, a full washer and dryer (gas, so you know it's legit!), and a large room with zero closet, drawers, or storage solutions for our 6 night stay. Our closest race shuttle bus stop was a 400 meter walk, and we used that to collect our race packets on Thursday, go to the pre-race briefing and dinner on Friday, return from bike racking on Saturday, and also get to the swim start on Sunday.

We did have a rental car on Tuesday and Wednesday, which we used to get our bikes from the airport to the hotel, do a grocery run, check out the swim start, and also drive the bike course. In hindsight, we should have driven the run course as well. We failed to do this in New Zealand, also (we traveled together for 2023 IMNZ/70.3 NZ)😆

BEFORE THE RACE
On Wednesday morning, we went to the swim start in the morning to sus out how the swim might be on Sunday. The currents were quite strong and this was the case on Sunday, where we went flying out at the start then struggled greatly to return to shore.

After the swim, we rinsed off in the free showers at the parking lot/beach bathroom (God bless Okinawa), then went on to drive most of the bike course. While the climbs weren't super steep or long, they just kept coming. Talk about undulating roads and rolling hills...the elevation profile on the race website mentioned about 830m of climbing, which tracked with my race data - 853m.

SWIM
Last year, the swim start was by Prefecture, which literally made no sense at all and I'm glad they decided to "split" the swim by anticipated pace. That being said, I'm not sure if it really made a difference because that was by FAR, the scariest and most chaotic swim start ever. Although they had separations, it was for all intents and purposes still a mass start and everyone had the same start time of 0700. Timing mats at the swim start are apparently not of interest here.

Again, it was absolute carnage in the first several hundred meters and I felt lucky I feel confident enough in the waters to not panic. Also, honestly, really surprised no one died. But then again 114 athletes either retired, didn't make the cut off, or were pulled out. With 1,341 starters, we lost almost 10% in the swim alone.

As I mentioned earlier, the current is quite strong. We all went flying out (and swinging wildly), but coming back to shore for both the Aussie exit and towards T1 was a struggle. Overall, the swim is absolutely stunning and the water isn't very salty. I'd honestly rank this swim over Hawaii (based on 70.3 Honu).

Transition was a bit of a waddle, about 150m across the shore on sand, then another 450m or so to the bike racks. The transition waddle is actually pretty cool, very jungle book esque through a mangrove. Then it's through the Tokyu Resort Hotel grounds and their parking lot where our bikes were. Pretty uneventful transition, I was surprised to see so many bikes still there. I didn't have a great swim (seems to be a trend this year!) and felt I was not moving for a solid 200 meters before shore. That felt like eternity just fighting the current and knowing I'd been staring at the same patch of sand and coral for far too long. The Garmin had me at a 1:02 , but the race results say 1:06 due to the location of the timing mats. Sigh.

BIKE
After making sure I had all the things done at T1, I waddled out with a 4:36 and hopped on my bike un-elegantly...off we go! I wanted to average at least 31.5 but I was a whole kph slower so that was disappointing. Here, my NP of 116 and IF .65 was far lower than the NP 127 and .75 IF at Bangsaen.  Whoa.

​There were many sections I felt I should or could go faster but for reasons ranging from not wanting to draft, not wanting to burn matches by picking up the power to make the pass, feeling the potential onset of my legs cramping (which I feel are the biggest inhibitor right now, I need to work on this, I don't feel it is as much of a fueling issue as it is a not fit enough or a bike fit problem). In hindsight, I feel I should have pushed more power but the headwinds were also destroying my will to live and well, I have a whole bucket of excuses I could come up with 🤗

Part of me wants to take more risks on the bike but knowing the run is my strength, I tend to play it conservatively on the bike. In the back of my mind, I also knew I had to play my cards smart because the run was going to be a long slog in the middle of the afternoon.

Ultimately, in the "worst case scenario", I would not sub-4 the bike and I wound up with 4:00:34 according to the race results, but 4:03 according to the Garmin. The most complimentary way to sum up this bike course might be...this is an honest course. The views are probably beautiful, at last what little I remember of it as I was mostly occupied trying not to draft or die. The moto marshalls were out there and I was beeped at a few times - enough to think I might have to serve a penalty. I saw a woman I had traded spots back and forth with serving her penalty at the penalty tent and fully expected to be called in as I waltzed past but...nothing.

The aid stations were pretty solid with a lot of volunteers and there were always plenty of ice cold drinks and sponges for both the bike and run. A lot has to go into making that happen, so I was really impressed with the coordination and logistics in that aspect. I did make it a point to slow down more than I ever have in the past for aid stations - after my bike mishap at 70.3 Bangsaen earlier in the year, I probably carry a little PTSD 😅

The personal needs (or special drink as they call it) area came right before an aid station, and I didn't expect it but all of a sudden I saw my personal needs bag in front of me and I grabbed it. I never used it because it came at about 100k and it was always going to be an in case of emergency situation. I don't think I would have been any faster or better on either the bike or the run had I utilized it. I feel there could be better consideration of where personal needs comes on the race course.

I came into T2 to a relatively empty transition, which was nice, but I had a feeling there was a big gap between me and the women before me. Spent 3:11 faffing around at T2.

RUN
Well, turns out I was right, because I probably only passed 2 or 3 women and then I began counting the women on their way back (since it was an out and back course). From that, I knew I was probably in the top 10 but you just never know with race brain. Maybe I missed a woman or four.

I keep banging on about everything being tough, but this was a seriously challenging run course. Again, with the undulating roads, and the unbearable mental mindf_cks of looking ahead and seeing the hazy distance far, far ahead was just...breaking me. The heat and humidity were also a factor, but there were many bags of ice being doled out and honestly, I felt very spoiled!

The supporters and crowds were out in full force on several stretches and it was fantastic. Many of them set up their own aid stations and I was seriously impressed. I utilized several, grabbing pouches of Aquarius and bags of ice. Towards the twilight hours, it seems many of them set up lounge chairs, began drinking and continued cheering on the athletes.

The personal needs came a little early on the run (compared to a little late on the bike), at about 14k. I was happy to have that ready, and absolutely needed the fueling top up. I opted to walk through many of the aid stations, mostly utilizing the sponges and topping up my handheld with a mix of water and Aquarius. At IM Philippines, the cups were smaller, which made it easier to pour into my handheld, and because it was raining I did not use the sponges as much. Even though I walked through, I was a woman on a mission and dropped a lot of men at the aid stations. I had some great pacers throughout but with a handful of exceptions, I left them behind 👋

Anyway, after picking up the pace a bit through town, there were still some long stretches past the airport and towards the track. Including several short punchy climbs, haha BRUTAL. Low-key had some regrets picking up the pace at those segments through town. Once I got on the track though, I knew what to do. I charged on, rounded the curve and knew I had it in the bag, I could finally be done with this race 🤣

I had an empty final stretch so I have high hopes for the finish photos haha I knew I should take off my sunglasses but couldn't be bothered. I was too damn tired. Yay, I did it! The 35k came out to 3:03. I had been hoping for a sub-3 here, but I felt I gave it what I had. It turned out to be good for the 5th fastest women's run split after the two pro ladies, and that's something I am proud of.

Ultimately, I finished with an 8:17. I had been targeting 8:10, so I didn't quite make it but I'd give myself a B/B+ for the effort. Overall, I was the 9th female in, barely squeezing into the Top 10 Women. We can't double dip in this race and the pros (like Ai Ueda) are included with age group athletes, but it would have put me at 2nd in age group, after last year's women's runner up (who finished 4th this year).

I had my eyes on first in AG and while making Top 10 is even better, I will have to admit that after winning my age group for three consecutive races (Challenge 113 Taiwan, IM Philippines, and 70.3 Bangsaen), my AG champion streak has ended. But I had barely entertained the thought of Top 10, so this is great, too. At the airport on my way back home, I was interviewed and lied when they asked if I would race the Miyakojima Triathlon again next year. Look, I'm glad I was able to check this one off after two previous lottery entry rejections, but I think this will be a one and done.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST
According to the data released, this race had a completion rate of 77% overall and 70% for women. 1,167 men and 174 women started. 911 men and 122 women finished. This is fairly low and surprised me but apparently fairly normal for Miyakojima because of the cut off times. All together, 1,341 started, 114 called it a day at the swim, 97 from the bike, and another 97 from the run.

There were many things that were excellent about this race, but also many things that absolutely confounded me. Having personal needs was clutch, but also they came at bizarre places. The athlete guide came a bit later than expected, and it left out some details that I felt would be important, including the exact situation at T2, e.g. would our transition bags be on hooks by our bike or is a volunteer handing it to us - seems this was conditional on the number of volunteers available.

​Having the race shuttle bus schedule earlier would have been nice, so as to be able to better coordinate lodging rather than wondering if the nearest shuttle bus stop would be miles away. A rolling swim start with timing mats would be nice. Being able to sit down and eat while the ceremonial aspects occurred during the Waido welcome party would also have been nice. Releasing the aid station and personal needs map, along with several other announcements in the 4, 5 days leading up to race day, not so ideal.

On the other hand, changing the swim start to estimated finish time is appreciated. The aid stations were packed with all the things and volunteers. The whole island really comes together and makes it uniquely theirs. The course is tough, the conditions challenging and the cut off times heartbreaking, but Miyako is an undeniably stunning setting for a triathlon. The welcome party had plenty of food and the shuttle busses came like clockwork. There were many interpreters, staff, and volunteers, I was thoroughly impressed