Travelled down on Friday, having spent a ridiculous amount of time checking and re-checking kit to make sure I had everything. Turns out I hadn’t as Stigs texted me when we around Kings Lynn to ask when he could drop a bobble hat off for Kimberly. Nuts.
Jeez, we’re about 50-miles from home…that’s not even the bike leg…put’s it in perspective, panicking now. I remind myself:
#1 Aim – Finish
#2 Aim – Time
#3 Aim – Don’t come home in a wooden box
Swim: 1.9k, time 40mins
Possibly the most relaxed swim I’ve ever had. There was some inevitable bumping at the start but not the normal aggressive stuff. After all, what’s the point of wasting energy in the first 5 minutes of a 6 hour race? Time was spot on target.
Bike: 90k, time 3hrs 7mins
Undulating and breezy. Wind was just over 15mph according to the forecast making the bike a bit twitchy in places. I know I have to save energy for the run so slightly hold back on the bike by making sure I drink and eat plenty. I seem to remember doing the recce in 3hrs 15mins, so actual time was a bonus.
Run: 21k, time 2hrs 19min
I knew this was going the hardest bit. I started off deliberately not going under 6 minutes for each km and stopping at every feed station for an item of food and some water. I figured it would be better to bring it all back up rather than get cramp. As the km’s ticked by I got slower and slower, would’ve loved to upp’ed the pace but couldn’t. Last lap the whole body was just aching. See the missus as I come into the finishing straight, ‘Walk In The Park’ I call to her, which in fairness the last lap was.
Event: Marshalls and volunteers were really helpful. Water and feed stations great. Bike and run courses were challenging but spot on. Would I recommend the event? Yes. Will I do this distance again? Probably, sub 6-hour target if I can sort my run out.
Respect to all that have completed a full ‘Ironman’ distance, I know after Sunday it’s beyond me.
