Isoman Weekend

Isoman is a new event this year.  The aim is to equalise the time spent swimming, cycling and running in a triathlon.  The full Isoman distance event was 7 mile swim, 61 mile bike and 26.2 mile run.  It was possible to enter the full, half, quarter triathlon or to just do one event or mix and match.

As there are not many road marathons at this time of year I decided to do the marathon.  My sister is into long swims so she said she might do the 7 mile swim then proceeded to talk me into doing the 1.75 mile swim!  This was 4 weeks before the event.  I hadn't swum since last summer and over the last 4 or 5 years since I have run more I have only swum a handful of times each year (in the summer or if I have been injured).  I wasn't convinced 4 weeks was enough time to prepare and have never done an OW swim before so made a plan - swim a mile at the pool then if I could do that have a go at Sixhills lake where I could hire a wetsuit. 

The 1 mile swim went OK apart from cramp near the end so a few days later it was to the lake.  I was a bit scared getting in but before I had finished the first lap (650m) I was relaxed and enjoying it.  I ended up doing 4 laps and felt I could have done more but time was out.   I was now confident that I would beable to do the 1.75mile swim - the marathon after might be interesting though!

The next time I went to the lake I did 6 laps (approx. 2.5miles) and again felt I could have kept going.  After another 2.5 mile swim I starting thinking that maybe I should go for the 3.5 mile swim at Isoman instead so that's what I entered!

The event was on Saturday, Friday evening I was entered into a 10km ( I hadn't realised that it was the same weekend). Phil rarely does races but this is one I liked so I didn't want to miss it.  I was meant to take the 10km easy, I did to begin with but then got carried away trying to pick off the ladies ahead.  Finished 2nd lady at the 10km which I was quite surprised by as it was a big race and I am not exactly in race shape at the moment.

The 7 miles swim started at 7am; 3.5mile at 9.30 and 1.75 mile at 10.30.  I was a bit nervous as I had never swum with so many people before.  The lap was just under a mile so for 3.5 miles I had to do 4 laps.  I had no idea if it was accurately measured and had worked out that if I was swimming really well and drafting (apparently that can make you go faster) and the course was a bit short then I would be just starting my 3rd lap as the 1.75mile race was starting.  I did not want that to happen as that could be quite scary them all coming charging past / kicking/ swimming over me etc. 

The race was chip timed; the chip was around our wrist, we needed to hit the carpet with the chip at the end of each lap! About 3/4 around the lap was a jetty where we could put our own bottles but they also provided drinks bananas and gels. 

About 10 mins before the race start we got in and very quickly, before I had chance to panic too much we were off!  I made sure I started near the back and as it was a wide start I didn't experience and kicking or hitting or knocking off of goggles!  After a few minutes I looked behind and saw a few people - I am not very fast so was worried about being last! 

The lap was a kind of triangle with 4 big buoys and a few footballs to follow.  On the first lap I just followed the people in front.  I spent quite a lot of this lap feeling bad about being at the back but when I told myself to think of it as a Saturday swim at the lake rather than a race I was able to relax and enjoy it.  Every so often someone in an yellow hat (7 mile race) would go past but it was never busy just the odd person every few minutes. 

I didn't really need to stop for food/drink on the first lap but I thought I might need something before the next opportunity (in training I had been getting cramp quite a lot which I think may have been dehydration or lack of electrolytes).  I stopped for my bottle but it was not where it should have been so it took a while to find (it had found its way under someone's big bag!).  Had a drink and banana and was on my way.  I was pleased that when I got to the end of that lap 33 minutes had passed so even with a slightly quicker stop next lap I would be over an hour for 2 laps and therefore miss the rush of the orange hats (1.75miles).

Now that I had done one lap and knew what to expect I could enjoy it more.  Occasionally I felt bad about being way behind everyone else and at the back but mostly I was able to just enjoy it.  I made an effort to look out for the buoys rather than following as I knew the last lap would be very quiet so I couldn't rely on following others.

2nd and 3rd lap were uneventful, just plodding along from one buoy to the next stopping at the jetty for some food/drink and generally enjoying it.  The last lap was very quiet as most people had finished and those remaining were spread out.  I did pass a few people so at least I knew I wasn't going to be last in the water. 

Coming up to the 3rd buoy was a bit of a problem as I couldn't see it.  I had to keep stopping and taking off my goggles to look for it but there was no sign of it - I thought it must be my eyesight but later found out it had blown away!! I knew roughly where I should be going and could see some ducks/geese/swans in the distance so was getting scared - they had moved out the way earlier but now most people were out they seemed to be back.  There was a safety boat so once I got closer I shouted and asked where to go so they directed me - luckily I didn't need to go as far as where the geese were! I didn't stop at the nutrition jetty on the last lap but someone with a white hat did so I was able to pass them. That made me happy as at least I knew I was not going to be last in the 3.5 mile race!

As I hit the carpet (see photo on left) for the last time the clock stopped so I could take my time getting out but then got cramp as the photographer was trying to take photos!! Finish time was 2.19 which  I was happy with. 

I had several hours break before starting the marathon so was able to get changed (sadly there were no showers)and get some food.  Luckily the visitors centre had jacket potatoes as the only hot food at the registration area was a BBQ (it had veggie burgers but they were being cooked on the same BBQ as meat).

It was quite a warm day so a 3.30pm marathon start meant it would be a warm one.  I was not planning on racing this but taking it reasonably steady.  I don't do many short distance races so my quads were a bit sore from the 10km the previous evening.  Everyone doing a run who had not entered swim bike run started at the same time.  There were probably only about 20 of us doing 3 different distances.  The marathon was 4 laps.  I had spoken to some people who had already finished the quarter Isoman who said they went wrong on the run so I was little worried but there was no need as it was well marked with arrows.  I think those that went wrong just didn't look ahead; there were a few junctions which didn't have a sign but if you looked hard you could see something in the distance.  If you are racing 6.55 miles then you are probably going too hard to look properly which is why I think they went wrong.

I quite liked the marathon course. a lot was around the park, a few bits on roads but mostly it was quite and was quite flat.  There were a few hills but nothing long.  I ran with a couple of people on the first lap and felt quite relaxed but was hungry after 4 miles!! There was a water station at the start/finish area and another on the course which you passed twice, luckily that one had gels (I think they had other snacks but I stuck with gels).  Grabbed a gel after about 4 miles, it was really nice - torq raspberry ripple, I have never had torq gels before, these were a good consistency, not too thick and not too sickly (until the 5th one!!), the flavour was lovely although I could have done with a bit of variety when having so many!!

Felt quite relaxed on the second lap too but was getting hungry a mile or so after each gel so was having loads of them and  a banana.  Normally I have my first gel after about 14 miles but I had already had 3 by then today! Although I ate a meal after the swim I think I must have been starting depleted and struggling to catch up. 

Things started to feel more of an effort on the 3rd lap and were not helped by dodgy bowels which I had to have a quick stop for!   There were plenty of other runners on the course as now the half and full isoman athletes were doing the run.  There were a couple of out and back type bits where you can see runners coming in the other direction which is always nice.  By lap 4 I was really low on energy and felt like I was running through treacle, the hills seemed massive ( I didn't walk them though) and I was so slow going up them!  My legs didn't feel especially tired I was just low on energy.  I did manage to do a bit of a sprint finish and crossed the line in 3.53 which I was happy enough with, obviously way off PB but that was not the aim of the day!  My marathon time was the fastest ladies marathon time of the day although it is not really fair to compare my time with those who had done a 7 mile swim and 61 mile bike first!!

This was a great first event, am already thinking of going back next year to do the 7mile swim and marathon. 

Womens Running 10km Nottingham

Just because I am an ultra runner does not mean I want to be sent off on an extra lap in a 10km and even less so if I am winning.

I would not normally blog about a 10km race but am so cross about today that I wanted to get it all written down.

I had a free place for the race from Skechers who were sponsoring it.  I wouldn't have done it otherwise as it is very expensive to enter (I think about £26). 

The website didn't have a great deal of detail and no details about parking.  I messaged them twice asking about parking but got no response so in the end looked on the race for life website who do a race at the same venue, they said where they were using for parking so I assumed the same.  I put this into my sat nav and it took me to almost the right place if it were not for the road being closed for the race!! No info about this in the limited race details. The poor marshal had not been given instructions on parking, she was there for directing runners.  She sent me in the almost right direction of the car park and said there were signs.  I drove around for a while but couldn't see any signs so went back (I actually went back to her twice and was somewhat grumpy).  In the end I put in the postcode I had for the race start (not parking) in the hope that it would take me there.  I was so close to giving up and driving home.  So eventually after several turns there were signs as you could see the car park so they were a bit late really.  The marshal should have been given full directions, all she was told was turn right then left but in reality there were about 2 or 3 more turns after that before you saw any signs.

Got parked up and got my number.  The toilet Q was long so I went behind my car, they delayed the race start because the toilet Q was so long.

I started near the front and settled into a pack just behind a couple of people ahead.  After about 5 minutes I was in the lead, the pace was feeling reasonably comfortable.  The route has a lot of out and backs so you can see how far behind others are.  I was surprised how much of a lead I had at the first of these.  That lead kept growing so by about 3 or 4 miles I realised that barring a disaster I was going to win.  I am far from PB shape so eased off the gas a little as there was no point giving 100% if I could win by only giving 85% -  a PB was not on the agenda otherwise I would have pushed harder.

For the 1st lap I had a lead cycle.  At the end of the lap he stopped; I asked him to come along with me and asked another marshal if the bike could come but he didn't.  Mostly the route was well marked and there were a fair few marshals but a lot of the time the marshals are bored in races (I am sure I would be) and they forget to tell you which way to go so I had to ask.  Having the bike helps as you can see where you are meant to go.

At the last out and back which was maybe 1.5 miles to go I was at least a couple of minutes ahead so unless I fell over or someone behind was able to throw out a 5mm then the win was mine.  I had seen from previous races that the top 3 got a bottle of bubbly so I had already decided I would give mine to the marshal who I kept pestering for directions!!

Then it all goes wrong.   I am coming up to an ambulance and think that it is around here that we turn into the finish (before doing a lap around a field).  There must have been about half a mile to go.  There were 3 lanes and I deliberately did not have my music playing as I wanted to hear instructions.  I was directed into the left hand lane by a marshal.
 A later marshal shouted 'straight on' so I went straight on thinking I was sure I shoukd turn but knowing what I am like with directions thought I must have got it wrong.  It was obvious I was on my last lap as I was going significantly faster than the others around me.  I thought that maybe the last lap was a bit different at the end so carried on running.  There were no marshals on this stretch and I was starting to get a bit suspicious that I had gone wrong.  These sort of races are often not accurate so the fact that time I was getting close to 10km but not yet in the field didn't ring the same alarm bells as it might have done on an officially measured course. 

 In the picture on the left you can see there were three lots of runners on one stretch of road all going the same direction 1.  Me on my last lap  2. Others at the end of their first lap (ie being lapped, I don't think there were many of these) 3. People starting out on their last lap.  The issue was at the point where you can see the 4/9km marker. 


When I got almost to the far end and saw the parking marshal again as well as the 1/6km marker  I knew that I had defiantly missed the turn so turned around and ran back in the worse mood ever.  

In the picture on the right the bottom arrow was where I should have turned (I did on the first lap when I had the bike).  As I was the only person in that area it was easy! The second arrow is where I did turn!

When I got  back to the bit where I should have been directed I heard the marshals shouting '10km turn around' and directing people - shame they didn't do that for me. 

I finished 6.7 miles in 47.23.  The 'winner' finished in 45.xx.  On strava my 10km split was 43.31, other people who did the race on strava measured it as 6.1miles rather than 6.2 so my finish would have been 42.xx i.e. a significant win. 

When I finished I obviously complained and was on a foul mood.  The RD said he would have to speak to the marshals to find out what happened - he didn't take my name or number though.  It was obvious what happened but I got the impression he didn't believe me.   Afterwards a number of people spoke to me as they either saw me go off in the wrong direction or had seen me way ahead and wondered why I didn't win.  There was a lovely lady from England Athletics (not sure her role but she had a clip board and was filling in a form).  She had been at the bit where I should have been sent to the finish so saw how I went the wrong way and how far ahead I was so at least the organisers will know I am not making it up as she spoke to them.   She also said that she was at the briefing and they said the back runners might get lapped so surely they knew it was going to be busy at that tricky point and taken precautions such as a) had the lead bike on the 2nd lap and b) had extra marshals or another marshal a little further up in case anyone went too far?

What happened next was that the 'winners' were presented with their prizes which was the worse bit as that should have been me on the podium. I don't know what the protocol is when this happens but I feel that they ought to have at least investigated before awarding prizes.  I was around right at the end but the RD never came back to me, I suppose he was too busy/avoiding me.

I am not sure now whether I am more disappointed in being sent the wrong way and losing the win or the inadequate way in which this was dealt with i.e. just being swept under the carpet .  If I had come in 2nd and was awarded 1st I don't think I would be able to claim that prize it would feel wrong.  I don't even drink and have plenty of shoes (which were the prize) so its not like I mind about missing out on that, its the principle of it all.  I was offered a free entry to their race in Liverpool next week.  That is a 5 hour round journey and would require staying in a hotel overnight so I declined.  ( I also have a small matter of my longest ever swim at Isoman next weekend).

I saw the bike man at the end and asked why he didn't come with me for a second lap, his response was he was only meant to do 1 lap! If he had been with me then this wouldn't have happened.

Speaking to a few other people they said they found the point where I was sent wrong quite confusing. 

This is the same organisation who put on the Womens Running Birmingham 10km which I won last year.  I was supposed to have been sent some shoes for winning (I only run in Skechers now so was getting them for a friend) but they never arrived despite several messages.

And one final moan is that after I wanted to go to the toilet, I tried 3 which were out of toilet roll!!

On a positive note, it was a nice course and lots of ladies seemed to be enjoying it and having a great time and they are already getting lost of praise for an amazing race on FB and twitter! Also, the marshals were mostly really friendly and enthusiastic.