Weymouth Half 2015

[Sir Jibbenstein]

Where: Weymouth Seafront
When: 13th September 2015
Organiser: Just Racing
Course details: Sea swim, mixed managed roads, sea front run
Distance(s): 1900m swim; 90 km bike; 21.1 km run (may have been short
Marshalling: Lots where needed
Facilities: Aid stations, toilets, all the trappings you expect of a long distance event
Technical: Chip timing
Freebies: Finishers shirt, medal. a bit disappointing tbh

After my season plan didn’t get off to the start I wanted and I didn’t qualify for the AG world (sprint) championships I knew I needed a new focus for the season, something equally as big to work towards towards so I didn’t just start getting fat 3 months early. With Si doing the full distance in Weymouth, and seeing they had a half I decided the half distance at Weymouth would be it. The challenge would be I’d have 8 weeks to convert from sprint distance fitness to being able to cope with 4 times that (Bopo may have proven it is possible to go from OD to HIM in the past). After a quick chat with coach Steve he felt that it was possible, I was already not far off with the bike volume, some longer stuff and increasing the long runs.

Training went well a good week at Les Stables, some great Friday brick rides, and I went into race week with following a brick set that left me feeling confident in my abilities. I also had a good read of Allen & Coogan so had an idea of what I should be aiming for on the bike with the power meter. A discussion with Steve before the race on strategy and goals and I had a plan, that should get me off the bike in good shape for a strong run. That would be my goal, in all my previous longer distance attempts I have arrived off the bike and struggled to run better than a 2 hour half marathon, while my standalone PB is just over 1h31.

The lead up to race morning didn’t goes as well. Discovered a couple of flint chips in my front tub on friday, dug them out and according to the internet a little bit of glue helps seal it to stop them picking more up. I hadn’t appreciated there was a slow puncture from it, I pumped it back up Saturday morning, loaded my wheels in the car, got breakfast, went to finish packing the car and felt a squidgy wheel in the bag. S***. Cue lots of panic, a LBS without any tubs, an expensive tub with now puncture protection at the expo, and a car park fitting of one of my spares. Which wasn’t easy after it had warmed up and the tub tape had gone tacky. All sorted I went off to rack, discovered I had lucked out with a prime racking spot and bag locations. That sorted I headed back into town for race brief (via a chip shop, hey it was the seaside, and I was carb loading). Briefing done I met up with Si again, then met Jude and went for burgers (can recommend the Dorset Burger Company in Weymouth).

After a restless night race morning came and the forecast was looking much more promising. I set my bike up before transition closed had a chat with Si, walked back to the B&B as it decided to chuck it down. Got back and discovered my bento box still in my bag. C*** my on bike nutrition would be left behind. Jude and I wandered up in the hope of seeing Si off, we saw a huge start, after a spot of AD time to put me wettie on. With it all zipped up I reached into my bag for my timing chip, and discovered my race number, I’d forgot to put it on before the wetsuit. Muppet. Half removed and jude managed to squeeze it in. I saw some people warming up and ran down to check goggles/warm up. Shortly after we were told off for swimming there. Oops. Then it was time to enter the pens. The swim looked good from the promenade. I lined up near the front on the outside, klaxon went, went out hard for the first 150m then settled into my swim rhythm, well tried to. My goggles leaked a bit, so onto back, empty adjust, swim, repeat. The waves, although small, were just the wrong size and period for me to punch through properly and it felt an awful long way to the turn buoy. 400m later another turn and I was homeward bound with lovely following swell, kicking hard off the top to try and get a bit of bodysurf.

T1 went exactly as I’d visualised it, and I was out on the bike much quicker than I’d expected. My goal was to keep about a 220W normalised power, and not go above 260W too much. I was told I had 4x260w matches to burn. Unfortunately the course had other ideas and I poured Dr Jibbentein’s secret lighting fluid on the whole book in the first 20 minutes. After a brief flat it was up up up out of Weymouth, and try as I might I just couldn’t get my power low enough and maintain cadence while climbing and trying not to draft. My normalised power was 245W for the first 10K, and I spent 5 minutes of that at threshold, things settled back after that as the course became more rolling, and I started playing leapfrog with some riders. Power was telling me I was maintaining a steady effort, so I raced my own race. As I started the first out and back saw a nasty wipeout on a tight corner, made a mental note not to attack that downhill. I could feel the wind building, mostly a cross wind though so not too draining. Although the roads weren’t all closed they were meant to be managed, of course that meant some people's favourite back roads were closed, at one point I watched an angry fiesta driver quite literally try to run over one of the traffic management guys. All the climbing out of Weymouth at the beginning meant the last 5km were essentially downhill, which gave the legs a nice break for the run. Passed the cheerleaders on the way back for a nice cheer before dismount.

T2 came and again went nearly as smooth as I had visualised. The only exception being the time dilation factor that happens in races where it felt far slower than reality. The run was my goal. Run strong and put in a split more representative of my abilities than my past attempts at going long. The aim was to hit just about 5 min/km pace and ramp towards the end if I had the energy. Out of T2 and got another cheer from up on the sea wall, then it seemed an awful long way to the first turn, as my bladder decided to complain more and more. A sub 5 first split, and into the portaloo at the aid station, I can see why 2 piece suits make sense now… Only lost about a minute but felt like I was running much stronger after the break. Passed the cheerleaders again. Then Si called my name, and put his hand out for a high 5. Huh? But he shouldn’t be finished. Oh, poor Si. Spent a few minutes trying to work out what had DNF’d him, then focussed on the hurt inside again. The crowd were really good in places, some little kids cheering on an after high 5s (well low 5s). The wind was building though and the stretches along the beach were tough. I was using a battenburg guy as a marker, he was about 20m ahead (and we leapfrogged on the bike) and he wasn’t gaining. My stomach wasn’t great and the few fluids I was taking on reappeared a couple of times, my quads were screaming, my calves were trying to scream over the top of them. My support crew were walking down so I saw them a few more times, and finally entered the finishing area, turned into the funnel and crossed the line. My legs then gave up and that was me on the floor.

Goal wise I was pretty much on the money for the run, I started just under 5 min/km then as fatigue crept in it slipped a bit, but managed a 5:04 min/km average, so pretty much where I wanted to be. Overall a great race for me and a great finish to the season. I swore as I crossed the line never again. In the cold light of day there is a part of me that maybe wants to plot a return to middle distance in 2017. Although that might change tomorrow when the DOMS kicks in.

Swim : 39:38
T1: 3:39
Bike: 2:51:29
T2: 1:55
Run: 1:34:11
Overall: 5:10:54 (AG 20/44, Overall 133/507)

[Jimba]

That's a great result Jibby, well done indeed. Might want to drop race organiser a line to say you witnessed the fiesta incident?

[jonathon.e]

Super race James, well done.
Great result,
Great and interesting report too.

[IanM]

Awesome! Well done Jibby. Glad it's not just me that filled their race prep with clusters this weekend!

[CCS]

Great result - all sounds like it went pretty much to plan - but I wouldn't have had you down as someone to try my patented 'skiving off in the portaloo to avoid running a half marathon' approach to a HIM
What's on the agenda for next season then?

[Jack Hughes]

Well done!

So, which is your favourite distance?

[Worrying Will]

another cracker well done Jibby

[King Sad]

Well done Jibby

[Bopomofo]

Great racing, Jibbs, Always impressed to see & hear of your efforts. Best part for me was that you are definitely racing with your head and understanding your abilities. Even if your matchbox was emptied rather early, at least you knew to attempt to back off later and although there would be a big fat ugly pain-monster waiting for you on the run you seemed to have him under control.

This is the kind of sensible (and impressive) performance that does you credit. Brilliant!!

What's on the agenda for next season then?

My guess is he spends next season lulling his newly acquired WAT Officer into a false sense of normalcy and well-being, before she realises in 2017 that she is now a tri-widow and would be better off buying a dog for all the companionship she'll get at weekends. Only she can't afford a dog because hubby has spent all the money on race entry fees and carbon-fibre compression wheel-rim conflating food supplements, or something.

Just putting that out there

Good luck, Jibbs!

[Kevy427]

although there would be a big fat ugly pain-monster waiting for you on the run you seemed to have him under control

So Tritans was in a straitjacket with his legs gaffer taped together then?