The Wales sportive 7^th June 2011 – Tenby.

This weekend was an opportunity for the Ironman Wales organizers ‘Activity Wales’ and for the competitors to have a bit of a run through for September 11^th 2011. You could enter either the full distance in the swim, bike and run, which in all cases bar the run, are as near to the IM courses, or half distance, even a 40miler on the bike. Friday evening was the Ironman swim, Saturday IM bike, and Sunday IM marathon. We were leaving a bit too late on the Friday from work to make it for the swim, and I am pretty glad of this, as from all accounts, it sounded like absolute carnage. Of 600 starters only 160 people completed the full 2 laps – the water temperature was below BTA recommendations for the distance for starters, couple that with the horrendous rip that was sweeping through the bay at the particular time the swim was happening. Most people were overshooting the 2^nd marker and having to struggle back against the current to the start – there were plenty of exhausted and very cold swimmers.

We arrived at our chosen campsite in Shrinkle bay, Manorbier, and set up our tent, had some dinner and a bit of a bike fettling session, then went to bed. We woke at 5am on Saturday morning to fuel up on pre-race porridge and set off for Tenby for a 7am start. The race HQ was in a car park at the bottom of the town, not far from race day transition. There were so many fully pimped bikes around, plenty of time to admire the stunning steeds creaking under their rather overweight banker-type riders! Sadly, I have to say, they may have been overweight, but not a single one was behind me at the finish!!

Mass start at 7am saw a mad rush out onto the road. I waved goodbye to James’ rear as he pedaled off with the faster guys and settled into riding. The first section out from Tenby along the road to Manorbier, on to Pembroke, then left along the coast to Freshwater West – the furthest beach on the peninsular. There were no real killer climbs yet, and the course was pretty fast flowing, from gauging by other people’s bike computers I certainly seemed to be bashing out a fast time. The course dropped down to the beach, through the sand dunes, where we had been warned about sand on the roads – and back up a short sharp climb to cross some military land. Back up round the lanes on some fast roads and back into Pembroke. There was a section at the top where you passed the other riders coming the opposite way – a bit of a tennis racket type loop. I was hoping to see James, though it would depress me that he was so far ahead – but true to form, we passed and managed a high five just before the roads split off.

This first section had been brilliant – I had been riding along chatting with other riders, mostly the topic was the swim and IM itself – most riders were not going to be competing and showed much respect that I was doing so for charity. I had been riding along in a pretty fast bunch and we were keeping a really good pace, but then I lost them on a short climb, I had forgotten to eat and drink regularly, oops! This was later to become my undoing. I arrived back into Pembroke and was quite upset that there was not a feed station there as expected – it was another 3 or 4miles further on. I was quite relieved to get to this point in such a good time, 35miles in 2.5hrs, much faster than I usually ride, I was pretty pleased with this and after some quick calculating in my head, worked out that if I carried on like this I would make it in under 8hrs, stonking! I had some jelly beans, a mars bar and topped up with energy drink, jumped over the fence into a field for a quick wee and stung my bum on some stingers, then jumped back on the bike and headed out in front of a huge bunch of cyclists.

I was feeling pretty confident about the ride so far and then Wham! I hit the second stage. To say that this was hard is an understatement. I had thought that my Devon and Cornwall training would be to my benefit, but I was so wrong. This loop was very hilly, nothing too steep, but no real flowing downhills to get any momentum and rhythm. I got more and more despondent as more cyclists passed me by. They were all very encouraging, but my earlier forgetfulness to eat and drink was biting me hard on the arse! The only pleasing thing was the one or two people who passed, then had to retire due to snapped spokes or buckled wheels. There is no denying, this certainly was a beautiful ride, but I just had to concentrate on getting to the next feed station at 70miles. I knew that there were still some people behind me, but the numbers were becoming fewer and fewer, I just had to keep pedaling. As we came into Narberth I was with a group of slightly rotund cyclists, who were struggling a little and I passed them going uphill with ease. I had noticed a bit of an ache in my left shoulder and my back was starting to seize up, so I stopped for a little stretch, and the rotund cyclists passed me by and off they went into the distance. This was becoming a regular thing!

Finally we began a long descent into Wisemans Bridge – a stunning little beach with a big pub and a 16% climb out of the valley on the other side. I was riding along thinking how appealing the sea looked, it was now nearing midday and my shoulders were beginning to feel a bit warm. At this point I turned to the chap cycling along with me and commented on how I’d rather stop for a quick swim, he’d been following me down the hill for a bit and now we were riding together. There was a marshal at the end of the beach to warn us about the 16% climb, and at that point I decided that this might be a walker. We started up the hill and got to a point where my legs were in agony and to my surprise, my new companion got off and walked too!

Perhaps in hindsight we gave up too easily, the climb really was no worse than anything I have done before and do regularly, but after about 65miles seemed insanely steep. At the top there was another hill down into Saundersfoot, followed by another climb, which didn’t seem anywhere near as bad. By now the 70 mile riders were passing us, but I wasn’t too fussed, as I knew we were nearing Tenby and the opportunity to stop, and maybe not continue. I thought about it long and hard as we approached Tenby and were asked by a race marshall if we were 70 milers or 112 milers, you would either be directed to the finish or to the start of lap 2. I actually pulled up and stopped and thought about it for a few seconds while I could see my new riding companion disappear off down the street, turning every few seconds to check if I was following. “Sod it” I thought, there wouldn’t be another opportunity to ride the actual course before race day and now I had someone to ride with that seemed to want to just get through it, so I followed. Besides, I figured that James would be finishing soon, so I would be able to call him and get him to drive out to pick me up, all manner of quick get out scenarios were playing out in my head, I was even begging for a snapped spoke or buckled wheel so I could bow out gracefully!

We got to drink station number 2, where there was no longer any energy drink or gels, only melted mars bars and water, grrrreat! I asked a kindly volunteer to reapply suntan lotion to my back and jumped back on my bike.

Off Rich and I headed out of Tenby, back out on the same road we had started on 5 hours before, and it still seemed to be a nice flowing road, not quite as easy as at 7am, but smooth all the same. We got to the turn for the feed station and slowly pedaled to the top of the hill. The feed station by now had nothing but a congealed mess that looked like lava, hot melted jelly babies, and some melted chocolate. I sent a quick text to my sister to try to get some re-assurance that I was doing the right thing and called James to leave a rather distressed message, I was aching like I had never felt before. Rich offered me some ibuprofen, which I gratefully took, but I think it was possibly too late to have much effect. We decided not to hang about, as the back few riders came in for a stop, so on we went, back into the rolling descents with sharp bends and traffic and the uncomfortable grinding climbs. Somehow after a few quick stops to refuel and a few walking hills, we made it back to Wisemans beach.

A few miles prior to this we had seen some chap looking half dead at the side of the road and stopped to check he was okay, we even warned the next marshall of his condition. To our surprise, the guy got back on his bike and whooped us, in his dazed condition he nearly got knocked off his bike by a car in Saundersfoot, then with the ensuing red mist, took off, we didn’t see him again either!!

I am ashamed now to say that for the second time we pushed our bikes up out of Wisemans beach, eventually we climbed out of Saundersfoot and back over the hill, down the dual carriageway into Tenby and back to the finish, where James was waiting for me with a recovery shake. The finish line was packed up and there were only a handful of weary looking supporters hanging about for the last few.

After finishing we popped along to say hi to the lovely RNLI people and to tell them all about my fundraising progress etc, it was lovely to collapse into the giant beanbag and chill out watching Tenby pass by.

In all, Rich and I completed the ride in 9 ½ hours, my predicted time on my current ride speed was 10hrs, so I was pleasantly surprised, though also knackered. Rich will be competing in IM Wales alongside me, and it will be his first IM also, I have a feeling we may well be crossing the line together!!

The Sunday saw the marathon, but this was not to be the IM route, so I wasn’t too fussed about missing this. We did manage to catch some of it, and unfortunately Rich was the last chap home. At least I know that if I am last, that there’ll be someone of similar pace keeping me going, or maybe he’s now working on his times to get faster!

I know what I need to work on, and I now know to not go all out in the swim, as the ride is a pretty brutal one. I also know that I have to work really hard to get a decent swim time in without pushing too hard, so practicing swimming against strong currents is key.