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Ballbusting in November
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yawn, stretch, etc.
Morning campers.... are we ready to rumble?
Good licks guys and girls!!
Didn't see the results but no doubt Joddly and Cheerful Dave added some Pirate dazzle to proceedings.
Thanks to Meface and Trogs for getting out on the course and supporting! Only disappointment was Jaffa letting the side down badly - turning up at the finish with no teas, coffees, cakes, sweets, nothing...
Thanks to Trogs and Meface for popping up around the course and providing much-needed encouragement.
That was hard, and I was falling apart a bit on the final hill. Probably reflects not coming into this from marathon training. My ankle/foot problem was .... not a problem. Overall a pb by about 4 mins, though runs slower and bike (and transitions, I think) quicker than in March.
I have lovingly sponged down my bike....
echo what the others have said - lovely meeting everyone and what a cracking event. Thanks for the support - vocal and smiley and very welcome. I don't feel completely trashed so paced it about right. Fab first run, fairly average bike leg and a well executed run walk from T2. No idea of the time but I think under 4 hrs. Met an old mate on the course who I haven't seen for over 10 years and a friendly Tripe Talker in the car park who was surprised that we don't have 2 heads and are actually nice peeps!
Brilliant day. Showering off mucky legs was interesting and the bike is still in the car - it's filthy.
Roll on next year - defo do that again if I can...
and especially Joddly who was having trouble walking when I saw her yesterday!! (sensible my arse!!!)
"she was flying today."
Proof, if ever any was needed, that Meldy is a witch! And a powerful one at that!
I did fly in the March Ballbuster - fell off my bike coming into T2 too fast!
I could turn you into a toad but I see someone got there before me
Great to meet everyone
As everyone else has said, a great day and nice to meet new pirates and old friends once more
A PB by 13 mins so happy with that ...all this training has done something!
I actually cleaned my bike before I let myself in the door as I knew that it just wouldn't get done otherwise
Thanks Meface and Trogs et al for your support
See you all soon
There are some pirates among the photos on the race website.
A really good morning out. If I ever do it again I'll bring my MTB lights, It got a little hairy on the bike leg in the fog. Though when the blue sky broke through it was great.
As I passed 10K on the first run i saw I'd broken my 10k PB. You can imagine what effect that had on the second run (extra 15 minutes). I'm a crap biker and lost a lot of places on the bike, though it was fun to whizz down some of hills at a stupid speed. Completeley wrecked on the last run, even on the back of Beachy Head marathon. Probably due to hammering the bike. Finished in 3:52:11.
It was great to meet more Pirates in the flesh, and the support was great out on the course. Wearing the pirate kit (thanks Gladys) certainly gives a boost.
A fair point well made Gladys......... although in my defence I was caught out by the fact that I wasn't expecting you to finish for another 30 minutes or so
Great to see so many pirates out and looking so fresh at the finish as well, I think more effort is required next time
right, I can finally reflect on what I felt was my worst race ever, complete with way too many mistakes...
Mistake number 1 - planning life around my little brother, he didnt arrive until 11:30pm on Friday night, after a quick beer and a chat with him I didnt get to bed until 12:30am.... alarm goes, I look up and almost cried when the clock read 4:10. Half an hour of faffing and a bit of breakfast and I'm out the door to cycle across London to get on the train.
Get to Victoria station and realise I have made mistake number 2… left my water bottles and drink at home! Panic ensues before I realise I have one spare in my rucksack, then manage to get in touch with Gladys who promises he can bring another for me, along with a pump after I had broken mine the week before and not been able to get a replacement in time - cheers for that. Chatting to a nice lady on the train all of the way and then with a few others make the surreal cycle from dorking deepdane station up box hill in the dark at 6:30am. Only a 5 minute registration queue when we arrive, disapointed at the cycle jersey we get, especially as I had put small on my entry as I expected the standard cotton t shirt of which I will always get a small… but normally need a large for a cycle top - so if anybody would like a small long-sleeved BB top let me know and you can have it. Came out of registration and realise I had been lucky as the queue is mahooosive now!
Quickly take my bike to transition then head off for the obligatory pre-race toilet trip, only to find a queue longer than I have ever seen at a race. 40 minutes or so later I managed to get away back to transition, with about 6 minutes to spare before the race!!! The toilet situation was really disapointing I felt for the money being paid, and when I came out there were still about 30 people queing who I assume had to give up to start the race. Managed to get a monaco from PSC (cheers again mate) and get my kit on but rushing led to mistakes 3 and 4 simultaneiously. Forgot to have a gel before I started which I knew would leave me lacking sugar towards the end of the run, and also got to the start with 30 seconds to spare and realise I havent put my chip on. A quick sprint back to get it and I am back at the start with 3 seconds to spare, where I realise mistake number 5 has been made - I havent stretched at all, and that’s something I really need to do before running down hill!
Started the run pretty fast but started cramping in both calf's as early as mile 2 - this was going to be a tough race, all because of a lack of stretching. Tried holding pace with Cheerful Dave just in sight for the first couple of miles but those guys were just too quick for me on the day. By about mile 5 I was gagging to get to Box hill to start running up hill for a change, the downhill running in the BB is not to be taken lightly. Finished the 1st run in just under 52 minutes so actually faster than planned but felt I had overdone it as my calfs were already in agony. Had been massively overheating on the run… mistake number 6, so in T1 had to take my monaco off to remove my baselayer, I think I was the only person taking clothing off for the bike! Pleased to see not a great deal of bikes gone when I got to T1 though