Pirate DIY Half IM, The second coming!

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  • H0NKH0NK ✭✭✭

    What a great weekend, Hope everyone's done /doing well today.

    Love the photo, caught me in an AAARRRRRRRGHHH! moment.

  • Good to everyone todayimage

  • Soup DragonSoup Dragon ✭✭✭

    Fabulous weekend. Great photo too. image

    Race report to follow later, but must add my thanks to the Assassin household and to Mummy Assassin for awesome tea and chip butties, and Marshallini for the help with signs and racking etc. Sounding like an oscar speech now. 

    Can we do it again next year?

     

  • Soup DragonSoup Dragon ✭✭✭

    My garmin says 3,000ft elevation on the bike course! image

  • Race report to follow but I'm home safe and must just say a massive thanks to Mr and Mrs SA and all the support on the bike and run I've had a great day really enjoyed my first half distance, it was also great to meet everyone looking forward to outlaw when we can have a beer afterwards. Time to look at the garmin image.....

     

  • Ohh will there be pics?

  • 7755 Matt took loads today so hope so

     

  • Can I just say, that everyone keeps going on about how great we are for putting this on.

    We are not.

     

    You lot all for coming, some have considerable journeys to get here and back again, some have massive journeys and they are just helping out, you people inspire me.

    Its you people that make this event what it has / is becoming, without you lot this just be worth it

     

    Its so great to make new friends and see some old ones

  • If I read this right, my camera says I took 871 pictures. I'm hoping there's at least 1 good one!

  • The Silent Assassin wrote (see)

    Can I just say, that everyone keeps going on about how great we are for putting this on.

    We are not.

     

    You lot all for coming, some have considerable journeys to get here and back again, some have massive journeys and they are just helping out, you people inspire me.

    Its you people that make this event what it has / is becoming, without you lot this just be worth it

     

    Its so great to make new friends and see some old ones

    Brilliant day yesterday even if my calves have still not forgiven me! Big thanks to everyone helping yesterday dispute the weather the cheers were loud all day. SA, have to agree and disagree on the above... Massive thanks to you and Mrs SA and Jordy for the hospitalty and organisation...brilliant event. Race report to follow, Go Pirates!!!

  • H0NKH0NK ✭✭✭

    Race Report, My first triathlon  image 

    Leading up to the event I was confident in my swim and bike but worried about the run as knee problems meant I’ve kept my running short the last couple of months, but I seem to be back on track now.

    After a great social night on Friday the event started with the indoor swim. I took the middle lane with 5 others all thinking we’d be around 45 minutes, after a bit of foot tapping and swapping places in the first few lengths, I decided everyone was indeed at the same standard so I may as well settle down and practice drafting because that will be better practice for Outlaw. Anyway I can’t count lengths so no point me going in front. Those are my excuses and I’m sticking to them.

    A bit of cramp meant I had to be careful not to push off too hard, but I was still able to maintain my position in the 5 man train that was snaking up and down the pool.  An onlooker commented afterwards that even our arms were synchronised.  After what I thought was about 60 of the 76 required lengths the 2 in front of me climbed out, what are we there already? I hesitated unsure whether to keep swimming or get out but the ones behind who were obviously better at counting than me climbed out too. SA and I then did a spot of synchronized rolling around at the edge of the pool as we both got struck with cramp.

    Outside the sun had disappeared and it was now raining,  so glad I’d looked at the forecast and left a waterproof jacket in T1 just in case. Glanced at my watch and it was about 45:30 just as I was ready to set off on the bike. Think I was about 5th out of T1 but the earlier ones were out of site, no matter. Matt 7755 soon came past me and I could let him navigate, I needn’t of worried though as it was well marshalled and I’d almost learnt the way round by the time the marshals moved away from the junctions.  Jammy Dodger came past me at some point and for most of the cycle we were catching each other up. I seemed to do better on the downhills and fall back on the uphill sections.

    I was loving the course, I’d never managed to maintain such a good average bike speed on any of my training runs and had never spent such an amount of time on my aero bars.  I discovered that the waterproof cover on my bento box is great for keeping my snacks soggy after they’ve been sat out uncovered in the rain and that even a soggy hot cross bun has enough crumbs to be inhaled and choked on. Also flies are not the tastiest form of protein available.  It was a great boost to go past the feedstation each lap and be cheered like a proper athlete. Thanks all.

    T2 (after a bike of about 3:20-3:25ish)was a quick change for me, a little too quick as I forgot to remove my cycle shorts for the first lap, at one point I wasn’t sure of the route but luckily Spiderman was in the neighbourhood  to point us in the right direction. My running was a bit slower than I expected but I was pleased to have run the whole course with no problems and the last lap was my fastest, I got to the finish with a big smile after a 2:18 run to give an overall time of 6:27:49. Very pleased with that.

    What a great weekend it was, Sunday saw me doing some marshalling  then more loops of the bike course interspersed with rest and cheering breaks, had to get away before the end but looking forward to hear how Sundays racers got on. It was great to meet you all especially as so many are also going to be at the Outlaw. Thanks To Seren for the knitted armbands which she had made for every competitor (are you sure it’s not a knitting club?)

    Very special thank you to the SA family for organising the event and for your hospitality, can’t wait till next year, but I bet your neighbours can.

  • marshallinimarshallini ✭✭✭

    http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8139/8711677810_42bc1d0833_h.jpg

     Here is one photo from Sunday; the obligatory (if a bit blurry) pre-race group shot image.

     

    I hope everyone had a good time over the weekend. I did and I wasn't even racing.................maybe that's whyimage

     

    Top job from SA, Mrs SA, Jordy, Ma and Pa SA and everyone who helped marshal and man the feed stations on Saturday and Sundayimage

  • Great report honk, here's mine;

    Had a few G and T's Friday night to calm the nerves, ended up staying up far later than planned and then prayed for no hangover...

    Felt surprisingly good Saturday morning and as I had packed the night before the nerves were ok. Stuffed some food in and off I headed for 'sunny' macc. Found SA's house (by virtue of a massive pirate poster in the upstairs window), then the nerves hit me, felt proper race nerves going in and being introduced to who was already there...Before long everyone had arrived and I had promptly forgotten most of everyone's names, strangest thing for me so far was people introducing themselves as their forum name first, but soon got used to it. Ok,  race talk... Swim was good, felt comfortable and quickish, although first faux pas of the day being I hit the wrong button my swim watch and it didn't start to lap, consequently I had no idea how many lengths I had done after about 30 mins. Let whoever was behind me through thinking they would know and they did... Outside, into rain and cold. Great start to my first tri! T1 petty uneventful and got off on the bike wet and cold. Bike is best summed up in the following words; Wet/Windy/Hilly, and uneventful apart from having Olly Murs 'troublemaker' going round my head every lap for 12 laps. Prayed to get of the bike as it was monotonous, got to T2 and felt good, although need a wee from about an hour before so my entrance to T2 consisted of announcing this to everyone, anyway, got out on the run and promptly took the first right turn out of T2 the wrong way!! Turned around and blasted the first mile in close to my HM pb time, then the next to we're quickish. This came back to bite me big time, strangest thing of the day, going last tesco and seeing spiderman...thought i was hallucinating even when he high fived me! i then missed a turn and added about half a mile to my run. Second lap was good, another high five from Spider-Man and seeing my wife and boys had come cheer me on was a big lift. Lap three felt ok, although my calves were tightening now and I was fading a bit. Got back to SA's and honestly thought I was about to barf. Family gave me a lift as did the pirates and off I went for my painful last lap... Ran/walked it, legs just felt completely empty, managed a decent pace for the last uphill to the finish tunnel image time was 6:39 with transitions so weel please. Brilliant event, brilliant people, both competitors and helpers were amazing. I feel like a proper pirate nowimage  
  • Mrs SAMrs SA ✭✭✭

    Can you lot all come back, its a bit too quiet here now! image   Have had the best weekend.  A big thankyou to everyone that came over.  Both myself and SA were blown away by the amount of people that turned up to our humble little DIY in Macclesfield, and the distances that some had travelled. Heres to next year eh? image

  • I may as well try and write my race report while I'm waiting for the photos to upload.

    Friday was a busy day. We were half expecting to have to put people up after the hotel double booked rooms, and we're only 20 minutes or so from Macclesfield, so I had a mad day sorting the house out just in case, as well as getting all the gear sorted for me racing on Saturday and Mrs Matt on Sunday.

    Friday night meetings were arranged at the pub, after we dropped a few supplies off at the main feed station. It was nice to see a few faces we knew vaguely from what we remember of the Christmas party, and lovely to meet new pirates. I'm not sure the pub knew quite what to make of the respectable, quiet table in the cornerimage

    Having loaded for the following days race we retired for an early night and getting the last minute things packed (so packing everything needed in a last minute panic).

    Saturday dawned so we were up bright and early for getting over to Macc. I say we, what I really mean is I was up bright and early, Mrs Matt appeared in her own good time once the car was packed, the coffee was brewed and the porridge served.

    Arrived in Macc to see loads of fit looking people raring to go image

    T1 was set up in the car park behind the leisure centre - we had proper racking and everything! We also had a bit of drizzle, so I covered my stuff with my pirate jacket, in case we got any more rain.

    After a bit of discussion about lane timings and swim positions we just cracked on. I started in lane 3, but moved across to lane 2 after a little while. I thought it was a great move, Seren might not agree with me after I managed to kick her across lanes (sorry Seren!). Out of the swim in 40 minutes, so VERY happy with that although Garmin later told me I'd managed 1950 metres - obviously my counting wasn't as good as I thought.

    Out of the pool and into T1. I think I was drier in the pool. It had started to rain a little bit. It’s awful getting onto a bike with a wet saddle and getting that wet-bum feeling.

    The bike started well, I know the start and end of the route from the Macclesfield sprint tri I’ve done a couple of times. Its rolling / undulating / hilly / mountainous (delete as applicable as the 12 laps roll by). I’m afraid the names are all a blur as to who I passed, who passed me and who I didn’t see at all on the bike leg. It was tough, there was a head wind most of the way round, it started wet but got gradually warmer and drier as the  day went on. The feed station was awesome with arrgggghhhhssss and cheers and food all the time. Apologies to Button Mushroom, I really thought you were offering me that chip butty when you were stood by the road side, I didn’t realise you were halfway through eating it (but it was very nice)! I was surprised by the length of time I managed to spend on the tri bars, but disappointed I hadn’t taken the tri bike to give that an outing. Back to T2 in just under 3:20 (including a pee stop and getting slightly lost on the way back in!)

    The run was always going to be my weak point, and it was. If it wasn’t for the support from the sea of black and yellow at the feed stations, and around the course I’d have given up after most of the laps, but by the time I got to the end of lap 3 I thought I might as well get round or die trying. It was getting warmer all the time, and I’m not a massive fan of running in the heat. Run done in 2:40. Time for a wind down and intake of bacon butties and cake whilst everyone else made it back in, before heading back to the pub for fluid replacement therapy.

    Early morning again today to get breakfast made and car packed so Mrs Matt could race and I could support. It was

  • Photos at 5%

    Not sure this works but the link is here - grab what ever you want. Next year I want to be better at runnign AND better at taking photos!

    Photo Album

  • H0NKH0NK ✭✭✭

    nice one BP, thats 2 of us done our first tri yesterday, I think someone else also did there first but can't remember who?

    we Aaarrrrghh proper pirates now.

  • Can I say a massive thanks to Mr and Mrs SA (and Jordy) for all their hard work and organisations of yesterday and today. I loved it. Can honestly say I have paid for running events in past that haven't gone as smooth as that. 

    I will put my race report on tomorrow as I am on my phone and want to give the family some me time and have a drink. 

    Was also brilliant to meet some top people. If anyone wants to add me on strava or facebook please do. (You can't search for me on facebook but am on SA's friends list so you can find me that way)

     

    Again thank you so much for today!!! 

     

     

     

  • Sorry forgot to mention thank to Marshalls and helpers on stations also image

     

  • Mrs SAMrs SA ✭✭✭

    Paul .....great to see you today.  And well done on a fantastic swim, bike, run . Ironman next?  image

  • Absolutely top weekend from start to finish! Awesome hosts and organisation....well done team SA!!image

    will do a Report tomorrow, am way to knackered just nowimage

  • great reports all....will do a race report tomorrow,,,,,,,I am knackered after a few nights lack of sleep..I packed everything apart from my pillow that goes everywhere with me..........

     a brilliant weekend.a brilliant campsite.....and lovely to be able to take the family image

  • Well I couldn't wait to post I had such I good day.

     

    Race Report - My first Tri.

    I had previously been to the local leisure centre 3 times to see how far i could swim. Was very happy to know I could swim and the lengths didn't tire me out but I only had one pace which was slow so I knew I would win the slowest out the pool award. Sorry I was too tired at the end to give a speech for this award image

    This event being my first tri was always about testing and learning and with doing Manchester marathon the week before no matter how excited I was and how much time I lost on the swim I was determined to go with how I felt and not chase an average time or position.

    Well on to the event.......

    Turned up at Mr and Mrs SA house to find a show room of some awesome bikes. My £70 second hand carrera (bargain I may add) felt quite lonely propped against the wall image

    Swim Leg - got to the leisure centre and into the pool. I got in the pool and started to swim breast stoke in the slow lane. Big shout out to the young boy swimming in the lane with me bburn plodder and another (sorry didn't catch your name). He swam around 20 lengths and miles better technique than me (which isn't saying much). The swim for me went well  if not a slow swim but that was good for me and at least it felt comfortable but not sure how it looked to those watching, think the life guard thought about throwing the ring in a couple of times. Finished in 00:53:16. In to transition and came out to find my bike full off cob webs and rust and still feeling lonely on its own image ha ha I had a good 15-25mins to make up on you all.

    Bike leg - The start of the bike felt ok and i had a plan to go around 16mph avg as wasn't sure how my legs would take running after a 56 mile cycle. By 20-25 miles I was averaging 17mph but that soon went down to 16mph and finally dropped to 15.9 as I nearly got lost trying to find the SA household. The course was brilliant. Hard but interesting (see the profile elevation when you upload to your running log site) and actually enjoyed the climbs and support on the drink station (big thanks you guys). The last few laps when I really wanted to finish. My legs were heavy but my neck was more of an issue due to my technique or lack of it in the swim. Not sure who I passed a couple of times at top of the hill (after the sharp left turn with gravel) trying to fix a puncture but I think you took the punctures for all of us. At the end of the bike I had trouble resetting my Garmin to run profile from bike but I will go off my Garmin time of 3:32:06. (only messed around for a minute max)

    Run leg - The run was a heaven sent. My neck pain disappeared. It took me a mile or two before i realised it was my legs that i was running with, what a strange feeling. The run felt really comfortable but i didn't want to push as i didn't have the experience to know if i would pay for it too early. The first lap and second went quite fast but then i started to feel the steady climb on the third lap up to Tesco express that i didnt even notice on the first two laps but i still felt in control. By the fourth lap my legs were too heavy to push on the final lap and I decided for the sake of making up 3 minutes was best to just run it in. I finished the run in 1:49:59. That is slow for me but never ran after a swim/cycle so hey who knows.

    Final time of 6:15:21 (plus 5 minutes or so for transitions)

    What did I learn.

    Swim - Lessons needed. Not for stamina but technique. Lack of caused the pain in the neck and no doubt wasted a lot of energy.

    Cycle - Not much really. I am a runner but i cycle on non running days. If this was end of summ

  • end of summer i would have been in better shape. Awful Jan-March weather meant i hadn't done enough cycling (poor excuse i know)

    Run - Felt great and this has given me the confidence to push on next time  a little knowing how it now feels after a bike leg.

    Again thanks Mr and Mrs SA, Jordy and marshalls today (and yesterday) and the people manning the drinks

    Cant wait for next year.

  • It was button mushrooms punctures , but three of us took turns to fix it . between us we got thorough 4 tubes , and three sets of tyre levers Lol.  Got there in the end image 

  • Slagiatt wrote (see)

    It was button mushrooms punctures , but three of us took turns to fix it . between us we got thorough 4 tubes , and three sets of tyre levers Lol.  Got there in the end image 

    I thought I was poor changing a puncture image

  • Mrs SA wrote (see)

    Paul .....great to see you today.  And well done on a fantastic swim, bike, run . Ironman next?  image

     

    Fantastic swim? image

     

    Ironman - Definitely. With the cost at around £400 I want to make sure I am in top condition to do it justice. With a 4yr old son and a 1yr old daughter I would find it hard to fit in enough training for all three (especially swimming that needs work).

    Probably a few years off yet but I will definitely do it. Need to get a few other Tri events under my belt first also.

     

  • Razor51 wrote (see)

    DIY Half IM distance Macclesfield,

    Arrived at SA's place at 8.45 to what looked like a pro event, there were bikes, trainers, water bottles and people stripping off, more evident was the sea of black and yella that covered his driveway and garden, " the Pirates had invaded Macclefield". image

    After lots of introductions( too many too mention cos I can't remember all their names) we all mounted our bikes for the mile ride to the leisure centre, Marshallini's pulled a load of rackingout of the back of his car ( don't know where he got it from but it made look very professional image 

    Into the pool we went, 5 to a lane and we went, got bashed quite a few times when I was being overtaken image 1.2mile swim don in 43 mins, happy with that, cam me out of the pool only to find it had been chucking it down with rain so it left the roads really wet so had too take care on the bike cornering, so off we went Horse and me( we decided to stick together) , we had 12 laps to complete which we were told it was undulating, to say the course was tough would be an understatement, there was a tough climb only short but steep and the rest was long drag after long drag,I felt really good so decided to stay in the big ring for the first 4 laps, big mistake ( More on that later) we churned out the laps and took all .

    the abuse from Slagait and Button Mushroom on the feed station ( 12 times) bike done in 4 hrs including 10 min T1.

    Into T2 and full change and off we went for 4 laps on the run, , slight alteration to last years course , turn right then left, oh shit a tough uphill and the legs were still trying to recover from the bike, I was running ( or should I say shuffling) like a penguin, so steadily got to running when the legs came back ave 10.40 ish min/ mile and on to lap 2, turned the corner and started up the hill, argh my quads started to seize up ( the result of staying in the big ring on the bike, dickhead) had to walk for a couple of mins then got going again, this was a patten that was to continue throughout the Remaining laps to the finish. We wre greeted by a wall of black and yella all cheering me and Horse home, a big thanks to Horse who ran with me to the end ( this seems to be coming a habit). Run finished 2.36

    With transitions finished in 7.30 well knackered but loved it, my nutrition was spot on a with no stomach problems.

    A great big thanks to SA, Mrs SA, Jordy, grandma and grandpa SA for all there efforts to make this a brilliant day and thanks to everyone else marshalling and on the feed stations, too numerous e to mention, I hope everyone doing it today had a great time.

    The way this event has grown over the last 2 years is amazing, if more pirates decide to do this next year I think we will have to commandeer the whole pool.  image

    This wasn't a little swim, a bit of a bike and a doddle of a run, this was a tough course that needed your all throughout, there were a few who didn't complete it either through choice or DNF but a great event organized by some great people's , thanks again guys

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Thanks Mr & Mrs SA for putting on such a great event and letting Seren & me use your camp site. Great cycle and running course - still hurting now. Brilliant to meet some of the Pirates. 

  • K, here goes.......

     

    turned up nervousness and shivering, as per, not expecting to due much due to the nasty virus I've had over the last couple of weeks, and no Q, I'm not sand baggingimage

    into the pool and my legs were like jelly before I got in! Opted for the middle lane, as I didn't want to get struck behind breast strokers in the slow lane (no offences guys) and there was no way I'd be keeping up with Mrs SA and Carmen in the fast lane! Legs remained jelly like throughout, but managed it in 45 minutes, not bad considering I'd not swum for 2 months.

    took my timid in transition, today was about training, not getting ill again so I made sure I was properly dried off.

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