Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
13th October 2012
Summary
Finished the race in 9hrs 59mins and 53 seconds.
1hr 13min swim, 5hrs 18min bike, 3hrs 21min marathon (PB Ironman marathon).
41st in the World in the 40-44 age-group division! 1st British finisher in the 40-44 age-group division.
271st amateur overall from 1,984 starters (344th outright including professionals).
Executed a stellar bike and run in the toughest race conditions for many years - very happy to get the sub-10 hour finish!
Race Report
The last, big training day 4 weeks out from race day in Kona, a 7hr+ bike-run (1 hour run off a 6 hour bike), showed me that I was in very good shape. After a windy, hot and hilly 115 mile ride with great power output throughout I ran for an hour on sub 6 minute 40 mile pace feeling very strong and comfortable. Over the next four weeks I focused on holding that form and gradually tapered down for race day on October 13th, the day that I had focused on for a year. I opened up the engine at certain points during sessions over those last weeks and each time I felt a depth of fitness, speed and strength that gave me a lot of confidence.
Fast-forward to race morning and I'm treading water on the start line of this great race. Shortly before the gun goes I do a full 360 just to take it all in. I'm ready after a year of stellar preparation and consistency and importantly for this race I'm in the right head space to take this day on and everything it will throw at me. I fully expect it to be brutal and am ready to eat it up.
My plan was to not expend significant energy during the swim in order to get on the bike as fresh as possible and I'd swum many 4, 5 and a couple of 6km continuous swims in training in order to achieve that. There were strong swells out on the course and a strong current to contend with. I felt good throughout and on exiting the water felt like I hadn't burnt too many matches and made my way swiftly through the long transition area. I'd set up my bike in transition with shoes clipped into the pedals and ran barefoot to the bike, minimising my T1 time to just over 3 minutes.
I'd spent time researching how to make the bike as aerodynamic as possible and had also stripped off the bike computer for race day as I had planned to race on perceived effort. Once on the bike I knew that I had good legs. During the fast section through town, to and from the Kuakini turnaround and then up Palani hill, I started to pass other riders and this continued once onto the legendary Queen Kaahumanu Highway. Because of the depth of the field there is an endless line of riders each 7 metres apart, mostly riding legally. If you are riding faster than the majority you have to ride two metres to the left and make sure you continue to pass people/or drop back legally otherwise you risk being given a time penalty for drafting. As I was continually passing riders I spent the majority of the bike ride 2 metres to the left of the pace line! At first I was concerned that I was overdoing it, this was the World Champs after all, how could I be passing all these people? However I train year round on perceived effort, no heart rate monitor or power meter, and felt very in tune with my effort level. I knew that I was riding right on my ability. I felt like a missile and by the end of the bike ride I had passed 523 riders.
I'd intentionally trained all year until the end of July on heavy tyres with high rolling resistance so that every pedal stroke would require more effort. This, in addition to the poor road conditions out on my regular training routes and running an 1123 gear ratio year-round over hilly terrain brought me to the race in strong bike shape. In all honesty the Queen K Highway felt like a Formula 1 track compared to my training routes out in the countryside. It had also been a very windy year here in the UK. Many training rides on the heavy, high resistance tyres in the strong winds had been super-tough. On these long rides you just dig so deep and bury yourself for long time periods. They change your physiology. Great performance comes from reaching those mental and physical states in training.
I'd also found and ridden simulations of the Hawaii bike course and incorporated these in my training routes. I rode a long, slowly rising out and back many times to simulate the tough, long climb to Hawi and had also found a quiet long downhill where I could hit 5311 and 40mph in the aerobars to simulate a prolonged, very fast cadence similar to what I expected in the strong crosswinds on the descent from Hawi. In the race, on both these tough sections I didn't leave the aerobars at all and rode great. I rarely left the aerobars throughout the bike course even on the long undulating sections. I had maximised riding in the aero position with a focus on sustained power output all year.
Conditions on the bike were super-tough with heat and strong winds, reported as the toughest for years. As I made my way north along the Queen K Highway I looked along the coast towards Hawi and could see distant white caps on the water, lots of them! This meant serious crosswinds from miles 50-70. The headwinds and crosswinds were extremely strong out there but I wasn't too phased by this, as I'd been battered all year out on the road in the UK, and enjoyed the tough conditions! This was the Hawaii Ironman after all. A 5hr 18min bike split on a super-tough day averaging over 21 mph over 112 miles. As I rode into T2 I could feel the sun on my back and knew the run was going to be very hot. Again a fast transition in 3 mins 40 seconds and I was out on the run-course.
Riding into T2 at the end of the bike
I had planned to look at my watch on the exit from T2 to determine what I needed to run in order to break 10 hours. The watch read 6hr 38 and change meaning I had to run a 3hr 21 and change marathon which would be an Ironman marathon PB on this, the toughest Ironman run course. First thought 'in this heat and wind that is going to be very tough!', and then immediately second thought 'you are going to do this, get going!!!'. I'm a big believer in overcoming through sheer force of will and so with a bucket-load (literally) of ice down my shorts I headed out!
I felt good from the start of the run and after half a mile started to tap out 7 minute miles. I had planned to be and was very focused on technique and efficiency. This is one run course that you absolutely have to run efficiently. It was extremely hot on the initial 10 mile out and back along Ali'i Drive and I ensured that I put cup-fulls of ice down my race suit at every aid station - these were situated every mile along the run-course and the ice immediately slid all the way down to the groin area hence helping to keep core temperature down. Great crowds along here and huge thanks to all the volunteers who are always so enthusiastic. I also saw Kata on the out and the back of this section which was a huge energy lift. I was running pretty fast and passing many runners.
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For the three months before the race I'd run mostly up on the exposed heath near home on an approximate 16 minute running loop. This loop is undulating in parts and most of the time there is a strong south-westerly wind that you have to run directly into on certain sections of the loop. I switched to running here versus the sheltered park as on every run you have to hold running form in the wind and in the process you incrementally strengthen all those small muscles that allow you to hold that form - every time you run. I had also run multiple, extremely tough, hilly 2hr 30min+ runs and multiple fast, long bricks 7-4 weeks out from race day as well as a number of running blocks throughout the year.
Very quickly the 10 mile out and back on Ali'i Drive and the tough climb up Palani Hill were done and I was back up onto the Queen K highway with the sun absolutely burning down. Still to run - 6 miles out along this mostly desolate highway, the 3.5 mile out and back through the melting hot Natural Energy Lab (considerably hotter than 100 deg F) followed by 6 miles back along the highway into town. Looking out at the start of that section it just looked like one huge heat mirage! I remember saying to myself 'you are now going to go the hurt locker and beyond!'. I really did flick a mental switch once up onto the highway at the 11 mile point, telling myself to keep the pace high, and ran the next five miles, miles 12-16 before entering the Energy Lab, on 7 min 15 per mile pace. I made it to the halfway point on the run at 1 hr 39mins 58 meaning I had to run the second 13.1 miles in 1hr 41mins 50 to break 10 hours. I would have to run almost as fast as I had run the first half and this half included the hottest part of the course, the Natural Energy Lab, a number of serious undulations and was at the end of the race! A very tough ask. With the temperature hovering around 100 deg F, I just continually said to myself 'foot speed, drive from the hips, efficiency, light on your feet...' over and over and pushed to the maximum. I was totally and physically in the moment.
I had intentionally not looked at my watch after the halfway 13.1 mile point through fear of just shutting everything down and moving into a slower gear given the size of the task ahead. I didn't want any external influence at all, this was an exercise in my head. I had planned to think of the kids when it did really hurt and when I did this any pain I was experiencing pretty much evaporated. As I headed back into town back along the highway I knew that I was running fast as I continuously passed other runners. I maintained the focus on technique and efficiency - 100% concentration! Over the course of the marathon I passed 252 people and ran an average 7 min 41 per mile pace. The last quarter of a mile down Ali'i Drive to the finish is the Champs Elysees of triathlon and something to savour but I was all gritted teeth trying to get to that line in under 10 hours. I ran that last 13.1 miles in 1hr 41mins 43 for a 3hrs 21 min marathon, an Ironman marathon PB, and sprinted the last mile to break the tape in 9.59.53. Sub-10! on a day with extremely tough race conditions. Goal achieved. I'd run the 242nd fastest marathon overall, including professionals, and 22nd fastest in my age-group. Everything instantly shut down at the finish line, I had given everything out on this great course. The volunteers were fantastic, helping me to walk to where I could strip down my race-suit and just lie down. This race, and in particular the second half of the marathon, is something I'll never forget for sure. For me the high point of all the training and racing to date!
41st in the 40-44 age group divison and 1st British finisher in the 40-44 age group division.
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