Enduroman Triple Ironman UK 2010

Audlem Online regular readers will recall that Monique Hollinshead competed in one of the toughest sports events ever held in Britain – it involved swimming 7.2 miles, cycling 336 miles and running 78 miles – all in a weekend! Was it as tough as last night's Bridge Quiz which she also competed in, we wonder. Here's her report:

It all went very well, I finished in tenth place overall, and first and only female. (For some reason these events have limited appeal!)

SwimThis was my third year at Lichfield so the swim start at 6.00am came with its own feeling of deja vu. The plan was to have a drink every 600 metres and get out every 3.8k for a comfort break and jaffa cakes – a lot of people had chosen to wear wetsuits which have a buoyancy and time advantage so they would need to drink more to avoid overheating. I was expecting to do around 4 hours for the swim, but was seeded in a lane on my best IM swim time which rather flatters me. I started at the back of the group and found I was having to wait a lot at the end of lengths as I didn't want to put anyone off their stride by delaying them, but this meant my time suffered a bit. No excuses though, I have only swum about once a week so it's my own fault. Eventually I had the lane to myself so I relaxed and thought about breakfast which would be getting cold as Dave was getting it ready for 10.00am.

I was a bit phased from the swim as I was 15 minutes over my estimated time, but couldn't rush the first transition (into bike kit) being careful to make sure I was going to be comfortable for a long time on the bike. Dave was waiting with Ready Brek and tea, cold or not it was just the job, and I was off.
My Bike time is something like 28 hours, this is how the time was spent and the "highlights".

BikeI had done a long overnight ride of 200miles in training and I had a rough idea of doing 136 miles by 7.30pm (leaving the remaining 200 to do during the night like in practice). With the swim and transition taking half an hour longer I knew it would be a no no, but got as many miles in during daylight as I could, knowing that night riding is slower, when tiredness creeps in.

On the first lap a guy on a road bike caught me up and asked how long the race was, when I said 336 miles of cycling he was a bit shocked, we chatted for a bit then I said "How far are you riding today?" "Oh, about 2.5 miles to the shop to get the papers then 2.5 miles back" I said that sounded like a much more sensible plan, I was tempted to invite myself round so almost went AWOL on the first lap!

I was at around 132 miles by 7.30 as I had made up a lot of the time I had lost on the swim. I was feeling OK, eating and drinking according to the plan, apart from the fact I developed a taste for repeated cups of rice pudding with tinned fruit.

Once night fell, I knew I was going to hit my tired patch and need the sleep I had planned – this happened at 10.30. I didn't sleep properly, so once out on the course again, I was ok for a couple of laps then started nodding off. The solution was to stand up on the pedals and push, but coming out of the village at the turn around I failed to turn the right bend and ended up in the pub car park, wondering where I was. I contemplated going for a lie down in the cemetery opposite as I would feel right at home but knew my failure to show up back in transition would raise an alarm.

I had my head resting on my handlebars feeling a bit desperate when Glen another competitor came past and I asked if I could ride with him for a bit. We rode alongside talking all kinds of nonsense to pass the time. But after two laps I was weaving again and Glen thought I might need a sleep. So I rode in for another hour's rest. This time I did sleep, but was very disorientated when I was woken, I couldn't seem to work out how to get dressed and he kept saying things which made no sense- no change there then.

On the last lap I was able to say goodbye forever to each pothole I had become intimately acquainted with and passed the time compiling a quiz to test the powers of observation of the other competitors afterwards. Such as "How much is a punnet of strawberries at the pick your own?" and "Approximately how far apart are the discarded pair of gloves near Sunnyside Farm?" that sort of thing.

I was pretty amazed that I had no saddle soreness- thank you Sudocream, my shoulders were only slightly achy and my legs felt no different than after a normal IM bike. Hurrah I could think about the run.

RunI had a long transition, and I mean long, it is not customary for triathletes to pop off for a shower and sit down for a meal. But then I was ready to start running, feeling almost human again. Once out on the course I decided I was actually feeling good. I am also a runner foremost and so decided that I would run a fast first marathon and if I paid the price later so what? Also from experience the run takes you through some creepy Blair Witch woods; which at night can be hazardous and once sore spots and blisters set in you can really get a sharp stab of pain if you step on a tree root awkwardly.

The idea was to run a marathon before 8 o'clock and then as many laps before dark after that, to take a sleep break only in darkness and when I started to nod off on my feet. Anyway I was motoring (relatively speaking) and covered my first marathon in about 4.25, after that I eased off and eventually had a sleep just under halfway through the whole run. I never got to the same level of tiredness as I did on the bike.

When I returned to the run course after my sleep I was feeling top notch again, but concerned I might need another rest before I finished. Fortunately I fell in step with Neil Kappor who was running a similar pace. Other people seemed to have paired up, so we had a bit of banter through the night suggesting unsavoury activity was taking place in the woods as some couples seemed to be joined at the hip.

Once on my own though it started to get light and so I was able to run through the woods. I had remained largely cheerful and philosophical through the two nights, but with 12 laps to go Dave said I had 11, I knew he was wrong but started to allow myself to think that I could get under 50 hours, the next lap he said the same number again and I told him off "If you can't give me the right information don't bother saying anything". This resulted in a domestic round the back of the sports centre when he had started to accompany me on a lap and I wanted him to understand how important it was that small things like that totally mess your head up when you're tired.

So with 7 laps to go I had given up, was leaning on the barrier thinking "I'll just walk the rest. Can't do sub 50 hours, and they keep adding laps so I'll never finish this thing ever".

Dave walked with me for that one and only walk lap, and said "You've done over 400 miles what difference does one more make?" Put like that it seems silly to get wound up so I picked up the running and did a "fast" penultimate lap of 10 minutes something. The last lap which was run in reverse was great, you got to say goodbye to the others still out there and thank the marshals who without exception were fantastic all weekend.

FinishedAnyway race over, got a medal and a t shirt, and went to sit in a chair attempting to text people who had sent messages of support. Thanks once again to the organisers Steve and Eddie, they know exactly what it's like for the competitors. The people who volunteer their time to marshall and crew are generous and kind, what a great weekend and what a great bunch of people.

Biggest thanks goes to Dave who makes sure I eat and stopped me from refusing food when I was "near the end with only a marathon and a half to run" and had convinced myself I didn't need to eat anymore.

To comeIn the pipeline – a 24 hour track race in September (running 400m loops of a track for 24 hours to see who can run the furthest) A Double Ironamn in Lanzarote in February London Marathon in April And the Deca Ironman in Hampshire in June – one Ironman a day for ten days.

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