Cougie, the cut off for Longest Day is 2hrs swim, 10hrs then to complete bike & swim and overall is 15hrs 30mins. Dont know if all Ironman's have the same cut off's though.
Thanks all for the great messages, glad some of you were able to keep in touch with the action a little.
Overall, as JJ relayed, I was delighted with the day. It was just as hard as I knew it would be, many times on the run I thought I couldn't run another step but somehow like everyone else around you just keep going.
Strangely my run time was comparatively my worst of the three disciplines, with my swim being the strongest, strange when I always reagrd running as my strength and swimming as my weakness.
Very pleased with 65 mins for the swim even though I lost a couple of mins on the second lap after my goggles were knocked out of place and I had to keep stopping as they were leaking. Ended the swimwith a swollen left eye from all the sea water. Strangely out of 800 competitors myself and four teammates came out of the swim within fifteen seconds of each other so had a good chat in T1.
Bike was great. I had been thinking 6 hours was a possibility but looking at the times after, people qualifying for Hawaii were doing 6 hr splits so that was over ambitious, but the hills felt great, all the Nice mountain training paid off and 6.24 left me just the run to think about.
What can I say about the run? The best way to describe it is if anyone has hit the wall at 21 miles in a marathon then that is how you feel at the start of the IM marathon. It just doesn't seem possible, especially in that heat with no shade. Still it was a painful 4 hours, but I got there in the end and it feels great crossing the line.
Straight to the 'field hospital' for the saline. Can't remember who suggested that but it was a great tip. Nodded off for 20 mins during the drip and felt 100% better when I woke up. Got changed and headed off in search of a first beer.
Watched the rest of the finishers coming in from a beachfront restaurant including the last guy just before the midnight cut off, and then spent all Sunday afternoon in the Spanking Monkey celebrating a friend's Hawaii qualification. Ended up trawling the (rubbish) nightclubs for a 5am finish and one hour's sleep, before packing, checking out and heading to the airport yesterday afternoon.
Sat in the seat behind Nick Kinsey on the plane (the age grouper mentioned earlier). he came eighteenth and seemed like a nice bloke, gave my mate a few Hawaii tips. For my part, I just slept the whole way back.
Trip to France has been delayed by a day so a good chance today to sort myself and my bike out!
well done Mr Melik sah - great show - did Stevo and Bass do it as well? saw Emmie on the ladies results - looks like she had a bad run though looking at her time??
Comments
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Mmmmm - saline. Surely he should have just drunk more seawater on the swim - would that be the same ?
right pleased i am
and feeling all inspired too.
nice one richard
Playing golf.
Pah.
;o)
:-)
))
Perhaps we should be watching Austria even more closely!
Nice party afterwards?
Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
Overall, as JJ relayed, I was delighted with the day. It was just as hard as I knew it would be, many times on the run I thought I couldn't run another step but somehow like everyone else around you just keep going.
Strangely my run time was comparatively my worst of the three disciplines, with my swim being the strongest, strange when I always reagrd running as my strength and swimming as my weakness.
Very pleased with 65 mins for the swim even though I lost a couple of mins on the second lap after my goggles were knocked out of place and I had to keep stopping as they were leaking. Ended the swimwith a swollen left eye from all the sea water. Strangely out of 800 competitors myself and four teammates came out of the swim within fifteen seconds of each other so had a good chat in T1.
Bike was great. I had been thinking 6 hours was a possibility but looking at the times after, people qualifying for Hawaii were doing 6 hr splits so that was over ambitious, but the hills felt great, all the Nice mountain training paid off and 6.24 left me just the run to think about.
What can I say about the run? The best way to describe it is if anyone has hit the wall at 21 miles in a marathon then that is how you feel at the start of the IM marathon. It just doesn't seem possible, especially in that heat with no shade. Still it was a painful 4 hours, but I got there in the end and it feels great crossing the line.
Straight to the 'field hospital' for the saline. Can't remember who suggested that but it was a great tip. Nodded off for 20 mins during the drip and felt 100% better when I woke up. Got changed and headed off in search of a first beer.
Watched the rest of the finishers coming in from a beachfront restaurant including the last guy just before the midnight cut off, and then spent all Sunday afternoon in the Spanking Monkey celebrating a friend's Hawaii qualification. Ended up trawling the (rubbish) nightclubs for a 5am finish and one hour's sleep, before packing, checking out and heading to the airport yesterday afternoon.
Sat in the seat behind Nick Kinsey on the plane (the age grouper mentioned earlier). he came eighteenth and seemed like a nice bloke, gave my mate a few Hawaii tips. For my part, I just slept the whole way back.
Trip to France has been delayed by a day so a good chance today to sort myself and my bike out!
heehee
glad I'm a girlie.
Good one Rich! Very impressed!!!
Richard, a serious question: Is it really the hardest? or at least, is it the hardest you've done?
I may do that 3 Day Ironman in Belfast