Race Rule 3.2: "No form of locomotion other than running, walking or crawling is allowed"

About 3 days to go now. I’ve had quite a few texts/emails from people asking me how I’m feeling so I thought I’d upload an extra little blog entry- you lucky people!

So the week building up to race day (race week) is supposed to be a quiet one. Keep things ticking over but make sure you give your body a chance to fully repair so you’re in peak condition for race day. Allegedly, I should now have copious amounts of energy and every training session should feel like a breeze. I should have to tear myself away from each session; running should feel like I’m gliding.

The reality...I’m sheepishly exercising trying to avoid injury at every cost. In fact, I’m so conscious of potentially hurting myself I don’t really want to train- especially running! I’m aware of every little niggle in my body (niggles I’ve probably had for ages but have never bothered to notice before)and I feel anything but in peak condition. But, I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be for race day.

I’ve just packed my stuff for the weekend. In total, my ironman day will consist of the following:

Breakfast (3am):        Porridge, energy bar, banana and energy drink

4:30 am:                     Get to transition 1, check the bike, probably queue for the toilet, get in the wetsuit, head down to the water.

6am:                            Race Start. 1300 people, mass start.

7:30 am:                     Should be on the bike by now. 7 energy bars. 7 energy gels. 3- 4 litres of energy drink.

3pm:                            Should be on the run by now. 12 energy gels (one every 20 minutes). Whatever drink I can handle. Probably flat coke or water.

7-8pm:                        Finish. Brag. Collapse. People need to look after me.

I’ve been reading up about race strategies too. Basically the advice seems to be hold back until miles 14-20 on the run. That’s when you’ll find out whether you’ve paced it correctly. The swim should feel super slow because you’ll be pumped full of adrenaline. You need to cruise it some you come out feeling really fresh for the bike.

The bike is your chance to fuel up for the run. I’m going to be taking on about 70g of carb each hour through a gel and a bar. Miles 1-30 should feel really easy. A chance to let your stomach settle after the swim and get a few calories on board. Miles 31-60 should be similar again. Keep eating, keep drinking.  Miles 61-90 should feel a bit harder than normal due to fatigue. If you’ve paced it right, you should start to move up the field again. 91-112; more than likely to be fed up with being on a bike and eating by this time. Need to keep hydrating- it’s the last real chance to fuel before starting the marathon.

I’m going to do my walk-run strategy for the marathon. 9 minute run, 1 minute walk. Take an energy gel every 20 minutes (every other walk). I figure I should be able to eat up at least a mile in every 10 minutes, which puts me in at a 4:20 marathon.

That’s the plan anyway. I guess only time will tell how things turn out. I feel ready for it and to be honest, it will be nice not to be thinking about it once it’s done! I’m travelling up tomorrow to register and I have the ‘pasta party’ (pre race meal) in the evening. Race brief and transition set uup on Saturday. Race Sunday.

Here goes!

Two weeks to go

Two weeks left now. The nerves got to me a few weeks ago and I was really starting to doubt whether or not I’d be able to complete the Ironman course. I’m feeling better about it now and I’ve started tapering for race day.

So how confident do I feel about the whole thing?

If you’d have asked me two weeks ago, I’d have said not very. The Bolton Ironman course is renowned for being hilly and having not done a big (80+ miles) bike ride for a few weeks (and only doing two or three rides of that distance before) I was really starting to doubt whether or not I’d have the legs to do 112 miles on race day. That’s what was troubling me the most. I feel pretty confident about the swim and I’m relatively happy about the idea of the marathon. I can’t see myself not finishing once I’ve got past 10 miles on the run.

I suppose it’s only natural to start doubting your preparation as the event approaches. I’ve only done the full distance across the swim...but then that’s the idea I guess? Race day will be testing new ground.

What’s my training plan for these last weeks?

Originally my plan was to put some big miles in on each discipline until a week before the Ironman so that racing would just felt like the norm. But having spoken to some of the guys in the tri club, that’s not the way to go. Basically, it’s too late to achieve any significant endurance gains now and I need to start my ‘taper’. The ‘taper’ is essentially a period of training where you cut back on your training volume to ensure you’re fresh for race day.

So despite the fact that I was supposed to be tapering, I decided to do a big ride last Monday. Purely for confidence really. I’d been out to do 50 miles or so the week before with a few guys from the club and really struggled. So I found a route that had a big climb in it (similar to the Bolton course) and did 93 miles in the end. It took about 6 hours and I wouldn’t say it was easy; but I did it. That amount of time alone on a bike is a mental exercise as well as a physical one. I’m speaking to myself after about an hour and a half. After about 3 hours I’m asking myself why I’m still sat on a bike; why am I doing it?! At 5 or 6 hours I just want to be anywhere but on a pot hole ridden A-road, miles from home.

Anyway....I’m not bitter about it and it was a good confidence boost. The climb was bigger than the one I’ll have to do in Bolton (although I’ll be doing it 3 times then!) and I didn’t feel too ruined after completing it. Good.

I didn’t ride again last week until Saturday when I went out with the club. Did 60 miles in the rain with a couple of mates and finished it off with a cheeky 20 minute run. I felt good for the majority of it (despite the weather), so I’m really beginning to feel more and more confident about the Ironman. Maybe a podium?...more likely to be immodium. The one downside of that little expedition was getting a flat at about 30 miles. I need to practice changing my tyre so if it happens on race day it won’t delay me for too long.

What now?

Realistically I’ve got 1 more week of training left before I drastically slow things down in the week before D-Day. I think I’ll do a couple of swims, a one hour run and perhaps a couple of bike-run sessions. The important thing that I need to keep in my head is the fact that at this stage, resting is probably better for me than training. Although, when I’m resting, I’m just worrying about not training?!

View from the top of the climb. Hirwain in the Welsh Valleys.

I’m definitely apprehensive about the whole thing. I know I’ve got the endurance to do it. I know it’s going to painful and I know there’s going to be times when I want to stop. As long as I race slowly and sensibly (and don’t have a massive mechanical issue) I’ll do it.