IMUK – IronWar!

Well, where do I start with this one?!

Going into this I knew I was in pretty good condition following a solid injury and illness free 10 week build where I’d been training through local races and still doing and feeling ok. Adopting Woody’s strategy of a block of speed work prior to a block of volume prior to the race I’d been feeling strong in all my key sessions – but with this comes anxiety and nervousness that this may not show on race day.

A nice taper into the race (apart from the monsoon at Sherborne turning the campsite into Woodstock) with some good craic, good food and good rest in the three days prior to race day and I woke up at 4am on race day nervous and excited. Breakfast of coffee, half a malt loaf and two bottles of Genr8 S2 and I was down at transition and before you know it into the 2XU V1 Batman Suit ready to get into the water. In the 15minutes prior to walking down to the water I was as nervous as I‘ve ever been but then 20metres before reaching the water the music was pumping and suddenly I had a smile on my face – like a flicking a switch I couldn’t wait to get going!

Swim – 20minute hold up was a pain but I seeded myself to the front left and when the thrashing started I went balls out to get some good feet and stay out of the biff. Got a couple of kicks but you expect that – settled down after 5 minutes or so and I felt good all the way apart from a lazy spell following the final turn buoy but I shook my self out of that quickly and felt like I was surfing on top of the water the last 800m.

Into T1 and on with the 2XU long sleeve compression top, pick the bike up and away we go…

Bike – conscious decision to race on feel rather than use HRM for the first time in IM. I feel a HRM can sometimes hold you back and you end up going too easy as race adrenalin gives you a higher HR and you go slow to get it down to training levels. Easy out the castle and up the first hill to the start of the loop and bang…hammer time! Straight away I felt strong – Phil had sorted out some Tufo Elite Jet tubs and the bike just purred from the off…at the second aid station I went past Tony Dixon of Hartlepool and soon after I caught Smithy at the top of a little hill whilst he was having and impromptu toilet stop. The mind plays games and immediately it was – you’ve gone too hard, you shouldn’t be catching them this early…but I felt awesome so just kept the same effort and ran with it…For the next two laps Tony, Smithy and I rode within 100metres of each other passing each other at different parts of the course – it was like racing back home and I was loving it! Kept getting in the calories and fluids and on the 3^rd lap I started to get little cramps in my lower quads – Salt Sticks to the rescue! Can’t recommend them enough. Tony and I dropped Smithy at the bottom of the lap climbing and then Tony dropped me on the climb up Giants Head moving 300 metres ahead or so and I went though a little bad patch. I kept him in sight though and on the flatter section I began to catch him again and then on the steep descent I bombed it and flew past him near the bottom and put the hammer down for the rest of the lap as my legs came back to me – I felt awesome again and kept it in the big ring all the way home even though the last bit of the loop was very undulating and into a strong headwind. Back down the first hill and along the flat bit and thorough the castle gates and into T2…

Bike taken from you and off with the aero helmet Phil borrowed me and I let out a yelp as it had squashed my ears for 5 ½ hrs or so and it

hurt taking it off!

Run - Flashed through T2 and out onto the 3 lap marathon – straight onto coke and water at the aid stations together with sips of caffeinated gel from a gel flask. Settled straight into a comfortable pace and as I was coming out of the grass loop I saw Tony going into it but no sign of Smithy…yet! Past the campsite where the gang where pitched and I was feeling pretty good – up to the turn around at Pinford Lodge and then coming back down I saw him…and he looked like he was shifting and was just about to catch and pass Tony…figured he’d be about 3 minutes down but Smithy was coming back!

Back around the back of the lake and castle on muddy ground and into the town for the second part of the lap – crowds where great and I’d say this was a vast improvement from trailing up and down a dual carriageway. Felt like I was keeping an even pace and back into the castle grounds and past transition with a 65min lap – and then coming out of the grass loop Smithy was catching me and was about 45 seconds down…Past the gang again still feeling good but I told them ‘Smithy is coming!’. On the way back down from the turn around he was closer and turning to the muddy bit I had to stop to pee and he went past – I was slowing down but made the decision to get on his shoulder and see how long I lasted…he was shifting and tried a couple of surges but I hung tough and I knew he’d be getting annoyed as he hate’s anyone running on his shoulder! Going into the town loop I put in a little surge and he didn’t follow me and I got 30 metres or so…but about a mile later my stomach was playing up and I slowed and he went past me and he had 50 metres or so going back into the castle to start the 3^rd lap – onto the grassy loop and I started catching him again! I put in a little surge and by the end of the 500 metre loop I was on his shoulder again…Past the campsite and Phil, Iain and the rest of the gang where loving it – me and Smithy were having our own IronWar!

He let me lead up the hill to the turn point but towards the aid station I was slowing – need pepsi! Had to stop and walk and get the fluid and then bang – he took off  like a gazelle and put 200metres into me very,very quickly and kept pulling away as I got back up to speed – he’d broke me! I was slowing but with 3 miles to go I thought ‘Heck, it’s only 5km or so – pick your knees up and run as fast as you can, you never know’ So that’s what I did and I started shifting…unfortunately, Smithy had done exactly the same thing!

The rest of the loop flew by and as I approached the castle gates for the last time I knew I wouldn’t be coming back out…got my last lap band and up the hill onto the blue carpet…music blasting, people banging on the barriers, smashing the inflatable powerbar sticks together and cheering – you really do feel bulletproof in an Ironman finishers chute! I zig-zagged across the carpet high fiving the crowd and did my customary leap across the finishers line knowing I’d been in a battle but knowing I’d nailed it today. 3 minutes after Smithy – amazing how close you can finish together after 140.6 miles…

10hrs 16mins

Found Smithy in the athlete area, bit of a man-hug and lots of laughter about our own IronWar – fantastic!

Congrats to Smithy for hanging tough through the rough spells, Davey for completing his first IM in a great time and to Elliot for knocking off and hour off his last IMUK.

Also, thanks to Phil, Iain, Emma, Eve, Kerry and Cameron for the support during the race – it’s great to hear the encouragement and gives you a boost if you’re feeling low.

Nails course, made harder by the cold and wind – would definitely do it again! Although maybe after some smooth tarmac and warmer climes of Roth…