Ironman European Championship - Frankfurt, Germany 🇩🇪2017

Ironman European Championship - Frankfurt, Germany 🇩🇪

The morning did not start well, I was up shortly before the alarm went of at 4:00am, stretched and spoke to Elle, who was supportive till she joked see you four hours. This played on my mind as with sore knees I was concerned about finishing the bike. A bee then flew through the window. It was a big hairy buzzing bee 🐝and it landed in my tri gear. 

Food and everything ready I was out at 4:30am and at the bus 10mins later and on the way to the swim start. 

All went well there, the early rising sun made things seem less difficult. Tyres pumped, nutrition in, checkin in Street Bag and I was done. Down by the river I sat, ate and banana and wondered where all the other athletes were. Seemed they must have been still fiddling. Still about 45mins to go, maybe I came to early.

Checkin closed and the Athletes started coming down. All 3000 odd of them. I went for a small warm up swim, tried to stomach a gel and then went to the pen for under an hour.

This would be my first mistake, it would make for a rough start. 

The pros went and 10 minutes later the rolling swim start began, it did allow a quick roll out, so was still a crowded swim. Likely cause I was in a fast group. Not use to fast swimmers in Asia. So I was continually passed. The water was fresh though no visibility. Two laps, the first was 1.5km the second 2.3km. 

While straight and well marked buoys the fact that they were the same colour going in and out meant that a few times I was Swimming to the wrong buoy….with many others.

The kayaks helped guide back, it was not till halfway through the second lap, I started to feel comfortable and soon as I was staggering up the pebbled beach into the huge support and cheering which was lined for 100s of metres. The announcer yelled out in German.

Through transition and onto the bike. Would my knee hold up? I could feel it but it was not to bad. I tried to push from the Glutes. 

The first 14km into Frankfurt was fast and flat, I felt I was flying, though careful not overexert.
People continued to fly past. Through the part I rode one morning it was then into the countryside.

The first drink stop arrived and then it was a hill. Unexpected and long the heart rate went up. The ride into the country side was dotted by villages, the support was huge. They were very passionate and cheered, had music, horns and yelled support. Beautiful old villages, wheat fields, forests and at one village a cobblestone road. That was hell, bumping up and down like being in a paint shaker.

This hurt my knee and I was careful afterwards, again questioning if I could go the this distance.

There were some hills up, but as I came near the end of the lap things sped up dramatically, I felt great. My knee felt good, and my speed went up. I would finish 90km over 30km/h.

Just before the 90km there was heartbreak hill, a Tour de France style hill with a crowd lined ascent, banners and great atmosphere.

The second lap started very well, I stopped at 110km for special needs and a drink, continuing on I was able to enjoy the ride. All went well till near the end of the second lap where the sun came out and it became very hot. The locals had garden hoses to try and athletes down. 

Drinking and eating became harder and I began to slow down. The trip up heartbreak hill saw me stop, a cramp in the inner right thigh three quarters of the way up, I stopped. A nice spectator came and asked if there was anything she could do.

Digging in I rode on and limped the last of the km back to Frankfurt in about 6 hours. I spent a while in transition trying to cool down.

Then the ran began, it was tough, I was overheated. At just 7.5 hours I heard the announcement that the winner was coming in. The crowd was five or six deep and cheering loudly. Four laps up and down along the river.

A slow trot to the first aid station where I took water and ISO, the following there was sponges and cold water hoses. I began to cool down. 

Into a slow run, I finished the first half and could see the start/finish on the other side of the river. The second half seemed to keep going, bridge after bridge. All the way lined with cheering spectators. Into a tree lined path and the band collection point arrived.

Back down the park, up a small hill and over the bridge to complete the first lap. Lap two was fine, still hot, I had cooled down significantly but lap three was hard. I started walking longer at the drink stops. Still I pushed on, the crowds were diminishing, though some were still out drinking and eating.

The medical tents had many people in there, lying on stretches with drips. Chatting to one of the medical offices to try and find some cream for my burnt neck I was told any medical assistance meant disqualification. Thus those in the stretcher were all out and I could not get cream.

Lap four would be a big struggle, I would walk longer sections, hills and in between. Limited energy, there was no glory run home it was a slow slow jog. 

The last band, the last bridge, the last aid station and I turned right. High fives, a huge crowd, music pumping into Romer I ran. 10 time Ironman finisher! It was fantastic. A long 5.5hr run finished it off.

I did not feel well. A guide ushered me to recovery and showed me round. I decided to go back to the flat and shower there. 

Back home I called Elle despite it being 2:30am in Singapore. It was great to talk to her and she was so lovely and supportive. I talked through how I felt and she suggested how to recover.

The couple who I was renting from Airbnb came back and congratulated me. I sat and had a protein shake, they made some fresh orange juice and I started to feel better.

Following some drink up with a hot bath, I began to feel human again. Changing clothes, it was back to the event for a massage and to watch the end. Both were great. The recovery medical tents were quite full with people lying in stretches covered with space blankets. Finally some cream for my neck, which really stung.

The atmosphere on the finish line, the singing and music was awesome. 15 hours approached and the last of the athletes arrived. Some would not officially complete despite crossing, as they were over the time, others would arrive to a shut down event following the cutoff.

At 15 hours balloons and sparklers with a blue lights show marked the final countdown. Balloons floated up at the end to create a spectacular site. The first one I have seen live and it was a special end.

Down to collect my bike and bags, some ice cream on the way and then back home. Some hand washing of clothes before bed.