Brasschaat Photos

Photos of the race on Sunday......


Bike setup and not showing the nerves I'm really feeling. Check that tee shirt...

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Mayhem at the start, I'm on the nearside and I think I can see my stroke....just to left of nearest big buoy just above the bow of the boat.



Cammy the fish...I like that position, head down and the low arm shows I'm thinking about it. Feet high up in the water so I'm not dragging and hand closed. This is a few hundred metres from the end and I was really cruising. I could have done a victory lap after the swim I was so happy.

Showing the colours....they still all spoke to me in Flemish, must be a cycling thing.


40k and not out...aber noch eine runde...nuer fuer spass....naturlich(Once more round , just for fun of course)

Looking surprisingly fresh, my ribs had chucked it in about here.




The end, face showing the strain, I'd shed 3kg during the race. Arms and legs showing signs of a long day session. Might still have to shave those legs though.


The end of a long day and all I have is a big black bag and a tough session in the training bank and a bucketful of pride....

When asked why do you do this ?

The cardiovascular plus points of exercise are obvious and in general I feel much better for my activities. However there are other positive side benefits that may help avoid 'accidents'.....I don't think I can take their advice as our freezer is very small and usually full.

click here for BBC story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8124458.stm

Race times - Brasschaat 2009

Swim then bike then run.....

Pos Nr Name Age Time Gap Pos Name

Swim Leg
390. GBR 355 KENNEDY Campbell 42 57:39 +26:51 133 V1H

Bike Leg
389. GBR 355 KENNEDY Campbell 42 2:42:19 +51:48 135 V1H

Run Leg
386. GBR 355 KENNEDY Campbell 42 2:09:52 +59:36 123 V1H

T1 Time
385. GBR 355 KENNEDY Campbell 42 4:17 +3:10 130 V1H

T2 Time
330. GBR 355 KENNEDY Campbell 42 2:12 +1:34 101 V1H

Official Link

I knew the swim was under an hour which is fantastic. Bike leg at 2:42 is 22 minutes faster than Switzerland but with 10K less so about right and the same pace or a little faster.

Run leg as you can see is a disaster at 2:09:53 for 20K. I did 21.1K in Switzerland in 1:56 so my suffering during that leg yesterday is evident. My split times on the lap was fast,slow,slow,fast. T1 was shorter than Switzerland and T2 longer but not much in it either way and probably down to zone layout.

Loneliness of the long distance triathlon.

I slept OK despite the concerns from the day before. I woke up at 4am and still managed to get back to sleep OK. I was up at 7am and Alison went out and picked up rolls and croissants. After a very quiet 1 hour drive we arrived in Brasschaat to find the place buzzing. I could feel the pressure mounting as we parked up in the car park. I got the bike off the rack and we walked up to Transition point 2 where I left my running gear. I was keeping a sharp eye out for people who might look slower than me. The fact that I was the only one without shaved legs told me this was a serious event.We walked the 3km up to T1 and the swim start. I jumped on my bike halfway as it was getting a little close to start time and I wanted to be well settled before the start. A helmet check and some strap adjustment and I was in. I parked up my bike and started slathering on the factor 50 sun cream as I could see we were in for a scorcher.They had put out new buoys and some hope was creeping into my thinking. If it was just round the new buoys then the distance looked OK. I downed a quick gel and headed over to the swim start.

We crowded under the motorway/railway bridge and waited on the OK to enter the water. The professionals came in and started pretty quickly. I got into the water and fought my way through the masses. My plan was to start nearer the front but at the side furthest away from the first turn point. My thinking being that everyone would crowd out the left hand side as we were swimming clockwise. I asked a guy which buoy it was and he confirmed my fears, it was the furthest away one and it was two full circuits…..too late to do anything now….The race organisers tried hard to pull the crowd over from the left to the right but with little success. Eventually the gun went. We were off.

I started a little bit quicker than normal and was in free water for about 75% of the first leg up to the first turn. As I pulled across to the left to round the buoy the water became more crowded. I got round and started the down leg. I was 14 minutes to this point and started to get positive thoughts about making it. The down leg on the first lap back towards the bridge lasted an age but I wasn’t tiring just swimming a nice easy pace. I was occasionally checking behind and I could see that I was far from last. I took this as a big positive. Eventually I’m back at the start and it’s just over 32 minutes at the start of the up leg of the second lap. I started to up the pace a little as I knew I was taking it a bit too easy and I also knew the scale of the swim as I’d done a full lap.

I did a fair bit of zig zagging and was obviously swimming further than technically needed, this is something I need to work on. I got to the top of the first leg of second lap and I was at 42 minutes. A quick mental calculation and I thought sub 60 was definitely possible. I wouldn’t be on the broom wagon this race and so my first DNF would be another day.

I kept a couple of folk in my sight and just paced myself to them. I started really getting into a rhythm and was bi lateral breathing(every third stroke using both sides). I did notice at first this made me feel a little bit dizzy as I’d been breathing mostly on my right. After 5 minutes of bi lateral breathing and I felt better. The climb out point was of course right at the bottom and I had to swim the whole length of the transition zone….eventually I reached it and got up on my feet with some assistance. I was shaky on my legs and had difficulty standing up but a quick jog to the bike and it cleared. This definitely gets easier with practice as you know what to expect. I got my wetsuit off pretty easily myself and I had what felt like an OK transition and didn’t have any major cramps. Shoes, Socks, Helmet, number and Cycling top on and I’m jogging out with the bike to the start point. I pick up a bottle of juice and slip it into my cradle to drink right away. I mount the bike and I’m away. The bottle falls out in the first 100m’s…I’ve still got 750ml on the bike so its not a problem. I don’t stop.

First 5k on the bike I drank half my juice and down a gel. My legs were stiff but eased off. I’d raised the saddle a bit and flattened it out the night before and this was proving to be a little bit less comfortable than usual. It’s also been 10 days since I was on the bike. I really missed my computer as I could not tell how fast I was going and given I was a back marker I hardly saw anyone else for reference. I caught two people at the start and that was me. I got passed by 6 folks including number 1 and 2 who were flying into the finish just as I was just short of starting my second lap. The roads were in great condition and the stewards/police had it all locked up so it was virtually car free. Its clearly an area that has a lot of affinity to cycling given the disruption it caused and the great support being handed out by the locals.

Second lap as ever was easier than the first and seemed quicker. I knew I was drying out as I could feel it(you get shivery despite it being hot). I was drinking and eating as much as I could stomach but it’s a delicate balance between keeping hydrated and being sick.

I took 4x500ml bottles of water and isotonic on the way round the bike leg and finished my own 750ml. I ate 5 gels of various types.

I felt OK coming off the bike and my only concern was back pain on the left side and sore undercarriage, both of which I knew should go away on the run. I had a pretty fast transition and was out and running. I felt OK and was looking to concentrate on the first 10K under an hour and see how it went after that. I managed about 500m and I started getting a very very painful cramp right across the front of my rib cage…A stitch I was sure and something I never ever suffer from. Every step was agony. I knew the right treatment was run it off. Usually a km or so and it would be gone or so I’d read. I reached the 5km mark and I could still feel it although the worst of it was over. I managed a better second lap but the 400m circuit of the running track in the athletics stadium was a killer as the heat was intense in there. It was here that had the dubious honour of being the place where you picked up your band for each one of the 4 curcuits. The first I was in a daze due to the pain, the second was better but I was nearly in tears at the thought of another 10k. The third lap when I ran past the finishing line for the last time was great and I was now running better as the cramp was fully gone and I was no longer feeling sick. Last trip into the stadium and picked up the lovely red band. A quick drink and just 800M to go. I tried to up the pace as I knew I was close to the 6Hr mark. I went over the line with the clock saying 6:01 but my watch said 5:56 so I’m assuming the clock was started when the professionals went off as they had a 5 minute start on the age groupers. I was shattered at the end, really worn out. I knew I was struggling with fluids and tried to ram down an isotonic drink. It wasn’t easy as it was a balance between drinking it and being sick.

A kiss and congratulations from Alison and I felt really great, she was right about that swim but confirmed later she was worried too. We picked up the bike from the T2 and signed out. I cheered on a guy who was just finishing, nearly there…..As I got changed at the car the temp was 27C and it was 6:30pm. Who knows how hot it was out there when I was racing round.

Overall I found this a very hard race , especially on the run leg for the first 10K. I think I drank too much water too late on in the bike leg which carried over problems to the start of the run. The temperature was clearly difficult for me to deal with. The swim leg I was just pleased to finish and was especially pleased with my time and the fact that really I could actually swim that far. I spent Saturday dreading and verging on panic about the swim and having to talk myself out of not not doing the race. At the end of Sunday the longest swim was tucked in the bank with a smile on my face. I’d done 2.7k and I now know I could do the 3.8km full Ironman swim distance, certainly as they give you 2hrs20.

The bike leg I found difficult as I spent a lot of time on my own, it’s a 40km circuit and only 500 riders and I was near the back. I also missed my computer to tell how fast I was going and how far I’d gone. It’s a great coach when you slack off. The course while it was flat brings a challenge that isn’t normal on an everyday bike ride. There are no uphill sections and so no downhill. Therefore you are pedalling all the time and there is zero opportunity for any recovery/respite. I think the tri-bars would have been easy enough to use and of great benefit on this race as it was flat and straight and I spent ages in the same gear with limited braking. So a missed opportunity I think.

There were plenty of times when I was thinking of stopping on the run but I never really came close to throwing in the towel. I was fantasizing about it just being 3 circuits on the run and how it would be nice to drop down my distance to Olympic or Sprint triathlons. That Roybon race I did earlier in the year(750m,21km,5km) seems like nothing now and as I ran round I thought of how nice it would be to just do those from now on. The bike run was just an 80K slog and I was fine if a little uncomfortable due to the heat but I felt fine getting off the bike. The run was hard as it started badly and I’m not proud to say that I took strength from those who I saw throwing up, walking and talking to the trees. It helped me to keep going and I sincerely hope you all finished.

Bottom line is that as they say “when going through hell, you just need to keep going”….I’m looking forward to a holiday

Photos and official results link later.

Pre Race - Thoughts

I was at Brasschaat today for the race briefing and to register. I picked up my number(355) and a nice new bag. I had a quick survey of the swimming course and right away I was blown away by how long it was, it was enormous. Its a full two circuits and I'd say from what I could see today that one circuit looked about the same size as Rapperswill in total. The distance should only be 800m-1100m longer as its somewhere between 2.7 and 3km( must be within 10% of 3K). Rapperswill swim leg was only 1.9km.

I'm not actually as worried about the distance as I am about making the time cut off which is only 70 minutes. Its a 12:00 start for professionals and then a 12:05 start for everyone else and anyone out of the water after 13:15 is in the broom wagon and not allowed to continue.

Therefore I'm officially bricking it and can see from my previous 42mins for 1.9km that 70minutes will be very very close, especially given the swim looks enormous. The full ironman swim distance is 3.9km and you get a full 2hrs20minutes, so twice the time for only 30% more distance.

Weather is forecast to be 25C and with potential thunder storms. I'm just hoping that is the max temp as its right on my limit heat wise. I've packed plenty to drink and a good whack of Gels for the bike leg. I hope I need them.

Itching to go

I could not get settled this evening at all without feeling like I was needing to do something on the exercise front. I'm still struggling to bring down my bodies expectations of normal levels of exercise.

I set out for a quick 10K run to keep my heart and legs ticking over. 50 minutes dead in around 25C Heat. It felt very easy and I felt like I'd hardly done anything...nice sensation :O) My foot was a little painful at the start and while running over the dirt paths at the end. Nothing serious enough to stop my planned race on Sunday.

Big Race # 2

I've managed at short notice to get a starting place on Sunday's ITU race in Brasschaat near Antwerp. Its a bit of a different format from the Ironman 70.3 in that its a longer swim(2.7km) and a shorter bike leg at 80km. I think its also has 2 different transition zones but I'll get that cleared up on Saturday at the pre race briefing. The different format is probably down to local routes but the bottom line is the swim will be a real stretch for me and a big test with the cutoff time being very tight as well. Time wise it should be similat as 10K is about 20 minutes on the bike and 800m swim is about 18mins. The flat circuit should mean a slightly quicker average speed though. The best thing is its only an hour from my house so why not have a go. Worst case its an Open Water training day.

The bike leg looks to be flat so no big climbs so that should be OK. The run leg will be similar topography and its a straight half marathon distance(21km). I'm just hoping the weather isn't too hot(needs to be under 25C) and its not raining. I may not start if its really really chucking it down. I don't fancy another bike crash this year.

I'll limit my training this week and hope to carry it off on my base fitness and I have had a couple of bike rides and runs in the last 2 weeks so i haven't been totally lazy. I'm still carrying the foot injury on my right foot but having had a break from running for nearly a week now its not feeling anywhere as bad as it was.

Weekend Update

I went to the gym on Saturday. Its the first time I've been in a few months and I'll be adding a gym session per week to my schedule to try and build up specific muscle groups. I spent a fair bit of time working on my legs and shoulders. Idea being to build up additional strength for swim and cycle legs.

I did 20 minutes of 50kg leg presses with my legs starting from very close to my chest and lots and lots of repeats, basically until I could not do it without some pain. I could feel this working the large Gluteus Maxiumus muscles that go from the top of my thighs over my backside. This is the starting point of any cycle stroke so by building up more power here my downward stroke should be transfering more power to the wheels from the very top of the stroke. I definately felt the after effects of this workout when I got up this morning before my bike session.

I was up early for a bike ride on Sunday(7am) and out for 8:30am and was back just after 10am I didn't have my computer on as I've lost it but I was out for 1:30 on my watch with average heart rate of 137BPM. Therefore I was probably looking at between 42 and 45km's, not a big distance but I was trying to keep the pace up and I was looking for hills. My Gluteus Maximus muscles were very painful at the end of the ride. So they were getting well worked out :O)

I'm keeping off my feet at the moment as my painful foot injury seems to be getting worse. I won't run till the weekend to see if the break helps fix the issue.

Team Kennedy manager pulls off a new PB on 14K run at 1:13:47 so thats around a 1:40 half marathon time.....impressive. The distance needs to be checked as the footpod is calibrated for me but clearly regardless of distance she has knocked at least 7 minutes off her previous time for the same distance. The increase in training mileage is showing big benefits.....Chapeau Alison.

I'm still looking for the next big event and am thinking seriously of full Ironman in Austria next year but in the meantime I'm still looking for something to keep my training focussed for the rest of the summer. I won't be able to keep motivated to keep the high level of training up that I had pre Rapperswil without something to aim for. We're signed up for Glasgow Half in early Sept and I'll try Full Marathon in Brussels in October. This will give me an indication if the run leg is possible. Its important I feel confident in that leg as thats the last leg and currently my strongest event. So if I can't do a full marathon in October then a full Ironman just isn't possible.

Its the quiet ones you need to watch

Team Kennedy manager has managed 57km in running this week, this on top of her 3 classes at the gym. I've got a sore foot but need to get back out there as the pressure is now being applied just to keep up with the manager.

keeping my eye in

Quick run after work. 17k run in the sun in 1:27:13, evening temp around 18-20C. I finished 10K in 52:27 but heart rate was very low so it was an easy and long session. I was hardly out of breath at the end. I could have talked all the way round. Some foot pain on my right foot again but nothing terminal.

Running Dry

I spent most of today lying around reading and feeling tired, not a sensation I've been used to for the last 6 months. I decided to get out for a run after Team Kennedy manager threw down the gauntlet with a 14.5K run in the afternoon sun. I set out and am feeling pretty good with an inspiring 18 minutes for the first 4.3KM. I then head up the hill out of Lasne and the heat starts to build up. I'm feeling dizzy and very tired. I keep going but by 8km its worse and I'm flopping around on my feet.

I'm heading back and will have at least done 10K. I try to up the pace to get a reasonable 10K time but I go over the 45 minute mark at 9.56km. So I stop and walk the rest of the way in. I shower and then weigh myself. I've dropped 1.5kg since yesterday, so its clearly dehydration and that explains why I was tired all morning as well. I did the 46k bike ride yesterday without water bottles as I wasn't planning to be out so long. Its obviously a hangover from that. I drink a litre of Isotonic and had my dinner. I was feeling much better.

Back in the Saddle

First bike training since the big race, nice sunny day and only a moderate wind. I was going to just do a 20KM time trial but there is a village fete in Lasne today and so I thought passage through the main street might be slow. I'm only just ducking under the 40 minute mark on that route by 20-30 seconds so I can't afford setbacks due to big queues of people buying Barba Papa(Candy Floss).

I did a mixed loop round the area of 47km in 1:38 so 28kmph average. Climb total was 1108ft so not flat but not quite Switzerland either. The first 10K were fine but the next 10K were hard hard work and my legs felt tired. I did manage a second wind about the 26km mark and this held out till I was finished. Amazingly I've actually forgotten how hard it was last week and can't really remember anything about the cycle leg apart from snippets and certainly nothing about how my legs felt.

I'm still looking at what to do next challenge wise but will definately take in a marathon before the season is out and also maybe another 70.3 triathlon race(same distance I did last week(1.9km swim,90km bike and 21.1km run).

I'll look to up my swim length outdoors to 4km before the end of the year and so I'll hopefully have marathon distance run and a 4km swim in my armoury before the winter starts to kill off my big training opportunities. I'll of course keep up the bike rides but I need to look at how I do this without boring myself to death on endless loops of the area I live in. I might take my bike on holiday.

In Race Photos

Not looking too bad coming out of the swim......apart from the cyclists tee shirt suntan on my arms.



On the rivet , grinding my way up the hill....gritted teeth or still needing a pee ? :O)



Thunder thighs exits the bike leg. I must say I was feeling better than I looked in this photo but I need to remember I'd just completed 90K in the Swiss Alps so you do expect some sweat. The positive mental impact of having finished the bike leg was obviously overcoming the physical impact of the ride. This shows that a lot of it is in the head rather than in the legs.



First circle of the run. Forgot to take off cycling gloves :O)



I've finished at last....1.9k swim, 90km bike, 21km run and 8263 calories lighter and I still can't believe the time. It needs to be the big one next time I think. I don't look tired enough in this photo :O)

10K run

Did 10K tonight in 53:24, felt like I could sprint right from the start so had to hold myself back. It felt very very easy and it was hard to hold myself back. No pain from the weekend so no injuries sustained. I'm keeping my training up until I decide what challenge to do next.

Interesting race stats

Bike max speed was 60.2kmph....the above graph shows the topography of the hills.

Average cadence on bike was 86RPM

Calories consumed during whole event according to my Heart Rate monitor...8263cals.....4 days worth of normal adult intake.

Average speed on bike of 28.9kmph.....that doesn't add up as I did 90km in 3:04...must be impacted by time to wheel bike from transition zone and get started.

Average heart rate for the whole event 153.

Max heart rate for the whole event 172



Average speed on the run 10.9kmph as you can see from the above graph. It clearly shows you the stairs section that you needed to climb. It was OK first time but second time was a nightmare.



The above image shows my Heart rate over the whole race period. It also shows total energy consumption of over 8000 calories...

Photos of Rapperswil-Jona 70.3

Pre Race orientation meeting......ooh no i don't have a granny ring for my bike !!!!!



So it doesn't just rain in Belgium then....Saturday afternoon. Praying all the rain would fall today..It really really did.



Technical prep for the bike before handing into the transition zone. Great hotel and food, wine a speciality which was a double blow given I was on a strict no alcohol regime until after the race.

Getting bike checked-in, I cycled down from hotel to test gears and brakes after I rebuilt the bike, thats why I have my jeans tucked into my sock.


Its the Team Kennedy Management Group on day of the race, technical manager on the right(mostly hands off and theoretical) and Team manager on the left.



Transition zone on the day, starting to heat up...



Professionals ready for the off......my nerves were jangling at this point





Ready for the off......I think that swimming cap is too tight....



I'm right at the very very back....but not the guy in the canoe.



Technical manager, sponsored by A&F. No oil on the fingers from the bike thats for sure.



Finishing at last.....its been a long day.



Ya beauty !!!!!!! Post race euphoria....I think I've pulled as well.




Back at the hotel....heart rate returning to normal....Bike getting loving care and attention after a great shift.

Hopp Hopp Hopp Hopp Hopp

I can now say that the 2009 Rapperswil-Jona Ironman Switzerland 70.3 is something I've done rather than something I'm going to do, I finished in 5:52:14 which is quite a bit faster than I'd estimated before the race. Therefore performance wise I'm really really pleased. I'm also very happy to have finished without incident.

My 1.9KM swim time was 42:03.
My 90KM bike time was 3:04:12.
My 21KM run time was 1:58:17.
T1 time from swim to bike was 4:47min.
T2 bike to run was 2:53min.

I was hoping for under 6:30 with a realistic mental stretch target of around 6:15 so I was much faster overall than I thought I would be. My individual race legs were all close to or just over my previous single leg personal best times.

I'd dropped off my bike on the Saturday evening and had made sure my tyres were at the right pressure. It was torrential rain most of Saturday so this added to the pressure. All the bikes were covered with plastic rain covers to protect them from the ongoing downpour.

We got up early for breakfast 6:30am. I checked the skyline, I could see the snow on the alps and there was hardly any clouds. The weather didn't look like it would be a factor for the big race. I'd slept OK despite the day ahead and ate a hearty if nervy breakfast. Alison and Wallis surprised me with Go Daddy Go /Go Campbell Go Team Kennedy Scotland Tee shirts , its always nice to have a couple of beautiful groupies supporting you at a big race :O) Its especially good for your legs to have a friendly face there shouting you on on each lap.

We got down there around 8am and I got my box and gear setout in the transition zone. We then watched the professionals start at 8:55. They were swimming like the Waverley I was off at 10:20. I was nervous but not so much that it was likely to be affecting my performance, it probably helped a little. I spoke with a few people and everyone was very friendly and we all joked about our nerves and about just wanting to get started. Only one guy said he wasn't nervous at all but he still managed to misplace his car keys and put his wetsuit on back to front and then was flapping to get it switched round just 5 minutes before the start. Calmness personified.

I started the swim leg in the middle right at the very back so to keep in-swim jostling to a minimal, a lesson I'd learned at my first open water swim mass start earlier this year in Roybon, France. This worked well although I did catch a few folk up and had to weave my way through folks who must have been breast strokers. I swam with a slow to medium speed strokes but concentrating on keeping my technique right. I had no oxygen debt or dizzyness at the start and so starting slow and steady is the right way for me.

Swim was a good time and overall it felt quite a short duration both mentally and physically. I left the water feeling good. No real dizzyness or disorientation. I had a little leg cramp on both thighs and one calf running the 150M from water to the transition area but nothing major. I managed a thumbs up to the flag waving Alison and Wallis so they knew my head was OK after the swim. Great to see friendly faces in the crowd.

I took 2 gels and 500ml of Isotonic drink before the bike leg. Got my shoes,gloves,top and helmet on and jogged out the 200m to the bike start with my cycling tap shoes clicking and I got started without any problems.

The first 15km is pretty flat so plenty of time to get into the spin of the bike before the first climb. The first hill is left and up a road called Witches hill. Pretty steep and very winding for about 2km with up to 15% climb in parts. There were loads of people there watching the cyclists suffering. They did however add a huge atmosphere with bands, lots of people dressed as witches ringing huge cow bells and of course the continuous Swiss chants of Hopp Hopp Hopp to help us up the hill. Listen for it the next time you watch Ski Sunday.

The next leg breaker was "The Beast" , we'd been warned about this at the previous days pre race orientation. The warning was , "Make sure you have a granny ring on your bike", again it was up to 16% at points but this time only around 1km in length but steeper and straight up so the winding didn't hide its length nor its steepness. I did see a handful of folk walking it. After this section it was down then flat for what seemed a long time then more gradual climbs and then the final backbreaker hill into Goldingen which is the summit. After the previous 2 big climbs this seemed less extreme but there was still plenty of pain etched on the faces and a fair bit of groaning around me. The big crowds in Goldingen helped a lot and the DJ was shouting out peoples names when they looked especially tired. I managed to keep it in the big chain ring for almost everything except for Witches hill and The Beast or when I got caught up in traffic.

The next section is mostly downhill followed by the flat with only a handful of smallish(relatively) uphill sections so plenty of time to get rejuvinated before getting back to the town. I got back into town at the roundabout turn point at 44.5KM at 1:30:00 so right on schedule for a 3 hour bike leg time which was fast for me.

At this point I was just under halfway and now felt confident I'd finish as I only had half the bike and the whole run leg to go which should be my strongest event . This added some extra power to my legs and mentally gave me a big boost.

I thought my second leg on the bike would be harder and slower as I now knew the reality of it. I think the mental boost from realising I was over the hump boosted me physically. As a result the second leg felt quicker mentally and my split times were very close over the two legs at a total of 3:04.

I ate a lot on the bike and took 3 gels of my own plus 1 from a feed station as well as an Energy bar which actually made me dry heave a few times after I swallowed it. I did however eventually manage to get it down for good. I drank both my Isotonic 750ML bottles plus I took a bottle of water at one station and took 3 or 4 gulps. I never stopped the whole race even though I was needing to pee from around halfway on the swim....

I got off the bike and was a little leg/back weary but feeling OK and knew I still had a good run section left in my legs. I had a super transition straight into my running shoes and I ran in my cycling top showing off my Scotland Cycling Club colours(hat tip Stu and Chico)

The first run leg was OK but the stairs really took it out of my legs. I felt the heat through the town as the buildings were radiating the heat back into the air. I came round past the train station and saw the actual time was 14:40 so I knew with around 15K to go I was at 4hrs 20mins. So I quickly worked out 3x 5K's under 30min each and I'd be under the 6 hours. The pressure was building just as my legs were starting to feel the previous exertions

You finish the first lap just short of the finish line and you can hear the DJ and I was wishing it was me who was running up the finish line. However I needed another 10K lap and so round the roundabout and out on the run again. Alison and Wallis cheered and waved me past and I managed to run a little faster for a while. The atmosphere was absolutely electric round the finishing arena. I was also getting more and more hyper as I now knew I'd finish. It was just about what time.

The second lap was harder and hotter and I was feeling my legs starting to go around the 15K mark. I had continued to take water and Isotonic drinks and use the sponges thoughout the second leg. I really needed them to keep me going. As I grinded the last 5k out I knew the 6hrs mark would be very close. As I ran up the finish line I could hear the music and see the faces but all I was thinking about was the work I'd put in the previous 6 months and all the support I'd been given. It was an amazing sensation to finish. When I think of where I've come from to this point it still amazes me. Running up the finish line I knew it was all worthwhile and I could not have been happier nor prouder of myself for all the work I'd put in. To many people its not a big deal, to me its been life changing. To put it in perspective , as of 1st Jan this year the furthest I've ever been on a bike was 12km and I only got my real racing bike delivered 14 weeks ago. At 41 its the first one I've ever owned.

I went through the line at 5:52....the feeling was amazing. I picked up my medal and my can of freezing Red Bull. I needed to find my two supporters to start the celebrations for real.

I was 270th in the M40 age group and 1149th overall from a starting list of 2000.

The Online Stats are on here

I'll post some photos later

Pre Match Nerves

I spent the night dreaming I was bike racing, it was so real I could feel that I had sore legs when I woke up this morning. Its a mix of nerves and the fact I'm currently devouring bike racing books to fill in the gaps due to training less.

I'm starting to get terrors about not training enough now as I'm tapering down my activity to conserve and build up energy for race day. I have expected this as I'd read about it in a few books but since I was aware of it then I thought I would not suffer from it. I was wrong. Its quite a surreal experience, I know its all mental but I still can't shift the worry that I'm wasting away. Surely you can't lose 6 months of training effort in 12 days...

I've been training 6 days out of 7 for the last 8-12 weeks and doing double sessions on some of those days. The last 4-5 weeks I've been training up to 12 hours solid per week. The last week excepted where I've dropped down to a single short session every second day. In most normal people's lives keeping fit with 3 x 1hour long sessions of mixed sport a week would be more than enough. I spent most of my teenage years thinking a 90 minute game on a Sunday and an hours football training on a Tuesday night made me superman.

I did a 20K time trial today round the usual route. I needed to bed in/test the new tyres and chase away my training demons. The tyres were pretty deflated when I checked them this morning, I suspect this is due to using pure CO2 rather than just pumping with air. I know that racing cars use pure nitrogen in their tyres as the molecules are bigger and so don't escape so quickly though the natural gaps in the rubber. As any party animal knows , when you wake up on the couch in the morning the balloons have always deflated overnight as the air escapes through the wall of the balloon. Its the same principal for tyres and tubes , especially at such high pressure of 8bars. I'm assuming C02 escapes easier than Nitrogen as the molecules are smaller than pure Nitrogen and therefore its not as good at keeping the pressure up as a normal air mix which is 80% nitrogen naturally and only 1-2% of CO2(dependent on your proximity to Al Gore).

It was quite blustery so I didn't think I'd be breakng any world records. The new tyres felt very smooth on the good road sections. The gear changes were better but still not 100% perfect and it even slipped off the big chainset to the small at one point. I think maybe more lubricant as I just cleaned it up yesterday.

I finished in 39:29 which is I think is just 15 seconds slower than my previous personal best, its certainly under the magical 40 minute mark which shows me I'm still as fit as I was and am not quite wasting away yet. My heart rate was pretty high throughout and averaged 159 but I did have two double expresso's before heading out. A short sharp session was all I needed to keep my mind at rest and I recovered very quickly apart from feeling a bit sick at the end but that was due to me having drank coffee and eating two croissants shortly before I set off.