Race Reports: Ironman Barcelona – It Was Written In The Stars!

Race Reports: Ironman Barcelona – It Was Written In The Stars!

A race report from Richie, racing his second long distance triathlon and first Ironman race.

Race Report

Where to start?

27 years ago I was on holiday in Lanzarote. A man who was staying in our apartments went out on his bike and people around me started talking about this thing he was doing a couple of days later … an Ironman ??? I started listening to them and thought “No! They have got that wrong, that’s IMPOSSIBLE!” … so I just carried on drinking.

Come the weekend, everywhere changed as the event started. I watched bits and was totally amazed that this was even possible for a human being. I said to my wife “I want to do one of them” like an excited little boy (think it was the alcohol talking) so then I get back home … and totally forgot all about it!

A couple of years later, I started training in another sport, which I did for about 13 years and never gave triathlon another thought.

Then, I retired and sat around for five years doing nothing but getting fat. Just before Covid and lockdowns, a new fella’ started working in the same company as me and we hit it off. He started telling me how he had done 7 full (and numerous other) triathlons – plus marathons, double marathons, Lands End to John o’ Groats and so much more. My stupid ego kicked in “if this little fat fella’ can do it, I will do it easy!”

I WAS SO WRONG. SO WRONG. He was amazing. 

The Covid Lockdowns

I started training during the Covid lockdowns, with bits of advice off him, but again, my EGO didn’t let me listen, and all my training was wrong. Everything I did, I tried to give 110%.

• I went to the docks – the only place open to swim – and I swam to the wall (50m?) as fast as I could (slow) – I had to stay there 5 mins so I didn’t die and then swam back.

• I would run around a park by my house – probably 500M – went home and collapsed.

• I bought a bike – a £300 hybrid (thinking I had a good bike) and rode from my house to the arena in town where I worked. This was less than 5 miles, mostly downhill, and had to stay there and recover for over an hour, then it killed me going home uphill!

After all this, I thought it would be a great idea to sign up for a sprint triathlon. There was one in 12 weeks in Shropshire so I signed up. Now I had to train!

My Dad and my best mate both had cancer and were in a bad way, so I decided to do it for charity – now there was no going back.

After a couple of weeks of training I realised I would be able to do this distance reasonably easy, so changed to an Olympic distance. All went well on race day, coming in a few seconds over 3 hours.

THATS IT, HOOKED!

(My wife said you need a different bike haha.)

I did a few more Olympic distance races, one half Ironman, even a full distance triathlon – The Outlaw in Nottingham (13 hours 38 minutes) all on my own, guessing how to train, from things I’d read off the internet.

Swimming

Now, I have never been able to do front crawl (racing all the triathlons doing breaststroke) and had spoken to Bryan a couple of times without doing anything about it, so now that I was never doing another full distance triathlon I had loads of time to learn.

I loved it! I started talking to loads of really friendly people who told me Bryan also coached triathlon. This got me thinking … and before I knew where I was I had signed up for Ironman Barcelona and had asked Bryan to coach me!

This was really hard for me because I was doing less training – at an easier pace – than I had done for Nottingham, and was a massive fight with my ego.

It Takes A Village

I was loving the Swim Squad swimming in the docks with everyone (who were all so nice). I learnt so much. I had swam in there loads but never in a group, never front crawl, so never had to sight – so this was all new.

Then the game changer! I went riding on Sunday mornings with some of the team – again, so different. It was amazing. Everyone was so good, waiting for me, encouraging me. This really helped – more than they would ever know. The last piece of the puzzle was Swim Squad swimmer, and open water guru, Jan, inviting me over to Leasowe to swim in the sea. I was really scared about this – I loved it – I was still scared, but a lot more positive and confident.

The Last Few Weeks

Going into last couple of weeks before Barcelona, I felt confident – and not confident – at the same time!

Everything started going wrong.

• My work was taken over by a new company and we weren’t sure if we would still have a job.

• My front disk on my bike started scraping, and after four visits to the mechanic, they said they were unable to fix it and it needed sending to Shimano to be fixed. Lucky enough they managed to sort it on the last go!

• Work started on my house – and after work every day I had to do stuff to keep ahead of the builders.

• Then I got a call three weeks before race day, telling me my mum is dying, so everything just fell apart. Then good news a week later … she was like Jesus and rose from the dead!

Race Build Up

So, off to race. Everything checked and double checked. Bike loaded onto the van and us off to the airport. We park up in lane 13.

Travel was perfect. We got to the hotel and the bike arrives. All good. I went out on a ride and felt good. Registered for the race on the Friday.  Excitement and nerves were through the roof, then it was the race briefing and that made both worse!

“Come on Richie, get a grip, you know you can do this”.

I went for a swim and it was really, really rough, almost impossible to sight. I knew I had to do this practice swim because it might be like that on Sunday. I swam 1500m and was happy to have done that, knowing that they are going to have to drag me out on Sunday to stop me! When I got out and started talking to people everyone was saying how bad it was. All I could do was hope it would be calmer.

I racked my bike on Saturday. In row 13.

Race Day

“Everything is done just another training session, easy work”

Well, I said that but not sure I believed it!

I got to the transition area at 6.30am, two hours before race start. I checked everything again.

“OK, I’m ready”

It was amazing in there, floodlights on, people everywhere. Wet suit on and down to the sea.

“YES! it’s calmer, a lot calmer.”

A little swim and I felt great. I went to see my wife but couldn’t find her anywhere. I started becoming emotional, I needed to see her again.

“Give your head a wobble, Richie, you’re doing this!”

“My Turn, I’m Off”

Got in the 1 hour 20 pen. The sun was rising, they are playing great music to get you going, then they start the slow-to-fast clap. I just wanted to go now, nerves gone, just so excited.

My turn, I’m off. I can’t believe how much space I have. “Stay out of the pack, Richie.” Loving the swim, even with loads of jelly fish. Then, at about 2000m, it got chocka, loads of people swimming across me. I took the long route to avoid them. I had no idea how I was getting on – but felt good!

“Really Happy!”

I got out of the water, full change and then out onto the bike. Felt great, flying, but a bit worried I was going too hard! I get to the aid station and they only have water in plastic bottles. I’ve now thrown my bike bottle away as I’m after three Ironman bottles haha!! No problem – I put it in the cage and go. Loving the ride. Next aid station I stop to get a water and an electrolyte drink. I pour the electrolyte away and put the water into a proper bottle. I have to do this on numerous occasions, losing a little time but still feeling great.

I’m still really rubbish at going uphill, cos I’m fat, but great at going down haha!

Bike finished and I’m really happy with my time.

“This Is Going Great!”

Another full change. This is going GREAT!

Off out to run but within 1 mile my back is in pieces. “I can’t do this, I’m in too much pain!” I took pain killers and carried on. I saw my wife after 2 miles. “How are you feeling?” she said. “My back has gone!” I replied. “OK, just carry on” – no sympathy at all! To be honest, I needed that.

First loop was hard, stone in shoe too, feeling bad.

“Come on, Richie! Everyone back home is tracking you and they are all awesome. Smash it, don’t let them down!”

The run went downhill from there, but I kept thinking about everybody back home – so thank you all!

The third lap done. I had 10k to go. It’s dark. I’m tired and was stopping more than running so I came up with a plan. Run two streets, walk 20 seconds. This is working! I felt like my pace had picked up a bit. Last 2k and I know I’ve got this, it’s MINE!

I run four lampposts, walk two. Last 200m just run!

I hit the red carpet and nearly took the bell off its bracket! I couldn’t stop smiling. I’VE DONE IT!

So much of it is down to you lot – THANK YOU!

Written In The Stars!

Remember, I parked my car in Lane 13? Remember, I racked my bike in Row 13? My finish time? 13 hours and 13 minutes.  

It was written in the stars!

Race Reports: Ironman Barcelona – It Was Written In The Stars!

• Mail
• Facebook
• Instagram