Everything started off wonderful - 4:30am I was saved the half hour walk in the dark by a couple of guys who happened to be leaving my motel at the same time in their truck. They were getting down early to get a park spot for their day of volunteering. Great guys. Checked all my gear was set up fine in transition and i found a warm and quite space inside away form the 3000 other competitors to relax and do some stretching until it was time to get into the wetsuit.
The wind had dropped from the previous day and so there were no longer crashing waves that seem to have been growing all week - it was completely flat calm, and lit by a gorgeous pink and orange sunrise. Perfect.
The pros got a 10 min start, which is difficult for me as a weaker swimmer since once I get dropped by the faster feet I'm swimming alone - but I've had some experience of this now and have been swimming well in training and stayed connected longer than usual. There were side currents pushing us inside the buoys that we all knew we were supposed to swim around the outside of, but i guess that no-one wanted to add extra distance swimming back on themselves to do so. There were a few of us was dropped off the main groups but we could see the line that they took and were pulled by the same drift. As far as i could see everyone went around the main corner buoy correctly, so this infringement added distance rather than cutting the course, although i was wondering what would happen if it were called as a penalty - for everyone! Second lap I managed to separate myself from the girls I had following me so it was a solo effort. I was able to judge the drift this time and made sure to swim the correct course. The second lap took a couple minutes longer, but I think that was more due to swimming without anyone to pace or draft off, rather length. Although I was hoping for a bit faster, I had completed the swim just within my target time.
The US races are great because they have wetsuit "peelers" ( no longer allowed to call them "strippers" - it's a family show ;o) who yell to "get on the ground !!-sit down!!" yank the suit of your legs for you and haul you back to your feet. This all happens pretty soon after the water's edge and I wonder how those people who aren't as fast getting their suit to their waist are dealt with! Transition volunteers were super efficient and my bag was handed to me as i ran, i was dressed and out the door and being given my bike in what seemed like a flash. Too bad i was not as sharp getting my shoes on - socks may be nice in cold weather but when they stick to the velcro on shoe straps, it makes it damn hard to slip feet into shoes on teh move. Not that flash, and very public!! Again the American crowd are ace - they don't hold back and know just what to say to get you going with a big smile on your face.
I felt good starting the ride, bright sunny but chilly morning, out along the beach front. Panama City beach is where the college kids come for "summerbreak" and its a stunning cacophony of visual noise and advertisements; every lot for about 20km is either filled with giant carbon fibre fun-fare figures, the flashing lights of a nightclub or a fast food outlet. The course then turns inland, and you get to look at trees for the next 140km, until your return to the City. Racing on my new Enve wheels with Powertap hub I was able to see my effort was a little above target, but as usual had the feeling that I need to make up some time and get warm, and that it was worthwhile holding this. There were very few riders on the road - a couple of age group men with fast swims came past and I was able to keep them in sight for a while, but I knew that it'd be much later in the day before there was any real company on the road - and this could be more of a hinderance with the difference drafting rules that are applied to professionals. So, feeling good I just got about the business, finding arythm and settling into it for a few hours.
After about 80km, I began to feel inexplicably nauseous if I let my HR get too high and threw up a few drinks. I was not too concerned by this, I had been eating enough up to that point and figured it was a 'rough patch' that would pass. Otherwise I was feeling OK at that point, and I knew that we'd mostly be riding with a tail wind on the return leg and with more of the faster age-group males around me to pace off I should be able to make up time. I did feel pretty dreadful by the end of the ride, but this was more associated with the spasms that I get in the backside due to a trapped sciatic nerve and having spent over 5 hours working hard down on the aero-bars, and not worse than usual. The last 20km into town was into a string headwind which was a struggle, but the town had woken up and were out to greet us in. My pink camo QR gets so much attention, it's wikid - it's hard to feel miserable when the bike attracts so much love from the roadside! I can say that I was looking forward to the run exactly, but pretty keen to get off the bike. At this point in the race I was about 12 min down on my target times, and knew that to break 9:30 I'd need to pull off a 3:15 run or better. I know that this was well within what I am capable of, and going into my favourite portion of the race with a clear target time would give me the motivation to push for it. Although I'd not seen the route, I knew it'd be flat. Possibly windy, but flat.
Another slick transition thanks to the expert volunteer crew and despite the nerve twinges through my glute, I was slightly surprised to feel I had light legs starting the run. As usual, I covered the first couple of km slightly faster than target average pace, but not excessively so. It has back-fired on me a few times, but generally I find it's good to have the legs moving and then settle, especially as there were some age-group guys around to pace off. My tummy felt a bit gurgly, made a few very strange sounds, and by mile 2 I was stopped in a port-a-loo. Basically from there on it was a series of sprints between toilets - I was not able to settle into a rhythm before my stomache cramped and I was looking for my next outlet. Frustrating because my legs felt fine and since my heart-rate was dropping each mile or so, I felt good the whole time whilst I was actually running and was generally able to catch back up to the people that I'd be running by prior to my detour. Of course as the miles passed, I was loosing more time to the 'bathroom' and the lack of hydration and nutrition having an increasingly significant effect on my ability to run. By the time I'd run half way I was considering withdrawing, but had taken some more Ibruprofen for the thumping headache that had developed, an Immodium and a Monster caffeine drink thought i'd see if I could not rescue my race if that kicked in and I was able to start getting some gels in me, because my at least my legs weren't hurting.
Whether it was because I had let that idea into my mind and I was feeling totally wretched again by then, or whether it was just lack of nutrition, but three more miles of running below my target pace and stopping at each aid station I kind of ground to a halt. I walked in circles a little bit, around an aid station which was decked out like Santa's grotto, and finally made the tough call not to head out any further into the second lap. Even a hug from Santa at the side of the path couldn't make me feel better.
This is my first ever DNF in countless triathlons since 2004 including 17 Ironman distance and longer, many of which I suffered in and some in which I had poor, even embarrassing, results. But, although it would have been possible to struggle another 10 miles round by walking, I'm no longer out there for the finisher T-shirt, and certainly not a big medical bill.
Nonetheless, being around an Ironman event the day afterwards when you failed to finish is one of the worst feelings in the world.
Monday, 7 November 2011
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Cape Town Out- Florida In
Well, it has been an eventful week in my life and not so much in ways that i'd wish for. Learning of the cancellation of Challenge cape town was a real gut-blow for me on Tuesday evening. After a hectic day training, packing and making sure work was all tied up before left, I was checking my emails before relaxing over an early supper with Steven, ready to depart early the next morning. A contact in Cape town had heard a 'rumour' that the race was cancelled. I thought it was a joke at first, but steven encouraged me to check it out. Less than an hour later I hung up the phone to the race director, who had confirmed that, yes, they were pulling the event.
An upset like this had a pretty big impact on me, but it was whilst on the phone to my travel insurers that I made me realize that on the whole, I have very little stress in my life. Sure, there are things that I worry about, commitments that may put pressure on my time, and things do not always work out as I'd like them to - but on the whole I 'choose' most of my problems myself. So, my insurance was not going to cover the costs of the cancellation of this trip. What the hell reasons would it cover then? I asked, infuriated. Well, serious illness, death of a family member, fire or burglary of your home, being called to go and serve at war...she began to explain. Oh. OK, Thanks. I hung up feeling less hard done by with my situation after all.
Ok, I'd invested a lot of money, focused the last month of my life and had my heart set on this race. That was one thing that was bugging me, sure. I was also feeling was bummed out that I'd not raced at Ironman Wales in order to preserve my health and be able to train effectively for this one, passing up a good earning opportunity there I'd also let myself and my sponsors down with that DNS. I knew it was the right call at the time, despite criticism from some quarters, but it suddenly felt like a poor 'career' choice.
However, you can only base your decisions on the information that you have at the time, and everything was going to plan with a nice 5-week block of good health very solid training in the bag since then. I was feeling sharp and ready to get our an finish my season with a couple of weeks in the sun, training in cape town with some very helpful contacts that I'd set up there prior to a tough and exciting destination race. So, news of the cancellation really knocked the wind out of me ...but immediately Steven and I started thinking - where can I go race?
I scoured the events calendars online and with not a lot happening within Europe at this time of year, my choices were Ironman Florida, Arizona, Cozomel. All were coming up soon, so a rapid decision needed to be made, and none would be cheap. The other option was "Or not". Cut my losses and call it a year.
The night was spent sleeplessly running through options in my mind. Wednesday I got up, having slept little, and headed out for a ride. It was sunny, since I was "supposed" to be on a plane over Africa all day, I had nothing at all to do. I also had no idea what I was going to be doing with myself for the next 3 weeks, so iI'd take the opportunity to ride with no 'plan', no targets, no time limits and a few quid in my pocket incase a coffee stop seemed appropriate. Getting out on my bike often enables me to get things in a better perspective; sometimes I'll use the time to think things over, other times it simply enables me to clear my mind and enjoy the feeling of being physically tired and more relaxed at the end of the ride. Steven and I went for a meal, a few drinks and chatted about things we had to catch up on, and a bit about plans for next year. No decisions made, feeling even more exhausted and with a big meal and much wine in side me (far less in the kick-ass racing shape than I had 48 hours previous)...and leaning even further towards the economically obvious option: winter down.
Thursday morning I woke up feeling 80% convinced that I'd made my decision. Frankly I could do without all the hassle and cost of arranging another race, let alone deciding where,and that would be it for 2011. I had lots to look forward to in 2012....but somehow, even though there was a lot of 'sense' in this choice, I felt very disspointed. Afterall - I am a professional triathlete and racing triathlons is what I "do" - what sort of go am i making of this career if I don't race? Not a good one.
There was an e-mail from Ironman Pro Registration telling me that, given the circumstances, my late entry to Ironman Florida had been accepted. A rush of excitement. Florida had been my last choice of the three races - low kona points, low prize purse, dead flat course that really did not appeal....but the dates matched my planned race weekend and other commitments and ...this felt right.
At that point I realized that I had been far too much influenced by the costs.....and that i'd lost sight of what really motivates me. I guess that this had been the case for most of the year. Perhaps it's even why I've not raced as well as I should. The reality is that that the chance of me winning enough by racing to even cover my costs is low in most situations. Fortunately, although I am a professional athlete and racing triathlons is my 'job', the racing is not my only source of income. In fact the sponsorship and prize money I get is a very small part of my income, so although it is tempting to think I could earn a few extra bucks to upgrade my computer or get a bit of kit it's never a question of paying rent or putting food on the table and therefore the money is not my main motivation. Racing well, and representing myself well, is. And if that means packing and unpacking my bike 3 times in 2 weeks.....(my most hated task ever!) then so be it!
An upset like this had a pretty big impact on me, but it was whilst on the phone to my travel insurers that I made me realize that on the whole, I have very little stress in my life. Sure, there are things that I worry about, commitments that may put pressure on my time, and things do not always work out as I'd like them to - but on the whole I 'choose' most of my problems myself. So, my insurance was not going to cover the costs of the cancellation of this trip. What the hell reasons would it cover then? I asked, infuriated. Well, serious illness, death of a family member, fire or burglary of your home, being called to go and serve at war...she began to explain. Oh. OK, Thanks. I hung up feeling less hard done by with my situation after all.
Ok, I'd invested a lot of money, focused the last month of my life and had my heart set on this race. That was one thing that was bugging me, sure. I was also feeling was bummed out that I'd not raced at Ironman Wales in order to preserve my health and be able to train effectively for this one, passing up a good earning opportunity there I'd also let myself and my sponsors down with that DNS. I knew it was the right call at the time, despite criticism from some quarters, but it suddenly felt like a poor 'career' choice.
However, you can only base your decisions on the information that you have at the time, and everything was going to plan with a nice 5-week block of good health very solid training in the bag since then. I was feeling sharp and ready to get our an finish my season with a couple of weeks in the sun, training in cape town with some very helpful contacts that I'd set up there prior to a tough and exciting destination race. So, news of the cancellation really knocked the wind out of me ...but immediately Steven and I started thinking - where can I go race?
I scoured the events calendars online and with not a lot happening within Europe at this time of year, my choices were Ironman Florida, Arizona, Cozomel. All were coming up soon, so a rapid decision needed to be made, and none would be cheap. The other option was "Or not". Cut my losses and call it a year.
The night was spent sleeplessly running through options in my mind. Wednesday I got up, having slept little, and headed out for a ride. It was sunny, since I was "supposed" to be on a plane over Africa all day, I had nothing at all to do. I also had no idea what I was going to be doing with myself for the next 3 weeks, so iI'd take the opportunity to ride with no 'plan', no targets, no time limits and a few quid in my pocket incase a coffee stop seemed appropriate. Getting out on my bike often enables me to get things in a better perspective; sometimes I'll use the time to think things over, other times it simply enables me to clear my mind and enjoy the feeling of being physically tired and more relaxed at the end of the ride. Steven and I went for a meal, a few drinks and chatted about things we had to catch up on, and a bit about plans for next year. No decisions made, feeling even more exhausted and with a big meal and much wine in side me (far less in the kick-ass racing shape than I had 48 hours previous)...and leaning even further towards the economically obvious option: winter down.
Thursday morning I woke up feeling 80% convinced that I'd made my decision. Frankly I could do without all the hassle and cost of arranging another race, let alone deciding where,and that would be it for 2011. I had lots to look forward to in 2012....but somehow, even though there was a lot of 'sense' in this choice, I felt very disspointed. Afterall - I am a professional triathlete and racing triathlons is what I "do" - what sort of go am i making of this career if I don't race? Not a good one.
There was an e-mail from Ironman Pro Registration telling me that, given the circumstances, my late entry to Ironman Florida had been accepted. A rush of excitement. Florida had been my last choice of the three races - low kona points, low prize purse, dead flat course that really did not appeal....but the dates matched my planned race weekend and other commitments and ...this felt right.
At that point I realized that I had been far too much influenced by the costs.....and that i'd lost sight of what really motivates me. I guess that this had been the case for most of the year. Perhaps it's even why I've not raced as well as I should. The reality is that that the chance of me winning enough by racing to even cover my costs is low in most situations. Fortunately, although I am a professional athlete and racing triathlons is my 'job', the racing is not my only source of income. In fact the sponsorship and prize money I get is a very small part of my income, so although it is tempting to think I could earn a few extra bucks to upgrade my computer or get a bit of kit it's never a question of paying rent or putting food on the table and therefore the money is not my main motivation. Racing well, and representing myself well, is. And if that means packing and unpacking my bike 3 times in 2 weeks.....(my most hated task ever!) then so be it!
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Monday, 10 October 2011
home life
this is the longest spell that i have been located in one place in the last 3 years! apart from a 10 day trip to Morzine in july, and a week in Tenby this spell in taunton has really given me a chance to establish a some great training routines and set up a few 'projects' both at home and in the local community.
at home my small scale agricultural projects have delivered disappointing harvest but useful learning experience and real enjoyment. Actually i am quite proud of my slow-starting chilli crop, though desperately jealous of my neighbours far superior tomatoes. they really DO need to be watered everyday, apparently. Needy things!
since it'll be a winter ( mostly) here, my next project is likely to be the construction of a 'cold' frame and of course the home-brewing!!
outside of domestic life i have been enjoying the chance to get more involved in the local triathlon community. with steven having been away quite a lot through the summer, it has been nice to have some company in my week and although the great proportion of my training is still solitary and specific, and during working hours there are a few club sessions that i have tailored into my own schedule. this is partly about access to facilities, part about suitable training company and motivation during tough weeks and part as a way into the local scene, which will be of real benefit through the winter and also, ultimate to my coaching business.
i do not make any attempt to push my services whilst out training with the clubs, but i am now coaching four local athletes as a result of getting to know people, sharing the experiences of my triathlon life and sometimes a little advice. whilst the work is still mostly done via email and online, it's nice to see these guys and girls out and have first hand experience of their training routes and environment.
i'm not quite sure how it happened, but i must have had a quiet week or afternoon and seem to have taken on the tasks of setting up and delivering a couple of beginners courses in conjucntion with Tone Leisure and the Somerset RC Tri club.
you may have seen my Facebook page for The Taunton Ladies Cycling Club (do me a favour and "like" it, please!!) - this started off as an idea in response to a lack of a slower club ride more suitable for some of the girls in the club, and has developed into a combined bike skills and fitness development course with one of the personal trainers at my gym. She offers a special fitness spin class during the week, whilst i run a 45 min session covering basic bike handling, group riding and a few mechanical tips before leading out a very gentle (for now) short ride. our hope is that after the initail 8 week course, we have established a network of local ladies of similar ability who will continue to meet on a sunday morning to ride together.
meanwhile, more triathlon specific and aimed at a slightly more advanced level, myself and another of the Tri Club's enthusiastic members , Sarah are in the process of finalizing details of a 12 week " triathlon for beginners and improvers course" which will commence in November, after my return from Challenge Cape town. This is not intended to be an advert (although I WILL write up some details on this too in due course!) but i suppose it's a demonstration that if left unsupervised, this is where my attentions will tend to wander.
it's not very PRO-like, I know, and i have been criticized for taking too much on (true at times) and "giving too much of my energy away". whilst it's possibly true that i'm creating more distraction in my life than is good for my training and racing performance, it's clear to me that i have a need for this type of project and involvement. This was true back when i was in Tri London, too - i quickly became not only the race captain, but one of the club and committee's key active members. It could be i'm just a busy body and want to see things done my way, but i think that there's a lot more to it than that. whilst being the best that i can personally be in this sport, is important to me and i am motivated by this in itself, there are other reasons for my commitment to this career, and one of them is being able to motivate, advise and even inspire others. Satisfying this provides the balance that is required in my life to enable me to train hard and race well.
It has to be said that since giving up the day job, traveling the world and chasing the dream of being a Pro Triathlete, It;s a whole different scenario from being the star of the club and being rewarded with accolades and trophies after each race. I'm not only finding renewed value in what i can offer and how i can influence others by sharing my knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for the sport, but also gaining a sense of having found a place in this new community. it seems that, despite generally being regarded by those close to me as fairly anti-social, there is a level where i need to have connections with people.
at home my small scale agricultural projects have delivered disappointing harvest but useful learning experience and real enjoyment. Actually i am quite proud of my slow-starting chilli crop, though desperately jealous of my neighbours far superior tomatoes. they really DO need to be watered everyday, apparently. Needy things!
since it'll be a winter ( mostly) here, my next project is likely to be the construction of a 'cold' frame and of course the home-brewing!!
outside of domestic life i have been enjoying the chance to get more involved in the local triathlon community. with steven having been away quite a lot through the summer, it has been nice to have some company in my week and although the great proportion of my training is still solitary and specific, and during working hours there are a few club sessions that i have tailored into my own schedule. this is partly about access to facilities, part about suitable training company and motivation during tough weeks and part as a way into the local scene, which will be of real benefit through the winter and also, ultimate to my coaching business.
i do not make any attempt to push my services whilst out training with the clubs, but i am now coaching four local athletes as a result of getting to know people, sharing the experiences of my triathlon life and sometimes a little advice. whilst the work is still mostly done via email and online, it's nice to see these guys and girls out and have first hand experience of their training routes and environment.
i'm not quite sure how it happened, but i must have had a quiet week or afternoon and seem to have taken on the tasks of setting up and delivering a couple of beginners courses in conjucntion with Tone Leisure and the Somerset RC Tri club.
you may have seen my Facebook page for The Taunton Ladies Cycling Club (do me a favour and "like" it, please!!) - this started off as an idea in response to a lack of a slower club ride more suitable for some of the girls in the club, and has developed into a combined bike skills and fitness development course with one of the personal trainers at my gym. She offers a special fitness spin class during the week, whilst i run a 45 min session covering basic bike handling, group riding and a few mechanical tips before leading out a very gentle (for now) short ride. our hope is that after the initail 8 week course, we have established a network of local ladies of similar ability who will continue to meet on a sunday morning to ride together.
meanwhile, more triathlon specific and aimed at a slightly more advanced level, myself and another of the Tri Club's enthusiastic members , Sarah are in the process of finalizing details of a 12 week " triathlon for beginners and improvers course" which will commence in November, after my return from Challenge Cape town. This is not intended to be an advert (although I WILL write up some details on this too in due course!) but i suppose it's a demonstration that if left unsupervised, this is where my attentions will tend to wander.
it's not very PRO-like, I know, and i have been criticized for taking too much on (true at times) and "giving too much of my energy away". whilst it's possibly true that i'm creating more distraction in my life than is good for my training and racing performance, it's clear to me that i have a need for this type of project and involvement. This was true back when i was in Tri London, too - i quickly became not only the race captain, but one of the club and committee's key active members. It could be i'm just a busy body and want to see things done my way, but i think that there's a lot more to it than that. whilst being the best that i can personally be in this sport, is important to me and i am motivated by this in itself, there are other reasons for my commitment to this career, and one of them is being able to motivate, advise and even inspire others. Satisfying this provides the balance that is required in my life to enable me to train hard and race well.
It has to be said that since giving up the day job, traveling the world and chasing the dream of being a Pro Triathlete, It;s a whole different scenario from being the star of the club and being rewarded with accolades and trophies after each race. I'm not only finding renewed value in what i can offer and how i can influence others by sharing my knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for the sport, but also gaining a sense of having found a place in this new community. it seems that, despite generally being regarded by those close to me as fairly anti-social, there is a level where i need to have connections with people.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
ironman wales (DNS)
The 11th September has turned out to be a tough day for me. Tough because i am NOT racing the first ever running of Ironman Wales, in Tenby. My race kit, number and timing chip lay forlorn in our apartment, whilst I stand on the North beach and watch Steven and the rest of the race participants start their day of racing and feel rather sorry for myself.
The decision to withdraw from the event was one of the more difficult choices that I've had to make during my brief professional racing career. Not only because it was a chance to be amongst the first to race this challenging and beautiful new course in my home nation, but it's a great event to do for the sake of my own profile, the team and my sponsors - not least because of the relatively small female field it offered a good chance of a podium finish for me.
However, despite having raced 16 ironman races in the last 5 years I know better than to be complacent about it. For the past fortnight I have been suffering on and off from stomach upset which has slowed my training down and left me weakened. Knowing that I'd be paid to merely finish the race was extremely compelling and although I thought i had a pretty good chance of making it around the course eventually, that is not how I want to represent myself, my team and coach. Never mind what the effects might be on my health and preparations for my next event.
So, after a week of indecision, sporadic training and feeling that I might be well enough by race-day, I made my decision to withdraw on friday evening: if i was not fully well enough to face a full meal and have a settled stomach for more than 36 hours before race-day, then I would not race. I took myself out on a long ride on saturday afternoon to ensure that I'd not be tempted to change my mind as the excitement mounted in Tenby, and felt sufficiently dreadful at the end of the day to reinforce the decision.
Today I have been as enthusiastic supporter as possible whilst remaining within close radius of toilet facilities, taking in some of the great Pembroke scenery, atmosphere in Tenby and , in admiration of the great job done by the organizers in the face of some heavy unforseen weather conditions forcing them into moving the swim start to the contingency location.
Monday, 29 August 2011
the Little Woody
since ironman uk and an easy week following that race, training has been going well. i have been finding that i'm recovering less quickly - whether this is as a result of the slightly more intensity focus that my swim and bike sessions have had recently or residual fatigue from the 10 hour race i'm not sure (i suspect the latter actually) but either way i've certainly been training less hours than my typical weeks, but really enjoying the training that i am doing. a good race at UK, and i feel that although my slower bike split does highlight where i really do need to do more work it was the best performance that i've managed in a while, has re-motiveated me and i'm enthused about racing again as well as my long term training and athletic development.
So, I approached Trevor at Blacksheep sports and he kindly offered me a start in the Little Woody this weekend. My flat mate Alex was signed up for the full iron-distance Big Woody and was planning to make his way there by train and then do race with out any support. I'm sure that he would have managed fine, but it's better to have friends along for a big day - especially those who can drive and know how to pitch a tent ;o) - and it provided me with a chance to fulfill my hankering to do a bit of racing myself.
I believe that this was the 4th running of the event in the Wye Valley/Forest of Dean, with 49 signed up for the Big and 172 for the Little Woody races it would be a low-key event, enabling me to race for fun and test my fitness without too much pressure, and provided everything that I enjoy about these sorts of races. Onsite accommodation was 'bring your own' with access to a college gym toilet and shower facilities, plus a marquee heated by half a dozen constantly boiling tea urns to shelter form Friday evening's torrential welsh downpours. Sorting out transition bags in the boot of a car in the dark, soaked to the skin was not one of the happiest moments of my race career, neither was missing the race briefing due to being hopelessly lost on the way both to and from dropping bikes off for racking at the remote site of T1, but there was a jolly atmosphere of camaraderie on the campsite as the competitors wandered the make-shift campsite with bottles of water and head torches before settling down for their pre-race sleep.
Saturday morning we woke to a clear starry sky - the forecast was for a dry day, and the sigs looked good. The 20 minute bus journey to the swim start (how did it only take 20 min!!!) was very warm and cosy, and it was with a certain amount of reluctance that the wetsuit clad passengers disembarked. We, The Little Woody competitors, had arrived just in time to watch the start of the full distance race, which we did from the cliff tops around the flooded quarry pit of the Dive Centre. Apparently there are all manner of submerged aircraft and vehicles in there to amuse training scuba divers, but despite it's depth the pit was surprisingly warm.
The water was also beautifully clear as well as being well sheltered from winds on account of the steep sided pit that it was in, and in all the venue made for a very pleasant swim with perfect conditions for fast times. I exited the water after my two laps in just over 27 minutes - that's a damn good swim for me. I was swimming hard for the first lap, then forced to find feet to follow on my second lap due to steamed up goggles (get some de-fogger!!!) and aware that i had a few people on my feet by the occasional toe -taps that i was getting. As I climbed out of the water, it turned out that eh swimmer behind was my own sister, from Tri London. She'd done well to stay on my feet and proceeded to run past me on the jetty. From here it was a further long run up out of the pit to T1, most people stripped wetsuits, slipped on some shoes and walked or jogged up this incline.
My bike transition was fast on account of already having stripped my wetsuit and completely forgetting that competitors were responsible for packing up their own swim gear in and depositing it in bags onto the transport truck. I just rode off and left mine, then worried about my £400 Speedo wetsuit for the rest of the race!! Right from the start the tome of the bike course was set by a series of steep hills, winding descents on roads washed with mud and debris of the previous day's rain, and sharp bends. Similarly to the sort of riding at IMUK, there may not be too many distinct killer climbs, but the constant change of pace, braking and accelerating, coupled with short sharp hills can make for a very wearing ride. I'd say that the bike course was certainly comparable to that at Wimbleball, both for scenery and difficulty...and then it's an extra 10km longer (i'd have known this if i'd been at the briefing!). Being a smaller event, the route was entirely marked out with arrows but not marshaled at every turn and certainly without the privilege of road closures or traffic control on junctions, however, as far as i know everyone managed to follow the route safely and without getting lost. I felt great and was really enjoying the first 85km of the ride, maintaining target power and feeling in very focused, and of course expected to grit my teeth and get on with that final 5km.....i did have a little sense of humour failure when that final 5km turned into 15km, with a couple of real steep hills thrown in for good measure!
I was pleased to finally be hobbling my way through T2, chucking on my run shoes and limping around the college fields and...my tent! The run route then quickly turned us onto a lovely series of trails and paths through the edge of the Forest for a two-lap out-and-back route. The surfaces were great for running, soft but not muddy, and generally sufficiently wide to accommodate a small race in two directions. The terrain was gently rolling but not hilly - although feedback from those who did the full is that it got steeper on each lap! - and made for good fast running, once my run legs decided to join me for the day. It's always nice to have a couple of turn-arounds: to keep an eye on your competition and to give a bit of support to your fellow competitors. I was impressed to see my sister and another girl dukeing it out for second place about 16 minutes behind me after the first turn-around, and between them they'd pushed the pace sufficiently to close for another minute 3 miles later. with no-one to chase and no real fear of being chased down, I admit that i was not really testing myself running - i was not using any pacing device but felt that I was maintaining my Ironman pace after the first few km and perhaps a little faster on the final few. I avoided developing any real pain in my legs due to a slightly easier pace and the wonderfully soft surfaces, which is just perfect for a 'training' race. My run split was 1:32 which leads me to suspect that the course may be about a mile short, but i was not complaining given that i felt i'd earned it on the bike!
Finishers were greeted across the line by Trevor, the race director and there was plenty of refreshment available. I spent the afternoon taking advantage of this, and the free massage whilst supporting Alex and packing up our campsite in the sunshine. I collected a beautiful plate decorated by a local craftswoman for my win, and will have my name added to the perpetual trophy - another local artist's work. So i guess i'll have to race again next year in order to return it!. Perhaps the BIg Woody? Not likely!!!
So, I approached Trevor at Blacksheep sports and he kindly offered me a start in the Little Woody this weekend. My flat mate Alex was signed up for the full iron-distance Big Woody and was planning to make his way there by train and then do race with out any support. I'm sure that he would have managed fine, but it's better to have friends along for a big day - especially those who can drive and know how to pitch a tent ;o) - and it provided me with a chance to fulfill my hankering to do a bit of racing myself.
I believe that this was the 4th running of the event in the Wye Valley/Forest of Dean, with 49 signed up for the Big and 172 for the Little Woody races it would be a low-key event, enabling me to race for fun and test my fitness without too much pressure, and provided everything that I enjoy about these sorts of races. Onsite accommodation was 'bring your own' with access to a college gym toilet and shower facilities, plus a marquee heated by half a dozen constantly boiling tea urns to shelter form Friday evening's torrential welsh downpours. Sorting out transition bags in the boot of a car in the dark, soaked to the skin was not one of the happiest moments of my race career, neither was missing the race briefing due to being hopelessly lost on the way both to and from dropping bikes off for racking at the remote site of T1, but there was a jolly atmosphere of camaraderie on the campsite as the competitors wandered the make-shift campsite with bottles of water and head torches before settling down for their pre-race sleep.
Saturday morning we woke to a clear starry sky - the forecast was for a dry day, and the sigs looked good. The 20 minute bus journey to the swim start (how did it only take 20 min!!!) was very warm and cosy, and it was with a certain amount of reluctance that the wetsuit clad passengers disembarked. We, The Little Woody competitors, had arrived just in time to watch the start of the full distance race, which we did from the cliff tops around the flooded quarry pit of the Dive Centre. Apparently there are all manner of submerged aircraft and vehicles in there to amuse training scuba divers, but despite it's depth the pit was surprisingly warm.
The water was also beautifully clear as well as being well sheltered from winds on account of the steep sided pit that it was in, and in all the venue made for a very pleasant swim with perfect conditions for fast times. I exited the water after my two laps in just over 27 minutes - that's a damn good swim for me. I was swimming hard for the first lap, then forced to find feet to follow on my second lap due to steamed up goggles (get some de-fogger!!!) and aware that i had a few people on my feet by the occasional toe -taps that i was getting. As I climbed out of the water, it turned out that eh swimmer behind was my own sister, from Tri London. She'd done well to stay on my feet and proceeded to run past me on the jetty. From here it was a further long run up out of the pit to T1, most people stripped wetsuits, slipped on some shoes and walked or jogged up this incline.
My bike transition was fast on account of already having stripped my wetsuit and completely forgetting that competitors were responsible for packing up their own swim gear in and depositing it in bags onto the transport truck. I just rode off and left mine, then worried about my £400 Speedo wetsuit for the rest of the race!! Right from the start the tome of the bike course was set by a series of steep hills, winding descents on roads washed with mud and debris of the previous day's rain, and sharp bends. Similarly to the sort of riding at IMUK, there may not be too many distinct killer climbs, but the constant change of pace, braking and accelerating, coupled with short sharp hills can make for a very wearing ride. I'd say that the bike course was certainly comparable to that at Wimbleball, both for scenery and difficulty...and then it's an extra 10km longer (i'd have known this if i'd been at the briefing!). Being a smaller event, the route was entirely marked out with arrows but not marshaled at every turn and certainly without the privilege of road closures or traffic control on junctions, however, as far as i know everyone managed to follow the route safely and without getting lost. I felt great and was really enjoying the first 85km of the ride, maintaining target power and feeling in very focused, and of course expected to grit my teeth and get on with that final 5km.....i did have a little sense of humour failure when that final 5km turned into 15km, with a couple of real steep hills thrown in for good measure!
I was pleased to finally be hobbling my way through T2, chucking on my run shoes and limping around the college fields and...my tent! The run route then quickly turned us onto a lovely series of trails and paths through the edge of the Forest for a two-lap out-and-back route. The surfaces were great for running, soft but not muddy, and generally sufficiently wide to accommodate a small race in two directions. The terrain was gently rolling but not hilly - although feedback from those who did the full is that it got steeper on each lap! - and made for good fast running, once my run legs decided to join me for the day. It's always nice to have a couple of turn-arounds: to keep an eye on your competition and to give a bit of support to your fellow competitors. I was impressed to see my sister and another girl dukeing it out for second place about 16 minutes behind me after the first turn-around, and between them they'd pushed the pace sufficiently to close for another minute 3 miles later. with no-one to chase and no real fear of being chased down, I admit that i was not really testing myself running - i was not using any pacing device but felt that I was maintaining my Ironman pace after the first few km and perhaps a little faster on the final few. I avoided developing any real pain in my legs due to a slightly easier pace and the wonderfully soft surfaces, which is just perfect for a 'training' race. My run split was 1:32 which leads me to suspect that the course may be about a mile short, but i was not complaining given that i felt i'd earned it on the bike!
Finishers were greeted across the line by Trevor, the race director and there was plenty of refreshment available. I spent the afternoon taking advantage of this, and the free massage whilst supporting Alex and packing up our campsite in the sunshine. I collected a beautiful plate decorated by a local craftswoman for my win, and will have my name added to the perpetual trophy - another local artist's work. So i guess i'll have to race again next year in order to return it!. Perhaps the BIg Woody? Not likely!!!
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
ironman uk 2011 - report
a rare dry weekend in bolton ( it is official, according to bolton local jonny it really does always rain there!) and a fast day of racing.
just nipping under 10hrs this year and finishing 4th place.
read my race report :
http://web.me.com/jo_carritt/ProJoSite/race_reports.html
pics to follow soon
just nipping under 10hrs this year and finishing 4th place.
read my race report :
http://web.me.com/jo_carritt/ProJoSite/race_reports.html
pics to follow soon
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