The Swim. So, this was the week of the Long course weekend. 3.8 K swim, 112 mile Bike ride and a marathon all over three days. You can read about Monday to Thursday on my 3,2 and 1 one days to go blogs.
Friday came around all to fast and in the morning there were still no nerves. past lunch time, nothing. Then around 3 o,clock it hit me. I've never before felt such a change from no nerves to bricking. 4.30 I set off to Tenby to register for the whole weekend and I think I was actually shaking in the car on the way. I arrived at the Expo to register and went straight upstairs. There was a big queue for the swim registration but a very short queue of about 5 for the long course. Let me explain. You can if you wish just do one or two of the three events throughout the weekend, or if your insane you can sign up for all three and try to complete them within a given time.I went for the second one. There was a lot of nervouse tention near the start of the swim and it was suggested that the organisers had shortend the swim from 3800 mts to just 2000 mts. This was a little disappointing. I was confident for the swim after Mondays triumph and really wanted to post a 3800 mtr time, but there we are.
We all filed down to the water after the race briefing that nobody could hear and entered the sea for a warm up. There must have been nearly 1000 people all warming up in the same small patch of sea, it was going to be an interesting start. By now the nerves had actually gone and I was really looking forward to getting started. Hang back to left I kept telling myself but when the horn goes for the start you get so cought up in the moment that you foget all your plans and i found myself near the middle and running at the sea.
A huge squash occured as we all trid to squeeze round the first bouy, I took a few body blows but nothing serious and I expect I gave a few as well, I really have no idea. My swimming was steady and not rushed, just how I had prcticed it. Things began to thin out as we reached the second bouy and I found myself with a good bit of space to swim in. Around two more bouys and it was out of the water for the first lap in a time of about 15 minutes, over the timing matt and back into the water fort he second lap, There was far more space now and I ws really begining to settle into a good rhythm. Again a few body blows from people who wern't looking where they were going. Out of the water for the second time and up the ramp to the finish and collect the first of the Long course medals. All in all I was very pleased with my time of 33.10 and my performance in the water, bring on the ride tomorrow morning.
The Ride. I only managed to get a bout four hours sleep on Friday night. All sorts of things going through my head about the swim and about the ride which was to follow, 112 miles of Pembrokeshire national parks ( Not short of a hill or two I can tel you). 8am and we were off. I think it was something like 1300 riders took part so there were lots of groups all over the roads for the first 20 miles or so. Thie riding seemed easy for the first 30 or so miles and I felt comfortable with my pace, not to fast not to slow. There was a five and a half hr first lap cut off so everyone was keen to finish that first lap within that time. I knew that I would make that time quite easily, I just wanted to make sure that I made it. As a result I completed the first lap in about four hours fifteen minutes which really was a bit to fast knowing that i had a second loop to go. The course was made up of two loops, one of 71 miles and another of 41. The 41 mile loop was a repeat of the last 41 mile of the first loop. It just so happened that it was also the part with all the hills in it.
The second loop is where all the drama and pain started. Unlike the first there were no groups of riders to shelter from the wind behind, I was out there on my own and the fact that I had completed the first loop a little too fast was catching up on me. The run down into Lamphey wasn't to bad so I tried to rest a little and take it easy and try to let the legs recover. By mile 90 I had had it, there was nothing left to give and I still hadthe biggest hills to go. The thought of tomorrows marathon was playing on my mind as well and moral was very low. Over the last couple of miles I had noticed someone catching me up. It took him a long time so I don't think he was feeling much better than I was. Eventualy he cought me and we rode the rest of the rout together. What a difference that made, just having someone to talk to and take your mind off the task at hand. Our pace didn't quicken by the time didn't drag so much and moral was a lot higher. As we rode on we passed other cyclists with equaly low moral. Finally we reached the bottom of the biggest climb on the course and dared each other not to get off and walk. We finaly arived back in Tenby after approximatly 7:45:00. That's one bike ride that I was glad to finish. That second loop just wasn't nice and it's the same course for Ironman so I've got some serious bike training to do. After getting back home I took a cold bath to recharge the muscles and My wife( Joanne) gave be a leg massage. Lots of veg and chicken for tea and the last of my potato soup, thank god.
Had a much better nights sleep after the ride whioch was a good start for the marathon the next day.
The Marathon.
Fortunatly when I woke up Sunday morning my legs didn't feel anything like as bad as they did when I went to bed. They felt very tired and if at any other time I had a training run scheduled for that morning, I would have canceled it. That wasn't an option for this morning, because this morning I had to run a marathon as the final part of the long weekend, and providing I ran that marathon within the six hour cut off time I would get the Long course medal, which is what it's all been about. Not to get that medal now would be like missing the time cut off of Ironman by less than a minute. I have never done a mrathon before, the furthest I have run is 16 miles and some say that's roughly where you find the illusive wall. I sttod there on the start line knowing that all I have to do is get back within six hours, surly I had it in my legs to run half of it and walk the rest and still come in in time. My plan was to take it real slow, about 10-11 minute miles and walk through the feed stations. This is the plan that I had worked with during training. I decided to add a little more to the plan, walk the hills and run the flats. I felt I stood more chance of finishing without injury this way. We were off and Tenby was buzzing, there were people everywhere, kids sticking thier hands out for high fives, It would have been easy to go out like a bullet, but I stayed very controlled and tried not to be fazed by all the runners passing me, instead saying "I'll see you later" a bit cocky i know but I've read so much about these kind of starts. Oner lap of Tenby and it was out into the country for one of the most brutal marathon causes in the country. We came to the first hill at about 3 miles and I instantly put my plan into action and walked, more runners passed. Local knowledge can get you a long way on a route like this. I knew exactly where the hills where and how long and what was around the next corner. As these runners passed I watched them as they came to a sharp right hand bend and then almost every one of them stopped and walked as they saw the incline ahead. It was at this point that I found myself a running buddy. He was from East London and was more than happy to share my plan if it was going to get him home within the cut off. We ran the first half of the marathon in 2 hours and the time just flew by, we chatted about work and other stuff but not the run. By mile 16 he was struggling to stay with me even though I was slowing a little to help him catch up. Eventually the gap between us was to big for me to slow any more and I pressed on alone. There was no sign of the 16 mile wall so I assumed it must be waiting for me somewhere else, perhaps mile 20 I thought, I don't know why I thought 20, I was just thinking of any old rubbish to keep my mind occupied. 20 came and went, 21, 22, still nothing, 4 miles to go and apart from some achey legs I was still feeling fairly fresh, aerobicly I felt brilliant. Still walking the hills I was making pretty good time for my first marathon, and now I was doing all the passing. Peolple walking on the flats because they went out to fast, people limping, laying in gate ways, I was passing them all now. 23, 24, only two miles to go and all the hills were done, WOW, this is it. At this point I had been ruynning for about 4 hrs 15 minutes. My daughter and niece met me with one mile to go which lifted me even more. Onwards, onwards, onwards, one leg in front of the other, come on lets go. around 200 mts to go and I put my foot down, gotta finish strong, into the finish shoot to the crouds and family waiting for me, high fives as I passed. across the line in 4:35. Fantastic and still didn't feel like I had run a marathon, couldn't have done it any faster. I can only atribute this feeling to the many hrs of endurance training that I have done over the last 47 weeks. It works. bring on Ironman 2012.
Overall a fantastic weekend from which I met some fantastic people and will take some equaly fantastic memories, I can't wait to do it again next year.
It's going to be a fairly restfull week ahead but I don't want to sit around for long. What this weekend has shown me is that There is still a lot of work to be done in preperation for Ironman. After the ride on Saturday I sat in my car and said to myself "Right, go and run a marathon now." I think I swore at myself then. but that's exactly what I'm going to have to do in three months time.
The Swim. So, this was the week of the Long course weekend. 3.8 K swim, 112 mile Bike ride and a marathon all over three days. You can read about Monday to Thursday on my 3,2 and 1 one days to go blogs.
Friday came around all to fast and in the morning there were still no nerves. past lunch time, nothing. Then around 3 o,clock it hit me. I've never before felt such a change from no nerves to bricking. 4.30 I set off to Tenby to register for the whole weekend and I think I was actually shaking in the car on the way. I arrived at the Expo to register and went straight upstairs. There was a big queue for the swim registration but a very short queue of about 5 for the long course. Let me explain. You can if you wish just do one or two of the three events throughout the weekend, or if your insane you can sign up for all three and try to complete them within a given time.I went for the second one. There was a lot of nervouse tention near the start of the swim and it was suggested that the organisers had shortend the swim from 3800 mts to just 2000 mts. This was a little disappointing. I was confident for the swim after Mondays triumph and really wanted to post a 3800 mtr time, but there we are.
We all filed down to the water after the race briefing that nobody could hear and entered the sea for a warm up. There must have been nearly 1000 people all warming up in the same small patch of sea, it was going to be an interesting start. By now the nerves had actually gone and I was really looking forward to getting started. Hang back to left I kept telling myself but when the horn goes for the start you get so cought up in the moment that you foget all your plans and i found myself near the middle and running at the sea.
A huge squash occured as we all trid to squeeze round the first bouy, I took a few body blows but nothing serious and I expect I gave a few as well, I really have no idea. My swimming was steady and not rushed, just how I had prcticed it. Things began to thin out as we reached the second bouy and I found myself with a good bit of space to swim in. Around two more bouys and it was out of the water for the first lap in a time of about 15 minutes, over the timing matt and back into the water fort he second lap, There was far more space now and I ws really begining to settle into a good rhythm. Again a few body blows from people who wern't looking where they were going. Out of the water for the second time and up the ramp to the finish and collect the first of the Long course medals. All in all I was very pleased with my time of 33.10 and my performance in the water, bring on the ride tomorrow morning.
The Ride. I only managed to get a bout four hours sleep on Friday night. All sorts of things going through my head about the swim and about the ride which was to follow, 112 miles of Pembrokeshire national parks ( Not short of a hill or two I can tel you). 8am and we were off. I think it was something like 1300 riders took part so there were lots of groups all over the roads for the first 20 miles or so. Thie riding seemed easy for the first 30 or so miles and I felt comfortable with my pace, not to fast not to slow. There was a five and a half hr first lap cut off so everyone was keen to finish that first lap within that time. I knew that I would make that time quite easily, I just wanted to make sure that I made it. As a result I completed the first lap in about four hours fifteen minutes which really was a bit to fast knowing that i had a second loop to go. The course was made up of two loops, one of 71 miles and another of 41. The 41 mile loop was a repeat of the last 41 mile of the first loop. It just so happened that it was also the part with all the hills in it.
The second loop is where all the drama and pain started. Unlike the first there were no groups of riders to shelter from the wind behind, I was out there on my own and the fact that I had completed the first loop a little too fast was catching up on me. The run down into Lamphey wasn't to bad so I tried to rest a little and take it easy and try to let the legs recover. By mile 90 I had had it, there was nothing left to give and I still hadthe biggest hills to go. The thought of tomorrows marathon was playing on my mind as well and moral was very low. Over the last couple of miles I had noticed someone catching me up. It took him a long time so I don't think he was feeling much better than I was. Eventualy he cought me and we rode the rest of the rout together. What a difference that made, just having someone to talk to and take your mind off the task at hand. Our pace didn't quicken by the time didn't drag so much and moral was a lot higher. As we rode on we passed other cyclists with equaly low moral. Finally we reached the bottom of the biggest climb on the course and dared each other not to get off and walk. We finaly arived back in Tenby after approximatly 7:45:00. That's one bike ride that I was glad to finish. That second loop just wasn't nice and it's the same course for Ironman so I've got some serious bike training to do. After getting back home I took a cold bath to recharge the muscles and My wife( Joanne) gave be a leg massage. Lots of veg and chicken for tea and the last of my potato soup, thank god.
Had a much better nights sleep after the ride whioch was a good start for the marathon the next day.
The Marathon.
Fortunatly when I woke up Sunday morning my legs didn't feel anything like as bad as they did when I went to bed. They felt very tired and if at any other time I had a training run scheduled for that morning, I would have canceled it. That wasn't an option for this morning, because this morning I had to run a marathon as the final part of the long weekend, and providing I ran that marathon within the six hour cut off time I would get the Long course medal, which is what it's all been about. Not to get that medal now would be like missing the time cut off of Ironman by less than a minute. I have never done a mrathon before, the furthest I have run is 16 miles and some say that's roughly where you find the illusive wall. I sttod there on the start line knowing that all I have to do is get back within six hours, surly I had it in my legs to run half of it and walk the rest and still come in in time. My plan was to take it real slow, about 10-11 minute miles and walk through the feed stations. This is the plan that I had worked with during training. I decided to add a little more to the plan, walk the hills and run the flats. I felt I stood more chance of finishing without injury this way. We were off and Tenby was buzzing, there were people everywhere, kids sticking thier hands out for high fives, It would have been easy to go out like a bullet, but I stayed very controlled and tried not to be fazed by all the runners passing me, instead saying "I'll see you later" a bit cocky i know but I've read so much about these kind of starts. Oner lap of Tenby and it was out into the country for one of the most brutal marathon causes in the country. We came to the first hill at about 3 miles and I instantly put my plan into action and walked, more runners passed. Local knowledge can get you a long way on a route like this. I knew exactly where the hills where and how long and what was around the next corner. As these runners passed I watched them as they came to a sharp right hand bend and then almost every one of them stopped and walked as they saw the incline ahead. It was at this point that I found myself a running buddy. He was from East London and was more than happy to share my plan if it was going to get him home within the cut off. We ran the first half of the marathon in 2 hours and the time just flew by, we chatted about work and other stuff but not the run. By mile 16 he was struggling to stay with me even though I was slowing a little to help him catch up. Eventually the gap between us was to big for me to slow any more and I pressed on alone. There was no sign of the 16 mile wall so I assumed it must be waiting for me somewhere else, perhaps mile 20 I thought, I don't know why I thought 20, I was just thinking of any old rubbish to keep my mind occupied. 20 came and went, 21, 22, still nothing, 4 miles to go and apart from some achey legs I was still feeling fairly fresh, aerobicly I felt brilliant. Still walking the hills I was making pretty good time for my first marathon, and now I was doing all the passing. Peolple walking on the flats because they went out to fast, people limping, laying in gate ways, I was passing them all now. 23, 24, only two miles to go and all the hills were done, WOW, this is it. At this point I had been ruynning for about 4 hrs 15 minutes. My daughter and niece met me with one mile to go which lifted me even more. Onwards, onwards, onwards, one leg in front of the other, come on lets go. around 200 mts to go and I put my foot down, gotta finish strong, into the finish shoot to the crouds and family waiting for me, high fives as I passed. across the line in 4:35. Fantastic and still didn't feel like I had run a marathon, couldn't have done it any faster. I can only atribute this feeling to the many hrs of endurance training that I have done over the last 47 weeks. It works. bring on Ironman 2012.
Overall a fantastic weekend from which I met some fantastic people and will take some equaly fantastic memories, I can't wait to do it again next year.
It's going to be a fairly restfull week ahead but I don't want to sit around for long. What this weekend has shown me is that There is still a lot of work to be done in preperation for Ironman. After the ride on Saturday I sat in my car and said to myself "Right, go and run a marathon now." I think I swore at myself then. but that's exactly what I'm going to have to do in three months time.
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