Regular followers of my website & blog will know that in just 7 short months, I will realise my dream of ‘racing’ Ironman UK in my beloved Bolton, England.
There is no doubt in my mind that the final chapter in my journey will be a successful one, (However, as always, this will partly be in the hands of the Iron gods!)
Truth is, I am ready now.
But before this thing finally comes into my reality and I begin to get complacent about the enormasity of the achievement by surrounding myself with people that have already done it…..
And before my journey evolves even further still….,
I wanted to pay homage.
Ironman has touched me, in a very magical way.
My final post of 2016 is my attempt at trying to put into words, the magic, for me, of Ironman.
First off, Ironman is of course a race, and all the pros, the elite age groupers, those who enter and treat it like a ‘race’ are, in my opinion, the finest atlhetes in all the world.
But to me, Ironman is not a race at all…..
Far from it in fact.
Ironman is a journey, the most amazing journey of my life.
It is not about winning, getting a certain time, being the fastest or even being ‘quicker’ than the next man.
Its about taking what you believe to be impossible, and realising that it absolutely is possible for you.
Go to any 5k ‘park run’, close your mouth and open your ears for a change and you will hear people saying things like “5k’s are where it’s at, I would love to be able to run a marathon one day but I just don’t believe I could ever do it”
Ask 100 people at a super sprint triathlon if they would like to become an Ironman and I guarantee at least 50% will say something like “Of course, but I don’t think it could be possible for me”
Not long ago, I was the one saying things like that.
Yet Ironman has taught me that in life, anything is possible for you.
But it has taught me so much more than just the Ironman mantra of ‘anything is possible’
It has taught to enjoy my races in a way that you can only really do the first time round and I wanted to try and ‘bottle it’ before it’s too late.
Let me give you an example
When I lined up at my first ever half marathon, having previously doubted that I could complete this distance, I was not interested in ‘racing’ or trying to get a PB.
I was just buzzing to be at the start line and loving being a part of the whole damn thing!
The sensation you feel when you start at the very back of the pack expecting to come last and prove to yourself that, not only can you complete the distance, but heck, you are actually overtaking people here, that is the magic of Ironman for me, right there.
Don’t forget where my journey began.
Only 2 short years ago I was dramatically overweight and extmely unfit.
I am not over exagurating when I say to you that;
I was unable to swim more than a single length of a pool front crawl without nearly drowning
I hadn’t ridden a bicycle for well over 15 years.
I was unable to run more than 50 yards without wanting to stop, immediately.
The thought of being able to complete a 2.5km run in one go without stopping was, quite simply, way out of my reality.
So when I found myself stood at the start line of a half marathon race i’m like “what? is this for real? no way!”
Yet in July, I will be taking my place on the start line of Ironman UK, the greatest one day endurance event in England (if not the world!) to tackle a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and then run a marathon, all within strict cut off times.
How?
That’s the whole reason why I made this website, to explain ‘How’
So, when the final chapter of my current journey comes to a close, I will have left a trail of iron footprints for other kindered spirits to follow, should they choose to do so…..
Second, People often ask me what is so special about Ironman events.
If you really need to ask why IRONMAN is so special, there is little point in me explaining, as you will likely never understand (see point 1 above).
But to give you a flavour, let me say this,
Whilst Bolton will be my first official full Iron distance race, it will not be my first experience of Ironman, (I have lost count of the number of times I have ridden the IMUK bike route & this year savoured every second of the amazing crowds as a most enthusiastic spectator)
I have also ‘raced’ Ironman Dublin 70.3 this August which was absolutely the most awesome triathlon experience of my life.
Why?
Let me share with you an analgy.
Imagine on your next holiday you have booked to fly easyjet but when you get to the airport they upgrade you to emirates first class.
That is what it is like when you arrive at the Ironman registration tents, its like being upgraded to triathlon first class.
It feels like you are a part of something amazing….and you are…
The events are immaculately organised and run like clockwork.
Your every wish as a triathlete is catered for.
The roar that went up in Dublin as 1700 kindered spirirts gathered by the North Sea will stay with me forever.
Everybody at Ironman, from the race director (whom I had the absolute honour of meeting at Dublin) all the way down to the volunteers, treat you like royality.
The roads for both the bike and the run element are completely closed and totally free from traffic.
There are strict cut off times throughout the race. You need to be at point x by this time or you are out, simple as that, it’s what makes IRONMAN so magical.
The IMUK bike course is technical genius, it will test you to your limits, and just at the point where u don’t think you can give any more, the course lets up and gives you a break, before testing you once again..
You are racing with some of the finest athletes in the world, from every corner of the globe!
The marshalls are the best in the business.
The feed stations are well stocked, staffed with plenty of smiling volunterers, and positioned at exactly the points that you need them most.
The crowds that are waiting for you once you get out of the water, that line large chunks of the bike route and virtually the entire run route with hunderds if not thousands waiting to give you a heroes welcome on the finish boulevard will give you goosebumps for the rest of your days.
The announcers uttering the immortal words as you cross the finish line are the stuff of legend, as are many of the supporters
The medal is one that you will cherish forever!
The ‘after party’ in the finishers tent will be the best party you ever attend in your life (same in Dublin)
From the moment you walk into the registration tents you are made to feel very special by IRONMAN. its almost as if, For all they know, you could be the next big thing, and they treat you as such.
The fact that IRONMAN events, filled with some of the finest athletes in the world, not only welcome people like me, but totally understand my journey and further, actually embrace it, that is the magic of Ironman, right there.
I will never forget the first time I rode the Ironman Bolton loop and saw all the messages of support sprayed onto the tarmac on sheephouse lane (Don’t do it guys, the council don’t like it, so neither does Ironman).
All those individual dreams, all those individual journeys that those messages of support represted, it was beautiful, haunting, and truly magical.
The first time I saw those messages, I cried.
The spray paint will fade in time but the spirits of the Ironmen won’t – they are etched into every single kilometer of the Ironman bike route, forever.
Furthermore, get this…
Estimates suggest that only 1%-2% of people in the UK will ever run a marathon in their lifetime.
So let me ask you a question
What percentage of people in the UK do you think will ever complete an IRONMAN triathlon in their lifetime?
In order to explore, lets look at some numbers…
These figures are not exact, but lets look at some stats from IMUK 2016.
Approx 2,000 athletes entered the race.
Roughly 500 of them either did not start, or did not finish the race.
That leaves 1500 athletes.
Next we need to deduct those entrants from outside the UK (remember IM attracts athletes from around the globe) plus we need to deduct all the 2nd timers, 3rd (or more!)
Lets be generous and only deduct 500 to whom this applies (its likely to be way more)
This leaves 1,000 awesome first time finishers!
How many people are there in the UK?
45 MILLION?
What is 1,000 as a percentage of 45 million people?
There almost isn’t enough zeros on my calculator!
0.00002222%
So, Complete an Ironman triathlon and you will have achieved something that only 0.00002% of the population will ever do in their lifetime!
How freakin awesome is that?
Still think its about racing, about a getting a certain ‘time’, about being the fastest or beating the next man for this average guy who 2 years ago couldn’t run more than 50 yards without wanting to stop?
I don’t think so!
Its about joining the 0.00002%.
Its about getting the IRONMAN medal……..
But more, its about the amazing journey of ‘the self’ that you will go on in order to get the medal!!
Remember always where my journey began……
And, there is one final thing,
Go out onto the IMUK bike route this summer and sooner or later you will bump into IRONMEN.
Now, All Ironmen are amazing, but Some of these Ironmen might just turn out to be very high ranking ones, pushing for Kona qualification in their age group, (the world cup of IM) or even elite racers.
That is the football equivalent of going down to your local park for a kick about and bumping into Ronaldo….
Name me another sport in all the world in which the average guy can do that……
But wait, there is more…..
Approach these guys with the right attitude, give them the repect that they deserve, tell them that you want to learn and 90% of them will put their arm round you, welcome you into their world, totally recognise your journey, and give you the time of day….
That IRONMAN has managed to instill & maintain this culture into 90% of its athletes is a truly remarkable achievement in its own right.
But to attract some of the finest athletes in the world to race at the very highest level whilst at the same time, not only welcoming, but actually embracing ‘first timers’ to the party such as myself is surely one of the most magical things of all.
I have loved, and am loving, every single second of my Ironman journey so far and in a way, I stupidly don’t want it to end…
As we enter the final chapter of my story, Lets just hope the ‘iron gods’ are smiling down on me when 2,000 kindered spirits gather around a certain lake that goes by the name of pennington flash come July the 17th!
Ironman has changed my life for the better in ways that I never imagined possible….
But…..
Then again….
I should have known…..
ANYTHING is possible,….
IRONMAN was trying to tell me that all along!
To 2017 & your amazing journey…..
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Full details of my journey, together with the exact training plans that I followed for each race and of course the secrets from the Iron men themselves will be revealed in my book, which will be available to download soon.
You can be notified when the book is ready for instant download and qualify for a 25% discount off the launch price by registering your interest using the box below:
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