Race Report: Ironman Switzerland

By Derek Leahy

Training

Training went well in the lead up. Only a few niggles (right hip) but nothing terminal. Training volume
peaked at about 20 – 22 hours per week. Long run was up to 2.5 hours and long cycle a regular hilly
6 hours. Typically through a lot of the Wicklow 200 route (military road stuff ). All noddy no mates
stuff – can’t complain because I really enjoy those long cycles. You can’t beat the Sally gap, Shay Elliot,
Wicklow gap and Slieve Maun for building muscular endurance.

Read on for more…

Plan was to pace the race on HR. For run on or below 145 – this was a bit of hit and miss as u can’t really
know how you will might feel . The bike on or below 140. Had completed the same race in 2008. So had
a good idea of the course. Was able to visualize the race before hand . I suppose as with all ‘normal’
races it helps to know the course. You can pace your efforts better particularly on the hills / corners /
technical areas .

Goals for race day were Plan A – Simply finish, Plan B – beat previous 2008 time of 11 hours 19 mins ,
Plan C – break 10 hours 15 mins , Dream D – Qualify for kona! (that’s the ultimate dream)

Nightmare with flights & bike through Aer Lingus . Should have rung the airline before hand to make
sure they would reserve a place for the bike on the flight (limit of 6 bikes per flight) . I made the mistake
of booking the flights and then trying to get the bike on . Wronggggg!! I had to …………………….. blah
blah.

Race week

Did very little training in race week lead up. Arrived Wednesday evening in Zurich. Patrick Grealy and
his partner Ann Lewis had very kindly offered to put me up in their apartment. Situated 30 mins outside
Zurich down the lake (town called Pfäffikon) for the duration of the stay. John Walnutt and his wife
Margaret also stayed arriving on same flight on the following day.

Great company all round. Totally relaxed in the lead up. Ann provided 3.5 squares a day of fresh food
sourced daily from a farm across the road. Totally Swiss ! Was able to do recce cycles on the Thursday
and Friday on the actual IM bike course. Focused on the hilly sections mid-course. I felt that these might
be the key sections to pace. In their wisdom the organisors due to roadworks added an additional 1.7
km to each lap of the 2 lap bike course – 183.4 bike greattttttt!

Not for everyone but my approach was to have a written down plan for each day leading up to and
including race morning. To prevent me getting “caught in the headlights” of the event. Also when the
butterflies start flying all rational thought for me could go out the proverbial window.

Race Morning

Rose at 4am , little sleep but feeling good, relaxed . Had breakfast and got the train early with John
to the start area by the lake. Bike checked in night before. Weather was scheduled to be about 23-25
degrees , light breeze with chance of rain in the afternoon. Perfect !

Toilet stop to clear the system completely ! Into transition to check out the bike . All OK , wetsuit on
and down to race start half hour before the start (land start). This allowed relaxed acclimatization in
the water and recce of some sighting landmarks on the far shore. Feeling unbelievably relaxed and very
focused for day ahead , bring it on!

Race

Bang or whatever it was that started the race can’t remember and the bedlam started. 2000 or so
thrashing bodies all fighting for space and there was none ! My swim is by far the weakest leg of
the ‘single discipline’ that is IM . Pain in the arse because you get caught up with other weak swimmers
and get blocked . Plan was to hang back mid way-ish on the far left to keep out of the way of stronger
more aggressive swimmers like John W. ( who eventually did circa 1.06 swim split).

Sighting to first buoy was impossible into early morning sun. Just followed the splash and large crane on
the far shore (Hooray recce!). Got into a rhythm of sorts. Exited first loop of two in 37 minutes. That’s
fine ! Second lap was just a bit of a plod. Exited in 1 hour 18 minutes. 8 minute improvement on 2008.
But 3 minutes behind target. Half the bikes were gone, expected that and all’s well.

TOTAL SWIM 3.8 km (1:18:01) 2:03 / 100m; Overall pos. at this stage 890th

Age group position at this stage 127th

Quick transition , plan was to race in tri suit throughout. Keep it simple. No major wardrobe changes !
On the bike settled into a rhythm and focused purely on nutrition plan. Monitoring HR at 140. Very
busy on the road . I would find out later I passed John W. 18 km into bike on first lap . Totally did not
see him and the awful drama unfolding for his race at this point. Got some feedback on Heart Break Hill
first time round. He was ’50 mins’ behind me . I expected to be still behind John around this point. Knew
something was seriously not right.

Lap 1 passed uneventfully enough. Nutrition going well. Steadily passing a shed lot of riders . Felt good .
18km into second lap on fast flat section (circa 40km) along the lake heard a heavy crash. Just behind
me and out the corner of my eye saw at least 5/6 more people come down heavily. Middle of the road .
I hoped they were ok ! But to be brutally honest within 20 seconds it was out of my head. Passed some
comment to my right. Low and behold! A paddy voice replied. There was quite a bit of blatant drafting
going on in this section. I suppose in places it resembled a Peloton rather than an IM bike leg.

Fast downhill (no aerobars allowed) section 25km to transition chain fell off. Shit, double shit! Stopped
to the side of the road. It was all tangled up . Tried to get it back on. Not very good technically around
the bike. Thought briefly this is where it could go really pear shaped. But did not feel panic! LUCKILY just
then the bike doctor arrived on back of a motor bike. He hopped off. 1 minute later I was back on the
road. The chain was not 100%. Clicking a bit but it stayed on. Lost at least 4 minutes . Hey I ‘ll take that .
Back into transition, a lot more empty spaces than stacked bikes . Only the run to complete !

TOTAL BIKE 183.4 km (5:33:16) 32.41 km/h

Overall position at this stage 381th;

Age group position at this stage 54th

Out on the run which was 4 laps of 11.5 km , varied terrain and scenery which broke it up nicely. 5 aid
stations on each loop. This is the totally unknown bit. What will I have left! Felt absolutely terrible for
about 5km. Heart was pounding . Felt anaerobic and legs like jelly. No bricks in training o ‘ shit (that
famous Irish shite artist) – will I be found out? . Breathing was very labored and quick. OK well if my
Olympic distance experience is anything to go by then hopefully all will settle down. A rhythm will
develop in time . It did luckily after 5km ! Happy days . Focused purely on next aid station from there
on.. Every 2 km or so !

Grab 2 Sponges first to cool down – over the head, grab a gel next and the water and so on …………. .
It was now I was starting to get more detailed feedback from Patrick, Ann and Margaret about what
happened to John on the bike. I can’t thank them enough for the fantastic support they gave on the run
course . It was brill and a real G up every time I passed them.

Was able to maintain nutrition plan and was bang on HR pacing. Was passing people all the way through
the run course. This was different to 2008 where I always felt I was moving one paced in unison with the
people around me both on the bike and run . Here I felt I was moving steadily through the field. I was.
It was a great feeling. I was actually racing an Ironman!

Not sure exactly where I passed John on the run but when I caught up with him I put my arm around
him and said “you have to finish this” – “just keep going” or some shit like that. I knew he was going
through the motions . He was fighting the urge to pack it in. Not because he was wrecked. He had such
bad luck with the bike punctures and an incompetent bike doctor. I think it wrecked his head. Threw him
of course completely!

Not sure how I managed to maintain the pace but I did. Throughout and actually felt good (ish!) at the
end . Grabbed the Irish flag from Ann at the start of finishing shoot (not planned but very welcome).
Waved it over my head on the way in to the line . Feelings were a mix of …… Did I just do that ? That all
went by very quickly (honestly it felt like a short day) , Thank god it’s all over!

Could see the finishing clock 10:14:23. Jaysus where did that come from. I knew I was going well.
However I was so focused on the process that I did not really think about the overall time . WOW ! This
is the point where the emotions started flooding out as such, I dropped the 100 yard stare. I reentered
the normal real non IM world. Well I must have been slightly distracted – as I actually missed the beer
piled up on a table at the finish line, shite! double shite !

I took comfort later in the fact they were all alcohol ‘frei’.

TOTAL RUN 42.1 km (3:18:47) 4:43/km

Age group position at this stage 17th

Final Overall time : 10 : 14 : 23

Overall position at this stage 162th

Post Race

Met up with Ann, Patrick and Margaret outside the so called athlete’s garden after doing my bits ,
shower , feed , more feed , smile like a Cheshire cat ……… It’s a comedy watching post race Iron men.
Climbing steps to the shower room or indeed any steps . The “straight-leg-duck-like- side-shuffle “.

Back out onto the course to support John on the run. Not sure where he was on the course when
we first saw him. He was not a happy bunny. John would go on and finish the run and become an
IRONMAN . His day and mine encapsulate both sides of the IM experience perfectly. The difference
between the 2 is the flipside of the same coin. LUCK plays a big part in having a good race . You can
control the controllables , training , nutrition , pacing etc but you cannot control punctures and
incompetence. Well done John you are an IRONMAN!

With time you can really assess the race versus your goals. I hit somewhere between plan c + d (see
above). There were 5 slots for kona in my age group 45-49. At the time of going to press I am not sure
how far if at all it went down the list on count back. But unlikely to have gone to my final 17th age group
position. The dream is alive though. I really believe if I train on, and with a fair bit of luck I can knock at
least half an hour off my time to get the 9.45 ‘ish required to secure a slot.

Thanks to my wife Cathy for supporting me and allowing me to train and compete in the ironman again.
Sincere thanks to Patrick and Ann for all their fantastic hospitality and unbelievable support, Gavin for
loan of Bike Box and everyone who advised and supported me on the IM ‘journey’.

Learning s (nothing new , I’m sure I probably read them first in the IM bible “Going Long”)

• Think about having a, b, c, and d goals . This way you will always have something to aim at even if it goes pear shaped . Write them down before hand. Readjust as the day develops.
• Have a general written down plan for each day leading up to and including race day. Helps to take the thinking out of it when you are really nervous.
• Have an exact idea of what nutrition you need and how (gels / drink / food / hamburgers, chips , are u still reading! ) and when you will take it throughout the race at every stage.
• Recce the aid stations on event website – what , where and try it all out before hand !
• Keep feeding on the IM buffet , if you stop the stomach may wave bye bye ! I stopped eating in 2008 on the run 28 km in . Talking to Greg Campbell at the time . Paid the price.
• Recce the bike course (hilly sections if nothing else) as this is the key element I think for a good ironman race.
• Stay within your planned HR (or Power if you use that) on the bike and run. Don’t be too rigid with the numbers. It’s a race, an event , an experience so feel it and go with your gut also!
• Stick to your nutrition plan, for me gel , power bar drink , gel – alternating every 15/20 mins on the bike – 4 gels on each run lap (16 in total).
• Train consistently . This gives you the confidence you can do it .
• Plan , plan, and plan some more !
• Did I mention ‘the plan“

Some Pics at http://finisherpix.com/search.html?&L=0&bib=1666&pcevent=0033

Athlete Tracker for splits http://ironmanlive.com/tracking.php?race=switzerland&year=2011