Lake Placid, New York
26/07/09
10hrs 10mins finish for 62nd overall from 2,545 (including 41 professional) starters. 12th in 35-39 Age Group. 40th fastest non-professional overall and 1st British finisher.
SWIM 1:03:51 3.8km
BIKE 5:22:48 180km
RUN 3:30:53 Marathon
OVERALL 10:10:41
RANK 62 of 2,545
DIV.POS. 12 of 333 in 35-39 Age Group
SWIM SPLIT 1: 1.2 mi 1.2 mi (30:57) 1:37/100m
SWIM SPLIT 2: 2.4 mi 1.2 mi (32:54) 1:43/100m
TOTAL SWIM: 2.4 mi (1:03:51) 1:40/100m
RANK at end of Swim 328
DIV.POS. at end of Swim 49
BIKE SPLIT 1: 36 mi. 36 mi. (1:32:28) 23.36 mph
BIKE SPLIT 2: 56 mi. 20 mi. (1:04:51) 18.50 mph
BIKE SPLIT 3: 92 mi. 36 mi. (1:37:08) 22.24 mph
BIKE SPLIT 4: 112 mi. 20 mi.(1:08:21) 17.56 mph
TOTAL BIKE 112 mi. (5:22:48) 20.82 mph
RANK at end of Bike 96
DIV.POS. at end of Bike 20
RUN SPLIT 1: 13.1 13.1 mi. (1:40:52) 7:41/mile
RUN SPLIT 2: 26.2 mi 13.1 mi. (1:50:02) 8:23/mile
TOTAL RUN 26.2 mi. (3:30:54) 8:02/mile
RANK at end of Run 62
DIV.POS. at end of Run 12
Ironman number 11, this time in Lake Placid, a beautiful spot. Stayed with Dave and Ian and their families in a huge lodge overlooking the lake, set in 22 acres of land and aptly called 'The Humdinger Residence'. We had the place to ourselves and race week was very relaxed. Thanks guys for a great week.
Training for Lake Placid was lower volume versus previous years. Post Hawaii in October I had pushed ahead with training and completed a two week swim block (10 swims for 35km) followed by 5 weeks of decent run and bike training including fourteen rides > 2hrs and six 1hr runs on the track with increased intensity, averaging approx 13hrs per week. I was therefore in great shape at the start of December. With a new job mid-December came a significant reduction in training right through to the start of April – no swimming for 5.5 months! from end-Nov to start-May and just ticking over on the bike and run in and out of work from mid-Dec to end-Mar with zero training at the weekends in that period. So at the end of Mar and 18 weeks out from the race the realisation that another one of these days was coming landed and I started to up the biking and running though avoided the pool for another 6 weeks further! My goal was to post a decent time and to enjoy another Ironman course. 9 weeks out from the race I was a little sick for a week with a stomach bug that the whole family caught but after that I absolutely nailed my training in the 8 weeks following. I increased intensity on the bike and run and focused on recovery to ensure that every session counted. From 1st January to race day I had completed just 38% of the swim training, 70% of the bike training and 90% of the run training versus the same period for 2008. I think that I benefited from the training down time at the start of the year and was well placed physically and mentally to push the pain barriers in June and early July. Fortunately the UK weather was great during that period – particularly so during two six and a half hour rides a week apart when the temperature tipped over 30 degrees C and I wore as much clothing as possible (three fleeces, two base layers, skull cap!) in order to increase sweat rate/heat acclimatise. I remember that during the first of these rides, at the foot of a large hill and already 5 or so hours into the ride with my core temperature through the roof thinking '... all that I want to do now is lie down on the tarmac at the roadside in the shade' but then the warrior in me stated 'no, suffering is good, seek more suffering, continue...'!
The Lake Placid course is one of the tougher Ironmans. The bike course included 1,330m of climbing and the run course (which turned out to be more like a serious hill run) included 500m elevation gain.
Bike Course
Run Course
After a few race week swims with Big Dave and Big Ian (think uber-athlete Big) + a couple of bikes + a run on the course, we were all up at 4am on race morning. Helena kindly also got up at that time and gave us all a lift down to transition area. I felt ready to go and couldn’t wait to hear the race hooter.
The swim start was easily the most congested swim start I have experienced – 2,500 highly charged adrenaline/caffeine/energy product loaded individuals corralled into a very small start area. My plan was to swim out early to the very front, nestle under the start rope approx 15m wide of the buoy line and tread water until the swim began. I figured that I would stay wide of the buoy line, expecting to be swum over a few times but as long as I stayed calm it wouldn’t be that bad.
Waiting for the start with rain coming down, right at the front, an open lake in front of me and the entire race field behind was an awesome feeling, until everyone around me started discussing how they were going to swim 50 minutes! The hooter sounded (I think it was a gun) and we were off!
In what seemed like 10 seconds I had been pushed over to the buoy line and therefore into a 15 minute tussle with other combatants trying to maintain position until we reached the first turnaround buoy. The back leg of the first loop was a little calmer and after a quick sortie onto the beach I was diving back in for loop 2. Exited the water in good shape and with a 1.03 swim PB – achieved on only 12 weeks/85km of swim training! (IM UK was quicker, 1.02, but I think that swim was slightly short). A great swim time but I burnt some matches getting it, heart rate was way too high due to the limited swim training build-up. A lesson for next time - SWIM MORE!
Onto the trusty Cervelo P3C together with Zipp 808 deep section wheels – a true beast of a bike! – for the two lap bike course. Felt very good on the bike, I had done the training and after 180km did not feel too beaten up for the run. I was very strong on the climbs + putting out some serious power on the rollers and passed a net 230 riders at the front end of the field. I also hit 50 mph going down the long descent into Keane which required extreme concentration with my front wheel shifting from side to side in the wind!
My bike split ended up being the 30th fastest non-professional bike. A great bike course - plenty of climbing and fantastic scenery.
Out onto the run course with 6hrs 40mins on the clock. I knew that I was up near the front and was feeling good and so pushed from the start. The run course was two loops and very hilly with two long hills at 9 miles (22m) and 10.5 miles (23.5m). A continuous up and down. Late June I had run two high tempo 2hr 30min runs with multiple long hill repeats throughout in Greenwich park which were very effective aerobic system and strength builders (not for the faint hearted!) - these runs combined with increased intensity in my run training brought me to this race in strong running shape. The first half of the marathon was completed in 1hr 40. Completed the second half in 1hr 50 for a 3hr 30min marathon for the 54th fastest non-professional run.
A 10hr 10min finish for 62nd overall + I ended up missing a Hawaii World Championship slot by 1 position and 117 seconds! Very, very close to qualifying again but not too disappointed as I had not trained for qualification + travelling to Hawaii in October/further training for that race was not something that I wanted to do this year with Kata expecting/focus on work etc etc. Thanks to Kata for giving me an 8 week pass to train properly for this race!
A great result on less training and higher intensity. More cumulative miles in the bank. This game is a continuous learning curve and am already planning how to get stronger.
I'LL BE BACK.
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After rocking up to T2 in less than 7 hours I was brimming withanticipation of how I'd fair on the marathon. I was either completelytorched or anywhere between that and being able to run effectively. Iinstantly felt good and completed the first 5K in 22 minutes. I putthis down to training fatigued for long periods and two sessions a dayin/out of work for months. I was now feeling the benefits of notcatching the train to/from work since during Embrun recovery back inSept 04. The marathon was again three laps, each of just over 14K. Mypace was good for the first twenty miles only slowing during the 2km8% hill (and another headwind) on each lap. The last six miles weretougher as I started to feel the effects of pushing the first 20 butheld it together to run the 20th fastest marathon of the day afterstripping out the pros. The support along the run course closer totown was fantastic including the zulu warriors who were still goingfor it. They were pounding out a great beat and each time I passed Ijust tried to soak up their energy. All of a sudden there was thefinish chute and the clock was still on 10hrs 46, so a sub 11 finishwhich I still don't understand fully. I walked over the line with Leonin my arms. Not often that you feel that good.
It had started to get light at 6.30am and noweverything was in full view. Wetsuit off and bike gear on. I made myfirst and last mistake of the day, I realised I had left my sunglassesbehind after 50 metres of cycling.The 185km bike course is breathtaking. Not only for the 5000m ofaltitude climb but also for the sheer beauty of the landscape throughout. After 100m you are already into your first climb, up to 1250m. For me this is a good thing as I like to get my climbing legson early. The views of Lac Serre Poncon give you a big lift and myfirst rendez-vous with Kata and Leon was planned for 8.45am - 9.15amas the bike course passed straight past the hotel after the initialloop and back past Embrun. I made it here at 8.50am and as Kata wavedher arms and went crazy, Leon just looked up at his mother wonderingwhat the hell was going on. Fortunately all of the time ranges atcertain spots that I'd estimated were borne out on the early side andso there was not too much waiting around for them. After passingthrough Embrun we were off into the mountains. The temperature wasrising, there was not a cloud in the sky and it ended up being a 34degree C day. Bike nutrition consisted of Powerbar Bars and Gels,bananas, Electrolyte/Carbohydrate drink, water and coke. Once onto theslopes of the Col de l'Isoard the numbers of spectators spectacularlyincreased. Their enthusiasm was astonishing. Allez! Courage! C'estbien! C'est superbe! Allez Paul (pronounced 'Allez Pul' which becamemore and more endearing as the day progressed). The french holidaymaker is a wonderful sight, the whole family camped/sat by the roadside, the obligatory chien wandering around, table set up withfull picnic, parasol etc. Allez!! The Isoard is a relentless 2 houreffort, there is not one inch of flat and the road varies from 3 -20%. At various points there were guys keeled over with medicalassistance on hand, administering drips, as their bikes were leftabandoned by the roadside. There were holiday maker cyclists tryingtheir arms on sections of the mountain decked out in US Postal shirtsetc. I found I was leaving these guys for dust which together with theshouting of the crowds spurred me on.
On reaching the top (after 6hours 10 minutes of racing) I felt slightly delerious however this quickly disappeared as I was acosted by two french guys one of whom unzipped my race top to shove a newspaper across my chest then zipback up (to protect against the wind on the way down), and the otherwho brought me my special needs bag. I made sure that I unwrapped the2 ham sandwichs (a treat!), I had prepared in the bathroom earlier,from the foil before starting the descent, took a bite and put them inthe pockets on my back. Also in the bag was a fresh litre ofElecrolyte/ Carbohydrate drink and various energy bars/gels. I was away and all of a sudden clocking 70km/hr on the bike computer.'Concentrate' I remember saying as I approached the first turn. Thefeeling of delerium was still with me and I went round the third turntoo fast, like a speedway motorbike racer, losing the back endcompletely. Not crashing was a miracle and was a firm reality check.There are no safety walls on the mountain and next stop after a crashis somewhere down the mountain side. The descent actually takes yourbreath away, like being in some horrendous fairground ride as youcling to the handlebars trying not to be catapulted off. Oddly I thenfind myself completely alone and cycle for something like twentykilometeres without seeing another racer (apart from one guy who hasparked his bike and is sitting in a village water fountain lookingdazed). The heat at this point is considerable so I concentrate on mynutrition and hydration. At around 140km there is the 2km 15% hillthat I have feared for some time. It springs itself on you with nowarning and you are out of the saddle instantly. There is no way I amgetting off and walking up this. All I remember is seeing the roadlooking like a wall. I make it. I can now do any hill on this courseand no longer fear the bike course. The remaining 45km is a blurapart from the final 5km which is a cruel 10% hill. I make my way upthis as though it is not uphill, I feel like I can climb anything nowand the legs are on autopilot. As I approach the Park Velo in Embrun Ispot Kata and Leon which was a hugely welcome sight, this means thebike is over. As I approach the transition area I almost struggle torealise that I have to stop cycling now. My bike split was 8 hrs28mins. Good.The transition area was like a furnace such was the heat. I reappliedthe factor 50 to arms and shoulders. I was completely white comparedto the French, Spanish and Italian guys who all looked as though theyhad been lying in the sun for months. On with the white reflectivecap, sunglasses, 600ml of electrolyte drink downed and I am away. As soon as I start running I think ' I do not want to do this, my legsfeel like they have been pummeled with baseball bats, it is boilinghot, my stomach feels like a tombola, I want to stop etc'. This lastsfor less than a minute and I then say to myself 'just get on with, youknow your running legs will come in 10 minutes or so'. The usual then.Once out of transition you are hit by a 50m 15% hill, I actually startlaughing. 'This course is ridiculous'. I can see three guys walkingthis. I run it, and end up not walking any part of marathon includingall the hills contributing to the 400m vertical climb you achieve onthe two lap run course. Gradually I begin to feel good. I now feellike I am running fast and decide to keep pushing, in the hope that mynutrition plan will see me through. I have one power bar gel withoutfail every half an hour with around half a litre of water, and havebananas and coke + more water at all the other aid stations. I wasamazed at how quick that half litre gets absorbed. At first it feelslike you've just finished your dinner, then within three minutes itfeels like you are empty again. After circling the lake you arestraight into the 1500m 5% hill up to the top of the cobbled streets of Embrun. Loads of guys walking, hobbling here. Some guys are justkeeled over on the road-side. I run up and this plus more cries of'C'est bien ca, bon' from the roadside spur me on. Now it's a longstretch out to the the River Durance and my pace is good. I'm nowthinking a four hour marathon is possible and a sub-14 hour finish ismaybe on the cards. Thinking about this race back in January, thisseemed an impossibility. Now it was reality, as long as I couldcontinue to push at this pace. 'When will I blow up, it must come'went through my mind many times. The section at the Durance ishorrible. It's an out and back with no shade. Ambulances littered thissection and some guys looked really bad here as they lay down, againwith drips attached. I hope they made it OK. The section after theDurance is a never- ending hill up to Baratier, again I don't walk atall and pass many runners. The first lap is almost done. The crowdsare incredible. Whole families line the roads, the kids running at youwith sponges. People seem to know who 77 is and as soon as I arrive everyone is saying 'Allez Pul!', an advantage of being one of the onlynon-french in the race (the race programme contained the racer numbersand names/nationality). Some people go even further all the way to oneperson shouting 'God save the Queen!'. One italian woman shreeks 'CheBianco'..('look how white he is'). Going through Baratier there is agroup of around 40 people all screaming Allez Pul! Bloody amazing atthat point in the race. As I run back to the finish to start my secondlap I see Kata and Leon again, who are parked up in the shade, andthen off up the 15% stomach churner again. The second lap is a greatmemory. I maintained pace and pushed to the limit, I could not have gone faster. Out on the River Durance section I pass a guy also on hissecond lap who was staying at the same hotel as us. This guy was tall and built for speed, he looked a bit like a cartoon action hero. The day before, Kata said that he looked like one tough cookie and startedworrying about me doing the race. I would definitely be telling herthat I passed him! and at speed. This Frenchman turned out to be avery nice guy, talking to him the next day back in the hotel, hefinished 32 mins behind me, but he did finish, he is now an Embrunman.Back up the punishing hill to Baratier, into Embrun, around the lakeagain and I am 1km from the finish. I know a 4hr marathon is close anda sub 14hr finish is possibly on. I don't look at my watch. I am absolutely sprinting for the line with no let-up. I don't see anyone(apart from Kata, and Leon, who shouts out as I pass) although thatfinal kilometre was absolutley packed with people going crazy. I cutthe tape in 13 hrs 59 mins 42 seconds and have run a 4 hr marathon.
This race was breathtaking, everything I expected and more. By thelength of this report you can probably tell that it meant a lot. Thisrace attracts the best IM Triathletes in France + around 100 international guys and I finished 198th from a 600 start list. Now for a rest!
