However I was inspired after 2011's Ironman and running had to be honest got boring. So I changed things, got out of the comfort zone and decided to see what if I could do it in 2012. I entered on behalf of the R.N.L.I and aimed to raise as much money as possible. That's when it started, an epic year in my life!
10 months after I entered I was loading the car, racking the bike, checking the list I had and Tenby bound. It was Friday the 14th, two days before Ironman Wales 2012. Where had the year gone?
Driving down I couldn't stop thinking about the swim, my S.I Joint (which has held me back and stopped me running a lot this year) but didn't even consider the bikes challenge. Had I done enough training? 'I've run 6 miles in 3 weeks, oh shit!', What if I don't make the swim cut off? 'All my friends and family would be down for nothing' - turned out I was getting a bit stressed so just tried to switch off as it was too late now!
Got to Tenby, it was full of slim people walking around eating carbs, standard! Registered, walked around the expo and just chilled. I was worried about my S.I Joint, it was not amazing.
Friday went, hardly slept. Saturday morning came and it was time to rack the bikes. Went through all the security checks - Job done. Decided to swim 15mins, S.I joint felt good so I was bouncing, I was ready to give it a go!
Sunday 16th September - Ironman Wales 2012
Got up with the rest of the B+B at 4:30am, I'd been awake since 3.40am. I was eating my porridge at 4:30am thinking I should be eating a Kebab at this time on Sunday morning ha ha. The was a tense atmosphere at breakfast, we just did are own thing. Time to get to transition, pump the tires up and just check final things. It was 5am, Tenby was very very busy but the atmosphere was so eerie. A few thousand people about but hardly a word spoken, it was tense! Whilst preparing the bike some guy next to him had left both his bottles in the hotel and his pump. He was stressed!!
All things done, we were all ready where by the organisers were going to march us through the town and down to the beach to start the swim. It was a strange feeling, like we were being marched to war or something. As we walked through the town we turned the corner to a sea of people chanting and shouting, amazing! We got to the beach, I looked up and the amount of people at such an early hour was one of the most amazing things I'd seen.
10mins to go, put myself in the sea. This was it, all the training and sacrifices for this day. Others were praying some being as laid back as you can imagine whilst others just hid there faces and went into there own world. Crazy experience already.
2mins to go a lady sung the Welsh national anthem, some mumbled the words but a guy next to was singing his heart out and it made us all laugh because he actually had a cracking voice. Brilliant, I was pumped to the max after this.....BOOM, it started!!
I got kicked in the face and eye but just stayed relaxed and remembered the technique best I could. One lap done, back in for the second lap and on this lap I spotted some of my mates that were lifeguarding the swim. Spurred me on and I finished the swim in 1.22, not fast but well ahead of schedule so happy days! Upper body was tired, already. Ran the 1km to get my bike, saw some more friends cheering, loved the support! Suit off, bike gear on etc and off I went. 112miles on the Pembrokeshire roads, the brutal Pembrokeshire roads! I was going good but then , a puncture and to make it worse I dismantled all my parts into an ants nest (Fuck Sake). What a pantomime! 20mins later, I was back on the road. I was pushing it now to catch up which probably wasn't the best idea, I got tired fast, then a second puncture! I just wanted to throw the bike but kept saying to myself 'cool head Rhys' it's ok. Got it sorted but I was well behind my plan of a 6hr 30 for the bike but soon realised time was not important, lets just make it.
Crowds cheered us on through Narberth, Saundersfoot etc and by now the weather and wind was not great at all, people were falling off and having worse issues than my punctures so I decided lets ease back and make the bike. 90miles in I was struggling, I was cramping on the bike and going up the two last climbs was an experience in itself. People were so tired that it was probably easier to walk but the ego wouldn't allow that. The only problem was that being locked in to the pedals if someone failed on a hill they just fell over, in a normal situation that would be funny but there was this amazing atmosphere around which seemed to bring everyone including spectators together to encourage and really try help people who were struggling. Lost for words with it.
Bike transition and just the run to go! Yes I thought, I got it now.....how wrong was I!
Started the run feeling decent and after seeing friends and family and so much support I was ready to go for it. Considering I'd done a 2.59 marathon in normal circumstances I thought maybe 3.45 for this. Ran the first 2 laps (13miles) in 1.45ish then I hit numerous walls, started vomiting and my vision was blurry. woops! It took me 2hrs 30ish to do the last 13miles of the day. The most painful 13miles of my life but It was literally a case of making it or leaving on a stretcher. Stopping was not an option! A friend of mine said to me 'On that 3rd lap you looked in a very dark palce' haha. It's funny now!!!! I couldn't get over the support on the run, It kept me going but I couldn't believe how encouraging all the locals were. People of all ages and all interests were almost as if they were in awe of the whole event. Something that stuck in my head was when a lady crossed in front of struggling runners to support someone but accidentally blocked a runner. People were fuming on the side of the road but what hit me was that the people that were telling the lady to move were young 18 year olds who usually think there too cool for school but during this event were as encouraging and helpful as anybody else. Amazing, that stuck in my head whilst I shuffled and ran/shuffled with 'head down attitude'.
I was a mess by the last two laps and struggled. About 3miles from the end was the first time I realised, I'm going to make this, I am an Ironman :)
Turned to the finish music blasting, people cheering I crossed the line in 13hrs 44. Way behind schedule but it was WAY harder than I thought. Insane experience which I vowed never to repeat Sunday but by now I feel a lot better so who knows, maybe!
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