IronMan Uk Race Report

IronMan UK 2011 Race Report

2.4 Mile Swim – 112 Mile Bike – 26 Mile Marathon – 12 Hours 46 Minutes

8 months of training, 2 long months of no drinking (very very long months), countless injuries many long boring 8 hour cycle rides later, IronMan Uk is finally over. Seeing as this was my first IronMan and only my second ever triathlon, I thought that it deserved some kind of race report detailing what exactly goes on during the very long and painful day that is IronMan UK!

Video Highlights:

Registration and Pre Race Day

The actual IronMan race is only part of the challenge. The hardest part of the whole weekend was probably packing every conceivable item of kit that I might need into a car along with a whole family’s worth of overnight bags and enough food to feed a small army.

Once everything was all packed and ready to go it was off to Bolton to start the registration process. With an IornMan triathlon you have to register the day before the race as there is so much different kit to that needs to be set up in so many different places.

The race packs containing the various transition bags, emergency bags, race number, stickers and race timing chip were handed out in the Leigh Sports Village complex just outside of Bolton, which was also the site of the swim section of the course. Having never entered an IronMan before, I asked one of the volunteers manning the registration desks what the deal with the emergency bags was, as I hadn’t seen anything mentioned in any of the official race literature in the days leading up to the race. With a bemused look on his face he told me that there wasn’t any emergency bag system in place and so any special needs items that I needed for either the bike or the run sections of the course  (nutrition or spare kit etc) would have to be packed in my transition bags instead. I later found out that this was complete lies but by that time I had placed all of my spare kit and supplies into the two transition bags and so had nothing left over to give to my fantastic support crew (parents and sister!) to give to me in the run.

After the quick repack and a quick look around the IronMan expo at the Leigh Sports Village it was time to head over to Pennington Flash (where the swim was to take place the next day) to sort out Transition One. First impressions of the Flash were good as it looked like the course was well marked out and there was no tight 90 degree turns that would act as choke points when the mass of swimmers tried to change direction.

Heading into the transition tent, I hung my blue “bike” bag up and racked my bike along with the thousands of other bags and bikes that were already in place.

After racking the bike the crew and me tracked the first part of the bike route out of T1 and into T2. This was a section of the course that I had not seen before, as Nick and I had only practiced the 32mile loop section (over and over again!) during training. It looked like a nice gentle start to the course but there what looked like a few nasty speed bumps that I made a note to watch out for the next day, as combined with a dodgy road surface they looked like a sure spot for a puncture or a thrown water bottle.

T2 was even quiter then the very deserted T1 and there were only a few stragglers like me left sorting out their “Run” bags in this late stage in the afternoon. I guess most people had been and gone earlier in the day and were probably trying to get as much rest as possible at one of the many IronMan recommended hotels dotted around Bolton and Manchester. After placing my bag in the middle of this organised rabble I thought that there was no way I was going to be able to find it again after the 8 hour bike ride the next day!

After the bag drops were finished we checked into our hotel and poured over every bit of race info that I could find, just to make sure that I hadn’t missed anything important. At 5pm we headed to the Bolton Wonderers home ground, The Reebok Stadium  for the race brief.

Previous to the race brief things were all a little too surreal as there were hardly any people at the transitions and I still couldn’t quite believe that the race was the next day. During the brief this all changed. Seeing 1300 potential IronMen crammed into one room, things suddenly become very real and the panic began to set in. As the MD of IronMan UK and a variety of officials presented the rules of the race as well as the timings of the next day to us, it slowly began to sink in that tomorrow I would actually be racing. The presenter asked those in the crowd who had never done an IronMan before to stand up and I was shocked to see that about 80% of the 1300 people present were firs timers like me. It didn’t make me feel any better as most of those people that stood up looked a lot more like hardened triathletes then Nick or I.

Before Nick and I headed off to our hotels to try and grab a few hours sleep there was time for one last minute photo of us along with a guy called Kirk who was a colleague of my dads from work who had also entered the race. In less then 12 Hours we would all be starting the IronMan – no turning back now.

IronMan UK – The Swim

After only managing to grab 3 hours sleep at the hotel due to a wedding reception disco playing full blast until 12am, getting up at 3.30am was a bit of a struggle. After bolting down some sandwiches and a banana the family and me made our way over to Pennington Flash.

After the usual 10 minute que for a port-a-loo and some final bike checks it was time to change into my wetsuit and make my way down to the Flash.

I managed to meet up with Nick on the edge of the flash and we hung back a few minutes so that we wouldn’t waste precious energy whilst the rest of the 1300 triathletes made their way into the water. By the way, incase you are wondering why Nick and I have matching wetsuits, we have been getting free swim coaching from the company that we both work for (score!) and they also gave us some free wetsuits to practice open water swimming in.

Nick and I made our way to the back of the mass of swimmers with five minutes to go before the race start. We had discussed that we were both going to hang back and go easy during the swim as all the advice we had received from coaches and past IronMen finishers, consisted entirely of taking it easy during the swim. The argument goes that for every 5 minutes you make up outside of your comfort zone in the swim you will loose 20 minutes on your bike and run. Unfortunately as soon as the horn sounded at 6am on the dot, all race tactics went out of the window and I was concentrating on not getting hit in the face too much to think about speed.

After the first five minutes of swimming it became pretty clear that Nick and I had placed ourselves way too far towards the back of the mass of swimmers as I was passing people that were breast stroking and barely swimming. Earlier that morning I had heard some swimmers say that they had never practiced open water swimming before the IronMan. I guess that applied to more then just a few people as lots of the swimmers that I was passing were wavering around all over the course and I had to keep dropping back and going around the other side of some swimmers to avoid getting crushed between them. Sort your ‘sighting’ out people!

The first 1.9km lap went by in a flash as there was not one point when I had enough open space around me to relax into a steady stroke and instead had to concentrate on those swimmers around me as well as my own stroke, breathing and sighting.

The second loop went much better than the first as the field began to open out slightly more. However, every now and again, a swimmer on one side or the other of me would pick a different line and come crashing into me, forcing me to put on an extra burst of speed to lose them. I think it was these extra little bursts that all added up as I exited the water in 1:07, which is three minutes shy of my best training time and more importantly, I didnt feel like I had pushed things too hard at all.

IronMan Uk – The Cycle

T1 went without a hitch and I even had time to offer a spare jersey to someone who had lost theirs and wolf down a banana and a bit of flapjack before running over to my Bike. The transition was a little crowded and there must have been about 100 people trying to get changed at any one time. Thankfully but there was plenty of volunteers on hand to help out with wetsuits and bag packing.

The bike section of the course started out with a 13 mile point to point which took us to the beginning of the 32 mile loop that competitors would then ride three times. I have never been over-taken more times in the first 13 miles of a race before and there must have been upwards of 100 cyclists on awesome bikes that shot past me as i settled into my slow 16mph pace.

As it was early in the morning there wasn’t very many spectators on the first 13 miles of the cycle and so I kept myself entertained by checking out all of the awesome bikes that passed me and worrying about the various different muscles that felt like they were about to cramp up. In hindsight I probably should have stretched the day before the race as it took me a good few hours to work the stiffness out of my hamstrings, quads and groin.

The big hill on the 32 mile loop of the course is a hill that Nick and I had done several times before in training so I knew exactly what to expect and could save my energy for the especially steep spots. Being quite light I can fly up the hills and managed to make up some of the positions that I lost on the flats – Not that I was trying to make up positions or anything!

The first lap of the course went by surprisingly quickly and I actually found myself  really enjoying the ride. The crowds were out in force by this time and there was always someone passing me to exchange a bit of banter with. Unlike the previous time that I had ridden the Bolton bike course, the sun was out and there was no wind. I cannot tell you how much of a difference this makes to my motivation as there is nothing like a bit of rain and some wind to turn a fun ride into a long hard slog. I guess the road closures made a big different as well, as unlike past training rides I didnt have to keep stopping and starting at junctions. This makes a massive difference for me as I can just keep spinning in a high gear and don’t have to work as hard.

My parents and sister had made it to the beginning of the third loop and so as I passed I was able to give them a quick wave. Seeing them was a massive boost as by the 80 mile mark I was beginning to feel the boredom. ONE MOOR LOOOP TO GO!

At this stage of the race I was really looking forward to the marathon (yes thats right, I was looking forward to the marathon!) as being stuck in a saddle for 5:30 hours was starting to get pretty uncomfortable and I couldn’t wait to stretch my legs.

During the morning I hadn’t taken as many fluids on board as I should have and still had half a bottle of energy drink left over from my original starting two. My legs started to ache more then they usually would have normally, and from training I knew that this was due to the lack of carbohydrates and fluids. After downing my last half a bottle of sports drink my legs began to feel much better and the last 30 miles of the race passed much quicker and less painfully then any of my training rides. As the day began to heat up I debated throwing off my base layer that I had put on over my tri suit in T1. After some deliberation, the cheapskate in me didn’t want to part with a bit of kit that has served me so well for the past 8 months and I just upped my intake of fluids to compensate for how how much I started sweating and rolled my sleeves up.

On my last lap I decided to fight the boredom by speaking to every marshal and spectator that I recognised from my previous loops. Some spectators had been with us since the first wave of elite racers first sailed past them in the early morning and were still there at 2.30 in the afternoon. Some of them had probably been clapping and cheering for several hours and so it was the least that I could do to thank them as I rode past. Competitor names are printed along with race numbers on the Internet and in the official race program so spectators can quickly look you up and yell your name in some of the slower sections of the bike and run course. It is so weird to hear and see someone cheer you on by name where you have never met them before, but it really does give you a massive boost, especially if you are beginning to lose focus in the latter stages of the cycle as it brings you back to the present from whatever daydream you were having.

My Parents and Sister were  positioned near to T2 for a last cheer a I tackled a last undulating mile of road to arrive at the second transition.

IronMan Uk – The Run

Sailing into T2 I really couldn’t wait to start the marathon. In the weeks leading up to the race, Nick and I had formulated a plan whereby I would try to catch him up during the marathon and we would finish the race together. We had worked towards the IronMan for 8 months together so it made sense that we would finish it together. During training Nick was much faster than me during in the lake and on the bike so mentally I had prepared myself for a long and hard marathon to catch him up before the finish line.

I started out from T2 with very little experience at running off the bike. Call it arrogance but I always though that my strong running background would carry me though the marathon without a problem and so did very little brick sessions during training- how wrong I was. Exiting T2 I ran 30 yards and promptly felt a sharp pain in my right knee. On the first corner it virtually gave way and I really though that my IronMan was over. After a brief stretch I started to run again more slowly and gradually eased into a 7.30 to 8 minute mile pace along a stretch of trail along a canal.

By mile three my knee was in excruciating pain and it was all i could do to keep my running form in check. The first six miles of the marathon consisted of an undulating road run and a short trail section that ended up attaching to the Bolton central. After exiting from the trail onto a main road leading straight into the middle of Bolton town centre, the course consisted of a three mile loop up and down the same road. This loop section had its pluses as it meant that you could see other competitors several times as you were running. I saw both Sam (a mate from work) and Kirk (a colleague of my dad) on the first lap of this loop and it was Sam that told me that Nick was almost a loop ahead of me. I though that this seemed funny at the time, but I assumed that Nick much have had a better then expected bike and so I dug deep and tried to stick at about 9 minute miles. It  was only at the 10 mile mark that I saw Nick running towards me on the other side of the road and after a quick hi-five it became clear that he was behind not ahead of me. This wasn’t great news as we had planned to finish together but it did take the pressure of my running somewhat and I started to slow my pace a little. Nick looked like he was really enjoying himself and so I guessed that he wasn’t in the world of pain that I was!

After 13 miles I spotted my support crew wearing their bright green T-shorts standing near the finish line and it was only stopping to briefly speak to them that I realised just how tired I was.

After trying some of the GatorAid at one of the feed stations and almost throwing it straight back up I had just been drinking lots of water and no food. Fearing that I might run out of energy before getting to even the 20mile mark I stuffed down a banana at the next feed station – big mistake. As soon as the banana hit my stomach I was hit with the worst stitch that I have ever had. It was all I could do to stop doubling up with pain and it was only through shear grit that I managed to slowly carry on jogging until the pain diminished a few miles down the road.

As soon as the stitch disappeared it was the turn of my muscles to give up. Both my hamstrings and my calves cramped at the same time and it felt like my body was falling apart at the seams! After a bit of a stretch and some salty crackers at a feed station I shook the worst of the cramps off but my pace fell to about 9 minute miles.

No Uk Ironman race review would be complete if I didn’t talk a bit about the new style run course for this year. I have never raced the UK IronMan before but I have been told that previously the run course didn’t have a three loop city centre section. The new style course is great as it means that all the spectators are more concentrated and get to see you three times before the finish. The crowds in Bolton really do deserve a massive thank you as there seemed to always be someone yelling their support from the pavement. Just after one food station I had started walking and a crowd of ten lads decided to run along side me until I started running again. As soon as I picked up my pace they gave me an almightily cheer which sent me speeding on my way.

I dont know whether it was my imagination or not but during one particular section of the city centre run I could clearly small bbq food cooking somewhere. For someone that had only been eating energy gels and bananas for the past 10ish hours the smell of burgers and sausages was absolute torture! I have never wanted a burger more in my life than at that point in the Ironman! I have a sneaky suspicion that the BBQ was set up by the friends of some of the crew of firemen that were running the course – thanks guys and congratulations on making it into this Uk IronMan review on the back of a burger craving!

The loop section of the run course that heads out of town consists of a three mile ascent of varying gradients and is an absolute killer on the legs and calves. I saw several people actually throw up during one undulating section of this uphill and I am not sure how much of this was due to the gradient or due to the GatorAid. Either way there were some people that looked to be in a whole world of pain.

IronMan Uk – The Finish

With just two miles to go I was caught up by a bloke wearing a superman costume and he stopped to exchange a few words of encouragement with me. He told me that his marathon had felt really short and that he was making really good time. It was at this point that I had to break the news to him that he still had another 6 mile loop to run before the finish line. I felt absolutely terrible afterwards as I saw this bloke visibly sag with despair, but he soon sorted himself out and sped off into the distance.

The last two miles went by in a blur of aching legs and intermittent cramps. I checked my watch and was amazed to see that I was just about on target for a 4 hour marathon and so forced my body to pick up the pace and slowly I began to speed up. In the last mile I felt every single pain that I had suffered from in training and during the race come back to haunt me but with the finish line in sight all I could think about was finishing.

As I turned the corner and sprinted (stumbled) down the last 50m red  carpeted section of road to the finish line I spotted the girlfriend clutching her camera and had to stop for a quick kiss before leaping through that magical finish gate that turns you into an IronMan.

I had to lean on a volunteer as they took my timing chip from me and sent me stumbling off for my race finish photos. It was only when I had some fish and chips thrust into my hand and was made to sit down with a bottle of water that it finally sunk in that the long 8 month journey was finally over. All the training had actually paid off and I had made it across the finish line in 12;46 – 2 hours faster than my target time.

After wondering around the athletes village for a few minutes looking for a way out (brain power was not very high at this point in the day!) I finally spotted Sophie,  and we managed to hook up with my parents and sister. I couldn’t have made it across that finish line if it hadn’t have been for those guys supporting me throughout the day so a big shout out is in order for team Middleton!

Together we staked a good spot to see Nick cross the finish line and then met him as he wondered out of the athletes village.

There was a whole crew of friends, family and supporters surrounding us and I think that they were all more excited to see us cross the finish line than we were. Nick and I just stood in a bit of a shattered daze and I dont think either of us could quite believe that we had actually completed something that we had dedicated 15 hours a week of our lives towards over the past eight months.

In the few days following the Uk IronMan we managed to forget about the soreness and stiffness enough to start planning for next year…bring on IronMan Brazil!

That brings this Uk IronMan race report to an end. The only thing that is left to say is a massive thank you to all the marshals and volunteers that gave up their weekend to keep the event running smoothly. Without those poor souls standing at every major junction of the course, feed station and transition I would probably still be out there wondering around the Bolton countryside now. Also I feel like I need to make a special mention to the poor pair that stood at the finish line with a microphone calling out each and every finishers name and telling them that they were and IronMan. To hear the words “ROSS MIDDLETON YOU ARE AN IRONMAN” was by far the best part of the race.