18 juin 2006
RACE REPORT- IRONMAN FRANCE-NICE 2006
The race organisation.
Firstly for all of you considering Nice as part of your triathlon plans next
year I though you might like some feedback on the race organisation as I think
there was certainly some gaps in last year's program which needed to be
addressed and for the most part it was.
Positive improvements
There were more feed stations on the cycle course and also there were feed
stations located in the transition areas which I don't recall from last year. Also
there was much more ice available (perhaps because I was nearer the front that
the back of the course this time, but that was still a great help. Also the
organisation of the personal bags was much improved.
The bike course was excellent, a large presence of referees on motorbikes
following the athletes and also a greatly improved road security team. The bike
course had much more information, the distance was noted every 10K instead of
every 20K and also the distances to the summits of the main climbs was painted
on the roads which is a great psychological help. The different course
management teams Security, feed station and referees all had different uniforms.
The bike course distances were off about 2-5 kilometres on each marker from my
own counter through the course but at the end there was only 1K difference.
They occasionally ran out of ice at the feed stations and did not share the ice
between all the drinks. e.g. the Coke was always cold, but the water was
usually warm.
And now... my own story. Split
We had breakfast at 4:30 am at the hotel. This time I managed to eat more than
last year when the nerves before my first triathlon took my appetite away
completely. We then made our way to the start. Last year I arrived on my own
before 5am and was the first person on site, it was dark and the only people I
met on the way were those headed home after long Friday night out. This time we
arrived at a more suitable time but had to line up for quite a while to enter
the bike area. By the time we got through, got the body markings on and made
the final adjustments it was already less than 30 minutes to the start. The
lines for the toilets were already very long and in the end I decided that I
would have to wait until the swim to relieve myself.
The Swim.
I gave a final "Good Luck" to JF and then we are off. This time I was
a bit more ambitions and I put myself in the sub 1h10 zone and headed off into
the washing machine. Last year I was happy to stay at the back and well out of
trouble. After 1 minute I realised that again I had forgotten to start my watch
so I had to pause briefly to get that done. The difference between my watch and
the race clock was actually turned out to be 1minute 10 seconds, but of course
I didn’t know that at the time. So my first point of reference in how fast I
was going iwas the apex of the first loop (950 meters). Last year I was
pleasantly surprised when I got there in 19:30 and this time I am shocked as I
checked my watch and the time was 12 minutes. IMPOSSIBLE! I realised about the
minute difference at the start and assumed that it must have been more. But
exiting the water after the first loop the race clock was at 28 minutes. Again
this confirms the difference between my watch and the race clock but there is
no way that I can swim 1.9Km in 28 minutes. I smiled to myself as I thought of
anyone checking my splits on Ironman live. Heh Heh. So I started the second
loop and I'm was so encouraged by the time that I started to relax and not push
myself too hard. About 1/4 of the way through the second loop I thought to
myself how great things are going, how I was enjoying the swim and how much
I've improved. I was really feeling on top of the world.
AAAIEIIIEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
What is that? My forehead and nose explode with a sharp pain. There is no
swimmer in front of me. JELLY FISH!!!! Shit!!. I didn't miss a stroke swimming
and the pain is manageable, but I'm more concerned with the longer term effects
or possible allergic reaction to one of these stings. I've never been stung by
a jelly fish before and I remember a 10:30 athlete from last year who got stung
in the water and was reduced to walking the marathon with me and finishing in
15:52. However as we go on the pain dies away and it appears that everything
will be alright. We approach the end of the swim and are help out of the water
by the marshals. The girl in front of me immediately asked for a Doctor because
she too had been bitten. I learn later that JF got bitten 3 times on the hands
and feet and Gilles Reboul got stung badly enough to cause dizziness, chills
and diarrhoea. I guess we were lucky for the race because a day later the whole
coast was infested with jelly fish and swimming was quite impossible.
The first time I see when I get out is 1h04mins. Ok I slowed down a little on
the second lap, and I immediately realise that this was not a full 3.8K, but
I'm happy anyway. I feel great, better than last year and head off to the
transition. This time I have no dizziness on exiting the water and I can run
all the way through transition. I swallow 2 Gels and 750ml of Powerbar drink and
head for the bike. The only negative from the shortened course however is that
is reduced the lead I could build up over JF.
T1: 8m09 (2005:10minutes)
The bike
I start on the bike course, get my feet in the shoes and start of at a lively
35Kmh with a high cadence and it feels like no effort at all. Immediately I am
thankful that my gears and everything are working which was a big problem last
year and cost me 30 minutes. The first 20K is fine and I get the average speed
up to over 32Kmh. Then we get to the "Wall"; a 500 meter stretch of
road which climbs 50 meters. 10% average, but it starts at 5% and must go up to
15/16% and the end. Everyone is on 39/25, out of their seats and trying
desperately to keep the bike going forward for the last 100 metres. The bikes
act like wild horses, constantly trying to lead their riders off to the side. I
almost cut one poor guy off as mine veers to the left as the incline steepens
yet again. Once this is negotiated we head on an easy "climb" of 1.5%
average over the next 20K. There is a 2K stretch which reaches 4-5% but apart
from that I manage to keep the speed about 31Kmh. We have now climbed 400m and
I'm surprised that I've kept the average speed so high. Then we have 10k
descent down to 200 metres altitude which feels great. And now the fun starts!!!
The next 21Km climb a total of 800 meters. A world of pain awaits
for the next hour. The good part is that there is only 10Km which gets above 5%
which is the point at which my speed really drops. Km55-58 and 63-69. For some
reason the Km55-58 seems much harder for me. I start to lose a lot of places
but I don't worry too much. All I need to do is get to the top without killing
myself. After Km58 it flattens out and the speed picks up again. I’m happy to
have got this far and I start wondering where JF is. He shouldn’t have cut into
the lead much, if at all, for the first 50K but after he has the advantage on
me. A Kuota Kalibur, 18Kg less bodyweight and 10 years is a lot to give up on a
21Km climb. We hit the second part of the climb and at the 60Km mark, just as
I’m thinking that I could make it to the top without being caught he suddenly
appears along side me. We hang together for a few minutes and pass the feed
station together. He says he got 1hr8 on the swim which confirms all my
suspicions about the course length. (JF has ended up resorting to breast stoke
in both his triathlons to date which will give you some idea about the changes
of him swimming sub 1h10). I know that trying to follow JF at this point will
cause more harm than good so I let him disappear into the distance and carry on
doing what I can. The temperature is getting higher and I've been taking plenty
of Powerbar drink and a gel every 20 minutes. However reaching the summit at
70K and getting the personal bag I suddenly feel terrible. I pull over on the
side of the road and my stomach explodes. I throw up 2 loads of drink. I start
up again and whilst riding I'm throw up again twice. However as usual, I feel
better immediately afterwards. I still wonder to this day if it was the poison
from that jelly fish. By now I've let my average speed drop to 23Kmh and
according to my calculations I needed it to be at 24 minimum at this point. I'm
about 12 minutes behind where I wanted to be on the bike, but the swim time
means I'm more or less on schedule for my 12 hour goal.
The Run
ourse in front of me, knowing that it should be so easy to run that distance
in the time available. But I just can't. The realisation that I'm going to miss
13 hours is hard to take and I'm down to walking again. A few times I build
myself up and say its still possible, but each time I try to run that the
required pace, the legs just won't let me. I'm down to 2K and 9 minutes left.
Something I'd run easily during a training session after a 1hour bike, but it's
not in me today. I jog the last 1K and then suddenly I realise what I have
done. I've taken 3 hours off my time from last year, improved in every part of
the race and I'm about to finish my second Ironman. Suddenly I'm elated and
start punching the air as I'm running. I get to the final 500m where the crowds
are awaiting. The cheering gets to me and I raise my arms in the air and
increase the pace just a little. ARRRRHHHHH. My left leg goes completely stiff
followed but the right leg. Cramps in the calves and thighs. I stretch a
little, restart and carry on, turning the corner into the final 50 meters
feeling the exhilaration as I cross the line. 13:07 was the final time compared
to
The very moment I cross the line and stop the cramp hits me again and I fall
over completely. I just need a few seconds to stretch and let it go away but
the medics are all over me and have me in a wheelchair before I can protest. I
grab my medal and they take me to the tent. I see JF’s parents as they wheel me
past and let them know I'm OK.
After lying down in the tent for a few minutes I tell them it was just cramps
and I'm fine. I go out to find JF to congratulate him but I can’t find him but
the legs are starting to seize up again really baldy. I leave my stuff with
JF's mum and head towards the massage tent. My legs, feet and back in constant
spasms. After the massage I head back to get changed and get the finisher’s
certificate and T-Shirt but have to sit down as I'm feeling very dizzy. JF's
mum starts slapping my face and calls the medics again and the take me to the
medical tent where the lay me down right next to JF who has been on an IV for
30 minutes. Whatever they put in that IV must be good because he seems fine,
but they don't give me any. After lying down for 10 minutes and making some
calls I get back up and grab some soup to eat, start collecting my things and
head back for the hotel. Actually it’s now about 90 minutes since the end of
the race so I suppose all that took a little longer than I made it appear.
I get back to my room at 22:00. Where on earth did the last 2 1/2 hours go? It
was 19:30, when we finished the race! I lie down. The others are going out to
eat but I really just want to lie down. I watch the second half of
Portugal/Holland and at 23h00 JF calls. Actually it makes sense to eat something
now so I head on out and join them for some pasta and that makes a great end to
another incredible day. The Ironman experience is everything that they say it
is, even the second time. Roll on Sherborne.
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