Lanza IM & Barcelona 70.3

pgibbo

Looking forward to tracking the lads at these races this weekend.

Best of luck to mossym & dave04 in Lanza. mossym has a new bestie in Jesse Thomas Not sure if anyone else on here is racing but good luck if you are.

Just saw this from Lucy Gossage. She comes across really well. Hope she goes well. Don't know how she balances work and tri. Fair play to her.

Best of luck to BTH in Barca. He's never trained harder so I'm expecting big things from him

Anyone else doing either race?

Race well folks & best of mechanical luck.

P.

Heisenberg1

http://m.eu.ironman.com/triathlon/coverage/detail.aspx?race=lanzarote&y=2017#axzz4h9m7KyFQ

tunney

Long day on the bike in lanza but mossey is onto the run.
Hilly, hot and windy - always going to be a tough bike

mossym

Will post a bit more detail when things don't hurt as much, but let's just say lanza 's rep is well earned. I've never been as sore or tired but at the same time delighted/proud. it's a brutal brutal race. Takes no prisoners. Got to speak to Jesse Thomas post race and he was of the opinion it was a much harder day than last year. Obviously I'd agree.

MojoMaker

Well done moss. Looked brutal out there.

dave04

wow !! what a day !! Possibly my last race in 17 years of swim bike run . My ambition during that time was always to do Lanzarote and to be honest i thought the opportunity had passed a while ago , only for my wife who knows me so well to encourage me to go for it . Anyway were back now ?still buzzing so will do the report here while the memories are still fresh.

Arrived on the sunday prior which was a good decision as we had a good bit of a holiday and i felt somewhat acclimatized though only minor training was done, had a cycle out to arrecife along the run route to a bike shop for co2 [ theres loads of them]swam in the sea did the course on the teusday, alone ,the sea is beautifull . The wind picked up on thursday and friday with gusts up to 70k , i'd never seen clouds of sand like that , felt like i was in a sandblaster as i trained the last day on thursday before on the main roads behind the main drag out in matagorda , i had a small loop with a hill that was quiet for traffic , the road surface perfect.

Registration was out in La Santa , which reminds me of a maximum security facility out in the middle of nowhere , the music for the great escape goes through my mind whenever i see it. I Go by bus , i had originally booked a bus tour of the course but decide against it which in hindsight is a good idea , I don't really want to see it till I'm on it. The bus is on time and well organized and its good to have contact with other athletes in fact theres about 8 cork lads on it so plenty of banter and laughter though I'm listening to it not involved .

Bike check is straight forward , bags racked , organization smooth and relaxed , its a big transition area, though it all flows the one way , my number is 1498 and my bike and bags are all at the ends of the end racks so theres no problem finding anything.Get a quick cab home . Go for pizza then early and off to bed. sleep very poorly till 0230 get up at 4am we leave at 5am the cab is bang on time.

quick check of bike , inflate tires etc. fit bottles , then say goodbye to my wife then head down to the change tent on the beach . tension palpable . The last hour is here , i sit on the benches and watch people go through their routines [ i don't have one] then get into wetsuit and make way to the beach.
as i walk down i notice the guy in front of me is from the same street as me back in wales , i haven't seen him in years and he calls me by my old nickname and [ nearly ] all the nerves dissipate as we have a good laugh . [he finishes in 1139!!] i don't bother with a warm up swim , and take my position at the 70min marker theres no fuss no pushing or shoving , people are nervous but theres no issues. i look up to the sky as the 5min warning is given and again can't believe I'm finally here. I see Aine and I'm full of Joy.

The hooter goes and everyone moves forward i veer right as we run into the water?. Its on ?.the water is warm and effervescent white as i first stride out to waist deep then dive into a small space , i get a few minor bangs on the head , i don't feel any of it is malicious , really , just people trying to swim in space thats not there , i keep right of the first bouy about 30 m and theres no issues , nothing worse than any big tri in ireland , but thats my experience [ i hear some horror stories ok] Again the sea is Amazing color , ok I'm not there to admire this but i can't help it , its all part of the experience for me , and its incredible !! usual zig zagging and collisions but nothing bad , i finish 1st lap in 37min which upsets me alright so at the aussie exit i get out and run around what feels like 100 swimmers who are having a break and hit the water right on the rope this time my course straight atbthe first bouy and the race starts properly from here. Again not much argy bargy and i finish in 1hr 11min , I'm not to disappointed , as its the most Beautifull swim I've ever done and not the punch up i was expecting at all!!

A long 12 min in t1 , well cover din factor 50 the ladies applying are lovely and good fun , then a run out to the bike over the mount up line by about 30m then off while the sun rises on a beautifull day.
Out of pdc and straight into climbing to Yaiza a long slow windy drag onto elgolfo loop and then onto teethe epic climb to timanfaya , it goes too quick again i can't believe I'm here , drop down, then up and down to la santa . Its here it hits me ..fatigue that is and i realize I've gone out to fast!! I've ate and drank well but I'm in a bad patch as i start the climb to teguise then on to mirador del haria , the climb is amazing . The sun is burning down too now ,[ as we were in cloud for the first 3hrs of the bike thankfully]I climb ok but not as well as i know I can , I'm glad I'm on a 11/28 compact , i push the levers in but they won't go any further , I'm out of gears !! churning it out? its still amazing though. reach the summit and get the special needs bag , I've made a cheese and salt baguette it tastes wonderful washed down with can of santa in about 90 secs total?then off again , despite Incredible views that make me want to linger, not today. Now the real fun starts on the descent of the switchbacks !! I'm passed by a young spanish lady and she drops like a stone , i follow her line as she knows what she's doing !!she knows I'm there 20m back and guides me down at the limit of my ability.****KKKIIIINN'ELLLLL is the thought going through my head ..Amazing!!! i congratulate her on her skill at the bottom but its not long before were climbing again now onto mirador del rio. Again a long climb but i feel much better after eating and I'm glad i bothered doing it now , Amazing views again to our left of coastline , feel so high up . Then turn right into an aid station and descending again , long fast exhilarating descents .Then back to driving on the flat hot modern roads then descending into pdc for the last 5k .Ihave never done anything as exciting on a bike , into pdc see my wife and that gives me a lift . into transition 10mins !! ?creamed up to the eye balls and beyond , then out into the white heat of the marathon just as the winner crosses the line , and my torture is about to begin??

Ihave to leave it there as I'm about to begin my week of night duty , will finish asap sorry..

Worn Out

Dave. Can't wait to read about the run. Very much enjoyed the recount so far. Hope it ends well.

dave04

my time for the bike is 7hr 4mins , about what id predicted really , average just under 26 kph again its around where i was in training , its an amazing course with the right training and previous knowledge you could really hammer it as theres plenty of opportunity for real speed/ time to be saved , in hindsight my training revolved about endurance and climbing and mixing up routes to simulate what i thought i needed to do , it was all on my own too , but i couldn't avoid this what with having to train through winter etc. I thoroughly enjoyed the training though , it was the required level of difficulty for the course just lacked knowledge of what i really needed to do to get the most out of it and myself .

Onto the marathon , from where i left off last night. Out into the sun from the changing tent and I'm hit by a wall of breathless heat and almost immediately my stride falters under the force of it and the last 8.5 hrs , theres what seems like thousands of people lining the route here at the finish/start , slowly , stiffly the body transitions its self into running ?the first aid station is after the first kilometer , which is good planning though i can barely bring my self to drink or take anything but force a few mouthfuls of 'agua' and a slice of an orange and my first aid station is walked and the running begins again . I'm passed by many people doing a run walk strategy and i envy them , its obviously how they've trained for today and is paying off as they slowly but surely annoyingly make significant ground on me .Annoyingly because as i re pass them on my one speed shuffle they take off again leaving increasingly bigger gaps , particularly one spanish guy around my age . I toy with the idea myself , but have enough sense left to realize it would be a disaster to even try at this stage , as more people pass me and it seems like the entire field is coming passed me now , i decide I'm going to stick to my plan and walk the aid stations run the rest of it .

I draw on advice given to me by one of my buddies as simple as it sounds , 'just concentrate on running that 15k , you may as well run back then !!' i do this as simply as that , walking the aid stations at one low point i fear i may have signs of heat stroke so i force myself to start drinking more and take a gel and it works i feel better. the heat is stifling , but I'm getting used to it and I'm hitting some sort of rhythm now . Ive been having pain in my toes like the shoes are to small for me bizarrely , as i ran 35k in them before with no issues anyway this i just get used to and keep going.Nothing is going to stop me now.

i reach arrecife and do a lap of the harbour and feel like I've achieved the first goal as i head back now to pdc , I'm drinking more taking gels and fruit and the rhythm is established as i pass though 20k then 25 and back into pdc to the turn point for the last 12k . Im actually passing people now for the first time it seems that 30k is the straw that breaks a lot of people , I draw on this i catch up with my spanish walk /run buddy and pass him out finally this time , I'm actually starting to enjoy it now with 12k to go and I'm so delighted as thats the reason I'm here , to find those dark places of self doubt and see who i really am and what i do to respond , not so much as an athlete more as a human being i feel pure Joy , its like the very fabric of my soul is driving me on now.[appologies for how over dramatic this sounds ] i still walk the aid stations and reach the last turn point , where i get a high 5 and am told ' 6k is all we ask of you!!! well done!!' i respond as my default run at home is the beloved 6k , By God I enjoy it .. pace quickens as i realise it's nearly over , i can hear the guy on the mic at the finish chute , i see people from pulse tri club who I've never met but have given great support every time i pass [THANKS] kids hold out their hands for high 5's and i'm overcome with emotion , euphoria , i hear my wife shout out to me and smile and wave as i see her , like all supporting families and friends ,she's had a long day too , Im truly Blessed. Onto the chute and information overload as i cross the line , ' Dave williams representing Ireland YOU ARE AN IRONMAN !!! belts out your man. i stagger forward and get my medal off kenneth gasguete and relief and disbelief wash over me . Its done.

I walk slowly through transition , taking in the emotion and atmosphere then leave to meet my wife , I set up with a guy i know who's an all world athlete . He's told that the temperature was hovering around 36 degrees for the marathon [ unnoficialy ] i don't feel surprised that first 15k was the hardest run of my life. back to the apartment and all i can manage is a cheese sandwich and doritos with 1/2 a can of beer , though the single beer in the food tent was one to savor !! i take off the runners then the socks to reveal two big black toenails the right one is nearly off altogether again I'm mystified as the shoes fit perfectly and were comfortable underfoot all day bar the pain in the toes.i have a lovely bath and fall into bed after a few calls and texts . Truly a Day of Days.
Thanks for reading this far , overall i was 13hrs 29 mins , not quick i know ,but a 1.50min average for the swim gave me 1hr 11min i'd have taken that before if offered it.The swim was amazing as i had real fears over the mass start that never materialized . 7hr 4min on the bike again reflected my training times on tough routes but the course was tougher !! but i had what i needed to finish and move onto the marathon , once again my long training runs gave me the stamina to see this through with a 6min 54sec ave per kilometer for 4hrs 51 min , spent 21 mins in transition overall . Ifinished the race on my terms i didn't conquer the course , but i did get to go to those deep dark places within my psyche and emerge from them triumphant its not just about one day , but in all my life What a day.

mossym

Well done Dave, I'll get a report up when I get home from lanza but a few bits to comment on

We got shafted with the wind. Have spoken to a load out here who have done it a few times . The wind what should have blown us home from Mirador del Rio changed mid ride. We had it in our face for the first half as expected, and then it switched 180 and we had it on the way home as well. Common consensus seems to be it was worth at least 20 minutes on your bike time. Someone I met who was doing it for fifth time reckoned more.

The heat, trying to find an actual number but again everyone I talk to here this week says well into thirties, and hottest race in a while.even the locals are amazed at how we suffered.

On the toenails, Same here . Have never lost a toenail t running, now it looks like two are going to go. It was the heat, feet swelled, making them bgger than ever and they rubbed on the shoe.

All that said, what a day. Even 5 days later out here it's like being a mini celebrity, nothing but people asking how you did and hugely impressed by it all

pgibbo

Congrats again Dave. It certainly sounds like you enjoyed the day and that's what it's all about. :cool:

Bawnmore_Ent.

Well done Dave on completing one of the toughest IM. Great race report, felt I was right with you :-)

dave04

Bawnmore_Ent. wrote: »

Well done Dave on completing one of the toughest IM. Great race report, felt I was right with you :-)

Thankyou , Can't believe its over , long-term ambition fulfilled , lots of highs a few lows !! Had time for a few laughs despite the hardship , we met up with one of my wife's friends who's in a wheelchair after a cycling accident and that puts things into perspective , it was Great to see her with my wife supporting me as was it to cheer on the Spanish guy , with a prosthetic leg , who finished . No complaints no regrets , week of nights done , time for sleep and relax with family . All the Best!!

mossym

just leave this here

mossym

on a plane to the states today, was only home for a day between lanza and this work trip, but the plane gave me a chance to get somewhat of a race reoprt done. it's long, so i won't repost it here

it's here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=103658944&postcount=908