2013 was going to be the year when I would do my IRONMAN; I would be 55 and hopefully fit.
Last Christmas I decided that the was probably too far away and that training commitments and work would clash, so I decided 2011 would be the year, Robbie volunteered to do it with me and Alan said he would give it a go even though he wouldn’t be 21.
In Pic Robbie, Andrew and Alan
Joey my wife was not keen but for Valentine’s Day bought me the book “IRONMAN Start to Finish“ by Paul Huddle and Roch Frey. I have followed this fairly strictly only substituting bike sessions in the Wolds for the turbo sessions in the book. Who in Lincolnshire wants to be stuck inside on a turbo?
On Thursday we set off by train from Barnetby to Manchester Airport and then flew to Munich (with the help of NIRVANA) and minibus to Regensburg. A lovely Old Bavarian town on theDanube.
Two days of sunshine to acclimatize register and explore the bike and run courses.
Then on Sunday 2,500 pre-Ironmen stood on a beach, GO! …We are off. I have never done a beach start before and never again! Breaststroke for the first 200m and then finally into some form of swimming stroke. Out of the water in 1:12 better than expected (thanks to William for the reservoir no Ancholme bugs for me).
Onto the bike in the rain, up into the hills for a while and then down onto the plain still with the wind and rain. One lap over, 50miles, 18.5 average, then round again in much the same weather. Second lap, 100miles done and still averaging 18.3, finally on to the last 12mile spur to Regensburg.
Short queue for the loo in transition and then off on the run, glad that I had read the book and done a long 21 mile training run as by lap three it was getting hard work despite the support from the crowds and the Nirvana crew. When I had collected all my four coloured armbands and only had ¾ of a lap to go, could I break the 4hrs for my first marathon? Legs tight but rest of body holding up well I was finally down the finishing shute and over the line for a 3:56 marathon and 11:20 Ironman.
Robbie was there to greet me having been back to the hotel and showered!!!
10:12.
Then a call home to find out where Alan was as Joey was tracking him on the Internet back home. We cheered him across the line in 12:13.
Now back home the pain has gone and as they say “The glory will last for ever!”
by Andrew Whitaker