My Triathlon ABC

My Triathlon ABC

I read a book a while ago which was told in 26 chapters, each chapter being a letter of the alphabet, corresponding to a place where the main character had been in his life. The story developed through these 26 places.

I liked the concept, and I thought I’d try and do a variation on this, my personal ABC of triathlon. Rather than place names, something triathlon-related with each letter of the alphabet.  Places I’ve raced, things that are important in my own triathlon racing journey, that sort of thing. It’s quite fun to do – you might want to try it yourself?

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A – Alcudia

Ironman Mallorca 70.3 in 2012. The largest Ironman 70.3 in the world. A great race for me. An incredible race experience – our first club race in Europe – with lots of MerseyTri friends. This was the race that I surprised Lynn with – taking the liberty of submitting her race entry without her knowing (or even having any desire to race this). Fortunately, it turned out well for us all – an awesome race for Lynn, finishing her first (and last) Ironman 70.3.

B – Barcelona

Tough choice this – between Bala where I pretty much started my triathlon journey and raced the unforgiving half Ironman six times, or Barcelona where I’ve raced Ironman three times, have my ‘perfect race’ and fastest Ironman time. It’s Barcelona isn’t it?

C – Consistency

Training consistently over a long period of time is a powerful weapon – however short the sessions. You have to enjoy what you do to be consistent, making short windows of time for sessions, knowing that they all make a difference. If I’m honest, I enjoyed the consistent training more than the actual races.

It could also have been Coaching, my second career.

D – DNF

My only DNF in all of my years of racing was in Ironman Italy in 2018. A day that still haunts me – but a decision I don’t regret. Still, sad times.

“Sitting here, the day after the race, I have no regrets about my decision. The only thing that would have got me to carry on – and it very nearly did – was the thought of all the sacrifices that Lynn and the girls have made whilst I have been training. Lynn has been amazing. Letting me get on with training, preparations, travel, racing, picking up my slack at home and missed time with the girls, all the while enthusiastically supporting my efforts. I wanted to finish more for her than for me.”

E – Experience

Making sure to take in the experience in training and racing. To stay in the moment and recognise the feelings, emotions, scenery, brilliance of it, however painful at the time, is something you must do. ‘Enjoying the journey’ is something I say often, but looking back, I’m so glad I took the time to do this.

F – Family

Training and racing, whilst balancing family is hard, hard work. Sessions get cut, squeezed, amended. Race choices become limited to school holiday times. However, high fiving them all as you approach the finish chute is a priceless family moment. My triathlon life changed a bit after the girls, still managing lots of good training and some good races, but something definitely shifted.

G – Garmin

My favourite piece of kit over the years, albeit many (many) different models. My trusty training partner. If it didn’t get recorded on the Garmin, it didn’t happen.

H – High intensity

Much of my training in recent years (lets call them the ‘family years’) has been short, sharp, high intensity sessions to make up for the reduced training time that family life inevitably brings.

I – Ironman

The one word, above all others, that has been said, thought about, written and dreamt about over the past 15 years. A very powerful word that has taken me on a journey, physically, metaphorically, logistically, professionally.

J – Jigsaw

Triathlon, and particularly Ironman, is one big 100 piece jigsaw that has to be completed. Self-coached athletes have a 1000 piece one to complete.  So many tricky little pieces to put together to get to the finish and realise your own potential.

K – Kona

The setting for the Ironman World Championships.  Not on my radar, but a mystical, mythical place where almost every triathlete I’ve met has talked about at some point, but only the dedicated few get to go.

L – Lake Placid

My second ever Ironman, Lake Placid in New York State. An amazing, if a little hilly, race (11.17), preceded and then followed by an awesome US road trip and the standard that I judge all other racing road trips against.

It could also have been Lands End To John O’Groats – eight amazing days with good friends cycling 120 miles a day. What an experience!

M – Motivation

Where would we be without motivation? The ability to get up off the couch after a hard day and put yourself through your paces. Day after day. Week after week. Year after year. To enter races in far flung places. To bring other people along in your journey.

It could also have been MerseyTri – the club where I spent so many years and had so many great experiences.

N – Nutrition

So many mistakes made with race day nutrition over the years. Not eating enough, eating too much, eating the wrong things, vomiting during races. In fact, there was a time when every race I did seemed to involve some level of vomiting, each more projectile than the last.

O – Outlaw

The Outlaw in Nottingham 2013 – hotter than the sun that day. The day where I was followed by the Channel 4 camera crew following the swim exit and during the early stages of the bike – and a finger of fudge and a super second half of the marathon saved the day for me (10.44). Also the first Ironman I did after adopting the girls. Brilliant race.

P – Positivity

In the dark moments – injury, rough patch in a race, a string of bad sessions – you need to look on the bright side and stay positive. Do what you can do in the moment. Keep moving forward. This positive outlook, seemingly in the bleakest of moments, has rescued many an Ironman marathon.

Q – Queen

The soundtrack to my triathlon years – and most of my years if I’m honest – could definitely be covered by Queen songs. Put the earphones in and off I go. Freddie, Brian, Roger and John have been the perfect training buddies. The energy of Hammer To Fall, the rhythm and flow of Millionaire Waltz, the joy of Don’t Stop Me Now, the celebration of A Kind of Magic.

R – Roth

What can I say that hasn’t already been said about this race? My experience of it included a super race, a moment where I thought I was dying (I might have been over-thinking things at the time!), a milking the moment finish line, a trip to a German hospital, a great European road trip and good times with good friends.

S – Switzerland

Where it all began. My debut Ironman in 2009. “Not doing this again” and “what a stupid sport this is” were phrases I remember during my 12 hour introduction to the race. I’ve got a bit better at positive self-talk since then! It was also the race that gave me the moment, the moment that I knew I would become an Ironman.

This could obviously have been swimming – my lifelong passion!

T – Training

I love training. It is my release. My joy. Nothing better than pushing your limits, feeling physically tired … and generally feeling fit. Life isn’t the same without it.

U – UK.

Ironman UK is a race I’ve done three times now (10.29 / 11.07 / 11.42). Love it and hate it in equal measure. Loved the first one – but definitely lost the love for it on that third outing (where I must have retired from racing about six times during that run)!

V – Victory

In the sense of winning your own race, achieving your own goals, smashing a difficult training session, beating your own expectations. That’s what victory means to me.

It could also have been Vichy, my most recent (not last) Ironman.

Or even Volume, something which I struggled to get much of during the Ironman years! I don’t think many weeks exceeded 10 hours per week of training over that 10 – 12 year period!

W – Wales

Ironman Wales 2011 – the very first one. Ironman number 4 for me, six weeks after finishing Ironman UK in 10.29, and I had high expectations! What a tough day out that was. Hills everywhere (including the swim!). Weather everywhere. Mechanicals. Ah, the sight of the finish line – what a joy that was!

X – X-rated

My first Ironman finish, in to the athlete area behind the finish line and I am confronted by naked bodies everywhere. Hot tubs full of people who had abandoned their race kit long ago. Didn’t know where to look! In case you were wondering, yes, I skipped the naked hot tub party.

Y – Young at heart

This sport has kept me feeling young. When you are fit, life is that little bit easier I think. Competition, adrenaline, goal setting, working towards something. All things I experienced as a teenager, and I’m still doing that now.

Z – Zeros

The zero in the training log is a terrible thing to see. Training – zero. For those of us motivated by numbers, by patterns and by consistent effort, a zero (although necessary sometimes) is a hard thing to write.

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Lots of things omitted, but just a fun way of re-living some triathlon highlights and (hopefully) passing on some triathlon experience.

If you fancy a go at this, send it in to me?