Cliff’s IM Hamburg
HAMBURG IM
I took off from Belfast City, over the airport road, where I had spent the last eight weekends relentlessly riding my TT up and down!
The training was done , it was time to race. I had done my 5 previous 70.3 races with Challenge. This would be my first full distance and first race with ironman.
Velo Yelo transported the 14-year-old Cervelo bike. What a game-changer. No fuss, no mess, no panic attacks trying to put your bike back together again! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Hamburg is a great city with easy airport-to-city links. Hotel check-in was completed on Thursday. I got a good night’s sleep and went off to register on Friday. It was a really simple, straightforward process. The wristband was proudly attached, and I got an IM bag. I just had to earn it now.
Friday felt a bit like a day in limbo, but my nerves were under control. I had a race plan (written down) and the training had gone really well.
Saturday dawned I hit the lake for the practice swim. I really enjoyed this. Got rid of the nerves and I know what I’m getting into tomorrow. Good chance to get a chat with some of the other competitors too. Transition set up, jeez this is a long transition, nearly 1km long!
Set the alarm for 420am. Who am I kidding, I’m not gonna sleep! Sunday 430am porridge, yoghurt, fruit, 2 cereal bars. No idea how I got this down and it stayed down!
Into the 1hr 20 pen. Half of Carrickfergus is in here, small world! Plenty of Greenisland/ Carrick banter! OK, it’s the start time! Hand clapping done, I hit the water at 720am.
2600 people start in 2s, rolling start. It’s a great controlled start, and I’m off swimming in my own space. Big arms swinging wide as a warning to others: Back off! Lol a few kicks and punches round the buoys keep me focused and I only tire in the last 500mtrs under the 4th of 5 bridges! Swim time 1hr 30. On target. Sean from bike shop gets a picture of me almost smiling out of the swim. A collectors i’s item.
Long transition as I did a full change into Down Triathlon Club kit and sat down for a 3 course meal! (more cereal bars and a smoothie) The roads were not smooth at all! Not what I expected. Very windy too. Dropped my carb bottle at 30km. Stopped to retrieve losing that would have been a disaster! (369gm in one bottle. Precision pf300 gel. A game changer for any long distance, also a 15g precision “Turkish delight” as a treat at the top of each hour on the bike: really helped break the bike leg down)). Loo stop at 100km. Didn’t unclip in time, rookie mistake, off I came! Chain dropped, but no other damage. Importantly, no spectators to see my shame. Headwind to finish got stronger on 2nd lap, and I limped home in just over 6 hrs. Bit disappointed with that, 20 mins behind target!
At least I still had fuel in the tank for the run. The atmosphere, 4 laps through the city centre, was unreal. Music pumping, people calling your name, nearly overwhelming! 4 laps gave me a chance to chat and thumbs up to the Invictus lads and the Carrick contingent. I followed the plan as the heart rate rose at the start of the run. 9 minutes run, 1 walk and use every aid station for fluid. I was worried about my heart rate, but the coach just laughed and said don’t worry, you’ll be going so slow at the end. Your heart rate will be of no concern. His harsh assessment of my running ability was spot on, though! 4hr 48 min later, my heart rate was 130 as I came down the red carpet. “ Cliff from Ireland: you are an ironman”
Then the emotion really kicked in!
Overall an amazing experience. The box has been ticked. Anyone considering first full distance be prepared. Do the training, trust the process and believe in your ability as you do the training. The number of times I saw in my head myself crossing the line really helped through the long bike rides, sometimes in hail stones!
Get the family on board, because you will become even more of a self absorbed triathlon bore than normal. But think of their glowing faces full of pride as you talk them through 13 hours and 22 seconds of you life, step by step!
As for ironman themselves, it’s well run and very professional, but challenge group just edge them on overall experience.
Cliff.