Nick Facey’s Ironman Malaysia

Start of a six hour training ride at the Top Gear test track in Surrey (great to have contacts)

The Course

The bike course description was described as “flat with a few rolling hills”, so it was a complete surprise on my first reccy to find that within 2 miles of transition there was a short but steep climb followed immediately by another, still we only had do this section once on the way to the three laps. Got to the start of the lap section and there was a gradual climb from the turnaround point culminating in a 10% climb, this had to be done 3 times and the other side was a longer 10% this also 3 times. The response during the race brief was that they had changed the course from the previous years and not told or advertised it, when someone commented about the course.
Numerous people I met when out training complained and had to get other gearing sent from home, me having ridden Wimbleball still had my compact chainset on.
During the first few rides in the heat (High 30’s with 90%+ humidity) I found my heart rate went through the roof although I felt good, so I decided to ride on perceived effort.
Two days before the race the swim course opened so I got down prompt, and as I was walking off the jetty to get into the water a snake with a head the size of a small child swam past, then another athlete got out and commented on the number of jellyfish. (GREAT)
                                                 

Race Day

Up at 3:00am the hotel kindly put on breakfast for the athletes, then straight back to sleep until 4:30am to be down at transition for 5:00am. Bike checked and loaded with nutrition, tyres, etc. it was off to the start line.

06:00am Sarah, myself and plenty of nerves before the swim start

The Swim 1:33:25

The water temp was a glorious 26degrees so no wetsuits allowed, and a straight out and back across the bay of Kuah.
The swim was a mass deep water start. I planned on starting midfield along the line of buoys, 07:15 the Claxton went, and with the tide coming in everyone got pushed towards the shore along with the jelly fish (yes I got stung under the arm which was sore for the duration of the swim) for the entire swim, so spotting became even more critical and crab like swimming was necessary to stay on course, hence my time was a little slower than I had wished for.

T1 0:04:39

You exit the water onto a platform and then through a bank of freshwater showers and straight into the bag collection area pick up your numbered bike bag and then into the changing room, I smothered myself in sunblock and changed into my bike gear.

I had travelled 300m and had my foot half in my shoe when I hit a bump and the net cover for my aero bottle flew out, so had to stop and pick it up.

As I got to the first hill 2 miles from T1 there were people already pushing their bikes, only another 110 miles.
Had to keep swerving and slowing for troops of monkeys and herds of loose cattle walking on the roads, day before the race the marshals ran over a king cobra so I was ever vigilant not to do the same.

Settled down to a nice steady pace (heart rate monitor had not worked since I left the water so had to work on perceived effort),by mid day the temp had risen to the high 30’s so I was taking in plenty of fluids and salt tablets, the fuelling stations had unlimited supply of freezing water that I drank half and dumped the other over my head and legs, at the start of the last lap I felt good so picked the pace up until 5 miles to go then eased off in preparation for the run.

The later part of the bike course followed the run loop, and as I came around the final corner I passed Bella Comerford walking!!! What have I let myself in for?

T2 0:08:02

Passed the bike to the Marshal and wobbled to the bag pick up then into the change tent. Again smothered myself in sunblock, changed and left feeling good.

The Run 6:22:10

The run course was a 1.1km out 4 x 10km loops (5km up 5km down) and a 1.1km in, with aid stations situated every 1km.
My pre-race strategy was to run 2 stops then drink and fuel and so forth. On my way to the second aid station the leader came past on his way to the finish line.

By the time I got to my planed first aid station I was on the point of spontaneous combustion, the heat / sun was punishing and relentless (up to 39 degrees by my HRM) after this I, along with most others was stopping at every aid station to dowse my head and legs in ice water to cool down, dusk was very welcome although still in the mid 30’s it felt much cooler, but by this time I was feeling sick, and struggling to take any fluid or fuel just having to sip coke and water. I had seen three people on their last run lap being carted off in ambulances so time out of the window and my run slowed to a walk to ensure of a finish, until the last 6k’s when I picked the pace back up to a slow jog to the finish.

Job done my 1st ironman finish!!!

Total Time 14:48:49