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Fantastic results from our new Ironmen/women.

Swim Bike Run Total
Jon Glyde 1:10:02 6:23:42 3:41:37 11:32:42
Ant Duthoit 1:28:00 6:56:38 4:45:22 13:25:26
Abi Hebbard 1:08:48 7:35:05 4:33:18 13:37:10
Bryan Avery 1:02:39 8:33:51 5:33:45 15:34:15

So now it's just where to put the tatoo's.
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How was it? Firstly it was an immense privilege to race with a great team
from MAD-TRI. They were awesome. I’m now a double Ironman and it feels
just as cool as the first time.

I’ll leave the others to give you the individual stories but my take on
them..

Jon: Strong, disciplined race. Bravely attempted and narrowly failed to be
sub 24 hours for the complete Ironman experience. Bryan has the video…

Abi: Strong again, demonstrated that Ironman racing is all about coping
with adversity. I think she may have got her sister to run one lap.

Bryan: Rock solid was never going to get beaten. Perfectly paced race.

My swim was pants, not much wrong with the physical side of it, that was
going quite well but the navigation was atrocious and had to stop for a
little puke when I got a bit sea sick, so I need a bit more mental
discipline.

Bike was a lovely, tough, hilly scenic course. I had to pull myself back a
little because I was enjoying it so much. Spotted a lovely place for lunch
(on Monday!). Met Bryan halfway up the hill and had a good old discussion,
fixed some American guy called Todd’s tyre a bit further up and had a
quick chat with Abi on the way down whilst she was catching up on some
sightseeing. Never saw Jon for dust.

Run was terrific, tons of people out shouting your name and I was lucky to
have my girlfriend Sarah and her son urging me on. Ran all the way apart
from the aid stations. Abi went past me at a pretty good 10k pace, which
was probably her sister. Saw Bryan a lot or rather he saw me as I was
pretty focused. Later I burnt Abi with my searing demonstration of pace.
Seriously, really very pleased with the run

Nutrition was spot on, powered round the bike on flapjacks, Clif Bars and
bananas with lots of fluids. On the run used my secret weapon of flat coke
with Dioralyte mixed in for salt and hardly got any stomach problems.

Fabulous event, very well organised and made all the better by being with
a great bunch of people. Thanks to Jon, Bryan and Abi for persuading into
doing this, just a great four days.

Ant
PS I reckon Abba got Glastonbury tickets….

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It sounds like the Marlborough Tri was a great success, well done all those that took part, sounds like the weather wasn't too good.

The Ironman at Nice was excellent, I'm so proud of my MAD tri team members, the course was tough, but we all exceeded our expectations.
It was a brilliant event, well organised, crowd support was excellent and the logistics of the feed stations, marshalling and general organisation was 100%.

The course was tough, first 200m of swim was a total brawl, but after that just kept looking out for gaps and swimming towards them to find clear water. I did have a chuck up half way around the second lap, but when I looked back there were what seemed like 400 people swimming towards me so decided it wasn't the time to be having a 'big girl's blouse' moment and swam off before getting stampeded to death.

The bike was a tough course the longest 20k climb took me over an hour, the feed station every 20k were excellent, easily managed to take three bottles, two gels and a banana at each without stopping, the helpers manning the feed stations really new what they were doing.
The best bit for me was the sweeping fast downhills, saw my life flash before my eyes a couple of times, but the feeling of exhilaration was amazing.

The run was very very hot, I started with a strategy of running a 3:30 marathon and feeding every other feed station, but after the first 5k realised that would be unachievable in the heat. Slowed the pace and used every feed station to take a sip of water, energy drink, coke and a gel and was more than happy with my 3:41 marathon.

And the best bit, now being an Ironman, complete with tattoo and sharing the event and jubilation with Abi, Bryan and Ant who were totally amazing team members and I'm so proud of them all.

Jon

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Why do an Ironman?

This is the biggest question posed to anyone who wants to attempt an Ironman, all I would say if you have the determination, will power, commitment and time, then go for it, it is the most rewarding of events you will ever do. I set out on the quest of completing an Ironman before I was 40 and it started in about February 2006, why? Well I had trained hard for the Olympic distance, and found I needed to prove to myself that I was able to take my body to its limits and beyond. It seemed to be a natural progression to increase the distance each year. So with sights on my first Ironman for 2007 I began training.

My training plan was to work on the cycling and running, more so on the running as I knew that this would be the hardest to completed, and I wanted to make the whole experience an enjoyable one, if that was at all possible? I joined the Berkshire Firefighters trip to Roth Ironman in Germany to experience the way that Triathlon events should be run, not only from an organization point of view but from the support from the spectators and other fellow competitors. Wow what an event, with over 2,500 people taking part it was awesome, it make the English events look so poor in comparison. I followed fellow team mates Dave Geddes and Alan around the course, and joined Dave in the last 7K of the run. All he could tell me was don’t do it Bryan it hurts and it is blinking hard.

I completed in my first middle distance event in September 2006, Vitruvian Half, I made the big mistake of treating it like an Olympic distance, and it blew me out on the run. This really set me up for more running training for the winter months.

Over the winter period I was up early most morning running, only short distances, but I just need to get used to running and keep going. I was hard work getting up in the dark training then going off to work, it did not get any easier and the times I wondered why I was doing it. I did however know that I had to do the training by myself as an Ironman is only about you and you only.

Cycling was very hard as not very much light and the cold winter days forced me to training in the gym, where I received great support from the staff, providing me with work outs and diet requirements, and how much my diet has changed in the last year, more healthy, yes, lost weight no, more energy yes which was the main requirement for training.

People always ask how much training you have to do and they go in to silly figures 20 hour / 30 hours a week, oh and I’ve got time to do that. I planned on training when I could and listening to my body (when not to go out) and not listen to my head, which kept saying why, why, why?

Christmas passed and time to increase my training so I stepped up my swimming and running, just needed to go swimming once a week as I was not intending to work on this as I would not help me, as I found the swim the easiest of the three disinclines, my running was picking up and I felt good, as I could run the gym which was just over 10 miles away, so once I week I would have a long run to the Gym, as the weeks went past I was finding I found it easier to run and could do more gym work and sessions. My fitness was increasing, which made my training increase too.

I decided to enter a middle distance at the start of the 2007 season, Hayle, my strategy was to complete the course with lots left in me, read the Hayle report for more details.

I was ready and set my sights on the Nice Ironman.

One month to go, and knowing that only one week of training left before I started to tapper, last hour long swim in the lake, last long run, and a cycle run. Now for the hard bit the tapper, I did not know how hard this would be, slowing down taking things easier, it was so hard to slow down the training, not only was not training hard but why does everyone around you seem to have a cold or hay fever? The last thing I want now is to get a bug after all this training. I can not fully appreciate an elite about to enter his race of his life.

Not only do you have to train in the three disciplines, but there is the eating correctly and preparing yourself for the early morning start, which I was finding easier as time went on, as the lighter morning meant long morning training sessions.

The weekend had arrived, an easyJet flight to Nice, small hotel. On the Thursday afternoon Abi had offered to drive Jon and I around the cycle course, and I’m so glad I did, it took us about 4 hours in the car and how the car struggled getting up those hills, and it was hot too. One thing we found funny was the number of triathletes cycling around the course, were they mad?

Saturday, time to check out the bike, check out the run course and go for a swim, a mini version of the big day, we all meet on the beach at 7am, why, I don’t know, Abi I think was getting nervous lol As soon as I got in to the water my right shoulder started to hurt, felt like a trapped nerve, I could not shake it, it was sore, I got very nervous about my shoulder and wondered if it would still be around for the race morning. The bike worked fine and although the run was hot it felt good. So many other competitors doing the same thing, it made you feel proud to be apart of the event.

Carbo loading, was the nature of eating out, pasta, pasta pasta for me, and pizza, pizza, pizza for Jon, stuffed with so much food it was hard to fit anything else in. Bags packed for the transition and bike all setup ready for the race, time to check in, check in was easy, as they checked your bike, making sure it had bungs in the end of the handle bars, not saying anyone who had not got any……. Racked my bike hand over the bags for transition and off for some more food, more pasta for me.

Early night, 9pm to bed, as we were up at 4am to feast, Jon and I arranged to text each other to make sure we were up and getting ready. More food, and off we trundled to the start, checked our bikes, pumped up our tires, Abi managed to catch her knee on the track pump and started pouring blood in the bike area, was this a sign of things to come?

One the Beach for the mass start, 1,500 competitors all starting at 6:30 in the morning, the number of people watching was amazing, a helicopter filming us, about 50 boats in the water and a stretch of about 100m with all the competitors, and off we went. My first mistake, not getting off fast enough and getting caught up with all the swimmers who appeared to be going the wrong way, or was it me? I could not tell which was the right or wrong way as there were so many people in the water. Every time I found a clear space I swam for it, only to find when I got there everyone else decide it was a good place to go. It took a good 800m before I got clear water and could relax in to my stroke. Getting out of the water half way was fun, loads of people cheering you on, so around the post and back in to the water. This is quite hard and worth practicing. Second lap was easier and I slowed down and started to enjoy the swim. Got to about ¾ of the way around and the feeling of salt in the back of the mouth and up my noise was starting to get to me. Swam in to my first flip flop, then another and another. Finally got out of the water just over the hour, very pleased.

I wanted to walk to transition, but so many people were running, and with so many spectators watch I just had to pick up in to a jog. First transition took my time, got help from the helpers who packed all my wetsuit, but forgot my towel and goggles, then short jog to the bike. I was now all setup for the long cycle ride.

Jackie was a helper for the day, helping people cross the road, I found her and stopped for a kiss, and then off I set. The next set of lights I watched as a girl wobbled and can off her bike landing on her back at full speed, owww. This made the rest of my bike run more careful of what I was doing and how I was going about it. Like most triathlons, I felt the surge of cyclist cycle past me at a speed much to fast for me to keep up, and the draft marshals writing down so many competitors who were drafting, but not meaning to, just because of the number of cyclists on the road.

After about 20k you hit the first hill, 15% for about 500m, so many people struggling to get up the hill, me being one of them, I almost got off an walked, but I pride go the better of me, and I made it to the top. After this initial climb the hill continues up for a further 10k, nice a steady.

All around the course, every 20K was a feeding station, and at every station I exchanged two empty bottles for power aid, I could not believe how much I was drinking.

After 30k you get a nice down hill, great fun as the roads had very few traffic and the road was winding down the mountain side, the only problem was at the bottom of this hill was the start of the large 20k hill, which was quite steep, it was blinking hard and long, and took me a total of 2 hour to reach the top, I had to take 3 pit stops due to complete tiredness. I was so, so happy to reach the top, as they had also placed the special needs section at the top, and very pleasant surprise. The top was flat for a further 10k, but 5k in to it I got cramp in my right leg. I wanted to climb off my bike, but the cramp stopped me, and oww it was sore. 5 minutes and a lot of stretching it had cleared. From this point in the cycle course it was mainly downhill and oh how nice that was, hit the halve way point, 90k, doing 60km/h what a lovely feeling.

Next nasty was a 5k hill about 120k in to the route, what a killer and it seemed to go on for ever, all that kept me going was knowing that when I reached the top it would be mainly down hill for 50k to the finish of the bike.

After 130K I knew I needed to eat more, I already gone through 30 SIS jell packs, and continued to eat my flap jacks which I was getting quite feed up with, my body was saying no more food and my head was saying eat more, I have a marathon to run soon. It was mind over body, which was very hard to do.

The last 20k of the cycle course was windy so a slog to the end of the route, then I reached the end of the run course, which the cycle route goes past, all I could do was watch how hard the people where running and the pain they were going through, knowing I would be joining them soon. I wanted to get off the bike, but the same time I knew that when I did I would have to start the run.

I reached the second transition and took my time, they took my bike from me and I walked to the tent to get changed. Sitting down was lovely, I applied loads of sun screen, but I was only to find out later from Jon that he had a girl apply his sun cream. On with running kit and off we go. The support from the crowd was out of this world, within seconds of starting to run, I head load of people calling my name (my name was on my number bib) what a feeling.

It was four laps of just over 10k each lap, I set of at a slow run pace, hoping I would continue to run the complete course, after about 7k I started to walk as it was, not so much getting harder, just my head was saying slow down, but my body felt fine. So this time the body was saying yes and my head was saying no. My head won again. My 5k times dropped to about 40 minutes, which I kept up for the rest of the run. I passed Jon, Ant and Abi, great to see them running and still on the course. I could not eat any more, I started by drinking power aid, which did not go down too well, I tried more jell bars, which I was sick of, and in the end after about 15k I tried coke, oh wow, what a kick, it was like a rocket up my backside, my run pace shot off and I felt so good, but this only lasted for about 2k then I had to walk again. I reached the next aid station and more coke, and it happened again, off my legs went. They weren’t my legs, I mush have pinched them from someone else. I reached 25k; I was now at the point of my furthest ever run. I needed more coke so I started to drink two cups at each aid station. I was worried about getting a stitch with so much liquid, but it never happened. The other thought going through my mind was I was not taking in any salt as I feared of getting cramp.

The run was long, very long. I asked Jackie if she would like to join me on the last 10k, she accepted. I realized at this point that I had only an hour and half to finish as the cut of time was 16 hours. I drank loads of coke, can’t remember how much, but I must have go up to 12km/h, it was a great feeling, and Jackie had trouble in keeping up with me, whoosh I was flying. I got to the turn point and I had 6k to go so I slowed down, the next 4k was so hard and so long. Upon reaching 2k to go, the street was full of people, all shouting my name, wow what a feeling, my legs picked up and I could see the finish line, more and more people lined the streets shout me on, what a buzz, you just can’t describe how it feels. I reached the final tunnel 100m and the finish line. Everyone wanted to touch and give me high fives, I played airplanes as I went down the tunnel from side to side, catch sight of Jon on the side lines, which was great to see. Up the final ramp and crossed the line, so many photo and flashes going off. I can now understand what the feeling is like to cross the finishing line of an Ironman, every bone, every muscle, every point of your skin can be felt buzzing and alive.

I crossed the line in 15 hour and 34 minutes, not a great time, but I finished and that is all I wanted to do, was to become an Ironman and know I could complete the course.

Afterwards Jon and I went for soemthing to eat, it was 12:30 at night and I knew I had to eat, but my body was saying no, but I had some pasta to build up my engery levels once again.

High points

• Crossing the finish line
• Jackies support, both leading up to and when I finished.
• Jackie crossing the finish line with me
• Having my name called out when you are in the zone
• Reaching the top of the 20k mountian, at a height of 1800 meters
• Seeing that the course was so well supported and layed out, every junction had someone maning it.
• Being in my wetsuit at the start of the swim
• Finishing my swim and hearing the crowds
• Sunbathing for two days after the event
• The support from everyone on route
• Being marked for ever as an Ironman finisher
• knowing that all our team members had finished

Lows

• Going up hill for 20k
• wondering what to listen to head or body
• Losing my duck from my goggles during transition

So not many low points, a great race and I would recommend it to anyone, it’s a must to do once in your life, if you have the time and you have the determination then give it ago, the rewards are enormous.

<<<Bryan Avery>>>>