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Roth 2010
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I pirate briefly spotted in the official Roth vid.
*notice...contains all the Challenge songs..incl the swim start one*
Min 5:47
The vid on youtube
Edited cos I forgot the linky to the vid...
Min, please. what goes on off forum stays off forum baby!
Our pillow talk should remain personal. lol
Right, standby for a rambling shambles of a race report, much like the race it describes ....
After having a blinder at IMCH last year with a 13:11 PB I was really looking forward to Roth. Another Pirate IM bash, and I was the lightest and fittest I’d been since my IMDE debut in 2006. It helped that I’d had a full year of running/cycling commuting, and cut back on the gratuitous beers and the kid’s sweets stash for the last few weeks before the race. Still yet to invest in a HRM or training plan so I followed my customary Piratey swim/run/ride a bit training approach, although swim training consisted of Swashbuckler, Bala, and Datchet the two weekends before Roth. Got a few long rides and runs in, and assuming I made it out it of the canal was quietly confident I’d get around in a reasonable time and shape. Certainly sub 14 and maybe on for another PB with a bit of luck and a strong tail wind. Had a bit of mild man flu which made for some interesting snot rockets, but antibiotics and ibuprofen seemed to keep it under control.
Got to Roth easy enough. Trogs kindly drove over with my bike, and some random German bloke I met on train from the airport gave me a lift to the hotel. Arrived on Friday to a) save missing a day’s pay as a contractor, and b) save spending another day’s pay at the bar Thursday night and then mumbling complete bollox at Bassy whilst Oxy feel asleep again. Hitched a lift with Foggy & Becky (thanks!) down to registration, checked out the Expo, then back to the hotel for a few quiet ones.
If they gave out medals for faffing, I’d have a drawer full. Dicked around for hours putting stuff in and out of transitions bags and wondering what I’d forgotten. Not like I’ve not done this a few times now, but split transitions and racking the day before always unnerves me. Hitched a lift with Rosie (thanks!) and Meldy to racking on Saturday, where my ancient Met helmet was declared verboten , and I had to shell out 90 euros, cash only, for the cheap tat helmets they were flogging at registration. My own stupid fault, I knew it was on the way out and should have bought one at the Expo if not well before. Poorer if not wiser. Felt a bit crook late in the afternoon, but perked up again with some more ibuprofen and beer.
The big day dawned, and after breakfast at stupid o’clock I hitched another lift with The Foggies (thanks!) down to the start. Bit nervous as always, faffed about in T1 some more with a gaggle of Pirates, put stuff on the bike, had several portaloo/piss stops, pumped up my tyres probably way too much, let some air out till they felt OK, then it was time to go. Bring it on !
Headed to canal with the rest of the gentlemen of a certain age/crapness, and loitered at the back of the pack. With no swim training to speak of the plan was to just cruise around and get out at the far end, keep the effort and heart rate down. Had a few niggles and stops with goggles leaking, then just got on with the job. No panic attacks this time, have had one or two in every long OW race I’ve ever done, so made a nice change. Drifted right a few times into the bank, but at least it kept me in a straightish line and the first turnaround point came up pretty quickly. So far so good.
The swim back seemed to take a lot longer. Tried drafting a couple of times but the ones about my speed seemed to have even bigger directional issues, so just ploughed on at my own pace and line. Could see the buildings, the bridge, the boat, and all the feckin’ bouys inching slowly closer and finally rounded the far end and turned for home. Went better than I’d hoped, but was glad to see the end of it, and came out of the water in 1:26 and a bit.
Up the ramp, wetsuit off, vainly searching for my specially marked bag. Somewhat distracted by a lovely Frau waving a yellow card for taking my wettie off outside the tent, Ja, Ja, just find my feckin’ bag, give me all the penalties you want ! Dicked around in T1 for a while, (had left my shoes in the bag to keep them dry) and layered on the sun cream. Stuffed the wettie and leftovers back into the bag and waddled off to grab the bike. T1 as 08:06, which given the bag faffing, penalty discussion, 2 minute penalty and distance to the bike and mount line, was OK.
Glad to be getting on the bike, my favourite and least crappest bit. After a few good training rides at a fair pace I was really looking forward to Roth’s rolling hills and smooth roads to rack up a good time. Hobbled up the mount line and after a couple of botched attempts, clipped in and powered down. Out the chute and onto the road past the Pirate massiv, heart going mad but legs not keeping up. Eased off a bit to get the HR down and settled into a good steady pace. Started refuelling and reeling in the better swimmers/earlier waves, whilst the pros and fast relay riders came hurtling past. Shit they were quick! It was really starting to warm up, not too windy, and I was just motoring along passing a surprising number of crap riders with bling bikes, aero wheels, and the occasional woody. All good.
Then, it all came unstuck. After about an hour and only 28k’s in, just leaving Thalmassing on a thankfully straight and flattish bit of road and BANG, like a gunshot. My first ever blowout – hurrah. Cue wild fish tailing down the road, trying to pull over to right and avoid other riders and the looming ditch. Managed to control it and stop upright to check the damage. A 2cm split right down the centre of the tyre with it’s innards spilling out, and a 1cm split in the tube. Given the noise and the neat split, it had to be a blow out rather than puncture and the road was pretty clean.
Got the tyre off easily enough, but took a bit of effort to peel the tube out of the tyre. Looked at what I had to do an emergency tyre repair, and tried putting a foil School Bar wrapper in to line the tyre to get me to the Mavic bike station. But the tyre bulged and the split got worse as soon as the PSI got to rideable levels. Didn’t fancy another near death riding experience, so decided to play it safe and wait for the mobile Mavic mechanics. Stopped a motorbike marshall after 15 minutes and she refused to contact Mavic, not part of her role apparently, I had to wait for Mavic to turn up if and when they did.
Sat there chatting to some helpful locals and a junior marshal, a German guy who’s knee and sense of humour had failed, and having a picnic whilst watching the world and my race go by and wondering where the fuck Mavic where. After an hour and a half another marshal stopped and immediately got on the phone to summon Mavic. Still not sure why he could and did help, yet his colleague doing the same job couldn’t and wouldn’t. Over two hours since the blowout both the Mavic car and bike arrived within minutes of each other and put on a new tyre in their very relaxed, chatty, and French way. They put 120PSI in, so I thanked them, waited till they left and let some air out - I didn’t fancy waiting for them again.
I knew there was a 9:30 swim/bike cutoff, which I was probably already well outside of, but I set off on the bike to at least complete the course and pick up a Pirate point. Caught a couple of Pirates and loads of others along the way, loved the Solarer Berg crowds and atmosphere, and loved the rolling course. Kept up the nutrition every 20-25 minutes, was averaging 30km/h and feeling good.
Got to the start of the second lap at Eckersmuhlen and they refused to let me continue even though I was going fast enough to catch the slower riders still on the course. The roads were open again, the signage taken down, so as the marshall said “the race for you is over”. That meant no finish result, and no Pirate point, so a wasted day all around. This wasn’t how my last Euro IM for a few years was supposed to pan out. I rode back into Roth and T2 planning on going to the pub and sulking, saw some of the mobile Pirate Massiv on the way in.
The helfers cheerfully took my bike away and nudged me towards the change tent. I was in complete CBA mode, and went over to where they’d racked the bike to grab the anti biotics and ibuprofen tablets out of the bento box. Went into the tent to at least get my running shoes on to walk into Roth to get my street clothes bag. The helfers obviously don’t get CBA mode, and were cheerfully jabbering away in Cherman trying to get me out of the tent and onto the run. I finally decided as I’d paid for a run, and have Abingdon in a few weeks, I might as well get my money’s worth. Quick portaloo stop and off for a long, hot shuffle.
26.2 miles is a long way. 26.2 miles is a fecking long way when you have to explain to every passing Pirate that the reason I am so far ahead of where I would normally be is due to an exceptionally crap bike split rather than an exceptionally good one. I shuffled out, past another Pirate Massiv (they’re everywhere, those Pirates) feeling all sorts of things. Pissed off for various reasons, mainly with myself, and resolved to getting around the run.
I was an auto pilot most of the way, looking out for yella and black and the next aid station. Apart from the few twists and turns at the turnaround points it was a long straight mind numbing slog. I started off at a reasonable pace, got settled into rythym and plodded along the canal counting down the Km markers and working out how long before I’d be passing back this way. Being off the bike an hour earlier than usual meant there were many more speedy people over taking me, but there was the occasional person to shuffle past. Grabbed something at each aid station along the way, and very glad to get up to the lock and off the tow path for some more varied terrain and much appreciated support. Got dizzy going around all the corners and roundabouts at the far end in Schwand, but started to see a few Pirates coming the other way and reeling me in. No way Bassy was going to let me across the finish line first !
Back out of town and onto the tow path, only it was even longer this time. Looking at the splits I was clearly sleep walking along this bit. It was long, it was hot, I wasn’t a happy bunny, but at least nothing hurt. Felt a bit bloated but knew from the rich mahogany colour of my frequent pee stops that I was dehydrated, so forced down a drink at each aid station. Down the tow path, into the detour at Roth past Artic Chicken’s sherpas, and out again for more of the same down to Eckersmuhlen. By now the K markers were getting bigger, and end was at least metaphorically in sight, and my pace and spirits started to pick up. More pee stops, more caffeine gels, and stopped about 4 times in all to get stones out of my shoes. But, feeling good going over the bridge and back, and passed more friendly faces. Min snuck past while I was in the portaloo !
The lure of the finish line got me going, once you get to 30k’s it’s just a cheeky 10k to the finish. I picked up the pace, had my last caffeine gels, and pushed on up the bloody tow path again, into Roth, the forest bit, T2 and towards the old town. What a great build up to the finish line itself, the crowd support was just fantastic, it was the fastest I’d run all day and I was fighting back tears more than once after that day I’d had. Only 2-3k’s to go, and I was just floating along reeling people in and generally showboating.
Part race or not, an IM finish chute is an awesome place to be, especially with a bunch of Pirates hooting and hollering. Ran around the corner, had to push past the entire Brady Bunch to get a clear run at the line , and went over for a 5:04 PB marathon. Staggered off the finishers area for an alcohol free Erdinger or two, and caught up with some deservedly very happy Pirates. Grazed, shat, showered and having failed to convince the ComputerMeister they needed to score me a DNF not a 12:15 PB, gave up and went over to the stands to join the support.
It was a great day, even if not the result I came for, and I’m gutted for the others who gave it their best shot but didn’t quite get there for one reason or another.
I’ll take the easy way out and thank everyone - racers, Sherpas, and ring ins, too many to mention. Not just for another great weekend away, but for getting me off my arse years ago and into this crazy sport, and for all the laughs, beers, and bollockings along the way. Will have to kick off a Pirates franchise in Oz or retire !
I don’t think anyone ever stops learning in IM, and never having taken it too seriously, I still have *loads* to learn and hopefully remember. A few statements of the bleeding obvious on risk reduction then ….
- Good gear helps. I was still running the Maxxis Xenith tyres and cheap Chinese tubes the bike came with last year, foolishly assuming a bike with an £2300 RRP would come with some decent rubber. *Maybe* better rubber would have prevented or lessened the problem. Maybe.
- Good gear still needs looking after. Pablo’s pump *may* have been a bit fast and loose with the PSI readings, but there was plenty of time to borrow another one to be sure.
- Know the course and the rules. Apart from being penalised for premature wettie removal, I didn’t know where bike service points were, and therefore how far I might have to ride/walk to it. It was closer than I thought, less than 10 miles, and had I known I would have risked riding. I also thought there were 4 mobile units so they’d be along soon, when it was 2 mobile and 2 fixed. Never occurred to me to stop a marshal to ask though …. brain fade ….
- Don’t rely on (or believe) others. I thought it was odd that the first marshal refused to help at all, but hey, Chermans love their rules. Next time I would hassle every passing marshal until they helped me or DQ’d me - I’m a paying customer !
- Be prepared. Most people never carry spare tyres (clinchers anyway), but I now have a tyre ‘boot’ for emergency repairs. A copy of the course map would have helped, as would some cash to persuade the locals who offered me tubes and puncture kits to part with a tyre. Rather be DQ’d for outside assistance than DNF’d. If you’re really anal, carry a phone and the organiser’s numbers and call them yourself !
There endeth the lesson ....
Does it start with how nice your taxi drivers are, and how you're actually going to the race briefing this time?
Seriously though - great report, and um, don't move back to Oz, we might actually miss you!
Can you make some notes for me as well, maybe we can do race info pack guessing games on the drive up ?
Kanga- great report mate and a few lessons to learn there that we shall all put in the memory bank. And full marks for carrying on. I'm sure the CBA mode was immense.
is this a pebble kind of retirement or just a bit of a rest like mine?
This happened to me too. The sponge inside my bike helmet and my padded aero bars were lovely and wet on Sunday morning!
lol HH.