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 Iron Mike |
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| Posted: 03/09/11 15:21:38 38 |
| Is the phrase "it's not a knitting club" still going around? You'll all be absolutely fine - the hills aren't impossible, they are just a bit of a nasty sting at the end of the loop. I've not trained much at all this year, or last and myself and the lady got round the 180k in about 8 hours with a few cake and toilet stops along the way. Just don't get too carried away at the start as it's quite rolling for the first couple of hours and you'll be fine. |
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| Iron Mike |
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| Posted: 03/09/11 11:52:35 35 |
Hi all,
It's been a long time since I posted here, pretty much because I haven't been doing any racing/serious training for the last two years due to one thing and another. Anyway, I'll be travelling to Tenby next week to watch the girlfriend take on the Ironman and will be good to catch up with some old faces. I'm trying to get a Didi the devil outfit to go and camp out on the 16% climb with round the back end of the second loop - probably got my old pirate tri suit somewhere about too. Hmmm, nice mix...
We went and trained on the course a few weeks back. Didn't do the swim as the other half is a very solid swimmer, but did the bike and one loop of the run. I would say that as long as you don't get carried away on the first loop of the bike, then you will be fine. The pain is definitely round the second loop, which you have to do twice of course. The climb to Narbeth is a decent one, but the killer is the two lumps just before either starting the second loop round, or heading to T2. The first 16% climb is a pretty standard affair, but the second one which is a 12% I think is tougher. It goes on and on and on and on...The run, well it's pretty much 3 miles uphill and then 3 miles downhil with a short sharp 20 metre or so climb at the end. Not sure it's going to be the most interesting route going up and down the big A road all afternoon, but hey ho.
Anyway, I'll be shouting for you all - planning to ride one of each loop (120km) on the Saturday if any supporters are interested in joining me before getting well and truely pissed on Sunday. It'll be my first time watching an Ironman, and just as I have struggled past hoards of drunk supporters in previous years wishing I had a cold beer in my hand right now, I feel it's only right to pay some of that back 
Good luck all, and see some of you in a week. | |
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| Iron Mike |
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| Posted: 27/07/09 18:52:45 45 |
Thought I would pop in and see who is about for this at the weekend. Been a long long time since I posted I know, but looking forward to seeing a few old faces at the start line. Still got my pirate tri suit in the cupboard, but will be wearing the serpentine kit this weekend. Still see the yellow and black at numerous events, ahhh good old days...
All the best to everyone racing this weekend aboard the pirate ship of fools. First time or not, you are going to have an awesome race. This is living! I am planning to have a splash in the resevoir, though not sure when as driving up Friday and won't be there in time for the one that day.
May the wind be at our backs - Go pirates! | |
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| Iron Mike |
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| Posted: 10/09/08 09:36:53 53 |
| Nah you can bike up box hill from the turn to the cafe in 6 mins dead. To be honest, its not the running up boxhill thats the problem, its the running down the other side. Quads et al get a real pounding. By the time you hit the final climb up it, you're nearly at the finish, so you just soldier on. Great race. Reminds me, I need to send my entry off. | |
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| Iron Mike |
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| Posted: 02/09/08 19:17:53 53 |
Didn't know there were any pirates heading out to this one, so cool to suddenly see loads of you everywhere! Just goes to show, you are never far from a bright yellow piece of lycra, wherever you are racing! Race for me was a bit of a training exercise. Not been able to push hard since IM Germany, and so just kinda got round. The swim was savage. It was long and the waves beat you up most of the way around. To put things in perspective, I did a 54 for the IM Germany swim, and was 1h17 in Almere. Ouch. Out onto the bike I wasn't far off the front of the pack for the first lap, but then the wind and rather flat uninspiring scenery got to me. Power went down and I was getting whizzed past by lots of bjorgs, jurgens and other such german names with enormous thighs. Think I ended up getting around in about 3h30 or so-I'm not overly sure as I haven't seen my results yet. Out onto the run and felt pretty good for the first 20km or so till the wheels came off. First 10k in 47, second in about 51 or so, but I haven't done any long distance training sessions since the start of the summer and was reduced to the IM shuffle with about 8k to go. Came home somwhere around 7h45 and headed out on the course to shout the others on. Basically a good long training day and the start of my build to IM Lanza next May. In terms of the race itself, I don't think it was bad per se, but there are certainly some aspects that annoyed me. Why for instance were there no maps of how to get to the various buildings for the briefings, the pasta party etc etc. We got so lost! The swim is definitely a bone of contention. I would have been annoyed if the run had been 25% longer than advertised, so the poorer swimmers must have been highly unamused. Massive respect to those who did the IM distance. I would have died of boredom I think going round again. Strong headwinds, straight roads, nothing but fields for scenery. I won't be rushing back... | |
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