This week I gained 3 lb (1.4 Kg) with my % body fat down 2%.
Over the last month the general trend has been weight gain putting back on hlaf the amount that I had lost in the last few months. This trend needs to be stopped which should help when I am back to normal training levels.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Big Wheel 16
I took part in the St Michaels Hospice in Basingstoke's Big Wheel in its 16th year. The only option I could really select was the "big" distance of 50 miles.
So with an early morning start to cycle over there to register on the day in cold conditions was not my normal sunday morning.
When we start I went off with the faster of the two groups from the local tri club. However after waiting for somebody to fix a puncture the other group had long gone past us waiting on the road side. This was the narrow country lane section with lots of debris on the road so I was surprised there was not more punctures. However this also made overtaking over people a lot more interesting shall we say.
I ended up getting dropped by this group and cycled about another 25 miles before catching up with the other group. At this point my legs were fatigued from the distance and not fully recovered from the ironman. The last 10 miles were at a nice gentle pace for me.
Before I cycled the 6 miles back home I had "99 Fatboy" which is basically 3 99 ice creams on a single cone. It is impressive to see and the childrens faces after me who just had a normal size ice cream.
I am thinking this is a lot more ice cream than I thought. I managed to eat it all but did get a bit of brain freeze halfway through.
You even got a medal.
So with an early morning start to cycle over there to register on the day in cold conditions was not my normal sunday morning.
When we start I went off with the faster of the two groups from the local tri club. However after waiting for somebody to fix a puncture the other group had long gone past us waiting on the road side. This was the narrow country lane section with lots of debris on the road so I was surprised there was not more punctures. However this also made overtaking over people a lot more interesting shall we say.
I ended up getting dropped by this group and cycled about another 25 miles before catching up with the other group. At this point my legs were fatigued from the distance and not fully recovered from the ironman. The last 10 miles were at a nice gentle pace for me.
Before I cycled the 6 miles back home I had "99 Fatboy" which is basically 3 99 ice creams on a single cone. It is impressive to see and the childrens faces after me who just had a normal size ice cream.
I am thinking this is a lot more ice cream than I thought. I managed to eat it all but did get a bit of brain freeze halfway through.
You even got a medal.
Weekly Weigh-in = Loss
This week I am down 2lb 2oz (1 Kg) with no % body fat change.
Easing back in to a regular routine is helping.
Easing back in to a regular routine is helping.
Back in training
The week after the Ironman I was already back in training when I got back to the UK.
I just did some gentle jogs while running a referee fitness session.
Then a few days later I did 5km Parkrun with Ironman finisher T Shirt, pitty that week was on a different and more hilly course.
Then went to the gym using their new equipment plus had my other new Iron T Shirt on.
I just did some gentle jogs while running a referee fitness session.
Then a few days later I did 5km Parkrun with Ironman finisher T Shirt, pitty that week was on a different and more hilly course.
Then went to the gym using their new equipment plus had my other new Iron T Shirt on.
Weekly Weigh In = BIG Gain
Over the 2 weeks including Ironman Austria I gained 6lb 10 oz (3 Kg) and my % body fat increased by 1.5%
I think this was mainly due to the post Ironman recovery food and drink.
I think this was mainly due to the post Ironman recovery food and drink.
All my Ironman Austria Reports
Below are all my Ironman Austria Reports. I separated them out as they seemed more logical to do and some had a few photos and even video.
Plus you can still sponsor me for The Meningitis Trust online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ironman
To get the Ironman Austria experience you should really listen to this song while reading them.
Pre Race
Exercise Pre Ironman (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/exercise-update-pre-ironman.html)
Pre Ironman (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/pre-ironman.html)
Getting ready for Ironman (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/getting-ready-for-ironman.html)
Ironman Austria Race Day
Ironman Race morning (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-race-morning.html)
Ironman Swim (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-swim.html)
Ironman T1 (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-t1.html)
Ironman Cycle (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-cycle.html)
Ironman T2 (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-t2.html)
Ironman Run (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-run.html)
Post Race
Post Ironman (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/post-ironman.html)
Review of Ironman Performance (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/review-of-ironman-austria-performance.html)
Race photos and support was provided by some of my family that were over in Austria supporting us. The pre race photos are what I took in the build up to the race.
Plus you can still sponsor me for The Meningitis Trust online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ironman
To get the Ironman Austria experience you should really listen to this song while reading them.
Pre Race
Exercise Pre Ironman (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/exercise-update-pre-ironman.html)
Pre Ironman (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/pre-ironman.html)
Getting ready for Ironman (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/getting-ready-for-ironman.html)
Ironman Austria Race Day
Ironman Race morning (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-race-morning.html)
Ironman Swim (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-swim.html)
Ironman T1 (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-t1.html)
Ironman Cycle (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-cycle.html)
Ironman T2 (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-t2.html)
Ironman Run (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ironman-run.html)
Post Race
Post Ironman (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/post-ironman.html)
Review of Ironman Performance (http://markstrainingblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/review-of-ironman-austria-performance.html)
Race photos and support was provided by some of my family that were over in Austria supporting us. The pre race photos are what I took in the build up to the race.
Review of Ironman Austria Performance
Overall I was very pleased with my time of 14:32:33 but there is still room for improvement.
Generally it would help if I was at least 1 stone (7 Kg) lighter, although this would still put me in the lower end of the overweight BMI category.
In general I was happy with my race day nutrition including breakfast, I had tried a few things out in the days before the race including the race sports drink. It would have been better if I had actually trained using the sports drink though.
For the swim if I had trained with two swim caps I should have kept with that. The water was not the significantly warmer then in the UK just a lot clearer. Due to the clear water I was happy to risk using pool goggles on race day instead of a swim mask which I normally use for OW swims.
T1 and T2 I just need to practice reducing the time and possibly run/jog to change tent and stop faffing around.
The cycle I need to do more long distance rides of 4 hours plus. I was pleased that the spin classes helped me keep a higher cadence than normal and also the pilates and core session help maintain my bike position. The nutrition on the bike I was ok with and for the last hour and a bit did not have any solid food (energy bars or bananas) to ensure it had digested before I started the run.
For the run I need to do some longer brick sessions (bike to run) or even if possible some longer runs at about half marathon distance. I had been doing more shorted but high intensity runs which I felt did help me out.
It would also help to do a few more half ironman distance events in the build up instead of just the one but this limited by the number available in the UK before this race.
Generally it would help if I was at least 1 stone (7 Kg) lighter, although this would still put me in the lower end of the overweight BMI category.
In general I was happy with my race day nutrition including breakfast, I had tried a few things out in the days before the race including the race sports drink. It would have been better if I had actually trained using the sports drink though.
For the swim if I had trained with two swim caps I should have kept with that. The water was not the significantly warmer then in the UK just a lot clearer. Due to the clear water I was happy to risk using pool goggles on race day instead of a swim mask which I normally use for OW swims.
T1 and T2 I just need to practice reducing the time and possibly run/jog to change tent and stop faffing around.
The cycle I need to do more long distance rides of 4 hours plus. I was pleased that the spin classes helped me keep a higher cadence than normal and also the pilates and core session help maintain my bike position. The nutrition on the bike I was ok with and for the last hour and a bit did not have any solid food (energy bars or bananas) to ensure it had digested before I started the run.
For the run I need to do some longer brick sessions (bike to run) or even if possible some longer runs at about half marathon distance. I had been doing more shorted but high intensity runs which I felt did help me out.
It would also help to do a few more half ironman distance events in the build up instead of just the one but this limited by the number available in the UK before this race.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Post Ironman
After crossing the finish line I put on the Ironman finisher T-Shirt that was given with the medal and then got some post race photos taken by family members before heading to the recovery tent. You also got some sort of Ironman biscuit, which I have still not started on it some weeks afterwards!!
Luckily I had sorted out the required paperwork before the race day so that my brother could collect my bike and two bags from the transition tent while I was out on the run. The only bag I need to collect was the streetwear bag which I put on some of the clothes that I had a lot earlier in the day apart from a new finisher t-shirt medal which I wore for a few more hours walking round with a bit of a limp/muscles soreness.
After I had changed I had some of the recovery food and drink, pizza slices but they had ran out of the frankfurters ;-( so I had to have a few more of the official race beer :-)
I then had a session on an acoustic bed which from what I could gather should help the muscles recover.
Then headed back to the finish line party area which seems more dramatic in the dark night sky. They did have a massive tv screen and good loud sound system with the crowd jumping, not forgetting to Put your Hands up in the Air !!
I joined with my family that were over to cheer people in. My brother came in quicker then he had planned and under the 17 hours and so became the second Ironman in the family.
Luckily I had sorted out the required paperwork before the race day so that my brother could collect my bike and two bags from the transition tent while I was out on the run. The only bag I need to collect was the streetwear bag which I put on some of the clothes that I had a lot earlier in the day apart from a new finisher t-shirt medal which I wore for a few more hours walking round with a bit of a limp/muscles soreness.
After I had changed I had some of the recovery food and drink, pizza slices but they had ran out of the frankfurters ;-( so I had to have a few more of the official race beer :-)
I then had a session on an acoustic bed which from what I could gather should help the muscles recover.
Then headed back to the finish line party area which seems more dramatic in the dark night sky. They did have a massive tv screen and good loud sound system with the crowd jumping, not forgetting to Put your Hands up in the Air !!
I joined with my family that were over to cheer people in. My brother came in quicker then he had planned and under the 17 hours and so became the second Ironman in the family.
Ironman Run
The marathon was two laps starting in the middle and heading west (virtually an out an back route with a small loop section) and then back through the main Ironman area (called Ironman City) and continuing east to Klagenfurt and back.
For my mental training I was using various techniques from Mr T mental training, to imagine the person who leads running drills shouting instructions and even the song You'll never walk alone (I am not an Liverpool fan). Plus wearing the Meningitis Trust top quitting was never going to be an option especially remembering why I was taking part for them.
The route was flat with the only inclines being going through underpasses but it was still warm. In T2 I had decided not to put a watch on and just run it based on how I feel. At each aid station I would stop have some drinks and alternate having gels and bananas and walk until I had finished them before starting to run again.
I was also using the sponges down the front of my tri suit near the shoulders and putting some wrist bands in water before wearing them. This was to cool me down due to blood vessels are closer to the skin at these points so can be used to cool down.
It was a good route as you could see people going the other way. On the way back on the first section I saw my brother at this point I knew I had a big enough advantage, he was also looking in good form.
You could tell when you where 3km (2 miles) away as you could here the finish line party music.
I was cheering other people going the other way in particular any other UK Mark's going the other way. You could tell this by your firstname and nationality being on the race number.
On the section towards Klagenfurt it followed the canal that we had earlier swam in but not as far this this. The turnaround point was in the town square around a dragon statue. There was also a bell which when rung some money was donated to a local charity. On the first lap I got a proper ring on the second lap I was slightly fatigued when I jumped the ring was bit of a wimper but both times I landed in one piece and not a heap on the floor.
On the the way out past the run special needs aid station to start the final lap, only the 13 miles to go :-)
The second lap I was able to keep a reasonable pace although I was starting to fatigue more now which was more noticeable after starting to run after the aid stations.Thankfully it was starting to get a bit cooler now but still in the 20's C. The heat and exercise must have affected me by now as when they were asking if I wanted water at the aid station phonetically I was changing the word which made me chuckle. It went from wasser (sounds like wosser) to fossa (from Madagascar film), well at this point it kept me amused at every aid station :-)
As past the run special needs station for the last time with about 10km to go I got my bag. I threw the gels to my brother as I already had enough different ones with me plus does available en route.
I also put on my go faster meningitis trust running top which I can still be sponsored online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ironman
It was also starting to get darker with street lights now on and some small lights on the canal path (could have been more of them). When I reached the town this time there was a lot of support near the town square but they were having meals or drinks in the bars :-(
On the last 5km or so on the way back I started to pick up the pace as much as I could and was running with another person from a london running/tri club for a while until I slowed at an aid station with a few km to go.
The last 1km was a bit of a blurr as I was going as fast as I could at that point. I remember going to high five my brother in the crowd but they were not ready to get my photo and I "sprinted" down the finish line. In retrospect I could have eased down and milked the crowd/atmosphere more.
However it is all about the M. medal.
The marathon I completed in 5:16:04 which was a fast Ironman run pace for me. From the official timings below is my pace per mile for each section (lower is better = faster). For the first 10km I started at a fast pace and then slowed down a bit in the middle 25km mainly due to using more the facilities at the aid stations. Then the last 5km I was nearly there and heading back to the finish line.
My overall time was 14:32:33 which was 58 minutes quicker than my best Ironman time which was a lot better than expected.
Off to the post ironman "recovery" food and drink.
For my mental training I was using various techniques from Mr T mental training, to imagine the person who leads running drills shouting instructions and even the song You'll never walk alone (I am not an Liverpool fan). Plus wearing the Meningitis Trust top quitting was never going to be an option especially remembering why I was taking part for them.
The route was flat with the only inclines being going through underpasses but it was still warm. In T2 I had decided not to put a watch on and just run it based on how I feel. At each aid station I would stop have some drinks and alternate having gels and bananas and walk until I had finished them before starting to run again.
I was also using the sponges down the front of my tri suit near the shoulders and putting some wrist bands in water before wearing them. This was to cool me down due to blood vessels are closer to the skin at these points so can be used to cool down.
It was a good route as you could see people going the other way. On the way back on the first section I saw my brother at this point I knew I had a big enough advantage, he was also looking in good form.
You could tell when you where 3km (2 miles) away as you could here the finish line party music.
I was cheering other people going the other way in particular any other UK Mark's going the other way. You could tell this by your firstname and nationality being on the race number.
On the section towards Klagenfurt it followed the canal that we had earlier swam in but not as far this this. The turnaround point was in the town square around a dragon statue. There was also a bell which when rung some money was donated to a local charity. On the first lap I got a proper ring on the second lap I was slightly fatigued when I jumped the ring was bit of a wimper but both times I landed in one piece and not a heap on the floor.
On the the way out past the run special needs aid station to start the final lap, only the 13 miles to go :-)
The second lap I was able to keep a reasonable pace although I was starting to fatigue more now which was more noticeable after starting to run after the aid stations.Thankfully it was starting to get a bit cooler now but still in the 20's C. The heat and exercise must have affected me by now as when they were asking if I wanted water at the aid station phonetically I was changing the word which made me chuckle. It went from wasser (sounds like wosser) to fossa (from Madagascar film), well at this point it kept me amused at every aid station :-)
As past the run special needs station for the last time with about 10km to go I got my bag. I threw the gels to my brother as I already had enough different ones with me plus does available en route.
I also put on my go faster meningitis trust running top which I can still be sponsored online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ironman
It was also starting to get darker with street lights now on and some small lights on the canal path (could have been more of them). When I reached the town this time there was a lot of support near the town square but they were having meals or drinks in the bars :-(
On the last 5km or so on the way back I started to pick up the pace as much as I could and was running with another person from a london running/tri club for a while until I slowed at an aid station with a few km to go.
The last 1km was a bit of a blurr as I was going as fast as I could at that point. I remember going to high five my brother in the crowd but they were not ready to get my photo and I "sprinted" down the finish line. In retrospect I could have eased down and milked the crowd/atmosphere more.
However it is all about the M. medal.
The marathon I completed in 5:16:04 which was a fast Ironman run pace for me. From the official timings below is my pace per mile for each section (lower is better = faster). For the first 10km I started at a fast pace and then slowed down a bit in the middle 25km mainly due to using more the facilities at the aid stations. Then the last 5km I was nearly there and heading back to the finish line.
My overall time was 14:32:33 which was 58 minutes quicker than my best Ironman time which was a lot better than expected.
Off to the post ironman "recovery" food and drink.
Ironman T2
The T2 was the same as T1 but in the opposite direction.
As I got off the bike at the dismount line decided to walk instead of run as my legs were starting to become fatigued plus I was still wearing my cycle shoes. So after racking my bike (somebody had stuck theirs in my rack position), so I used the next available slot.
I then walked down to the transition tent while taking my cycle helmet, glasses and gloves off. I then decided to use the facilities available which was bit of a pain as I had to take my cycle top off and tri suit shoulder straps. I then got my run bag and headed in the change tent which was only slightly cooler.
For the run I had a change of tri suit so I dried myself and cool down using a towel as best I could before changing tri suits. I then put on a fresh pair of knee length compression socks and Ironman running cap. I then put on my new K Swiss Ironman running shoes which are designed for this event, with extra ventilation points all over and under the shoe.
Plus this race I had remembered to put my race chip back on after changing socks. I then put on a lot of SPF 50 lotion and vaseline for any running friction points, however both products had turned into an almost liquid state.
I put the cycling gear in to teh bag and dropped it ate the bag point on the way out of the tent and headed to the run exit (run start also was the way in from swim).
Some how my T2 was 19:40 !!! Not sure where all that time went but I was preparing myself for the run after the long cycle ride in the heat.
Off next to the warm down marathon run. ;-)
As I got off the bike at the dismount line decided to walk instead of run as my legs were starting to become fatigued plus I was still wearing my cycle shoes. So after racking my bike (somebody had stuck theirs in my rack position), so I used the next available slot.
I then walked down to the transition tent while taking my cycle helmet, glasses and gloves off. I then decided to use the facilities available which was bit of a pain as I had to take my cycle top off and tri suit shoulder straps. I then got my run bag and headed in the change tent which was only slightly cooler.
For the run I had a change of tri suit so I dried myself and cool down using a towel as best I could before changing tri suits. I then put on a fresh pair of knee length compression socks and Ironman running cap. I then put on my new K Swiss Ironman running shoes which are designed for this event, with extra ventilation points all over and under the shoe.
Plus this race I had remembered to put my race chip back on after changing socks. I then put on a lot of SPF 50 lotion and vaseline for any running friction points, however both products had turned into an almost liquid state.
I put the cycling gear in to teh bag and dropped it ate the bag point on the way out of the tent and headed to the run exit (run start also was the way in from swim).
Some how my T2 was 19:40 !!! Not sure where all that time went but I was preparing myself for the run after the long cycle ride in the heat.
Off next to the warm down marathon run. ;-)
Ironman Cycle
The cycle part is a 180km (112 miles) which was basically 2 laps in the Austrian countryside with 2 hills and 2 loops per lap.
From the start you went out along a footpath in a park and then joined the road which followed the lake for about 10 miles. This road was gently undulating but was tree covered so gave some rest bite from the warm conditions of 34c (93 F).
When just about to reach the start of the smaller loop on the lap there was a "nice" hill which was the smaller of the two hills on the lap. Below is a video of this hill found on YouTube, it was well supported it felt like being in Tour de France apart from I was doing about 8 mph up the hill !!
For the next few miles it was fairly flat. I then only about 26 miles caught up to and then overtook my younger brother, I was getting a bit worried on the bike as I had not caught him up.
When we got about 30 miles in at the far west of the route I recognized one of the names on the sign going the other way, it was Villach. As this is where the official race beer Villacher is made, I had been sampling this throughout the week in the build up to the race, mmm.
The next 20 miles or so what flat and even some downhill sections!!
The roads had been closed off apart from race vehicles and first aid. The locals did not seem to mind it looked like they were having a party with neighbors and also cheering us on.
After joining the big loop of the lap there was a nice undulating 10 miles came the other hill/mountain. It is height is 686m (2,250 ft) above sea level but the lake was already at 400m (1,300 ft) above sea level, which still left a big climb over the next 2.5km (1.5 miles). On the route map it is listed with a max incline of 11.7% and an average of 5.92%
There was plenty of support on this section and lots of writing on the road (a la Tour de France) at this point I was even overtaking people as I was going up the hill in lowest gear doing about 7 mph!!
Once reaching the top there was a good view of the mountains in the distance which some still were snow capped. There was also a DJ playing music and supporting (I assume as was in German) which you could hear getting closer to the top of the incline.
The remainder of the loop was either flat or down hill which helped get my average speed back up after the slow incline especially using my aerobars.
At each of the aid stations I was ensuring I had enough fluids until the next stop which was about every 15 miles (20 km). I was also having gels, energy bars and banana (both cut in half - easier to open and enough to eat). Due to the different sports drinks they were using here I did not need to add any salt tablets to the mixture, this made it one less thing to carry and made refuelling at the aid stations easier and quicker. I had a packet of RideShots (sports sweets) in my bike bag which I was eating one every 20 minutes or so.
At the end of the lap you headed back in to Klagenfurt passing their football stadium which one of the stadiums used in the UEFA Euro 2008 championship. It looked like a silver UFO had landed on the building, it did look good in the sunshine.
As I got about 400m from the end of my first lap some motorbikes went past and then the woosh of the leader Marino Vanhoenacker came flying past after doing both his 2 laps but he was going for his 5th race win here. It did make me laugh to myself as I got to the more crowded sections as I was the next person after the leader (he was a good country mile ahead of the second place) so looked like I was second until I turned round to start my second lap. On my cycle GPS I noticed I had done the first lap in 3:22 which I was pleased with due to the heat and few inclines.
About 1km after this was the special needs aid station. I had put another bag of RideShots and some other gels. I took the other gels in my bike bag as a backup if I needed something between aid stations. I opened the RideShots packet up and attempted to have one, the only problem was they had melted in the heat in to a single blob of sticky stuff!! So I decided not to take them and carried on.
About 10 minutes along the heavens literally opened up, there was thunder, lightening and heavy rain. Over the last few days we had joked it must be 2:30pm as it seemed that was when in thundered, this was over an hour earlier the normal. This then produced a couple of issues of the cycle glasses steaming up, plus the rain was so heavy in volume it was knocking leaves and small branches off the trees and flooding the road. It was becoming quite difficult to get a safe route through luckily the roads were generally in good condition so you did not have to worry too much about pot holes just getting punctures with the amount of crap now washed on to the road now. The next issue was the drop of temperature from 34C to 19C with being fatigued and wet (drowned rat style) I was concerned about getting cold or even pneumonia (not sure how likely that actually was).
This lasted for about 20 minutes which slowed my pace down a bit, I was glad in a way I was in the treed section as the rest of the course would been even more open to the elements. Within about 30 minutes the temperature was back up to 34C. I knew my top would dry quickly due to the heat and speed going at however my socks and feet I was concerned as I did not want to get blister or too wet feet before starting the marathon. Due to having my summer cycling shoes they had more breathable and holes in them to help with ventilation which also helped get more water in. After a few miles I realized if I get a speed up I could stop pedaling and tilt my foot by 90c down to let the water drip out of the ventilation hole. After repeating this for each foot a few times there were getting dry again.
The second lap was starting to get tougher and when finally reached the bug hill again I decided to copy the person ahead of me. They were zig zagging up the hill, I only did this from about 2/3 the way up and only in my side of the road. The theory of this goes back to 3d trigonometry were you decreasing the angle (incline) by going further along the hypotenuse while the opposite height remains the same. The only slight drawback is you will go slightly further but it will be at an easier angle. So GCSE and A-Level Mathematics does come in handy.
From then on you knew it was all down hill from there to the end :-)
There was a lot less people supporting when I was on my second lap, not sure due to the thunder or people going to watch the run.
The last few 100m's of the ride were through the park the main problem was watching out for bumps across the path.
From official race timings that we crossed through out the course is my average speed (in mph) for that section and my average for the race. From this you can see my first lap was a lot quicker than the second lap which about 40 minutes slower. This was due to a combination of endurance, heat and rain. However for the last 40km my pace was starting to pick but was still slower than my average. My bike time was 7:13:02 which makes the average of 15.5 mph which I was pleasantly surprised with on this distance and course/conditions.
On next to T2.
From the start you went out along a footpath in a park and then joined the road which followed the lake for about 10 miles. This road was gently undulating but was tree covered so gave some rest bite from the warm conditions of 34c (93 F).
When just about to reach the start of the smaller loop on the lap there was a "nice" hill which was the smaller of the two hills on the lap. Below is a video of this hill found on YouTube, it was well supported it felt like being in Tour de France apart from I was doing about 8 mph up the hill !!
For the next few miles it was fairly flat. I then only about 26 miles caught up to and then overtook my younger brother, I was getting a bit worried on the bike as I had not caught him up.
When we got about 30 miles in at the far west of the route I recognized one of the names on the sign going the other way, it was Villach. As this is where the official race beer Villacher is made, I had been sampling this throughout the week in the build up to the race, mmm.
The next 20 miles or so what flat and even some downhill sections!!
The roads had been closed off apart from race vehicles and first aid. The locals did not seem to mind it looked like they were having a party with neighbors and also cheering us on.
After joining the big loop of the lap there was a nice undulating 10 miles came the other hill/mountain. It is height is 686m (2,250 ft) above sea level but the lake was already at 400m (1,300 ft) above sea level, which still left a big climb over the next 2.5km (1.5 miles). On the route map it is listed with a max incline of 11.7% and an average of 5.92%
There was plenty of support on this section and lots of writing on the road (a la Tour de France) at this point I was even overtaking people as I was going up the hill in lowest gear doing about 7 mph!!
Once reaching the top there was a good view of the mountains in the distance which some still were snow capped. There was also a DJ playing music and supporting (I assume as was in German) which you could hear getting closer to the top of the incline.
The remainder of the loop was either flat or down hill which helped get my average speed back up after the slow incline especially using my aerobars.
At each of the aid stations I was ensuring I had enough fluids until the next stop which was about every 15 miles (20 km). I was also having gels, energy bars and banana (both cut in half - easier to open and enough to eat). Due to the different sports drinks they were using here I did not need to add any salt tablets to the mixture, this made it one less thing to carry and made refuelling at the aid stations easier and quicker. I had a packet of RideShots (sports sweets) in my bike bag which I was eating one every 20 minutes or so.
At the end of the lap you headed back in to Klagenfurt passing their football stadium which one of the stadiums used in the UEFA Euro 2008 championship. It looked like a silver UFO had landed on the building, it did look good in the sunshine.
As I got about 400m from the end of my first lap some motorbikes went past and then the woosh of the leader Marino Vanhoenacker came flying past after doing both his 2 laps but he was going for his 5th race win here. It did make me laugh to myself as I got to the more crowded sections as I was the next person after the leader (he was a good country mile ahead of the second place) so looked like I was second until I turned round to start my second lap. On my cycle GPS I noticed I had done the first lap in 3:22 which I was pleased with due to the heat and few inclines.
About 1km after this was the special needs aid station. I had put another bag of RideShots and some other gels. I took the other gels in my bike bag as a backup if I needed something between aid stations. I opened the RideShots packet up and attempted to have one, the only problem was they had melted in the heat in to a single blob of sticky stuff!! So I decided not to take them and carried on.
About 10 minutes along the heavens literally opened up, there was thunder, lightening and heavy rain. Over the last few days we had joked it must be 2:30pm as it seemed that was when in thundered, this was over an hour earlier the normal. This then produced a couple of issues of the cycle glasses steaming up, plus the rain was so heavy in volume it was knocking leaves and small branches off the trees and flooding the road. It was becoming quite difficult to get a safe route through luckily the roads were generally in good condition so you did not have to worry too much about pot holes just getting punctures with the amount of crap now washed on to the road now. The next issue was the drop of temperature from 34C to 19C with being fatigued and wet (drowned rat style) I was concerned about getting cold or even pneumonia (not sure how likely that actually was).
This lasted for about 20 minutes which slowed my pace down a bit, I was glad in a way I was in the treed section as the rest of the course would been even more open to the elements. Within about 30 minutes the temperature was back up to 34C. I knew my top would dry quickly due to the heat and speed going at however my socks and feet I was concerned as I did not want to get blister or too wet feet before starting the marathon. Due to having my summer cycling shoes they had more breathable and holes in them to help with ventilation which also helped get more water in. After a few miles I realized if I get a speed up I could stop pedaling and tilt my foot by 90c down to let the water drip out of the ventilation hole. After repeating this for each foot a few times there were getting dry again.
The second lap was starting to get tougher and when finally reached the bug hill again I decided to copy the person ahead of me. They were zig zagging up the hill, I only did this from about 2/3 the way up and only in my side of the road. The theory of this goes back to 3d trigonometry were you decreasing the angle (incline) by going further along the hypotenuse while the opposite height remains the same. The only slight drawback is you will go slightly further but it will be at an easier angle. So GCSE and A-Level Mathematics does come in handy.
From then on you knew it was all down hill from there to the end :-)
There was a lot less people supporting when I was on my second lap, not sure due to the thunder or people going to watch the run.
The last few 100m's of the ride were through the park the main problem was watching out for bumps across the path.
From official race timings that we crossed through out the course is my average speed (in mph) for that section and my average for the race. From this you can see my first lap was a lot quicker than the second lap which about 40 minutes slower. This was due to a combination of endurance, heat and rain. However for the last 40km my pace was starting to pick but was still slower than my average. My bike time was 7:13:02 which makes the average of 15.5 mph which I was pleasantly surprised with on this distance and course/conditions.
On next to T2.
Ironman T1
Once exiting the swim and walking over the timing mat I undid the top part of my wetsuit and jogged the 20m or so to the transition area to collect my bike bag.
This was the scene the day before. On race day there was about the same amount of people in the area when I got there but the main difference the ground was quite wet so I decided to slow down before slipping over.
I found my bag really easy, as I the day before I had checked the route from the swim exit to my bag in T1. With my wetsuit half off and my bike bag I headed in to the change tent.
The ground in the change tent was very wet, so after drying myself a bit with the small towel in my bag I put in the floor so my feet and socks would not get wet before the start of the cycle. For only the second time in a race and the first time in an Ironman I was going to use compression socks that go up to just below the knee. From previous warm weather Ironman in Nice I had decided to put a short sleeve cycling top over my trisuit. I learnt this the hard way despite putting a lot of long lasting sun lotion on I got burnt shoulders which affected me a bit in the run.
Once I had all the bike clothes on I put on my SPF 50 sun lotion on, I was not taking any risks this time, however as it had been in the heat overnight it was quite runny.
Due to having my cycle shoes on with the clip bits I decided to walk to my bike as I did not want to fall over in transition which is fairly easy done after a long swim.
When walking down to my bike I passed where my brother's bike should have been but he had already gone!! I thought it should not take me too long to catch him up.
This was the picture of my bike when I checked it in the day before. Strangely when I got it in T1 it was almost an identical scene. I took care not get my cycle shoe clip to not get stuck in the paving below my bike.
I then walked my bike to the mount line. From exiting the water to this line was about 200m with the change tent as well. This explains my T1 time of 11:20.
Now off on a bit of a cycle ride.
This was the scene the day before. On race day there was about the same amount of people in the area when I got there but the main difference the ground was quite wet so I decided to slow down before slipping over.
I found my bag really easy, as I the day before I had checked the route from the swim exit to my bag in T1. With my wetsuit half off and my bike bag I headed in to the change tent.
The ground in the change tent was very wet, so after drying myself a bit with the small towel in my bag I put in the floor so my feet and socks would not get wet before the start of the cycle. For only the second time in a race and the first time in an Ironman I was going to use compression socks that go up to just below the knee. From previous warm weather Ironman in Nice I had decided to put a short sleeve cycling top over my trisuit. I learnt this the hard way despite putting a lot of long lasting sun lotion on I got burnt shoulders which affected me a bit in the run.
Once I had all the bike clothes on I put on my SPF 50 sun lotion on, I was not taking any risks this time, however as it had been in the heat overnight it was quite runny.
Due to having my cycle shoes on with the clip bits I decided to walk to my bike as I did not want to fall over in transition which is fairly easy done after a long swim.
When walking down to my bike I passed where my brother's bike should have been but he had already gone!! I thought it should not take me too long to catch him up.
This was the picture of my bike when I checked it in the day before. Strangely when I got it in T1 it was almost an identical scene. I took care not get my cycle shoe clip to not get stuck in the paving below my bike.
I then walked my bike to the mount line. From exiting the water to this line was about 200m with the change tent as well. This explains my T1 time of 11:20.
Now off on a bit of a cycle ride.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Ironman Swim
The swim was a mass start with 2,500 other people in two sections along the lakeside. With the swim route was effectively an anti-clockwise U shape with a bit longer section along a canal.
Below is view from near the start area a few days before hand. On the race day all the docks were full with supporters and there was lots of boats marking the edge of the swim area.
As my brother and I and a few others stood on small beach area next the beach the pre race nerves had started to kick in and that the Ironman was finally here. We decided to go to the right start section and to the left of its middle and two thirds of the way back to minimise any kicks and punches at the start of the swim. Just before the start we shook hands and wished each other the good luck and then we were off on our own races.
Then the cannon fired and the race and the start of a long day.
There was a priest in the water blessing the competitors as they went by, I did not see him but would except any help on the day as long as it was not against the rules.
Below is a video clip of the swim start found on YouTube, there was two sections like this for just the 2,500 people!! Can you spot me I am wearing a black wetsuit and a white swim cap :-)
The first few hundred meters were a bit slow as you had to slow down and/or sight more due to the amount of people in the water. The other alternative was just keep swimming at your own pace and direction and take any kicks and punches in the swim. I decided to use the first method.
In the first few minutes I only got kicked in the arm once by somebody who suddenly decided to do breast stroke while sighting, I got away lightly based on other peoples accounts of the swim.
The lake was really clear and blue/green even with my goggles with smoke tinted lenses. To my shock I was actually enjoying the swim!! The anchored boats that people were watching from (also affectively marking the course edge) came in handy as I was only breathing to the right so I could easily judge if I was getting closer to them and more off the optimal (shortest) swim route. I was getting in a good swim rhythm and I was managing to dodge a lot of swimmers and even overtake a number!!
As I got past the furtherest point in the lake and started heading back I was feeling a bit sea sick and my forehead was feeling really cold. From then I had to stop about every 200m and pull down the swim cap down at the front. I was regretting not using two swim caps as usual do for open water swims in the UK but at least the goggles were not leaking compared to the mask I normally would wear. A couple of the times the lifeguards I assume they were asking if I was ok, I used my extensive knowledge of German and used the international hand sign of thumbs up. After the amount of training and money spent to get to this point I was not going to give up.
One of the things that kept me going was the just keep swimming part of the film Finding Nemo, one of the others was the Mr T mental training.
At this point was only just over 1km from the end of the swim and could see the canal entrance. You could here it before you clearly saw the entrance due to the loud music they were playing. As I swim in to the entrance they were playing DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - Boom! Shake the Room , a classic tune then it went to some Black Eyed Peas tunes for what I can remember, it was good music to swim to.
Due to the amount of people ahead of me and the canal was fairly shallow the sand at the bottom had churned up and you could not see anything in what have normally been clear water. So I was judging this section by how close I was getting to the right canal bank and if there was a bubbles and therefore swimmers immediately infront of me. Due to hitting a few more swimmers on this section and my forehead still being cold I decided to sight more often than normal.
Half way along the canal was the bridge, which was completely full on the race day.
On both sides of the canal banks there was people cheering you on. As you swam along and you tilted your head to breath you could here the music, people cheering and vuvuzelas and whistles, it was quite strange. At one point I thought I was seeing things, there was a group of people in bright luminous shirts and big afro wigs on. Then I swam on and stopped again to adjust my swim cap plus warm my forehead a bit in the air, I happened to look to the left and there was my family who was supporting me, what are the odds of that. You could not planned it if you tried.
Below is a video on YouTube of the swim along the canal of the leaders but the atmosphere remained the same even by the time I got there.
I was so glad to see the swim exit and there was a number of people there to help pull you out of the water and up the slope. The carpet was wet and a bit uneven ground underneath add to this I had been swimming for quite a while so my legs were a bit iffy and walked past the timing mat.
My time for the 3.8 km (2.4 miles) swim was 1:32:27, which I was pleased with considering I had to stop a few times on the last half of the swim.
Now on to T1.
Below is view from near the start area a few days before hand. On the race day all the docks were full with supporters and there was lots of boats marking the edge of the swim area.
As my brother and I and a few others stood on small beach area next the beach the pre race nerves had started to kick in and that the Ironman was finally here. We decided to go to the right start section and to the left of its middle and two thirds of the way back to minimise any kicks and punches at the start of the swim. Just before the start we shook hands and wished each other the good luck and then we were off on our own races.
Then the cannon fired and the race and the start of a long day.
There was a priest in the water blessing the competitors as they went by, I did not see him but would except any help on the day as long as it was not against the rules.
Below is a video clip of the swim start found on YouTube, there was two sections like this for just the 2,500 people!! Can you spot me I am wearing a black wetsuit and a white swim cap :-)
The first few hundred meters were a bit slow as you had to slow down and/or sight more due to the amount of people in the water. The other alternative was just keep swimming at your own pace and direction and take any kicks and punches in the swim. I decided to use the first method.
In the first few minutes I only got kicked in the arm once by somebody who suddenly decided to do breast stroke while sighting, I got away lightly based on other peoples accounts of the swim.
The lake was really clear and blue/green even with my goggles with smoke tinted lenses. To my shock I was actually enjoying the swim!! The anchored boats that people were watching from (also affectively marking the course edge) came in handy as I was only breathing to the right so I could easily judge if I was getting closer to them and more off the optimal (shortest) swim route. I was getting in a good swim rhythm and I was managing to dodge a lot of swimmers and even overtake a number!!
As I got past the furtherest point in the lake and started heading back I was feeling a bit sea sick and my forehead was feeling really cold. From then I had to stop about every 200m and pull down the swim cap down at the front. I was regretting not using two swim caps as usual do for open water swims in the UK but at least the goggles were not leaking compared to the mask I normally would wear. A couple of the times the lifeguards I assume they were asking if I was ok, I used my extensive knowledge of German and used the international hand sign of thumbs up. After the amount of training and money spent to get to this point I was not going to give up.
One of the things that kept me going was the just keep swimming part of the film Finding Nemo, one of the others was the Mr T mental training.
At this point was only just over 1km from the end of the swim and could see the canal entrance. You could here it before you clearly saw the entrance due to the loud music they were playing. As I swim in to the entrance they were playing DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - Boom! Shake the Room , a classic tune then it went to some Black Eyed Peas tunes for what I can remember, it was good music to swim to.
Due to the amount of people ahead of me and the canal was fairly shallow the sand at the bottom had churned up and you could not see anything in what have normally been clear water. So I was judging this section by how close I was getting to the right canal bank and if there was a bubbles and therefore swimmers immediately infront of me. Due to hitting a few more swimmers on this section and my forehead still being cold I decided to sight more often than normal.
Half way along the canal was the bridge, which was completely full on the race day.
On both sides of the canal banks there was people cheering you on. As you swam along and you tilted your head to breath you could here the music, people cheering and vuvuzelas and whistles, it was quite strange. At one point I thought I was seeing things, there was a group of people in bright luminous shirts and big afro wigs on. Then I swam on and stopped again to adjust my swim cap plus warm my forehead a bit in the air, I happened to look to the left and there was my family who was supporting me, what are the odds of that. You could not planned it if you tried.
Below is a video on YouTube of the swim along the canal of the leaders but the atmosphere remained the same even by the time I got there.
I was so glad to see the swim exit and there was a number of people there to help pull you out of the water and up the slope. The carpet was wet and a bit uneven ground underneath add to this I had been swimming for quite a while so my legs were a bit iffy and walked past the timing mat.
My time for the 3.8 km (2.4 miles) swim was 1:32:27, which I was pleased with considering I had to stop a few times on the last half of the swim.
Now on to T1.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Ironman Race morning
The race morning started with waking up at 3:45am !!! And yes that is not a typo.
The previous night I had got everything prepared for the morning. So I had my clothes layed out and had a drink and snack that I had tried in the week. They had breakfast starting at 4am on race day at the accommodation. I had decided to keep it simple on race day and minimise any fat and diary products. The breakfast options I had were a couple of rolls with jam and honey filling and tea and orange juice. I needed some food as it was 3 hours before the race but not too much, a bit of a balancing act.
It was a but cold in the morning with some mist around so for the first time I needed a jumper on, luckily I packed one.
For the coach ride in to the venue I had a sports drink to keep hydrated and a few more calories. The bus ride was really quite you could feel the tension.
When we got to transition I pumped my tyres back up, sharing my brothers pump as he was only a few more rows up on the first row. I even helped hold air pump on the valve for a person in my row, not sure how I understood the german must have been the international hand signals.
I also tightened the pedal screws which I had only remembered after the bike was checked in the previous day, luckily I remembered it in time.
Then I attached my two cycle computers to my bike, with checking that I could quickly get a GPS signal and turned it off to preserve the battery power.
I also put in my two drinks bottles and opened the PowerBar and lemon PowerBar RideShots that I had in my bento box (little food box near handles bars), so it would make it easier to eat during the cycle plus would not get too hot before then.
The race drink was not Powerbar but Infinit Nutrition which I tried some at the expo a few days before hand and bought a pack which I used for the bottles for race day. The drinks had been designed for the Ironman (or long distance) events. The cycle mix had some protein and few more calories compared to the run mix (plus different flavours) and sodium and potassium so I did not need to added salt tablets to the mix. You can also make a custom mix form their web site, it seemed to be slightly more expensive than normal stuff I use but it is all in one product which makes it lot easier to get the right nutrition on race day.
While in transition there was a couple of visits to the toilets mainly due to pre race nerves.
I had left a special needs bag with a few gels and cola Ride shots which I would get at half way. For the special needs bag for the run I put a couple of gels that I regulary use and a t-shirt, as I may want a different taste gel and it may be getting dark and cold when I finish.
After putting my top layers into the street wear bag (I already had my trisuit on) I applied some BodyGlide to my calfs, wrists and neckline as this should stop me getting any friction burns and help get the wetsuit off quicker.
I then took the swim cap, wet suit and goggles out of the street wear bag and headed towards the swim start with my brother.
The previous night I had got everything prepared for the morning. So I had my clothes layed out and had a drink and snack that I had tried in the week. They had breakfast starting at 4am on race day at the accommodation. I had decided to keep it simple on race day and minimise any fat and diary products. The breakfast options I had were a couple of rolls with jam and honey filling and tea and orange juice. I needed some food as it was 3 hours before the race but not too much, a bit of a balancing act.
It was a but cold in the morning with some mist around so for the first time I needed a jumper on, luckily I packed one.
For the coach ride in to the venue I had a sports drink to keep hydrated and a few more calories. The bus ride was really quite you could feel the tension.
When we got to transition I pumped my tyres back up, sharing my brothers pump as he was only a few more rows up on the first row. I even helped hold air pump on the valve for a person in my row, not sure how I understood the german must have been the international hand signals.
I also tightened the pedal screws which I had only remembered after the bike was checked in the previous day, luckily I remembered it in time.
Then I attached my two cycle computers to my bike, with checking that I could quickly get a GPS signal and turned it off to preserve the battery power.
I also put in my two drinks bottles and opened the PowerBar and lemon PowerBar RideShots that I had in my bento box (little food box near handles bars), so it would make it easier to eat during the cycle plus would not get too hot before then.
The race drink was not Powerbar but Infinit Nutrition which I tried some at the expo a few days before hand and bought a pack which I used for the bottles for race day. The drinks had been designed for the Ironman (or long distance) events. The cycle mix had some protein and few more calories compared to the run mix (plus different flavours) and sodium and potassium so I did not need to added salt tablets to the mix. You can also make a custom mix form their web site, it seemed to be slightly more expensive than normal stuff I use but it is all in one product which makes it lot easier to get the right nutrition on race day.
While in transition there was a couple of visits to the toilets mainly due to pre race nerves.
I had left a special needs bag with a few gels and cola Ride shots which I would get at half way. For the special needs bag for the run I put a couple of gels that I regulary use and a t-shirt, as I may want a different taste gel and it may be getting dark and cold when I finish.
After putting my top layers into the street wear bag (I already had my trisuit on) I applied some BodyGlide to my calfs, wrists and neckline as this should stop me getting any friction burns and help get the wetsuit off quicker.
I then took the swim cap, wet suit and goggles out of the street wear bag and headed towards the swim start with my brother.
Getting ready for Ironman
This section is related to the Ironman in the few days before hand including some time spent at Ironman City to look at some parts of the course and also race check in. This pre check would help a bit of familiarisation before race day and also settle the nerves a bit. I did not want to hang around the area for too long as the nerves may start creep in.
Separately we had a coach tour of the bike course although there was some debate that the last section of the lap was wrong but the bus driver was adamant he was in the right place!!
El Tractoro Prime back in one piece after its trip in a bike case (a big suitcase) :-)
Testing out the aero position after putting bike together and some basic checks.
A view from TyreCam up the road.
The Ironman and mechanic deserved a drink for getting the bike back in working order, we did have quite a few Powerbar drinks throughout the week.
Ironman City
The following are now based at Ironman City which is the east edge of Worther See and the west of Klagenfurt.
Some views of the lake (called Worther See) near the swim start. The water was so clear you could see the fish swimming around, I was not particular keen on this. The benefit of the glacier lake if the goggles leaked it would not be as big an issue as normal open water swimming. The problem for sighting in the swim would be remember which mountain top to aim for!!!
The last 900m of the swim was along a canal. This bridge would not have any room to move on during the swim.
A view from the bridge looking back up the canal to the lake. The canal you could see it was shallow and see the sand and weeds on the bottom but all looked calm now.
View from the bridge to the swim exit which is just in the distance.
The swim exit. The things I learned looking at it was the slope and carpet was quite steep and fairly long. Also to watch out for boats that would be on the left side. In the far corner is a hotel with strange eclipse shaped windows which I already planned to use for sighting the exit, as when swimming I only breath to the right.
The transition area was fairly straightforward. after about 50m form the swim exit you grabbed your cycle bag and got changed in the tent, dropped you bag of exiting the other side and then going to the your bike. Then for T2 your bag is the other side and exit from this side.
My bag was in the first rack in the middle at the far end (only few more) of bottom rung. However would I remember all that in the heat of the race.
My bike in transition, I did not notice that it was on strange paving until reviewing the photos later that night, hopefully that will not be an issue when wearing my cycle shoes!!
I let a lot of air out of tyres due to the heat and the amount of time they are left out. This was about half way down the second out of four rows of bikes, to help even further I noticed there was a pink house the outside of transition nearly level with my row.
The powerbar man or it also looked like a stretched Lego man. This was near the middle point of the run.
These next two photos are of the last 100m of the run.
This is run section at the back of transition and near the swim exit. This section will be run 4 times, twice in each direction.
The finish line and grandstands. This image you will need to keep in your mind when struggling as the end goal and the time is just a by product. For me the nerves started to kick in when waiting to collect registration pack and stuff and at the finish line area.
Separately we had a coach tour of the bike course although there was some debate that the last section of the lap was wrong but the bus driver was adamant he was in the right place!!
El Tractoro Prime back in one piece after its trip in a bike case (a big suitcase) :-)
Testing out the aero position after putting bike together and some basic checks.
A view from TyreCam up the road.
The Ironman and mechanic deserved a drink for getting the bike back in working order, we did have quite a few Powerbar drinks throughout the week.
Ironman City
The following are now based at Ironman City which is the east edge of Worther See and the west of Klagenfurt.
Some views of the lake (called Worther See) near the swim start. The water was so clear you could see the fish swimming around, I was not particular keen on this. The benefit of the glacier lake if the goggles leaked it would not be as big an issue as normal open water swimming. The problem for sighting in the swim would be remember which mountain top to aim for!!!
The last 900m of the swim was along a canal. This bridge would not have any room to move on during the swim.
A view from the bridge looking back up the canal to the lake. The canal you could see it was shallow and see the sand and weeds on the bottom but all looked calm now.
View from the bridge to the swim exit which is just in the distance.
The swim exit. The things I learned looking at it was the slope and carpet was quite steep and fairly long. Also to watch out for boats that would be on the left side. In the far corner is a hotel with strange eclipse shaped windows which I already planned to use for sighting the exit, as when swimming I only breath to the right.
The transition area was fairly straightforward. after about 50m form the swim exit you grabbed your cycle bag and got changed in the tent, dropped you bag of exiting the other side and then going to the your bike. Then for T2 your bag is the other side and exit from this side.
My bag was in the first rack in the middle at the far end (only few more) of bottom rung. However would I remember all that in the heat of the race.
My bike in transition, I did not notice that it was on strange paving until reviewing the photos later that night, hopefully that will not be an issue when wearing my cycle shoes!!
I let a lot of air out of tyres due to the heat and the amount of time they are left out. This was about half way down the second out of four rows of bikes, to help even further I noticed there was a pink house the outside of transition nearly level with my row.
The powerbar man or it also looked like a stretched Lego man. This was near the middle point of the run.
These next two photos are of the last 100m of the run.
This is run section at the back of transition and near the swim exit. This section will be run 4 times, twice in each direction.
The finish line and grandstands. This image you will need to keep in your mind when struggling as the end goal and the time is just a by product. For me the nerves started to kick in when waiting to collect registration pack and stuff and at the finish line area.
Pre Ironman
This section is the few days pre Ironman at the accommodation about 20 miles to the north west of Klagenfurt where the Ironman City (start and finish) is located.
It was useful to get the a few days beforehand to acclimatise to the hot conditions which was about 34c every day. It was not helped by me getting sunburnt shoulders on the first day despite putting on SPF50 but must have missed bits. At least it gave me a few days before the race to let the sunburn cool down.
For the whole week I had been getting up a few hours early than normal so it would not be a total shock on race morning.
The place even had its own fairly big lake. I did not swim in it due to resting before the race or it could be because I saw a lot of fish in the clear water and it freaked me out a bit. So I decided to take it easy and remain calm about the Ironman swim.
The lake was so calm and clear it was like a mirror. This was about 500m to the other side.
Sitting on the dock of the bay.... nearly it was a lake instead of bay.
They even had separate lake area the equivalent of a kiddies pool.
I even got up before there was too many towels on the sun loungers.
The view from the apartment balcony, not bad?
The view of mountains getting near dusk.
The villa walking back from the lakeside and table tennis tables.
The villa from the main reception area.
The lake at sunset.
Nearly at sunset.
It was useful to get the a few days beforehand to acclimatise to the hot conditions which was about 34c every day. It was not helped by me getting sunburnt shoulders on the first day despite putting on SPF50 but must have missed bits. At least it gave me a few days before the race to let the sunburn cool down.
For the whole week I had been getting up a few hours early than normal so it would not be a total shock on race morning.
The place even had its own fairly big lake. I did not swim in it due to resting before the race or it could be because I saw a lot of fish in the clear water and it freaked me out a bit. So I decided to take it easy and remain calm about the Ironman swim.
The lake was so calm and clear it was like a mirror. This was about 500m to the other side.
Sitting on the dock of the bay.... nearly it was a lake instead of bay.
They even had separate lake area the equivalent of a kiddies pool.
I even got up before there was too many towels on the sun loungers.
The view from the apartment balcony, not bad?
The view of mountains getting near dusk.
The villa walking back from the lakeside and table tennis tables.
The villa from the main reception area.
The lake at sunset.
Nearly at sunset.
Exercise Update pre Ironman
Pre Ironman my training hours per week peaked at a massive 14 hours which was the final week before tapering and had a lot of cycling.
The previous 5 weeks had 10+ hours (apart from one was 9 hours) but with a good mixture of training sessions and intensity.
This is a few hours off my previous Ironman training volume plus I am carrying an extra 14lb (7 Kg) from previous Ironman races, hopefully that will not catch up with me on the race.
The previous 5 weeks had 10+ hours (apart from one was 9 hours) but with a good mixture of training sessions and intensity.
This is a few hours off my previous Ironman training volume plus I am carrying an extra 14lb (7 Kg) from previous Ironman races, hopefully that will not catch up with me on the race.
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