Doing Outlaw is life changing but quite how you put 140.6 miles in one day into words has me a little stumped!! So, I am just gonna let the words flow and if they make no sense then I apologise.
(I suggest you get some tea and biscuits ... I have a feeling this might be a long one!!)
Saturday 6th July 2013:
Incredible calmness was all I felt as we drove towards Nottingham ... right up until I saw the first sign for Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre ... Then I have to admit shedding a few tears as the enormity of what I was about to take on started to hit me but there was still so much to do I had to get my focus back. As soon as you arrive at the centre it's all systems go and the first thing to do was to register!! 3 kit bags, 1 wetsuit bag, 1 swim hat (pink ... yay!!), 1 timing chip, 2 number labels, 2 running numbers, and one bright orange wristband that screams "NO GOING BACK NOW" at you every time you catch sight of it!!!! So much stuff ... already this is beginning to feel epic!!!
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| How do the pro's do this??? |
Next job - sort kit and rack the bike!!
Swim to bike bag ... Check!! Bike to run bag ... Check!! Special needs bag (full of peanut butter and chocolate spread sandwiches, crisps and coke for out on the bike leg) ... Check!! Now to attempt to carry all of this stuff back to transition whilst pushing a bike which is not as easy as you may think!! Every where I looked I saw guys managing to do it far slicker than me which made me feel like a total novice
*C'mon Zo ... get that focus back!!*
Back in the transition tents I found the hook for my kit bags (pretty close to the end which was great as it meant it would be easy to find) then is was time to rack the Bianchi!
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| Result!! |
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| Racked and ready! |
As I walked in I was directed to row 2 and I started walking along, checking out all the other bikes (which of course all looked far more superior to my beloved Bianchi) and I kept on walking ... and I kept on walking until I was right at the other end of the row about 4 meters from the BIKE OUT sign!!!! RESULT ... this would mean I had very little distance to run with my bike before I got to the mount line (I've never quite mastered running with my bike so I really did feel like the Tri Gods were on my side!!)
Now for the briefing!! I have never really been one to go to these kind of talks before but I knew this was a big thing so missing the briefing wasn't an option ... even if it was about 30 degrees inside the hall!! It was total information overload but reassuring at the same time. Hearing that cut-offs were almost up for negotiation was a big relief as was knowing that there would be gallons and gallons of water out on the course ... it was set to be a hot one so keeping hydrated was going to be a huge issue!! You can't be in a room like that and not look around at the amount of people (all of whom looked far more superior to myself) and not feel in total awe!! There were some seriously fit looking people there and I started to wonder what on earth I was doing *C'mon Zo ... get that focus back!!*
The very lovely Tim from Compressport said to me just after the briefing "Feet up now ... get your game face on" and as lovely as that would have been, we still had a tent to put up so it was more a case of "tent up ... feet up ... get your game face on" but it was great advice none the less!!! (thanks Tim!!)
The campsite was packed with Outlaws past, present and future all finding a pitch for the night and putting up their tents ... not that any of us would be spending very much time in them ... not with a 4am wake up call looming!!!
And that was the last of the jobs ... all that was left to do was to have a cheeky pre-event drink to calm the nerves, eat and sleep ... but to also go and have one last look at the lake before the big day!!! It was so beautiful by the water and standing there looking out over the lake was a more calming than I was expecting it to be. I felt focused, I felt ready, I felt like I might actually be able to do this!!!
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| Time to get the game face on!! |
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| My angel's feather! |
Heading back to the tent in the dark, I saw something floating down in front of me. It was very small and white and literally dropped into my hand as I stopped to look at it. It was a feather and I believe that if you see a feather falling then an angel is watching over you. I had some angels watching me that night ... and I think I know which ones.
Sunday 7th July 2013:
The alarm went off at 4am and I woke up!! The very fact that I woke up meant that I had slept and that was a good thing!! Tea was made, pastries were eaten, toilets were visited (a number of times!!) then it was down to the lake to pump the tyres (we were advised not to do it on the Saturday as the heat would have made them explode!!!!!) Lots of tears were shed on the walk to the lake ... I felt sick and breathing was difficult WHAT WAS I DOING??????? *C'mon Zo ... get that focus back!!*
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| Beyond perfect conditions for the swim! |
Time was running out ...
Back to the tent (another visit to the loo) grab the wetsuit, grab a banana, get back to the kit tent ... There's Christina!!!!! I have to stop ... I need a hug!!! I clung to her like my life depended on it and I dindn't want to let go ... I was terrified!!! I had to let go though and store my kit bag, get my wetsuit on, get my hat on (allow myself a little smile at the thought of having the best pink swim hat EVER!!) goggles on (No more tears now ... I can't let my goggles fill up) and then to the water!!
The Swim - 2.4 miles!!!
I got in the water feeling totally dazed!! The water felt warm but the temperature wasn't what was scaring me. It was the thought of being swum over by 1,000 other people!!!!! I'd said I wasn't going to say goodbye to Chris ... I couldn't have coped with that. Instead it was a "see you soon" and as we started swimming he pulled away from me and I was on my own.
Having watched many swim starts online I had made the decision to start with the fastest swimmers. An interesting choice seeing as some of these guys would be out in under an hour but my thinking was that once they go ... there would be clear water to swim in. I was right! They shot off and within seconds there was space around me. Breathe Zo ... just keep breathing!! Find your focus!! Find your rhythm!! Over and over I kept telling myself I was going to be ok and then I suddenly realised ... I was ok!! Once this dawned on me I relaxed a little and I allowed myself to think about what I was doing ... I was one of 1000(ish) people, one of 100(ish) women taking part in The Outlaw Triathlon!! Now at this point I must admit I got a little giggly which I don't recommend when swimming as the water tends to go up your nose and that's not very pleasant but it was hard not to feel just a bit euphoric!!!
Get a grip Zo, calm down ... you have a long way to go and you have never done this distance before ... Stay focused!!!
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| The secret to a good start ... get in with the elites!! |
Having so many people around you (most of whom manage to stay in a straight line) meant that sighting the directional buoys wasn't really necessary. I just picked a person who seemed to know where they were going and stayed with them, then when they left me or I passed them, I picked someone else! It certainly made the buoys arrive much quicker than if I had been looking at them the whole time and before I knew it I was half way!!! *DON'T LOOK AT YOUR WATCH ... DON'T LOOK AT YOUR WATCH!!!* and the first half hadn't been too bad. The occasional elbow or foot made contact with me and a rather hilarious moment when my arm went right up between the legs of a male breast-stroker (Ooops) but nothing like the washing machine of a swim start I had been expecting!!
So, just gotta do all that again and I will be out ... I can do that!!! Halfway back the most extraordinary thing happened ... I suddenly felt like I wasn't having to put any effort into my stroke at all. Not only that, I actually felt like I was being pushed along. I have my own thoughts about who was responsible for sending such strong vibes in the latter stage of this swim and maybe it has something to do with that feather last night but it could not have felt more beautiful!!!!
Head up ... sight ... Bloody hell ... there's the swim finish!!!!!!!! I did it ... I bloody did it!!! 1:40:19 (5 mins faster than I was hoping for)
Swim ... DONE!!
T1
Hat off ... goggles off (blimey it's hot) and head for the strippers!! NO ... not those kind of strippers ... wetsuit strippers who rip your suit off you as you lay on the floor!! Very funny experience and thank goodness they were there because I don't think I could have done it on my own without falling over!!
In to the tent ... there's my hook!! Empty my bag ... put the wetsuit in!! Sip coke (hmmmmm, that tastes good) get all my bike kit on ... sip more coke and off I go again stopping only to get absolutely smothered in suncream by two lovely ladies!!
Row 2 ... right to the end ... there's my Bianchi ... run the 4 or so meters to the BIKE OUT sign then another meter or two to the MOUNT LINE ... giggling as I go thinking about how lucky I was to get such a great place on the racks!!
T1 ... DONE!!
The Bike - 112 miles!!!
The first bit of the bike leg is a lap of the lake which is great and daunting all at the same time!! It makes you feel a little bit awesome to know you have just managed to swim the whole thing but it's also a bit scary knowing that you are going to have to go round it 4 times later in the day as part of the marathon!! Best not to think about that now though ... not when there's still 112 miles to do on the bike first!!
The first thing I want to point out here is that the Trent Valley is NOT flat!!! People say it is but they are liars. Ok so there aren't any major hills (except the one the the event organisers managed to find ... but more about that later) but the course is full of long, seemingly never ending climbs. There are lots of flat bits and some fab downhill sections too but seriously ... it's not flat!!! Rant over!!
The course is made up of a Southern loop (nice) then a Northern loop (not so nice) then the Southern loop again and it really is stunning but because I am not the speediest of triathletes I was on my own for the majority of the ride ... which was good because then not many people could hear me singing!!!
With feed stations every 20-30 miles it meant I could easily monitor my fluid and food intake ... I made a point of not having any water left by the time I needed to take a new bottle ... and any water that was left got thrown over me which felt just lovely seeing as the temperature was now pushing 30 degrees with zero wind to cool me down.
My first target was 36 miles which is where Christina was and it was great to give her a hug that was a little less traumatic than the pre-swim hug I'd given her. It was also good to know that she could text my mum to let her know I was out of the water and on the bike. Southern loop done I headed out to the Northern loop by which point the speedy riders were already heading back to the Southern loop!! I have absolutely no idea how they do it!!!
So, this hill I was telling you about earlier. I knew it was at 50 miles and I knew it was close. I could see the rise in the land ahead of me and it looked pretty steep but nothing I couldn't handle ... right??? I turned the corner and there it was ... but it didn't look too bad, that is until I went round another little bend and the road seemed to look like a wall in front of me!!!! *Just keep pedaling ... just keep pedaling ... Just keep ped..a..l ..... Nope, can't do it!!!! I stopped!! Dammit!!! Breathe, just get your breath back and you can do it!!! Then I made the stupid mistake of looking behind me and see a group of riders approaching!! Not good for the morale!! Ok, breathing rate restored ... now I have to try and restart on a really steep hill and try and clip my feet in without falling off in front of the riders who are now all around me!!! It took about 4 attempts and it nearly ended very badly but I managed it and got a few comments of "well done" for my efforts too!! I nearly lost it again giggling at a fellow hill-hater who ran out of momentum and fell sideways into a bush half way up but I managed to stay on!! Poor guy ... I didn't mean to laugh but it was quite comical!!
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| Finally ... I made it to the top!! |
Once that hill was out the way I got my second wind ... I started to enjoy it again and even the climbs didn't seem so bad after the hill from hell. Soon I was on to the Southern loop again and on to my 100 mile target! I couldn't stop for a Christina hug this time as I'm not sure I would have been able to get off or even back on my bike but I did a quick shout of "see you on the run", switched my bottles and pushed on. I have never gone beyond 100 miles before so the next 12 miles were unknown territory. It felt good to be heading back to the centre but my butt was hurting and my quads were screaming with every hill and I just wanted to get off!!! With 2 miles to go the road surface changed dramatically and we were treated to pot-holed gravel with the added delight of speed bumps and a cattle grid!!!! If I was going to puncture ... It would be here but fortunately I made it through and I could soon hear the commentary from the lake!! Time to get the head into marathon mode. I knew people were already finishing and I wasn't even off my bike which was a tough thing to get my head around!! Mustn't think about them ... I need to think about what I'm doing.
*C'mon Zo ... get that focus back!!*
Turn right, into the centre, down the hill, more speed bumps (my poor bottom!!!) then there it is ... the DISMOUNT LINE!!!!!!! Woohoooooooooo ... I did it and well within time too!! 112 miles in 7:35:30!!!
Bike .... DONE!!
T2
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| That's me ... just running past the blue pole!! |
Hahahahaha ... trying to run in bike shoes after 112 miles/7:35 hours on a bike is quite possibly one of the strangest feelings EVER but I somehow managed to get to my bike/run bag, empty it, and transform myself into something that vaguely resembled a runner and headed out on the run.
The 'run' - 26.2 miles
I probably managed to run a full 50 meters before my body decided that running wasn't on the agenda so I switched to my old friend ... the powerwalk!! Now, I haven't walked at pace like this since May 2012 so I was a little uncertain as to whether could last the full marathon but I stood more chance of doing it this way than running and there were no other options so it was time to dig deep and get on with it!
The marathon course was 2 laps of the lake, an out and back along the River Trent, another lap of the lake, another out and back of the River Trent then one final lap of the lake to the finish!! Sounds confusing but you collect a wristband at every lake lap and when you have 4 ... you can head for home.
I soon realised it was going to be a really long, hot afternoon ... just one lap of the lake was taking forever and the heat was unbearable. My back was tightening up so I laid down and did a few stretches to some unhelpful sounds of "Ooooooh, I wouldn't lay down if I were you" It was all good though and I knew what I was doing ... lap 1 was about getting my focus back ... getting myself prepared ... and getting the job done!!!
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| Looking to where I'm going next |
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| Wondering if I'm last!! |
Lap 2, wristband 2 and I'm now at 5 miles. It seemed to take forever but the next section would take in a change of scenery and that was something to look forward to.
The river section was beautiful but stifling ... kids at feed stations were throwing entire bottles of water down the necks of the competitors to try and keep them cool ... it felt so good but really didn't last long. Fortunately it was only about 1.5 miles between each station so you knew it wasn't long until the next 'shower' and that gave real incentive to keep going!! There was also an incredible selection of water, energy drinks and gels, coke, bananas, jaffa cakes, crisps and amazing crew to give you a real boost.
Another amazing boost came at about 9 miles when I saw Chris. He was on his last river lap and it was just fantastic to see him. I wanted to stand (well actually, sitting would have been nicer) and chat forever but both of us had more to do (me more than him) so we had to keep going. Still no goodbye though ... just another "see you soon"!!
At Trent Bridge I headed back towards the centre and it wasn't long before I could hear the words "You Are An OUTLAW" as the crew welcomed in the finishers but I still had another 2 lake laps and a river lap to do!!!!
*C'mon Zo ... get that focus back!!*
Lake lap 3, writstband 3 (this lake doesn't get any smaller) and I have set myself a target of getting under 16 hours. Maths is not a strong point but I just about manage to work out that I can do it but it's gonna be close and I am going to have to not stop at the feed stations. The plan of action now is to grab and go ... eat and drink on the way and hope I don't throw up!!
Having a plan was good ... it was driving me on but seeing so many people finishing as I went past the finish chute was soul destroying. I looked behind me and could see nobody following me out on the last river lap. Was I last??????
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| Heading out on the last river lap - My face says it all!! |
I was now struggling to keep it together, I kept looking but I still couldn't see anyone coming with me. There was nothing else for it ... I needed a damn good cry!!! This happened at the feed station out on the river and the crew there were amazing. They cooled me down, got me some coke and water and told me it was only about 4 or 5 miles until I saw them on the way back the I would very nearly be an Outlaw!!! Small chunks from here on in then. Just get Nottingham Forest Football Ground, then cross the river, then head out and back to Trent Bridge, then back across the river ... I was doing it ... one step at a time!!!
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| Sid - Total legend!! |
Then I saw someone who in my eyes is a total and utter legend!!! Sid 'Morphman' Sidowski (not his real name but it's how we all know him) was doing the Outlaw Tri in a full morphsuit!!! Bonkers, yes!! Inspiring, absolutely!!
We hugged it out on the bridge ... he told me to make sure I finished ... I told him to get the job done and we both continued on our way!!
And then there it was ... the feed station and crew who had been so kind to me on the way out. The cheers I received were deafening and thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes. Little Nicole (who can't have been any older than about 10) and her friend ran with me for about 100 meters and were clapping and encouraging me all the way and then I was going it alone again but I could here the commentary from the lake "You Are An OUTLAW" over and over again as people were still finishing and in just over 3 miles ... I would be too!!
And then the lake appeared and the person with the bands ... I finally had band no. 4 ... I was going to finish!! The only question was, would it be in under 16 hours??
*C'mon Zo ... get that focus back!!*
I was using anything I could find as a target at this point ... all along the lake I was saying just get to that post, that tree, that goose, that person ... Don't you dare stop!!! I made it to the top of the lake and kids were running at me with cups of coke and water but I didn't take any ... I had to keep going.
I was now at mile 25 ... just 1.2 miles to go but it still seemed so far away. Just get to that post, that tree, that goose, that person ... Don't you dare stop!!!
Then I could hear it ... the comentary that had been going on all afternoon, the music that had been playing out, the crowds of people cheering each and every Outlaw home ... I could hear it. It was getting close and it was nearly my turn to hear those words!!!
I saw the barriers that I had had to stick to the right of for 3 times but now I could go left and I was at the end of the the finish chute!!! I started to run and was relieved to find out that I still could!! Nothing hurt ... nothing ached ... I looked up and saw the time and started to smile!!! Then it happened, the guy with the microphone said what I had been hearing all afternoon but this time he was saying it for me ... Zoe McBeth, You Are An OUTLAW!!!!! I had done it ... I had crossed the line and completed my first ever ironman distance triathlon and within the target that I had set myself 10 miles beforehand!!
26.2 miles in 6:22:36 ... DONE
The Aftermath!!
I felt sick, I felt unfocused I felt unsteady on my feet and I was exhausted but it didn't matter anymore. I could have fallen over right there and then and it wouldn't have mattered ... I didn't need to use my body for anything else!! I had done what I set out to do.
Julie was there to hand me some water (the best water I had drunk all day), my timing chip was taken from me and those 4 bloody bands were removed. Then I saw Chris (he had finished a full 2 hours ahead of me) and I finally felt I could relinquish all control. He took over and led me to the different places I needed to go to get my medal, my T-shirt, my kit bag and my bike ... quite how people do that bit on their own is beyond me!!!
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| So happy to be back!! |
Then it was up a big flight of steps (cruel huh!!) to thank Christina, Julie, Louise and Laina for their amazing support before going off to find something to eat! My stomach however had different ideas and flipped over at the thought of any food and a cup of tea was all I could manage before we went to watch the last of the Outlaws crossing the line.
So ... that's it!!! Outlaw ... DONE!!! Quite possibly the best and worst experience of my life!!
I said straight after that I would NEVER do it again and it took me all of about 35 hours to go back on that decision!! It wont be next year but I know that one day I will be back to become an Outlaw all over again. It changes you ... it gets into your soul ... there is something very special about doing something so challenging and I know I want to experience it all over again!!!
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Outlaw ... DONE!!!
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Training for and completing Outlaw has meant so many sacrifices!! My kids have rarely seen me out of Lycra, phone calls and messages have been left unanswered, friends have been left unseen and housework has been non-existent but despite this, the support I have had throughout this journey has been staggering. There are are so many people to thank: From all of those who put up with my ramblings on Facebook to those who have offered more specific support. Special mention has to go to David (aka Mr Osteo) at The Mersea Road Clinic (http://www.mersearoadclinic.co.uk) who has worked tirelessly to keep me untwisted and unbroken (despite my best efforts to break myself with hurdles and over training) ... I cannot thank him enough!! Blueseventy (http://www.blueseventy.co.uk), Compressport (http://www.compressport.uk.com), Garmin (http://www.garmin.com/en-GB), and Buff (http://www.buffwear.co.uk), have all been incredibly supportive and have not only been on the end of the phone or there to offer advice at various exhibitions but they have also helped to keep this challenge within budget!! And to my family who have shown so much patience over the past year. My mum, dad, kids and of course Chris who believed in me so much when I continually doubted myself. Everyone has helped in so many ways to get me to where I am now ... An Outlaw!!!
Thank you ... each and every one of you! XxX
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