|
|
Musings post Fredricia
1. Jellyfish make you swim faster - "Get me out of this infested
water NOW!"
Hmmm ... "Medics are standing by with razor blades to shave off any
stinging tenticles as you get out" - so that's all right then!
2. Denmark is a flat country at 7:30am. At 9:30am a magic wind comes and
raises the flat earth into mighty hills that grow as the day wears on.
The wind is always in your face, and there are no downhills.
3. No matter what kind of buffet you lay out on your top tube, you will
not want any of it after four hours cycling.
4. The Japanese are terrible bike mechanics - one poor guy came past me
screaming with his whole handlebar and headset caboodle waving over his
head, desperately trying to free his cleats as he took out a German and
hit a traffic island.
5. Beware of peculiar choices at run feed stations; dry bread and Coke
was all I could stomach, unfortunately marathons have seldom been won
on CocaCola sandwiches.
6. Four lap run with a different colour necklace for each lap completed
- Complete hell when you've just started shuffling around and some smug
git/steamingly good triathlete comes past wearing a necklace or two...
Complete lift when you've got three and you can cruise around your final
lap like Jack the Biscuit with your fancy necklace collection.
7. Always take a huge support group to any event you do and have them
shout your name at every opportunity. GB support was fantastic - Cheers
Henry et al. And having your loved one half a lap behind and gaining on
you keeps you moving too.
8. Don't make "get me round this, and I'll never ask anything of
you again" deals with your legs. They have fallen for it a few times
now and I think they're getting wise to the ploy.
9. Sprinting down the finishing straight waving a little Union Jack to
the cheering crowds is a great feeling. You get an even bigger cheer if
you drop the flag and go back for it so costing yourself valuable seconds
and World-ranking positions :)
10. CocaCola tastes the same "both ways" if you get my meaning
:(
All in all - Hooray! It's over. To be honest I felt like doodoo for most
of the run and know I should have done better, but basking in the post
purgatory afterglow it feels like it was all worth it. I also now have
a nice GB Polo top that will not look out of place playing darts (which
is great news as that is about as athletic as I feel now). Five Mighty
White Oakers went to compete (incl. MLGF) All returned in one piece.
To all those went - jolly well done (and any one back from Switzerland)
To all those considering the distance.... go on, go on, go on.
Dom
Officially the 57th best Ironman in the World (ITU Division - Male 30-35
- Amateur Status)
|
|
