Ironman Lanzarote 2013 – Derek McCabe
Ironman Lanzarote started for me with a conversation with Alan Carolan about doing Ironman again in Austria early last summer but for me Austria was always a logistical nightmare as my wife & myself would want to bring our little boy to the race & getting there on trains planes & automobiles is not my idea of good preparation for a race let alone an Ironman. So me being me, I started to think of an easier place to get to with a small toddler & Lanzarote popped into my head. Yeah Lanzarote…4-hour flight, a week in the sun with the family, oohhhhh & the supposed hardest Ironman in the world (apart from Kona where I may add will never get to) sounds like a plan.
So quietly mentioned it to my very very understanding wife about maybe just maybe considering doing the race. After a brief chat with Leila I was given the ok on the condition that training would have to be around our son Charlie so I agreed, signed up & told no one. Lanzarote is always a race I have wanted to do since 2008 when a few of us from the club went there training for a week in the build up to Frankfurt 2008 & what I remember from that trip was the hills on hills & the never ending wind & after the first day out on the bike I wondered to myself why anyone would want to do an Ironman on the island but it did intrigue me & over the years it was on my list of to do’s….
For me October, November & December were always about resting & eating & I mean eating, but as Lanzarote is on in May no such eating & resting as much as I would have liked for me this year, training was going to have to start in December. As this would be my 3rd time training for Ironman I had a little knowledge about training & the long hours which you have to commit to so I searched for a plan for this particular race as it is so hilly & came across Training Peaks & got a plan from them. I’ll not bore you with the training as anyone who knows it’s long & lonely & as I promised my wife our little boy would not be affected so a typical week for me was Monday Rest, Tuesday 5.30 am Turbo & afternoon swim, Wednesday night was a run, Thursday 5.30am Turbo & afternoon swim, Friday 6.00am long swim run late afternoon, Saturday long bike & short brick session & Sunday long run & in between all this I had to work & bring & collect my son from the crèche. This year was the harshest weather I’ve ever had to train in, what with cycling in the snow, running in the snow & rain as you all well know, but I did bring this all on myself… So after 5 months hard training it was time to pack.
THE RACE
Traveling to the race relatively clam but busy with a bike & baby but we had good company as Alan Carolan & family decided to travel with us for the week & it also meant Alan could get some training in for Ironman Austria while over with us. We arrived on Wednesday evening after a short hop to the apartments it was into the running gear for a 40min run & it was hot very hot. Thursday & Friday were all about race registration in La Santa, bike building & rest. I also had a few swims & short runs to do to keep the body ticking over so took those easy & then it was trying to stay off the feet as much as one can with a very active toddler to keep occupied.
Saturday morning could not come quick enough as all the sitting around on Friday was hard & just wanted to get on with it so off to bed at 10.00pm & alarm set for 4.00am breakfast. Not that you get much sleep the night before & next thing I’m up & having breakfast with the lads from Waterford Tri club & our own John Gilbert. On the walk to transition I was starting to wonder about what was ahead of me & had I done enough training, but sure it was what it was & for me it was all about finishing as I had no time in mind as I was not sure what this race would throw at me. Transition that morning seemed to go very quickly, tyres pumped, food & drinks on board & praying my tyre does not blow up like the French man’s just down form me Le Merde…….….
THE SWIM
Very quickly I was in my wetsuit & standing in the athletes waiting zone. The music was pumping the Spanish were shouting as if they were down the back of a Dublin Bus & you could feel the tension in the air ohh & the lashing rain which I could not help wonder if god was Irish. Countdown began & with 2 minutes to go, & how I still do not know, my wife & son found me in the crowd & it was brilliant to see them before heading off to the unknown for the day, quick hug & poor Charlie wanted to come with me but don’t worry I thought you can come with me later (if I got that far to the finish line). As the gun went off & we all calmly strolled into the water, the start was not as mental as I thought it would be & the water around me was calm & no digs or kicks yet. I was told to stay out to the right in the swim as it gets really congested at the first buoy as were are heading left so off to the right it was for me & away from the mayhem & I stayed this way all around the first lap. Lap 1 done & I see the time is 33mins so I knew I’d not get under the hour. On the 2nd lap I stayed close to the buoys & looking back if I did that on my first lap I maybe could have broken the hour but it’s a long day so didn’t bother me too much. Lap 2 done & I’m out of the water in 1hr 3mins happy days & running to the changing tent bike gear on & out onto this epic bike course.
THE BIKE
The bike course in Lanzarote is said to be the hardest in the world with lots of climbing & very strong head winds nearly all the way round. Starting off on the bike was all about being calm & keeping a good cadence going & not to get involved in a race early on with people flying by me & we were to get a good indication of how hard it was going to be early on as getting out of Porto del Carmen is all about fighting that bloody famous wind. I took it easy heading out & it started to rain & the roads were so slippy so it was all about bike control & easy spinning. Heading for the lava fields was uneventful but I did meet John Gilbert on the way out we said our hellos & off I went. The sun was up now & the roads on the lava fields are brilliant to cycle on as the surface is perfect, but a lot of rolling hills so fast slow fast slow was the order of the day. I know most of the bike route so I broke it into 4 sections & as I got over Fire Mountain that was section 1 over 3 to go. It still amazes me how fast some people are on the bike, I’d love to be a uber cyclist but not in this life time but in my defense I seemed to pass lots going up hill more so than on the flat where they went by me. All seemed to be going well after the first hour & I got to see Leila & Charlie with Alan on the bike course on the way to la Santa & that kept me going. At this stage now I was well into my nutrition plan & was sticking to it. Out of la Santa & onto the Haria & climb climb which was a killer but knowing I was heading for the special needs area & my ham & cheese sandwiches kept me going. Have to say deciding to use the special needs worked a treat, quick bite & back onto the bike & down onto the switch back’s which is where you pick up some speed but they are deadly being such sharp beds. Finally onto Mirador Del Rio & the final big climb of the day but the views alone on the top were worth the pain. On the way back to Porto del Carmen the wind is finally behind you & mostly on brilliant roads so I get to go fast finally & clocked 75kpm down hill yeeee haaaaaaaaa.
So after 180k & 6hr’s 38mins on one of the toughest bike course’s in the world it was brilliant to be back in Porto del Carmen to the cheering crowds & my family. So now all I had was the small matter off the marathon & coping with the afternoon heat.
THE MARATHON
In transition they put more sunscreen on & if I wasn’t white enough I think the girls applying the sunscreen wanted me to STAND OUT and I think they used up all the sunscreen on me. So off Casper the ghost went on the run & this is how my wife noticed me running out of transition as they saw this massive white glow heading their direction (I reckon I was the whitest person in the whole race & if I ever do it again I’m getting a spray tan & wax). My back was very stiff when getting off the bike but the 5 minutes sitting down putting runners on seemed to loosen up the back & I was feeling ok when starting running.
The run is a 3 lap course, 1ST lap is 20k out & back & then 2 smaller 11.1k laps all heading for the Airport so off I went & trying to pace myself easy enough at the start as I’ve suffered from very sore quads in the past at latter stages of the marathon & this time I wanted to take it at a good pace & see how I got on.
The crowds are great all the way out the road cheering you on & it gives you a huge boost to get so much encouragement. My run seemed to be going well as I was looking at my pace on my watch & was actually going better than expected & I felt good so I decided to keep at the pace I found comfortable. The run to the airport was hot but when we got to the airport as it is more open the breeze was nice on the body & cooled you down slightly. I used every aid station that was available & kept the fluids on board & throwing water on the head to cool down. Finally I got to the turnaround & was on my way back to Porto del Carmen & the hot sun again. It’s a great psychological boost to get that long lap over & colour band No1 as now all what seemed left was 2 short laps but still 21k but not in my head………..!!!
I had no idea what the actual race time as I only started my watch at the start of the run & on the start of my final lap my wife shouted at me it was 10hr’s 50mins into the race & if I kept going I’d break 12hr’s which was beyond what I expected for this particular race so on I ran & ran as hard as I could & finally to the last turnaround & push push push for the finish. Finally I could see in the distance the finishing chute & the race time was 11hr’s 45mins. Heading for the chute I was met my wife holding our son over the barrier & I grabbed him & a tricolor & all she kept saying was go go go you’ll get your PB. So with my son in my arms & me being a very proud daddy I got my wish & carried him over the finishing line in a time of 11hr’s 47mins & to say I was happy is an understatement as my best time in Frankfurt was 11hr’s 56mins. So not only did I get my wish of carrying my boy over the finish line at Ironman & got a PB something which I would never have imagined when signing up for this mad race so what a day & just after me & just after me was John Gilbert so a great day for Pulse.
Finish Times
Swim: 01:03:41
Bike: 06:38:55
Run: 03:49:23
Overall Position: 471
Finally I’d like to thank my wife as her support as always is second to none on these long days & without her support I’d never get the job done (As she says she may as well do an ironman with all the running around she does on the day). Also a big thank you to my training Buddy throughout the year Alan Carolan & without him I’d not have pushed it so hard on the run & to have him & his family Sinead, Alanna & Ava there on the day was a huge lift especially Ava who shouted VAMOS VAMOS Derekoooo all day…
I hope this was not to boring a read but it’s just a small insight into my day in Lanzarote & to all those doing Austria remember it’s all about enjoying your day & smile for the camera’s & savour the finish line..
Now for the eating so you’ll next see me at swimming on Monday night in Killiney but most likely I’ll be the one standing at Rachel’s jeep from 7 waiting for the cakes………
Written by: Derek McCabe