The Event
The Brutal Triple Iron distance triathlon is a continuous triathlon race that is three times the distance of a typical iron distance race. This adds up to a 7.1 mile swim, 348 mile cycle and a 75 mile run. Just to add that extra spice to the event 'evil' Claire (the Race Director) hosts the race in the the beautiful area of Snowdonia in North Wales and with this comes hills and lots of them! The cycle section was 12 laps of a 29 mile loop accumulating approximately 30000ft of climbing. The run requires you to run up and down Snowdon once (3500ft) then 13 laps of the lake, each lake loop is about 500ft of climbing which if my brain is still functioning is around 10000ft of climbing. So not a 'normal' weekend away then......
Training
I decided to take a slightly different tack with my training for this event, normally over the weekends I would do a big day of swim, cycle, run on the Saturday followed by a slightly lesser day of one of the disciplines (typically a cycle or run). This time I decided to use my commutes to work more as my training to free up a day over the weekend for family time. I also felt that I didn't need to concentrate on my running as much, having survived the 200 mile ultramarathon I knew I could get myself through that part no matter what, or so I thought.
The only other training I did was to complete the Outlaw Iron distance triathlon which was 8 weeks before this event which I managed a PB in 10hrs 44mins. The most important part for me on this was to try and get a sub 4hour marathon which I managed. Then, 3 weeks before the event the same organisers of the Brutal Triathlon also held a Brutal Swim which is in the same lake, this was my test. It was a 10km swim, so almost the distance I would need to do on the day (I hadn't swam more than 4km this year). I hadn't officially entered the triple iron triathlon up until this point, I wanted to see how I faired on this swim first with it being my worst discipline aswell as having a dodgy shoulder to see if I could even get though it. The swim was a success with only a small irritation to my shoulder, nothing that a few pain killers wouldn't sort out on the day, the following day I was officially on the start list.
The Triple - A Tale of two halves
This was going to take 3 days so my cousin kindly let me borrow his campervan. This was a welcome relief, a good place to stay that is warm, dry and comfy not just for me but for all of my crew is vital. He helped me setup the night before and then left me to it. That night just me, my wife Gung and daughter Keisa stayed in it to allow me to get as much sleep as possible, I think I managed a whopping 3 hours, timed by the church bells ringing every hour that I failed to nod off.
Swim - 3hrs 37mins
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| Me, Chris and daughter Keisa before the start (TC making an appearance at the back) |
I left it as late as possible to get in the water, I even got in after TC who is always fashionably late!! After all what was the rush. The start call went.....and there was still no rush for those taking on the double or triple as can be seen in the photo (red and blue swim caps all at the back).
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| My favourite picture, me and James wishing each other luck at the start (centre blue swim caps) |
The first 6 laps were fairly uneventful except for my parents joining as part of the crew at some point before then which was a great welcome sight. My wife and daughter cheered me on with smiles, shouting and plenty of signage
My dodgy shoulder didn't really give me much grief this time, I think because I concentrated on keeping my swim stroke as efficient as possible, however two other unexpected problems occurred (as they naturally would do on such an event) throughout the swim.
Firstly, my little finger and the one next to it on my left hand failed to do anything, when I mean anything I mean they just sort of dangled there unable to make a cup shape when swimming, I put it down to the cold temperature. It actually became quite amusing and I found myself looking at my hand under the water to find it doing all sorts of weird things. Before the start TC gave me a tip to clench my first on the recovery stroke but this still didn't fix the floppy fingers. As I am writing this they are still not functioning correctly, together with the cold swim and wresting my arms in the TT position for such a long period of time I suspect some temporary nerve damage.
On the last two laps my hip flexor also suddenly locked up, although I don't kick much anyway it left me unable to keep my legs up towards the surface of the water, they just dangled dragging helplessly like a dead weight. But how can I be unhappy when I had crew like this helping me along.....
Bike - 27hrs 9mins
Before getting onto the bike I decided to get a good breakfast down me that would hopefully see me good for a few hours, potato cakes, boiled eggs and bacon ..... yum!Eventually I managed to get out of the nice warm and cosy camper and onto the bike, took it steady heading out of Llanberis and bam, I pulled a muscle in my arse cheek. Probably from the cold and sitting around for too long without stretching myself out properly (at all) this lasted for the first two laps, but how could I complain ... I was out of the swim and it was a glorious day!
The first 4 laps went well and I felt really consistent, on the next lap it would be getting dark on my return so I opted to put my lights on which took a lot of faffing trying to figure a way of getting them fixed onto my TT bike (planning next time!). The 5th lap I then came back to the camper for a change of warm clothes and get some warm food down me. Twhere his time it was a bowl of warm scouse made by my mum (hotpot to normal people), I opted for a second bowl just to be sure.
Back out for lap 5 and Gung and my dad decided to follow me in the car as it was now completely dark. Time passed relatively quickly as I spent all of this lap worried that they had taken a wrong turn because I hadn't see them for so long.
Lap 6 was probably the lowest point on the bike, it was early hours in the morning, normally I enjoy cycling at night but this time it was different I didn't see cyclist for the complete lap and only a couple of cars. Together with the loneliness I found it difficult at first to adjust to riding at night, it was worse just before Bedgelart and coming down Pen-y-pass with the low cloud now descending on us reflecting back all of my light.
The next 2 laps Chris yet again helped me out and followed me in the car, this time when there was no traffic around he was able to stay behind me for the most part. The extra light helped and it felt like I had someone with me.
On the penultimate lap Gung again followed me with my mum so she could at least see some of the scenery which by then was cloud and rain.
At the bust stop turn around area I seen James Page coming in, we had a good chat about the day/night we had so far and he then told me I was in first position! I had given it some throughout the night (I need to think about something) but due to all the stops I had taken I imagined I was around 4th place. This was the first time I had known my position, I always tell my crew not to tell me, after all there is still such a long time to go I don't see how it would help my performance but there you have it, in first.
For the last lap I actually had two cyclists Carlo and Greg from GOG Triathlon my local club accompany me. It was great to have someone to talk to, it made the time pass much more quickly.
And then it was done. I had a good welcome back and everyone commented on how fresh I still looked and the fact I was still smiling and somehow still in first.
Snowdon - 3hrs 53mins
Going up Snowdon was something that I was looking forward to. After all that time alone on the bike it would give me chance to have a good chat to my crew that would be going up with me. My crew to go up with me was Chris (who had just done the full distance the day before), a good friend of mine from back at school Robbo, Kev who is a keen runner bit I think was a little petrified with the idea of getting up snowdon and Gung who would go partly up the mountain with us.
We set off all in good spirits just keeping to a fast walk and enjoying it as much as possible. I was surprised to see my legs still felt fresh. Past the halfway house, under the bridge were you take a right turn is were the weather really set, we had pretty much everything thrown at us, strong wind and even stronger rain. We got to the top, took the obligatory photo at the summit and made our way back down again at a gentle trot. We met up with TC and hos crew (Suzy and Carl) about halfway down and had a good natter about the day(s) so far. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits.
As we started to get to the stoned pathway area I started to feel really dizzy, I simply put this down to fatigue (I hadn't had any sleep yet) and having my head down whilst concentrating so hard on my foot placement.
We set off all in good spirits just keeping to a fast walk and enjoying it as much as possible. I was surprised to see my legs still felt fresh. Past the halfway house, under the bridge were you take a right turn is were the weather really set, we had pretty much everything thrown at us, strong wind and even stronger rain. We got to the top, took the obligatory photo at the summit and made our way back down again at a gentle trot. We met up with TC and hos crew (Suzy and Carl) about halfway down and had a good natter about the day(s) so far. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits.
As we started to get to the stoned pathway area I started to feel really dizzy, I simply put this down to fatigue (I hadn't had any sleep yet) and having my head down whilst concentrating so hard on my foot placement.
Run - 25hrs 37mins
I had a small rest after Snowdon and went to see Adam the masseur/physio. Coming down Snowdon I started to feel the onset of my stress fracture in the same area that I suffered with during the RingOFire ultra the year before. There was no point in doing further damage with an injury like that, it took long enough to recover last time. Thankfully he put it down to muscle problems and to take a few pain killers and basically man up.....I would be doing a lot of this from now on.
As the title says, it was a tale of two halves and this is where it all went tits up.
Im not actually sure on the real timing, it all got a bit hazy as you can imagine but as soon as I started running the dizziness continued and my stomach now started feeling queezy. I got around around the first lap without a hitch but felt really uncomfy. The second lap was again not a bad time but just before going up the steps before the bridge it happened......most of the food I had been taking on for the past day came back up again.....shit. Most of it pizza, my favourite damn it, what a waste.
Back to the camper and a slightly longer rest to see if I could settle the stomach, out again I went and immediately felt the same feelings. There was nothing left to come back up but I could feel the stomach wanting to try. I took the strategy to run when I could and then walk when I felt it coming back on again. It didn't take long for the feeling to go down (100m walk or so) but it started to eat away at the time a lap was taking but at least I got around. I went back to the camper and decided to have some sleep to see if that would sort it.
A 30 minute alarm call were I think I totalled about 10 minutes sleep and I attempted another lap, it was much the same as the previous lap....now my mood wasn't quite the same. I felt broken, it was the first time I have felt like this and it is a horrible feeling not being in control of your own body, unable to fix it. I couldn't eat anything at all and this continued for most of the run.
I finally got around the next lap but decided to have another hours sleep, I needed to sort the stomach otherwise I wouldn't be finishing at all. This time I got into the bed (previously I slept in a chair), and an hour later which seemed like a couple of seconds I was woken "pass me a bowl quickly" I think were my first words....bugger still not sorted then. Another hours sleep was taken, when I woke I still needed the bowl but I at least got changed ready to go out again. Unfortunately I just couldn't get myself off the bed without wanting to hurl more chunks. Its no use, I told Gung not to bother setting the alarm and off back to bed I went. I had called it a day(s) and had decided not to continue anymore.
I woke at some point around 7:30am (Monday? I guess) and I had only done 3 of the 13 5.2 mile laps.
My first thought was f**k it, I don't want to be coming back for another attempt....there actually isn't going to be another attempt. The Brutal triple is apparently only taking place in 2015 and not again (we shall see :-) ).
I jumped off the bed and decided to see how another lap progressed. I could at least then tell myself I gave it my all.
Although the stomach problems were still there I could at least manage it with my 'run and then walk when I felt like puking strategy'. I could still make this and within the cutoff. So, I just went, clothes on, shoes on and out the door. There wasn't time to get anyone to come out with me my mind just wanted to get out and have a go.
The first lap went well and Chris managed to catch up with me on his bike once he was awoken from his sleep by Gung. Another lap went by with Chris and then after that Thelma a local running friend of mine stayed with me for 2 laps to give poor Chris a rest from his duties. By now I was at least managing to get a few blueberries down me and a small bite of a digestive on each lap washed down with a bit of milk (of all things).
Gung then decided she would give a lap a go with me which was great to have her accompanying me, I'm not sure she realised how far and hilly a lap was though but she did fantastic staying with me despite not having run for a long time.
Thelma and Chris' partner Sandy did a lap with me after that, then from that point it was down to Chris again.
With four laps to go I found James Page I ran with James Page who was still looking and running great and he only had two laps left to go. Way to go James second place for you! I stayed with him until the stomach kicked in just before the bridge were I had to walk to let things settle and my quad also started pulling at this point.
Now I am not sure which of the next three things had the biggest impact but after these quick succession of events I started to feel so much better. Firstly, walking up the road at the back of the lake I managed to swallow the biggest fly in the world.....mmmmmm protein. It was so big it choked me and I could feel it wiggling on its way down. I think Chris thought I was having some kind of attack based on the nervous look on his face. At the top of the hill I only just noticed that some kind folk had been leaving some food out, I grabbed a raspberry (it made a difference to blueberries) and it was very sour which gave me a nice kick. Then before starting the last three laps I put on some compression legging not just calf ones.
I felt like I had new legs coming down hills and my stomach seemed to ease a little. Game on. I didn't know at this point that I was in 5th with 4th not too far ahead, I just wanted to do my best now that I was allowed. I can honestly say, even after two/three days of racing my legs felt great.
I went into the marquee at the start/finish, congratulated James on his 2nd place finish with a man hug and back out I went. I passed TC already holding his medal and now attempting to pack the car at the start/finish and he commented on how well I still looked when I passed him. Both agreed it would have been 'fun' to have been running for top position but it just wasn't to be.
I think my last two laps were among my fastest yet, the last lap was done in the dark and was the only lap since the downwards spiral were I didn't need to stop. I passed Paul Ward at the beginning of this lap who despite still having a while to go was still smiling happily and he knew he would finish no matter what. I then bumped into another runner along the footpath, had a quick chat and asked the usual how is he getting on, "I have one lap to go". I continued not thinking much about it until I realised that could have been the guy in 4th place. Me and Chris debated for a bit as to what "I have one lap to go" means. Does it mean he is on his last lap or does he have one left to go after this???
Chris said not to worry about it, so I didn't. At the top of the hill I didn't stop for a magic raspberry this time, I just wanted it over now.
I had no emotion at all until I got back into the field area, I was on my way to the finish and I just felt relieved and proud that I had dragged myself to the end despite everything that had happened.
What a finish with my friends and family
Total: 61hrs 18mins
I had a small rest after Snowdon and went to see Adam the masseur/physio. Coming down Snowdon I started to feel the onset of my stress fracture in the same area that I suffered with during the RingOFire ultra the year before. There was no point in doing further damage with an injury like that, it took long enough to recover last time. Thankfully he put it down to muscle problems and to take a few pain killers and basically man up.....I would be doing a lot of this from now on.
As the title says, it was a tale of two halves and this is where it all went tits up.
Im not actually sure on the real timing, it all got a bit hazy as you can imagine but as soon as I started running the dizziness continued and my stomach now started feeling queezy. I got around around the first lap without a hitch but felt really uncomfy. The second lap was again not a bad time but just before going up the steps before the bridge it happened......most of the food I had been taking on for the past day came back up again.....shit. Most of it pizza, my favourite damn it, what a waste.
Back to the camper and a slightly longer rest to see if I could settle the stomach, out again I went and immediately felt the same feelings. There was nothing left to come back up but I could feel the stomach wanting to try. I took the strategy to run when I could and then walk when I felt it coming back on again. It didn't take long for the feeling to go down (100m walk or so) but it started to eat away at the time a lap was taking but at least I got around. I went back to the camper and decided to have some sleep to see if that would sort it.
A 30 minute alarm call were I think I totalled about 10 minutes sleep and I attempted another lap, it was much the same as the previous lap....now my mood wasn't quite the same. I felt broken, it was the first time I have felt like this and it is a horrible feeling not being in control of your own body, unable to fix it. I couldn't eat anything at all and this continued for most of the run.
I finally got around the next lap but decided to have another hours sleep, I needed to sort the stomach otherwise I wouldn't be finishing at all. This time I got into the bed (previously I slept in a chair), and an hour later which seemed like a couple of seconds I was woken "pass me a bowl quickly" I think were my first words....bugger still not sorted then. Another hours sleep was taken, when I woke I still needed the bowl but I at least got changed ready to go out again. Unfortunately I just couldn't get myself off the bed without wanting to hurl more chunks. Its no use, I told Gung not to bother setting the alarm and off back to bed I went. I had called it a day(s) and had decided not to continue anymore.
I woke at some point around 7:30am (Monday? I guess) and I had only done 3 of the 13 5.2 mile laps.
My first thought was f**k it, I don't want to be coming back for another attempt....there actually isn't going to be another attempt. The Brutal triple is apparently only taking place in 2015 and not again (we shall see :-) ).
I jumped off the bed and decided to see how another lap progressed. I could at least then tell myself I gave it my all.
Although the stomach problems were still there I could at least manage it with my 'run and then walk when I felt like puking strategy'. I could still make this and within the cutoff. So, I just went, clothes on, shoes on and out the door. There wasn't time to get anyone to come out with me my mind just wanted to get out and have a go.
The first lap went well and Chris managed to catch up with me on his bike once he was awoken from his sleep by Gung. Another lap went by with Chris and then after that Thelma a local running friend of mine stayed with me for 2 laps to give poor Chris a rest from his duties. By now I was at least managing to get a few blueberries down me and a small bite of a digestive on each lap washed down with a bit of milk (of all things).
Gung then decided she would give a lap a go with me which was great to have her accompanying me, I'm not sure she realised how far and hilly a lap was though but she did fantastic staying with me despite not having run for a long time.
Thelma and Chris' partner Sandy did a lap with me after that, then from that point it was down to Chris again.
With four laps to go I found James Page I ran with James Page who was still looking and running great and he only had two laps left to go. Way to go James second place for you! I stayed with him until the stomach kicked in just before the bridge were I had to walk to let things settle and my quad also started pulling at this point.
Now I am not sure which of the next three things had the biggest impact but after these quick succession of events I started to feel so much better. Firstly, walking up the road at the back of the lake I managed to swallow the biggest fly in the world.....mmmmmm protein. It was so big it choked me and I could feel it wiggling on its way down. I think Chris thought I was having some kind of attack based on the nervous look on his face. At the top of the hill I only just noticed that some kind folk had been leaving some food out, I grabbed a raspberry (it made a difference to blueberries) and it was very sour which gave me a nice kick. Then before starting the last three laps I put on some compression legging not just calf ones.
I felt like I had new legs coming down hills and my stomach seemed to ease a little. Game on. I didn't know at this point that I was in 5th with 4th not too far ahead, I just wanted to do my best now that I was allowed. I can honestly say, even after two/three days of racing my legs felt great.
I went into the marquee at the start/finish, congratulated James on his 2nd place finish with a man hug and back out I went. I passed TC already holding his medal and now attempting to pack the car at the start/finish and he commented on how well I still looked when I passed him. Both agreed it would have been 'fun' to have been running for top position but it just wasn't to be.
I think my last two laps were among my fastest yet, the last lap was done in the dark and was the only lap since the downwards spiral were I didn't need to stop. I passed Paul Ward at the beginning of this lap who despite still having a while to go was still smiling happily and he knew he would finish no matter what. I then bumped into another runner along the footpath, had a quick chat and asked the usual how is he getting on, "I have one lap to go". I continued not thinking much about it until I realised that could have been the guy in 4th place. Me and Chris debated for a bit as to what "I have one lap to go" means. Does it mean he is on his last lap or does he have one left to go after this???
Chris said not to worry about it, so I didn't. At the top of the hill I didn't stop for a magic raspberry this time, I just wanted it over now.
I had no emotion at all until I got back into the field area, I was on my way to the finish and I just felt relieved and proud that I had dragged myself to the end despite everything that had happened.
What a finish with my friends and family
Total: 61hrs 18mins
Afterthoughts
Firstly, dont run 75miles on nothing but blueberries, you tend to get tired and loose a lot of weight, just over half a stone was lost that weekend.
I loved the race and most importantly I finished the race BUT I cant help but be .... disappointed / annoyed that I couldn't give it my all. Its now a week later and my stomach is just about feeling OK. At the moment I am putting it down to a bug, I hadn't felt great in the week up to the event but put it down to nerves and the dreaded taper but my daughter also came down with something similar just a few days after. Who will ever know
Thank you to all that helped out Gung for always being there and allowing me to do this stupid stuff, Chris who gave amazing support throughout all the event despite having done the single himself, Kev, Leah and Robbo for travelling all the way over to support me on Snowdon, Mum Dad for the food, support and shout outs (next time get more sleep :-) ), Thelma, Sandy (Chris' patrner), Greig, Carlo and Gee for making the camper available.
Thank you to Claire and her team at Brutal events for putting on such a fantastic event.
Thanks for reading
Amazing achievement Mark. You done fantastic to finish considering all the stomach problems you had. How many people can say they completed a double ironman? ��
ReplyDeleteLOVE THIS MAN!!!!!! B| 8)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. I chased you all day on the bike, but you were super-strong. I'm so envious of your great sw1m too, crikey didnt realise you had put that much time into me, nearly 2hrs FFS! You really are the real deal all round complete ultra extreme triathlete.
So gutted we never got to duke it out on the run again, just like Double EnduroMan 2014 where you had a lead and kept me comfortably in your pocket to take the win. So now we are even. Cant wait for the next ultri-tri to lock horns with you, roll on June 2016 ;-)