First HIM

I'm doing the Marlow Half Ironman in July and will be my first at this distance.

Can anyone give me some good tips and advice?  I'm very much steady in all disciplines.  Will definitely be at the back of the field and one of the last over the line, but this is going to be a huge personal challenge for me.  I know to eat regular on the bike but any other tips you can give will be very much appreciated.

Comments

  • At least I've been doing something right for a couple of years image

  • remember to enjoy it!

    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • Also agree with enjoying it - I did my first half a few weeks ago - brilliant fun! Also, if it's sunny - wear suncream. image

  • Oh yes, almost forgot about the having fun part.  Have been really nervous about it!

  • +2 to enjoy it,

    Just take it as it comes and don't do anything stupid like try and set a speed record on the first 20 miles. If you havn't throught of it, it's handy to have some energy handy ever in transtion or on the bike. Personal choose is wine gums but I don't like gel's. Doesn't mean you have to eat wherever is your poison just better to have the option than not. Just pace it enjoy it and them after pint it. Good luck. image

  • Thank you.  Think I'm mentally and physically prepared as I ever will be, so will try not to put added pressure on myself and just go with the ami of enjoying it and crossing that finish line.  Wine comes much later when the sick feeling has subsided.  Can take 6 hours image

  • Nothing wrong with 6 hours. Doesn't matter if your first or last. It's going to be fun. image

  • Ha ha ha.  I meant the sick feeling after I've finished the event can last 6+ hours afterwards.  I know I should eat as soon as possible after the race to aid recovery, but I seriously struggle with this because of the sicky feeling - bleurgh!

  • Ice cream van at Outlaw Half - normally I can't stomach anything either for a while, but that ice cream was LOVELY. image

    Also Pringles or crisps are good - find anything too sweet makes me feel yukky after all the gels and energy drinks etc.

  • image I'm a freak who can and will as the like of Silent Assassin will be able to testify eat anything but I've found pork scratching or crisp's quite useful just after a race like this.

    Your basically grazing a little instead of a big meal straight away so not sticking a lot of food in your tummy all at once. Pork scratching a bad idea if you want to live a heanthy life but something saltly after a lond hot day can work wonder's. Thinking IGIT has the right idea with a ice cream race or no race.image

  • IGIT I really wanted to love the ice-cream got me after the half but I couldn't stomach it image Cake I was thinking a bacon sarnie and some chips might be the ticket at Outlaw image

    OP - My first one took me 8:12 mins - I mucked up nutrition on the bike and then on the run I was punished for it image my beloved Pirates helped me get round tho'.  I would just say make sure you have your nutrition right and just enjoy yourself - ps - immodium is your friend image

  • SuckitupButterCup wrote (see)

    IGIT I really wanted to love the ice-cream got me after the half but I couldn't stomach it image Cake I was thinking a bacon sarnie and some chips might be the ticket at Outlaw image

     

    There will be all you can eat food at the end of the course but there is a kebab shop about a mile form HPP. If you want race you there after?

  • Hahaha - you're on image we might get there and back before the runners finish image

  • Will be grazing on various energy snack for the bike leg every 15 minutes so hopefully this will help with the run afterwards.  I've tried crisps and literally can only stomach a couple, whereas usually I'm a compulsive crisp muncher.  Think my stomach just shuts down for a few hours and can only nibble a little here and there for quite a few hours after.  It's not really until the next day that my appetite returns.  I will get some salty snacks and try the ice cream treatment (love, love, love ice cream).  Oh well.  Just over 4 weeks and counting now.  Thanks for all the advice.  I'm new to this forum and you all seem very helpful and friendly image

  • Cake wrote (see)

    image I'm a freak who can and will as the like of Silent Assassin will be able to testify


    Yes he is

    And in reference to the sick feeling and not wanting to eat, if you force yourself to eat you feel so much better

     

  • I can give you a bit of advice about this particular race (I've not done the HIM but done an Oly on the same course) -  the road surface is pretty poor in places so make sure your drinks bottles are well secured image  As you come from Marlow, you go over a roundabout (then I think the drinks station is on your left) then under a railway (?) bridge down a steep hill - there were some huge pot holes at the bottom of this bit so take care the first time in case they're still there image

     

    otherwise, as others have said - enjoy it, it's what  we do for fun image

  • Thanks for the heads up re: pot holes Iron Fraggle.  Plenty of them round my way.  I hate to think how much damage these damn things have done to people and bikes!

  • +3 to enjoy it

    Due to the heat I took in so much energy drink and gel on Sunday that I felt hungover all day Monday (perhaps it wasn't just Red & Bull and water!) .

    I down a bottle of milk mixed with chocolate powder after any long race. Lovely.

  • Will be grazing on various energy snack for the bike leg every 15 minutes so hopefully this will help with the run afterwards.  I've tried crisps and literally can only stomach a couple, whereas usually I'm a compulsive crisp muncher.  Think my stomach just shuts down for a few hours and can only nibble a little here and there for quite a few hours after.  It's not really until the next day that my appetite returns.  I will get some salty snacks and try the ice cream treatment (love, love, love ice cream).  Oh well.  Just over 4 weeks and counting now.  Thanks for all the advice.  I'm new to this forum and you all seem very helpful and friendly image

  • This will probably be a surprise to a few pirates, but I too will be doing my first HIM (at Weymouth) - after 7 full IMs! A little bit backwards, but 2 years ago I had a hip replacement and was ordered by my surgeon to quit running marathons on pain of having to have more surgery. So I've been doing Olys and sprints instead, in fact I have an Oly on Sunday week and another sprint in August, using those as training events. I too have a high tolerance for eating and drinking almost anything but for some reason while racing I cannot eat pretzels or salt sticks, chew and chew but just can't swallow them and end up spitting them out. Crisps are a great idea, I'll try them in training the next few days.

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