A marathon in here somewhere!

 

 

Mark Y

Warning, quite long put the kettle on first if you want to read my story..........




IronMan Switzerland 13th July 2008




Swim: 2.4 miles
Bike: 112 miles
Run: 26.2 miles


“In a sky full of people only some want to fly, isn't that crazy”


Background

So this 45 year old enters IronMan Switzerland in his second season of Triathlon. I had finished the Big Woody last year but was disappointed with the shorter distances. The bike however took me 7.25 hours on an undulating route that would have Statto raving about the elevations;-) and I knew I would never suffer so much on the bike ever again!
Bike training this year only really started in earnest after I had got the London Marathon out of the way in April (3.14 GFA, get in there!) That gave me about 10 weeks to hit the bike hard and up the swimming a bit. I invested in a new Felt B2 TT bike and my year old Specialized Allez Sport was left at work to be used at lunchtimes to do the 3 mile circuit round and round Regents Park. That’s one hell of a boring route but how often do you get to see Giraffes and Zebras in your lunch hour?
I completed the Bealieu middle distance in June in 5.12 and although the swim was short I was pleased with my bike and run and felt the training was spot on. It was wet on the bike and the cattle grids were very slippery, little did I know that this practice was going to help me on July 13th.



Prerace

Our flight out of Luton on Friday night was delayed by 2.5 hours because of poor weather meaning we arrived at our hotel in Zurich West at about midnight. The area was described as trendy with a good club scene. I didn’t know there was a club next to our hotel but as I wheeled my suitcase through the throngs of clubbers with the music pumping I was glad I had brought my earplugs.
It seemed we had brought the English weather over with us and all the panic in the previous week about a non wetsuit swim because of the water temperature appeared to be in vain.
Saturday morning saw more rain and after registering at about midday I decided to come back later to rack the bike at about 4pm despite having a racking time of 8pm. We returned at about 4.30 to be turned away and told to come back at 7.30. This was a shame as it wasn’t busy and the rain was still bucketing down. I hadn’t brought my helmet either so a decision was made for Mel to wait with my bike under a tree whilst I did the one hour round tram trip back to the hotel. On the way back I completely lost my bearings and ended up jogging about 2 miles to find the transition area, not a good start!
My racking place is right at the end of a line next to a tree so easy to find and if the rain keeps up, some shelter in the morning. After a late meal I donned the earplugs and eventually fell asleep to Beyonces “Crazy in Love” blasting from the club next door.


Race day

The alarm on my phone go’s off at 0345 and I wonder why I put “that’s entertainment” as my ringtone? This is followed by the alarms on my watch, the TV and a wakeup call from reception. No chance of sleeping in and missing the big day then?
I look outside and see its still raining. The forecast is right but where was the 30 degrees of Swiss sunshine I was hoping for?
Getting into transition I can feel everyone is feeling miserable because of the weather. I go through the routine of checking my stuff and then walk out towards the swim start..........



Swim


Swimming is by far my weakest discipline and I had never swum 3.8k before in my life. I had no idea where the swim course went but knew I would be following a couple of thousand wetsuits so wouldn’t get lost.
I lined up on the left side and savoured the ambiance. The helicopter flying overhead gave a military feel to the proceedings and in a strange kind of way I felt I was getting ready for battle. I then heard over the PA that the left side where I was standing was for the pro’s so I eased myself over to the right. The last words spoken to me before I entered the water was from the guy standing next to me “This is crazy“ he said. Everyone then enters the water and I start my watch and start to swim. Two minutes later I realise that the mass start is further out and my start is a little premature. I reset my watch.
The gun or hooter goes off, I start my watch again and I’m starting my first Ironman.
I was dreading the obligatory human washing machine of arms and elbows but to be honest I didn’t experience too much. The first lap was pretty uneventful and I settled into my slow pace. Crossing the Island on foot I had a glance at my watch and it showed 45 minutes. I thought this was half way but was later told the second lap was a bit longer.
I came across 2 discarded swim hats on the second lap and wondered how that could happen but guessed the owners were probably well out on the bike course by now. I managed to pee on the move twice and was pleased I had at least started well hydrated.
The rain was incessant and at one stage it was bouncing off the water’s surface and I could feel it hitting my swim cap.
By the time I saw the swim finish I could feel my fingers going wrinkled as if I had been in the bath too long. On exiting the water my watch confirmed I had been in the water too long.

Swim goal 1.30
Swim actual 1.37
Race place 2008

T1


Transition looks so much different with very few bikes in it. 2007 bikes had left leaving mine and a few hundred others.
I had bought an aero bottle but my springer spaniel had chewed half the straw. This had now dropped into the bottle and I spent about 3-4 minutes trying to fish it out. This was compounded by a wasp which was trying desperately to taste the lucozade sport inside and by this time all over my hands. Aero bottle was then thrown on the floor and left behind.
Stuffing a hot cross bun into my mouth I jogged out of transition for the next 112 mile adventure.

T1 goal 5 mins
T1 actual 9.52 mins

Bike


I realised very quickly on the bike that I was underdressed. A short sleeved bike top and shorts seemed almost naked compared to others in rain jackets, long tights and some with booties over their cycle shoes. The roads were really wet but I settled into a good rhythm of about 21 mph along the shores of Lake Zurich. I was worried that I only had a 750l bottle on board and this was being consumed rapidly.
The “beast,” a nasty climb of about 3k tested the Tri bike’s gears and I really could have done with a couple of extra cogs. I was out of my seat for longer than others around me but at least the extra effort warmed me up a bit.
The countryside was beautiful and the air seemed so clean. Of course the cows in the fields all had bells around their necks. I did notice a distinct lack of road kill. On the Big Woody bike route there were loads of casualties with badgers, rabbits and hedgehogs littering the roads. Perhaps that’s a reflection of less traffic in Switzerland?
After the beast, my numpty bike skills came to the fore when I tried to change from the small chain ring too quickly and the chain came off. Another wasted few minutes as I struggled to replace the chain cutting a finger in the process.
I missed the race briefing but had heard that there was a sharp descent where the use of aero bars was prohibited. There were clear roadside signs indicating this part and I clenched the brakes as I sped down the winding hill at 42 mph the rain lashing at my face.
I followed a girl down one hill and the marshals at the bottom were indicating to turn right. She seemed to be very brave with her speed and didn’t appear to be taking the right line to turn right. She then shouted “no brakes “and went straight through the bollards across the junction!
I then spent the next 40k or so in company with a guy called Mustapha. Despite the language barrier we kept each other going.
I arrived at” Heartbreak Hill “towards the end of the first lap and was not disappointed by the crowds that welcomed my arrival with the DJ calling out my name and the Euro beat blasting out over the speakers..


First lap 3.08
At the start of the second lap I caught up with Tim from FVS Tri. We had a quick chat, I could tell he was struggling a bit and he said that he wasn’t up for it at all. We both agreed we needed to HTFU and I left him to resume my ride with Mustapha until he eventually dropped off.
The roads started to dry out a bit and I reached 45 mph down the big descent. My chain came off again coming down towards Zurich and after that the bike was making a horrible metallic grinding sound which left me seriously worried that the chain was going to snap and my race would be over.
With about another 10k to go I took an immodium plus as a precaution against stomach problems and 2 ibuprofen to combat the pain starting to build in my lower back.
Heartbreak Hill the second time was extremely disappointing. The crowds had conceded to the weather and it seemed only one man, his dog and the DJ were left.

Second lap 3.14

Bike goal 6.30
Bike actual 6.23

Race placing 1629



T2
I started to run into transition with my bike but the mats were so rutted with muddy edges that I slowed to a walk to avoid going over on an ankle.
I had decided to run in my FVS Tri suit which required a complete change. If they said “no nudity” at the race briefing I ignored it as I stripped off and clambered into my dry run gear. I hadn’t noticed the stinging nettles under the tree I was next to and got stung on my ass, was there going to be a final sting in the tail I wondered?

T2 goal 5 mins
T2 actual 6.04 mins


Run



Ouch, ouch, ouch my lower back and I need a wee quickly. Up and over a foot bridge with quads screaming and into a cobbled garden area that has been converted to a communal IronMan toilet for the day. Down with the Tri Suit and another few minutes wasted.
I started the run absolutely starving and had taken out 2 gels with me. At the first aid station I necked one with half a banana then tried to keep to regime of a gel every 45 minutes.
After two laps I succumbed to the pretty girls on the red bull stand and took a swig. Yuk, but at least it was a different taste.
The run was 4 10k loops and you were awarded a coloured band on completion of one. Wow, I had serious “band envy” at the start with no bands and others out there with a wrist full. After the first lap I started to run a bit easier and had no real problems until the last loop when the thought of going out to the last turnaround point and back nearly destroyed me.
It was great seeing familiar faces from FVS Tri out on the run although everyone seemed to be in their own IronMan shuffle world.
I felt remarkably strong in the last 5k and looking at my watch it was about 7pm. Was it really 7am that I started this journey and now it was going to end!
Thinking about a sub 12.30 I pushed on and soon I was in the finish chute. I brought my race number from the back to the front and even zipped up my Tri suit to look smart for the photo finish. Wham’s “Bad Boys” was booming out of the speakers “ Bad Boys stick together, never Sad Boys, woo woo!!!”

The end

Remember “success is a journey not a destination” That was one crazy journey!!



Run goal 4 hrs
Run actual 4.07
Race Placing 1317

Overall goal between 12-13 hours
Overall time: 12.24.50





Post race
Got home on Monday night at about midnight. Get straight on line and register for IM Austria next year when I will go sub 12. Another journey begins.......................