Ironman Cozumel Mexico 2011

The last article I was asked to write was all about the effort it took to compete in Ironman UK, which was held in Bolton in July of this year. For those who read this thanks for the response I had from various people around site. If you did read the last report, you may remember me mentioning a small challenge I set myself at Ironman Cozumel Mexico and the magical 10 hour Ironman race. Here is how it went.

The main problem with an Ironman event isn't the event itself, but the month or so after and what is known as the Ironman Blues. After the euphoria of the race you really struggle with motivation both physically and mentally. Trying to train to hard too soon can lead to overtraining at least and stress fractures of your legs at the worst. Rest and patience are the name of the game. Not easy, believe me, and even harder for the ones closest to you (just ask my wife and kids).

The dilemma I was faced with was that Cozumel was 4 months after UK, and I really only had 3 months to train after the month of rest. Add to this the fact that the weather was going to deteriorate and the race was going to be held in temperatures of 90 degrees plus, just getting in the right quality training was going to be difficult.

I pencilled in a couple of races to help with motivation. One being the Buttermere triathlon in the lovely Lakes. It involved a 1 mile open water swim in Buttermere Lake, a 29 mile bike, taking in the Lakeland passes of Honister and Winlatter and a 9.5 mile trail run around Crummock Water.

On the day, to say that the weather was bad would be an understatement. The lake was a freezing 13 degrees; it was blowing a gale and was absolutely pouring it down. But, despite all this I had a great day finishing in a time of 3hours 21 minutes for 8th overall and 1st in my age category V40, (my 1st win of the season). So a very shocked but pleased Joe left the lakes that day safe in the knowledge that thing were right on track for a good race in Mexico.

The rest of the training for Mexico had to be race specific (except for the heat of course). Because of the flat nature of the course, 80 mile rides were followed immediately by 10-15 mile runs all done at a decent pace of 21-22mph on the bike and 7.30 min/mile on the run. With the weather, open water swimming was a no, no so, lots of interval training in the pool was the training I chose to concentrate on.

The training equated to 2 sessions a day 5 days a week and on the Sunday, weather permitting, a 100 mile ride and 1 rest day.

By the time I flew to Mexico I felt I was in good shape. 100 mile rides were being completed in sub 5 hours and 20 mile runs in 2 hours 15 minutes. Swim times were ok at 55mins for 2 mile, which being my weakest discipline I was happy with.

We flew out on the 19th November to Florida where we stopped at my best mates house. Lee was the real reason I do what I do today, after he inspired me to take up this fantastic sport. We did a couple of training sessions in Florida to get used to the heat and thankfully for me I seemed to cope with this ok. All the family came with me and we spent the rest of the time at the Disney Parks relaxing.

We flew out to Cozumel on the 24th November. The only bad bit of this was having to part with $80 to get my bike on the plane.

Once we arrived in Cozumel it was full steam ahead for the race. The bikes were built immediately while our families relaxed around the pool at our villa. While we are on this subject, isn't it odd how my wife and kids perception of Ironman went from "I love you doing these events love/daddy". I bet they do't say that in Bolton next July. Anyway once the bikes were built, Lee and I hit the 38 mile bike loop for some familiarisation. In 90 degrees heat three things became very apparent.

1. You could burn really easily.
2. I needed a lot more fluids than normal.
3. This was one hell of a fast bike course.

On the Friday we chilled out with the families and registered for the race. I actually missed a trick here as my wife and kids ended up with far more freebies and goodies than me and I'm the one who was going to bury myself for 140.6 miles!!!!

Saturday was when we really started to think about the following day. Both Lee and I weren't much fun to be around, and for this I can only apologies to my wonderfully supportive family who without them, all of this would be pointless.

We did an ocean swim for 20 minutes, followed by a 30 minute ride and finished with a fast 20 minute run.

Then came one of the most ridiculous sights I have seen at an Ironman bike check in, in my short career as a triathlete and it involved yours truly and Lee.

We had hired a couple of Mexican Limousines (beaten up old VW beetles) to get us around the island. I reckon they had a value of 75 quid each and that's generous believe me. So we decided to use one of them to get us, and our bikes to the bike check in. Firstly to see £10,000 of bikes in the back looked ridiculous. But the fun started en route to the venue. We had Mexicans cheering, shouting "Hey awesome Ironmen" etc. etc. Once we got tocheck in we had more cheers and applause than the guy who won the race the day after. Quite an experience for a shy retiring guy like me I can tell you.(I hope nobody who knows me reads this, they might disagree)!

So, to the race itself. We were up at 04:30am as usual. I couldn't have my usual pre-race breakfast, so I played it safe with oats, toast and jam and coffee (and who said triathletes weren't wild!) after that I drank water up to the start of the race.

We arrived at the race venue at 05:45 and had the tyres on our bikes inflated by the fantastic Mexican support staff, whom without, the race simply would not take place. The reason the bike tyre were deflated, was to stop them exploding in the heat of the previous day, when they were checked in. All jobs complete and it was down to the swim start to watch the professionals begin their day in the Mexican sun.

So at 06:40 the pro race began. The speed at which they went off was amazing gliding across the water like a school of dolphins, or that's what I thought I would be writing at this point. This however was the reality. "Hey mate, that lot aren't moving that quick", "I know mate. Those currents must be bad", "This is going to be hard work", "GREAT".

 So at 06:50 Lee and I give each other a hug, I thanked him for giving my family the best holiday of our life, and then we wished each other the best of luck. At this point, Lee mentioned that this was our first race together for some25 years, and with that we took the plunge into The Gulf of Mexico. The minute we got in, it was obvious that we had a very strong current to contend with. However, this was more than made up for by the view to the bottom, some 30 feet down. Coral reef, tropical fish, stingrays, I could go on and on about the view.

At 07:00 the canon went and 2500 potential ironmen set off on hopefully the journey of a lifetime. Some would fall at the 1st hurdle, some would not finish the bike, some would collapse on the run exhausted, some would push so hard they may finish but will pay with a night in hospital and some would have a great day. But one thing is for sure, all will give everything and that is Ironman. I was hoping for the latter obviously.

The swim was very tough with the currents and I exited the water in 1 hour 12minutes. Not a great swim for me but not bad for my first ocean race. Lee came out of the water about 30 seconds in front of me. In his own words "a kick ass swim" for him.

So I got to the bike to see Lee had already gone. Something neither of us expected. I hit the bike course and started to tap out the 112 miles at a pace of 22mph, keeping a keen eye on my fluids and nutrition. At the end of the first lap it became apparent I was making up for the very average swim with a fast bike leg. I went through the 56 mile mark (half way) in 2 hours 25 minutes, which for my little legs is flying!

At this point it was decision time. Do I keep this pace up for as long as possible and if so, will I be able to run a marathon when I get off the bike? How I wish I could have phoned a friend. So, the decision was made, and in the words of one of my favourite bands "if your gonna die, die with your boot on" so I plundered on at the same pace.

I did slow slightly in the second half of the bike leg, which I did expect given the heat and pace of the race up to that point. So I came into the bike/run transition with a bike time of 5 hours 14 minutes and a total swim/bike time of 6 hours 32 minutes. For the bike gurus I had averaged 21.7mph on the bike, took on board 8/9 litres of fluids, 8 energy gels and 3 energy bars. Lee threw in a bike split of 5 hours 1 minute, flying.

Before the run I put on socks, a small, but massively important detail I overlooked at Ironman UK to my detriment, and set off on the run.

It soon became apparent that all the hours of training in the crappy UK weather was paying off and I was running quite well. The only real concern was managing my core temperature, which was high, causing me to have a higher heart rate than I would have liked. I knew this was going to be the sole factor in finishing under 10 hours.

 Thankfully, the aid stations were every 1km and had bags of ice, bags of freezing cold water and the triathletes drug of choice, flat coke, to mention but a few things. Add to this the 10 caffeine gels I was carrying and things were looking pretty rosy for this stage in the race. I was running between 7.50 and 8minute/mile pace. And so the plan was set. At each aid station I grabbed 2 bags of ice, 1 bag of water and a cup of coke.1 bag of ice went on the back of the neck, some in each hand and the bag of water was punctured and placed under the hat to drain over the head slowly. This seemed to keep my core temperature down and my heart rate settled down.

At about 7/8 miles I came to the conclusion that despite popular belief, God is an Englishman, as the unthinkable happened and it started pouring and I mean really, really pouring it down. At this point I saw Lee for the first time. He was on the return of the lap and looked in good spirits. We smiled and said hello to each other and got on with the race. "I can catch him" was the first thing I thought. Talking to Lee after, the first thing he thought was "Joe is catching me". A wonderful thing is the Ironman.

At this point the dynamics of the race changed considerably. Yours truly was feeling great and started to run 7 to 7.30 minute miles and in the process passing lots of people (mainly from warmer climates) who were having a nightmare in the rain and to them I suspect, cold. This included one female professional who was leading the race. She had been reduced a shadow of her former self and was slumped in a heap at the side of the road being attended to by medics. As I've said before, Ironman respects nobody and takes no prisoners.

By mile 18 I was running at a pace that would give me a marathon time of about 3:22. Then disaster struck. The rain stopped and the humidity went through the roof. In the space of 1 mile, 18/19 to be exact, I went from 7.20mile pace, to 8.40 mile pace. I was really suffering, doesn't really do how I was feeling justice. Are the wheels about to fall off? Read on.

From this point on I was consuming caffeine gels every 10 minute and drinking coke like my life depended on it. In reality the whole race was hanging by a thread. Mentally I was in pieces and found myself getting really agitated with the aid station staff if the ice wasn't ready when I ran through. This was the story for the remainder of the race up to mile 24.

At mile 24 I reached the centre of Cozumel Where the crowd, who had been incredible all day, really did whip into a complete frenzy. Singing, cheering, dancers, bands were just some of the thinks there to carry you to the finish line.

With 1 mile left I was running on memory, completely all in as we say. I took my last gel and the crowds did the rest for me. In the last 800 meters the crowds had encroached onto the road and there was a small gap to run through single file. People were cheering, patting you on the back and everyone seemed to want a high five off you. I'd like to tell you that by the time I finished, the palm of my hands were the sorest part from this point on I was consuming caffeine gels every 10 minute and drinking coke like my life depended on it. In reality the whole race was hanging by a thread. Mentally I was in pieces and found myself getting really agitated with the aid station staff if the ice wasn't ready when I ran through. This was the story for the remainder of the race up to mile 24.At mile 24 I reached the centre of Cozumel Where the crowd, who had been incredible all day, really did whip into a complete frenzy. Singing, cheering, dancers, bands were just some of the thinks there to carry you to the finish line.my broken body. But I would be lying. Anyway, as I rounded the final corner the noise from the announcer and the crowds was deafening. But, three voices were louder than anyone. There they stood the most beautiful thing I had seen all day, the finishing line, JUST KIDDING. The girls, waving a union jack flag. I grabbed the flag as the announcer (who was English) said "FROM CHORLEY IN ENGLAND JOE DUCKWORTH, TOP MAN JOE, YOU ARE ANIRONMAN".

So with that it was all over. The time was 10:06:57, not below the 10 hour mark, even with a marathon time of 3 hours 32 minutes, but I really did do everything in my power on the day and left it all on the road. I finished 123rdoverall and 22nd in my age category so I was made up with the performance. As for Lee he ran a 3.36 marathon for a final time of 9.58, 95th overall and 15thon our age category, a simply awesome result well deserved.

I got away with very few real injuries during the day, some blisters on my feet due to them being wet from the 1 foot deep puddles we encountered, and I lost a toe nail, again pretty standard stuff for Ironman and nothing to write home about.

Cozumel was an amazing place with friendly people and great food. There were diet problems to overcome, but I am made up with the result. The main thing now is for me to spend loads of time with my girls, enjoy Christmas then come back strong ready for January 2012.I hope you all have a great Christmas and new year, and who knows I may bump into a few of you during next years triathlon season.