A year ago, we decided to do an Ironman , so this was 12 months in the making, plenty of prep time and lots of ups and downs on the way...this is how things went.
Pre....pre event !
Personally, 2019 was a funny year for me. I had been away from long distance triathlon since Ironman Wales in 2014, and up until meeting with the unhinged last summer, had no real pull or intention of going back. My five previous iron distance finishes had all hurt to varying degrees and I'd blown up on the run on each of the last four, leaving a long run/walk to the finish. I had been on holiday to Lanzarote in 2018 and a light had flickered in the back of my mind. After talking with the boys, I agreed, but picked Barcelona, for the fast track and the resort for a holiday.
Training went really well initially, a highlight being a ride over to Bolsover and then to do the Bolsover 10K as a brick run. Going into December, I was felt very fit, granted I had a calf injury, and had to take a month off running. Fast forward to December 30th, I was 62 miles into a 64 mile ride and out of the saddle when my pedal came away and down I went. I don't remember much after, I came around and I was being looked after by passers by. Within 5 minutes an ambulance arrived. I have no idea how long I was out for, but it caused a lot of post concussion problems, plus a fracture to nurse and a January/February where I could only muster light duties.
The year progressed slowly, and my coach managed my return to full training superbly. By June, I had seen a couple of good outings in the local sprints and a great outing at Dambuster Olympic. July was even better with a near sub 5 at Holkham Half leaving me just a three month gap to ramp up the training for Barcelona. My swims edged up to 4km at the lake, my rides were hitting 100 miles on a Sunday, and my long runs went well, culminating with 6.5miles before a local half marathon, giving ,me an interesting 20 mile peak run. I was more ready than I'd been before. The holiday was nice in the week leading up, we acclimatised with sea swims, runs and rides on the course, nothing too strenuous or daft, just nice little taper stuff. By the morning of the race, we were raring to go...
Swim 1.19
A huge amount of competitors on the beach, lots of activity from the commentator, getting us really wound up like a spring and doing a great job. Thunderstruck played as we made our way to the staggered start, and eventually I was through, and running into the water for the start. A one lap course and reasonably calm conditions meant that I was able to navigate easily enough. Quickly relaxed, and tried to just be consistent and patient. Yes there were people occasionally swimming across me , going somewhere I couldn't fathom, but I soon learned that I didn't need to sight myself, just find someone who was going the same pace as me and in a straight line and follow them, which is what I did from the turn. I found a sighting cyborg, and put my trust in them to do the work for me, and it was a plan that worked. I was out the water in 1.19 representing my second fastest IM swim and six minutes up on what I thought. I ran up the beach amd into T1 pressure already off !
Bike 4.53
Very quick T1, no socks, no gloves, a bit of nut butter applied and I was off. I had a secret desire to do two things here - firstly do a sub 5 bike, and secondly, do it honestly. I'm a time triallist I suppose by trade, so all of my testing is done solo, and with no drafting. I had seen lots of youtube videos and knew the course had a reputation for draft packs, and with so many bikes on the course at the same time, it was said that it was unavoidable. The course here is a single carriageway out and back along the catalan coast heading towards Barcelona with a couple of out and back drags at Mataro. You complete this twice before heading back to transition. There is a 3km section at the start and end where you cannot use your tri bars and have to use the hoods. Not an issue for me, I like to have a bit of a shuffle before settling down into what is quite an aggressive TT position. I expected pandemonium on the road, after all, I had exited the water well down the field and expected a lot of traffic as I got into my TT rhythm, however, the first lap was relatively well behaved as I set about the strong part of my race. I had decided that I should look toward 200-210 watts for the bike leg and that would give me a fighting chance of a sub 5(and the ability to run afterward ! ). I held a composed 230W limit on any climbs, and made sure not to lose watts on the descents. I didn't see much in the way of cheating from the people I was passing, but I could see some on the other side of the road. 2.27 to complete lap one, and then the drafting started. I came to catch four massive draft packs on that second leg and told them exactly what I thought of them. I had two chancers jump onto my wheel, and one that clung on as I snaked across the road to lose him. Not once though did I break ranks and go too hard, keeping that 200-210W in mind. the bike leg seemed to go by quickly and I was back in transition in under the five hour barrier. Pleased as punch with that ride, I had moved up 1200 places overall, and not been overtaken at all on the ride. In hindsight though, and disappointingly, my bike leg disappears further down the order than it would normally do, which shows just how much drafting goes on in this race. 199W AP, 207W NP.
Run 4.03
All year I had been tapping out my runs at 142bpm or lower, and had developed a solid 9 minute mile pace off the back of this. Barcelona has a simple three lap out and back run course. Well supported in Calella in particular and a couple of towns, and nice and quiet at the top end of the course which breaks it up nicely. My first mile was a little quick as I still had cadence in my legs from the bike, mile 2 better, and then a pee stop in mile three reset things and I fell into my nine minute mileing quite comfortably. In fact I hit three consecutive 9.00 dead miles. I took deep breaths, talked to myself if I felt I had started to race someone or push too hard, and was really enjoying the run, turning the aid stations into a krpton factor dexterity challenge - drink, gel, drink, go ! My previous five IM marathons had ended with a detonation of varying degrees, but on this day, with a more reserved strategy, I was able to keep it together. At mile 18, my Garmin ran out of juice with a 9.03 mile average, so I knew in my mind I had a sub 11 time if I could hold things together. Once I had reached the far end turn for the last time, I knew I'd get back. I did start experiencing mini cramps in my legs and eased off so that they didn't take hold, and thankfully Calella and the finish came into sight soon enough. Loved that finish, plenty of support, and all my emotion came out as I crossed the line. Immediately turned to look at the time above the finish - 10.27.44, a two hour PB, and inside 10.30 which I couldn't believe. It had been such a long year with setbacks, and I felt like I'd had a huge slice of luck on the day.What's next ? Already booked are Lanzarote in May, and Outlaw in July. Both are races I did in 2013, and both have secret targets that I'll be looking to achieve.
I've got my mojo back :)
