Ironman 70.3 Weymouth

Where do I even begin? Well, first with an apology for not blogging anything. I signed up for Ironman 70.3 Weymouth back in May and honestly I didn’t really want many people to know. I’ve had people feel like it’s their place to comment on what I’m doing  so I kept it quiet and did a little blogging but I lost track with the sheer volume of training in addition to work. It was one of the proudest weekends of my life. I am putting together a little race video but in the meantime, here’s my race report…

The Route

The swim was in the sea which was bloody cold and choppy! Swimming in a straight line was extremely tough and I think I swallowed at least a gallon of sea water. The bike was a tough course, quite hilly with some steep climbs. It was very well marked but with little support. The run was a 3 lapped course along the sea front so pancake flat! Running past the finish a few times was mentally tough though. The aid stations were filled with the most wonderful volunteers! So kind and encouraging and armed with plenty of jokes to keep you going. I think they were the best part!

The Distance

There was only 1 distance, half Ironman. 1.9km sea swim, 90km bike and then a 21km half marathon to finish. Total distance covered in miles is 70.3 hence the name, Ironman 70.3.

The Price

As with Ironman events, the price increases periodically and with every payment you have to pay a quite frankly ridiculous 8% active fee. The prices starts at £250 and rises in £25 increments to a final price of £310. With that 8% fee, you could be paying as much as £334.80! In my opinion it is grossly overpriced; yes it nice to cycle on closed roads but considering that there are roughly 2,500 participants and relay participants, it is crazy!

The Organisation

Organisation was good; registration was open from Friday-Saturday and the ladies who helped me here were lovely. The race briefing was supposedly mandatory but not enforced so I don’t know why they made such a big deal about going. The times were a bit silly being at 12pm and 5pm on the Saturday as bike racking closed at 4pm so it was a mad rush to get it all done. Bike racking was absolute chaos as the car park was tiny and no one stuck to their suggested bike rack times. It was very secure though and I didn’t feel any kind of worry leaving my bike (mainly because in comparison mine is embarrassingly cheap and I know it would have been last choice for potential bike thieves!)

Everything Else
The finishers photos are disgustingly expensive hence the low res screenshots from my Mum's iphone! I am so happy and proud of myself for doing it! It was by far the toughest thing I’ve ever done, physically and emotionally. It was great to see so many people I know there too and as I mentioned the volunteers really made the race. The aid stations were brilliant with a lot of choice. The atmosphere at the finish was amazing, I felt like Beyonce when I came down that finish chute, arms aloft…teeny tiny tear rolling down my face! I think I’d like to do it again……..

...and if you're interested,

Swim - 1.9km - 00.50.20

T1 - Swim to Bike - 00.08.12

Bike - 90km - 04.21.05

T2 - Bike to Run - 00.04.04

Run - 21.1km - 02.29.18

TOTAL TIME: 07.52.59