Bike leg = 56 miles in 4:31.23 (654th finisher)
I'd read in one of the numerous blogs/articles/websites that i'd been devouring since early 2014 that you shouldn't eat anything for at least 20-30mins after the swim leg to give your stomach a chance to recover from the swim. So i waited for a few miles before i fished my peanut butter and marmite brown roll out of my cycling jersey pocket. Unfortunately i was still coughing up sea and there was a moment when i did think i was going to throw up so mabes the pb&m roll wasn't the best nutritional idea... I managed a couple of mouthfuls and then the half eaten roll got stuffed back in my back pocket :)
Luckily i had a snack box full of energy bars, gummy bears and pretzels along with about 6 gels "masking taped" to my cross bar. I had two 750ml water bottles and 56miles to ride. So i basically rode and ate and show tunes sang my way a round the beautiful Challenge Weymouth bike course. I had plenty to eat, i took extra water at the 3 feed stations plus half a banana at each one and used the facilities at the 1st and last feed station. Honestly, the cycle was lovely. Loads of spectators and because the full IM were doing two laps and i was doing one it meant that i was cycling with lots of other athletes. And OMG, the Dorset countryside is gorgeous and the route was super. We had road management marshals who were stopping the traffic for us and traffic bollards blocking off lanes so we could just swing out onto main roads and round roundabouts without having to worry about cars etc... Great fun.
There was a horrid crash about 2 hours into my ride, the air ambulance took a couple of competitors to hospital. Was really awful. i did cry abit. They're okay but it was quite a serious crash, all of the competitors were really shaken up and the woman was in hospital for weeks :(
The rest of the ride was uneventful. The weather was warm and dry but i was still glad i had my jersey on. I really don't like being cold. Because the ride back into Weymouth was the same route as the Olymnpic distance tri we did in July i knew that i was on the home stretch about 5miles out. One last big hill and then it was pretty much coasting back down into Weymouth - all rolling hills and sea views. Quite quite wonderful. Needless to say i was saying thank you to anyone in a yellow vest and hi to anyone who even looked slightly in my direction. What was especially lovely as i cycled along the main road back to transition was seeing the runners up on the sea wall to my left and hearing my name yelled out by tri buddy Tamsyn who was now well into the run leg. How fab.
Unlike all of my other triathlons and duathlons i didn't have to re-rack my bike as once i'd dismounted a lovely volunteer took my bike from me! I didn't have to do anything except trot off to the change marquee via collecting my blue cycle to run bag.
T2 was 8:49 so alot quicker than T2 but then i wasn't having to run from the sea shore or get out of a wetsuit...
I decided to change my socks (couldn't decide if i had a grain of sand in my cycling socks so decided not to risk it). Changed into running shorts and trainers, plus wore my cap (thank goodness as it did get very sunny) and slapped on loads more vasoline.
I felt great. I was literally one huge smile. I was on the run leg and had my race strategy totally planned out. There were now 9 feed/drink stations between me and the finish line. I basically now had nine 2.5km runs from one picnic to another. There was no way i was going to 1. Bonk, 2. Not finish. And because i was basically doing 2.5 loops of the town centre it meant that i was going to see all the competitors still out on the course and loads of spectators who were all shouting out "come of Liz" "you can do it Liz" "go Liz" (our name was on our race number). This of course meant i was yelling back thanks, and waving, and encouraging my fellow athletes, and having little chats with people - especially through the feed stations. I was relaxed, running smoothly, feeling fabulous. I was taking on plenty of fluids, had a plethora of snacks to choose from - crisps, pretzel, flapjacks, jelly babies, orange segments, pieces of banana plus water and flat coke plus sponges that i wrung out over my head or used to rinse my hands off. This really was the most civilised half marathon ever.
And then i started to see chums - both running and spectating. Loads of hi fives and well dones and stopping for hugs and quick catch ups or a slow jog past so i could chat and wave but still be moving. Every single person that i past was cheering and clapping. I suppose i could have been a bit quicker but i had to say thankyou and of course do much whooping :)
Quite a few friends had been worried about me. And i suppose that's fair enough. I was after-all doing a half ironman!!! But those that saw me knew i'd be fine. I could talk, i wasn't struggling, my shoulders were relaxed, my stance was fine. Yes it was tough and by the end it hurt less to run than walk and i did have to stop a couple of times to stretch my legs and fiddle with my shoe laces but overall i felt great.
And i loved that last lap, when i was able to say - LAST LAP and do more whooping.
And then i loved, even more, to be able to say i wont see you again - and then do even more whooping. Such a party atmosphere.
The last 500m or so was awesome. And my time was remarkable. I'd hoped to break 10 hours, but here i was about to go under 9 hours - and comfortably so.
My arms went up in the air as soon as i got on the red carpet and then when i was finally able to run down the centre aisle to the finish line... every fibre of Lizzie Lou Carter was screaming I'VE DONE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As i crossed the finish line the announcer said my name and i got my medal placed around my neck.
I'd done it :)
I was now a half ironman.
Friends came over to wave and take pics and just share in my moment. It was really special.
Run leg = a half marathon in 2:44.26 (638th finisher).
Overall time = 8:39.36
659th finisher
144th woman to finish
11th in my category (female 45-49)
I was then eating pasta in the athletes recovery area, i did some stretches and changed into my dry/clean street clothes from the green transition bag and put on my finishers t-shirt. A few more snacks (fruit and chocolate cake) and then it was time to go find the gang :)
Would i do it again???
ABSOLUTELY!
I LOVE the half ironman distance. I won't though be doing the full ironman until 2016 at the very earliest (and my dream would be IM Wisconsin).
www.everyclick.com/halfanironman
Fundraising for Breakout Youth - A Hampshire wide youth group for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) young people.
NB - Breakout started in Southampton in 1993 and yours truly was a founder member :)
I love Breakout x
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