Outlaw Triathlon 2010 - Race Report

Last weekend the time had finally arrived to make my way to Nottingham to take part in my first Ironman-distance triathlon - the inaugural Outlaw. It had been well over a year since I first committed myself to this challenge and at the time it seemed near impossible given my then level of fitness. I was very happy therefore to make the start line feeling that I'd done enough to have a realistic chance of finishing and even to be feeling that a sub-13 hour time was a possibility if I had a good day.

On arriving at the Holme Pierrepont venue on the Saturday, I was immediately struck with what a great job the organisers had done putting this event together. Race registration, the race briefing and both transitions were in the same location (in contrast to many races I read about) and the camp site was literally a few minutes walk away. The atmosphere was already building with the open water swim event and nervous anticipation was in the air. I was sure that this was going to be a great event.

Em and I were joined on the camp site by my sister and brother-in-law who had come for the full weekend. My parents and nephew joined the next day to form my support team - "Team Blob". My sister had even made T-shirts for everyone, which were fantastic even if they did sport the two most embarrassing pictures of me she could find. It was brilliant to have their support on the day and I felt really lucky to have such a supportive family. I couldn't let them down so the pressure was now really on to do myself justice!

The 6am start made for a very early rise to allow breakfast at 3:30am. By 5:30am I was adding my nutrition and bottles to my bike (which had been left in the transition area over night) adding the last few bits and pieces to my swim-bike and bike-run transition bags and donning the wet-suit. The waiting was over - it was time to find out if I had what it takes to become an ironman.

The Swim

There were close to 900 entrants for the race, 743 of which made it to the start line and everyone of us would start at the same time. All the triathlons I've done previously have been waved starts so this was my first experience of a mass swim start. The atmosphere was great with impromptu chanting and applause followed by the hooter - we were off.

Now I've taken a few knocks before on open-water swim starts but nothing like this. There were swimmers everywhere trying to find a bit of water and lots of jostling. My goggle strap was flicked off the back of my head, my watch kicked off (never to be seen again) and I took a number of punches and kicks. At one stage I was trapped between two swimmers and was punched 3 times in the jaw on consecutive strokes. By the time things started to settle down a bit I felt like I'd had the shit beaten out of me but it was strangely great fun. The other difficulty was the weed, which was very thick in places and literally stopped my stroking arm dead. Despite these issues I established a good strong rhythm for most of the swim and posted a 1:08 PB over the 2.4 mile distance. A good, solid start.

The Bike

The transition tent had semi-private changing areas for male and female athletes and I'd decided therefore to do a full change in T1 to my bib-shorts and cycling top. This slowed me down a little but it wasn't long before I was out on to the bike course. I took on a lot of water and settled into an easy rhythm. There were a few quotes I'd kept in mind for the bike:

"The number 1 statement after a well-paced Ironman is - I could have gone quicker on the bike", Gordo Byrn, Endurance Corner

"The bike leg for a first time Ironman should be the easiest 100+ miles you've rode all year", tritalk forum

My plan therefore was to take the bike steady to make sure I had enough in the tank for the marathon. I knew from my reccie's that the 3-lap bike course was not massively hilly but was not flat either, there were several short, sharp hills and longer drags. It was also very exposed and the wind had been an issue. I had planned therefore for an average speed of 16 to 16.5mph to give me a sub-7 hour bike. However, on the day the wind conditions were more favourable and I felt strong after peaking for the Etape and then tapering. I was able therefore to maintain a higher average speed while not feeling that I was taking myself out of zone.

My average speed was around 19.2mph when I first checked and I decided not to back off. By 60 miles however I was feeling some fatigue and wondering if I'd made the right choice. At 100 miles the computer showed 5hrs 14 mins - a PB over this distance (helped by the excellent volunteers who handed full bottles out as we raced by at 20mph) rather than the easiest of the year. Oooops. By the end of the bike my average speed had remained 19.2mph but the fatigue had set in and I began to wonder how the hell I was going to run a marathon. I chastised myself for making the typical rookie mistake as I rolled back to the transition area to the cheers from Team Blob.

The Run

Another full change and I was out on the run wondering how big a price I was going to pay. I stopped at a portaloo to relieve myself within the first mile and quickly tensed my hamstrings to see how they were doing. The right one immediately spasmed and I was locked in a pose with my head against one wall, spasming leg against the other while trying to direct my pee. Thank god no-one walked in to the unlocked portaloo at that point.

I wasn't feeling good in the first few miles of the run as along with the hamstring issue, I also felt a bit sick and developed a stitch. I'd eaten 7 large Nakd bars for nutrition on the bike, which give a good carb hit with the added advantage of being natural but they probably laid a bit too heavy on my stomach. I think I'd go for more gels if I had the choice again. Thankfully, however things began to improve.

The feed stations on the 3-lap run were regularly placed with a maximum of 1.7 miles between them. My plan therefore was to run between each one and stop/walk for a few seconds at each to make sure I took on fluid and nutrition when my stomach would allow. This allowed me to mentally beak the run down and target just the next feed station.

Soon after the turn of the first lap, I saw my mate Bob who was probably 5 minutes or so behind. He'd had a storming 56 minute swim but I'd overtaken him on the final lap of the bike. He was looking quite strong and I wondered if he was going to have his revenge on the run. This was no time to be thinking of racing however, I needed to pace myself. "Just get to the next feed station".

As the lap was completed, I could see other competitors finishing and I had to shut out dreams of taking the finishing chute rather than starting another lap "Just get to the next feed station". I began to count them down, just 3 to go, just 2, just 1 and I was on the home straight. Em jogged the last few hundred metres with me and told me how proud she was. The crowds cheered as I entered the finishing chute and my family were in the stand cheering away. I held my arms in the air and took the finishing tape to the sound of "YOU ARE AN OUTLAW!" and to the sight of the clock reading 11:53! I'd done it, I was an ironman.

A huge thankyou to my family for being awesome supporters and to my sister for the fantastic T-shirts. Special thanks to my wife Em who has put up with a lot during this journey. Although she laughed when I first said I was going to do an Ironman, she has been right behind me when she realised I was serious. As an amateur athlete herself, it's been particularly difficult for her to see me ramping up my training as she has had to scale hers down for other reasons (we are expecting our first child in January). I suspect payback time might come soon!

The Event

This was genuinely a great event and comes highly recommended. The organisers had put a lot of thought in to making the whole experience as streamlined as possible for competitors and spectators alike. Having both transitions in the same area gave a real focus for supporters and it was great to have their help as I hauled myself around the run. They also laid on free buses out to the bike course. The local community also seemed to really get behind the event, there was great support throughout the bike and run course. Being the first running there were inevitable minor teething troubles (the live sms updates didn't work, there weren't enough loos on the run course, the race briefing room was too small and the weeds were an issue on the swim), however all of these are easily solved and I'm sure this event is set to become a real favourite on the triathlon calendar.

My Splits

Swim: 1:08:24

Bike: 5:50:00

Run: 4:41:41

T1: 0:07:11

T2: 0:05:57

Overall: 11:53:17