After reading and enjoying many race reports, I’ve decided that it was now my time to give you one. I’ve added a lot of pictures so you can imagine how great this race is and also because, well, I’m not much of a writer… 
So here it is :
D Day – 6
After a long trip from Quebec City, my friend Galdric and I finally arrived in Madrid. Before leaving, I’ve asked you slowtwitchers what to do in Madrid and someone told me that I had do go see a corrida at Las Ventas. So after an afternoon of walking around and eating tapas, we went to enjoy one.
http://images.snapfish.com/343%3A794723232fp4>nu%3D324%3A>388>688>WSNRCG%3D32329767376%3A9nu0mrj
I kinda liked it but… I’m not really against killing the bulls it’s just that I would appreciate it more if it was a one on one fight. The toreador takes a bull injured and already tired which I don’t admire much. Mas Oyama. the founder of Kyukushinkai Karate used to kill bulls with one punch on the forehead, that was something!
Anyway, it still was something nice to see.
D Day – 5
Lanzarote, here we are. Oh-oh, windy!
D Day – 4
Rented a car and went around the bike course. Here are my thought :
1- Wow!!! Beautiful!
2- Man it’s windy!
3- Hills? Yeah baby but soooo beautiful!!
Here are some pics of this famous bike course
http://images.snapfish.com/343%3A794723232fp63%3Dot>233%3B%3D479%3D779%3DXROQDF>2323885829368ot1lsi
This last one comes from ironmanlive.com
http://images.snapfish.com/343%3A794723232fp46%3Dot>233%3B%3D479%3D779%3DXROQDF>2323885829956ot1lsi
http://images.snapfish.com/343%3A794723232fp4>nu%3D324%3A>388>688>WSNRCG%3D3232976736%3B%3A4nu0mrj
http://images.snapfish.com/343%3A794723232fp4>nu%3D324%3A>388>688>WSNRCG%3D323297673638%3Bnu0mrj
http://images.snapfish.com/343%3A794723232fp64%3Dot>233%3B%3D479%3D779%3DXROQDF>2323885829285ot1lsi
http://images.snapfish.com/343%3A794723232fp4>nu%3D324%3A>388>688>WSNRCG%3D3232976736%3A5%3Bnu0mrj
As you can see, this bike course is simply awesome. In case I have not mentioned it yet, it was windy…
D Day – 1
Bike check in day! Triple check everything and went early to the bike check in at playa Del Carmen. A small anecdote, my friend was volunteering and was asked by a triathlete what he should put in is bike bag!!! I wonder how someone can ask this question one day before the race especially since that most details are written in the rules documentation and that the staffs was available all week for questions. It really sounds like a lack of organisation on his part! I wonder if he knew what to eat on the bike or if he was counting on asking people while racing…
Check the flag, VIENTO!
Once everything in place, I noticed Gillian Baker, a fellow Canadian that finished twice 2nd place in Lanzarote. Talked a bit with her and asked her why there where not that many pros and Age groupers competing. She simply answered that people want to do time, not hard course; which sounded logic. Unfortunately, Gillian was sick but she still raced and managed to finish 6th. Way to go Gillian!!! She really is a class act!
After the check in, I went to see some people surfing right next to Club La Santa and watch a beautiful sundown before going to bed.
D Day
FINALLY!!! A little nervous but not too much. Just the same body signs: Feel tired, always need to pee…
When I was about to start the swim of my first IM in Montreal 2 years ago, I didn’t have any doubt that I would finish the race. This one was not the same thing. While I was confident, I still knew that I had mostly ride inside due to winter and that I missed 3 weeks of bike training a month prior the race due to work. That, added with the hard course reputation of Lanzarote made me think a bit. Another thing that was on my mind was IM Austria that I was supposed to do last year but from which I had to withdraw 4 days prior to the race due to sickness. I was really happy to start an Ironman again after all that work.
Swim
5 min before the start, took 1 power gel with water.
I’m not really a swimmer so I positioned myself around the middle of the pack. Asked a bit around for times to make sure I don’t block people. I say middle because I did not want to go on the outside; I wanted to feel a mass start in all its “greatness”.
Well, I was not disappointed. The start was crowded and I laughed when I noticed that I was actually hiding my jaw behind my shoulder like when I fought in muay thai or kick boxing. Protect yourself at all time!!! After about 500 meters I finally had a little more space to swim and manage to get in the rhythm. When I turned the second corner, I was a little surprise to find that we were going against a small current. Nothing serious, just made me remember to draft more. Got out of the water, quick run and here we go again for a second lap. On this picture from Ironmanlive.com, I’m the one wearing the T1 wetsuit
Finished the swim in 1:13:19 and was quite happy with my time. I’m not a swimmer and I managed to get out of the water fresh.
Once in the transition, took the time to put sunscreen and found that I had lost my chip during the swim.! #%@# well, out of the transition there was a lady with replacement chip that gave me a new one. Great organisation did not lose that much time.
Bike
Again a pic from Ironmanlive.com
The plan here was really to race my own race. Since I knew that my training was far from perfect and that the course was really hard I took the initiative to take my cateye off. I knew I would sometime go really slow because of the wind and the hills so I did not want to know how slow!
Not much to say about my bike, I was pretty conservative. What actually surprised me a little was the amount of time I spent in my aerobars. The climbs were not that steep and the wind was brutal so I used them a lot. Toward the end of the bike, my right knee started hurting me so I started using my left leg a little more on the pedals. It sure got me a little scared for the run.
When I got to the crowd, I took my feets off my shoes but it was wayyyy to soon…bad reconnaissance!
Bike time : 6:42:20 I never though I would ride so slow but with hills and 50 km/hr wind….
Once in the transition, I had big stomach cramp so I tried the toilet but it unfortunately did not work L
Run
At the start of the run, my legs felt good but my stomach hurt like hell with my abs all contracted. I decided to walk a bit, took some coke and after 15 minutes, it got a little better and I started running again. Exactly at that moment, I was passed by Gillian and that gave me the necessary focus to get my rhythm. Talked a bit with her and let her go after about 5km. By the way, they say that the run course is flat but there is a little hill that combined with the wind and after that bike course still hurt. After a little more time, I found myself running with Anja, a german girl that was running at the same pace. We talked a little but mostly run the last 30 km together, walking every aid station to drink (it was 40 degres!). It’s amazing how much running with someone help. I think that without her I would have walked a bit.
With a 100m to go, I told her to get in the lead so she can have a great finish picture. I slowed down a bit and enjoyed the moment before going for my own picture. But just before passing the line, this guy passed me and got in my way, good bye nice photo finish for both of us!!! Yeah, I know, it’s a race but at 12h10, was it really that important to pass me and make us both miss the finish picture? I had passed this guy a minute before and he just passed me because I let Anja go. Well whatever. So I made a sign to the photograph, went back 20m and finished once more for the camera!
Total time : 12:09:59
Marathon time : 4:03:21
195 340 Richard Ferron CAN 30-34 403 01:13:19 06:40 243 06:42:20 04:21 156 04:03:21 12:09:59
When I passed the line I told myself: “I could not have gone faster on that course today”. I don’t like my bike split but I’m sure that if I would’ve open a little more I would’ve paid big time on the marathon.
Technical
In case that might help someone, here’s what was in my transition bags and on my bike:
Bike: 2 tubes 2 CO2 Valve for CO2 Stickers for tire 2 plastic stick for tire change One 800 ml bottle of extran (1170 cal) on my downtube Profile aero bottle full of water (refilled at aid stations)
For transition: Helmet, sunglasses, shoes on the pedals
Swim bag (Warm up bag) Wetsuit Goggles Race swim cap Chip Changing clothes for after the race 1 gel for 5 min before start 1 bottle of water for before the start Bodyglide
Bike bag Race belt Socks 1 powerbar and 1 gel and 2 babybel cheese to put in my singlet small towel
Run bag hat running shoes extra race number 2 enervitene 2 babybel cheese (did not used them)
Special need bag (bike) 800 ml bottle of Extran (1170 cal) 1 Cliff bar 1 power gel 1 CO2 (just in case…) 1 tube
Race comments
Great race and very well organized. I stayed at Club La Santa which is about 30 min drive from the race start. Club La Santa is a really great training facility and is the official host of the Ironman. All the activities are there and they organise buses for Playa del Carmen often. I’m really glad I stayed there but I’m nor sure that I would if I would go race again. Staying at playa Del Carmen is cheaper and save you the buses. You still have to drive or take a cab for registration, meeting, party, etc. My friend was there for training and supporting me so Club La Santa was perfect for him. By the way, about Club La Santa, wow! Really cute Danish girls!!! Always nice to walk by the pool!
I still don’t understand why there are not more people racing in Lanzarote. I know the race as the reputation to be hard but isn’t that why we are doing IM? I highly recommend doing this race.
D Day + 1
I can walk!!! Good thing since my room is on 3rd floor!
They made a 40 min video thast they showed us before the party. No comments, only music and images. That was GREAT! And quite emotional. I hope they put that video on the DVD.
Party time baby!
D Day + 2
Time to fly back to Madrid. Oh joy of having a bike and have to unpack it at the airport!
Flew over the Strait of Gibraltar (Hello Stephen! Thanks again for the Peaceful tribe apparel!)
Once in Madrid, we went to a little Irish Pub to watch the Lions – Argentina Rugby game. Really good game but man, the Lions were lucky to get away with a tie!
D Day + 3
Since the museum with the Picasso’s was closed, we went to Museo Del Prado and I must admit that it was quite boring. So quite fast we went to a Plaza…del sol? To have a little recovery meal and drink :
We also tried to make a pigeon drink some beer (We wanted a new local friend) but it did not want to drink and fly! I’ll have to try that with Quebec pigeon.
For the evening, we went to a Flamenco show and then a Madrid girl brought us into a nice little bar where we got quite pissed drinking Mohitos I think! J
Got back at 5 AM, woke up at 6 to go get my flight back. Got throuht US custom inquisition, had a flight canceled and finally arrived home Thursday at 4 AM, working at 8.
THAT’S IT FOLKS! HOPE YOU’VE ENJOYED
