, cutting short the run training even further. That all being said, I was fully prepared on swim and bike, and knew how to navigate the run problems, so by the time Sunday morning came around and I was peeing in my wetsuit to the tune of Thunderstruck, I was calm and ready !
Swim 1.28.04 (1083rd)
I lined up with my two Lincoln Wheelers buddies - we are mega competitive with each other, and travel up and down the country racing against each other in time trials and on tricycles. One was doing his first, and another was tackling his fifth Ironman. We thought we'd be around 1:20-1:25 in the swim, but could only get as far forward as just before the 1:30 marker due to congestion.I'd been working on my swim since a lacklustre outing at Roth, and had upped both my sessions, but also with added drills. Drills , Drills, Drills. I had been going faster as a result, and for less effort too. The sea was such a contrast to 2014, and was looking lush from the beach. At 7.10am, the bromance skipped into the sea together and we were off ! Reverse direction this time, and the first leg looked very short out to the boat ramp, which in itself acted as a good marker, so no sighting issues there. Round the turn. nice relaxed swim, breathing bilaterally so all good. Sighting at this point not so good as preferred to keep with others and thought if I could see bodies to the right and bodies to the left I'd be alright, but found myself adrift when I did look up. Back towards the beach and it seemed fast. 41 mins first lap, 2nd lap, more of the same no issues , same relaxed swim, better sighting and no struggles other than avoiding other swimmers that all aim for the same spot at the bouys then stop , so I had to go inside a couple of times. Whilst my effort remained the same throughout, I was five minutes slower on the second lap despite better sighting, the majority lost on that second leg into the current according to my data. 1hr 28, but my most competent swim ever.
Bike 6.31.28 (374th)
Watts formula activated ! Gone are the days of smashing the bike hard, and now it's a management exercise to give myself the best chance of running the whole marathon. It's a balancing act for sure, but it served me well for the previous two outings this year. I ran a Giant Trinity with a disc and 303 front. 55/39 on the front, 12-28 on the rear. If I had my time again, and with another trip to Zofingen in mind for next year, I'd go 52/36 and possibly as high as a 30 on the cassette. My watts target would be 170-180W in normal circumstances, no more than 230 on short gentler climbs, and whatever kept me moving on the bad climbs. I would start the bike with ribena and 4 tablets on PH1500 dissolved, and then top up with 5 more PH capsules throughout - same strategy all year. Initially fine, lots came past, passed a few more myself and was able to smile which meant my mood was OK. First part OK, lost time on one of the Wheelers, but caught the faster of all of us. The climbs in the second half did bite, and although I managed the effort best I could, the gearing meant that it was a gurn on the stteper parts of Saundersfoot, Narbeth and of course Wiseman's, which, by the way, had moved the house a good 200 metres further up on the second lap - I swear that's true. One mistake made - I let someone with hose pipe drench my back on the second lap and I felt it cramp up almost immediately - I won't be doing that again. Got back into T2 in 6 hrs 31, my average watts 155W and NP 189W . I count my zeros, and there was plenty of freewheeling downhill where I applied no pressure on the pedals .My main Wheelers challenger had done 6hrs 15. I thought he'd gone too hard.....
Run 4.37.24 (582nd)
I'd gone too hard !! Almost immediately I knew, coming out of transition and going up the hill for the first time, it felt too much of an effort. My run form was shocking and my back felt terrible. The heat was noticeable, I had hot runs at the other two and coped OK, but add in the ups and it was a whole different game. First loop run all the way. Up to turn point and done and it was downhill, nice and easy, recover a little , and then get extra perky following stop no 1 at the feed station on the way down where two things really stood out for me. Onward and into the town,. and just as I was entering for seafront downhill, I could see my comrade walking up the part past the Hoka arch. First lap done and around that sub 4 level overall, but that was already out of range and I knew it. By halfway up the climb to New Hedges second time around I'd caught both Wheelers who were walking the ups, at the far turn, I started walking, initially just the turn, but soon after, and type of incline. TC passed me and said hello, and that was that at that point really. I couldn't keep anything down other than coke, so adopted a walk/run strategy making sure to at least run the downs. Even the best feed station in the world, failed to pep me up, and it was a slow grind through two and three. On the 4th, at the top of the climb, I could see Wheeler no 2 had a second wind and had closed within 5/6 minutes of me. Wheeler no 3 had snitched that he'd seen me walking to him and the chase was on ! That was enough to get me going and I ran the whole of the remaining 3 miles or so to the finish which emptied me. 12hrs 55 which was entirely acceptable to me and closes the curtain on this round of long distance tri. I could have just curled up in a ball at the finish as I felt lousy. Managed some milk, but couldn't eat anything. Three days after, I'm not great to be fair, this one is taking a little longer than usual to get straight from.
Finish 12.55.29 (491st)
Looking back, there isn't anything other than accepting that hose watering that I would have changed. I think I'm just race and trained out this year, and it's been diminishing returns since May. Pleased to get to number 10 iron finish, but relieved to be doing Duathlon and time trials again next year.
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Snitchers get stitches
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