70.3 Half Ironman UK
Exmoor lived up to its name and so did the Hardest Middle Distance Triathlon in the World!. Rain, Wind and Cold were all factors in the Days leading up to the Race and on Race day its self. We got down to Exmoor on Friday afternoon in the pouring Rain. It stopped for about 10mins and i put the Tent up. It then started to Rain again and did not stop all night so there we were the Four of us Louise, Me and the Children stuck in a Tent in the middle of Exmoor in the Cold and Wet!. Saturday Morning came and it was time for a dip to test out the Water and get a little training session in before the big event. As soon as i got into the water i realised it was cold. Colder than what i was expecting for this time of Year and i don't usually suffer with feeling the Cool Water temp but i managed a trip to the Third Buoy and back giving me around 15-20Mins in the Water. I got back to the Tent and had a little snack contemplating if i should take the Bike out but decided against it as the Mud was totally unbelievable and my Core temp was way too Low to start Cycling in the Cold Air plus i wanted to keep my Bike and Kit Dry and Clean. I decided to go for a Run on the Road and did around 15-20mins before going back to the Tent and taking a Shower in the Mobile Shower block supplied which was as last Year very good and clean with nice Hot water.
Saturday evening came and with still more Rain but this time Torrential downpours and with Strong winds. We decided to hit the Sack at around 7pm as it was way too cold and wet to sit outside and that's when i noticed i was not feeling too good. I was Coughing most of the night and cold to the Core. No matter what i did i could not get my core temp up. Just too many hours in the Cool damp air and i was paying the price!. Sunday Morning came and i did not feel like Racing at all!. Infact i wanted to go Home as the Children were now suffering which wasn't fair but i decided to give it a go. I stuck to my plan for the Swim start and did not do what i had done last Year. At these events they like you to all meet up and walk down to the Lake together, They like to get everybody in the Mood for the Race but i feel it was like being Kettled so that the Pro's could get a good advantage on the Swim start so i waited for the shout over the Loudspeaker and Ran down to the Lake on my own getting a good position near the front of the Buoys with all the Pro's with there different coloured Swim Caps lol while the other1600 People made there way down to the Lake. This was a bad mistake!, They had to get all these People into the Water and the Race was supposed to start at 0700. I got into the Water at 0640 and by the time the Claxton Blew i was shivering and cold again despite Swimming around to try and keep Warm. The Swim was ok but i was expecting a better Time especially as i had been doing 3800mtrs in less than an Hour in Training however everything that could of gone wrong did do!. The glare from the Sun and Spray across the Water made it near impossible to see marker Buoys and the fact that people with very little Open Water swim experience made it very difficult. I remember being stuck behind Two People and every time i tried to pass they seemed to just block me on purpose but the fact of the matter was they could not see and had no idea where they were going!.
The Swim section ended for me in 37mins and it was a long run up to T1 to get onto the Bike. The Wetsuit came off easily and i was on the Bike and away to start the first of many climbs. The first Climb out of T1 is a 3 Miler which as i was so Cold still was very Thankful of however by this Time i could of so so easily quit!, The fact that friends had travelled to watch me, My Family were there to watch me and general Peer Pressure meant i had no way of just giving inn after Months and Months of Training. I got up the Hill and Turned Left to start the Flattest section of the Course at its highest point and immediately hit a Cold Headwind. This went on for about 10-12 Miles so by now i was absolutely freezing again!, Even with my Jacket on. After the flat section you have a couple of small rises and then drop down a big decent so more Cold air and not much peddling to keep warm before the few Big Climbs. Even though by now the Rain had stopped it was overcast and the wind was blowing a Cold breeze. Lots of People in just Tri-Suits were dropping like fly's through just being too cold. It was much the same for the second lap only towards the last 20miles i was just Grinding it out!, No Skill!, No Technique! Nothing!. Just a long Hard Grind and Pain. I then started to think about the Run!, How far i had to go, How much it was going to hurt and yes again those Demons were ever so present by this time!. I got into T2 had a Gel and everything went to plan. I tricked myself saying i would try one Lap and se how i felt which i was surprised about.
The first lap was great. I had a Gel in T2 and another at around 2Miles into the first lap and was just picking People off feeling really strong. Usually my Run starts pretty weak and i just get faster so i thought shit i am flying!, I'm going to really make some time up here! I got past the Lap 1 marker and started Lap 2 feeling a little weaker so decided to have another Gel which did not seem to make much difference. I banged another one maybe 10mins after that then at a Feed station had a bite of Banana with some Gatorade (Crap). 10-20mins later that was it!. I had a knot in my Stomach and bad Wind. I tried to hold back but oh Shit!. Yes, Need i say more!. Again the last lap was just a Grinder and i got Slower and Slower. I finished the event (Just) in 6hrs 50mins knocking 33mins of last Year!. And when everybody else's time was going backwards i made a Huge improvement. I did want a 6:30 but given the Severe conditions i now realise i was lucky to just Finish!. I would like to Thank Dermot again for Coaching me as i now know without his expert advice there is no way i would of been able to Endure and make the Cut off!. I would also very much like to thank My Friends and Family Mathew Farmer and Jemma Butler for coming to watch me and Help out and Believing in me!. And Louise my Partner, Ciaran my Son and Sophia my Daughter for putting up my my Mood Swings, Mardyness and generally Difficult stubborn ways!. Also Blue the Dog who had to Sleep in the Cold for two Nights on just a Groundsheet!. Here is some interesting info and if my Maths are correct then Wow! according to the Race Programme 1661 People entered the Race. 1105 Finished. 131 attempted to Finish but recorded DNF'S. What happened to the other 425 People???. Anyway just a little one to get out of the way now at the end of July and its home and dry for me for a while!. Good luck with Life and Racing!.
Don't forget to enjoy!.
Jamie aka Buzz!
Saturday evening came and with still more Rain but this time Torrential downpours and with Strong winds. We decided to hit the Sack at around 7pm as it was way too cold and wet to sit outside and that's when i noticed i was not feeling too good. I was Coughing most of the night and cold to the Core. No matter what i did i could not get my core temp up. Just too many hours in the Cool damp air and i was paying the price!. Sunday Morning came and i did not feel like Racing at all!. Infact i wanted to go Home as the Children were now suffering which wasn't fair but i decided to give it a go. I stuck to my plan for the Swim start and did not do what i had done last Year. At these events they like you to all meet up and walk down to the Lake together, They like to get everybody in the Mood for the Race but i feel it was like being Kettled so that the Pro's could get a good advantage on the Swim start so i waited for the shout over the Loudspeaker and Ran down to the Lake on my own getting a good position near the front of the Buoys with all the Pro's with there different coloured Swim Caps lol while the other1600 People made there way down to the Lake. This was a bad mistake!, They had to get all these People into the Water and the Race was supposed to start at 0700. I got into the Water at 0640 and by the time the Claxton Blew i was shivering and cold again despite Swimming around to try and keep Warm. The Swim was ok but i was expecting a better Time especially as i had been doing 3800mtrs in less than an Hour in Training however everything that could of gone wrong did do!. The glare from the Sun and Spray across the Water made it near impossible to see marker Buoys and the fact that people with very little Open Water swim experience made it very difficult. I remember being stuck behind Two People and every time i tried to pass they seemed to just block me on purpose but the fact of the matter was they could not see and had no idea where they were going!.
The Swim section ended for me in 37mins and it was a long run up to T1 to get onto the Bike. The Wetsuit came off easily and i was on the Bike and away to start the first of many climbs. The first Climb out of T1 is a 3 Miler which as i was so Cold still was very Thankful of however by this Time i could of so so easily quit!, The fact that friends had travelled to watch me, My Family were there to watch me and general Peer Pressure meant i had no way of just giving inn after Months and Months of Training. I got up the Hill and Turned Left to start the Flattest section of the Course at its highest point and immediately hit a Cold Headwind. This went on for about 10-12 Miles so by now i was absolutely freezing again!, Even with my Jacket on. After the flat section you have a couple of small rises and then drop down a big decent so more Cold air and not much peddling to keep warm before the few Big Climbs. Even though by now the Rain had stopped it was overcast and the wind was blowing a Cold breeze. Lots of People in just Tri-Suits were dropping like fly's through just being too cold. It was much the same for the second lap only towards the last 20miles i was just Grinding it out!, No Skill!, No Technique! Nothing!. Just a long Hard Grind and Pain. I then started to think about the Run!, How far i had to go, How much it was going to hurt and yes again those Demons were ever so present by this time!. I got into T2 had a Gel and everything went to plan. I tricked myself saying i would try one Lap and se how i felt which i was surprised about.
The first lap was great. I had a Gel in T2 and another at around 2Miles into the first lap and was just picking People off feeling really strong. Usually my Run starts pretty weak and i just get faster so i thought shit i am flying!, I'm going to really make some time up here! I got past the Lap 1 marker and started Lap 2 feeling a little weaker so decided to have another Gel which did not seem to make much difference. I banged another one maybe 10mins after that then at a Feed station had a bite of Banana with some Gatorade (Crap). 10-20mins later that was it!. I had a knot in my Stomach and bad Wind. I tried to hold back but oh Shit!. Yes, Need i say more!. Again the last lap was just a Grinder and i got Slower and Slower. I finished the event (Just) in 6hrs 50mins knocking 33mins of last Year!. And when everybody else's time was going backwards i made a Huge improvement. I did want a 6:30 but given the Severe conditions i now realise i was lucky to just Finish!. I would like to Thank Dermot again for Coaching me as i now know without his expert advice there is no way i would of been able to Endure and make the Cut off!. I would also very much like to thank My Friends and Family Mathew Farmer and Jemma Butler for coming to watch me and Help out and Believing in me!. And Louise my Partner, Ciaran my Son and Sophia my Daughter for putting up my my Mood Swings, Mardyness and generally Difficult stubborn ways!. Also Blue the Dog who had to Sleep in the Cold for two Nights on just a Groundsheet!. Here is some interesting info and if my Maths are correct then Wow! according to the Race Programme 1661 People entered the Race. 1105 Finished. 131 attempted to Finish but recorded DNF'S. What happened to the other 425 People???. Anyway just a little one to get out of the way now at the end of July and its home and dry for me for a while!. Good luck with Life and Racing!.
Don't forget to enjoy!.
Jamie aka Buzz!
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