U.K. Ironman Triathlon - TriathlonFull Ironman

It is now or never. Six months of hard work, for this.
We start the walk down to the lake. See my dad(great to see him before the start) on the way stop for a quick photo which will follow. last wish of good luck and its to the waters edge. Start to have little melt down about getting into water but throught of dad makes me get in. Then once in i again start to have a melt down and can not swim, correctly. end up wanting to get out, but knowing my dad was there i breast stroked out to the start. Once there started to feel better. But they kept us waiting for a long time and started to get cold.
But then the off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Auto pilot comes on and i am off, the washing machine starts, not too bad until i get to the first white marker and get a couple of good blows to the head, but after that is ok. Get into a good rhythm, and head up the lake, feeling good and with only i minor navigation error all is good. Get to the end of the course and it is more blows but ha-ho, just carry on. Still feeling good on the return leg.
no more problems for the remainder of the swim except on the final 400m where i again lost my way, and a little cramp in right leg, started thinking about the bike.
At waters edge thank god and who ever had got me there in one piece.was looking for 1hr 15-20 so not too bad

go harder stay more relaxed

Out the wetsuit no problem. Got bike bag and just tipped it over the floor. Put on tri top, made sure everything was in my pockets, clean feet, put on socks and shoes, stuff arm warmers in back pocket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(so i could forget where they were)(should have put them on but was not to cold)
Ran to bike, put on helmet and started to exit. Almost forgot to take ring off watch strap and put onto ring finger, as i keep it safe there during the swim. Then is off for a little ride in the english country side.

get out quicker

Felt great to be on the bike, a little cold but good. Had a cereal bar as felt a little hungery.
First little climb was good, even took it in big chain ring. Just tried to keep an even pace going nothing too quick. Up lyons gate was not too bad compared to auckland. Great crowed up there on all three laps many thanks for all who made it up there. For the first 40kms there was nothing to report, just kept watching the world go by.
But just after the long down hill i got a flat tire at the aid station. Throught no problem got my seal and inflate, but my first can didn't work so started to swear and curse a lot. Given great help and kind words from two marshals, managed to get second can to work, and with some co2 all was good. Well after a 15min break that was!!!!!!!!!!
So for the next 140km or so prayed to every god under the sun for no more puntures as could not fix them. I have to say the course was a good test of biking. quite hard with the wind and hills. The streach on the cycle path was interesting. But can not really say much about the bike as all i was doing was praying to every god i know to make sure i made it.
My nutrition for the bike was to have two bottles of hammer gel, with jelly sweats every 20mins. Also had about 1 1/2 gel. this worked well. Did not feeling hungary or short of energy once.
Then on the last circut i remembered what i did with my arm warmes and got them out of my back pocket and put them on, as i was a little cold.
Then after the three laps it was a great feeling to be heading back to the castle. Spead down the hill and into the castle ground taking on my last bit of fluid. Was feeling good and looking forward to getting off the bike and streaching my legsand back. had the biggtest smile on my face.
Was on the look out for the family, but can not remember seeing them, but i have a picture of me waving to someone

keep calmer changing punture use clincer instead of tubs

Into the tent and get my bag. usally rules, tip it all out on the floor.
Decided to keep my tri top on, instead of running vest, empty pockets.
Change my socks, and put on my running shoes and its off for a little trot around the castle grounds and to yeovil and back.


nothing was good for me

Well out of T2 felt great to be off the bike to steach my back and neck. All was going well until 3/4 miles into run when got bad cramp in my left hamstring and quad. Great i thorught. 26 miles of this to come! But after a minute it eased off and i was able to get going again.
My plan was to run for the first hour no matter how hilly it was going to be( had not been on the course before race day!), Also did not have a nutrition plan for the run, but i new i would not be touching gatorade after what happrened in New York marathon.
My plan for the running went ok as i managed to run for the first 9miles with out stopping. then i went into my walk up some of the hills plan which worked great. As for the nutrition plan i settled on water and pepsi at every other aid station. Also had three gels. One after 7 miles and one after 14 miles and one at 20 miles. Also had half a power bar at trunaround at sherborne hotel. Inaddition i had 5 jelly babbies over the last 7 miles. This i found worked great as had no stomach problems.
The first lap around the grounds went well and at the end of it was great to see the kids, wife dad and brother, for the first time. Put a great lump in the throat having them chear me on. A quick hi-5 and it was a great spur on for the next lap. Just wanted to do it as quick as possible so i could see them all again.
Next lap was univentful and on getting back to see kids was great again.
So it was out into town and i was couting down the miles. Bit sad really as all the hard work was coming to an end.
Crossing over the footbridge was ok, but getting on to the A30 was interesting as had driven it several times over the couple of days before so i knew it would be hilly. Also it was wind against heading to yeovil. First lap went ok but on getting back to hotel had a little melt down as could not quite understand why we had to go back to yeovil, but soon worked it out. Also why is it when you need to pee you are not near an aid station. Had to stop and pee three times on the side of the A30 which when i told the kids they found it very funny.
On getting back to the turn around i looked at my watch and throught i could put quite a good marathon togeather here so just tired to keep things going, also the throught that it would be over in around an hour was quite sad.
Then when it came to going back over the footbridge and knowing it was about three miles to the end was great. Started to feel really happy. Back through Sherborne was good too. Then on seeing the castle grounds i started to think i have almost done it 6months of hard work is almost at an end.
Also when i got to the girl directing us into the castle grounds i stopped to walk, which she found strange and said don't stop now you are almost at the end to which i said. its ok i am just making sure i look good for the end. so i proceeded to take off my arm warmers, zip up my top and made sure my number was stright. then started to run again.
What a great feeing running the last few 100s meters. Kept looking out for the family but could not see them. then i heard over the PA system No.458 Lee Cartmell from north shore, Auckland, something about being an anaesthetic technician. then i came around the final corner, and i stopped, and looked for the family and still could not see them. Then i looked at the clock just over 11hrs, could not belive it. So i dashed acroos the line to Lee Cartmell you are an ironman!

try to keep mind active and not playing tricks on me re how long to go

pizza, and hot chocolate


weather and course and puncture


was great