What Happened When Rookie Rode the ‘New’ IMUK Bike Circuit
Arite?
Ready for Sunday?
Good?
To business….
After yesterdays news I met up with a couple of ace lads today and we went and did a recce of the ‘new’ bike circuit.
Like everybody else, I watched it all kick off on social media and deceided that I would wait until I had ridden the new circuit before putting my 2p forward.
Here it is.
As i’m getting stuck into the new course I was thinking to myself ‘at the end of the day, what is Ironman?’
You see Ironman has become many different things to many different people but I think some have lost sight of what Ironman actually is.
Let me tell you what it is.
It’s a race.
Never forget that.
It’s a fukin race.
And it’s a race attended by some of the finest athletes in all the world and some of the finest age groupers in the world too.
As we all know, Ironman have had to make the route shorter for safety reasons.
An unintentional side efect of making the route shorter is that they have made it faster.
Guess what happens when you make a race faster?
It becomes more exciting.
Make no mistake, Ironman UK is going to be one of the fastest, most exciting races of all time in 2018 and it is absolutely bloody wonderful to be a part of the whole damn thing.
To the first timers pouring their hearts out on social media saying this is their one and only chance to ‘become one’ – I totally understand where you are coming from – I felt exactly the same once.
But let me say this.
I wish you could wind the tape forward.
I wish you could see what it is like once you ‘become one.’
I wish you could see what happens.
Let me ask you something….
What are you going to do after Sunday?
Go back to being a fat bastard again?
I don’t think so.
Well you might, for a bit, but trust me, you can’t experience the amazing way you have lived your life for the last 6 months and then not become addicted to it.
Not only that, but you can’t experience the way that wonderful crowd will treat you on race day and not want it again.
Once its got you, its got you.
I promise, you will want to do it again.
So if you are going to do it again anyway, what are you worried about?
Also,
Do you think the people you are trying to impress have any idea about these changes?
They haven’t got a scooby mate.
This point was beautifully demonstrated as I rode up the stonking hill in the new section.
A lady wound her window down and started screaming ‘Go on Ironman you can do it’
Did I reply….
‘Well technically its not an Ironman as its only 95 miles instead of 112?’
No….
I replied ‘I fukin love you’
So, here is how I got on.
Just a couple of pointers for the scientists.
- One of the lads I met up with today is sub 12 and the other one probably will be next year. Whilst I struggled on the hills as always I got on their back wheel for the flat
- The weather was dry, still, cloudy with little wind – perfect cycling conditions
- I have not been out on the circuit since saturday and I have been slowly building to ‘double loops’ so I am used to a lot more miles than this
- I took a full day of rest yesterday and I was absolutely itching to get out there today, sat at the bottom of Babylon waiting to get cracking I felt like bruce banner (google him)
Here is my take on the new 5 mile section.
Tarmac is OK but is not without it’s gouges so just keep an eye out.
Initially there is a pleasant descent then a few twists and turns along narrow country lanes before you hit an absolute bitch of a hill.
I would describe this hill as the perfect marriage between hunters hill and sheep house lane.
It’s a pretty steep climb in parts, feels like it goes on for quite a while and will certainly be interesting on lap 2.
Once you are over this hill there is a very steep descent – take extra care on this on race day – it is extremely steep and the road twists and turns so it is worth sacrificing 30 seconds on this bit to be safe.
The road continues to be narrow country lanes nicely shaded from the wind, a few ups and downs through winding bends before getting onto the main road, a gently sloping downhill treat before we pick up the original circuit.
The result?
Here is my 2018 PB on the ‘old’ loop (3:06) www.strava.com/activities/1652859979
Here is what I rode today on the ‘new’ loop (2:34) www.strava.com/activities/1696070252
Easy?
Come and race it my friend….
Come and race.
But make no mistake…..
Get your strategy wrong on Sunday and you will still come unstuck.
I’ll see you on the circuit.?
PS it looks like it is going to piss it down in Bolton any minute now which is great news…#FUKOFFALGI
Like this article? so will your mates – feel free to share it and don’t forget to ‘add’ me on FB where you will find my daily training log for 2018
By the way, hve you heard about this book? its nearly 500 pages crammed full of hints and tips detailing exactly how I was able to go from zero fitness to completing an Ironman triathlon and covers super sprint, sprint, olympic 70.3 & full iron distances all from a ‘first timer’ perspective – please take a moment to read the reviews on amazon www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Ironmen-Iron-Rookie/dp/1974002322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529099273&sr=8-1&keywords=iron+rookie
Are you currently training for or aspiring towards IMUK and want to come and recce the route but don’t know the circuit and need somewhere to stay? then click here www.iron-rookie.com/b-b-tours/
Ironman® is a registered trademark of the world triathlon corporation and in no way is this website affiliated with or endorsed by Ironman® or the WTC
