Lisboa Half Ironman 2016 – Karen Nolan
May 7th 2016
On 21st August 2015, a mere 3 weeks after a brilliant Dublin 70.3, we started floating the idea of heading to Lisbon for another Half Ironman distance. The course appealed to us and logistically it was going to be very doable with very little fuss. Ironman Mallorca was on the same day but had pretty much sold out, so Lisbon it was. The excitement of racing abroad in balmy conditions appealed to people and before long we had 15 Pulsers committed.
With the Marathon still ahead of people, training didn’t realistically kick off till after Christmas. I kept a good level of training up to Christmas but really stepped it up in January. The plan was to get the long stuff done in the first half of 2016 and then hit the National Series throughout the summer. With bad weather in January & February and no turbo trainer, it is hard to get the long bikes in on Saturdays, but we did manage to get out as much as we could. We had a few wet Saturday mornings where I would usually say “sure it could be raining on race day”. Little did I know what lay ahead.
My usual week was S&C with Joe on a Monday, Kevin’s killer spin class on a Tuesday AM (I like to think these classes have really stood to me), swim in the Tuesday PM, run on a Wednesday, Thursday – rest day, easy swim on Friday, long cycle on Saturday, and a long run on Sunday. I tried to stick to this as much as I could. Groundhog week did set in though, and as much as I love to train, I became to feel a little bit disheartened about it all. Am I really cut out for this? I felt I missing out on life, but it’s not like it is that exciting and sure what else would I have been doing? So I soldiered on.
In March, I signed up for the Mullingar Half Marathon, just to prove to myself I had it in the legs. A good day, but I have kinda come to the conclusion I am never going to break any records, but if I could break my own little records I would be happy with that. I suffer with my knee and now the good knee is starting to act up, any thoughts of a Marathon have now disappeared. I was told back on October 2009 that I would never be a runner, I was overweight and unhappy, so I changed my life around, lost 6 stone and well the rest is history. So to be able to compete to the level I am currently at is pretty awesome for me.
Great running by my work buddies Pauline & Christina, my Pulse buddies Jen & Pam
So with time creeping by and nerves setting in we were into April. Whose idea was it to do a race so early in the season ☺. I was beginning to panic that I was nowhere near race ready. I was obsessed with the sad step – aka the scales. My diet was all over the shop. I love my grub, and with all the training you think you can eat everything, but in reality you need to keep a check on it or you can get very carried away. I had given up booze for the first 3 months of the year – more by chance as nothing was really going on. The Club Training Weekend in Wexford was brilliant at the start of April. Some fun to accompany the long training sessions. When I am in a group, I’m always terrified I won’t be able to keep up, and I put obstacles in front of myself that sometimes don’t even exist. I have to have more faith in myself and in my ability – well after Lisbon I have that faith now….. more about that later.
So May finally arrives and it is all systems go. I take the weekend off and head away with my friends for some much need R&R. Then its race week and the madness starts. Tuesday we collect our bike boxes from Adam, check out his Website, www.bikeboxonline.com. He delivered our bike boxes to Westpark Fitness Centre, and gave a demo on how to fit the bike into the box. I am all set with my bike, but we can’t get the pedals off, I remember Hilary’s warning about pedals, there is no budging these. Chris asks our trusted bike rep, Keith, to drop by but still no budging. We got one off, and with some jigging, I get the bike into the box. Phew….. Adam kindly helps Aisling and Jen with their bikes, and we start to practice on some of the other bikes. So, jump to Thursday morning, early 4 am start to get to the airport. Get ourselves checked in, and we’re off. I may point out that I had been checking the weather for the past 3 weeks and extended forecast looked good. Race day was for some cloud, 17°C, and possible rain on the run. But in the week leading up to the race it had changed and the forecast now was for rain from Thursday. Ah sure, you know when your away – rain shower and then the sun will be out and it will be lovely and warm. So with this in mind, the summer clothes where packed. I did however, at the last minute, throw in a raincoat, umbrella, and toe covers.
We touch down in Lisbon to rain. Off to the hotel, check in is smooth and we get our rooms. I have to say I chose the hotel based on price and location. It was a gem – close to Transition, recently renovated rooms, with nice fluffy light grey carpet…… We did cover the flooring to protect from the bikes. Good breakfast and nice bar with the all important free WiFi ☺. We spent the day avoiding the rain and finding our bearings. No biking as weather was miserable. Registered that evening, and nice relaxed dinner and bed early as I was wrecked.
Registration
Friday dawns to more grey skies. Had the big breakfast and then we headed down for a practice swim. The slipway into the water was lethal so we gracefully (as I like to think we looked) lowered ourselves into the water off the edge. Now I had not put a toe in sea water up to this point. In fact, I was shitting myself even getting into the wetsuit – thankfully it fitted perfectly. The water was surprisingly warm. We had a little splash around before having to be dragged out. I was happy out. I had been quite nervous about the water, but I felt a bit more relaxed now. Now to test the bikes on a busy road. There were a few issues with the bikes, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. Sergio, who had a tent at the exhibition. was very welcoming and always happy to help. So, a little spin on the bikes, and we head for lunch, where I order the soup as it’s freezing out. Bike check in was that evening – huge queue, we drop the bikes and hike our way to the race briefing which we miss and arrive at the end. Such a waste, and to have us traipsing around the place was stupid. Chris’s favourite saying was to keep off the legs, and I think we were all beginning to think the same. Dinner at the hotel that night and bed. I was tired. I needed to just chill.
RACE DAY……. So down for breakfast at 6am and the sun is rising, it looks fab out. Head for transition, and the nerves and excitement are bubbling inside me. Get a pic with my partner in tri, Jen, and it looks like a great day ahead of us…… within moments it all changed…… Race start was 8 am, starting in the water, all age groups up to 40. We all give each other big hugs and wish each other luck…. Here we go.
Sunrise on race day
I loved the swim. I felt comfortable and water wasn’t too cold. A little bit of pushing, but nothing I couldn’t handle. The swim is 2 loops and is fairly sheltered. As I am heading for the exit, I spot the Pulse flag and the excitement is unreal….. love this shit….. that’s the last time that day I would think that. Into transition where the tiles are lethal, so need to be careful not to slip. Get sorted, grab the bike, and away we go. The first 3/4 km are a little bit technical with cobbles etc., but once you get out of that, you are motoring, I am hitting 33 kph, but that would soon change. The rain has started and there is a mist down over the city. As I am heading out I spot the drag ahead of me, it was tough, even on the first loop but I think I just didn’t expect it. We turn around for the descent, and oh mother of god the winds…. Even on the downhill you are hanging onto your bike, I try to take a drink, no chance. What should be fast and flat is slow and laborious, and I have to do this 4 times. There is torrential rain battering us and I am thinking this is crazy, I am not doing this. Back to transition, turnaround and out onto the second lap. I am seeing my fellow Pulsers, and I’m shouting and waving at them. The flood waters are beginning to build on the motorway, all you can do is keep the head down and motor on. By the 2nd descent, the wind is literally taking your breath away. Pamela goes by me and she is motoring. I had said early on in the year she would be one to watch. I am so happy for her and I am cheering her all the way. I am also thinking I need a new bike and tri bars, it would have really helped today. Mark and Chris are flying it. I think I see Richie, and I am shouting after him. Lorraine is ahead of me. I see Gillian too and we have the chats. Jen is motoring along. I am missing Aisling and I am getting concerned. I see Sarah a few times and on lap 4 she tells me she is quitting after the bike. Well I go off on one and we have a chat, Sarah did the run and did a great time. I come alongside Aisling, and I am so pleased to see her. Aisling explains she had a bad swim and is on lap 3. I have no words for her….. she did tell me afterwards that I was like “sure it’ll be grand”. I am afraid of drafting so I reluctantly leave Aisling. Turns out the lady on the motor bike is actually going around checking on people, to see how they are surviving, both mentally & physically. I get what I think is a little blast of energy, or maybe it is the excitement of the bike coming to an end. Into transition, dump the bike, we are no longer friends, put on my dry socks and runners, and out into the torrential rain yet again. I am sure it was getting heavier at this stage, within seconds my feet are soaked. But is so great to see the Pulse support and it makes me beam with pride.
So, as you all know, I am no Usain Bolt. I have left my legs out on that bike course, so I start into a slow run, drafting off some nice lady. Aoife catches me and gives me some words of encouragement. The slow run turns into a shuffle, then a walk, and it pretty much continued like that for the remainder of the race. Run-shuffle-walk. Run-shuffle-walk. As we head out along the coast the wind is stupid. There is a tree branch down and bits of branches and leaves along the course. At the turnaround point it is congested, but that will soon change for me. Within 2 laps the place is pretty desolate. The turnaround point is flooded, the wind on the way back in is blowing you backwards, the head is down and I’m talking to myself to keep me going. I meet Jen at the about 10km and she gives me the devastating news that Aisling has been pulled from the race as she ran out of time on the bike. I am so gutted for her, I round the corner and see Hilary and Richie, I have a mini meltdown. The conditions are getting to me and I can’t hold it together anymore. But I am determined not to quit. Hilary runs along side of me and I am bawling, but still moving forward. I think I practically scream at her, I am NOT QUITTING, Sorry Hilary. Then I spot a McDonalds, I would have loved a cuppa to heat me up. Lorraine comes along too and gives me some encouragement. I calm myself down and off I go again. Another 10 km of being battered by the elements to endure. On my 3rd lap, I greet Hilary and Richie, smiling, telling them I have stopped crying, I am sucking this up and I am happily going onto my last lap. At this stage I know there are only a few people left out there, but we are the strong ones, who are still moving and not quitting. It is one lonely feeling. I must point out that it was a very lonely race. Marshals were pulled due to hypothermia, and there is no support apart from the brilliant Pulse peeps. Jen is motoring and looking strong. We have a few chats along the way. So the finish line is in sight, I see Hilary. Richie and Aisling have come out to welcome us home. I cross the line and the relief and emotions are too much for me. 7:55:39……… So much for breaking 7 hours. Even as I write this I feel slightly disheartened, but then on another level I am so proud of myself, I kept going, I didn’t give up, Never give up!!!
Jen was hot on my heels, and in between both of us crossing the line the metal structure blew over in the wind. Jen had to crawl under it to pass the timing mat. I think this provided some much needed laughs to everyone around!!!
Post Race…… so as my lips turned blue and Hilary stripped me in transition to get me dry and warm, the extent of the days conditions where hitting home. I was freezing and shaking. We gathered up all our belongings after they had gone astray and headed to the hotel for a much needed hot shower. Bliss…… then to the bar for some tea, a cuppa can cure anything, followed by a beer. Dinner that night was lovely, steak & beer!! We chatted all about the days events and I think we all had the same thought at one stage during the race….. “Please god, give me an unrepairable puncture or let the wind take me off the bike”.
Sunday you will be glad to hear was a nice windy, dry day, with scattered sunshine. We spent it drinking beer and having a laugh. Such a great group to travel with. Thanks to every one of you for making it a trip to remember. There may be even talk of the next 70.3…….. I bags not organising that one!! ☺