Outlaw 2012 race reports

 *hands Sid a tissue so he can wipe away Cake's slobber*

Well done Sid, I missed your finish as I was in the one of the tents at the finish at the time!

Wonderful reports everyone. Keep them coming. If no one objects I'll add my Austria report here when I eventually get around to writing it. In summary, it was extremely hot with temperatures on the bike peaking at over 40 degrees. Not good when you've done almost all your long bikes in winter gear because the Irish summer has been so crap! Very disappointed with the swim, even allowing for the fact it was non wetsuit, I was a good 10 minutes slower than expected, Loved first lap of the bike, hated the second, felt like there was a hairdryer in my face for most of it, the run was about survival in that heat. Glad to make it through the finish and although on another day I might have been a little disappointed with 12.58, given the day that was in it, I was quite happy with that. All in all, doing an IM without the pirates really isn't a good idea. It wasn't half as enjoyable!

Outlaw race report

Swim
I lined up in the water between bays 2 & 3, at the front but mucking about with my watch as the gun went meant I got swamped by lots of people.  Normally I zigzag all over the place in OW, but this time I was straighter - sighting was easy, you couldn't see much ahead into the rising sun, so just head for that.  I managed to swim into a lot of the lane markers and it took me a while to realise what they were and that I hadn't just been kicked in the head.

I managed to draft a bit on the outward leg, and on the return I was starting to pass some people, getting held up a few times as I caught little groups but it was a fairly uneventful return, eventually getting out in 1:18:20, 433rd of 781 solo finishers.  Very happy with that, 7 minutes quicker than last year and right in the middle of the pack.

T1
Jogged through getting the wetsuit off no problems (a first!), armwarmers, gloves & helmet on, onto the bike without too much fuss.  4:14, making up 86 places.

Bike
I scoffed an energy bar & drink early on, making steady progress.  A bit of banter with fellow pirates as we passed, including Carl who I caught at the top of the hill only to find that his pasty-powered bike was too quick for me down the other side.  After Oxton Bank (not the same without the pirate feed station at the top!) the field started to thin a bit.  The wind wasn't great but I was maintaining a decent enough pace without pushing too hard.

On to the southern loop, looking forward to the pirate feed station.  I attempted to chuck a bottle into the trolley only to catch my tribars with it which steered me straight at seren - not the only close call she had there.  The best feed station, loads of support and so good I decided to do a second lap to do it again. 

At the far end of the southern loop we turned back westwards, and this was where the wind started to hit back - a real struggle into it for miles & miles, with the thought that we had to do it twice nagging at me.  I'd passed Joddly before the feed station and she came back past me here, going very well.  My average speed was dropping there, and despite the lift of the feed station again I never got it back properly, not even when melli caught me.  The last 20 miles were all pretty much into that wind, and I didn't want to push too hard into it which would kill off my run before starting.  I was surprised how many were doing the opposite though, really caning it back up to transition.  5:42:21 in the end, a bit disappointing but the best I could do in the conditions.  Up another 225 places, 122nd as I gratefully left my bike in the good hands of FB.

T2
In & out, with a slight delay when I remembered I had Zero tab at the bottom of my bag.  The few seconds to get it proved worthwhile a short while later.  2:38, up another 12 places.

Run
The start of the run was one place where the wind came in handy, blowing us down to the other end of the lake and making it easier to get into a good running pace.  The downside was turning at the end and coming back into the wind, that was a lot harder!  It rained for most of that first lap too.  I had the familiar feelings of impending cramp at the end of that first lap of the lake so I dropped my zero tab into a cup of water which sorted it, no problems from then on.  I used gels I took with me, and took water at alternate feed stations to get through the run.  On a hotter day that wouldn't have been enough, but it was fine this time.

Continued

A few pirates were already on the course when I started, melli was going well and GB & funkin were coming the other way as I approached the feed station at the mid point of the run out along the river.  By the time the second lap started though, there were pirates everywhere.  I think I said hello to everyone, apologies if anyone was left out!

The second lap is always the worst, the finish seems a very long way off, but it was made so much easier by the pirates on the course competing and supporting.  GB was walking by now unfortunately, funkin was still ahead but getting closer.  The lady with the metronome made me laugh, glad I wasn't behind her.  As I got back to the lake melli's name came over the tannoy on the other side, I couldn't work out why as I knew she was out at the football ground, I didn't realise she had just taken the lead.  Out along the river for the last time, past the 20 mile marker, only 10k to go.  This time I got all the way to the far end of the river section before seeing funkin and I passed him shortly after.  From there to the end of the lake was a nice tailwind, but the only thought left was that the last 2k to the finish would be hard work. 

And so it proved, but the sun being out, loads of support and the finish in sight all helped.  High 5s to the pirates lined along the chute, across the line in 10:26:05 after a 3:18:29 run, making up all the lost time on the bike for a 30 second improvement on last year.  No complaints with that.

Shower & change, some of that excellent food and it was on to supporting.  Some cracking performances going on all evening from pirates and others.  A great weekend, loved every minute.

smashing time dave..... - a worthy second winner of the pirate novice 145.
I wanted to race you and funkin here, but that was not to be...... I'll just have to dream what times I would have got

nice one CD - lightweight guys like you aren't built for headwinds.  on the right course and conditions, you're still a sub-10 shoe in one day...

You'd have been up there OC, as would GB if he hadn't punctured and killed himself hammering the rest of the bike to catch up. 

Maybe one day FB, if conditions are perfect which they rarely are.  I'm not going to go chasing flat courses though, IMW might be next and I'm sold on Embrunman one day.

IM Florida or Challenge Barcelona is waiting for you CD...     GB needs to take stock of what he learnt at Outlaw - he has potential to be very quick given the right focus and training (and no 7 pints the night before race day!).  classic 2nd IM error that many make - over confident of ability and just hammered it too hard.

You'd do well at IMW and Embrun with your lightness - you're built for lumpy courses unless like us larger peeps

Feel I can ask about the pirate avatar thingy now that I have done an Ironman..... .  How do I get one?

You have to write your report first

Here's my race report http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=87245, but you'll have to dirty yourselves with a trip to TriTalk to read it! 

Unmangled link   http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=87245

 I didn't know he was one of those.

My race report, sorry in advance for waffling on .

Swim
Slotting myself into the front of the pack in Pen 3, I still felt very calm.  Why? What was wrong with me?  Did I not care if I finished or did well?  I shoved my lack of emotion to the back of my mind and looked around. 

I enjoyed the pre race buzz, always have.  I loved the encouraged banter between the pen 1 swimmers and us lesser mortals. 

At 6am the horn sounded and off we went  As Barley had promised in his tip, I had a clear run ahead of me.  What no bashing, no fighting? I suddenly felt short changed so moved back into the pack and I got kicked in the nuts for my stupidity.  I pulled back out, satisfied and fell into a rhythm, concentrating on my swimming form. 

I found it all very boring, but in the quietness and solidarity I part solved a few of my current personal issues.  What brought me to this bizarre point in my life, I wondered for the umpteenth time? I must remember to ask the other 1000 weirdo’s in rubber suits alongside me, I answered to myself through bubbles.

I couldn’t believe how relaxed I felt as I came in front of the grandstand and headed up the ramp to T1.  I had left my new Garmin in my car so I hadn’t a clue of my time.  DK told me 1:15’ish, so I was delighted with my actual 1:12, a full 18 minutes quicker than my estimated.

T1 came and went with no drama.  The temptation to get naked in full public view was too powerful, a flawed weakness of mine, and therefore I wasted no energy in resisting.

Bike

I knew I’d miss my Garmin during this phase and that was to prove a founded fear.  I hadn’t the first clue what speed, what heart rate, what effort, what distance I was covering and I had to concentrate on only what was happening in the moment.

Several pirates passed me along the 112 miles, and I actually passed very few.  I remember Siggy, DD, Zuvai, Pingu, Glady’s, Saffers, Hope, Cougie, FF and two who were stood chatting at their mile 80, must have been my 90 something.  I stopped to ask if everything was OK.  It wasn’t, obviously.  I forgot to ask their names and thought one might have been Cake, but perhaps it might have been Spongecake and Capt. Jack.  Apologies guys if I’ve got that all wrong.

I passed Barley on an upflat and after exchanging smiles and words of encouragement, I naively thought I’d not see him again.  He powered past me at 105 miles, cheerfully explaining that he had measured his efforts perfectly.

I’ll mention the bike pirate feed station in my final summary.

The wind was tough on me, Oxon ‘Hill’ was a disappointment, the ‘shortcut’ through the estate at 110 miles was horrible and my nuts took yet another knock on the rubber speed bump.  Although I hate High5, I had trained on ISO High5 gels and then was dismayed to discover I couldn’t find any on the course. I had to rely on water/nuun tabs/soreen/rice krispie bars and fruit pastelles.  That was my own stupid fault, and I regretted that I hadn’t trained with the High5 2:1 mix, leaving the gels out completely.
 
I handed my bike to (must have been Petal?) and thanked her many times, perhaps more out of desperation than politeness.

Time was 6:39 against an expected 7:15.

T2 - Met Cat5.  Dunked one handed into his vasaline tub, several times!  Familiarity comes with friendship mate!  He rushed off to change his shorts and I thought, ‘GO VT’d’, assuming that my sneaky gain in thirty seconds would stand me in good stead over the next 26.2 miles.  I think he passed me before the exit from T2!

Run

I thought I had cooked the bike and how right I was.   I ran the first lap of the lake, but something was up.  My legs felt OK, but my lazy, poorly considered nutrition strategy had fallen apart.  I knew I still had the strength in my legs to run it, but I couldn’t take anything at the feed stations bar water and the odd bite of orange.  Crisps, Jaffa Cakes, Gels, Coke, Bananas, all went unloved by me.   I tried to push on and wanted to, but I knew I risked a flame out so I settled early for any finish.

My overly sweaty tri-ponce visor was passed to Lee after lap 1.  Thanks Lee.  The support at the stadium was unbelievable and carried me for a few miles every lap.  

I also needed Cake’s never-ending encouragement on the outward trail section, and the pirate bunch at the entry back onto the lake.

I hoped I smiled and encouraged at as many pirates who did the same for me.  I remember so many faces and eventually put a name to most of them.  Marvellous people all of you with particular mentions to Mr Zuvai, Cat, Ferret, Saffers, NV, Viking, Meldy, Nicko, Jaffa, BBP.  So many, and I remember eye contacting with all of you and getting the same in return.
 
Eventually, after suffering that horrible (to me) out and back trail for the third time, I gained my forth band and headed for home.  I stopped shuffling to chat to Nicko.  That chat was to last all the way to the finish chute. 

Suddenly, I was transformed into one of the Brownlees.  I swooped, rolled and (swam?) along the chute.  The cheering, laughing, silliness and pirate masses was something that will stay with me for a long time.  I soaked up the hugs and handshakes.  No-one flinched from my sweaty advances as I gathered in the smiley faces and kissed nearly every one.  Sorry folks!

Run time 5:29 against a target of anything sub 5:00.  No point crying over that, but it’s something I’ll work at.

Total Time 13:42 against a secretly hoped for sub 14.

Thanks Piratey peeps, sorry about the duff link. I think I managed to take the whole website down with it too. Oops. 

Summary

The pirate feed station on the bike course was something to witness.  It was easily more motivating than I expected.  The excitement, shouting, cheering, mexican wave, natural smiley faces and general pirateness extended much further than just the pirates. 

Everyone on the course felt the unbiased treatment, and that is why I’ll stay a pirate now.  Genuine, lovely people, all giving up valuable time and paying to work the ship.  And it rocks folks, truely. 

It runs deeper than merely tribal or dressing in a uniform of yellow and black lycra.  To me, it appears to be a healthy mixture of very similar minded people, no-one dominating or stepping on toes.  It might not always be like that, I don’t know, but for this weekend it was. 

I sat, drank, dined, chatted and laughed in amongst people that I have never met before, and I felt completely at ease and at home.