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  • Jessica is the current media darling/face of athletics for the UK - and why not let her cash in a little.  She was in the Metro this morning as well.  I'll have to look up the article on Hattie Dean.

    So you'll be signing up for the Autumn MMM series then ET? image

  • Evening image

    Happy birthday Moz.

  • Woo-hoo - me n Sheils didn't come last image

    No photo's yet though.

  • Evening image

    According to ET and Haile, I have to post my (very very long) race report on here. So make a cup of tea, settle down and prepare for a novel!

    IMR 2011

    I guess this whole journey began when I went to support IMCH in 2009. I had such a great time and although I’d only done an Olympic distance, I knew I HAD to do an ironman one day. And as a pirate.

    That’s 2 years ago and now here I am, writing this report as an ironman!

    Here we go….

    Didn’t have a very restful night’s sleep and when the alarm went off at 3:55am I sat bolt upright with a feeling of fear in my stomach. Collected all my bags and went to force breakfast and strong coffee down my neck. We’d decided to get a taxi to the start to save having to walk a long way. It meant we got there in plenty of time, so lots of time to faff! It was raining and pretty cold as Waff and I sorted out our bikes in transition – tyres pumped up and things moved from one area to another. Felt very aimless in all these tasks, but it was nice not to have to rush. Waff and I did the transition walk, which was useful. All stuff done by 6am. One hour to go. Visited the toilet a fair few times and tried not to panic. Had a little cry and got hugs from various people. Before I knew it, it was time to get into the wetsuits and take a dip to warm up, get water in the suit etc. Had a calming chat with Meldy and decided on a position to start. Time ticked away and then it was 2 minutes to go. It all seemed to go quiet and my goggles seemed to fill up with water – funny that, considering I wasn’t in the water As the gun sounded I pressed start on my watch and notice that my HR was 138! Standing still! Waited for everyone to get in and start before I got in. I didn’t fancy being part of the washing machine!

    Swim
    The first section out towards the first buoy was a bit busy. Knocked into a few people as they all funnelled into a bit of a line. Couldn’t really get into a stroke so used it as a opportunity to have a nice warm up and practice sighting. I don’t generally panic in open water so I knew I would be fine with the swimming. Once the faster people had all shot off and I’d overtaken some of the slower people, I found I could settle into a bit of a rhythm. I was trying really hard to concentrate on technique and not swim too fast. I tried not to use my legs that much, saving them for the bike! I was sticking to Bassy’s mantra of ‘stay in the moment’. If I found my mind wandering I counted my strokes – 1 2 3 4 breathe and repeat. I kept saying to myself ‘it’s just swimming’. I’d mentally broken the swim down into 4 sections and counted them off as they went by. It was good that the men were all wearing blue hats and the women in orange. It was nice to look around in the swim and see a few orange hats about! In section 3 I was drafting a man but then he started going way off course so I got back on track. I then spotted an orange hat just in front of me and thought ‘ah, a woman, I’ll follow her because she’ll know where she’s going’. I really enjoyed the swim. There were always so many people about that it never felt lonely. The last 800m or so seemed to drag a bit, but I could see the yellow powerbar gantry getting closer and closer and allowed myself to start thinking about transition.

    Swim time: 1:34:52
  • Out of the water and a little wobbly on the feet. Looked at my watch: spot on what I expected and very happy with 1:34 swim time. Took my bag from the rack and into the change tent. I’d decided to change into my cycling shorts because they are much comfier than my tri shorts. The nice lady in the tent helped put my wetsuit into my blue bag, so that was kind of her. You then had to run right to the end of transition to go through to the bikes. It was a long way! Eventually got to the bike to put all my other stuff on. Waffy’s David was at the railings, so was good to have a chat whilst getting myself sorted. Shuffled along the matting to the end of T1, passing Meldy on my travels. Onto the bike and away I go.

    T1: 6:49

    Bike.

    Passed the pirate massive to a big cheer and gave them a wave. Looked at the watch and very conveniently it said 1:40. Helpful for me, it meant feeding was going to be the usual on the hour, 20 past and 20 to. Perfectly timed, I like to think. The bike could pretty much be summed up by saying: ‘it was long and wet’, but I think I should elaborate a little more. The plan was to not go off like a rocket, instead get the HR under control in the first 6ish miles to the hill and settle into a comfortable pace. This happened. A good start, I thought. The rain was coming down but I didn’t really feel it up the hills because I was in a low gear, spinning up. I’m not afraid to say that I really like hills. I liked the gradient of these ones and never needed to get out of the saddle to climb. They reminded me of the mountains in Mallorca, just not quite as long as those ones. Passed Rio towards the top and had a little chat with her, comparing our swims. It’s when the descents came that I really started to notice the weather. Like a fool I’d not put any extra layers or kit in T1 so all I had on was a Monaco and shorts. School-girl error! Going down hill the rain was making visibility very poor but also making me feel very cold. At one point it felt like needles hitting my arms, legs and face. Ouch! ‘Just get to the bottom and you’ll warm up when you’re pedalling’ was my thought. I usually descend quite well, but with all the water on the road, the corners and feeling so cold, I was braking and not going that quickly down hill. I think my max on the first lap was about 35mph. Onto the flats and the HR started to rise a little more. I was sticking with my nutrition plan of a swig from my gel bottle every 20 mins and alternating water and isotonic. Every time I had a swig, I thought of Waffy saying ‘good girl’ to me. This kept me amused every time! In total on the bike I had 17 gels, 3 bottles of water, 3 bottles of isotonic and a couple of pieces of banana. I made sure I took it all on so I was well fuelled for the run. On one of the flat sections on the bike I passed Barley at the side of the bike, fixing a puncture. Unlucky for him, I thought.
  • The support in the villages was brilliant. There were so many people that had made the effort to come out in the pouring rain to shout, cheer, play instruments and generally have fun. You couldn’t help but smile! Every time someone shouted something in German which I didn’t understand, I amused myself by creating my own translation and then mentally saying thank you. A lot of people seemed to tell me I was amazing, awesome, incredible and hot! It kept me entertained anyway! I was only using a HRM with the time on for the race and my bike computer, no Garmin. As it happened, my bike computer went off at 40 miles and as the K markers were so few, it meant I had no real idea of where I was in terms of mileage on the course, I could only guess. Towards the end of the first lap I started to really look forward to lap 2 for the hills so I could warm up. Loved seeing Little Sister and Swiss Mummy out in the middle of nowhere then Trogs down by Transition. Thank you! Lap 2 begins and the hills are a comin’. HR was about right. The conditions meant that it never really got that high. Spun up the hills for a second time, hoping it would stop raining for the descent. Towards the top of the last climb I could hear someone shouting ‘uuuhhh arrrgggghhhhh’ so I knew it was a pirate. I worked out that it was Barley after he said ‘it’s taken me about 25 miles to catch you’! Had a little chat before we started descending for a second time. Still raining. I started to get a bit angry at this point. I was cold, I was wet, I was shivering, it was windy. This wasn’t what I thought my IM bike was going to be like. ‘Just get to the bottom of the hills and then sort your mood out’ I thought. Back on the flats I thought about my training. I rode a lot in the rain and wind in the early stages of training and then my last long ride was 91 miles in the rain. So instead of feeling angry at the weather, I started to think that I was just well trained for it. All the people that commented that they wouldn’t go out if it was that wet wouldn’t be as prepared as me. It lifted my mood and I got on with it. Somewhere on the second lap I was clearing my nose (for about the 87th time) and a woman cycled past me and said ‘your right snot rocket was better than your left’! She was right, it was! I started to need a wee and after cycling along, not knowing where the next aid station was I very almost had to go. I tried, but I just couldn’t seem to bring myself to wee on the bike. Eventually the aid station turned up and I went for a long wee in a portaloo. Back on the bike and I noticed how tired my legs felt. Oh dear. I started to feel worried about the run so kept telling myself that they weren’t tired, they were just getting warmed up for the run. It didn’t really work and for the last 20ish miles I started to dread the run. It was around here where I started feeling really lonely. There weren’t many people about and I definitely had a low patch. I was bored of the rain and bored of being on the bike, I just wanted to get off. After what seemed like forever it was time for the turn off for T2. Tried to spin my legs a bit more to get my legs ready. It had thankfully started to stop raining and dry up. I enjoyed that last mile or so, knowing that I was almost back and the rest of the race was more within my control.

    Bike time: 7:35:27
  • Off the bike, rack it and clip clop my way round the racks and to the bags and change tent. It was here I had a bit of a shock. The tents were all open, men and woman and no doors (lit in T1). As I’d changed into cycle shorts, I now needed to change into run shorts. Tough, I’ll just have to get half naked here! Change of shorts, change of socks (top tip from Meldy) stuffed a few bits in my back pocket and ready to go. Went for the world’s longest wee then I was on my way.

    T2: 6:36

    Run

    Started running and immediately felt happy. I think I was just pleased to be out of the rain and off the bike! My plan was run 4 mins, walk 1 minute and walk the aid stations when taking on nutrition and just see how it all panned out. Very quickly I was heading into town and wondering when I would see the pirate massive. I just caught sight of the yellow and black then could hear them all shouting and cheering as I got closer. I gave a Mexican wave of sweaty kisses to them (sorry) then got on my way. The run felt more like a shuffle, but I was moving. Round the corner, then presented with my first band. Yay! I liked having it on my arm and knew I would look forward to the next one. Had a gel at the aid station and immediately knew it was the last gel I was going to have that day. Ergh! Off towards the park and settled comfortably into run 4, walk 1. It was feeling very comfortable. Great to see the second mob of pirates at the weir and I pointed to my arm and said ‘look, I’ve got a band!’. I think I was a little bit excited! It was quieter in the park but there were loads of people on the course. I didn’t care that lots of people seemed to have 3 or 4 bands and I only had 1, I was just happy to be there. My mental plan for the run had to take it a lap at a time and count down the Ks as 1/10, 2/10, 3/10 etc until the next lap. I must say, this is the best thing I could have done. The K markers came quickly and it felt like I was really getting somewhere. I started to take on coke and had a piece of banana, which was working well, so I decided to stick to that plan for the rest of the run. Started lap 2 and going through town, there seemed to be even more people out supporting. I couldn’t help but have a massive grin on my face. People shouting things in German, cheering my name, telling me how good I looked (yeah right). It was incredible and gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Towards the pirate massive and more kisses, high 5s and excitement to be had. Then it was time for band 2. Yes! Was sticking with my run/walk plan and really really enjoying myself. I was there, I was doing it, I was on lap 2. The K markers continued to come round quickly and I was feeling good. A little too good maybe. ‘I can’t always feel this good’ I thought. I started to prepare myself mentally for the pain, for the time when I wanted to walk and not run, for the time I was going to start hating it. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that none of this ever came. I loved every step of that run, I never wanted to extend walk breaks, I never wished it was all over, I loved it!
  • Onto lap 3 and feeling better than before. I was keeping a close eye on HR, keeping it at 155 or below on the run sections. I was really trying to make sure I didn’t have a repeat performance of Cowman, where my HR was high, I was dehydrated and suffered with heatstroke. At the aid stations I was squeezing sponges on my head and I’d got electrolyte tablets in my back pocket which I was popping in my water bottle. Lap 3 was when I was joined by a guy who was doing his first IM too. He didn’t feel that great and was moaning. Strike 1. He stuck to my r/w plan with me and we were ticking along nicely. He started to tell me how many miles we had left to run and how far it felt. No, no, no, I’m not doing it like that, I like counting down K markers on the laps, I thought. Strike 2. We were then talking about targets and I told him and I was trying to work out whether I could go under 15 hours. On the next walk break he was trying to work it out and was saying he didn’t think it was possible. Strike 3: you’re out! I knew I had to get away from him and his negativity so I told him I was going to push on, as he wanted to extend a walk break. Felt better on my own. I neared the end of lap 3 and back through town. The noise is even louder. I started to well up. I felt like the most important person there, like every single person had come out just to support me. It was amazing. Saw my brother and gave him a kiss and told him one more lap to go and I’d be back there. Time for the last band. Got handed a glow stick at the aid station to run with, which I liked. It was on the last lap that I started to think about the day and about the training and how far I had come. I had a few tears. Not because I was hating it, because I was enjoying it so much and was feeling happy with how it was going. I started the day thinking ‘what the hell have I signed up to’ and I spent most of the run wondering why on earth I’d not done it sooner! It got really dark as I neared the 5k marker in the park. Aside from some glow sticks on the floor and the one I was carrying, between the aid stations it was pitch black. I quite liked it. I had decided to r/w to that 5k sign and then run as much of the rest that I could to try and get under 15 hours. Hit that sign and started my run only mission. I felt okay and I was passing lots of people who were walking. This was a nice feeling, it meant that I had paced it well and could finish strong. The K markers were a bit slower in coming on the last lap but I was edging closer to the finish. With about 3k to go I was feeling a bit odd and couldn’t work out whether it was because I was running with a glow stick in the dark, or because I was actually feeling dizzy. I really didn’t want to mess it up so close to the end so I took half an electrolyte tablet out of my pocket and munched it. It was pretty disgusting but I felt better. I started to get closer and closer to town and I could hear the finish chute. I was so excited to get there. Up over the cobbles and to the turn off. Cougie and a crowd of pirates were on that corner all making a lot of noise. I threw my hat and bottle at them and started my run towards that finish line. The noise was deafening and as I ran up the chute, I couldn’t help but cry. The feeling of euphoria and pride I had in those last 30 seconds was indescribable. I crossed the line and I’d done it! I was an ironman! It sounds cheesy, but aside from getting my degree, it was the proudest moment of my life so far. I worked so hard in training and had so many ups and downs, but I’d got there and achieved something that I only thought really really amazing people did.

    Run time: 5:32:39

    Overall time: 14:56:25
  • After a shower and a mouthful of food it was straight back out to the finish chute to a hero’s welcome and lot of tearful hugs from my pirate friends. A great end to a wonderful day watching everybody else finish. Another amazing highlight was winning best novice at the pirate awards ceremony. Such an honour, so thank you for everyone who voted for me. I also won smmiliest pirate. Apparently I looked a bit happy on the run course

    Epilogue

    I don’t know where to begin in saying thank you to people. This whole experience starts and ends with pirates. I would have never have imagined I would be capable of completing an ironman had it not been for the pirates. You believed in me. Since Christmas I have had so much daily advice/support on Twitter (and on the forum) from people I respect but also consider my friends - thank you. Thank you so much to all the pirate supporters on the course who spend 17+ hours on their feet cheering all day – Holly, Jj, my brother, Goose and all the others out there. You have no idea how much it lifts you. I looked forward to seeing you all on every lap and my experience would not have been the same had you not have been there. Thanks to my mentor Bassy for all the help, support and belief you have given me over the last 7 months. You have been ace. And look, I didn’t f*ck it up! To my wonderful friend and extra unofficial mentor Waffy, with whom I have shared this whole journey. Your continued support and friendship has been so special and so beneficial that I don’t know where I’d have been without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart girlie. I love ya!
  • Hi all, hope everyone's ok!  What a great story Aitch, well done on the ironman - you did great.  I almost blubbed when I read your account.  It's an awesome achievement and you should be very proud of yourself!

    Sorry I've been awol so long, enjoying the summer atm and seem to be either out or having early nights!  Training for GNR.  Just went to accelerate this evening.  They were ace, got my cup of tea which was a nice surprise!  Turns out I don't overpronate at all but just need a slightly stiff neutral shoe.  Very excited to try out my new trainers....!  Still battling the plantar fasciitis but it's bearable.

     Will read back and try to catch up......Happy birthday Mozzy image

  • Quote of the day from Haile "You must post your race report on the thread, you're ours". Made me image
  • well done bint

    Proud of you

    Dad
  • Thanks Plummy *hug* I behaved myself and didn't need a lie down or a Plum-Dad to look after me when I finished! image
  • Good girl...... steep learning curve innit.......your chum still going to the gym or do I ask for my clothes back
  • Yes she is! She's doing very well with it. At least twice a week. Not seen her in the tights yet actually.
  • get her signed up for the Outlaw
  • Morning!

    Top reportage Aitch, and great to see you and Haile yesterday!

    Had fun in town yesterday, `shopping`, which involved visiting a good few pubs. Got lost and ended up in Kelham Island. imageThis week will be a big beer week for me. Went to Derby on Tuesday, beer in town yesterday and Burton tomorrow. It will also be a big mileage week, which is just as well! image

    RL - Nice to hear from you. Did see you recently in the Chad`s magazine! How did that Humpty`s race go?

  • Thanks for birthday wishes dudes image

    Will feed the rabble then settle dowm for a read of Aitch's report!

    Chuffin leg still giving me jip - gonna test it out on the track later as that's the kindest surface I reckon.

  • Gambatt3Gambatt3 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for the write up Aitch.

    I've been really down on my marathon training recently. Constantly feel like I'm not doing enough, I'm not sticking to the schedule. Missing sessions. Training rather than enjoying a run etc. Fancying going for a ride/swim but having to go for a scheduled run training session etc.

    Last night I was seriously thinking about contacting the organisers and seeing if I could swap from the full to the half. I know I could go out tomorrow and do a decent half and the 1st half at Notts is the 'funner' half.

    Then I thought about what Aitch has done recently. ...and the marathon came after all the rest.....

    So I'm already telling myself MTFU before I see the race report, this morning.

    I'm now inspired, impressed... shamed?

    Only 4 weeks to go. Belper and The Spire in the meantime.

    Can't say I'm looking forward to it. But I've got 4 weeks to get on with it and try to sort my attitude out.

    BTW. This online shoppings no good for looting. Just broke my laptop trying to get to summat on ebay....

  •  'I’d got there and achieved something that I only thought really really amazing people did.'

    But that's the point Aitch - only amazing people do do it - they may not be the greatest athletes in the owrld, but how much grit and determination do you need to do one? That truly is amazing! Well done, loved the report, welled up a bit (blame that on my hormones) and from the perspective of someone tinkering with the idea of the Outlaw, very informative! Top bird imageimage image

  • Top report Aitch - much better at getting me to sleep than counting sheep image.

    Only kidding - you're a star and as Haile says you are our star.

    Lovely day today image

  • I've just sobbed through Aitch's race report imageimageimageimageimageimageimageimageimageimage

    Well done honey, you're truly amazing!

    x

  • What is a big Milage week for everyone?

    had this conversion at club other week and got thinking bout what ET just said and wondered.

    not a who's dick is bigger by the way.
  • Ace if not a little long race report Aitch but seeing as it was a long race i suppose i will let you off. image

    truly inspiring

    Garry, i got advised to use schedules for marathon training a guide rather than law. Then read an article reinforcing this claiming that unless designed specifically for you they lead to injury, overtraining and loss of motivation and that as long as you had one speed/tempo run, MP run and a long run a week you will do well.

    You have already ran one marathon and the thunder run........

    how much more training do you think you need?

    You have belper 30 soon as well, possible overdoing it? If you fancy a swim, go fof a swim
    If you fancy a bike ride, go for a bike ride.
    Rest day? Take one. listen to your body not a piece of paper.

    a runner can only peak two or three times a year.
  • aww Aitch! i loved reading your race report image truely inspirational stuff!! you really are a hero!!

    sorry i missed your bday Mozzy....I hope you did something fun to treat yourself after the swim!

    i think some of you have seen on FB....I have a road bike! best thing i've ever bought (probably) i absolutely love it! I can't wait to get home Wednesday and go for a long ride all afternoon. can't believe Matlock is so close! finally starting to feel a little better in the pool though...and shockingly really enjoyed my swim a few days ago!

    right, time to man up, find a way out of this festival and go for a run in the rain. no excuse really, i don't need to look presentable until around 4:30!

  • Morning all! image

    Absolutely fab race report, Aitch! image  What a star! image

    Belated happy birthday, Moz image - sorry I completely missed that one.

    Enjoy your rainy run, Charls!

    I have no news, other than the fact my GP has now prescribed Gaviscon for me, and it's free because of my maternity exemption card. image

    That's about as exciting as my life gets right now. image

  • Big mileage week for me?  Ooohh...about 3.

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