In true Monty Python style “and now for something completely different”
Now I’ve had time to reflect and written it, this is on the long side and not very ‘technical’ so you’ve been warned.
On the Friday morning before setting off for Tenby I had an appointment with a knee specialist to review the scan and x-ray on my left knee which has been causing me trouble for about 10 months. My self-diagnosis was confirmed that I had a Meniscus tear in my left knee. I had been training for Malaga marathon when my knee went on me which I think was the ‘event’, but with me who knows. After being unhappy after seeing a couple of physio’s I went through my GP and arrived at where I am now. Surgery in 3-6 months time was suggested appropriate but I’ll asking on the injury thread for some opinions as a few of you have suffered from this because I am now having doubts about the best course of action. Anyway, swimming was going great once I modified my pool turn (not a tumble) to avoid any knee twist and I hadn’t really suffered too much on the bike (it would get sore after a long ride) but running over 6 miles wasn’t great, which after a few months of stop start found that a short stride and avoiding any twist (which really is quite hard to keep remembering on a longer run) I at least was getting some training in.
Normaly I’m way off the pointy end so for me it’s all about racing myself and the whole experience. I’ve enjoyed all the training over the years and I’m definitely fitter than when I was younger, just not yet at my pre-covid level. Time, work, commitments etc…
I had really enjoyed Copenhagen last year and 75% of the run was great which is about as good as running gets with me. My wife, mum and in-laws were all coming to support so there was no way I was pulling out and just had to get on with it. Stupid, reckless, whatever, my choice.
So we arrived in Tenby at 5:15 on Friday which was 15 minutes after registration closed, so registered 9am Saturday, no queues, walk back to the house we had rented 10 minutes away got everything ready and went back and racked the bike and bags which was all nice and easy. We then had the afternoon on the beach in the sun which was very relaxing and had a bit of a swim. If we call my left knee “Issue No. 1” then Issue No. 2 was my goggles. I have used zoggs predator flex for a long time and then when they updated them a few years ago and messed them up it’s been hit and miss if they work for me. I had a pair for a couple of years so were getting a bit grotty and I found the replacement ones fogging up just enough to be annoying in the pool and lake openwater but useable. I used them Saturday afternoon in the sea and found them only fogging the same so decided to stick with them rather than risk my old ones because who knows when the nose strap will snap. Rest of the day went well, home made spag-bol and 9:30 to bed.
Slept ok but woke up half an hour before my alarm so got up. Ended up in transition earlier than I was intending and then had a stroll down to the swim start and a catch-up with the support crew before getting in the swim queue. I managed to get in-between the 1:10 & 1:20 marker boards so happy with that but did find a lot of people pushing through to get closer to the front. I did think this wasn’t well done by IM as the pen system at Copenhagen works a lot better. Amazing as usual pre-start, very stirring, and then I was off. I did think the biff was worse than I have previously experienced and Issue No. 2 was very annoying. I can usually sight well but the fogging was really frustrating and will now be changing goggle brand ! My legs on the softy sand didn’t feel great and the start of the second lap swimming into the sun with my foggy goggles was challenging. 1:19:49 swim so a little disappointed not to be 10 minutes quicker which had been my training time at full distance but I will had lost a bit of time messing with my goggles, dealing with the biff/diagonal swimmers and may be a bit of current. Previous Wales swim times were 1:20:19 in 2014 and 1:08:20 in 2018 (hence the disappointment). T1 was a bit slow but I took the run easy to look after my knee and then out on the bike. Why were there 5 riders who stopped as soon as they crossed the mount line and then weren’t able to get going on their bikes, a few more seconds lost !
Issue No. 3, which in the end didn’t really matter, but my battery in my power meter had died (it was fine the week before). I do have a reasonable feel for my power so it wasn’t really a problem and I just rode comfortably knowing it was quite some time before the steep climbs. What became evident around halfway round (before Wisemans) was that I hadn’t done enough long hilly rides and my left knee was starting to get a little sore. I was hotter than I would like and did keep up with fluids and had Gatorade for the first time which I enjoyed. Did the climbs (Saundersfoot was the most mad I’ve ever seen it, which I’m sure the weather helped), went through Tenby, waved to support crew and pushed on for lap 2. I now knew that the time wasn’t going to be great. My normal stubbornness kicked in and I didn’t get off the bike on the second lot of climbs there were a few pushing their bikes up including a couple I’m sure were on their first lap. Knee was quite sore now and my right calf and foot also getting sore. Into Tenby, cheered on by the support crew, rack bike, get bags, sit down and then think what am I going to do now. A disappointing 7:48:35 whereas previously was 6:55:32 and 6:56:25 and had really though 7 hours was a reasonable target, I just found the hills relentless this time around.
I was very close to calling it a day as had never felt this bad before the marathon. Had my second lot of paracetamol changed socks and shoes and decided to set off. Support crew were waiting and my wife said why was I so long as she wasn’t sure I was going to come out, which I replied I nearly didn’t. The start of the run was very grim, my right calf and foot were very stiff so I hobbled to the bottom of the long climb and then walked. I needed a s**t at the first aide station (and had put some wipes in my pocket just in case) and chose a portaloo which had been in the sun all day so it was humming inside, but when you’ve got to go. Then by the time I had walked 2 miles and things had settled down inside, my right leg eased off and I then I could start a very careful run. I had just gone round the top turnaround when @Doonhamer in his kilt jumping up and down shouts out my name. It really is amazing when you are in a low spot what a bit of support can do and it was very much appreciated. Carried on, got my first band and completed lap one walking the slightest up hill. Just knowing how much longer it was going to take to do the next three laps assuming I didn’t slow down was so demoralising, but it had to be done. My knee didn’t worsen and at times didn’t hurt at all (taking so long, I could even have paracetamol at the recommended 4 hour intervals). On lap 2 @Toyota_Crown went past me and I did manage to give him a shout and we had a quick chat which was great. I’ve spotted his shorts previously at Wales and Bolton but never said hi, so glad I go to this time. Double checked the time when I was starting the last lap, which I could have walked it all and made the cut off but I just wanted to get it over with. Getting back into Tenby about 10:30 and the crowds were quite rowdy. I did run through a serenade of Delilah which was fun then I was finally on the red carpet and it was over. 6:28:26 for a total of 16:02:23. It was the hardest day ever which I really wouldn’t want to go through again and deciding whether to start the run was definitely one of those moments.
IM Wales really is an amazing event and who knows with climate change maybe it will get weather like that again soon. Two days later I’m glad I did it, legs are not too bad, remember I did a lot of walking and knee no worse than a previous 6 mile training run, so I survived.
Stupid, reckless, whatever, I’m visiting my brother in Perth for the first time in November so when we booked a couple of months ago I signed up to do IM Western Australia. There is a half, but if I’m going all that way I might as well do the full. No hills so hopefully the race report will be shorter.
Yes she did!
Amazing, Pete, just bloody amazing.
(DUCWIDT) and girls were relatively unaffected. The later currents made it 10 mins ish slower for those over 1h20 ish. I didn’t think it was too bad a struggle to the North/Eastern red turn buoy on the last lap, less drama than most yrs in tother direction. It was fine from the lifeboat house until the last intermediate yellow buoy.
