The Swim
We had previously agreed to start
at the back left of the group. At the
back so as to reduce the white water and number of people around us, and on the
left as that position afforded a straight line and on previous years footage showed
some available space. Standing there
listening to the countdown surrounded by neoprene and yellow swim hats, it was
very surreal – I couldn’t quite believe that we were actually there and it was
happening. I also knew it heralded the
start of a very long day.
As everyone surged forwarded I
could see from the back the waves of swimmers heading out, a unique and great
sight and all too soon it was my turn to wade in and swim. The first leg went quite well, this was the
dangerous leg with more chance of being kicked/punched by other swimmers until
they found their own space and rhythm, but I found space pretty quickly,
sighted on the end buoy and got into a relaxed freestyle. Right up to when I nearly swam into a bank of
reeds – perhaps my sighting wasn’t as good as I thought it was! A quick detour around the reeds and I was
back on course – keeping my stroke relaxed but thinking of technique – speed
versus energy output.
I kept up what I thought was an
ok pace but still had energy in reserve but as I got out my first inkling that
something was wrong was hearing the announcer say ‘and who’s going to be the
last one out’ – oh god, not me I hope, was at the top of my mind. I then ran through to where the transition
bags were hanging up waiting collection as you went past (a thousand or so
maybe) and all I could see were about twenty left hanging there – that inkling
was now a certainty; as I was looking around me there weren’t many people or
bikes left in the area, and Melanie’s had gone too.
I clocked the time and I did the
swim in 1hr 27min, so 7min over my expected time which wouldn’t have been too
bad if only there were more competitors of the same speed. I was afraid this would mean a lonely ride
for 7/8 hours.
The Cycle
I got out of transition ok, in
about 8mins, and started the cycle with people cheering me as I left the
area. I was feeling good but dreading a
little the long hours ahead, but the clouds had come over and it appeared to be
perfect cycling weather. The course was
of two laps with one set of hills near the start and as I went up these I swore
that they had grown in size and number since we were last there in April. But all in all they weren’t too bad and the
locals had come out and were cheering the cyclists round.
After the hills the roads were
mainly perfect for the aero bars – crouching down over the handle bars trying
to get into the least wind resistant position.
A lot of our latter training cycles were practising this so it had
become pretty much second nature by then.
I caught up with Melanie after about 1.5hrs and said a quick hello as I
went by, she was looking strong and comfortable and I knew her cycling was
nearly as good as mine.
As the second lap started I was
feeling very positive and the sun had come out in strength (later to find out
it was around 28 degrees Celsius that day) – still strong with lots of energy I
thought the training and tapering were really paying off and when I went past
the cut off in around 3hrs 15min I felt optimistic. The hills on the second time round felt
easier than the first time and I settled back into the aero stance and kept
focus on keeping a good pace (over 24k/hr needed to pass the cut-off times). I even hit 75k going down one of the hills,
the fastest I’ve ever been on a bike!
Though after about 5.5hrs I was being in ache in places and at one time
I had to stop and massage my feet as they were hurting so much. It was during the last 10 miles or so in
which I had had enough – aching, tired of being on the bike with hurting feet
it was only knowing that the end was in sight that kept me going.
The Run
I got into transition and racked
my bike (after a 6hr 45min cycle which I was very pleased with) and immediately
took my shoes off, bliss. A 6min
transition and I was out and running – running on what felt like pillows! What a lovely feeling … which unfortunately only
lasted the first lap. But I was running,
and I knew that if I had to walk the whole run I would still make it within the
16 hours (a great comfort blanket to have), but that isn’t what Ironman or I’m
about; I still wanted to do it in the best time I could.
The run was four laps of 6.5
miles, and the first lap went well. I
kept running at a steady pace, only stopping to walk through the drink stations
(so well organised, a row of volunteers with water, carb drinks, coke, cake,
bars, fruit, energy gels and water sponges).
You collect a coloured wrist band for each completed lap and my focus soon
came down to getting the next coloured band.
The course itself was good, flat and covering parts of the town as well
as a park and the river, it was a lovely route.
The crowds were also very good, loads of cheering and as our number bibs
also had our names and our country’s flag on (people from 54 different
countries were taking part) people could shout out your name, making it more
personal.
The second lap wasn’t quite as
easy, apart from the drink stations I stopped and walked on two occasions – and
my focus was the third lap and getting the next wrist band, I wasn’t even
thinking about the fourth lap, though the word ‘Ironman’ did keep reverberating
through my head. The third lap turned
into a run then walk scenario, I knew it might come down to this but I was
still a bit disappointed as it would have been nice to run all the way. But I kept the walks to a minimum, run a
hundred yards and then pick a point to walk to and then run again from that
point. I also had to stop at an aid tent
to get a plaster for my toe, I could feel a blister start up but hopefully this
would stop it; but soon after I could feel a big blister start up on the soles
of both my feet. I didn’t think there
was a lot I could do about them except grit my teeth and keep going.
I was really beginning to suffer
on the fourth lap, I still felt that I could finish and in fact energy wise I
also felt quite strong, it was my muscles/body that was beginning to let me
down. The blisters on my soles had
progressed, every time I turned a corner I could feel the layers of skin
sliding over each other and I soon realised that my walking bits should
coincide with the cornering! Still, I
was focusing on getting that last wrist band and as I knew it was the last lap
upped the speed on the running bits.
My thoughts often turned to
Melanie. I knew that she was behind me
as I’d overtaken her on the cycle but I didn’t know how far behind she was or
in what state. But after doing the
Swashbuckler (the half ironman triathlon) I also knew that her cycling was good
and her running, if not as good was probably better than mine (I put that down
to the fact that I’m carrying 5 more stone than she is!), so I felt quite sure
she was doing well. My worst nightmare
would be if only one of us completed the course, that wouldn’t lead to happy
celebrations!
The Finish
I got all four of the wrist bands
and was coming into the finishing straight, my god I couldn’t believe it. There were still people there cheering me
along and then the road beneath my feet became blue… blue as I was on the
finishers carpet, and the announcer was saying over the loud speaker ‘and here
comes Carsten, Carsten you are now an Ironman’… a very good feeling … (the run
took me 5hrs 8min).
Though it is only now, 5 days
later, that the feeling is truly sinking in.
It felt good then, yes, but it feels better now as I can appreciate more
that I have not only ‘gone long’ but that I have also finished the training for
it; finished the planning for it; finished having to eat energy bars and gels
for it; finished having to get up at 6am for the swims and cycles and finished
having to spend a hell of a lot time in the saddle, in the water and on foot!
… and I can now say for the rest
of my life that ‘I am an Ironman’.
Total time: 13hrs 37mins
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