Ironman UK 2021

Events
1306

Nope. That is the split transition from Pennington Flash (in Leigh) to Bolton.
It’s also a hideous surface.

In other news;
Loops were
1:52 and 1:50 on Strava.
First loop I spent SEVEN MINUTES fixing my arm rest which had worked loose (threaded screw, had to remove all of the washers, d’oh! Just about held)
Plus all of the roadworks and ADMIN :face_with_symbols_on_mouth:

Second loop is a less than a minute slower than your pal, @Mungo2 - Mr Gore.
And I was dying after caning the first lap.
So proper happy with that now :heart_eyes::drooling_face::face_savoring_food:

1 Like
1308

Hi Mungo. Are you friends from
Scotland entered into Ironman uk? Are they planning on racing and have they had any correspondence from Ironman about traveling from Scotland?

1309

Showed him this … he says he wasn’t really trying and had three flat tyres and 6 crashes he never mentioned.

Your faster than him, swim and run for sure, on that course, won’t be much between you bike wise.

Sean Burke is a whole different ball game.

At Merlin now

1 Like
1310

16.11km 75mins on the IMUK run course.

It’s rapid!!!
How’s it so quick for the hills???

Mind you, might not be saying that after 32km :rofl::see_no_evil:

ETA;

@Chriswim - I think the run course is similar to 2019, how did you find it? There’s one steep hill in Queens Park, but that’s a total power walk up, then it’s all just nice and rolling.

Also - do we run on the road? In the cycle Lane? The footpath is a bit beaten up!

2 Likes
1311

Yeah I thought it was a good course. Yes Queens park has a big down and up, I ran up that hill without really thinking too much about it the first 3 laps, the 4th lap I knew I was tiring but semi-ok, hit the Queens park hill and bam I didnt even think i was going to make it up walking! Took monemuntal effort to start jogging again leaving the park. There was couple of mist sprays too helping keep cool.

2019 it was completely closed road, run up one way and back down the other, support 100% of the way round. Plus out and back made good access to the aid stations every few km, and personally I like splitting into 4 laps.

2 Likes
1312

Cheers @Chriswim - yeah, LOADS is signs out yesterday saying it’s closed all day :+1:t3:

Proper shaded on the main road, too, plus plenty of shade in the park, so that’s going to be a new experience for me - all previous IM shuffles have been on totally exposed courses :sun_with_face::skull_and_crossbones::desert:

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image3088×2316 1.97 MB

6 Likes
1313

Yeah - I’ve been using AccuWeather and got the same.
That wind is the opposite to yesterday, so the hills will be a stronger headwind, with a lighter tailwind down Chorley New Road and through Bolton (as it’s more sheltered and feels “downhill” from Rivington to Bolton anyhow)

1 Like
1314

The long range forecast looks like the weather is going to be kind to you - not too warm, not much wind and no rain.

1 Like
1315

Are you about to lick that lampost?

2 Likes
1316

I did, so thirsty I was :desert::sweat_drops::tongue:

Anyway, the queues at the health centres and vaccination bus were massive.
Loads of people carrying around the LFT kits.

1317

Taking a look at the start list…271 starters in M35-39…made a spreadsheet; linked the first and last names into a search query on ObsTri and Endurance Data (May write a Python webscraper…)

First five out of the hat…
9:39 at IMFl
IMUK winner
Multiple sub-10 finishes
Loads of 2-4th in AG, 8th overall at IMUK
4:15 70.3 !!!

9 Likes
1318

Did Tom Rigby come up…?!

He’s on fire there saying !

1319

I’ve got a spreadsheet, 255 in my AG 45-49. How do you do a mass search using Obs Tri? Rather than typing each name in individually

1320

Aye - of course he did.
Foggy has said in podcasts he’s not interested in Kona.
Rigby is clearly second M35-39.

Dan Lanigan only has a 4:15 70.3 to his name, so I estimated his full time from that…
Aaron Wilson is pretty handy - some consistent sub-10s and Kona races.
Andy Sloan has a sub-10 at IM Wales, then did Kona the following year.
John Thelwall was 8th overall at IMUK2019.

So that’s the slots gone in M35-39.
They’ve all previously taken the slots from their best AG performance.

Plus, four of them beat all of the female pros :open_mouth:

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2 Likes
1321

Use EnduranceData, it’s far quicker.

Column C is first name
Column B is surname

=HYPERLINK("https://www.endurance-data.com/en/search/?s="&C718&"+"&B718)

It’s then just a case of clicking and scanning, then pasting the result into Excel…

…but surely Russ can do this for you?
He has access to his database, so should just be able to query it from the start list?

1 Like
1322

Are these the fastest guys in your age group?

Our whassap group, some great people and good athletes, but several expect GG to get near a slot, he’s a tough cookie and improved greatly since 2019 but that is one nails age group.

I would never look at who is in mine, I just work out a time I would be happy with a that’s the most important number…

Your a big guy, a flatter bike would probably suit you, Rigby must be 66? Kg.

His wife just came into Merlin getting all kinds of stuff … he’s serious

1 Like
1323

Yeah, I’m gonna be nowhere near a slot!

Guy who missed out to @jaylen84 in 2019 was 5 minutes off, and he has a sub-9 to his name and many, many 9:15s

I beat him by one minute at Outlaw in 2010, then by 2012 he was doing 9:40s :open_mouth:

Yeah, I saw GGs result from 2019.
He entered the Forces Category, came 4th in that.

Listening to @rooster this morning reminded me that time isn’t the focus really.
It’s performance, which for me is;

Relax up to the swim
Do the swim like all of my other 3.8km swims, 59-63 minutes, nice and relaxed.
Get out without feeling like The Revenant :wink:
Easy through T1, think about the day ahead, 6.5 hours on the bike, put some socks on etc
First 30km of bike, get some food on board, pass all of the wind I’ve got from the swim, hit the left down Chorley New Road to Horwich Rab, get nice and tucked
Blast back to Bolton, nice and easy, take it all in
Once in bolton, make sure nothing comes off on the cobbles, then start the first of three loops.
Keep to 230W for laps one and two, then push to 240-250 if I can, on loop three.
Spin up all of those hills in 34-30 and take in the views, take on nutrition.
Get aero when I can.
T2, vaseline the feet up, tie up my laces, change into running kit.
Run: nice and relaxed. Walk the first minute to calm the hell down. then run nine minutes, then repeat.
I know the course is great, I’ve seen the photos of Queens Park from 2019, looks amazing, so just enjoy it and focus on making it to a point (32km) where I feel like I can still run 10km :slight_smile:
Which is just about all downhill!!! (or, the last 6km is)

11 Likes
1324

Bloody hell…!

That is one meticulous plan …

I just keep moving forward, keep eating and drinking…

Don’t stop, and enjoy myself.

Hopefully don’t fall off … again and what will be will be…

I couldn’t of had a worse run in … I’ve got 17 hours to get the medal.

5 Likes
1325

Blimey?! What’s your estimated FTP now??

1326

Thanks for that. Sensible race plan too. I’m like you, curious as to who the competition are, but I can only control myself, my effort and how I approach the day

1 Like