Iron man race report.
Woke up at 1am and nearly cried when I heard the rain on my tent. Luckily I managed to get back to sleep and woke up at 3.45, to start my day. Breakfast was fun – porridge and scrambled eggs that wouldn't quite scramble (thanks to cousin katie for her skills in reminding how to scramble eggs!). Got JJ up, and gave him all the heavy stuff and we commenced our walk across the muddy fields to the race area. It was quite eerie – lines of people walking along the same path with head lamps made me feel like I was going into the depths of a coal mine somewhere. The silence and "zoned" state of people was really obvious. Got into transition to do the bike checking etc. Went OK except when they said there was 15 mins until we went down to the lake and then I panicked as I hadn't said my "a bientot's" to JJ. I sprinted out of transition half dressed in my wettie and luckily spotted the Fisherman (JJ's attempt at blending in with the English) for kisses and cuddles goodbye.
Back in transition with a race delay (15 mins) and I couldn't spot ANYONE I knew – started to feel a bit alone at that point so randomly talked to people as we headed down to the lake.
Once in the water (brrrr!) and after a compulsory pee, I actually spotted Caro and Lucy at the start line so had someone to do the last "eeek what the hell am I doing here" with…
The swim: 1:11:38
I decided in a fit of madness to start in the middle of the pack. Not sure why I did this and about 2 mins into it I wondered if it was the right decision. I remember a guy saying "this is total chaos" as we tried to move forward. I got kicked, hit, punched, pushed and somehow managed to stay calm the entire time! I did get a leak in my goggles from someone's fist (cheers!) but managed to sort that out and eventually find some relatively clear space to carry on. The swim was pretty uneventful (bar the turn points – bun fights again!), a few bits of biffo here and there (people whose stroke comes out "sideways" rather than out the front) and I did get quite aggressive myself (apologies to the person whom I shoved out of my way with my legs; but there was no need to be pushing my legs down at that point J ) but really had a good swim. I was a bit worried at one point that I was supped to do 3 laps, and was totally amazed to exit the water in under 72 minutes! I spotted my support crew – JJ, Lisa, Kev, and Katie in the swim exit and managed to pose for a piccie too!
Transition was fun. Wet bum+ bike shorts = 6.26 minutes !
The bike: 6:48:07
The bike started off really good; think in hindsight I did push it too quickly to start with (and this was with me trying hard to hold it back). I kept the focus on my heart rate trying to get it down under 175 bpm, and keep cadance up in the 80's. The first half of the bike was pretty good. I felt good, was eating and drinking regularly, and spinning up hills as much as possible.
The massive decent was tough mentally after nearly being taken out by some fast dude the first time down, and then passing an accident on the 2nd lap, but I survived and maxed out at 63 km/h so not really TOO wussy I guess.
My supporters kept me focussed on where they would spring from next although most of the time it was a case of me spotting them !
Had a stop (had to tighten my aero bars and ended up helping some dude with a inner tube and patch – his 3rd puncture on the first lap!) on my first lap where I lost a few minutes and a toilet break (blast having to find open gateways!). The wind really started picking up, felt like a cross wind on the descents and a head wind on the hills, but luckily we only had one rain shower as it was cold enough with the wind.
By the half-lap to go mark on the bike my back was killing me (never happened in training) so I stopped for a decent toilet break/stretch and downed a pain killer. I felt like I flew up the final hills to the end, passing a few people for a slower than expected time (I was aiming for 6.30 ish) on the bike.
Transition: Change of shorts, smear of vaseline : another 6.41 minutes J
The run: 4:10:39
The run was always going to be my big unknown. The most I had run in training was a hilly 2.5 hours, and a few ½ marathons in other races. My strategy was to run the first 21k (aside from walking the aid stations) and then after that do what ever it took to get me home.
The first few miles weren't as bad as I was expecting. Everything hurt, but nothing too bad. I just got into my shuffle mode and jogged ! The weather was a bit warmer than on the bike, but still really over cast and windy…
I think the hardest thing about that first half of the run was running past Kev, Lisa and JJ who were at the tent (the campsite was on the run course) drinking BEER!
Headed out on to the dual carriage way for the final 21k's. This bit was mentally draining with a head wind and hills that just dragged on. By this stage I decided to walk the aid stations and the up hills and then run the flats/down hills. Got chatting to lots of people on the walk sections to keep me motivated (as you do! "so what lap are you on" "is this your first ironman") which was good. Also by this point the toilet was calling (luckily I packed my own tissues!) so a fenced was jumped over and nature was left a calling card ;-)
I was eating bananas, gatorade, and 1 gel per hour (eww! I must have lost my own gels really early on so had to have the ones supplied at the race!). On the last leg of the race I switched to pepsi and water, and kept that going until the end (with my final gel about 6 miles to go)…
So the final leg! I looked at my clock and saw that I was 11.05 into the race! I was at this stage realising I could make my 12.30 dream if I legged it on my walking sections. So walking became power walking with one dude even commented on my "walking speed" and when I ran past him with 2 k's to go it was the "zee girl who walks really fast"…so that strategy really paid off. The final 5 miles I just put my head down and ran. I think I passed about 10 people with 2 miles to go and literally just chugged my way, one leg in front of the other.
I thanked everyone I could at this point, and at one stage almost started crying when someone told me there was a mile to go! Holding back the tears I ran into the castle gates for the last time to be told I could beat the dude in front of me (which I did!) and I literally just ran. My breathing was haggard with the effort, and as I came around into the finishing shute I just couldn't stop smiling! I raised my arms in "hellos" when I heard my name being announced and had the BEST feeling in the world as I ran onto the red carpet and under the finishing sign! I, Emma Bermingham, was an ironman in 12h 23 mins and 31 seconds!
Over the line with some guy holding me up I started feeling a bit wobbly! I looked around for JJ, Lis and Kev (katie had to go home before I finished). I was still smiling like a mad woman and when I saw JJ I started crying – poor boy!
I don't think I went through any stage of the race where I felt I couldn't do it (aside from the 2 mins at the start in the swim!)…I was pretty calm before the race and I think the week before hand was more stressful than the actual day. I think though I was just ready. I was lucky in that I didn't have any mechanical issues (so many punctures out there!) and my body held up better than what I thought it was going to. While I wasn't the fastest person out there I think my pace was great and perfect for me.
So my thank-yous!
- My coach Mark Tickner – I think you made a sows ear into a silk purse !
- Sandy C, Root and Nic for all those inspiring emails!
- Training crew: Melton Olympic Cycling Group (esp Bill & Tina, Dicky, Mike), the Stilton Striders and the Masters swim group, David TD, Emily and Matt
- Caro – well done on your Kona Qualification!
- And finally and most importantly Jean-Jacques, Katie, Lisa and Kevvy who were the best supporters! Without your help, faith and encouragement I would not have undertaken the event in the first place.
And now ?
mmm beer!
