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Outlaw Triathlon 2017
I know not strictly bike racing but as a good few of you know I took part in the Outlaw long distance (2.4 mile swim, 112mi bike, marathon) triathlon this week. Make a brew, this is a long'un
Up the the faintly ridiculous 3:30am on race day for a big bowl of porridge with honey and peanut butter, 20 minute drive to the race venue; the lovely National Watersports Center in Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham. Bike racked the previous day (now soaked from all the rain JMac was experiencing at the Nat.24) is all sorted with the fuel load. A trip to the portaloo, Wetsuit on and in the water at 5:50am.
Swim: Get nice and acclimatized to the water, it isn't that cold but wet-suits compulsory, i haven't done much open water swimming this year so had middling hopes. The horn goes and we are off. I find a bit of space which is a pleasant surprise given the fact that 1499 other people are fighting for the same bit of lake. The route is simple, 1.9k straight down the rowing lake, 50m across, then 1.9k back. I make it my mission to always be on good feet and sit in and relax. An early mouthful of lake water didnt go down fantastically, but i stay relaxed and burp it out. Get to the second turn in 30:58 which gives me a huge boost, we are on for today. Sit on for the trip back. Ironically a song called Drown is playing in my head. Out the water in 58:53, a huge boost, avg of 1:31/100m
Bike: Here we go, my specialty. I have my nutrition absolutely dialled (12 gels in a BTA bottle and 2 energy bars, plus water refills from the aid stations) and a power target (around 200w normalised) and I'm sticking to it come hell or high water. The first few miles fly by on quick roads with a tailwind. Breeze past the first aid station as I need nothing. Already getting frustrated by the level of drafting of certain people around me but relax and focus on my race (the worst got a 10 minute penalty!) The miles tick by, I refill my water on the fly at the second aid station (looking so pro) and carry on churning, power is bang on. The route is a figure of 8 with 2 laps of 1 loop and 1 of the other. Onto the second and the miles are sinking in, Hamstring starts to really twinge at 70ish miles on a fast section, a stretch doesnt help..dont panic just get some electrolytes in, the next aid station i do exactly that and it eases off...tidy, stay positive, focus, count the pedal strokes, waste no energy. The final part is the hilliest and the average drops off a touch but we are in sight of home, only the final couple of miles to go on an awful private road. Garmin decides its had enough of my mammoth energy output and flies off as I go over a cattle grid. Balls. I stop and get it, losing probably only 20 seconds
5:17:43, 21.2mph 189w avg, 198w normalised
Run I once read in an Ironman, you bike for show, and run for dough. So lets see what we can do, I take my time in T2 to get some vaseline on my feet and my socks and shoes on right. This is a literal marathon not a sprint. Off out onto the lake and the first 2 miles are spent swearing at myself to slow down. I settle in finally. Loose plan is a gel every half hour ish, coke, water and sponge at every aid station (sponge for cooling not eating) and keep the heart rate steady. The route is a lap of the lake, a long out and back section into Nottingham, then more laps of the lake which is repeated twice. I zone out completely and the miles tick by, everytime i see one of my 4 best friends also racing, i get a big boost, despite maintaining a terminator like stare behind my faintly ridiculous Oakley's. I get back to the lake for the final 10k and its getting really hard now, but I'm not slowing. I hear shouts all the way around from friends and strangers. The support is frankly unbelievable, and very humbling. The sign says 1k to go. I might actually make it around in under 10:10, miles ahead of even my best predicitions (10:30 would be a dream) 500m to go, then i can see the finish. 10:09:xx, time to hustle man, into the finish barriers and the commentator recognises my name and kit, I had made sure he got Team Aero-Win (University of East Anglia Tri Alumni) mentioned and i cross the line with a marathon time of 3:40:35, 8:25/mile average,
giving 10:09:50 total.
Jesus wept. Massage. Beer. Food. Bed
If you are thinking of doing a long distance race. Do this one. And if you've made it this far, thank you for sticking with me
Up the the faintly ridiculous 3:30am on race day for a big bowl of porridge with honey and peanut butter, 20 minute drive to the race venue; the lovely National Watersports Center in Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham. Bike racked the previous day (now soaked from all the rain JMac was experiencing at the Nat.24) is all sorted with the fuel load. A trip to the portaloo, Wetsuit on and in the water at 5:50am.
Swim: Get nice and acclimatized to the water, it isn't that cold but wet-suits compulsory, i haven't done much open water swimming this year so had middling hopes. The horn goes and we are off. I find a bit of space which is a pleasant surprise given the fact that 1499 other people are fighting for the same bit of lake. The route is simple, 1.9k straight down the rowing lake, 50m across, then 1.9k back. I make it my mission to always be on good feet and sit in and relax. An early mouthful of lake water didnt go down fantastically, but i stay relaxed and burp it out. Get to the second turn in 30:58 which gives me a huge boost, we are on for today. Sit on for the trip back. Ironically a song called Drown is playing in my head. Out the water in 58:53, a huge boost, avg of 1:31/100m
Bike: Here we go, my specialty. I have my nutrition absolutely dialled (12 gels in a BTA bottle and 2 energy bars, plus water refills from the aid stations) and a power target (around 200w normalised) and I'm sticking to it come hell or high water. The first few miles fly by on quick roads with a tailwind. Breeze past the first aid station as I need nothing. Already getting frustrated by the level of drafting of certain people around me but relax and focus on my race (the worst got a 10 minute penalty!) The miles tick by, I refill my water on the fly at the second aid station (looking so pro) and carry on churning, power is bang on. The route is a figure of 8 with 2 laps of 1 loop and 1 of the other. Onto the second and the miles are sinking in, Hamstring starts to really twinge at 70ish miles on a fast section, a stretch doesnt help..dont panic just get some electrolytes in, the next aid station i do exactly that and it eases off...tidy, stay positive, focus, count the pedal strokes, waste no energy. The final part is the hilliest and the average drops off a touch but we are in sight of home, only the final couple of miles to go on an awful private road. Garmin decides its had enough of my mammoth energy output and flies off as I go over a cattle grid. Balls. I stop and get it, losing probably only 20 seconds
5:17:43, 21.2mph 189w avg, 198w normalised
Run I once read in an Ironman, you bike for show, and run for dough. So lets see what we can do, I take my time in T2 to get some vaseline on my feet and my socks and shoes on right. This is a literal marathon not a sprint. Off out onto the lake and the first 2 miles are spent swearing at myself to slow down. I settle in finally. Loose plan is a gel every half hour ish, coke, water and sponge at every aid station (sponge for cooling not eating) and keep the heart rate steady. The route is a lap of the lake, a long out and back section into Nottingham, then more laps of the lake which is repeated twice. I zone out completely and the miles tick by, everytime i see one of my 4 best friends also racing, i get a big boost, despite maintaining a terminator like stare behind my faintly ridiculous Oakley's. I get back to the lake for the final 10k and its getting really hard now, but I'm not slowing. I hear shouts all the way around from friends and strangers. The support is frankly unbelievable, and very humbling. The sign says 1k to go. I might actually make it around in under 10:10, miles ahead of even my best predicitions (10:30 would be a dream) 500m to go, then i can see the finish. 10:09:xx, time to hustle man, into the finish barriers and the commentator recognises my name and kit, I had made sure he got Team Aero-Win (University of East Anglia Tri Alumni) mentioned and i cross the line with a marathon time of 3:40:35, 8:25/mile average,
giving 10:09:50 total.
Jesus wept. Massage. Beer. Food. Bed
If you are thinking of doing a long distance race. Do this one. And if you've made it this far, thank you for sticking with me
Comments
I feel bad for us making you work to get on to the back of the Chain Gang tonight after you turned around to join us!
55th of 1018 finishers (including relays who don't really count) with 49 dnfs and 5 DQs is an awesome result:
Outlaw 2017 results
See you at the club 10 later
I still think a 300w bike leg and 8hr marathon is a better combination!