Ironman U.K. 2007

Report by Jim Buck

It’s four in the morning, pouring with rain, I’ve had no sleep and it’s blowing a whooly, the campsite and transition look like Glastonbury and the task ahead is daunting; it’s the morning of Ironman U.K.

I leave Nina and the girls in their sleeping bags and squelch my way to transition. We all get numbered up and do the normal things - toilet queuing etc and make our way to the start. I keep over to one side on the swim and get into a nice relaxed pace and before I know it turn one then two and the last lap to the finish of one third of Ironman. But probably in reality one thirteenth in distance for me!

I take my time in transition, no tri-suit for me bib shorts cycling top and rain jacket for the lovely summer weather just 112 miles to go! The first thing that hits me on the bike is the wind, whatever direction you are cycling in it’s into the wind with the odd rain squall. 

It’s so draining, the course is hilly and my back begins to seize up and then my right knee starts giving me gip (I’m sure Pete its something to do with bumping into that trailer when we were rowing).

Brian Rhodes and the TV crews come flying past miles ahead of the chase pack  - awesome!  I’m pretty worried now, will I even finish the bike leg let alone do the marathon I keep stopping to stretch about every hour and it seems to get better for a while each time.  I keep going and take the last lap as easy as I can in preparation for the run.

Not sure if I can even walk as I come in off the bike, I take things easy again, collect my run kit and shoes and decide to leave my trisuit and get on with it as soon as possible, but doing my laces up yes, (I decided for laces and a brand new pair of noosa tris out of the box) doing my laces up was a bit like trying to lick my elbow but I manage and head off for two laps around the very hilly grounds of the castle. My aim was not to stop and try and put in 10 minute miles. I begin to pass the walking wounded already walking and it’s only the first mile! Poor sods I don’t feel that bad I keep telling myself you’ll get in to run mode after about 6 miles!

The laps around the castle are like cross country in places and very draining then it’s out onto the A30 I didn’t really take much notice of the course there will always be someone to follow! A decision I would regret later!  Shock horror, before you get to the A30 a railway bridge oh my God I pull myself up and down the other side but it does nothing for my knee.  The A30 loop is long and hilly and you can see the road snake up and down the valley and hills with a slow procession of athletes along its length.  I see Darell Harrison coming up the other way and we exchange Ironman expletives.  I get to the turnaround point and think I m heading for home then overhear two guys talking about the second of the 6 mile laps and they confirm, ”yes mate another lap of this” my world falls apart I cant believe it but I should have looked at the course!  I dig deep again with some Anglo Saxon phrases and press on, do the lap and reach 22miles.  I catch up with Darrell, speak to him but push on.  At this point something kicked in, not sure what - pride, adrenaline, my nuun tablet I’d been sucking and I let rip, forgot the knee and the back and think I’m nearly home.  I was running flat out something between 5 and 10K pace back over the railway bridge through the town and back towards the castle. As I neared the finishing channel the crowd were cheering and commentator was shouting come on you’ve twenty seconds to break 13 hours I sprinted and crossed the line 12 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds to a big cheer and Ironman glory (unfortunately the official time has given me 13 .00.01) but it will always be just under 13 hours to me,  not that it really matters now that I achieved my goal which was initially just to finish an Ironman.

Name	Swim	Bike	Run	Position
Jim Buck	1.15	7.22	4.03	708
Darrell Harrison	1.17	7.07	4.31	757

 

Full results can be found on the IronmanUK website.