Ironman Copenhagen 2013 (and warm up races!)

After being out of action post the bike crash in Spain in April, I started in to an aggressive 10 weeks training. The numbers were coming back and I started to reach some decent fitness. I had entered Ironman 70.3 Wiesbaden as a backup to my main qualifier, this original qualifier (Eagleman 70.3) never happened because of the crash so I needed another IM qualifier. IM Louisville was a possibility, albeit a hot race with a large time zone change and a longish tiring journey. Luckily Matt Molloy was at his vigilant best and brought to my attention the deal bringing Copenhagen Challenge in as an Ironman. Similar date to Louisville, GMT time zone +1hr, cool conditions and just a 1hr flight, perfect! Chatting to Alan I convinced him to allow me to do both Wiesbaden 70.3 and Copenhagen, even though they were a week apart. He said I should do Wiesbaden as a lower priority than Copenhagen. With there being more Kona slots and the full distance more suited to me, and that although there was risk, I might just get off with it. I decided I would take the risk and aimed for Wiesbaden one week out from Copenhagen.

A week before Wiesbaden I did a small Olympic distance race as a warm up and as Alan put it ‘to blow the cobwebs out’. It was an Event Logic standard distance in the Cotswolds, and served its purpose well, practicing each discipline under race pressure and testing transition legs.

Wiesbaden 70.3 itself was a great race, a solid course that took no prisoners. The swim was nice, good temperature and fairly straightforward. The bike super hilly and the run fast-ish; though there was a lot of traffic back in the waves when I got started on the run course. Alan’s instructions were strict; I was not allowed to hammer myself on any discipline, but my bike power was still decent throughout, and I ran fairly solid off it, a good sign for Copenhagen. The standard in this race was nuts, a great challenge and a sure sign that Germany is one of the fastest places in the IM world. Coming out of the race I felt ok, calf a bit tight but otherwise legs were not too bad. However the logistical challenges in the week between were not ideal - coming back to London for a few days of work before heading off again to Copenhagen all bags in tow, although it was at least a fairly civilised taper week compared to pre-Wiesbaden.

Copenhagen would be my first Ironman outside Hawaii since Austria in 2011. When I arrived at the flat I had arranged in Copenhagen I was shocked at the layout – 5 floors up, with a very tight steep staircase and no lift… After one night pondering a solution I just got up and booked a hotel for the night before the race onwards. I had to break the rent deal, and the landlady was not happy, but she was never going to win an argument about this situation, guess she has never seen anyone walk after an Ironman. By race day eve I had done a lot of running around with the usual last minute issues. Up and down these 5 flights of stairs did no favours to my legs. I didn’t feel too bad in general, but by the time I settled in to the hotel the night before the race I was tired but my head was buzzing, I worried that sleep might be an issue. My fears were realised as I watched the clock and counted the minutes, then the hours as time passed and I got more and more stressed about what this could mean. I kept telling myself lots of people don’t sleep before races, my problem being, I normally do. At about 3.30am I had checked my watch again and thought maybe I should pull out, I mean what if I don’t sleep at all..? but then it was 4.30 and alarm went, so I think I got an hour of sleep.

 

I was up and determined to be positive, and focused to make things happen, but I can’t deny I felt pretty rubbish. After a quick breakfast and off to transition, the trains were delayed and I left it a bit tight getting to T1. I met some nice Irish folk (team Gale Bremus and supporters) on the journey and had a good chat with them which helped my nerves. After a few stressed moments with a soft disc tyre I headed off to swim start about 10mins before we set off.

 

I had no water warm up but thought I’d pace first 500m to warm up and get into rhythm. I started on right side to avoid having to cross over traffic as the first turn was a right turn – about 200m out. This worked well and after turning the first boy some big fella came past, easy kick, decent pace, not many bubbles – I thought – that’s my man!! I got on those feet and I stayed on them – the whole way to the exit. I had to fight a few guys off his feet a few times using old Gaelic football tactics, but it was worth it, I was so relaxed in his wake, I was comfortable yet swimming faster than usual. I was checking the time at distance banners on the bridges – and knew I was on a decent pace. Exiting the water I thanked the guy, he was prob wondering what I was talking about as I didn’t make my presence known in his draft. Unfortunately some guy had been tapping my feet the whole way, I didn’t waste too much energy kicking him, and risk losing your big man’s feet.

 

Transition1 was smooth for me – makes a change after some comedy changeovers in the Cotswolds and Wiesbaden. Out on the bike I felt pretty good, strong pace along the coast with a slight tail wind. My HR was a little high but I thought it will settle a bit as I get into it. My wave was first off after the pros and women, so I was very aware of the lack of people around me, there was a few girls ahead that I quickly passed from the previous wave, but no one else.

Long lonely ride

The pros had started first, they were gone and I was not at a pace to be caught by many from the wave behind. I had one guy trail in behind me for quite a bit, he stayed there (looked legal distance to be fair) but a little annoying that he was just always there, and did not come around to the front, until later in the lap when he disappeared off. Anyway, it became a time trial, me and the course and a bit of wind. On return to town on each of the 2 laps you were in to a head wind, not crazy strong, but with a few rolling hills it slowed the pace a bit. The part I found most difficult was the lack of drive from other athletes, I was alone for a long way and had no one to pace off, I lost focus a bit having no-one to work with. On the 2^nd lap it was so quiet I was checking for marshals in case I had taken a wrong turn! My HR was still high but power was not great, flat courses are like that for me, I find hills easier to maintain higher power. Anyway I was concerned about the slightly high HR I had held on bike and what the consequences might be later on the run. Near the end of the 2^nd lap I went past Peter Jack who’d started in one of the later waves. I didn’t realise til I was past him and he shouted encouragement with his usual positive enthusiasm, that gave me a great lift.

T2 was again pretty smooth and no comedy moments. I had planned to set off on the run at 3:55/km and staying below 4m/km, but immediately my HR was higher than plan, but pace was only 4:05/km. I held this until about half way without too much pain, but I would not say I was comfortable, I was accepting at this stage that I must have been a bit tired coming in to the race, these numbers were well behind what I’d been training at. I seen Liam Dolan coming out of transition when I was only 3k in the run, I had spoken to him before the swim and knew he started 20mins behind me. I thought holy fe#k either he had an amazing swim (unlikely J ) or he’s had yet another monster bike. Actually he had a decent swim and a bike faster than the pro winner. On the run we passed each other at similar spots so we were on similar pace, Liam as always looking like he’s about to die, he really knows how to bury himself.
  

Head dropping - not a good sign!

At half way I started to struggle, I was still holding pace, but my HR was still high and I really started to feel tired. With 13k to go I had held 4:09/km pace, but by then I felt terrible and started wondering how I was going to make it to the end. I could not hold the pace anymore and wanted to stop. I walked a few aid stations to see if it helped; it did for all of about 10 seconds before returning to my feeling of nausea and general fatigue. I felt overheated strangely and threw my visor to Liam’s fiancée Annette in the crowd. I somehow convinced my legs to keep moving towards the line, physically I was gone, and mentally I was just holding on. At around 4k to go I calculated I had just over 20minites to still get under 9hrs. My hr had dropped through fatigue and although I was moving slowly I knew I’d make it. Coming in to the finish line the MC shouted there was a sprint for 2^nd place, except I was not sprinting, the legs had stopped working. Jogging over the line I was very glad this thing was over! The job was done, perhaps more painfully than I expected or planned, but goal was achieved. Kona in the bag, and the bonus of a podium and another sub9. The last time I’d seen Liam I had calculated he was on an 8:45 and he held it right there, he’s raised the bar again for us all.

Finish line at last!

I tried to eat with Liam, Annette and a Danish friend Kenneth afterwards, but I felt a bit useless for a few hours. By the evening, I had recovered and dinner was a more civilised affair, even if I still couldn’t handle many beers! We went back to the finish line and shouted in Peter Jack, his usual lively self, even after an Ironman. Great finish to a big day.

Coming out of the race I have no injuries (apart from a strain from a kick-about with my ever stronger nephews Peter and Shea last week). I have 6 weeks now to prep for Kona and am feeling ok. Liam won’t be joining us as he has an even bigger occasion planned the day before Kona. Good luck to himself and Annette, a great couple they are. Alan has given me a rest week and I’ve enjoyed some down time with Sarah. The girl who has put up with me all year between the usual monk life style, post-crash depressed eejit, hyper psycho athlete; she’s been through it all. And only because she wanted to go to Hawaii again, well you’re going now so we’re even right? ;-)




Back to the finish line after a long day

I’m very happy to be heading back to the Big Island for the 4^th time. Whether I’ll be able to produce a decent race or not we’ll establish in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, I’m just happy and honoured to be going back. 3 months ago I thought I was going nowhere, so now a week after the race it has sunk in. My main priorities now are to have a good time out there, and of course to give Owen Martin a hard time on the Queen K.
Una- stick the kettle on… Aloha!!






Hanging out with the legend that is Peter Jack

Thanks again to my sponsors for sticking with me through my early year difficulties. I was telling them I’d get to Kona even when I doubted myself, glad I held my word J Vita Coco, Champion System, Kinga (Soft Tissue Therapy) and CherryGood – thanks guys.

 

 

Splits for the day:

Swim: 57:59
Bike: 4:50:29
Run: 3:01:54
Overall: 8:55:10
Cat Pos. 3^rd
Overall pos. 27^th