IRONMAN Copenhagen: Race Report

So I was confident enough in Paceplan that I posted my planned swim, bike and run splits the night before the race. Brave or stupid some might say...

You can read my pre race post here

This was Ironman number 5, so by now race morning was a well rehearsed routine. Up at 3:50am a strong coffee and porridge with a banana and honey. Jenny and I grabbed our kit and we were off to the start. As the sun came up it was a 30min walk through the quiet suburbs of Copenhagen to the Amager Strandpark, where a few thousand other athletes were also congregating to do their final bike checks before wrestling themselves into wetsuits and lining up for the race start.

I had a check list written out so I could stay focused and wouldn’t forget anything.

1. Find bike, check tires are inflated, choose appropriate gear for exiting T1 - Tick.

2. Next turn on Garmin computer and calibrate power meter - Tick.

3. Then put bike shoes onto bike, fix in position with elastic bands - Tick.

4. Now load nutrition onto bike (to drink: 3 bottles of high5 4:1 and to eat: 6 fig rolls , 6 de-stoned dates stuffed with salt and peanut butter and 2 torq gels.) - Tick.

5. Finally, get changed for the swim, eat pre-race flapjack minimum 40mins before start and drop off street wear bag - Tick.

Time to Head to start. Unlike Lanzarote the start at Copenhagen was quite civilised. We were herded to the waters edges like cattle, until you found yourself and five others lined up with just the timing mat in front of you. 6 secs later we got the signal to go. Into the water and I was straight onto the toes of a quicker swimmer and heading out to the first buoy. We had left the others behind, "this is good" I thought - but after 20meters or so it was getting very calm and quiet...a water safety kayak had appeared in front of us and there was a shout in danish followed by English translation “wrong way!” Ha! We were heading out to the last buoy not the first... whoops. But apart from that little detour the swim was pretty much perfect I was calm and consistent. After the first turn around I was making steady progress through the field and was even able to monitor my speed as each bridge that the course passed under had distance markers on them. A quick look at my watch at each marker let me know my pace was good and I was on track to go under my target swim split of 01:10:13. My official time was 01:07:26 - I came out the water in 91st place in my AG and 603rd overall.

This year the rules have changed for age group athletes so that you don’t have to wear a number belt on the bike, this meant that in T1 I only needed to peel my wetsuit, goggles and swim cap off and don my bike helmet before I was dressed for the bike. To save time, I don't bother with socks or gloves and I wear a sleeved two piece tri suit with the bike gels in the pockets under my wetsuit. I individually wrap the fig rolls in cut up sandwich bags and leave these in my T1 bike kit bag so I just grab them and stuff them into my tri top pockets. The result is a transition time of 00:03:53.

It was time to head out on to the bike over the bridge and passed my sister and brother in law who had come out to support us (Jenny my girlfriend was racing too, and it was her first IM). The bike course was fast. The coastal rode which makes of a third of the two loop course was exposed to the wind but flat, then the inland section was gentle rolling hills but as with any event it’s as hard as you wish to make it, For an Ironman distance I was working at a higher intensity than I had ever raced before, but I still wanted to go faster. It was hard to stay disciplined and stick to my plan as it felt like I was being overtaken by the rest of the field. I moved my concentration onto my race breaking down into 5 minute intervals, at which point I was then rewarded with at least one sip of drink or up to 5 sips if I felt like it. Then every 30mins either a fig roll or stuffed date. At half way (or 3 hours whichever came first) a torq gel and then with 40mins left of the bike my second gel to ensure I was fuelled to start the run. As I dropped my bike off at T2 the catcher who took my bike said “man you look fresh!” I thought "that’s good, I have a marathon to do now!" Again I was under my target time of 05:35:58 - my official bike split was 5:34:47. I had dropped back to 137th in my AG and 1018th overall but I was sticking to my plan.

T2 is in a underground car park and while I put on my trainers and race number, my watch lost its GPS signal. 00:03:15 later I was out on the run course. It took almost 3km of running before my Garmin found the GPS signal again so for that first 3km I ran far quicker than planned. I was targeting 5:10 to 5:20 per km for the first part of the run but in fact ran closer to 4:30 according to the Ironman tracker. As soon as I had GPS I could see that I should adjust my pace. I slowed and enjoyed the city and support. I felt great for the first 32km but the last 10km became a real struggle - I was slowing to 6:00+ per km and really wanted to walk. Only 6 weeks before I had strained my calf, so to give my leg a chance to recover in time for this race I had to greatly reduce my run training. Now my leg was giving me no problems, but the cost of reducing my run training was a loss in my run endurance. Still I managed to keep running and only walked through aid stations to get my last lap cola (a treat I allow my self in the final hour of an Ironman). Then finally I was on the red carpet, I knew I had run slower than I had planned to but I was ahead after the swim and bike plus my transition felt quick (in all I was about 8mins ahead of target) so I was still expecting to be close to my Paceplan total time of 10:36:06. My pace plan target run split was 03:39:54, my official run split was 3:54:53 but thanks to my Paceplan I had still passed 469 competitors on the run course (I even lapped a guy who I was in T2 with) finishing the day 90th in my AG and 549th overall.

Copenhagen is a fast course so I expected a new Ironman PB. Racing to my plan ensured I delivered on my potential and got near the finish line before things got really tough.

My Paceplan target time was 10:36:06 (allowing 10mins for Transitions) my official finish time 10:44:12 so only 8min and 6secs slower - I'm happy with that.

It's now time for a break for 4 to 6 weeks before I start to focus on my running over the winter. My next event is the 2019 London Marathon and it will be my first attempt at running a standalone marathon. I am nervous… but with Paceplan I’m sure I can do myself justice on the day.

More about Paceplan

The Paceplan model I developed will soon be available for you to access via our website.

So what is it?

Based on either a recent race result or a training performance, Paceplan gives you realistic goal splits for each discipline including a total finish time for your next event.

Why use it?

It's all about setting realistic goals, having this information at the outset allows you to better plan your training and nutrition for your next event.

We all have different strengths and weaknesses over the three disciplines that make up triathlon.

During your event your swim will effect your ability to bike, and these combined will effect your ability to run. The Paceplan model looks at your abilities in each discipline, and then calculates the most efficient way for you to pace your event. Unlike other pacing advice you may find, Paceplan is completely tailored to you by taking account of your strengths and weaknesses.

Using it gives you a plan to pace your race, so that you reach the finish line feeling strong and safe in the knowledge that you’ve given it all you’ve got.

I call it Paceplan and it's coming soon to a web browser near you. Before launch we want to find some pace plan guinea pigs, Information coming soon at www.paceplan.co.uk