Ironman Mark

I had a great time today. It was very hard, but I loved it. Ok, I may not have loved it all while I was doing it but now, achy, laying on the sofa, I feel great.

Swim: I was disappointed with my swim. The start was where it went wrong. I started at the front and decided not to go as hard as normal to start with and got caught in the thick of things. The person to my left decided that they actually wanted to swim to my right so they sometimes swam into me. The guy on the right of me kept banging me in the head. He probably got me around ten times. Ten times. Some of those times I was trying to breath and I couldn’t. After a while, I got bored with this. I couldn’t breathe properly and I couldn’t swim away so I decided to stop swimming. After he got ahead, I watched his stroke and saw that his left arm swung all the way horizontally round. It wasn’t deliberate. I then got banged around a bit by the people who were either side of me and who were, before I stopped, behind me. As I hadn’t got my breath back, it effected me and I decided to stop again for a couple of seconds.

After that, I took it steady and got my breath back, gradually feeling better and better. Finding a draft proved difficult as most people were swimming my kind of speed. One guy with a red cap went by me on the second lap but he started going to the left. I followed him a bit before deciding to let him go.

I caught the last people in the second wave at corner three and after that it was an uneventful swim. Some drafting, swim around them, draft some more, swim around again.

Time: no idea, but I guess around 30 mins

T1: this went ok but was not too fast as I had to pack my stuff away in the bag. A huge amount of steam came off the wetsuit when I took it off. I have never seen that before. I had a problem in that I felt a bit giddy and at one stage nearly fell over backwards when I tried to stand up. It didn’t last long though.

Guessing about 3 mins.

Official time was 32:50 (8th percentile).  The swim was short compared with last year: 36:16 (5th percentile)

Bike: I changed my plan from yesterday and decided to go harder than I would normally do and see what happened.  So I did.  I found it quite hard on the long bits where there was a strong headwind and my legs were really feeling it.

I felt fine on the main part of the course but quite cold going through the bits under the trees.

I stopped after 100m to check the brakes as I heard what sounded like rubbing, but it wasn’t

I was pleased that my power numbers were: AP= 201W and NP=209W.  This is more than I have ever done in a half-ironman distance race (last year it was 195W/204W).

Total time: 2:58:29.  I think this includes the run out of T1 (about 100m) and none of T2.  29th percentile (last year 29th percentile as well).  My actual riding time is 4 mins 32s faster than last year.

T2: a bit slow as I was a bit all-over-the-place (and put on socks).

Run: The plan originally was not to walk but then I saw people walking up the 25% hill about a mile in.  But I still decided to run.  I ran about 2/3rds of it and then my two quad muscles closest to my knee (vastus medialis) started claiming.  So I walked about for about 20 seconds and then carried on running.

At the half way point, I worked out I was on for a 1:51:30 time if the run was the full 21.1k.  That was not to be.  The second-half had some big, steep hills in.  In ran up Sandy Gallops ok.  I ran most of Heartbreak Ridge (again, I walked for about 20 seconds 2/3rds of the way up to ease the heart rate up a bit).  The hill at the end before you got to the road was also walked (2x 20 seconds worth).

My pins and needles first got noticed 28:40 into the run.  I had decided beforehand just to run through them.  Most of the time it wasn’t a problem, I just couldn’t feel my feet too much.  A couple of times I tripped or landed badly but it didn’t give me a huge amount of trouble.    I did take the steeper downhills a bit easier as I was worried about tripping.

The first mile or so of the run, a few people were overtaking me.  After that, I started over-taking people.  From mile 10 or so, people again started overtaking me.  I think my legs had run out of stamina!  The last mile on the road, I held my own again.  I worked incredibly hard, face contorted, concentrating, working, hard.  Very hard.  But my pace was no where near the effort I was putting in.

At the end, I got pipped of one place in a sprint finish.  Oh well.

Not sure what my actual running time was but, including T2 it was 2:0:9.  Slow.  But the course was just over 22k, so a little long.   If T2 was 3 mins and I allowed 5 mins for the extra length then 1:52 is not too bad bearing in mind the terrain.

That’s 27th percentile (last year 38th percentile – but I was getting over my torn calf muscle).

Overall, I did 5:31:29.  That’s 21st percentile (same as last year).  I was aiming for 5:30 so a little disappointed but I would have got there is the run was the right length

Tips for next time…

1. Going harder on the bike worked.  Staying with people (legally) as they went by me worked.  Perhaps I went a fraction too hard in the first hour but it worked.

2. Chill on the swim.  Because I got hit a lot and couldn’t breath when I wanted to I got worried and stopped for a few seconds.  Next time, I should have pushed the guy to the left of me out of the way or gone faster.

3. For a race like this one, I need a lot more leg strength on the run!  I practice hills.  But I don’t think I practice enough hills at the end of long runs at a hard enough pace.  Most triathlons don’t have run legs like this though!

I am actually quite nervous at the moment about this.  Not sure why.

Yesterday, I felt fine.  I was doing it for a laugh.  Today, it feels a bit more serious.

I did this last year, just after coming back from a torn calf muscle.  This is what I said at the end of my report:

So my thoughts:

1. I like the New Forest and will do this race again next year.  I will practice swimming a bit more first though!

2. I was fine on the bike course.  I will probably do it the same again as this year (and hopefully be fitter) but maybe push just the last 30 minutes and put more effort into the uphills.

3. I have never run on a course like this.  I need to practice a lot more on incredibly steep hills and uneven gravel paths.

4. Most importantly, I really need to sort these pins and needles out.  Or if I can’t, have a strategy for dealing with them.  One thing seems clear – massage makes running worse.

Assuming that the weather and course is the same next year, I think I could get my time to sub-5:30.

This year I have not done much swimming (it’s weaker than last year).  I am not fitter on my bike, but will try to stay with people (legally) who over take me a bit.   Running steep hills on rough paths is something I have done a lot of this year and so I am more confident on that.

The feet though.  I have learnt nothing new this year.  So my plan is to tough it out.  I will get pins and needles.  I know they won’t go away once they start.  But they won’t slow me down if I just keep running.

In terms of strategy:

1. Swim hard for the first 100m or so, find some feet and then concentrate on keeping them.

2. Bike harder than normal.  Keep up with people who overtake me.  Stay well back from them but keep with them if they are going roughly my speed.  Last 30 minutes should be hard.

3. Run tough.  Run every bit.  Even the steepest hill.  Just run.  And keep running.

Up to 18 months ago, I loved swimming.  It was the best bit of triathlon.  I went to the local pool first thing in the morning, queuing to get in before it opened. Keen.  Dead keen.

Then the pool said I could not use paddles in the pool.  This was  the start.

Then they took away a lane.  Before, the swim club had three in the mornings and the public had three lanes.  Slow, Medium and Fast.  Then we only had two: slow and every one else.

There were battles: I did a kick set in the slow lane and a breaststroker accused me of deliberately getting myself kicked.  There is one person who winds me up big time.  It became annoying.  Frustrating.

Eight people in the lane means you can’t do anything.  Very fast people wanted to overtake.  Slow people were in the way.  I could not choose what I wanted to do.  Training became pot-luck.  Training became a chore.  Training became a bit of random swimming.

A week ago, they took the remaining two lanes away.  No notice.  No warning.  Just gone.

I could no longer train in the local pool.  I was allowed to be in the pool at 7:30am but that’s too late as I’d never get into work in time.  There’s no way I could swim in the evening as the lanes only became available after 9pm.  And then not every day of the week.  When I did go, I was so awake that I did not get to sleep until 11:30 or so.

So I got on my high horse.  I spoke to the swim club.  I spoke to the council.  I spoke to the trust and I spoke to management.  Google is a fantastic tool for finding home phone numbers.  Hopefully this will get the decision reversed but perhaps not.

Management also manages another pool.  So they let me swim there as part of my membership.  So I tried it on Friday.  It’s a 11.5 mile drive there.  But I liked it.  Management was friendly and the pool was quiet.  Two maybe three people in the lane.

So this morning, I queued up before the doors opened.  I did a session that I used to love doing.  It was great.  Only one or two people in the lane.  1 hour 35 mins after starting, I got out and still had a big smile.  A very big smile.

My fitness is down.  In January 2009 I did the same session and timed three “all-out” 200m efforts during the set: 2:57, 2:56 and 3:01.  Today it was 3:02, 3:07 and 3:17.  But it will get quicker with practice!

I enjoyed this morning’s race, although the heavy down poor at the end spoiled the celebrations!

I had done it last year, enjoyed it and so knew what to expect.

Swim: 12:11 (18 seconds slower than last year, 4th percentile).  I started at the front on the shortest direct line and went hard for the first 75m or so.  I then drafted behind someone to the first buoy but was just pipped into third by someone who overtook me.  I stayed in third until the first corner when someone started swimming by my hips.  I took the turn easy and waited a bit and so followed on his feet.  However, he decided to swim too far to the right so after 30m or so I took the direct route.  Just after we turned to head back, he caught me up again and I decided to ease off a little and draft off him again.

On the run from the lake to T1 I overtook him easily and so came into T1 in third in my age group.

T1: 1:13 (7 seconds quicker – 18th percentile).  This went well, other than I hadn’t unclipped my helmet when I left it on the bike.  No socks, shoes not on the bike.

Bike: 32:53 (14 seconds slower – 15th percentile).  I overtook someone on the long run out and then was overtaking for the whole of the ride.  Four people (I think) overtook me on the bike but I got one of those on the run back into T2.  It was quite windy and rained a bit towards the end.  AP=224W, NP=226W, Av HR=165bpm so a very consistent ride (last year AP was the same but NP was 1W higher).  Actual riding time was 22 seconds slower so I must have run 8s faster!  I think the wind made the difference on the bike.

I got held up once at a roundabout and then lost a little time going the right way around a mini-roundabout.  The people ahead were cutting the corner and I’d heard of people being disqualified for breaking the Highway Code so I did the right thing and lost a little time.  When I looked round, there was a drafting motorbike right behind me so if they were being strict, I made the right decision.

Bike was pretty comfortable but I was a little fidgety on the seat.

I am surprised that the power was exactly the same.  I guess that means I have caught up a bit after taking most of the winter off the bike!

T2: 0:59 (7 seconds quicker – 45th percentile): Elastic laces made the difference!  But I fluffed trying to unclip my helmet.

Run: 20:07 (11 seconds slower -15th percentile): Out of T2, the hardcore surface felt really rough and it didn’t feel like I was going very fast!  It got better and after 600m or so I was feeling pretty fast.  The bit behind the lake went well and Ian from the Tri Club run past me.   I tried to keep up with him but couldn’t and after a bit I felt like I was going to get a stitch.  I eased off a little and it went away within 30s or so.  I worked very hard on the last lap!

I was surprised that I wasn’t as quick as last year.  Last year I wasn’t very run fit but who knows.  I think I was probably a little heavier this year and that may have made the difference.  Perhaps there is a lesson in that!

It was raining quite a bit by now but once I crossed the finish line it poured down big time!  The Basingstoke lot had a chat for a bit and then went and got dry-ish.  Then Fee had a great idea and sent a text around to meet up for a drink at the hotel near the race.  A hot chocolate has never tasted so good.

Overall: 1:07:24 (30 slower than last year).  I was 41st overall and that’s 8th percentile.  Not bad.  But it would be nice to get a bit quicker next year:  1 minute quicker would have gained me 7 places.  2 minutes would have given me 24th (and just beaten Ian).