Vanessa Cox

Race report iron man wales 2019.

This event has pretty much occupied majority of my thoughts and time for the last 9 months. Looking back you wonder how you manage to keep motivated with the training, knowing that the result is very uncertain and you certainly don’t realise what you’ve signed up to until you are there doing it.

I’ve got butterflies even writing this now while sat outside in the car waiting for my daughter to come out of swimming.

Now it’s over I feel relaxed and at peace with myself, I think I have been a bit of a miserable bitch this last 9 months, to family, and I’ve hardly seen my friends!

It was an amazing experience , we had perfect weather conditions, the image of that stunning beach with the pink bags lined up on the zig zag will stay with me for a long time, and the national

Anthem , wow!

I feel lucky and privileged that I was able to even contemplate doing it, supportive family, adequate funds, great tri club, no injuries, a coach who seemed to know what he was talking about!! Thanks Humey!

Well the swim conditions were perfect, the warmest open water I’ve ever swam in , crystal clear , only one rather large jelly fish spotted but quite deep, usual wacks to the head and stroking of legs but people were very accommodating around the bouys and site ing was pretty good ( new goggles helped) No records broken but felt good.

Dreading the 1km run through the town but wetsuit off in super quick time, shoes on, pink bag in hand, onto bike, pretty slick so far!

The bike had been the focus of my training really , my worry was being pulled for missing the cut off time. I’d driven part of the route the day before and scared myself with the hills, I’d counted 5 or was it 6 big ones and we needed to do that lap twice! I was feeling very doubtful about the whole event at this point and had a bit of a meltdown.

Surprisingly the first half of the bike was nice as we headed off to the peninsular , I was fuelling here and trying to get my average speed up, there was hundreds of other bikes around so my worries about missing cut off times started to fade a bit.

We had to stop for about 15 mins, there was an ambulance blocking the road attending to a bloke with a broken collar bone, chance to take some paracetamol as I had a headache.

weirdly my legs got better as the ride went on. I’d completed the first hilly loop and thought actually the hills aren’t that bad! I knew I was within the time at this point but kept pushing on. The great thing about this course is that after every hill you are rewarded with a beauty decent, and there was always other riders in site, makes a big difference psychologically.

Off bike, I could walk! Bonus, full strip off and change in the ladies changing room which was right near my peg out onto run!

OMG

This was torture, either running up hill or downhill, very little flat. Running through Tenby with hundreds of supporters you had to keep going as no where to hide. You needed to be a strong runner to do this route, well and I am not...it was walk,trot, toilet , walk, trot, toilet for me, had abdominal cramp and the squits, on lap 3 , sat on the loo thinking this is bloody torture, I feel dizzy, am I dizzy?? My fault for again underestimating the run and missing far too many training runs!

Finish line glory with all the stag supporters in site!

AMAZING!!

Great event, beautiful location, PAPER CUPS! hate those events where there’s loads of plastic everywhere! Great merchandise, fantastic support. Loved it!

Scott Llewellyn

Ironman Race Report Incoming………..

It was probably around a year go i had a mad idea that after completing The Lakesman I had to complete an Ironman and it just so happens that Ironman Wales was open for entries. It was a choice between the UK or Wales, nothing against Bolton but the pull of Wales was a deciding factor.

The previous year I had completed The Lakesman Full on a training plan from Don Fink and it did get me through the full distance race but I knew this year I had to get someone who would push me further as I had signed up for two Full Distance races just 11 weeks apart, could it be done could i even do it?

I asked Paul for some help and boy did he step up to the plate he set up a plan that would not just get me through one event but get me through both events.

Training for the event is probably the hardest thing you'll ever do knowing you have to get up early or do your training at 10pm after a late shift, its tough when your working nearly 7 days a week and working 2 jobs you are going to miss some sessions but you can't be to hard on yourself you move onto the next. Paul would just alter my plan to keep me on track. Anyone looking for coaching don't hesitate to ask Paul 100%.

So race weekend was here and we booked a Cottage just outside Tenby for a few of us which was great as it helped me so much keep calm and have a few laughs to take my mind off things. You'd still be voted off first on Naked Attraction Niall 🤣

Registration Saturday came and with all My equipment in separate bags, Shaun said hed take me into Tenby so I didn't have to worry about getting the bike there. Registration was pretty smooth no major issues time to relax for the big day now.

Up at 4am the usual Breakfast and number 2 and I didn't feel as nervous as I thought I would. Big thanks to Julie for getting up to take us into Tenby and for something else for us not to worry about.

Met up with all the Other Stags to walk down to the beach still feeling calm, hung my pink bag up (dont forget them) then onto the beach. You could feel the atmosphere building we moved into our swimming pens and then David started the wee dance followed by the others and Vanessa gave in too. Now I remember Paul always saying never try anything on a race day that you haven't done before it. I never ever been able to wee in a wetsuit just can't bring myself to do it lol so Ive still never done it.

The Welsh National Anthem started to beat out loud over the bay it was about this time I had to put my goggles on so no one could see me crying with emotion, I never been as emotional before a race as I was on Tenby Beach it will live with me forever.

One last Team Hug and we were off, the rolling start was great, No washing machine start the water was surprisingly warm and I was heading for the first Bouy. getting to the bouy seemed to take a while but I turned and started heading for the lifeboat house it was at this point I felt something across my face and my face was stinging just above my eye. It was this point I realized I must have been stung by the only Jellyfish in Tenby Bay lol. Got to the first turn in 38mins and 2400m didn't think I was that far off so kept to the buoys a bit better second lap. The second Lap went without hitch and out the water in 1hrs 19mins ... not bad for choosing the 1:20 pen.

I got my pink bag and jogged to transition, now took my time in T1 10mins but it was going to be a long day on the bike.

Was good to see Vanessa had a good swim as well and we both headed out on the bike course near enough the same time. My aim was to finish the bike I around 7:30 so I tried not to push too hard on the hills and let go on the downhills. All things were good until we got to Angle when there was a bad crash and we were stopped for a good 10-15 mins had to dismount and get past the ambulance. Seen a few crashes along the way but I avoided them and slowed down when the signs said so. The first lap was great up to Wisemans Bridge and thanks Matthew for the pre-warning as what to expect up that bank and I'm less than halfway through the field which gave me a boost. Then came to Saundersfoot the support was fantastic first I met a mate who lives there who gave me the first bit of encouragement then I hit the STAGS which gave me a double boost it was great to see them trust me Fanbloodytastic you all were. Back into Tenby and out for the second lap, This was a bit of a struggle hardly got out of the little ring and always knew if I pushed too hard the sadistic person who put 3 Hills together after about 107miles would kill me off. I just ticked them off as I did them but again the Stags where great getting me up the last one. Now flying downwards into Tenby I was happy id completed the bike in slightly longer than my predicted time but ill take it over that Brutal course: Time 7hrs 50mins.

T2 mins

Now for the run, my plan was to just try and get through this the best I could hoping my calves would last the full distance. Little did I know halfway up the first bank I would get massive cramp in both my Hamstrings. Had a few gels and stretched them both off and away I went. The first part of the run was all uphill ( i know we should be used to the hills by now) and was really just getting to know what instore for the other 3 laps and it wasn't an easy course but by far but the support in and around Tenby was great for every athlete doing the race. laps 2 & 3 went by without a hitch high fiving other Stags along the way lap 4 got me and I decided to walk the hills and run downwards. I eventually caught up with Vanessa half way round the last lap and we ran together for bit giving each other the final bit of encouragement to get us to the line. If i could bottle that feeling when you come round that final corner and onto the red Carpet i would, the atmosphere was again electric I crossed the line in 15hours 15 seconds I done it i Had become an IRONMAN!!!!!

12 months of hard graft paid off in one day, A day i will never forget for as long as I live. I can't thank Werner Heisenberg enough for the Training and Coaching, Fellow Stags Lesley Watson Julie Ann Edwards Niall Crosby Matthew Davey Sue Moon for a fantastic Weekend. The encouragement from every single Hart-lepool Triathletes member both in Wales and at home. When I first started triathlon In 2015 never in this world did I think just 4 years later I'd have 1 Ironman, 2 Lakesman, 2 Steelman and numerous other events. What a club we have.........

I have one last Thanks and that to my Long-suffering Partner Lindsey Hewitson who without her and her support I would never have ever been able to do what I did in Tenby on Sunday 15th September 2019. ❤️❤

If you've got this far thanks for reading and up the Stags the best Triathlete team in the town!!!!!