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Ironman Wales 2011
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That, was amazing IMW did Wales proud, I loved it!
Well done to all the guys that completed it, and so sorry for those that were unable, there are a lot of DNFs in the results.
Support was amazing throughout and thanks to the volunteers. I had a friend and my daughter with me who were working in transition. The friend now has blisters on her feet and the daughter has a bad back! Think we got of lightly
James did your toe nail come off in your fall, my daughter was talking to someone who'd come off and was all bloody and toenail less in transition... ?
I'm the one wearing an orange hat!
http://www.youtube.com/user/theclubdog
Well done all Pirates! Taking part and supporting, wether that was at the roadside or on line. Great spreadsheet PSC.
I haven't done an IM before so I do not have any other courses to compare it to, for me it was brutal. Full race report to follow in the next few days but for now...
Thanks for great Welsh support all over the place – out of the swim, on the bike in the towns, sides of the roads (people pulling out chairs to wave us by) and aid station crews. There are always naysayers and grumps, it is nasty when those folks turn to cruel methods but were by far the minority and overwhelmed by the 'not so silent' majority. I heard locals both before and after saying how great it was to have this event and was warmly greeted all over town. Hats off to the Welsh.
Hats off to the RNLI, in these PC times, for working ahead with IMW to have a planB in place and give it the nod to proceed. I am a paid up member of the RNLI fan club.
Thanks to the Pirate Masssive, I don't know you all but I got to meet a few. It was great to share the first timer experience on the PSOF, it made a big difference. Special thanks to RBM for being a voice of calm & reason through the journey (much appreciated), FB ditto for experienced words and for lending me the Pirate Trisuit.
Thanks also for farmers hedges, no punctures, the clouds clearing for Ironkids (quite amazing how we got that break) and that the weather wasn't as windy as it was on Monday
or for the uncut version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NteyuYGXzmk&feature=related
Designed and created by Garr and Little Rascal on the beach at Saundersfoot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=TbzUJ8Wgxy4
Pirate at 5:07
Well done everyone, sounds like a real toughie!
Looking forward to the race reports
Swim - loved it, no traffic, felt empty, heading into the waves was fun!
Bike - tough, very tough. Wind, more wind. 1900m of climbing? - every m had to be climbed on this course, unlike regensburg..... I was 50 mins slower with the same fitness....
Run - wtf, more hills, more wind....then ig got cold and very rainy
Support - second to none - both from the pirate support and literally
hundreds of others - everyone now knows the pirates, and we get such great support from all!
Race org - great! - So glad it came off for the organisers....
v tough race for the pirate novices, (you must have been mad to choose this as a intro!)
oh and meldy - I read back..... how old do you think I am....?
Now go celebrate with piratey abandon. Personally I think I'll stick to the "easy" Ironman races for now.
For all those newbies, take that IMW experience and treble it for Outlaw .... its going to be party central !!!
OC, which ever way I formed that sentance it came out wrong! I am not sure what age bracket I put you in but it was still a surprise !!!
As a newbie not in pirate gear I have to say that the pirate supporters were brilliant and returned a brilliant aaaaaarrrrghhh on the big climbs. Sorry I didn't get to catch up with many of you but did introduce myself to Ridgeback at the swim start, and then had a bit of a chat as he ran past me on the run, looking fresh as a daisy!, shouted a few words to FB on the run and had a brief chat with Crab when I caught him on the run, but then he was laps up at this point! Wish I had been organised enough to get the gear.
As a newbie who nobody really knows I won't bother with a race report other than to say I was pleased with the result, but didn't manage to enjoy much of that run - it was a bloody hard day on a hard course (but then I have little to compare it too as an IM virgin). Well done to all.
Hopefully see more of you next year around the UK. No concrete plans yet but the Outlaw is a possibility (amazing what a couple of days does - there was no bloody way I was ever doing another bloody IM on Sunday night!)
http://www.finisherpix.com/recent_events.html?&pcevent=0077
http://ironman.com/events/ironman/wales/a-sprint-to-the-finish-nets-jurkiewicz-the-mens-win-in-wales?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+ironman/topstories+(Ironman.com+Top+Stories)#axzz1XoLB5Xdu
Friday
well here we go IM Wales race report
Travelled up from sunny Cornwall to Tenby on the Friday, Regestration was well organised and was pleased to bump into pirate faces old and new (Clear Link, Joddly, Slagiat and Seren to name a few) disclimer if Imet you and have forgotten to mention you in this report its because pre race under my calm exterior I am a gibbering, babbling wreck
) It was good to meet my old mate Emma who was doing the MCing all weekend she is a right bundle of energy, I met her again on the Monday and she could hardly talk
we were staying at a caravan park at Pendean Sands quite a way from Tenby so by the time we got settled in and my bruv (MK Snail) arrived it was a bit late for the pasta party so we removed ourselves from all the hype and testosterone and had a nice meal (mhooosive mixed grill) at the local pub very nice food served by possibly the most miserable woman on earth the food was great though so we left a £10 tip and heard her loudly complain that we hadnt given her much of a tip 
had some gd banter with some of the locals though. I wuld just like to say that throughout the stay all the people we met couldnt have been nicer and seemed realy aware and up for the event Tenby and the surrounding villages did themselves proud and I have a feeling that this event is goung to be a must do on the IM circuit
The weather over the weekend was the constant elephant in the room laying in the caravan ( a BIG 8 berther while it steadily rocked in the wind and the rain flung itself against the windows was beginning to jangle all our nerves.
Saturday
We (well i was up early) so got the team breakfast on the go, we decided to bin the practice swim a Tenby and get on top of our swim nerves by swimming in the white water and surf at Pendean there was some big stuff coming in, and while it was a real hoot i was thinking what if its 2 miles of this
Off into Tenby for carbo loading (fish and chips
) Rack the bikes and bags (I always find this seems to calm me and resign myself to my fate 
) same this time as soon as I had racked I felt really at ease especially as they had moved the swim. Game on!
Race breif was the usual, nice to meet
Admiral there loking quietly confident
then it was back to the carvan for some feet up time and dits of IMs past with my mates, again another disturbed night with the caravan realy getting a pounding wind and rain wise hats off to all you campers out there!
Sunday
Got to Tenby checked the bike, wetsuit on and down to the beach I was amazed at how many spectators had turned up this was going to be no stuffy we are not interested Shereborne
stood on the beach and amazingly saw Joddly who was (hope she will not mind me sayin this) having a pre swim emotional wobble (more on her swim later
). The welsh anthem was a great and moving touch then it was off, yes off down the feckin bech for a 1/4 mile run for half the swim shy tw@ts
got straight in and got stuck in to the task in hand lked over and was pleased to see that getting straight out was leaving the "waders" far behind a really nice if not a little bit lumpy swim followed the return legs something was flowing cause the bouys wer flying up and spookily going back up didnt feel such a struggle either stod up at the swim exit right next t my fish like training partner Ally with a PB IM swim of 1:12 wher the hell did that come from
the run up to T1 was gerat lots of support I hope they keep the swim there it was great for the spectators and atheletes both into T1 and a quick chat with the mighty FB and that maroonish???
beard before getting on the bike and out through the sea of spectators, tried not to overcok the start but the enthusiasm of the crowd got to me I was flying, easy tiger! took the foot off the gas and settled in for a long brutal and windy bike.