The Beginning
Like all good stories this one began over a pint or two!
Back in Nov22 we were away with work, after a few, Phil as an Ironman starts with his usual chelp, of course I had congratulated him with such an achievement but after an hour of goading I made the mistake of saying "if you can do it it's no problem for me" and apparently shook hands on the deal…
Keeping low for a while nothing was really said until spring 2023 when away with work again.... after a pint or two the deal struck comes up again, this time Greg a work colleague joins in the conversation saying he fancies doing something like that, it's at this point we all agree that if Greg and I enter so will Phil... again having little recollection of this Greg confirms we did the next day... oh shit! Later in 2023 Greg enters...
Suffering with a potential hernia and dodgy knee I go see the doctor, I was unsure how the body would hold up and if I could commit to the training. By Autumn 2023 I've made a full recovery from a double hernia, one ticked off.
The knee wasn't as pretty with the MRI showing deteriorationin many areas, not worth an operation but was told you won't do any harm playing football or running, then he says you are 45 though Lee, maybe slow down on the football and consider lower impact sports such as swimming, cycling and running... surely this is a stitch up...
The Training
I gave the commitment to training much thought, I’m fit from football but this was different, how could I manage it? But in November 2023 I take myself down to Riddings pool next to the school I use to attend, not set foot in the pool for 30 years, in fact aside from holidays I've not really swam since playing pirates as an early teenager...with no goggles and my beach shorts I go see what I can do... managed about 10 meters front crawl and was gasping for air... let's go breaststroke then... 16 lengths and I'm totally done... 2.4m in less than a year, yeah no worries, just breaststroke it.. enter Ironman Tenby 2024 on the back of that swim, any thought to the amount of training quickly forgotten.. so that's me and Greg signed up, Phil your turn!
For the first 5 months I trained myself, strengthening the knee in the gym, getting in the pool twice a week, indoor bike at work twice a week, playing football and the odd run... made good progress overall, runs getting easier, increasing time on the bike, less knee pain but struggling to swim more than a length front crawl with any elegance... although had built up the distance.
In the background I got a plan together, try set some targets as the training builds up, and gain some valuable experience…
- Brigg Sprint 28th April 2024
- Brigg Bomber 2nd June 2024
- Belvoir Castle 70.3 28th July 2024
Also got a bike on work scheme, not really rode a bike since my early 20’s, and certainly not a road bike which feels different to my old Claud Butler, also booked into see Steve for swimming lessons... after a couple of lessons and hours of swimming I was starting to find my way in the pool, stringing a few lengths together.
Mid-April football has just about finished so I decide to join OTCF, surely being alongside triathlete’s can only help?? The first run was up Somerby Hills, tough session and it’s quickly apparent I’m miles away from where I should be, but a super warm welcome from all, everyone I’ve met from the club has being a pleasure.
Poor Cooper also has no idea what is going on at this point, mornings walks are decimated and he’s packed on a few pounds, feel so guilty!!
Brigg Sprint 28th April 2024
First race, can’t sleep night before, arrive before the race staff, I'm all over the shop, I'm use to competing but this was all new, borrow a club tri-suit, feeling totally exposed in front of a large crowd, not swam 400m front crawl non-stop either, not had many rides on the bike due to the weather.... what am I doing..
Within 30 minutes I have started to realise the tri community is a great place, everyone happy to talk, to help and encourage, it’s a totally inclusive sport, sex, age, ability it doesn’t really matter, just come along and get involved… wearing club colours and meeting members never/once they shout encouragement... loved that although I'm still not sure about trotting about in this tri-suit!
Swim, 400m non-stop first time ever, held my own in the driest, warmest part of the day... result.
Bike, freezing cold, wind and rain, hands gone numb.. but did OK...
Run, I can't feel my fingers to tie laces, no towel, wet trainers and in a world of pain, run route was horrific... Steve had to help take my trainers off but first official tri done, buzzing and the pain quickly forgotten... but then the realisation that I've less than 5 months to Tenby so I approach Steve for a training plan, how do you go from a sprint to Ironman!
Brigg Bomber 2nd June 2024
A month down the line it's time to swim 1.5km in the Ancholme, I'm still struggling to swim front crawl for 400m without my lungs busting but happy with few lengths front, few lengths breaststroke, know I can cover the distance but no walls to pause for a few moments and sticking your head into a murky wilderness is just not normal!
Swim, it's crazy out there, try go to the side but have things wrapping round my legs, in the middle there are arms and legs all over, strangely enjoying this so push on best I can and try to find feet whatever that means... swim a reasonable time but with a huge dead leg from the melee, see Phil in transition, nice one, want to beat him today as he got me in this mess....
Bike, push hard as I can, try nutrition on the bike which is difficult when working hard,.. never thought I would struggle to eat!
Run, go flying on first 1k and hit a wall, adrenalin and trying to catch Phil is a learning curve.
Overall I'm happy with today, second race down, beat Phil and learning plenty.... 4 months to be go, Tenby coming round quick, too quick..
Landmarks
13th July was a significant day, popped down Riddings Pool for an hour, thought just swim for as long as possible, no looking at the watch for pace time etc, just try and enjoy the swim, feel the water, over the barrel, and all these other buzzwords I’ve heard and seen watching hours of you tube and podcasts, tri really does take over your life...
4 lengths, feel OK, 8 ok, 12 OK 16 ok 20 ok, right heading towards 600m my record but was always blowing, with terrible technique creeping in... this time I'm calm and relaxed, pass 600m no problem.... feeling fine at 800, no idea on time/pace butt who cares.... if I can do 800m and feel good surely I can do another 800m so just keep going... finally I break and look at the clock.. swimming for 45 minutes non stop, may as well go for another 15...
1 hour swim, 2k covered, no stopping.. cracked this swimming lark... well until the next session where I may as well be an anchor!
4th August was another pivotal moment for the swim, Steve keeps setting these swimming plans, I’m still trying to just get through the set!. After a while i started to complete the sets with more consistency, super slow… but sets complete I felt good and the pool empty on a Sunday night so cracked on, just kept going until the pool closed.. 4k covered non-stop front crawl, 1h 45m, well within the 2h 20m cut off at Tenby with 6 weeks to get stronger…buzzing with that.
New to tri, its PB’s every week whether that be swimming, cycling or running, great stuff, take the positives!
Belvoir Castle 70.3 28th July 2024
Half distance triathlon, if I’m not ready for this then no way will I be ready for Tenby.. well I’m not ready, will be longest ride and never ran much more than 15k.
What a huge reality check on a scorching day, with hindsight it was perfect that it was such a failure, massive learning curve on nutrition, hydration and pacing, Steve gets a message asking how we go from that to Tenby, impossible I’m thinking as I’m broken, break it down says Steve but hard to see at that moment.
Swim, on the final lap I feel sick and dizzy, breaststroke round the final lap just to get through it, not many behind me.
Walk up to transition not sure what to do but feel better after drink and some food so press on.
Bike, push way too hard, heat multiplies this and not long before I’m suffering with cramps, then the sickness feeling comes back with a mile or so to go, not good.
Run, absolutely nothing on the run other than some type of stich, which is a trial run with steep inclines and declines, push out 10k but then I’m done, can’t breathe, heart rate won’t come down, can’t eat so didn’t, couldn’t drink so didn’t and walked the rest, humbling moment, Ciders went down a storm though.
Total disaster, do I just give up now!!
6 weeks of training
With only joining Steve with a training plan in April, races and holidays I never really had good long blocks of training that lasted more than a few weeks, but I had an inkling of what was coming from the opening 4 weeks and that feeling of fatigue, not sure sneaking in that cup final helped!
I stuck to the plan the best I could, the body was holding up well other than the right shoulder which had reduced swimming time right from the beginning but I knew I could cover that distance and just deal with the soreness afterwards,now it was the cycling and running !!
This block was very tough but the last few weeks taught me so much, gave belief I might have a fighting chance of completing an Ironman knowing what the body can do, you can actually do more than you believe, triathlon is a mind game and Belvoir meant I was training on fear of failure alone but knowing the club is fully behind you.
Totally fatigued from late August but knowing I can run a decent 5k, 10k or 15k off rides whether that be a quick hour (like when Rob set the pace one Tuesday night!) or 100 mile ride gives you massive confidence leading up to Tenby, now fully believe I can cover the swim and bike, but longest run still only half a marathon as we manage my knees in the training, but what could I do once rested up?
Tenby 22nd September 2024
So it’s all come down to this weekend, weather looking perfect, feeling good and the shoulder loosening up nicely… a storm threatened to come and sort of did but not as bad as expected.
The town slowly gets busier from Thursday through to Saturday but nothing compared to race day where it’s pretty much indescribable, the volume of people, the buzz in the air, it’s just insane and exactly as people talk about.
Morning of the race we bump into Tez and Mel, quick photo as we battle to transition and they are heading to the beach, check everything over and to the beach we go, the 10 minute walk taking 30 minutes, my plan for race day was slow and steady all day, nothing but positive thoughts, enjoy it and keep in the moment, don’t worry about times and keep smiling, so the slow walk was a perfect way to take it all in.
Swim, the jelly fish are massive, thought it was someone drowning! That aside it was my favourite discipline, not fatigued and no pain, found a decent rhythm and enjoyed the battle with the current, swell and waves coming over your head, bonkers! Happy with the swim, take that positivity into the bike.
Run to transition is crazy, the colour, noise and support amazing with family, Phil and loads of OTCF encouraging you along. Have a chat and sandwich in transition whilst getting changed, let the adrenalin drop.
Bike, its either 100% up a hill or freewheel down one, no way can you spin nicely at 70%, it’s an amazing ride though, great scenery and again the support is amazing. Highlight has to be Heartbreak Hill, more colourful and noisy than run to T1.
Few dark moments on the bike but learnt from Belvoir, more fluid, positive thoughts and the whole county behind you, although feet and knees are hurting I’m happy with the bike, PB on the distance and climb but what do I have left!
Another sandwich and chat in T2, realise I’m not in a good spot, can’t walk without pain, be more fun walking on drawing pins!! Can’t find my paracetamol, helpers can’t find any either .. ffs I think I’m done. Decide to get the trainers on and then I find the paracetamol right down in the toe, result, pop a couple with some stranger’s water.
Everyone said the crowd pushes you along at Tenby, they are not wrong… got trotting through the town, high fives to every kid in sight to try take my mind off the feet, crowd love that, everyone shouting your name, positive thoughts positive vibes. I get out of Tenby and the left foot feels ok, hopefully the right foot follows, then I remember Steve’s advice about breaking it down, can’t think about the finish, set yourself little goals and see how long you can run for, this distracts the pain.
Up the never-ending hill, done, down-hill now, next stop band, next stop Tenby, drinks and refuel along the way, 10k done, up the hill again, band number 2, downhill into Tenby, nice one… 15k done, heading into the unknown now, come out Tenby and up the hill again, that third band feels good… in serious pain now, almost overdosing but keep plodding, OTCF competitors and members support was amazing, keeps you going and obviously know what I’m going through, Phil who never entered was my private doctor, pleased he never entered now though, keep seeing family, Mel and Rob on a smugglers round Tenby Arches! Other members yelling support, amazing.
Once on the 4th lap I know I’m home and dry, what’s 10k now, PB’s all the way in now and marathon almost complete, for one moment I thought I’d up the tempo, that thought didn’t last long, too positive as I’m totally done, running on pure relief and adrenalin that finish line is not far away. And what a finish line with family watching, and the crowd willing you along, get that bell rung and get across the line, Lee Hutchinson you are an Ironman.
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