Confirmation email is out with bib numbers and QR codes!! Anyone in for it? Can’t see an already created topic for it?!
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Yep, I’m in - number 516.
The hilly courses (Bolton - Wales - Triathlon X) are my standard fare so looking froward to see if I can go flat and fast as well as just long and lumpy.
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Also in… 4th time there
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Any top tips on logistics or things to watch out for?!
Logistics are relatively easy once you get into Calella itself
The only pain is the walk back from the finish to T2 (just over a mile) to collect bags and bike after you have finished
The course itself is relatively easy to follow. One big loop on the swim, mainly following the coastline. 2 laps on the bike and 3 laps of 8.5 miles on the run.
#2717
Five years since my last one. Can’t wait - it’s been a long year
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I will be following your progress, so best of luck all!
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Good luck all 
Hold my Pint. I actually have a 5:31 in my pocket. That was a nice lie down to be fair.
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Nice graph. Any known reason your results are currently trending that way? Hoping to buck the trend?
Excellent question.
Outlaw was first iron distance race and first ever marathon and was “ok”. 16degC and drizzle.
Roth was hot. Really hot.
UK I was injured. Had an achilles issue that stopped me running six weeks before the race and I managed a bit before I had to walk it in.
Italy I destroyed my feet by getting hosed down at a feed station. Blistered and had to hobble it in.
Barcelona I’m aiming for 4:00 to 4:15
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No complaints about the weather if it stays like the forecast.
Looks overcast for most of the day with light winds. Reasonable 19/20 temp too.
Wind turns on the bike, all I’m asking for now is a sea that’s average, and that bike wind direction to turn whilst I’m at the turnaround on the second lap !
Bit late…but hope you all had fun! 
Sam Laidlow going well, 46:40 for the swim in 7th!
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Sam finished 7th in 8:05 
Elliot Smales cranked out a great 2:43 run to come in 4th in 8:01…winner was 7:45.
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Guy from out IMUK WhatsApp group went 10:10 yesterday.
Looks a great race.
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Quickish race report
I’d given up long distance racing when the sea at Tenby in 2014 had really put me off. I switched to just time trialling for a few years and then came the opportunity with friends to do Barcelona as there were a couple of first timers. Enough time had passed and I had a year to get fit.
I kept my cycle coach and fitted in two swim sessions a week and two run sessions. The swims were just plodding up and down either in a pool or lake on my own and all my runs were done at 140 ish heart rate so not to upset my bike training. I figured I could go sub 11 off that looking at the course - I set myself 1.25 / 5.00 / 4.00 as a goal. My previous five IMs I’d blown up on the run at 10 miles and ground out a PB of 12.28 at Outlaw, and 14.27 at Lanza.
The race
Lovely calm sea and overcast , nice air temp. as a tester I’d have preferred a little stronger wind but that would have just been picky !
Swim
Set myself in the 1.25 box and felt relaxed about the whole thing. Waited what seemed like an eternity to get into the water bit when we did the rolling start worked well. Soon found the course easy to navigate and sussed our who around me was a good person to do the navigating and who had no idea. No jellyfish although my mate head butted one !
I seemed to be swimming for ages to get to the turn and then the way back felt faster. Up onto the beach 1.19 for the swim so ahead of schej 
Through T1 quick enough, some nut cream, and the sockless into the shoes and no gloves or race belt.
Bike
Set myself 200W as an average but my heart rate monitor hadn’t connected so I couldn’t tell how hard I’d be working to get that. Out on the road and I could pick people off quite easily, there seemed to be no reason to cheat as there was enough space and road not to. Everyone seemed well behaved and I was able to keep down on the bars and 210W was easy to keep. There were a couple of drags uphill which are power climbs and then wonderful downs which I had my 58T on for. First lap hassle free 2.25.
Second lap is when the cheating started. In total on that second lap I caught and went through four massive packs and let them know that they should be ashamed of themselves ! They were free wheeling at the back. There were also smaller groups doing chains and a couple of solos thought it would be nice to get on my wheel, one even clinging as I snakes across the road to drop him ! 
Apologists would say that there was no way not to get caught in drafting - I say boll@cks, it’s easy not to. If you can’t manage the bike course don’t press enter.
Back into T2 - 199W average - 4.53. Could have set a higher wattage target in hindsight but knew I needed run legs 
T2 no problems
Straight out onto run and HR still not playing ball so had to go on perceived effort which should have given me near on 9.00 minute miling. First one was a bit giddy at 7 summat, and I didn’t settle down till I had a pee as we went through transition again at mile 3. Nice course, not too long laps, and longer out and shorter back which helped. I managed three consecutive miles at 9.00 dead at one point and verytging going to plan. At 18 miles the Garmin died and at that point I’d averaged 9.03 per mile. Did the rest on feel, only walking briefly at the buffets and coke for the last four miles. 4.03 for the run.
Brilliant feeling to finish in 10.27 for a two hour PB 
Wot now ?
Well I could do with learning how to run more efficiently over winter and seeing if I can improve that marathon time. Can’t pick fault with the course or event - loved it and Calella was a perfect venue. So pleased I came back from my self imposed exile !
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Well done! What would you say was your strength? 