Ironman Lanzarote 2013 (3rd weekend in May?)

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Comments

  • Well donen Mouse! Between reading yours and OC's reports I'm definitely getting the IM bug...

    Amazing effort to do all of that in the heat and wind of Lanza.

     

    WELL DONE! image

  • Wonderful write out there Mouse. 

  • Great report!! Work colleagues are now wondering what I'm grinning about!!

  • Very well done everyone. Sorry you didn't make it slag.

    Great reports by OC, Funkin and Mouse....brings back a few memories. Sounds like it was a bloody tough day out there.

    "Special thanks have got to go to the COLT tri club – Holgs has trained them well in the art of supporting – I suspect they are better than the pirates now image "

    Glad that my mates gave you some abuse OC image

  • Fabulous report Mouse, really enjoyed reading it image

  • Ohh Mouse! That was a fabulous teary read. Huge congratulations!

     

    'That was the hardest day of my life.  I am a Lanzarote Ironman and that will never, ever go away.'

    Too right!! 

  • Brilliant Mouse. You worked so hard for that and deserve all the plaudits coming your way! Very impressive!

    i guess it's at times like that, cycling into all that wind, you find out so much stuff about yourself. Like how mentally and physically tough you really are! Bloody well done! image

  • Sounds as though you dug deep and found gold Mouse - well done!

    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • I'm back home and in work today, it was really great to meet a few of you during the week and finally put some faces to names image

  • Good effort mouse, great report too.  Enjoy some rest!

  • I'm so glad you did write that report in the end Mouse!  It is a real inspiration to read about your journey from a tough 2012 to becoming a Lanza Ironman image. Thanks for that image

  • Mouse, that was a hell of a performance from you, well done and a brilliant report.

  • What a great day Saturday was! Started off right on the start line, knee deep in water image and hopefully have a nice vid to share with you once I have sorted the upload. plus various other vids and pics. Meldy I knew we would be cheering from our WAISTers thread, and Mouse we met a few days before.

    An hour or so after the (very wet for us) start, moved to transition to scream and shout at the Pirates as they went through, then moved on up and pretty much dumped ourselves on the pirates outside the Route 66, where we spent the rest of the day drinking, shouting, cheering, chatting, and eating! It was really good to meet you all during the day and after the initial puzzle of 'who were these two who have appeared', both Roni and I were made to feel very welcome and enjoyed just being part of that great day with a terrific bunch for company too!

    Sunday, my voice was sore from shouting (only slightly eased by the drinking, apparently....)

    From the R66 we had a great view of bikes and runners all the rest of the day, plus updates as to where each pirate was when we could get them. For me, the most amaizing part was watching the 'non elites' come home, at different times, in differing states of exhaustion, each having his/her own day and level of achievement, seeing some stroll home as if out for a sunday walk, others almost unable to walk from pain, only just getting to the line. Wow. Just seeing that has left a real mark on me about how much people can really put themselves through if they want to. A big enough mark for me to re consider my own plans......

    Apart from any Pirates who passed us, I think the biggest cheer was for the last guy home, 12:04 ish, after 17:00 hours out! Great stuff

    And now I am back at work, this is the bit where I cant remember everyones name from the day image but you all know who you are image So thanks for your hospitality on the day image And I will post links for said Vids & Pics once ready.

    Paul & Roni

  • great report Mouse.....you worked for that one and really deserved it........

    image

  • Rock it out Mouse! Freaking excellent work out there and fab report! image

  • Great reports really illustrating why Lanza has the reputation it does on the difficulty scale. 

    Looking forward to more as people arrive home and huddle over their laptops/pcs trying to keep warm image

  • Well, I worked out how to upload easily, here are a few vids and a few stills. Enjoy!

    Swim Start line

    Crowded start line!

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x127/Paul-HD/IM%20Lanzarote/001467B8-5D6A-4DC8-8B58-2644384451B5-1009-000000CD4561B2B2_zpse8b3d875.jpg

     Pirates Ahoy!

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x127/Paul-HD/IM%20Lanzarote/9b75b973-9231-4ae4-9082-4fff9cd231e8_zpsd66fa25c.jpg

     Mousey Loop2

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x127/Paul-HD/IM%20Lanzarote/e32d1dcf-51e9-4c54-b554-7068c0f10074_zps694da37f.jpg

     Meldy Loop2

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x127/Paul-HD/IM%20Lanzarote/6de8a70a-f119-4d1a-9aea-5b183435f773_zps8abbfa48.jpg

     

  • Fab vids and pics Cheesy! Thanks for posting

  • Seems Meldy wasn't exaggerating when she said she grinned like a loon the whole way round image

  • JjJj ✭✭✭

    Just caught up.

    Wow. 

    Just ...

    Wow.

    image

  • Great reports there and my very own special thanks to Mousey for acknowledging my support effort on Mirador del Rio summit.

  • My own report then ...

    Why Lanza? Well, after my IMW fiasco I was feeling that I needed another IM race asap and unless I summoned a lot of money and time off then Australian races were out of the picture. That left Lanza as the earliest IM race. And it was in Spain and the first IM I had heard off, yes even before Hawaii.

  • Then shortly PSOF was aiming for this as a big group outing so there I went and joined.

    Training

    This started really well, very consistent, however soon work became a nightmare and at the same time my marriage crumbled. The simplest things became much more difficult, motivation came and left. Work became almost hostile and home was a militarized zone. I started focusing in the moment and just grinding through an instant, an hour, a day at a time.

    Swim sessions started to be consistent, long and maybe well, speedy, at least for me. I signed up for a one week camp in Lanza that would park me right at peak phase proper with 6 weeks to go to race day. Things were not easy as an earlier deal for an apartment went sour and had to rush searching just prior to the camp.

    Camp was awesome and I intimately got to know the course and the winds ... Urks

    Back in London work remained very hard and busy and also moving apartment on my own took both time and energy.

  • The last weeks were pretty trainingless and I focused on keeping fitness via walking and riding the bike whenever I managed to get out. I also managed to break cables and the right brake so service and replacement were necessary.

    Getting there...

    I am a very organized individual, a scientist and a Project Manager, however, I did manage to take myself, my kit and daughter to Stansted Airport ... While I was supposed to fly from Luton Airport. How cool is that!

    Eventually I managed to get 2 seats on a flight from Gatwick late afternoon. This meant I missed registration on Thursday, swim on Friday morning and lost the time I had wanted to spend getting to know the shipmates.

    Everything was rushed from there and I barely got time for anything and with my ex no longer involved I had a lot of little one duty so I was grateful for sthe 20 min I had together with Barley, Mousey, Meldy, Schmuu, OC and CO.

  • Race morning and a swim

    Sooooo, wtf, RAIN, I was in absolute disbelief here, stunned even. Went for a warm up swim, water temp was great and as I peed I was sure that many others had helped me definitely warm up, me and the water.

    So, I was confident on the swim but still a bottom feeder so yes, a 2 min walk before the plunge. After that madness. Never had issues on swim starts but I got kidney punched and attempted to swim over and I felt really bad. 1st lap on target however I lost all focus and took almost 1h to return. Garmin check and I got told I swam 4.5k ... Genius!

  • T1 and a bike

    Transition was speedy for the size of camp but I clearly identified easy spots to shave time. Got my bike in a deserted rack, if not transition are even. Got to the exit and was stopped by commentator due to my IMW bike jersey. Got the guy stunned when he found out I was spanish and an IMW reject that came here to wash his woes ...

    So off to El Golfo! I stuck to my power and nutrition plan and was rewarded with cramps by the time I reached El golfo-ish turn around. Wow, never have cramps in training and never this early in a race ... Whatever, soldier on.

    Wow, wind is a consistent headwind today but no side gusts so my final choice of Hed4s paid off and so did my last minute decision to put the clip ons. Dont feel confident enough to get down on then on xwinds but they saved my crampy legs as my speed remained constant for a lower PW output. At least I di that rifht I thought.

    I love Timanfaya but it was tough with the hwind and legs so sore. Anyway, finally it was behind and while a bit hairy I managed to get some time back on the way to Tinajo and La Santa.

    Famara is usually a bad spot for me as the grind to Teguise is long and well, slow. My legs were killing me and I was not at the halfway point.

    At this point I had been in pain for a while and got plenty of monkey cage rattling. I kept them at bay and pushed to Teguise to meet my sherpa and schmuu.

    I reckon I gave them little hope as I explained my cramps or quad and ham crucifixition at that point. I was not sure I could climb the Miradors on these legs.

    It was painful but I managed to get to the first summit in one piece and stopped 15 minutes to eat my special needs nuts and stretch. Legs were in really bad shape. Left knee was now giving me a sharp pain on the side and it was something never experienced before, even for a misery collector such as myself.

  • Walking like an Egyptian

    Okeeey, so 15 minutes fly while you contemplate your fate so hop and move on. Bike down the switchbacks and I catch people I saw skipping sp needs at Mirador d Haria, so how do you like my weight now huh!

    I see my first walker inside Haria's bitch town steep ramp (see my bike walkthrough for prophetic info), tall german guy, looked pretty messed up. I did not crack a smile as I passed him as I could see me there soon. And lo and behold, the 14% ramp 1km before the cliffdrop ramps I hop off the bike and walk. Dont mind them cramps, my left knee screamed and I complied. Short walk and off to the cliff drop climb. Its not that tough but hey headwinds all day and cramps and busted knees, what can I say. So halfway through those 3k I not only walked but took a seat and looked at the sea.

    This is the most beautiful spot on the course, i might as well find myself in contemplation because I sure as hell was lost, battered and sleepy as vampires before sunrise. And then Mousey overtook me. I had passed her on the Tinajo road but she caught me on the hills. I saw she was suffering and charged after her. I may not save my race but I will sure as hell try to salvage what's left of hers.

  • PSOF crisis meeting at Mirador del Rio

    I managed to seize up my quads but I catch Mouse as she stops. Something told me she was going to. I then explain to her that she has this race under her heels. That we expect backwind on the little grind to Tahiche and that after Nazaret's climb she is pretty much on the home stretch.

    I see the hunger for racing back in her and follow her on the first switchbacks before overtaking her to try and save my race now.

    I raced like a possesed derviche after that, numb to pain, I descend to Arrieta lifting my derriere like puss in heat. I attack the road to Tahiche on the bars flying the winds for the little time they grace our sails from behind. I make the gamble to buy as much as I can to go and walk the marathon.

    Somehow I manage to beat regular cutoffs by coming through transition before 1730.

  • T2 and a run

    So, I felt like I had won the race. Got my run bag on an IM for the first time and I was proud of that. Whatever it may be from then on. An asian-american racer looked dazed on the tent. I spent 2min of my hard earned time to try and get him back. Don think it worked, he was done, pity.

    I knew I had to just run a bit from time to time to make my dream come true so the run was a blast. Saw Pingu, Rafi, Barley and the others and tried to show my gratitude to them by giving them as much positive vibe as I could spare, which actually felt endless.

    I trotted as much as I could and walked as soon as my legs hinted to seize up so wlk, trot, drink, repeat, and yes, smile, talk to other athletes. I had iron virgin written all over me.

    I stopped to kiss my daughter every time i saw her and her patience and understanding at such a young age lifted my spirits even further. So eventually I caught up to her and we ran home together for the dreamed moment with almost 1h to spare from cutoff.

  • The 38y old iron virgin and ACKs

    Well say good bye to THAT. I dug deep when I could not in IMW so thanks Tenby for the lesson.

    I want to say thank you to anyone polite enough to have read the full obnoxious report. I want to thank Eduardo and Schmuu for the tough day on the road just to check on us crazy loons. I want to apologize to my shipmates for the short time I spent with them but family commitments got in the way of a shared celebration, however, I deeply resent that I spent almost no time with them.

    I want to thank Mouse for it was her struggle that fired me up too. She helped me focus and gave me purpose.

    I will be back in 2014 and show SA around.

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