Challenge Copenhagen IM Race Report

By Paul Boyle.

When most of Piranha were at CK, I was doing something a little more challenging in Copenhagen: The ‘Challenge Copenhagen’ Ironman distance race. There just happened to be an unfortunate clash of dates. I’d already committed to doing Copenhagen before CK was chosen as the Piranha race. What follows is a few words on my training leading up to the race, and a report on the event itself.

I did a couple of longish races last year, and to be honest, I was knackered after them. Last autumn I just didn’t feel like committing to an IM, and the long months of training involved after just finishing a long training period. It was new year, and after some forced time on the couch, when the temptation became too great and I decided I was going for an Ironman distance race. Where to do one? At that time essentially all the IM races had sold out. I was also a little wary of doing one where there was a good chance of 35+ degree weather. So there I was at the start of the year looking at the challenge races. I’d never been to Copenhagen before, and I’d heard it was a nice place. If you’re going to spend all day running around a place, one may as well choose somewhere with a little character, so why not Copenhagen?

Training started in January and went well on the whole. No injuries of any significance. My plan was first to stay healthy and secondly, consistency of training above all else. Then as the year progressed increasing the intensity of my training sessions, particularly so with my running. In regards to staying healthy, I was almost paranoid about it. Any time my body didn’t feel right, I backed off training for a little while. I went as far as pulling out of a couple of events over the summer because my legs didn’t feel right, and I wasn’t going to risk damaging myself.

I actually cut back quite a bit on my hours on the bike. I’d been doing too many unproductive miles. I tend to do so many miles on the bike because I simply just enjoy it, and not particularly for training reasons. After being in the office all day, I find it really good to just go for a couple hour spin – really clears the mind. This year I made a point to trying to minimize junk miles. Either long slow rides, or shorter high intensity training focused sessions. I then put the extra time into my swim and running.

I went on the idea that high intensity training is the best for improving performance, even for long distance races. Based on this I reduced the amount of long sessions I was doing, and my main weekly running session became a 1k interval repeat session. With some hill work and the occasional long run as well. It got that a 20k slow run took almost nothing out of me, the next day being fresh, but after a 1k interval session it took me a couple of days to recover from. Anything that hurt that much must be good.

As the year went by my swim and run improved considerable. The bike not so much, but since the bike was my best to start with, that was okay.

Throughout the year I averaged about 12 hours a week, with a couple of 15 hour weeks coming near the end. I didn’t do too many long sessions. Longest run was 27k, but usually didn’t go above 20k. My usual long spin was 100->120k, and 100k was the norm. I concentrated on consistently getting these sessions done.

On top of this I do about 80k a week commuting – mostly cycling, sometimes jogging. While this is not particularly training miles, it does provide free recovery runs. Definitely helps the morning after an interval session.

So, after many months of training the time had come. Time to see what is so difficult about an IM race? It was only in the last week or so when I cut my training down to almost nothing that I really began to feel good and ready. Prior to that I was just tired all the time. With no training to tire me out, I suddenly started feeling great.

Getting in to Copenhagen went well. Off the plane and direct in on the metro to where I was staying. About 15 minute journey.
Register on Friday afternoon, and got my transition bags. Build the bike. Check to make sure I had everything. Check again. Walk around the massive Expo; some really nice toys on display. MUST fight temptation to buy more toys! Check again that I didn’t forget anything.

Saturday morning, 20k cycle to make sure I put the bike together properly. Looks good. Pack transition bags. Ready!

Saturday evening was bike drop off time. T1 & T2 were about 5k away from each other. Cycled to the transition area, about 5k from where I was staying; I was staying close to the finish line. Rack my bike and drop off the transition bags. Everything looking good. Now the bike was dropped off and the transition bags given in, not much else to do; too late to change anything. Time to go for pasta. Then, go to bed early.

Sunday: 5 am rise. Got the metro to the starting point. At 6 am there were lots of guys with their red after-race bags, and a bunch of red eyed people, looking worse for wear, making their way home after a late Saturday night. A little surreal the difference in lifestyle which I’ve become accustomed to over the last couple of years. One group being completely nuts – I’ll leave it up to each individual to choose for themselves who are more nuts.

The swim: The swim course was in a lagoon on the side of the city and a single loop. Water was lovely, about 3m deep for the entire length, completely flat, clear and calm. Temperature of about 19 degrees. A perfect course. The route passes under several bridges. A beach start with about 200 people per wave, 10 minutes apart, so not too much of a brawl.

First wave of pros off at 7:00. Countdown, 7:35 was my start time. There wasn’t any bang or anything that I can remember, some one just shouted go and everyone started running. Okay! Lets go! The start of a long day.

For various reasons I’d missed a bunch of swim sessions recently. I did a couple 3k swims in the sea at home the week or two before and they didn’t go well – slow and difficult. I was therefore a little concern about the swim. The first 500 m was hard, after that I got into a bit of a rhythm, but never felt good with my arms and body always feeling heavy and awkward. Passed under a bridge six times, big cheers from the crowd every time, and there was a big marker of the distance on each one. Started passing green caps from the previous wave about half way through, which felt good. At least I’m not going that slow, I thought. After what seemed liked a long time I got the swim done. Getting up off the beach I see the clock. Time: 1:15 Wow….. where did that come from? Better than I’d hoped for at the start of the race, and definitely a lot better than i felt. I really thought I was at least ten minutes slower than that. Not so bad of a start after all……..

I took my time going through T1. Change, and dry off. It was going to be a long hot sunny day, make sure to put on proper sun protection. Get some energy juice. Got the bike and go.

Bike is a two loop course. Quite a fast course. Rolling flats mainly, with a couple of drags, but no real hills. It has a couple kilometres of cobble stones to add variety though. Going through the cobble stones was painful. To give an idea of the vibration caused, it shook the lid of my water bottle one of the times. The road was closed for the entire route. Road surface was good as well, apart from the cobbles. The weather and course were great.

It was a warm day and a little breeze which got stronger as the day went on, making hydration important. The bike aid stations were brilliant. Just stick out your hand and pick up a new bottle with cool water or energy drink. They had gels, bars and fruit as well, but I’d my own food.The bike aid stations were the best I’d ever seen. I went through about a liter per hour and about two gels/bars an hour as well.

The bike didn’t go as well as I was expecting. After maybe 30k I’d a mechanical problem with my aero bars – one of them came loose. Don’t know how or what caused it, but nothing I could do about it. This made it impossible to stay down low, and as time went by this began to hurt. As the hours went by my shoes started hurting as well. Don’t know why; I’ve done many many miles with them and they never hurt before. Anyway, if this is the worst that happens today it won’t be too bad. In general I found the spin more difficult than anticipated. I think the main mistake I made in preparation was not training enough on my TT bike. This was probably the cause of most of my difficulty on the bike. Happy enough though with my time of 5:55.

T2 was cool. Jump off the bike at the line and then the course officials take your bike and rack it for you. The officials were even waiting with my transition bag. Impressive! T2 was a bit slow. massage some of the pain from my feet; apply more sunscreen; grab some coke, which was available in the transition areas, and go.

At the end of the spin I was actually looking forward to the run. I’d enough of the bike, a bit jaded with the bike. Energy levels were quite good at this point, and didn’t feel too tired. Okay, let’s get the final part done I thought. Never done a marathon before. I tried not to think about the distance of what was before me and just focus on getting a rhythm going.

The run is a four loop course in the centre of the city. A flat course. Running right through the old part of the city. The finish line was literally at the side of the palace in the very centre of town. A really great route. Really scenic. Spectators lined the entire route giving the run a great atmosphere.

At this time it was about 25 degrees out and rather humid. Not too bad of weather though, but still a lot warmer that I am used to.

I knew there was no chance of doing the run non-stop; I’m nowhere near strong enough of a runner, so I didn’t even try. Knowing I was going to have to do some walking, I incorporated it into my run plan. I planned beforehand to walk through every aid station and get nutrition in at a relaxed pace even if I felt I didn’t need to, then run to the next aid station. The plan was not to make it a marathon, but a series of 10 minute runs. Hey, Paula Newby-Fraser did it at times, so it is a perfectly respectable strategy to walk through aid stations. I made sure I got water at every station and some fruit or gel. Despite this, I still began to run out of energy at about 25k. Where I was walking for maybe 15s at each aid station, this went up to a minute or two in the later part of the run.

First loop went well, felt really good. I mean, I felt good from the very start with no jelly legs or heavy feeling or anything. I started off immediately with what for me is a good pace. It was after a couple hundred meters I though I have to slow this down or I won’t be able to maintain it and it will hurt later. Second loop of the run was a little more difficult but still good. Third loop was hard, then recovered a little on the last one. Crossed the finish line and felt great. Final run time: 4:14, which I’m happy with. This time last year, I doubt I would have been able to do a straight marathon in that time. So really pleased with the improvement over the year.

My main objective was a sub 12 hour race, a secondary stretch goal was sub 11:30. On the day I came in the middle of these two, at 11:45 which I’m pleased with. On the day, I enjoyed the run most of all, despite running usually being by far my weakest discipline. Felt a real buzz the entire run, with no pain or anything, just a little lack of energy at times. When one thinks about it, doing an eleven to twelve hour race, it seems like an extremely long time. It didn’t feel like it on the day. The day just seemed to fly by. In hindsight it feels like I was feeling bad hitting the 500m mark in the swim, then next thing I knew I seemed to be on my last 10k of the run, and enjoying it.

I’d definitely recommend Challenge Copenhagen if anyone is thinking of a long course triathlon. A truly excellently run race in a nice part of the world.

Another IM race next year for me? I’m tempted to say yes, but I’m not sure at the minute.
The race is easy and great fun; the training is difficult. To consistently get the training sessions done, constant paying attention to diet, maintaining motivation, being tired so often, month after month is what is hard. The training plan is so long, I’m not ready to commit to that again so soon. I’ll decide later in the year on plans for next year. This is the same as I felt this time last year, so who knows?

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable day. And for the first time ever I got good weather for an event! Felt good not having to spin and run through a gale of wind and rain. Sun is definitely good!