NEWS

Ironman Austria - Race Report by Fergus Wiseman

Well it is finally over – the quest for IRONMAN status has been achieved. It took 12 months of planning, 6 months of training and nearly 15 hours of racing to earn our IRONMAN Finishers Medal. So, “how did the race go?” ……

4:00 - alarm call for breakfast brought Neil and I down for breakfast, along with Sue and Angela (the groupies) and Simon (tour fag / gopher / dogs body). Trying to feed your face that early (along with a room full of anxious faces from other racers and their support crews living every moment of their event) is not easy when thinking this might be the best food you taste for 18 hours!!

5:15 - we were on the road to the transition to check over the bikes, pump up the tyres and add all our bottles of juice and energy bars / gels. Seeing 2000 other nervous faces doesn’t quell the nerves!!

6:45 – wetsuit on and make our way into the holding pen for the athletes ahead of the start. Luckily for us the start is split into three areas: professionals and fast amateurs, good amateurs and “others”. We slowly made our way to the “others” pen and waiting for the instruction to get into the water.

7:00 – we’re off. “Good Luck – See you at the Finish”. Anxiety turns to concentration as I look to spend the next hour and a quarter keeping out of trouble and avoiding the melee of arms and legs as we work our way around 3000m in the Worther See. I manage successfully and head into the Lendkanal for the last 800m. I need to make my way up the right hand side as that is where I’ve told the gang I will be. After about 600m I see Sue and Simon. They see I am fine and still swimming strongly and Sue is heartened that my biggest fear of not finishing due to panic in the water has not happened. I get out the water and stop the watch at 1:06 – wow! 10 mins faster then I thought I would do. A good start. Neil blends his usual mix of front crawl and breast stroke to arrive into T1 at 1:40

Now changed into cycling shorts and top with plenty of sunscreen on (just in case) we start the 180km (112 miles) bike leg. Don’t push too hard was the mantra. Took on lots of drinks at the feeding stations and at the end of the 180km we had finished with no punctures, no incidents and in only 6:01 for me and 6:19 for Neil. Both ahead of plan! Ooops. Had we gone too fast? Only time would tell.

Out of the second transition with running shoes on and raring to go. “Slow down and take it easy” was what I was told in no uncertain terms by Simon just after the second transition. “You’ve got 26 miles to run – slow down”. I did. I think – so did Neil. Power Walking for 10km meant he would feel strong right to the end. Just had time to say Hi to my Mum and Dad and friends Davie and Jill who had arrived during the bike leg before I set off at 10 mins/ mile pace which should get me round in 4:20. But, just like the bike, with all that time on your own to do nothing but think about times and how fast / slow or how good would I feel if …. , I probably went too quickly during the first half. I managed to see Neil after 10km and he had enjoyed the bike and was progressing well on the run.

I got to half way and said to the groupies “if I can keep this pace going sub-12 is on the cards!” How I wished I could have swallowed those words. I managed another 5kms (26 so far) before I had to walk. Only for 100 yards, but it was the start.

After 31 km my legs were really hurting and I wanting to stop. But I couldn’t. “You’re only doing one of these, so put the effort in otherwise you might have to do another” I told myself. Only now do I realise how much I speak to myself!!

At 11:30 on the watch I haven’t got enough time to get in under 12 hours due to running and walking and drinking at the feed stations, and I’ve still got 4 km to go. But ….. if I don’t stop and just pour sponges of cold water over my head then there is a chance. What are you waiting for – get a move on then!

Watch reads 11:53 – 200 metres to go and the finish is just around the corner. There are about a dozen young kids inside the finisher’s funnel all wanting a “Hi 5”. I duly oblige. They’ve been waiting for their dad or mum as long as I’ve been going and they all ask every competitor to do the same. Then it’s round the final corner, music blaring, announcer shouting my name, lights and a massive roar like I’ve never heard before. It’s over – 100 yds, 50 yds, 25 yds, up the ramp to the finish line and arms up like I’ve just won. Well I have. We all have. 12 hours of the hardest, unrelenting exercise I have ever taken part in. I am an IRONMAN. Where is everyone? All waiting outside the fence. A very special moment, very emotional too.

Neil comes past us (we are waiting at 41km) and we know he is feeling well as he manages to chuck a couple of insults at me! He is well inside his won schedule and there is just time to run round to the finish funnel to see him come through. This time I can take part in the roaring and cheering to welcome home another winner. And IRONMAN. He finishes in 14:13 - another fantastic time.

You can view the final results here

http://ironman.com/events/ironman/austria

but our results were as follows

2198 started

2043 finished the race

A massive thanks to our support crew and supporters on the day – they will probably never know just how much their support did mean to the both of us – Sue, Angela, Simon, Jill, Davie and Ma & Pa Wiseman.

Finally, thanks to all your contributions my (our) fundraising efforts are currently standing over £2,700 with a further £600 in Gift Aid from G. Brown of 11, Downing St, London. Total £3,195. The website stays open until 16th September, so if there are any last minute donations from those of you out there who have yet to convert your pledge to donation or yet to make one then please, do so. The website is simple and secure and the money goes straight to St Roccos and avoids my grubby paws altogether.