I am sure I will be back next year, I'll probably use it as a recovery race after doing my first ironman
I am sure I will be back next year, I'll probably use it as a recovery race after doing my first ironman
'Too much sitting is ruining my body'
Well that was the hardest thing i've ever done. Heres how my race panned out:
Race Prep - Got there at 8pm with my shiny new Titanium bike. I'd spent three hours the day before looking for a cycling shop the stocked the tubular tyres they used. I had no spares before then. I finally found some in Royles in Wilmslow and I needed them! 8am race morning and somehow my wheel has burst on the way to the bloody race! 20 mins later I had changed my first ever tubular tyre and was ready to go. Only problem being if I got a flat during the event I was out. I'd have to walk back! Made it just in time for race breifing but spent that time on the loo. Kit was all ready and I was confident about what lay ahead.
The Swim - Fortunately the lad who ended up 4th knew the event. He was happy because i'd just given him a fat cheque for the bike I just bought from him. He told me to get in the water late and stay to the outside. And it was good advice. We had a clear run to the buoy avoiding the tussle of the main pack. I came out 24th in 25:34. A good swim for me.
The Bike - a 90 second transition and I was away on the bike. I hit it hard early on and passed a good few people that were just infront. But by about 45 mins I had bonked. One 30-40 mile ride per week is not enough and I knew this but I never find the time to train on the bike. I thought a top range bike could offset this lack of training but not so! I pulled a few back on Kirkstone but had to watch as Ben Bardsley came flying past toward the top of the climb. At 1:54 I was about 4 mins down on what I had hoped for on the bike but I think I was a bit optimistic considering the training i'd done. Next year i've sworn to get in more bike training.
The Run - I had been looking forward to the run and sure enough setting of in about 15th I soon found myself up to 8th place before the tarn. My hamstrings were cramping a fair bit at first but this soon passed. Up Swirrel Edge my pace got slow as my body began to get very tired. I hadn't taken any fuel on board apart from my Go Bar for breakfast at 7am and the 500ml SIS 'Go' drink I had on the bike. I don't like competing with much in the stomach but I should have taken a different approach to this one in retrospect. My girlfriend was taking a drink up for me but she came down early because of the cold on top. Off the top of Helvelyn I slowed to a crawl and even walked on the flat. Three people came past me two of them I had already passed the other Morgan Donelly. Fortunately I had a 'GO' Gel in my bumbag and despite the bad experience with them at last years London Mara I greedily gulped down the thing. 10 minutes later and I was back chasing again. I never caught Morgan but I had the other two to finish in 9th very happy with it. I could see 7th and 8th and maybe if i'd taken that go gel earlier...
The end result - Well it was a cracking experience and i'm well chuffed with the end result. I was a little optimistic harbouring ambitions of winning and humbled looking at the times Alistair managed. But next year i'll be back to give it another go!
Great performance... I don't know how you do it.
Maybe I should avoid posting on forums like this as my reflections and times make me seem / sound like someone's Dad...
... but then, I am someone's Dad, three times.
Amateur....Originally Posted by lantern rouge
Amateur what??!!Amateur....
Can you have Dads who turn pro??
This is a great event but it was even better when the fell leg was a proper fell run! This event developed from the lakeland slateman tri which was held three times. Swim varied between 1km and 1500m, and the bike was the same (except for for the first year when it went all the way to Keswick) but the run went from Glenridding to Fairfield (via St Sunday) then across Helvellyn to the summit of Raise before descending more or less by todays route.
I was happy enough to stay with the shortened run in the recent events!
Entries are now open for next year, and the locals are in training already...
Do you reckon I could get him to do the swim leg for me ? I quite fancy the rest of it!
Er, race entries full!
I've got myself on the reserve list...
'That's what you get when you suffer - you get results'
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