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Becoming a Norseman – The Race Report – Pre Race & swim

In Ironman, Norseman triathlon, Races, Simon Ward of TTC (August 13, 2009 1:35 pm)

Pre Race

After setting out my pre race goals a few posts ago I managed to achieve all of them, even the managing of stress level (here they are again just in case you didnt see them the first time)

Extra rest
Careful eating (I’m at 77k right now, just above my target weight but I’m feeling healthy & strong)
Clear the little niggles that have been bothering me – tight hip, ITB tenderness, tight hamstring
Minimise stress (no matter how well training has gone I’m convinced that this is a major factor in how well athletes perform on race day…more of this in another post)
Mentally prepare for the event
Feel like Tigger!

Having our kit transported to Norway in advance was a definite bonus. The trip to Stansted and flight on Thursday to Norway all went without a hitch (with Ryanair – maybe they’re not as bad as people make out!) . Even the arrival of the hire car – VW Polo BlueTooth….. for 5 adults!! didnt phase me (actually that was quite good too). All was going well until we arrived in Eidfjord. Then came the bombshell…our accomodation for the 2 nights before the race – THE HARDEST IRONMAN IN THE WORLD - was to be a gymnasium floor, with just a sleeping bag & NO mattress. I dont think so! Fortunately in a town with less bed spaces than our local prison, Brian, our trip organiser, managed to find 2 rooms in a nearby hotel. OK, so 4 people in a double room was a squash but better than the rock hard floor.

Friday – registering, packing kit then a bit of training. A short bike & run to check the legs were still working after 5 hours in the BlueTooth the day before was followed by a dip in the fjord to check on the rumours of the ice cold water. After a few minutes, the ice cream headache wore off and actually it was quite pleasant….if you were a whale. After that it was into the race briefing to have our worst fears comfirmed – the race would go ahead. So that was it. No going back now. The only thing left was 10 hours of panicking. After an early tea everyone went to bed at 8pm. Not me. Well I did but I lay there and listened to my iPod. I can never get to sleep easily the night before a big race, so I dont see the point of going to bed earlier than normal to lie awake for even longer. First I listened to “Pirates of the Carribean” sound track and went through my race plan. Sometimes I can drop off before the end of the swim. Not this night. I made it to the end of the album having finished the race. Onto REM. Started the race plan again, got to “Losing My Religion” then started to think of my first Ironman Canada where they played this song before the race start. Got to the end of IM Canada and then decided that I’d have completed my life goal of 50 Ironman races before sleep so ditched the iPod and spent the next hour lsitening to the everyone snoring. Eventually I dropped off and then all of a sudden it was time to get up.

Race Day

2am – get up & have breakfast.

3am – walk down to the jetty to rack the bike & sort out my kit.

3.45am board the ferry – much bigger than the one I had expected.

4.10am – ferry sets sail. It only takes 20 minutes to get out to the swim start but then the captain spends an extra 30 minutes circling like a plane on a holding pattern above Heathrow. Eventually, the ramp was lowered and it was time to get on with it. I wander up to the edge of the ramp, look over and think ”F**k me thats much higher than I prepared for”. Now, they did have a chicken door but there was no way I was going out of that, especially with the big jelly fish waiting just below. The first 4 guys jump in and then I’m on the front line, with plenty waiting behind me. “Oh well if I dont jump now someone will push me anyway”. 1, 2, 3 weyhayyyyyyyyyy, splash – “cor its dark and cold in here”. I wait for a few seconds as the bouyancy of the wetsuit takes me back up and “phew, hello world”. Then it’s on with the goggles, find my bearings and then start swimming over to the edge of the fjord where the kayaks were waiting.

Swim – Lets get ready to rumble. I position myself to the front of the bobbing swimmers trying to find someone I can draft off. I find a guy who says he’ll be swimming 55 minutes. Sounds promising so I stick next to him. Then I think we’re swimming INTO the tide so 55 mins could be the fastest swim. Mmmm. is that such a good idea. Anyway too late now. the horn goes and we’re off. I get into my rhythm quickly and soon I’m on my own. I’ve passed the buffoons who can swim fast…for 100m (tip – position yourself behind the faster swimmers, otherwise they will swim over you!!) and I’m only just behind the lead kayak. I can see the splash of the swimmers ahead but they are slowly pulling away. Then I’m really on my own. There’s a strong head wind and it’s quite choppy but it doesnt feel as though we are into the tide. I’m feeling very comfortable and decide to just cruise at this speed. I soon catch and pass a lone swimmer who seems to have dropped off the back of the front group. He latches onto my feet and every now and then I can feel him tap my toes. I head into the corner of the fjord towards a flashing light. I’m sure this is where they said the big boat would be but I can’t see it. Anyway the kayak to my left doesn’t correct me so I continue. As we round the boat with about 500m to go I roll to the left and can’t see another sole or herring ( but I do spot lots of jellyfish). Anyway I’m going to be a Norseman so they dont scare me and I head towards the beach. I still feel brilliant as I stagger and slide over the seaweed and onto the sand. A large crowd of 10-15 people cheer me up the slope and into T1 and as I look out to the water there’s only the guy whos been tapping my toes for company. Then I look at my watch – 55mins – Not quite Jan Sibbersen but good enough for me. I mistakenly turn down the opportunity of having Fiona undress me in public and do it myself. Apparently the lack of change tents has been sponsored by the citizens of Eidfjord – sadly for them the water was quite cold and so their sponsorship was largely wasted. I didnt wear cycle kit under my wetsuit this time as I figured that the climb up the valley would be quite cold in wet kit. So that’s why I had a slow T1 time if you were wondering!! Onto the bike………

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