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Outlaw 2015
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Sorry it has taken so long - forgot most of it already!!
Pre-race – was worried about my feet due to losing most of the skin off most toes and a toenail from Austria. So a nice dry bike and run would help!!! Seats out of the car and single mattress, quilt, pillow and kit in and off to Nottingham. Briefing, register, bag faffing and racking then met Mrs SA & Jordy and watched SA finish his swim with the other pirates. Back to camp, tagged onto the Diggers & M&M’s to the pub then back to camp - quick chat and then bed.
Race day – Up at 5 packing street ware bag and could not find my swim cap…must be in one of my other bags so off to T1 and loaded bike up then checked both bike and run bags – no hat. Asked a marshal and they said spares at the swim start so got ready but then could not find my goggles!!! Must be in the car! – had 15 mins to get to the car and back, hand in street bag and get to the start…Panic. Luckily I had to pass my bike on the way to the car and found my gogs hanging off the handlebars (spanker!) – panic over. Went to pen one to ask for a cap, got sent to pen four then to the MC and finally found the last minute box, but no white caps so I was given an orange one.
Swim – got into pen three, water was quite nice temp. Usual biff for the first 200m then settled into the swim. Plan was to head for the red diamonds both ways, but each time I got near one was pushed away by a canoe driver. Loads of yellow smarties in the water and I wondered how they were kept in position. Got to the orange buoy and did a U turn only to find out that there was another buoy to go around. Good to see distance info on the way back. Was pushed across from another red diamond on the way back by canoe found out what was holding the smarties up as my leg got wrapped around what felt like steel wire rope (was probably nylon though) tried to kick away and got cramp so some funny one legged swim for a bit. Was dragged out at 1h 38m so same as usual there then. Marshal then tried to escort me to the relay handover as I had an orange cap on, had to tell him about my new cap colour. Got strip ripped by Indiana Dundee (does he pick out the Pirates to strip?). Spent my usual 10 mins+ in T1 (feels like I am going really fast! But always 10m+) had to decide what waterproof to take, and then set off for the bike.
Bike – Easy to find as usual again….was ideal weather at the start, not too hot and a bit cloudy. Seemed to get to the pirate feed station pretty quickly and hit it at speed nearly crashing into a bike that was stopping in front of me so missed the first bottle, but got one from the last ditch Pirate. Was a great roar from the feed station and felt really proud in the black ‘n’ yeller, in fact all the way round the Pirates were being roared at – great atmosphere. 2nd loop was mostly on my own and that is when the rain started. Did not put my waterproof on but rolled up my arm warmers which helped to keep the chill off. Was a big boost seeing the Pirate notice boards again and all the shipmates on the feed station. You guys did a great job in not very nice conditions cheers. Got to T2 in 6h 44m and realised that I was pretty cold – so another 11 mins trying to get warm in there. Dry socks felt great as my feet felt like they had no skin on due to the wet and cold. Set off on the run determined to keep my feet dry.
Run – Plan here was to run between feed stations and walk through them. Feet were soaked after about 10 mins!! Did not put any extra clothing on as it bugs me when running. Loop of the lake went pretty fast and I was wondering why other people had muddy legs! Soon passed Blue Peter on the outward loop along the muddy path. Quick high 5 and tried to remember the time I saw him so I could see how long it takes to get back there. Got to the big bridge and saw the runners going right and then doubling back to the bridge and though this was not too bad. Got over the bridge and was sent left to do another loop before going to the right, had to have a word with myself then to keep running. Got back to BP and forgot to check my watch (so much for that plan!!). So the same loops again and the rain was getting worse. Saw loads of Pirates and the spectators were great to stay out in that rain for so long, the feed station people were always happy and helpful. Was great to see BP for the last time (no offence) at the end of that muddy track meant I only had one more lap of that lovely lake. Got a power hug at the top end of the lake and managed a shuffle sprint in to finish in 4h 31m – Total time 13h 18m (17m faster than Austria – quicker bike though) Happy with that time in those conditions so now I will have to try and beat 13 hours!! – will get near if I can sort my transitions out (and swim, bike and run!!), Despite the weather great day loads of Pirates everywhere and great support from everyone around the course.
Post race – went up those stairs – barstewards – to get some food and have a chat with more Pirates. Back down those stairs – friggin barstewards – collected kit & bike and loaded into the mobile tent, had to get a shower the as I was pretty cold and very smelly. Got back to the car, nearly fell to sleep then set off on my 3 hour drive. Sorry did not make it to the finish line had to do the drive while I could stay awake.
What’s next - no more Tri’s this year, doing a 10k in Sept with number 1 son. Next year doing Vichy with the family. DIY in May, possibly Bala or Lakesman in June(only 90mins from me) and might think about going back do the Brutal for the full this time in Sept.
Thanks for all the support on the feed station and around the course. Sorry to hear about the dnf's, hopefully it will make you stronger and you will get there - keep trying. Mixed Grill - that was a bad one, but now you know it was none of your doing and you have had that sorted with OSB - they should give you a free for next year!
Sorry my reports even later, been caught up with family and work stuff...
Challenge One – Outlaw long distance triathlon; 2.4mile Swim 112mile bike 26.2mile run
The challenge started with the usual pre-event nerves, had I done enough training, was my kit okay, etc. Except this year I knew I could do it; and also how much it was going to hurt. So Friday arrived and it was time to pack the car with the kit that had foregone triple checks, along with the camping gear and my support crew (three very excited kids). We arrived at Holme Pierrepont national water sports centre on Friday afternoon and I proceeded with challenge -1; putting up a 6 man and a 2 man tent in the rain with the support crew watching DVDs and laughing at their Dad. The next wave of support then arrived in the form of my Dad. We had a nice evening with a few relaxing drinks and a nice meal. Saturday was a lovely day weather-wise and filled with catching up with old friends, walking round the event expo, racking bike, attending the race briefing and a gentle kick about with the kids. During the event expo it was confirmed that the good weather was not going to last but I had prepared for this in my kit selection and was not too worried. Three portions of rice and chilli con carne and it was off to bed before the kids in preparation for the early start.
Sunday race day
Alarm was due to go off at 04:00h but as usual I had not slept due to the pre-race nerves and was awake to turn the alarm off before it woke my camping neighbours (the kids). Pre-race nutrition was a few pots of porridge and a couple cups of coffee. It was then time to slowly get into my swim gear, making sure not to rip my wetsuit and have good luck hugs and phone calls with the now awake family.
Swim – 2.4 Miles – Target: beat Personal best (PB) under 01:14:12
The swim is a mass start with all competitors lining up across the rowing lake that was virtually split into four pens. During the race briefing it had been detailed where to position yourself in these pens by your expected swim exit time, I had chosen to start in the middle of swim pen two aiming for a swim time of 1:15:00. The swim started with a countdown then chaos I was right in the middle of what I can only explain as a blindfolded brawl in a washing machine. This was horrible and I was starting to panic, I decided to move over to the right of the lake and away from the crowd hoping to make use of the swim training this year. This seemed to work and I quickly got into a normal swim stroke but did not have the full drafting another swimmer benefit. The rest of the swim seemed to go okay and I didn’t feel like I had needed to push too much.
Swim completed – 01:11:46 (yes PB number 1)
Into transition from swim to bike, ran (wobbled) up to a nice male stripper and sat on the floor, he then whipped my wetsuit off me (he was a wetsuit stripper) and I continued into the change tent to do my usual full change into my nice comfy cycling gear. Some triathletes do these events in a tri suit which although quicker through the transitions for me is like riding a bike with no more padding to my delicate areas that a piece of towel. Full change completed in seven minutes which is not a lot with a long day ahead.
T1 – 00:07:28
Bike 112 Miles – Target: again beat previous PB under 05:56:36
Out from the change tent, find my bike from the few hundred left and out onto the course, wave to the family and then get into the zone. The ride was going great apart from my bike garmin not picking up my heart rate monitor so I was riding to perceived effort rather than how I’d been training to heart rate. It was going to be very easy to get carried away and push too hard on the bike. The first few hours seemed to fly by and I was slowly picking up places, it was still dry by this point so I continued to push on hoping to make the most of the conditions. At about four hours into the bike the heavens started to open and that was joined by a cyclist’s nightmare - the wind picked up. This was starting to slow me down and I could feel the effort I had been putting in over the previous four hours, but I continued to work at a rate that I though was sustainable. Soon enough the bike finish was in sight and I was very pleased to be getting off that saddle.
Bike completed – 05:41:28 (yes, yes that’s 2 PBs)
T2 – 00:08:22 - Full change again into run gear, dry off warm up fresh socks etc.
Run 26.2 Miles – Target under 04:00:00
The rest of the support had now arrived at the water sport centre and it was great to see my friends and family as I was heading off on the first loop of the lake and the start of a marathon. Running is probably my strongest discipline of the three but that’s not necessarily true at this stage in an iron distance triathlon. My running legs soon came to me and I was pacing myself well, the miles were counting down and the conditions were perfect for me, I’d much prefer to run in the rain. I was keeping to my plan of running to the aid stations, then walking the aid station to take on fluid and fuel then starting running again ASAP. A marathon’s a long run at any time but during an ironman it hurts, and at times it just seemed to be going on forever but I was breaking it down into chunks and was still running at 22 miles. That was when I hit the wall and I started to need to run-walk more. I wasn’t too far though just one more lap of the lake and I knew I’d be finished. The finish line was then in sight and I was able to “run” down the finish line with my children who had been out supporting in the horrible weather all day. To say I was pleased was an understatement.
Run completed – 03:57:28 – Yes, yes, yes three in a row.
Challenge one completed in 11:06:18
Challenge 1.5 – recover in six days to be able to ride 100 miles.
This was turning out to be maybe more than I had expected. It was soon Wednesday and I was still walking down stairs side wards, not a good sign. It was Saturday all too soon and time to go to London to register and collect my number along with the other 25,000 entrants for:
Challenge Two – Ride London 100
Well I actually completed it, surprisingly in just over 5 hours. Did it hurt? Yes, but gosh did I have a smile on my face when it was all done, and it was sunny.
I must say a massive thank you to all the pirates, feed station and just in general support. The differance this makes is amazing and kept me smiling all day. Roll on 2016 and IM?
Great reports.
Mixed Grill I know how you must have felt crying and cycling back to HPP, that happened to me at the first Outlaw Half.
Well done on your 2 challenges Tired Badger, I was originally going to do the bike leg for a relay team then the Ride London 100 but due to illness had to pull out of both, can't believe the difference in weather for both weekends.
Nice one Tired Badger. I think that's the definition of smashing it!
Who's ye bike been kissing then?
Well I've not got herpes. So it's not come from me
great reports. Mixed grill, what a bugger. but I am glad to see you aren't going to let it get you down and you are moving on.
razor - you had to make a judgment based on how you were, you felt it was dangerous to carry on, it was the right call.