Long Course Weekend Wales

When I first started to think about what challenges I could do for my 50^th year in support of the Rockinghorse appeal, Long Course Weekend was one of the first to the list and supposed to be the biggest and longest challenge.

I heard about LCW from Dave and we decided that it would be a good idea to try and get in to it.

When the entries opened I was straight in and submitted my entry, then all I had to do was wait for almost a year for the event to come around, well there was some training involved in that year and a few other challenges.

Normally when I am doing these events it is not possible for Amanda to come with me as they are usually in term time and she works in a school. This time however she managed to get special permission to leave early on the Friday so she could come to Tenby with me.

I picked Amanda up from work at 11 and headed off towards Tenby, Google Maps saying it would be a 4.5 hour drive so we would be there in plenty of time before the 6pm deadline to register.

As we hit the M25 Google informed us that traffic was getting worse and that we would only get to Tenby about 5.30, I was getting a little anxious now, fortunately Google managed to find a quicker route and took us off along the M3. As we hit Wales the M4 was very heavy and I was convinced that we would not make it in time.

Eventually we arrived at Tenby Leisure Centre around 5.30 so half an hour to spare to get registered, then it was off to the beach to find Dave and Jenni, change into wetsuit and dive into the sea!

Having spent some time acclimatising to the water it was into the pen for the briefing before the gun went and we were off on our 2 lap swim. The first turn buoy never seemed to get any closer, in fact I was convinced that all the swimmers moving towards it were pushing it further away! Eventually though I did get to the turn and this was very messy, so many people trying to get around and some virtually climbing over others to do so.

The next section seemed to be so much easier, maybe the tide was helping but as we rounded the last buoy to turn for the beach the sun was glaring in our eyes and even though my goggles were tinted I could not see anything and just had to head for the noise of the PA. Finally I arrived at the beach exited the sea to run round and dive in again for another lap!

Again the first buoy never seemed to get closer, the second section was easier and the final section was blind but on exiting the sea for the second time it was across the line and the first of the medals was earnt.

As we were walking up the road we turned to see the final swimmers coming in towards the beach, the announcer stating that they only had a few minutes before the cut off.

The final swimmer came out of the sea with about 90 seconds to go but fell over and seemed to be on the floor for an age, plenty of people looking after them but all of us willing them to get up to cross the line and get their medal. They managed to find their feet and crossed the line within the time limit to receive their medal!

Saturday was the bike day, I am not sure what I put on my entry form but Dave was in the first wave which started 2 hours before my wave. I was now very concerned that I would not make the cutoff for the end of the first lap as this is set at 2pm rather than a number of hours after you start!

We met up with Jenni at the start to find that when Dave started there was quite a wait to get across the line due to only being let out in small batches, the roads are not closed so having an entire wave start at the same time would have caused chaos. With this in mind I made my way around to the start pen early so that I could get in the front of wave 3 and give myself the best chance of making the cut off.

The ride was a 2 lap course with the first lap having an extra bottom loop on, I was expecting it to be hilly and it didn’t disappoint! I decided that as it was so warm I needed to stop at all the feed stations to top up my water bottles to keep hydrated but also decided not to hang around too long at each, that cutoff always on my mind.

Getting towards the end of the first lap and there are 2 of the biggest hills, getting up them was great but also you knew that they would come around again just before the finish!

I made the cutoff with half an hour to spare, now all I had to do was get to the finish before 6pm.

The second lap was obviously shorter than the first and the feed stations seemed to appear so much quicker than I was expecting!

When the 2 big hills came, my legs were screaming at me “no more” I managed to ride up them both again, although at one point it was looking like I may have to climb off and walk.

Coming down the finish was an amazing feeling and then that was done medal number 2 in the bag.

Sunday is Run day. Unfortunately Dave had hurt his feet on the bike and would not be taking part in the run, the marathon starts at 10am and there is a strict 4pm cutoff for the run to finish.

It was a hot day and I was again worried about that cutoff and if I could run a marathon in under 6 hours after the previous 2 days exertions. My previous marathons this year in hot conditions had not gone well and they were on flat courses not like the hills that we were going to experience in Tenby.

We set off and I found Jon who had been at the Lakesman and was pacing this run at 4h15. I thought this would be massively optimistic but tried to say with him as long as I could. When we hit half way I was still with him and had only taken 2hrs 4 to get there, now I had 4 hours to get back to the finish and was feeling confident about finishing and getting that all important 4^th medal.

I lost touch with Jon as I was waiting to get some extra water on board and could see him in the distance as I started to head for home.

This was by far the hilliest run I have ever completed but the views were spectacular along the course.

As I headed back in to Tenby I was feeling really good my legs had survived, I had walked most of the hills but my time was looking good.

I walked up the last hill towards the finish but as soon as the road flattened out I could run again and on towards the red carpet and the finish line. I saw Dave in the crowd cheering me on, telling me that Amanda was on the side of the carpet to join me on the last few metres down to the line. She came out of nowhere it seemed grabbed my hand and ran down to cross the line. I had made it 4hrs 30 the fastest marathon I have run this year! That made the 3^rd medal.

One of the downsides of having run so fast was that I had longer to wait for the presentation ceremony of the 4^th LCW medal but it was worth the wait, all of us that had completed the 3 events inside the time limits were lined up in our LCW shirts behind the finish line ready to walk back up the carpet and receive the final medal.

Then it was a quick trip back to the cottage for a shower, cup of tea before the long drive home as I had to fly to Berlin for work at 6.30 Monday morning, back to the ground with a bump!

I am so proud to have completed the event and it made it even more special to be able to cross the finish line of the marathon with Amanda who has supported me so much with all my challenges but not been able to be at many of them.

Thanks must go to Dave and Jenni for all their support over the weekend and to Jon for getting me round the first half of the marathon in a time that meant I could finish easily inside the time limit.

Also thanks to all the supporters and marshals at all of the events but especially the spectator who was handing out ice pops on the run!!

If anyone has an spare change my donation page is still available at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndrewFountain1

Next up Ride Across Britain Lands End to John O Groats!