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Outlaw 2011
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When I decided to embark on the great adventure of a long distance triathlon, it was suggested I join the pirates for the support and general advice. I decided on the Outlaw for several reasons, cost, family birtdays. reccomendation, and a LAKE swim. I set a goal time of 14hours which I figured would be realistic but challenging> had never swam more that 400 mtrs and that was badly. So here I find myself writiing a report to all you Pirates.
What a weekend. Started off Saturady afternoon after setting up borrowed tent and registering came down with the headache from hell and guts ache from somewhere similar. Had I eaten something. or overhydrated. I don't know but I felt like crap. At this time I was wondering how on earth I could do this.
Introduced myself to a Pirate Party on the campsite, and after and and had a nice chat with Slow engineer, monique scmunkee and others. Well this did the trick. Headache gone and felt more relaxed.
A nervous night sleep was rudely interupted by my alarm at 4am. What a stupid time to get up on a Sunday. For the last 6months I have managed to lie in till 5am at least!! So off the the event. I now feel relaxed, my bags are packed unpacked and triple checked. As long as i make swim time I will be alright. I have never swam that far.My longest swim was 2400mts and as RBM said earlier, I am not the greatest swimmer. But before the swim just check bike is still there and put in water bottles.
So before I even start I have a flat tyre!! The bike has been in transiotion all night, how did that happen. So mad panic, change inner tube a lose a spare!! best not get another and I hope that is the worst that is going to happen.
The swim. Felt strangely calm and after the off got into the previously mentioned fist fight, but to be honest wasn't as bad as expected. The turnaround seemed forever.Without glasses I can see naff all anyway so just thought, keep swimming till someone tells you to tur round, and then I saw this huge orange thing, the buoy, even I could not miss that!!.. So i ma on my way back and all is ggod although I still have no idea of time. Have another fist fight near the end and eventually get out. Can just about swee the timing clock says 1.31. RESULT...My confidence soars. This is it . I now know I can get on the bike and am confident I will finish> After all, 2.4miles down,138 to go.
In and out of T1. Couldn't really care about time. Saw Jaffa leaving as I arrived. Donned my Pirate top and the days really begins. Get to my bike a check the tire is still up.Relief again. The days is getting better.
The bike was just fab. The support was second to none. The marshalls and traffic managemnt waa good. The feed stations were excellent, although one was more excellent!! Seemed to overtake loads early on, including Jaffa who later got his revenge at about 70miles.
My only gripe was I found that I could,t eat. Every was soo dry. Never mind just have to survive on gels.
Goal time for bike was 7 hours, completed 6.35. ANOTHER RESULT. The day is getting better!!
Onto the run. Well my back was hurting for the last 20miles or so of the bike. T2 tried to stand after changing shoes and OMG that hurts. How am I going to run 26 miles. (Lesson number one .Remember to put the painkillers on the bike. They are not a lot of use in the car!!!) Well I am here now so might as well get on with it. So out of T2 and ask the 'outlaw crew' if they have any painkillers.. ANSWER. no but there is an aid station at 3 miles, which is actually on 20yards away from T2.
The run then started Ok. Tried to maintain even pace but the whole distance meant Ijust got slower and slower. Support all around was excellent. Stopped and had a qich chat to CAKE, Slow engineer smiling, a quick Hello to Coulorin and monique 3 0r 4 time and a GO PIRATE or nod of the head to those Pirates I hadn't met or just couldn't remenber rom the night before. The crowd support.I think if i was not in Pirate gear I would have been severely pissed . There was so much support it was unbelievable. Finished the run in a personal worst of 45 minutes, but I couldn't care less. I had a trahget time I was hoping to achive and beat it by 58 minutes. Thats a whole hour in my book.
I must say thank you to all you pirate who helped my achive this. Especially Ridgbackmax who has been really great, especially keeping quite about his confidnce in my swimming.
It was a fab weekend. I hope to see you all again!!
Loving the race reports..
Have just twigged what exalted company I was keeping round the course, though a quick - 'its hard work getting started again' - with the above deca/triple Monique waiting for traffic at Kirklington was an oppotunity for due worship missed.
Top race reports and awesome work all you new OUtlaws!
Wish I could have stayed to support on Sunday, but still nice to see a couple of you Saturday morning.
Tottally inspired for next year.... Just have to try and keep injury free over winter!
I will do a proper race report later, for now a quick overview.
The swim once done about 1km the getting knocked about in the swim seemed to ease of and was getting into a good rhythm on the way back. Even better my brother was just 14 seconds ahead of me and just seen I had beaten my 3.8km pb by 32 seconds.
The cycle I need to check my bike throughly after transporting it to a race, as I got 100 meters on the ride and had to stop and tighten my handles bars up. Then had to slow down about mile later around the lake to let about a dozen geeze fly low in to the lake, I though the person in front of me was going to be hit by them. The route was tough in the wind espically the top section along the A617, the hill was not a problem as you knew there was plenty of pirate support at the top. There was a few good fast sections as well although on the last loop I was starting to feel the pain of my intense training regeme which I had only done up to 66 miles.
The run I was going fine to about 17 miles which I had to walk from it was become a bit of an effort to walk in a straight line.There were a few others in similar situation which we got talking as we made ourself round discussing our day so far.
There was plenty of support by and from pirates all the way round the course.
I finished in 14:43 which was a good 80 minutes slower than last year which due to the lower amounts training I was glad to get round, at least one of the two ITB's finished.
The only complaint I will have is that the chip stand ran out of chips a 6pm, I was still over 2 hours from finishing at that point.
No
Same make, model, etc, but not hers, I made her take the bell off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well done to ll the Outlaws
Well done all.
The official photos are online, i like the ones as i'm coming out of the lake.
Great report STI
Saturday - arrived in good time and met FF and family on the way in to register, which all went quicker than last year. Got a short run in - bumped into another group of pirates during that, and then a bike - met AJH about to start the 1500m swim. So far, so Piratey. I did the 500m swim, didn't really settle into it, but was glad to have tested the water. It was much less weedy than last year. Never did find out my time.
Sunday - shoved down a bit of cereal, then a short drive to HPP, with plenty of time to wander around feeling anxious. Took 2 Immodium before the start, to try to prevent some of last year's gut crisis.
Swim plan was to start at the back of the left hand group (fast swimmers), let them go, and then meander along in my own space. This worked well for about 2 minutes, until the rest of the pack surged across. And I could feel panic mode beginning to kick in. Held it off for a few mins, but then couldn't handle it, and spent five minutes breast stroking / treading water / standing / walking, but did get back eventually into some sort of a rhythm. Wasn't a great swim as I kept getting tangled up with other swimmers, but felt about the same as last year. Turns out I was 2mins 30 faster than last time, so I'm happy with that.
T1 was relaxed, as I wasn't shivering with cold, and had a chance to meet Mon and day Hi.
T2 again, relaxed and clocked 2:44 for that - must be turning into a triathlete!
Run - blimey, it was getting hot on the lake, and there was a horrible headwind coming down the finish straight. I felt OK to start (and went off with an 8:15 and an 8:30, despite plans for around 9 min miles. Gradually faded from about 7 miles, and much more so from 20 but kept around 10 min miles at that point. Was feeling pretty dreadful, unable to take on/absorb fluids, and only managing to grunt back to cheery pirate greetings. Finally, the final straight came up and I managed to keep running through the chute - stunned to hear the announcer say I'd won my age group and couldn't believe my ears when she said fourth female. 12 hour target smashed by 20 minutes!
I'm afraid I sort of collapsed after that point and was struggling to keep upright. So I'm really sorry to have missed everyone afterwards, but thank you so much for all your support.
Mon - we'll be supporting next year with you. we were meant to be up at the w/e but other things got in the way.
STIL - fantastic reading - love it!
We went to the prizegiving ceremony, where the Pirate feed station was given a special commendation and a cheer! No other Pirates were there, but it was good to have gone, I think.
Also, I must confess now that I've had a coach for the last 4 weeks. I was really losing track badly going in to Wimbleball, and couldn't work out what to do for Outlaw and then IM Wales. So I dithered, and finally contacted an online coaching company, and I've been really happy with my coach. I felt he'd got my level just right, and was impressed at how he kept me training pretty hard until quite late on (ie much less of a taper than I'd have done on my own). I saw him in the flesh for the first time at the 25 mile mark of the run on Sunday! Met him for a coffee and debrief yesterday, and now I'm waiting to see what he's lining up for me for IM Wales.
So thanks OC for your comments on getting a coach - I think that was what persuaded me in the end.
Just popping over from TriTalk to say thanks for the Pirate support on Sunday. The signs on the hill made me smile every time and the banter that came with wearing the TT colours was welcome!
Congrats to joddly on the AG win, you still looked quite stunned when we chatted in the food tent. Good to see those swim lessons paid off - I also PB'd my IM swim by 2 minutes!
Not sure if anyone has mentioned yet, but photos are up on MarathonPhotos.com
Loving it loving it loving it.
Joddly - am not in the least surprise you won your AG - you've looked so strong every time I've seen you
. Brilliant. Interested to read that your coach had you working harder for longer into the taper...
Arrived at HPP early saturday morning, the plan was to get registered, do the briefing and get the bike racked. Met FF, went into briefing together (always nice have a bit of company) and tried to listen to what was being said. Thought to myself, it doesn't matter if I miss something as there should be plenty of people to follow. Job done, checked in hotel, packed transition bags, and took them back down, found where they needed to go.
Sunday morning was up early, (didn't want to be late again) had breakfast, had a bath, got down to HPP about 5.10
The swim:
Started off at the front of bay 3, had people all around me which was good, stopped me going off course, and made the first buoy feeling good. I then got into a pretty good rhythm and managed to get on a pair feet that seemed to know where they were going and proceeded to tickle his toes for the rest of the straight until they disappeared, had a look round and realised they'd gone right!
Got back on course and again found some toes to tickle pretty much all the way home. Felt good throughout and enjoyed it.
Time-1.21
Bike:
Plan was take it easy and keep HR low for 1st hour, did that and felt good. Enjoyed the hill and then got to the pirate feed station where in my excitement I threw my fuel away which was in one of my bottles, didn't realise until my buzzer went off and I got a mouth full of water instead of honey
For the next 60ish miles everything went well and I was really having a good time. This was due to all the support on the course, it was amazing and I'm convinced that being a pirate is cheating! All I could hear was "GO PIRATES" and "AARRGGHH" it really was something else!
By about 80 odd miles I was beginning to slow down a bit and getting a bit tired but then I got on to a straight and saw in the distance 2 tiny yellow t shirts and straight away I knew who it was, passed my screaming family with my arms in the air and that was that, I was on cloud nine for the rest of the bike, it flew!
Time-6.21
Run:
Out of transition and immediately saw AJH and Cake which was great and then set off on what felt like the longest 2 miles I've ever run. HR monitor was off and the plan was to run it to feel. Saw a pirate ahead and then a very wise lady shouted to me "run your own race, don't try to catch the pirate" as I said, very wise lady and I thanked her the next time I saw her.
By the time I got round to where the stand was I'd started to feel really good, I'd got into a comfy pace and I was really enjoying myself. Was greeted by a load of Aarrgghhs and go pirates and set off on the 1st loop grinning and singing to myself "you need coolin, baby I'm not foolin"
The rest went really well, ran with slow engineer for a while and greeted all the passing pirates with high 5's well wishes.
Started to slow and tire at about 20mile and from then on it was just about hanging on, walked through all the feed stations until I got back to the lake and then it was run walk to the end where I was greeted by my 2 fantastic kids, my fantabulous wife and my pretty special parents and of course the excellent pirate support. Crossing the line with my kids will be with me forever. It really was the business!!!
Time-12.37!!! Job done!!! Not bad for a fat kid
I really cannot thank the support enough, as I said it was mind blowing!