Readers blog: My first IronMan triathlon

This weekend one of the highlights of the triathlon calendar, the IronMan World Championships takes place in Kona, Hawaii. Britain boasts some of the best female competitors in recent years in Chrissie Wellington (four-time champion), Leanda Cave (2012 champion) and Rachel Joyce and Liz Blatchford taking silver and bronze in last years event. But is it an event everyday athletes can aspire to? This year, reader Kelly Brown took part in her first event, IronMan Wales, here she tells her story:

Picture credits: FinisherPix.com

I still remember the entry form and reading the post from Sportsister, win an entry to Ironman in 2014 with training package. Sat on the sofa my mind started dreaming, why not I thought! I had already pictured myself running up the infamous red carpet. Of course I had no real fitness, I’d done a few Obstacle Races but did them as part of a group, not to mention I wasn’t a strong swimmer. In actual fact I had only had lessons that summer. My front crawl was like I was slowly drowning, I could do a few lengths then rest. As for the bike, well I only got that in the summer too after a little persuasion from my little sister but in my head I knew I could do it. Boom…entry went off, back to reality, and getting on with assignments.

December 10th the mail arrives. ‘Congratulations you’ve won’

Cue, me giddy-jumping-for-joy, straight on the phone to little sis. Then the sensible side took over “really, do you think I can do it?” I asked - her reply “why not?” I couldn’t think of a reason.

My swim, bike, run wasn’t good but I would train and train hard! So after a phone call with Liz Scott f rom TheTriLIfe, the plan was set up. The 9 month training started 6th January. Well for me it had to start right away. Down the pool up to 4 times a week and out running.

The plans were tough, many a time I came back from the pool disheartened because I couldn’t do the full session in the allotted time, or I couldn’t swim fast enough. Watching the local tri team did nothing for my confidence either. I had to figure a way round this. So I added in extra sessions when it was quiet at the pool. Gradually I was achieving the distances in the time.

So going into 2014 was looking pretty awesome, I had given myself some mammoth goals but I was going to do it:

First goal getting married, yes that’s right, training for an Ironman after never having even done a triathlon and I was planning a wedding in Florida for February. Add to that also training for my first marathon - The London Marathon which I was running for the Children with Cancer Charity. Then two weeks later I was running the OCR Judgement day held at Salisbury plain. Four weeks after that on my 33rd birthday little sis had entered me for my 1st triathlon. St Neots sprint distance.

So after the London marathon, in fact the following day I was down at Tri Uk’s store in Yeovil trying on a wetsuits. I think the guy in the store thought I was mental when I explained what I wanted it for and trying on wetsuits for the first time the day after a marathon is an experience. So, undeterred, little sis and I headed off to Bournemouth beach to try it out the next day. Admittedly I didn’t really swim, more floated and got used to the suit. It was still April! Yep everything seemed fine, back home I headed.

Training had been going fairly well up to this point I had been out on the bike in all-weather even managing to rope in a friend to ride with me one day. The weather was awful, rain and strong headwinds. Needless to say he never came again. I wasn’t fast on the bike by any means but I was happy with the distances. Just needed to find some hills (Suffolk is renowned for being flat). My run was getting better. I knew I would be fine for the run, and although my swim was still slow I knew I could make cut-off times which is all that was in my head some days.

St Neots standard tri one week away and still no open water practice. “Mad” I can hear people saying but there was nowhere open till the week before. So off I went with my wetsuit on, I found someone at the gathering to pair up with and in the water we went. Ouch! This is cold, I couldn’t control my breathing properly let alone swim. Still with someone waiting on me I wasn’t going to be defeated. Round the buoys I swam stopping literally every 3-4 strokes.

We bumped into another training group, Cambridge Spartans, they very kindly let us tag along with them. We all stopped at a buoy awaiting instructions from their leader Ben, he was wearing his Ironman Wales hat so I needed to listen to this guy. There was another lady also wearing an IM Wales hat, I was in awe. But still I couldn’t control my breathing and was starting to panic. So not wanting that to happen I said I was getting out and Ben very kindly got me to the edge.

Chatting, I told him what I was doing, bless him - if he thought I was nuts, he never let on. So with less than a week to go and the knowledge I couldn’t swim in open water I needed to work out what to do. The following Friday I was back at the lake, stood on the bank hoping to find someone to swim with. I didn’t know anyone then this lovely lady said she’d swim with me. After asking “are you positively sure because I’m awful?” we got in the water.

This lady was my saviour, the advice and the patience she showed that day well I can only hope to pay it forward somehow. Her words have stuck with me ever since. Still not completely confident, I pushed myself the following day to go to the opening of Jesus Green in Cambridge , a 91meter outdoor pool. I got in…FREEZING! Little sis just laughs. Up and down I swam till I got confident, slowing my breathing, and slowing my arm stroke.

St Neots 11th May, happy birthday to me - what a present!

It was cold, windy and raining. Not great conditions and all I could think about was the swim. Others were concerned with the wet roads, but my naivety had kept those thoughts away. Two ladies from Newmarket tri club helped me sort my number and transition out. I am eternally grateful for their help as they took me under their wings, “enjoy it” they said “it’ll be fine”. “Come join the team it’ll be really good”.

Join the team - no chance I’m not good enough I thought.

Start time in the water, little practice swim, BANG gun goes off. Someone’s touching my feet, can’t concentrate, can’t swim, and switch to breaststroke, just keep moving forward. The turn to come back and I was knackered. How on earth was I going to get back? I rolled on my back wanting desperately to get out but no kayaks came so I swam some more then rolled on my back to catch my breath.

A swan landed next to me a look of disgust ‘you call that swimming!’

A lady drinking tea in her boat - oh how I wanted to be there right now. One last buoy to get to, that’s it I’m going to finish this swim. Out the water into transition one, I even helped a lady get her wetsuit off because it wasn’t about transition time, it was about just doing it.

The bike was great and I started overtaking. I was a little nervous at first as I wasn’t a 100% sure on drafting distances but I was just so relieved to be out that river. Onto the run. By this stage I couldn’t feel my feet, I told another girl this and she said it’s normal and to get used to it.

Approaching the finish I could hear the commentator “look at the smile on this lady” that was me beaming running to the finish. 1hr 50 mins my first tri. All the family had driven for miles to come and watch and we celebrated with chocolate cake and wine.

So with St Neots over I had a month to get ready for the long course weekend (LCW). I had decided to enter the month before as it was held in Tenby and thought it would be a great practice run. In my head if I could do it then I knew I would definitely finish IMWales.

I found a group, the Felixstowe Swimscapes, and asked if I could join them for a swim one day. Off I went the Monday before LCW to Felixstowe. I sat in my car waiting for everyone to arrive. Looking at the cold North Sea, choppy wasn’t the word. I’m not getting in there I thought, how can I?

The Swimscapes were brilliant though and although the sea was rough and I did struggle, I took the positives from it. If Tenby was choppy I would be slow but I’d get there. I was fearing choppy water but it couldn’t have been further from that. The swim was brilliant 1hr 12mins for 3.8km - yes indeed improved. I was so chuffed. It was like a lake that day, the conditions just couldn’t have been better, the atmosphere amazing.

The bike on the Saturday couldn’t have been more opposite if it tried. Woke up to rain and it stayed that way all day. This was going to be a long ride. The hills were tough but I still had a smile I was doing it! Then came Coppetts Hall, just after Wisemans Bridge. I didn’t see the oncoming car. All I saw was the guy in front put his foot down and by the time I looked up there was a car. Panic, brakes slammed down, too hard and I skidded.

I landed on the expensive side of the bike. Its ok I thought, I can still get back on, while excruciating pain was coming from my ankle. Some locals helped me off the floor and one very kind couple helped sort my bike out. Unfortunately it was worse than the original slipped chain we thought. The derailleur must have cracked and as I went to cycle away it severed off into the rear wheel. Game over. Very kindly they brought me a cup of tea and called my mum to come and get me.

I was devastated, and with my ankle swelling up, I was going to be a no show for the marathon. Although that decision took me a while to come to, everyone else knew it even if I wasn’t ready to admit it to myself. I tried to stay positive having ridden some of the course. I had an awesome swim but still it didn’t take away that feeling of having my guts ripped out from not completing the bike. I went up to announce a DNF and that was hard. I wanted to cry, the winners were just coming through, riders with medals, a medal I would never get.

The Long Course Weekend took a while to get over but back home the training continued. Nearly two weeks without a bike didn’t help so I was at the gym on the spin bike, it was the only thing I had to keep going. I had to get the ankle x-rayed and was told to lay off it for a while, but I didn’t have a while. I had less than 3 months.

Two weeks prior to LCW I had joined the Newmarket Triathlon club. It actually wasn’t as scary as I first thought and everyone was really encouraging. Training on my own up to then had started to take its toll on me mentally. Solo Training has its advantages in that you are used to the solitude come race day, but you can lack motivation, and having people around to swim, bike, run with helps with improving times too. This is when I then decided on a very last minute entry to the Monster Middle Tri in Ely.

The swim was cold and upstream for most of it, the bike section was wet and the wind was strong. It was everything I didn’t want it to be. I had developed a fear of wet roads and sharp bends. In my head I just kept telling myself it is okay just to take it slow. I finished in 5hrs 47min my first 70.3. I was buzzing.

I had one last tri to do in two weeks, an Olympic distance in Portsmouth. I had entered it to get me back in the sea. Once again the swim posed issues. The water was fine but I positioned myself badly and ended up at the front when the gun went off. Panicked thoughts of ‘I don’t want to do this’ entered my head ‘I want to get out’. Then I heard someone shout my my name “Kerry” it was Fran, a girl from the tri club, she had at the last minute decided to enter too. I waited on her and we swam to the first buoy together then with one last look to make sure she was okay off I went. I messed up and sighted badly on the first lap, a mistake I didn’t do again for the second.

During the bike section I even managed to drop onto the tri bars something I hadn’t been able to do since the accident.

3hr 2mins Portsmouth Olympic Distance done. I felt happy, my confidence had received a much needed boost. So with the countdown on - two weeks till the big day, I was ready and looking forward to it.

I was having regular massages from a friend for my leg which was getting better and the last massage before the race she said it felt the best it had done in a long time.

I had a weekend to rest before the big day and went over to watch the Cambridge Spartan race and support members of my family taking part. My 17 year old nephew ran an amazing time and I finally got to support the little sis who’s been supporting me all the way. It was fantastic catching up with all the OCR group they are such an amazing supportive group. All wished me well but wanted to know if I’ll be back doing them next year. Of course I will.