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Long Course Weekend, anybody?
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The weather here in Tenby is lovely at the moment.
I dont envy any of you who have entered the Swim tomorrow as the sea is looking choppy today. Looking forward to the run on Sunday though, lets hope it doesn't rain all day.
Will definately be heading over to The Crown Inn on Lower Frog Street after the run on Sunday for a few recovery pints, the more the merrier.
The Tenby swim does seem somewhat cursed!
Remind me not to enter next year please!!
I'm volunteering as a marshall tomorrow so i'll be getting wet and cold with you lot anyhow.
I won't lie to to....
My first thought on waking this morning was not 'Oh goody camping and a sea swim in this weather will be SUCH fun'!
Ain't that the truth, it's looking horrible outside.
I'm actually looking forward to the swim later. It'll be considerably warmer and drier than where I am now
Oh bless you and your poor kids!
Is the swim still on? Gales are forecast... I mean GALES!!
I'll be helping at the registration/info point at 10:30, so will be able to post some more concrete information at that point. No other word as of yet.
Windy and rain lashed here in Cornwall thinknit may turn into my rest day i need a day to dry out
Well, we are bailing on the camping idea. Just booked a B&B.
I can cope with most things if I have somewhere to get warm and dry afterwards!
Registration is steady currently. See you all in the De Valence:
http://db.tt/Nbif9TUO
Jfdi it is then
Well that was a whole lot of fun and I'm very glad I did it. You're spot-on, Ace, that the conditions on the bay were very benign considering the weather. So benign that I was surprised at the course being shortened. I'd have been tempted to be grumpy about it, but the other two participants I spoke to next day were both absolutely chuffed that it had been shortened, so perhaps it's furry muff.
They put on a good show though, Activity Wales, don't they? If you're part of that crew, then fair play to you. It had a real "Big Event" feel to it, and being lead down onto the beach by the drum band gave me a right buzz. Lovely place to swim. Felt like a real privilege to be there.
Bike was bloody well organised too, and the marshalls were excellent, especially the kids on the feed station at the carpark in Tenby. Five-star service. Pleasantly surprised at how manageable the ride was too, considering I'm nowhere near fit yet. Not to say it was easy - demands respect - but it's not a beast. Really enjoyable ride.
Hope you all enjoyed your weekends too, and nice to meet you Ferrous!
bored of the four loops out to the new hedges roundabout which the IM course has. Although at the end of a gruelling day it's definately the better option.
Thank you and well done to Activity Wales. A fantastic event that I would recommend to newbies like myself of anyone who fancies an event that is incredibly professional, in a town that is beautiful and will appreciate you.
Nice to meet you FF. Looking good on the bike
Hope, glad you made it and I am guessing I saw you on the bike looking strong in Black and Yellow.
Also good to meet the pirate legend Pebble. He even stopped on a horrid hill for an introdcution.
Was the bike the same course that they use for IMW?
Yes it was SA and I don't know what slower is talking about, by most people's standards it is a beast! He must be soopa doopa on the bike!
Had a great weekend, absolutely love this event and Activity Wales do indeed do an amazing job! Thanks 8iron and crew
The sea Friday was a lot calmer than I was expecting and I too was a little disappointed it was cut so short but then I did get VERY cold. I'm not sure how I would have coped with any longer than the 2.4k I believe it was shortened to.
I had decided before the sportive not to do the full 112 on this course as, for me, it is a tough day out and not something I *need* to do this year given that the Outlaw is so flat by comparison.
I did the first 2 loops in 4:06 and went back on to the first loop to make the mileage up to 100 miles. Given last year on the LCW the first 2 loops took me over 5 hours I am well pleased with this improvement. I kind of regret not doing the whole sportive if I'm honest, but there you go. I used it as a training ride and got my second 100 miler this year in so I can't complain.
The half marathon was hilly. It was a different route from the IMW course and there was a lot of climb, right up until the end, and some quite steep! Beautiful views and scenery though. Lots of support on the route and I even got a few 'Go Pirates'!
Great start to the half, we joined the marathon peeps at Pembroke Castle and had a samba band led precession to the start line, giving us chance to cheer the marathoners on through their half way point.
Was lovely to see Pebble on the swim bike and run and also to have tea with FeFe.
Running up a long hill behind the guy wearing the mankini was a bit of an eyewatering experience. Hope the flashbacks stop soon!
Finding somewhere to have a sneaky wee on the bike wasn't easy either. I had to resort to stopping at the top of a hill and shouting down to the other cyclists 'Look that way please!'
Most of them did too... which was nice of them!
Hope wrote (see)
I've entered IMW, so puts fingers in ear and shouts LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA I can't here you
It's the second repeated loop that is hard. But if I can do it I'm sure you'll be fine
Nice to see you all, and Hope you were flying ......you will crush the Outlaw. Hey Muffin I was only too pleased to stop for a liitle chat, that last climb was a killer. And FF you were looking strong at the end of the run. Good effort all.
The two sharp climbs at the back end of lap 2 were tough, weren't they? The Wiseman's Bridge one was cool first time round, but I was burning my matches on the second lap! Likewise the horrid little kick out of Saundersfoot, with the smell of hot, vinegary chips still fresh in my nostrils. Cruel!
There aren't many easy miles to munch on anywhere, but I'd expected some of the earlier stuff to be steeper. The whole landscape is a lot more rolling than north wales, and that surprised me. I think you've got to be prepared to let it flow on the downhill sections to make a good time without burning yourself out.
I had a 12:27 cassette on the back and a compact on the front and that set-up seemed to work really well. I had the 60mm rims on the bike too, and had no aggro with them, other than on the very exposed bit at The Angle where all the sand is across the road. The wind was 20+ mph, I think, so I'm hopeful that mid-profiles will work fine on the day too. My HRM was broken, so pacing was as amateurish as you could get.... up n down like a fiddler's elbow.
Doing a recce was a brilliant thing to do. Aside from it being a really cool ride, I've brough back lots of food for thought (and a few kilogrammes of sand). So if you can get down there, SA, or even just get down a day before and have a little looksie at the ride into Narberth, or the section from Narberth through to Tenby via Saundersfoot, I reckon that would really help.
Hardly a bike monster, Hope. The only time I saw you you were in front of us! And Muffin Top considered herself thoroughly charmed after having met you, Pebble. Very slick.
Awesome bike Hope. I think I clocked the 72 miles in about 4.45 and then similar to you clocked up to 90 miles.
I thought I was doing okay until slowerthanilook kindly pointed out I would be okay if could learn how to go uphill, down hill and round corners. Luckily Outlaw will be less technical
I then shuffled along the course from town to Wiesmans bridge and back again. Used the good exuce of supporting to stop a few times. But boy that run nearly killed me and althoigh I dont know the run course for IMW I would advocate some hill training.
Really looking forward to doing this one next year. I love Tenby. Good pubs.
I love Pembrokshire too.
Muffin top I had to learn to go up, down and round corners too lol!
I'm serioulsy considering doing the full 3 events next year. I think as long as I have a 'just get around' attitude to the mara I should be ok.
The first time I did the bike course it properly broke me. I had to walk up Wisemans Bridge and cried at least twice lol! Nailing Ironman Wales was a biggie for me. Doing the harder mara at the LCW next year would top it all off nicely.
Watch out Pirates.... am wondering about making it my 'Hen wkend'
Muffin it was lovely to see you
I'll be doing it as training for IM Wales, but is the marathon course different?
Yes. Well it was last year. The Ironman mara is hilly but not *that* hilly. It was 4 loops