Two years ago I stood in the Mall. Next to me were 2 people one was Emma she had the biggest grin I have ever seen on her face. The other was a friend who looked so ill and so pale that everyone else around him was extremely worried. Apart from both having finished FLM. They both had something else in common; they had both set out and achieved something that had set out to do. One was to run her first marathon, the other was to run 3:30 and qualify for Comrades. The only reason I mention this is that I spent 13:19:04 yesterday doing my second ‘ironman distance’ triathlon. And most of the time was spent thinking about this friend and his belief in being as good as you can be, and the above story was just one that popped in to my head. Following events last May I lost all interest in running, not good when your training for an ironman, but a little voice in my head just kept say. You’re not going to quit are you? People like us don’t quit.
So some how I found myself at the start line….
SWIM (2.4miles) 1:06HR
There is never too much to say about the swim. You squeeze in to your wet suit and off you go. I had the usual couple of people swim over the top of me and the odd kick in the ribs. But once the start is out of the way you get in to the swing of things and get a rhythm going, then you just have to think, this is the only work my arms have to do all day.
BIKE (112miles) 8:14HR
On to the bike and off we go, up hill and down hill and then up hill again and up some more hills. I was really enjoying myself. Till 45 miles when cramp started in my quads. Then it all started to go wrong. By 67miles I was ready to quit. I was angry and fed up and so so annoyed, but then that little voice starts again. “Just up and over the next hill keep going over the top.” you can’t stop now that is not what we do”. So I plodded on after a few more miles and I few harsh words I was at the bottom of the last hill. My phone rang and it was Paul. “Where are you, were all waiting at T2 hurry up” after the call I notice a few text I had missed all from club members wishing me well. That was the final bit of encouragement I need (thank you). As I came in to T2 I was thinking. “I know I can run so let’s get out there and run”
RUN (26.2miles) 3:59HR
5 laps of what can only be described as off road running. I like laps you just break down the lap and tick it all off in your head. Each time I came out on the field at the end of each lap I was greeted by a cheering and shouting support team (thank you Jo, Bellie, Lolo, Paul, Angie, Phil and Millie). By the third lap I was starting to enjoy myself, chatting to the other runners thanking the supports and stopping briefly to drink a can of Stella from and ‘fellow pirate” as I started the last lap, Paul appeared in his running gear to accompany me on the last lap, something he did for my last ironman and has now become a tradition. (Paul, thank you for travelling a 120 mile round trip. just to run a very slow 5 mile!!) it’s funny how the last mile just flies by and how you get that adrenaline rush which speeds you up as I came in to the home straight I was met by Bell and Lolo and we crossed the line together. And I’m not ashamed to say I cried not for the first time.
13hr 19mins - a PB by 21mins (in truth it turned out to be a rather short course). And as I lay in my tent on Saturday night that voice reappeared with the only words I would expect to here having pushed myself so much.
