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Monaco IRONMAN 70.3
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Monaco IRONMAN 70.3 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman
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 Swim
Comments: Initial nerves gave way to pure survival as the usual fist fight in a fish farm broke out. Found some clear water and swam into it (as did everyone else), found some more and the pattern repeated itslef endlessly during the race but I held my own around the bouys (something you wouldn't want to say in court) and got out of the water in relatively good order. What would you do differently?: Be more agressive at the start, get to the front before the cannon goes and go like the clappers for the first 100 metres. Not be so bloody british and give way to everyone else.  Transition 1
Comments: Faster faster faster What would you do differently?: Practice practice practice  Bike
Comments: Absolute sodding nightmare. The course was designed by Sisyphus to get his own back. It is divided into three climbs. The first basically starts in Monaco and climbs for about an hour, not overly steep but absolutely relentless. Then you have a hell for leather, balls in your mouth descent trying to keep up as much speed as you can going round endlessly repeated hairpins; hammer the pedals for the hundred yards or so in between the corners and then hard on the brakesm hard on your wrists and through the gears to do the same of the next bit. Get to the bottom of the valley and repeat. Three times. I did get a bit of respite by getting punctures in both tyres after having climbed over the peak and begun my decsent. The going down is fun. Clearly I have a screw loose as I passed all those people who passed me on the climb when descending, only loosing massivley when I punctured. What would you do differently?: Top tip: Do not inflate your tyres with someone elses pump in the cool of dawn before going out onto the hills in the blazing heat. It completely screws your inners up! Train far more on hills, the stepping machines and anything else I can find to replicate the relentless toil of climbing up hills. Transition 2
Comments: I handed my bike to one of the stewards who, let's face it, by the time I got in had more than a little time on his hands (!) and ran to the transition tent, grabbed my bag and sat down to get my shoes off etc. Very Friendly chap came over to see if I was ok as I was just looking at my cycling shoes trying to work out how to take them off! No feeling in my hands nor sense in the head. Eventually got changed and away. Brief spurt of effort got me out of the transition zone and onto the Avenue Princess Grace and off I went. What would you do differently?: Focus and practice. Learn to run without socks and practice the routine of T2  Run
Comments: It all started to go wrong. I had not eaten enough (anything) on the bike and now couldn't manage to put anything in my mouth other than my tongue and frequently that was a struggle. The first two k went past at race pace and thereafter I just fell apart. The hill kept getting bigger on every lap but with each colourful band I got a bit further until I got to that tipping point and I realised that I was going to finish it even if I crawled. I had a bit of a cry then. The finish is at the top of the hill so I tried a sprint finish (lasted about 10 feet) and ended up walking across the line with a huge grin on my face. Bonza. What would you do differently?: Get seriously fitter and not give up. Eat more on the bike and not stop at every aid station for water. Get a bloody move on. Post race
Warm down: Walked back to the start, went up to the appartment and lay on the floor. I seriously didn't think I could get up again. What limited your ability to perform faster: Fitness, resilience, mental strength, agression. Event comments: Absolutely brilliant and I am doing it next year. Lessons to learn: 1. Nutrition is a huge factor to this sort of event. I must take this seriously. 2. Many many more long hilly cycle rides mixed up with shorter faster routes. 3. Get my run speed up and do loads of bricks so I can come of the bike like a scalded cat. 4. Treat it as a race, not as a day out. Pull your bloody finger out and get a move on. 5. There is no way that I can do Nice next year! 6. Practice on the hoof bike maintence. You are on your own. Totally. Last updated: 2006-11-06 12:00 AM
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 2007-09-05 5:12 AM |
Veteran  196   Hong Kong |  Subject: Monaco IRONMAN 70.3 |
| 2007-09-05 7:41 AM in reply to: #952263 |
Expert 747 | Subject: RE: Monaco IRONMAN 70.3 Bloody Good Show, Mate! There are EASIER races to pick, you know. You seem to have a draw to the brutal ones! It is great to hear a man say he gets emotional about these things. I frequently have to have a pre-race cry and a post one, too. And I know what you mean about just making it to the event, seeing all the superpeople flitting about waving their model perfect muscles around and still competing! The thing to remember, is that there are some folks who think the same thing when they see YOU! Perspective. Thanks for your report--but you are way too humble about it! And personally, I believe that you CAN do Nice if you want. You just have to want it bad enough. And it's okay if you wait. You probably won't get a brain tumor in the next year or so  Eventually you'll do it and get another huge honking medal to match your Monaco one!! (you have to get one for each child you know or when you die they'll fight over them!!) Congrats again, Counsellor. I'm proud of you! |
| 2007-09-06 11:03 AM in reply to: #952263 |
Pro 4292 Evanston, | Subject: RE: Monaco IRONMAN 70.3 It appears you just can't avoid being British about it. |
Thanks for a very entertaining race report--and congratulations on a | 2007-09-06 11:32 AM in reply to: #952263 |
Master 2231 Des Moines, Iowa | Subject: RE: Monaco IRONMAN 70.3 Congrats on the race. Sounds like you learned a lot for next time. Good job! |
| 2007-09-06 2:06 PM in reply to: #952263 |
| Member 95 | Subject: RE: Monaco IRONMAN 70.3 Great race - really enjoyed reading your race report! |
| 2007-09-06 2:22 PM in reply to: #952263 |
Pro 3730 NorCal | Subject: RE: Monaco IRONMAN 70.3 |
| 2007-09-08 2:18 PM in reply to: #952263 |
Extreme Veteran 490 London | Subject: RE: Monaco IRONMAN 70.3 Awesome race report! you going to do it again next year? |
| General Discussion-> Race Reports! |
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Monaco
29C / 84F
Sunny
Overall Rank = 639/689
Age Group = 40M
Age Group Rank = 134/136
I flew into Nice on the Friday morning having got up far too early. Went straight to Monaco and fafed around most of the day trying to settle nerves (and failing) before driving over to Port Grimaud to kip the night at Dad's place. Hardly any sleep and up early in the morning to go back to Monaco to register and rack etc. Started feeling a bit more in control although, having got to Monaco I started to run into a few of the other competitors and by God they are all fit little buggers. Most of them look like whippets and have the obligatory thousand yard stare! Lots of Americans and Germans, not many French and hardly any Brits.
Got registered, picked up all my freebies and racked my bike etc. I bagged all my gear in the appropriate bags and went to get something to eat (bowl of pasta obviously) and tried to get an early night. 10pm fast asleep and woke at 5am to the sound of the IronMan village getting into full throttle (oh yes, btw I was staying in a mates appartment on Larvatto Beach).
Got downstairs and found someone to help me pump my tyres up and put bottles on my bike etc.
Stretched a little and got into my wetsuit and went for a bit of a dip. Felt totally intimidated by the sheer physical presence of most of the other athletes. Nearly went back upstairs to the appartment!