Ironman UK

This was my second time doing IMUK (first in 2011) and second Ironman in four weeks. I was eager to race but really unsure how I would perform. I was confident about the swim. I was aimimg to draft and conserve energy for the rest of the race. The bike worried me as it is quite a hilly / undulating course and my bike training had consisted of frequent 60-90 minute turbo sessions, training that I reckoned I could get away with for flat bike courses, but perhaps not for this type of course. I was looking forward to the run most of all. My last 12 miles of The Outlaw run had been strong and I'd managed to do a couple of 2hr training runs since then too.

Katy & Kim ran in the Ironkids races on Saturday, a great experience for us all. Big time race atmosphere and occasion for the girls, not to mention their very first medal.

Up at 3am for a couple of porridge pots and a coffee. I arrived at transition a little too early (4.30am) so just hung around for a bit in the rain taking in the scene.

Swim

Following the wet of the early hours, it was now turning into a lovely morning, with the sun shining and the clouds parting. An uplifting and morale boosting setting to start race day. I positioned myself towards the front, slightly behind a couple of other swimmers. The gun went. I promptly got bashed. An aggressive race then eh? If that's the way you want it, then lets do it!

I began quick, controlled, but quick. I soon passed the guys around me and entered some empty water. I slowed a little and swam alone for a while, concentrating on technique, then spotted a bit of white water to my left. Quick decision to make. Draft-free swim without much contact / fighting but using my own energies or aim left, get stuck in, follow others and have an easier swim. Left, go left! I then followed somebody's toes for most of the first lap until I lost concentration, got a bit close and got a hard kick to my nose. Ouch that hurt! After a quick rub of the nose, I overtook that guy and found myself at the front of the group so put my head down and made an effort to catch the guy ahead, about 20m in front. 

Out of the water, ran through some huge crowds, spotted the clock saying 24 minutes then jumped back into the water for the last lap, still trying to catch the guy in front. Caught him. I then settled in and  prepared myself for another draft. Losing concentration again wasn't part of the plan though. Whilst everyone else swam in a straight line heading for the first turn buoy, I went wildly off course. This has never happened before so took me by surprise. I was miles away. The guys in the canoes must have wondered what on earth I was doing! I refocused and headed back to the swim course. By this time a few of the swimmers behind had gone past me, including the first female pro. I swam in amongst a group of 8 or so swimmers before I swallowed some water (and tried to vomit for the next 50m) until I stopped and treaded water for a moment. This was turning into a comedy of errors! Once again, regaining composure, I picked up my pace and passed a few of the bunch, swimming alongside (clashing arms and generally bumping into) one of the male professionals for the next 800m!

After an incident-packed, mistake-laden swim, I exited the swim in 19th position (2nd in age group) in 52.40. 

Bike

Through transition and out onto the bike, my aim was to do a bike split that I 'should' - controlled, leaving some energy in the tank for the run, rather than a bike split that I 'could' - a bike split I'd be proud of but nothing left in the legs. 

This began with taking the first section 'steady', holding back and riding easy. Then came Sheephouse Lane, and the first of three times up 'the hill'. This seemed harder than it should have been! I didn't have any real power in my legs. Oh dear! This could be a long bike! Up and over the hill, down the pot holed descent, back up another hill then onto a super-fast, super fun section of the course! Towards the end of this section, clubmate and friend Gregg Jones pulled up alongside, we had a quick chat and then he zoomed off. Then I saw something pretty bizarre. A guy in front of me suddenly stopped, abandoned his bike at the roadside, pulled down his shorts and squatted, reaching for some leaves to 'clean' himself. Dude! Go behind the bushes if you have to go! Back to the bike course and the back end of each loop was undulating, slowing my pace down, and into a headwind (which increased in strength as the morning wore on). This was not going to be a fast bike split.

Nutrition on the bike was different than my last few races. Out went the Zipvit caffeine gels, in came the PowerBar gels (strawberry & banana) every 30 minutes. With my recent history of stomach issues and vomiting during races, I opted for the less is more approach, with just gels plus water, rather than adding energy drink too. My something-new-on-race-day was some salt stick electrolyte tablets. All of this seemed to work as I had no stomach issues all day and I was also able to wet my shoes a few times!

Support out on the bike course was good, with lots of locals out cheering. Spotted a few MerseyTri guys out there including Paddy (he's everywhere isn't he?), Peter Roome & Paul McNally. Had some super cheers from Andy Holgate and the COLT triathlon guys on one of the hills out on the course & Nick Rose, who could spot my pain & tiredness out there.

On the last lap of the bike I was resigned to a 6+ hour bike time. I was also pretty tired, despite riding steady all day. Perhaps The Outlaw was still in my legs, perhaps it was the lack of long bike rides in training, perhaps the headwind, perhaps I'd undercooked my nutrition. Whatever it was, I decided not to push it and to ride easy for the remaining loop, telling myself not to worry because I was going to stay strong on the run.

I finished the bike in a humbling 6.13.

Run

Into transition and hobbled off the bike. First person I see? Gregg. With my bike split I thought Gregg would have been miles ahead. This made me happier about my own bike performance. Maybe everybody found the bike as tough as I did? We said a quick hello, both grunted something about how tough the bike was and then Gregg ran out of transition whilst I sat down and put fresh socks and my run shoes on. 

I grabbed a Mars bar and a bottle of coke from my transition bag - another new nutrition strategy - and then tried to get my legs moving again for the run. Easier said than done. They were stiff. I concentrated on keeping my pace slow, at a pace I was confident I could maintain. My race goal was sub-4hrs, as close to 3.45 as possible, and to run strong throughout the whole marathon, avoiding any blow-ups. I nibbled on the Mars bar for the first few k and took a few sips of coke. I started to feel quite good. Well, not too bad anyway. I looked at my HR monitor and noticed the numbers creeping up. I slowed down and my HR dropped into the 140's. That's better. I kept telling myself that I could run all day at this pace / intensity.

I was now 10k into the run and I hadn't spotted Gregg yet. I was pleased with this. I wanted him to have a good run, after his disappointment five weeks ago in Austria, with us racing together for the last 10k (with me edging him out in a sprint finish of course!). The loneliness of the first section of the run was soon forgotten when I reached the lap section of the course. Crowds. Noise. Other athletes. Excitement! Almost immediately I heard my first shouts of "Go Bryan". Thanks Tarja! This was more like it! At the turnaround point at the top of the course I caught up with Gregg. I said something positive like "looking good Gregg", to which he just grumbled "I need the toilet", as he hobbled over to the portaloo. I left him to it. 

I then made my way back into town where I was hoping to see Lynn & the girls. They didn't disappoint. They were waiting at the bottom of the big hill, arms waving and in full voice. I stopped and gave them all a big kiss. I was in my element, feeling good on the run and seeing the girls really enjoying themselves. My brother Liam, his wife Karen and their son Charlie were there too as was our friend Nicola and her daughter Lillie. That's a serious cheer squad. Add in some club mates such as big Steve, Will, Tarja, Stuart & Paddy (again!) who were out on the course cheering and I had some super support out there.

I managed to maintain a decent run pace, only disrupted by the aid stations where I would pick up a coke and water and walk through them, a couple of toilet stops, a couple of hug and kiss stops with Lynn & the girls and then the big hill coming out of town which I decided to walk up on each lap. At one point, for a 2k stretch, I was running with the female pro who was in 2nd place (1 lap ahead of me), flying along, until I realised I was probably running a bit faster than I should. After about 22k of feeling pretty comfortable I started to feel my energy wane, and the effort required to run at my steady pace was increasing. 

Everybody reaches this point on the Ironman run. The key, I now realise, is how you react. In most of my races, I've taken the 'easy' way out. I've told myself it's really hard (which it was) and then slowed right down, often walking a lot more than I should (or needed to). Of the 7 Ironman races I'd done before today I'd only run under 4hrs twice. The first time was 3.29 and the second was a 3.59. Other races were between 4.03 and 4.34. My last race, The Outlaw, taught me that I was mentally (and physically) stronger than that, running a fantastic back end of a marathon - a 1.38 for the last 11.5 miles of the race after a vomit induced 2.31 for the first 14.7 miles! 

I had been telling myself and others that I was going to run strong so that was exactly what I was going to do. My reaction to the fatigue and the increased effort it was taking to run at my pace was to keep believing in myself, to dig a bit deeper, to be sensible with nutrition (including an emergency Snickers!), to smile. I decided to enjoy the moment, not be swallowed up by it. I slowed a little going up the hill to the turnaround but then increased the pace coming down into town. The decision to take on the run was liberating. I felt in control. I was passing so many people. I was actually racing. The last few k's in an Ironman, when I'm usually on the floor, and I'm racing! Unbelievably, the last 10k of the run was my quickest of the race! 

I finished the run in 3.52. I was delighted. I was so focused on running well that I didn't even notice my finish time. I had to ask the guy who finished 5 seconds in front of me what time we did! For the record it was 11 hours and seven minutes.

From the 1600 athletes, I came in 155th overall (28th in age group).

Post Race

This was my second Ironman in 4 weeks, following The Outlaw on 7th July. I still don't know if that was good or bad. The bike was tougher than it should have been, but that might have had nothing to do with my last race. I wouldn't be put off doing two races that close together in the future.

I was really pleased with my run. The time was good for me, but my approach to it, my pacing and my in-race decisions were most satisfying. And it was enjoyable. I realise that to run a 3.30 marathon, you have to run quicker than 5 minutes per k. Most of my running was done at this sort of pace but once you factor in toilet breaks, aid stations, walking up steep hills, hugging and kissing, you really need to be running at 4.45 or less per k.

Positives from that race included a new race nutrition strategy and finally being aware that the key to a stronger run is to keep pushing, to stay mentally 'strong', not giving in even when it's a whole lot easier to slow down.

Despite the big life changer of adopting three little girls in March, I managed to race two Ironman events this year. That's a lot of life-balancing to do. Credit - and thanks - goes to Lynn for supporting me to continue my training and enable me to compete in this crazy sport.

That's more than likely my last race of the season. I've nothing planned for next year yet but I am sure Ironman will feature strongly in the Riley household in 2014.