Race
Report By Eric ‘the eel’ Downey
Friday
6th September
After
6 months of preparation the time to pack my new ‘Ironman’ Kit bag was upon
me! I was startled that I managed
to pack all my kit into this spacious bag.
Seven of us from the club were mad enough to do this event (Simon A,
Rich, Jer, Chris, Steve P, Lee and I, we managed to gain a body from Avis-Tri to
make it a round 8, Rob Barker). Most of us met up at the Kingswood Tri Club
Mecca of Rich James’ house, our departure was some what delayed by Jer’s
poor excuse of “I was welding the bikeracks to the back of my truck at 15:05
and then had to pack!”
Lee had been tasked to get a set of KIT polo shirts printed up and he was dishing them out. They were awesome and would definitely make an impact in Llanberis. Once all the gear/bikes were loaded into the two vehicles (Wayne was our other driver) we were off. After the 4.5hr journey we arrived, late evening, at a wet Llandudno Travel Lodge. Our first job was to get the receptionist to let us keep the bikes in the room, we let Rich tackle this task and he passed with flying colours!
Once the bikes and gear were unloaded into the rooms it was off to the bar for a swift drink! I think I was the only one who had a soft drink!!! Mind you I made up for it by having a gorgeous chicken burger, where all around me were jacket potatoes and salads. Jer had drawn up a table of KIT team to predict the finishing times and positions. This was a great idea and led to heated discussions as to how everybody would do!
Saturday
7th September
We
woke to yet more rain but I didn’t mind as I knew the more it rained today the
less it would rain tomorrow! (How
wrong I was!). Seven of us all trooped into breakfast wearing our new Polo
Shirts and they looked professional –
I was fined as I had yet to put mine on! (It was locked in Jer’s truck!).
After a hearty cooked breakfast it was off to Llanberis to register for the big event. I was shocked at how small the queue was; obviously a lot of people were running late.
We all looked in our race packs and were astounded to
find a nice pair of sunnies in there from Foster Grant. Wow! we were going to
look cool on our way round the event. Then
it was our chance to check out the Iron Man expo with all the over priced gear!
Most of us parted with a few pennies!!! There
was SIS drink on tap to help yourself!! We were exceptionally lucky that our
hotel was only 200m from the main centre of the event.
Then it was time to rack the bikes and get our bike and run kit into the
bags provided.
It
was very organised and very painless! Our
next job was to check out the tri course….We chose to check out the run first
and set off in the trucks up Pen Y Pass! When we got to the top
(a 200m climb in 6km’s) we all looked at each other and were astounded that
anybody could run up this after all what we had to do!
Then
it was down the other side of the mountain to the bike course to Capel Curig
this would be a fast section as it was generally downhill.
The trip round to Bethesda gave us some stunning scenery and beautiful
lakes. The course continued to Caernarfon then to Beddgelert.
This road followed yet more marvellous scenery, however the road
steepened and we were in for a long 3 to 4 mile drag up to Pen-Y-Gwryd.
This would be a killer! (see profile below)
Overall the bike course didn’t seem
as challenging as some of the training rides we had done!
I know this sounds sad but we have steep hills around Bristol!!
On
returning to Llanberis we headed back to Caernarfon
for our Pasta Party. Only a few
things to note – We were fed first and the table next to us with Bath
Amphibians were fed. I did have a
little tinge of sympathy – but it didn’t last long! However I did meet Jo
Beer! and saw Richard Allen! – The food was not worth describing!!
Sunday
8th September – Race Morning
After
a 5:30 breakfast of toast and cereal we set off to the start in the torrential
rain and dark! It was now I was
getting anxious about the overwhelming nature of the course! It is always so much easier in a car!
Lee
and I were in the first swim wave of 600 and we were late…. The announcer in
Transition was already calling the competitors to the water and we had yet to
pump our bike tyres and change into our wet suits! Rush Rush Rush. I just about managed to throw my dry kit over the fence to my
ever-supportive parents and rushed to the entrance to the water.
By this time I had lost Lee but would find him later in the water! The
heavens opened and I felt sorry for all the spectators in the dark trying to
pick out their loved ones in a sea of black neoprene and green swim hats!
I took the plunge into Lake Padarn and gasped at its “freshness”,
having being told it was warmer than last year. Yeah right!!
This
was my first mass start – Where should I start from??? The centre and get swum
over by the elite athletes or as instructed just off the centre line.
I chose the lesser of the 2 evils and positioned myself 1/3 into the
middle of the pack. With the
3-minute countdown in progress I didn’t need my heart rate monitor to tell me
it was over 150 bpm and I wasn’t doing anything! Then an oggy oggy oy went out
from my fellow competitors and then the air horn sounded and we were off!
There
was a flurry of arms and legs all around me and I just battled on as best I
could. I was hit a few times but nothing serious until it came time
to reach the 1st buoy and it became a little heated!!! The swim back
down the lake was more tranquil and I tried to lengthen my stroke as Dave
‘kick you bugger’ Hares had drilled into me! All too soon I saw the pontoon
out of the morning gloom and realised my swim was virtually over.
I was just getting into it and could have quite easily gone round again!
Running
out of the water I madly pulled at my wet suit to get my arms free. On shouting
out my number several times to bleary eyed ‘Iron Crew’ my bike kit bag was
thrown at me and I raced off to the transition tent along a very brutal woven
matt. It was still hammering it down with rain but generally mild
so I had did not bother with my rain coat, I had borrowed Riches arm warmers to
test out and thought they would only weigh me down as they got wet and so I
binned them back into the bag! Lee
was coming into the tent, as I was moving out.
He must have had a brilliant swim. All
this time the clock was ticking and I snatched my bike, almost getting on but
managed to stop myself in time as otherwise it would have been a 2-minute
penalty! With Lee just behind me I raced for the exit of the
transition.
I
spotted my parents waving furiously and taking pictures.
Then it was off on the very scenic bike course.
It rained continually on the way round and was cool to say the least on
the downhills - how I wished I had kept those arm warmers on!
I just peddled on to keep warm. I
did feel sorry for the number of people who punctured on the way round – the
route was supposed to have been swept 2 days earlier!
The first feed
station was a bit manic with discarded bottles everywhere and only Screw top SIS
bottles. These do NOT make good bike bottles at all! Once opened unless you
drink the entire contents immediately you are likely to lose it over your bike
and/or the road. I know I should have had an aero water bottle on my tri bars
but I didn’t!
The
big hill out of Beddgelert was not as horrific as I imagined, only long, with a
goat looking on with its head stuck in a fence which was a bit of a shock … A
special mention must go to the athlete who freed the goat! It was enjoyable
reading all the graffiti on the road as we were nearing the top as it kept you
going. I knew once at the top it would be a good steady down!
I was nearing half
way and I thought Lee should be up with me by now so I hoped he had not fallen
or punctured! I later heard that he fell within the first mile and was mad at
the other cyclist although he was very apologetic so Lee did not make an issue
of it.
Even in the
wet the views were marvellous and it would have been very rewarding to have had
a little stop at the passes to take it all in. Oh I forgot I was in an Ironman
Race and you can’t stop!
The signs for
Llanberis were getting closer and my back was telling me it was time for a
change. I had a good stretch and got out of the saddle to stretch the
legs.
On
entering transition it was great to unload the bike and get some dry kit on!
My feet were like blocks of ice! I had packed my running vest with Eric
‘the eel’ on it so I wasted a few extra seconds putting that on because I
thought of the extra support I would get going up that monster hill from the
spectators and the fellow mad athletes!
My
ever-supportive parents were still waving and cheering just outside the
transition area. It was great to see them again and all the ‘Go’ bars and
gels don’t give you near such an adrenalin boost!
After
an undulating start on the run the course gradually rose up unrelenting!
What made it worse was that the elite runners both Male and Female were
running toward the finish with me only a few miles into the race and they
didn’t looked knackered at all! The
top of Pen y Pass was a very welcome sight and I waved madly at the TV camera.
The trip back down was an immense relief and at least I could see where
the rest of the KIT team were. I
didn’t have long to wait as I saw Simon, Chris and Rich within a few minutes!
This gave me the added fuel for the fire and I pounded down the hill.
I passed Jerry, Rob and Lee a little further down the hill. 4 miles from the Finish I began to get pains in my left lower
leg and had to stop and stretch it out. Wayne
and Shayne
(Simon’s Partner) were a great help as were all the other runners wishing me
on and offering support. I struggled on a when I realised I only had a mile to
go before I got to Llanberis I summoned all my strength to make that final push
for the end. How wrong I was when I
realised we had to run past the finish line to the end of Llanberis and then up
the High Street! What a cruel sick
joke!
I
was in real pain! It was here that
Simon and Chris passed me lending me their support, which helped, but all I
wanted to do was finish! I was also
passed by Jo Beer and he told me to run backwards which I did for a short while
which helped
It would have been
better if we had had mile marker boards to show how far we had
gone as the 1st one we came across said 400m to finish which
may as well have said 400miles as it took 16 minutes for me to complete this
last mile.
It was an enormous
relief ‘hobbling’ over the finish line, raising enough energy for a final
smile and a wave for the official camera man as now I could collapse and call
myself a HALF IRON MAN.
I
was very proud to wear the Finishers T-shirt and medal.
My only struggle now was to walk, as I seemed to have lost that function! Great appreciation to my parents who acted as crutches as I
made my way to the physio tent via a wrong turn into the medical tent where one
of the patients on a drip exclaimed that I looked worse than he did!
Ta very much, mate…
After
a well-deserved massage by a lovely lady, I really didn’t want to leave but it
was back to the medical tent for some strong painkillers.
Shuffling/hopping very slowly back to the Hotel I was grateful for a warm
shower and a two greasy cheeseburgers and chips! Wayne and my Dad saved the day
by rescuing my bike and kit from the transition area!
No way could I have done that!
Llanberis
was an unforgettable experience all 5 hours and 17 minutes of it.
An extraordinary course, stunning surroundings, the water temperature
fine, the bike course with the road closures was well set out however the run
could have been a little flatter, then it would not be an Half Ironman Course.
It was incredible to see the amount of villagers sitting in doorways or
standing out in the pouring rain cheering and clapping all of the competitors as
we sped past. To all supporters, marshalls, police and the little cadets a huge
thank you, we all were very grateful.
A
massive thanks must go to all the KIT team for all their support both in
Llanberis and back in Bristol, my parents who travelled all the way up there and
obviously my beautiful wife, Katharine for putting up with me/ neglecting her on
all those training days/ evening’s. I
know I have some making up to do!
Well
the pain is still very real in my left ankle (still on crutches) and I have had
to take the last 4 days off work.
To
those whining about the rain, cold etc well you shouldn't be so thin get, some
lard on. See
you next year……. thanks for everything Llanberis...Bye!
Worthy note… from an
e-grouper
My
utmost respect goes out to all finishers on a really sh***y day, especially the
guy who came into the Expo field with his helmet in 3 pieces after crashing off
his bike on the way down from the turnaround. He had blood all over his head and
a massive bandage on his arm and he was after a replacement helmet - he got one
and was on his way again. The nice man from the big tent took his number and
said that he could pay later. Personally, for his efforts, I would have given it
to him.
Huge
thanks to the volunteers who operated in truly hideous conditions on Sunday
morning
From another e-grouper –
Ah! You're the "Eric" who had your name on your singlet! I was one of the group of (very loud) Scottish supporters (you may have seen our saltire) standing just before you went into the fenced-off area before the finish. We cheered you especially loud. I guess it's a good idea to have your name on your shirt. We were all impressed that you'd gone around the whole run course with what looked like a REALLY painful leg. - MEF