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Ironman Wales 2012
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We still have your pump from the DIY half IM
oh yeh I completely forgot about that. Ive bought a new one now so you can keep at as the race entry fee for the DIY half
Good reporting Q
There were three marriage proposals at the finish line. There's my useless fact for the day.
Yes, and none of them were for me, despite my mad dash to Tesco Express to buy some Imodium as a token of my love and affection
race rep part 1
Pre Race
I signed up for this years race the minute it opened because last years race was just brilliant beyond words. A short while later we heard that the most excellent organisers of 2011 event would not be running the show in 2012 , since that point I had been fearing that the 2012 event would pale by comparison , and will admit I have been on to the IM team a few times over the past year having a bit of a whinge about what essentially were trivial things .. well IMW 2012 team you have my sincere apologies for any criticisms I may have made in the run up as this was once again a truly amazing weekend with every bit of the atmosphere and organisational slickness of the 2011 race, they were in my opinion big shoes to fill , but you sure as hell did it.. thank you .
Training for both outlaw and IMW this year had been a long way off where it should have been , largely the result of a job change and the subsequent additional commuting time, and a bit of complacency thrown in. That said its easy to find excuses , and post outlaw I took some Mentorly advice from Mouse who through the power of the WWW encouraged (read nagged
) my sorry arse into doing some sensible training miles. Also pointing out opportunities to train that I had seemed to overlook. Thanks Mouse , really appreciate the considerable time you have taken to look at and critique my training efforts and nutrition and steer me in the right direction. I strongly suspect I would have been a DNF but for the input from your good self. ctd
part 2
Race day
No sleep , no surprise really , but at least this years no sleep was in the relative comfort of a caravan as opposed to on an airbed in a tent that was blowing over .Start the race day prep by popping the customary imodiums and slapping on handfuls of Vaseline and chamois cream (feeling ill yet ladies ??) . dressed and ready to roll and off to transition. Final checks on the bike and into the wetsuit. ..Saw Bobby Nobby and Silent Assassin then Joined the merry throng of rubber clad ironfolk ready to walk down to the beach. Myself and Button Mushroom were perfectly placed by the front door of the hotel mum and step family were using so a few good luck hugs and away we go.
Swim
Quick warm up dip…which I’m pretty sure for most of us was used mainly for the purposes of having a wee, then into the start pen with BM .. more good lucks , premature applause for the national anthem and finally the gun… Thats more like it.... that full on Ironman start that we missed out on last year, 1500 people and the proper washing machine effect with a bit of biffing, although did get a bit fed up of getting kicked by the breast strokers (why go in at the front of the pack and breast stroke ?? ) . Struggled to find any clear water until well after the first turn buoy but from then on it was a lovely swim. Sighting was much easier than last year and watch showed 44 mins as i got back in for loop 2 .. happy with that .Loop2 was better still and out of the water for a 1hr 21 , which is 16 mins better than last year and a new sea swim PB by nearly 10 mins..(or maybe it could have been a bit short ?) . Anyway , up to the top of the path to my shoes and then a gentle jog through to T1. For the first time in my brief triathlon history i actually couldnt spot my bike a mile away .. there were more than the usual 4 or 5 bikes still in there
woohoo .
part 3
Ride
Out of T1 to the cheers of the wonderful Tenby crowds and out on to loop 1 . Good first few miles although I saw a few early casualties on the road out towards angle including one poor fella that looked like possibly a collar bone fracture, being attended to by Marshalls but clearly in absolute agony. The Silent Assassin came cruising past me (looks like you may need to work on your swimming Q hehe ) …. I think that man may actually be related to tigger .
Despite the less than glorious weather the support around the course was just incredible. It was a bit blowy in places but no real problems to speak of , just setting a sensible pace keeping in mind what was to come. Saw Bobby Nobby and Q passing on their way back from the turnaround , and a little later I saw Button Mushroom going strong too .
I was really looking forward to reaching Angle for that breath taking view , it didnt disappoint .. just stunning, like riding through a postcard. Nice enough ride back towards Tenby and very pleased with my max speed of nearly 47mph on what is i think about the only straight downhill on the course . So ok .. here we go ..from this point on every hill a/ gets very tough and b/ gets two goes , so I’m keeping that in mind and trying to save something for that second loop. Holy hell... i had forgotten (or had mentally blocked) how bad the hills on the second half of the loop were. Wisemans and Saundersfoot had been haunting me for weeks , but i had completely forgotten Narbeth , and the odd climb or two before you get there. Relentless climbs followed by massively technical descents. Being a bit of a biffa made the uphills extra hard and saw many people cruise past, but gravity became the friend of the fat man as we crest the hills and I eased back past the matchstick cyclists
. Great support in every village you pass , music blaring , bells ringing, kinda made you want to stop for a pint.. also lots of support popping up in the middle of nowhere when you least expected it .. some great characters (yes I also saw the fella from holby , and a man with a truly amazing beard that popped up again later on the run course).. great banter with the locals , usually around the subject of their bloody hills .. spent a deal of time chatting to other cyclists who were just in awe of the reaction that Pirates got .
At long last some familiar looking bends and the road opens up to reveal the beach at Wisemans .. 16% upflat ahead eesh .. but legs still playing the game at this stage and got me up without the need to unclip , Finally into Saundersfoot and see my Mum, Sis and Harry screaming their lungs out for everyone, and then a bit further along the upflat Schmunks and Mouse doing the same. Gunned it down to the roundabout and into loop 2 now fearing both the hills and the cut offs. Ave speed kept dropping and by now im barely getting out of the small gears at all. I daren’t check the computer because I know it will tell me I have done less miles , and have less time than I would like to think .. Narbeth.. done … Wisemans .. well ok I walked that on second loop … but I did still walk it faster than the guy cycling it … his expensive pointy hat not offering much aero advantage at that particular moment in time. Back on and into Saundersfoot … last year at this point I walked for about a mile .. this year we reduced that to about 10 metres before the 90 right. Happy enough with that. Into T2 , rack the bike and .. oh no… Buttons bike is already racked .. real low point as we have done most of our training together and I so wanted him to experience the feeling of crossing that line .. gutted for yo
part 4
Run
The lovely Iron Pingu is ready in T2 to help get me squared away and out on that run . Run .. hmm OK well as most of you know I don’t do much of that .. but I am honestly getting better.. no really I am . Walked the first half mile or so to get some feeling back in my feet and then started run walk ..quickly abandoned any attempt to run uphill after some experimentation proved that on the uphills I could actually walk it faster than running because of my pathetic stride length. So walk up run down it became . Pleased to see Joddly , Barley, Silent Assassin, Bobby Nobby and STIL making good progress around the run , and a little envious of the bands situation. Back into town and spot the support crew atSchmunkeeTowers.. Mouse, Schmunks . Jordy Jo and Muffin .. ace
plenty of high fives with Pirates and children and plenty or ARRRR ing
Loop2 & 3 are pretty well same same, although particularly enjoying the bottom of the hill at Narbeth road with the happy Aussies , and a bit further along the equally happy group that burst into a selection of strangely appropriate song choices . Oh , and the Mexican wavers that I think were on St Julians … curse you for making me run
.. I must have looked a bit malnourished as I got offered a mars at some point by one of the good folk of Tenby … it was lush
Loop 4 the ascent to new Hedges for the last time .. oo hello .. I have an escort cyclist. “does this mean im last place” I ask . “no there are some behind you” the reply .. a couple of minutes later my new friend Alex cracked under questioning and admitted that yes I was in fact last .. all others taken off on last loop as too far behind .. bugger .. after last year I really did not want to be tail end Charlie . I spot a walker a way up the road and warned Alex that I was about to put in a burst of speed .. catch up the target and explain our predicament and suggest that we try and muster a bit of a jog together . Myself and new co last placer Will plod on down the hill thanking the marshals and volunteers and of course the supporters for staying up for us .. and then see another figure on the horizon .. a few minutes later and we are now three .. asked if our new friend would care to muster a jog but alas he was not able .. so introductions to Alex and we leave them to finish together .. Picked up one more place and by now Will had his running legs back and was away. Past the last feed station and round the bend to be greeted by IP who ran through the twists of Tenby town with me .. A lady (that we now know to be Hannah) asks if I am NC.. yes I am … “ they are all waiting for you at the finish” .. that’s nice I think .. must be because I was the nearly last one in last year .. onwards .. last turn and into the most amazing roar as I run down the finish shute … the penny drops … they think im still the last one … #awkward .. as the Mayor puts my medal on and shakes hands for the cameras . So much for trying to avoid the limelight. I didn’t see the last 2 or 3 come in but I hope they all got the same treatment .
16hrs 22 …. So 20 mins better than last year .. but slower than I had hoped . I know where I need to focus my training and if I can I’ll be back again next year and this time WILL NOT be in the last few to finish ..
and finaly
Looked at this years pics …they confirm three things ..
1/ that I am not at all photogenic ,
2/ that fat men should be banned from wearing lycra .....and
3/ that no matter how difficult it is , I bloody love this event as im smiling my somewhat silly looking face off in every shot . A fantastic weekend and I am so grateful to be part of the Pirate family .
I should also just say thanks to those of you that spent time with my actual family at the finish (I think Schmunks , Mouse, Cheerful Dave , Button Mushroom .. probably some others I missed ) , They absolutely loved the experience and you guys really made their day.
Special thanks to Button Mushroom my training buddy, Mouse my recently acquired mentor and Iron Pingu our transition goddess
IMW , Tenby / Pembrokeshire folk, and most of all .. Pirates .. you rock !!!!
Top report Slag, very well done
Great reports, I really should get mine written.
Great reports, and again, positive feedback on the course etc.
Had a busy weekend, marshalled the Saturday afternoon practice swim, then marshalled the swim on race day, then the bike, and manned a feed station on the run. Good to be involved in the race on the other side, but looking forward to swapping back again in 2013.
"gutted for you , and for Hokori and ITB who I would also learn missed the cut . Keep the faith guys , train hard and you'll smash it next year.". I am in awe of your mental strength to come back and have another go... Kudos.
Loving the reports.........SA I had tears in my eyes now....
for those who didn't finish..........IMW is a toughy and you need everything to go right on the day......hopefully you will all come back stronger
Great reports, really well done guys.
Slag, I will remember how smiley and positive you were on the last bit of hill on the run. It was STIL and I shouting support from a car and you were brilliant.
Bobby, your parents and girlfriend were brillinat supporters. You dad looks built to do one of these! Not to mention him being Cheerful Dave's twin.
SA, brilliant report and well done for conquering on the short training time since Outlaw. Loved Slag's reference to you and Tigger as relations. +1 to that.
Cool report, Slag. A really good read, mate! I've got a lot of respect for the way you keep ploughing on and soaking up the energy from around the course. I'm amazed you accepted a random Mars bar though. Think of the implications if it had been spiked like a slab of Spanish beef? One minute you're the Duke of Tenbyshire and next thing you're protesting your innocence after being stripped of your titles!
Great work over the weekend M.. TRI. Awesome effort from you and the rest of the crew to make it such a brilliant experience.
Bike Racking:
What a faff (again), last year id spent 2 hours in a carpark having a brain fart, this year I had all my stuff packed and would just be a matter of transferring into the bags given at registration. I was totally thrown when I found out I couldn’t get to my transition bags in the morning, as I usually take that opportunity to take out food, sunglasses, bike shoes and put on the bike. Its funny how little things mess your mind up and I spent an hour in transition faffing about trying to decide ‘shoes on bike’, what if they get wet over night, bike gloves on tribars? Do I leave in T1 bag, or maybe take with me in the morning. Bla blab bla. All the time im telling myself not to be so mental, how many Ironman races have you done. Sorry to almost blank you Joddly I was trying to get my head straight. Eventually I just decided to leave it all in my T1 bag and sort it in the morning.
Race Day:
Up at 05:20, snaffled some breakfast in hotel room and headed to transition at 05.40, saw SA walking back just as I set off. Schoolboy error of epic proportions (or so seemed so at the time) was handing in my White Bag (which was thrown on a massive pile), only to realise almost straight away that my wetsuit was in there. The account of what followed is in STILs report.
Swim:
Walked down to the start with Cheerful Dave, he passed on a top tip (put bike gloves and arm warmers in with trainers) from Rosey albeit to late for me as my stuff was in T1.
Put my now regular swimstart plan into action (which has worked brilliantly the half dozen times ive done it). That being start at the front on the turn side.
Was a bit worried about he planned turn at 100 meters, usually it’s a wrestling match at the first turn but 100 meters in! Anyway, we all set off and I just about got around the turn without much hastle. In fact the whole swim was pretty much trouble free, out at the turn in 0:32 and finished in 1:06. Ive put quite a bit of work into my swimming over the last year, not massive amounts though, im just trying harder and I think that starting at the front helps to get a good draft effect.
Run into T1 & T1 uneventful, glad to see Iron Pingu helping everyone out, thank you it was great to see a friendly face.
Bike.
This was the bit I was worried about, id DNF’d last year and it all went wrong as soon as I left transition. Earlier in the morning id run out of electrical tape putting gels on my bike, this led to a disaster 100 yards after the mount line. My Cornish Pasty which id cunningly nestled between my bike bottles fell off! GUTTED. Wasn’t a chance of going back for it given all the bikes coming out.
Bike course has been well described by others so I wont repeat, suffice to say the last 20 miles of the southern loop are a challenge. I was worried about cut-off times as im not really great on hilly courses so had that in my mind and pushed a steady pace all day. My legs took a lot of punishment and were quite painful for most of the last 50 miles. Muscle fatigue was such that I nearly fell of on Wisemans the first time but just managed a tactical dismount 2/3rds up. Lap 2 I didn’t even try and walked from near the bottom.
As has been said the support around the course was brilliant, akin to what you see at continental races like Switzerland, Germany etc, I never thought I would see that at a UK race. The people of Pembrokeshire, Wales and everyone supporting should be proud. Special mention to the man with the incredible beard who was later on the run course.
Big thanks to Schmunkee and Mouse, it was so nice to see you, id been looking forward to it all the first loop.
I think the course (and its suitability for overweight people) speaks for itself when you compare my IM Wales time 8:20, to my Outlaw time 10 weeks earlier 6:42
T2 – Came in just before SA who I challenged to a run course smack down I knew my legs wouldn’t thank me for. Again thanks to out Transition Angel Iron Pingu. T2 was otherwise uneventful, except for a tactical port-a-loo stop. .
Run
As usual the start of the run felt terrible, worse was to come when I hit the first hill (usually the feeling comes back to the legs after a mile but that’s when the hill started). At the turn I thought I was catching SA so pushed it a little on the downhill back to Tenby but was disappointed to see him further ahead when we did the little out & back along the cliff before Pirate Central. Had passed/seen lots of others including Nobby, Slag, Cheerful Dave, Joddly (was suffering serious band envy re the Dave & Joddly)
2nd lap I caught up with Pebble, who I seen earlier on the bike with mechanical problems, he wasn’t having a great run, we chatted for a bit but our ways parted for a tactical stop at Pirate Central (our hotel room which was perfected placed. Not only supporting but a comfortable bathroom stop).
Run walked similar to others, walked the hills and ran most of the flat / downhill. Fatige generally built up over the run, it was kinda nice to have the downhill bits to look forward to, as it broke the course up a bit. Uphill, Downhill, Tenby, repeat 4 times.
The whole course was awash with support, people leaning out of windows, balcony’s, and massive massive support in the Tenby, so many groups of people, the army guys, the singers, the tunnel of arms, being a pirate I was particularly singled out for extra support and this was great. Its probably a good time to say the support we get is hopefully a payback for a cheery demeanour at races, the support we give to others and in particular things like the Pirate Feedstation at Outlaw, if you ever get the time (and I know many of you do) please come and help out when you can.
Finished the run 5:52, massive cheers at the end, it was also a special race for me as my 12th Ironman finish and qualifies me for the Kona Legacy Ballot
Massive massive thank you to everyone in Tenby and the surrounding villages, particular thanks to all the pirates on the course for your mutual support, and even more massive thanks to the supporters, Schmunkee, Mouse, Muffin, Broke But Trying, Pingu and your family/friends (sorry if ive forgotten anyone). Commiserations to Button Mushroom & Hokori, youll be back.
Edit, wetsuit wasnt in white bag, it was hotel room key, wetsuit was in hotel room.
Carl, you are are legend. Well done. Are you taking a Cornish pasty to Kona?
Probably not, US immigration dont like you taking some foot in? besides it could go a bit urgh. I'll have to reconoiter for some local equivilent or take a sandwich / pizza for the start of the bike.
That said im not in yet. Could be a while?
Can I say just for the record
That I won the run smackdown
Great report Barley.. beardy man was quite a sight wasnt he.
Gutted about the your pasty, Carl
. With your finely balanced nutrition plan in tatters, you did brilliantly just to make the finish. Think what you could have achieved with an extra 500kcal of fat, floor-sweepings and pig snouts 
!
Beardy man was ace, wasn't he? Kept popping up all over the course. Was it just me, or did he have something of the Didi Senft about him? Our guy's beard was a little more splendid, but he appeared equally tapped.