The most recent was The Lakesman which took place in Cumbria on 19th June, I had sworn off doing anymore after the Bastion last year and only just making the cutoff time for the finish.
I jokingly tweeted that if I hadn't promised my wife that I wouldn't do anymore that I would be there, this tweet made it's way back to Amanda and she conspired with my parents to get me an entry for my birthday, so actually it is Jennie, Amanda and my parents fault not mine!
Anyway having entered I tried to train for it but suffered several issues with running, so wasn't as fit as I hoped.
I drove up to Cumbria on Friday and found the studio that I had booked for the weekend and let Andy King know that I had arrived. Shortly after Nicky came to pick me up and we went to register to avoid having to do that on the Saturday. Having registered we met up with Dave and Jennie who had left Sussex about half an hour after me but had a much longer journey, I think I just missed the worst of the traffic.
Saturday was quite a relaxed day spent watching the rugby in the morning and having lunch before travelling back to Keswick to rack the bikes and for Jennie to get her instructions for her marshalling duties for Sunday.
When all was set we returned to Andy and Nicky's where Andy had prepared a wonderful pasta meal before heading off for an early night.
Now things started to go a bit wrong, as soon as I got into bed I must have moved awkwardly and something went in my neck, I spent the whole night trying to get comfortable to get some sleep, eventually getting a couple of hours propped on the sofa. I was convinced that I would not be able to start with my neck feeling the way it did.
Dave and Jennie picked me up about 4.15 to head to Keswick in order to get the last minute checks done in time for a start at 6.00am. I took a couple of paracetamol, spotted by the ITU referee who commented on me taking drugs!
My neck was not feeling too bad so I decided to give it a go, the swim started well but there just seemed to be buoy after buoy that were never ending! after what seemed like an eternity the finish pontoon came into site and Andy King was there to pull us out of the water. The finish of the swim was a little awkward with it being quite shallow leading to the pontoon but having been dragged out I then ran (well walked quickly) up to transition.
Having changed into my bike gear and taking a quick comfort break I was out on the road, the first few miles were quite difficult to get going, I always struggle after the swim to get my legs going on the bike. After about 30 miles I started to get into a rhythm and my average speed was higher than I had hoped. Getting onto the circuit at the top of the course with the wind behind us the speed was good, I was suffering with my neck though and it meant that I found riding on my tribars painful so they were just extra weight on the bike this time around!
As we turned at the top of the circuit we hit the headwind and some hills so the speed dropped dramatically until we turned back onto lap 2 when we again had the helpful wind. Getting back to the end of the circuit having again battled against the wind we had about 30 miles to go, it was quite obvious that the last 30 miles were not going to be easy, into wind and several hills!
Arriving back into Keswick proved a bit dicy getting back to transition having to make your way through all the cars that were trying to get through the town too with a few roads closed. When I arrived back in transition I struggled to find my bike space as I was looking on the wrong side of the pole, fortunately a friendly volunteer (actually there were nothing but friendly volunteers!) pointed out my space and I was back into the tent to swap to run gear.
On entering the tent more friendly volunteers (see told you they all were) arranged to sort out getting your bag of the hooks and emptied on the floor in front of you to get changed, as soon as I had discarded clothing it was picked up and bagged ready to be hung back up for me.
Leaving the tent to start the run I found that I had left my legs out on the bike course and also as soon as I started to run a stitch kicked in! Fortunately I had remembered the hair bands that Nicky had sorted out for us the night before to keep track of our laps, I just had to remember how to use them!
Jennie was the first marshal post leading onto the run and it was great to see a familiar face cheering me out on to the run course.
At the end of the first lap I think I must have looked a bit rough as Andy King was there asking me if I was alright and then double checking again and again! I had managed to get off the bike and onto the run before the rain started which I was very glad about as I don't mind running in the rain but not too keen on cycling.
On my last lap of the run I caught up with Dave who was accompanied by Jennie who had finished her marshaling duties, I stayed with them for a while before trying to run again, I say run it was more like a shuffle.
At the end of that lap I could turn and run down the red carpet to the finish line, at this point I had no idea of the time and what sort of finish time I was on for, so I was amazed when I came down the carpet to see the clock at 14hrs 20 this meant that I had completed the course in a 30 minute PB for the distance!
Once again Andy was there to cheer us in and guide me to a chair which was much needed! Nicky gave me a cup of tea and then another arrived from somewhere, another friendly volunteer!
Despite Nicky having completed the event too she took me up to the athlete tent and went to get me some food, still she had had about 3 hours to recover before I finished. Having polished off the food I went to find my clothes and get changed to avoid getting too cold, then returned to the tent where yet another friendly volunteer produced sticky toffee pudding with cream!
I had managed to recover enough to make it back to the finish line to welcome Dave across the line.
The Lakesman was a new event this year, it was extremely well organised and a fantastic event to take part in, the Lake was great to swim in, the bike was hilly in parts but nowhere near as hilly as it could be in Cumbria! the run was ok but suffered from having to be changed from the original route due to the aftermath of the flooding that the area has seen recently I believe, mind you by the time I get to the run I don't really notice that much anyway!
If anyone is contemplating doing an iron distance triathlon I can fully recommend the lakesman, entries for next year are being taken at The Lakesman just don't expect to see me on the start line again. To borrow a phrase from a famous knight "If anyone sees me suggest entering another iron distance triathlon please shoot me!" oh wait didn't he go on to do another event, oh well I definitely am retired from iron distance triathlon!
I must thank so many people for all that they have done for me before during and after this event:
Amanda for agreeing to me doing the event in the first place and arranging the entry
Jennie for having grassed me up to Amanda which prompted her to arrange the entry
Mum and Dad for the entry
All the encouragement from people on twitter and facebook
Andy and Nicky for looking after me all weekend
Dave and Jennie for transporting me around
All the organisers and people behind the scenes who made the event happen
All the spectators who cheered us on throughout the day, especially to two ladies on the out and back section of the run who made so much noise, they can't have any voices left today!
My last thanks are reserved for the amazing volunteers and marshals around the course who not only fed an watered us on the course but were so amazingly friendly and cheerful despite being out in horrible weather, giving so much encouragement as well as the nutrition.
Thank you one and all!
