IMCH in all it's glory.....

We scrub up quite well don't we?

The finish line conga party - Cougie, Crashie, Kanga and Bedders.......

My mentor FB

FB put up with more stupid questions over the last 6 months before IMCH than I think most people could have reasonably put up with!

Cheers mate - without you it would have been twice as hard (and less fun!)

Run pic

Looking reasonably good so must have been early in the run!

Crossing the line finisher video- number 1924

The end

Video reminder

If I ever forget what it was like I will go here and re live it again.........and again.........and again

IMCH splits

Swim - 1:13.56.7
T1 - 6.39,7
Bike - 6:34.17,0
T2 - 8.54,0
Run - 5:07.31,5

Total - 13:11.18,9

Overall place - 1495

Place catagory - 232. M45

Pic of me and Gordon, the world's best sherpa and great mate.

Thanks for everything.

IMCH race report from RW site - part 3

Run - well the first 10km was a run. Felt OK if totally sick of gels and flapjacks. The second lap and things started to go wrong. I felt sick and hungary at the same time. My legs had zero energy left in them and my mind was starting to play little games like "don't worry only 30km to go........". Mid way through lap 2 Kanga overtook me - then 3 mins later I over took him and this happened about 3 times before we decided that we may as well run together. Kanga's words were "slow and steady"...........and for the next 25km that's what we did. Living and eating off dried aprictots and soup as that was all my stomach could take. Barley joined us for about 2 laps and the three of us kept each other going. The support from the Pirates was superb. Guys - you were just brilliant. Major, Gordon (my sherpa), Oxy and the rest at Crazy Station were awesome and the Pirates at the end shute were just so motivational it was tear jerking stuff. With about 2km to go and Barley asking us if we would like to do another lap with him to keep him company (no thanks mate) we joined up with Cougie and Crashie (I think sorry guys if this is wrong as my mind was playing games at this point) and the four of us entered the finishing shute. A conga to the finish. I dropped back a bit as it was a very emotional moment for me. I had been playing this moment over and over in my mind for a year. Like everyone there, all the hard training, moments of doubt, up and down times in the last 12 months replayed through my head in the 200m to the finish. There to see me were FB (many thanks again mate for your wonderful mentoring) and Petal, TB and so many others. Finally my sherpa Gordon who was nothing short of exceptional the whole day. A finish time of 13:11:18

And to you, the Pirates. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart. You made us newies most welcome before, during and after the event. I feel that this is just the beginning. All over the course supporters from all different countries were shouting "come on Pirates" - you seem to have really made an impact and i was proud to be part of it. Till the next time - see you all in Roth 2010

IMCH race report from RW site - part 2

Bike - after about 150 m of the bike course something sounded horrible and I looked down to see my front wheel was stuck - a SIS gel had come free and lodged itself in a number fo spokes. Major D came running up seeing me stop and asked what had happened. I am not sure I was that lucid but a few swear words later and I was off again - "GO PIRATES" ringing out everywhere (even chalked on the road). I am not a strong cyclist and new this would be tough bit for me. In summary I was overtaken in the first 30 mins by around 1000 lycra bling-cyclists. As they flew past I just gritted my teeeth, mumbled "crap swimmer" and carried on. Up to The Beast for the first time. I was quite excited. Having no hills here in Holland to cycle up I was one of the few I reckon who was dead excited about seeing a hill to cycle up. But it did go on a bit - then Egg which I actually thought was worse. Anyway, on to HBH where, it has already been said many times, the suppport was stunning. Chalked on the road on the approach was JFDI and HTFU. If that didn;t inspire you then nowt would. The hill itself was steep but the Pirate supporters were at their best. It bought tears to me eyes literally. The onto lap two. Not much to report apart from the fact that half way up Egg I saw a few Pirates (Bryan et al) cheering and clapping and I did actually burst into tears. It suddenly came home to me that after a year of training, all that effort was about to pay off as I was going to make it. Last time up HBH and I nearly cracked again (what a softie!) as a lady came across my path and shouted "Go - you are an Ironman!" Home in 6:34 which was about an hour quicker than I expected so again could ot quite believe it.

T2 - after a comical dismount which gained a round of applause, I ran to T2 and could not find my bike rack. Completely lost. I stood for a few secs undid my helmet and tried to remember what number I was. Immediately I was called over by a marshall for undoing my helmet before racking.....in all wasted 8:50 in T2

IMCH race report from RW site - part 1

OK. Here goes - a little background. I came into this having raced just two sprint tris last year so while having stuck to the Don Fink 30 week plan, I had no idea as to how I would cope.

Swim - I was a little late getting to the start line as I had decied that rather than wait for the potaloos to be free I would go back to the hotel, grab a quick coffee, "go" there and come back. So my plan to be at the back and on the left hand edge at the swim start eventually had me in the middle desperately trying to get across 2200 people and then as I tried to get to the back, the first warning sound thing went and that was it. I was swept into the water hopelessly out of position and looking forward to a real scrap. And I wasn't disappointed. I can safely say that for the whole of the first lap I did not see any clear water ahead of me. Simply loads of neoprene Germans and Swiss zig zagging their way in front of me. At about 300m I doubted my ability to even finish the swim let alone the rest but after a few duckings around the turn, decided on lap 2 to be as assertive as I could be. Lap 2 problem was that within 500m I had cramp of the whole of my left leg. So to plan B.... but there was no plan B so ended up simply swim using only my arms both as paddles and weapons of war. Was stunned and relieved to get out in 1:13:56. Fantastic Pirate support on the swim exit and it set the tone for the whole day

T1 - there is nothing like getting your monies worth so I got changed and spent a full 6:30 in T1. Next time I will swim with my cycling gear under the wetsuit. But gear on, jels in pocket and taped to tri bars and off to bike

IRONMAN!

I did it. One year of training and a long and sometimes emotional journey to places that I had never been before.

13:11:18 on the day.

Delighted.

Ironman Switzerland - number 1924

It's happening then. I now have my number and have started to taper. Too busy worrying about what is ahead to blog!

First Century ride

I did it. A year ago my longest ride was around 30km and last week I rode for 170km ( just over 100 miles) for the first time. In 6:40, using it as a nutrition dress rehearsal for IMCH it all went well.

Only 4 weeks to go.

6 weeks to go

Just after cycling and to prove that I am still in training and not simply enjoying the lovely sunshine. Check out the numpty sun tan that has to even itself up.

150 up

Getting closer to the 180km mark I cycled 150km in 5:40:40 yesterday. Wind behind on the way out and against on the way back. Was pleased with the nutrition and legs held out. In fact having a cafeine gel at 100km was a smart move as I finished strongly. Well I didn't zonk.

This week I have tried to do the whole distance. So far, with Friday pm and the weekend to go I have swam 7000m, cycled 183km and ran 20km. I was hoping for a step back week next week but it just seems to get more and more up till IMCH in 7 weeks. A 2 hour run this weekend will see me over the total distance. I think for the second time since I started the 30 week plan.

Wobble

So not much blogging so far this last month or so as any spare time has been on the bike, at the pool or running. I said compared to my rather dull marathon training blogging this one would only focus on milestones. So having not even competed at IMCH I have found myself with a slot at New York Marathon in November. And in a moment of sheer lunacy I entered the the Virgin London Marathon ballot. Still little chance of getting in that in 2010 due to the shear numbers applying.

NE wants to to do an IM 70.3. Mad, but I will try and do it with him.

The wobble refers to the fact that it has dawned on me in the last few days just what I have let myself in for.

That's better

Had two days off due to a cold and cough that my beautiful daugher CB gave me - a sort of Easter pressie. Thankfully Benylin came to the rescue.

Actually beginning to wonder if I counted properly as I swam the 3.8km distance this morning in the pool in 1:23. I am sure I did as my 2.500m time was 53:30. So big improvement on my previous best of nearer 1:35.

If only I could get the bike going better........still cycled 115km last week along the dunes in 4:23 so not so bad.

Half marathon milestone

Blogging has taken a massive back seat to training for IMCH. Huge effort over the last few weeks with between 8-12 hours training per week seems to have paid off as I ran a 1:42 half at Reading on Saturday. I was very comfortable all the way round. HR all the way till 18km was 149-155. First time I had run on HR and not pace or time. Last 3km saw it go to 160+ but by that point it didn't matter.

Just back from a 3km swim. Loads to do still but am as determined as ever to get to the IM start line.......pirate gear about to come out as the weather warms up.

Swimming lesson

I thought my swimming was going fine until last night when I had my first lesson. It would seem that I am doing pretty much everything wrong. Leg kick (what leg kick?), arm pull, catch etc...etc...but can still do 1000m in 20 mins!. Not sure if I carry on or just go with it and see if it does indeed benefit at all.

Another milestone - cycled 110 kms last week in 4:20. First time over the century.

Another milestone

This morning, before 08.30 I swam the full Ironman distance of 3.8 km in the swimming pool in 1:35:23. So, whilst not super fast, I have proved to myself that at least I can swim the distance.

.....now where's that bike?........

And now we have a full blown ice hockey match at the bottom of the garden

Dancing on ice

When it is this cold even the idea of training makes me shiver - but didn't stop me riding for 2 hours today. All part of the madness.