Whilst waiting for friends at the start I bumped into Clive, who Mark and I last saw at the top for the Col d’Aubisque.

The ride itself started on a glorious sunny Sunday morning. I was joined by a mix of new and experienced cyclists from the boat club. We rode the first portion together but a bout of punctures split us up.

A bout turned into a flood and most of the last 40k was spent replacing inner tubes and repairing split tyres. I’ve never known so many tyre walls blow. The surfaces were par for the course when it comes to rural sportives. Some loose stones on the rolling Cotswold roads were probably the main culprit.

The route organisers managed to throw in a few steep hills that I’d not encountered before. I made a mental note to expand the local training routes.

All in all a lovely ride; topped with a fantastic BBQ.

My only quibble was the amount of leaflets and paperwork handed out to entrants. Hopefully next year they can save on the paper and put more details on the website.

The first was a mixed four. I was nervous as hell but we managed a flying start and powered our way through to victory.

The second race was a mens four. We bided our time before boating due to a torrential downpour. Thankfully the wait paid off and we were treated to blazing sunshine infront of the castle wier. It’s worth going to Warwick just for that view. The start wasn’t as good and I felt very army; but we pulled through the Bewdley crew to win by a length.

So, two more shinny tankards for my shelf. In fact I think I have a enough Warwick pots now for a table set.

My plan to get fester involves me joining the Stratford athletics club. I had the first session last week; hills, which I enjoyed.

This week was on the track. 6×600m lactic followed by 4×150m sprints was hard work. In one session I’ve equalled all my previous sprinting experience.

This was still only my third triathlon and my first at Olympic distance. I had confidence from the Belvoir middle distance that I could last the course but had unknowns about speed and nutrition.

The one element of Ironman Nice that I’ve not considered as a factor is the early start. This combined with my lack of experience let to me thinking I’d forgotten my bike and run drink. I later found them inside my day bag but at the time I felt panicked. Luckily Loz had a spare bottle for the bike and I could take on water from feed stations during the run.

Tip: Like exams – leave time to double check everything!

At 07:10 I found myself jumping into the Thames and sculling against the current to keep my place on the start line. A competitor entering the water late swam to the start right in front of me and turned just as the horn sounded. I set off quickly but found myself feeling flustered trying to fight the pack and the current. My head just wasn’t in it so I breast stroked for a while to calm myself. For a second I debated swimming to the side and calling it a day but told myself that I must tough it out if I’m to complete the Ironman. By the turn I had settled into the swim and started catching people. The return leg flew by as the current helped me on my way.

Swim time – 1500m – 28.20

Speed in transition was my pre race aim. The day before I bought a tri suit and on the day wore my race number under my wetsuit. I still put on socks and had to content with normal bike shoes but was happy with the time of 2:17 for T1.

I headed out on the bike not quite knowing how I felt after the swim. From the moment I clipped in I made up placed. Within a minute I had overtaken a couple of people who came through T1 quicker than me. This and the sight of more people to overtake spurred me on.

The night before Loz had driven us round the bike course. This proved invaluable as I new where I should push and where I should take on gels. By the time of the first major turn I had overtaken a few nice time trial bikes and the legs felt good. I opted to push as hard as I could on the bike and worry about the run when I got to it.

Entering drift road I heard the distinctive noise of a time trial bike with carbon wheels approaching from behind. A guy in all the kit proceeded to slide past me. I looked up and saw he wasn’t getting away so opted to see if I could get my place back. I kicked and flew past him. He then took me on a downhill but I took him again on the rolling straight. All the time trial riders I’ve seen so far can’t take hills and on the final rise to the dead turn I dropped the guy. On the return leg I had the mental boost of knowing I was nearly home and floored it. I barely looked up and concentrated on the next bike ahead as I leapfrogged my way up the road.

I met my match funnily enough with a guy on a bike I recognised on the back of the car we followed in off the motorway on Saturday. Coming off drift road I saw him in the distance and made him my target. Eventually I caught and overtook him but on the last major rise he took me back. There was a good sprint back but I couldn’t quite reach the top speed he could on the downhill and straights. Think I need a time trial bike myself!

Bike – 1:04:22

I flew through transition 2 in 01:17 and started the run feeling a bit uneasy. The adrenaline from the race in on the bike wore off and my feet didn’t feel like carrying my weight. I took the first lap easy, planning to recover and then build over the next two laps. The hill up to the castle was short and nasty but I think it was the 4 dead turns that made the run difficult. I gradually picked up pace and managed a sprint to the finish.

Run – 42:49

Overall time: 2:19:05

Position: 95/1443

Age group position: 15th/84

We set out and maintained steady speed, moving from group to group but mainly breaking our own wind. It wasn’t until the first major climb that we found a group going at a similar pace. Amongst the crowd was a fellow Ironman Nice competitor. Some shared storied passed the time and the climb quickly.

I knew most of the route from my previous entry and for the bulk of the ride had one of those rare times where you just zone out. Up until the final climb I rode with Mark and Loz but feeling like I had a set of second legs opted to push to the finish alone. I ramped up the speed off a hairpin and finished the last big climb in top cog. At the top I felt good, put my head down and hammered the legs.

I surprised myself, and some people I overtook, at the speed I managed to keep up to the end. I finished feeling like I could run. We’ll have to see if that feeling is good enough to last me through a marathon though.

I put the success of the ride down to riding at pace with Mark and Loz early on and having the tri bars. The tri bars benefited me by providing a stable, and extra, position to rest. I had non of the shoulder or neck ache that I am accustomed to in long rides. Will definitely be keeping them on for Nice.

So very early this morning Mark and I made our way to Market Bosworth Water Trust for the open water swimming session run by the 1485 tri club. I enjoyed the swim from the start and ended up doing 3 and a half laps. Thumbs up all round. Now I just need some sleep before tomorrow!

Thumbs up for open water swimming

Loz and Mark would be joining me for this one, although Mark would only do the swim as he has been unwell. The venue, the grounds of Belvoir Castle, was stunning. The weather was horrid. Rain, rain, rain.

Tip – take a waterproof box and plenty of spare plastic bags for transition.

The swim started of well and soon turned into chaos. The lake was shallow and the silt turned the water into what I can only describe as like swimming through hot chocolate. The nature of the course put some sharp turns in and at there was some fighting to get round buoys. I managed to settle down and not go too far off course. Exiting was interesting as I had to cross a group of slow swimmers from a later wave.

Swim time – 1900m – 36:17

Transition 1 was slow, 7 minutes ties me for 5th slowest in fact. But I used the time to dry my feet, change into decent cycling shorts, put on a gillet, and ensure my trainers were protected from the rain. The result was a modicum of comfort in the miserable conditions.

My aero setup suited the long flat straights of the bike course. I only came out of aero position for the the main hill and to eat. I smashed the first lap. I knew I was going to hard but there were all these people to overtake. By the second lap I had worked out where to eat and was still going too hard. On the third I needed the loo so kept up the pace thinking I could make it to transition 2. Fourth lap I remembered I had a half marathon so ate and drank more. Not a memorable course bar the super fast and scenic run along the castle drive.

Bike time – 54 miles – 2:30:21

Transition two was a little quicker, 3:20, and the legs felt pretty good exiting.

I started the run tentatively as there was a nasty bridge to cross and I still needed the loo. The 3 lap course turned out to be tough. One sharp ascent led up top the castle, back down to the lake, across a field then up a long climb which doubled back on itself. I took the first lap easy to get a feel for the legs. On the second lap I got stuck behind on of those people who as soon as you overtake them has to overtake you. This annoyed me on the flats so I smashed him up the long hill and enjoyed the look on his face as I doubled back. From this point the pace went up and stayed up.

Run time – half marathon – 1:49:48

Overall time: 5:06:58

Position: 90/400

Age group position: 15th

Not bad for my second triathlon.

I’ll continue with these techniques as well as making time for regular saunas and hot baths. IF anyone has any further tips I’d love to know.

The trying on of the various suits was an event in itself. It was a scorching day and even hotter in the tiny changing room. Every time I put a suit on I started too pour with sweat. I could only stay in the zipped up suit for a few seconds before I felt faint.

I found the 2XU and Blue Seventy suits unsuitable. Some of them were in sizes I’d contemplated hiring, which would have resulted in some serious discomfort. In the end the Orca Sonar was the best fit. I’d not considered Orca before.

The following day was an early start for an opportunity to put the new suit to the test. Market Bosworth Water Trust was the venue and a 2k swim the challenge. My first view of the water was greeted by some big fish looking back at me from beneath the murk.

Tip – take a spare pair of goggles, found a crack in mine just before the start.

After a bit of faff around 25 people took the plunge and got ready for the start.  I was shocked at how little I could see. I hung back for the start, not knowing what to expect I didn’t fancy a foot in the face.

The first 200 meters were all a little hectic. Not being able to see, being in contact with other swimmers and having to sight my course left me feeling considerably panicked. I did debate getting out after the first lap but sortly into the second I found my space and started to relax. I remembered what my friend Scott, from masters, had said about focusing on technique.

To break up the 4 laps I did different drills on each of the long straights. I found this passed the time and gave me something other than the surroundings to concentrate on. For the most I kept the pace to what I thought I could do for the Ironman. Coming into the last straight I brought the legs in and crossed the finish in around 37 minutes.

I learnt a lot from this experience and would go as far as saying I enjoyed it. The Orca Sonar was perfect, like a second skin.

Making the most of the day Mark and I left the water and assembled our bikes for the ride back. This had been the first opportunity for a water > bike brick training session.

In total I covered about 50 miles back home and felt no ill effect from the swim. The beating sun upped my water intake and I lacked energy at some points. I’m finding it hard to maintain speed, particularity when being bullied by the wind. Hopefully I’m just a little tired.