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Ironman done - So what next???

As I'm sure alot of others have done this year, I've spent most of this year training for and have just completed my first Ironman (Switzerland).

Now, I'm a kind of 'tick the box and move on to something else merchant', so at the moment, doing another Ironman doesn't appeal. Having said that, I also have a young family, so even if I could get motivated enough to do all the training again (which I Doubt), my wife would be highly unlikely to approve!!

Which leaves me wondering what my goals are for next year. I'm kind of pondering a few:

1. I'm the fittest I've ever been so maintain that fitness, do a bit of speed work and see how fast I can do an Olympic.
2. E'tape Du Tour has a massive appeal but our main holiday this year was centred around my Ironman, so may have to reconsider!!!!
3. I've been looking at the 'British long Distance Swimming Association' website and swimming being my strongest discipline, that has a certain appeal.
4. Off road tri. I do all my running and in Epping forest and mountain bike there alot in the winter, so again, this has a big appeal.

I'm currently thinking a combination of the above.

So, to everyone that is facing the same dilemma, what are your thoughts and what have you come up with???? I'd be interested to hear . . . . .
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Comments

  • I had a similar feeling when I crossed the red carpet at IMUK....."i'm never doing that again!!!".......but with a week in Spain to chill, get fat and reassess, there really is only one thing to do.......

    Go out next year and smash my time and get the totally euphoric feeling again
  • largeadelargeade Posts: 166
    If you are after an off road triathlon, this ones just up the road from me, at the end of September. http://www.allabouttriathlons.co.uk/races_xtt.html

    Its too close to my marathon for me this year, so I'll just be checking it out for next.
  • Did the Etape a few weeks ago....Absolutely amazing event and highly recommended for everyone of long-distance cycling persuasion!!!
    Should be quite good if you've already got the Ironman fitness and therefore perhaps less training than otherwise.
  • Sorry everyone the next step up is a big one.


    http://www.enduroman.com/lanzaroteultra.html
  • dfultondfulton Posts: 12
    I've been thinking exactly the same thing. Having just completed my very first triathlon, Ironman Switzerland, I feel a bit lost with nothing to focus on.

    Here's the list of possibilities but as yet nothing confirmed:

    Get fast - olympic distance
    Escape from Alcatraz
    Run with bulls in Pamplona
    Swim the channel
    Enter a boxing match
    Some sort of off road tri or adventure race

    Any other ideas welcome!

    ... one of the greatest things about having completed an Ironman is that it's sort of a licence to take on ridiculous challenges - "of course I can do that, I'm an Ironman!"

    D
  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    Alp D'Huez Triathlon, long course
  • EdstgEdstg Posts: 83
    norseman.
  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    Hot young boy/girlfriend... whatever floats your boat.

    Dye your grey hairs.

    New wardrobe of clothes that someone 20years younger than you would wear.
  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    Flavadave wrote:
    Hot young boy/girlfriend... whatever floats your boat.

    Dye your grey hairs.

    New wardrobe of clothes that someone 20years younger than you would wear.
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    dfulton wrote:
    I've been thinking exactly the same thing. Having just completed my very first triathlon, Ironman Switzerland, I feel a bit lost with nothing to focus on.

    ... one of the greatest things about having completed an Ironman is that it's sort of a licence to take on ridiculous challenges - "of course I can do that, I'm an Ironman!"

    D
    IM for a first Tri - well done that man! How did you do?

    I know the attitude, i've been applying that to all sorts of things since Zurich...and the reverse 'i can't get my own dinner - I'm an Ironman!' - 'of course i can do X, i'm an Ironman' seems to be wearing thin on the GAT officer now though.

    I think if you are a box ticking kind of person and don't want to odo another IM (then you're mad) but try the norseman if you want to tick a box. Or the double Iron, or how about the Arch to Arc?

    For me, its get faster over Oly and HIM, then go back to IM in 2012(uninjured this time if i'm lucky) and smash it up...
  • dfultondfulton Posts: 12
    How did I do? I had an unbelievable day - up there as one of the very best days of my life!

    My time - 13hrs 8mins - certainly was not quick, but I battled and competed just as hard as anybody else, and can now dine out on Ironman anecdotes for a long time to come.

    I am a "box ticker" in a way, by unlike many I talk to I do try to appreciate the whole journey as well as just the accomplishment.

    One of the things I particularly enjoyed about the whole Ironman experience was the people I met and made friends with - I've never been around so many "can-do" types. One guy I met in Zurich was competing in his second ever Ironman but was hoping to conserve some energy for the Norseman he was due to race two weeks later! Absolute nutter!!

    Anyway, it all seems a bit flat now so this is a great topic to get the brain ticking again.

    As I said earlier, Alcatraz appeals but I believe it's quite hard to get a place? Alpe d'huez is another one but it's full too...
  • wyno70wyno70 Posts: 189
    Hmm...

    I'd also thought of Escape from Alcatraz and have looked into it. It's a lottery much like the London marathon so best thing to do is get your name down, see if you get in and take it from there (thats what i'm doing). I'll broach it with the mrs if and when I get accepted!!!!

    Channel Swim - realistically it's too expensive. You have to charter your own boat and won't get much change from £6k. I simply can't justify that.

    As each day passes, the thought of doing IM again is more appealing, possibly IMUK. This year was IMCH and I wanted it to be the excellent experience it was. IMUK would be simply to do my home one!!

    Ho hum, lots to look for and have entered an off road duathlon in a few weeks and an olympic, last weekend of September just to keep my training ticking over, otherwise the temptation to sit on the couch and eat would be too much!!!!
  • pippip Posts: 170
    Ironman Lanzarote is supposed to be a toughie,but if you want something thats going to push you to you're absolute limits mentally and physically then the Norseman is the one.Norwegian Special Forces use it as a recruiting tool.................NUFF SAID
  • wyno70wyno70 Posts: 189
    A few more days on and one of:

    Escape from Alcatraz (albeit I know it's near on impossible to get into)
    and
    Alpe D'Huez

    are my current thoughts.

    Might also do some long distance open water swimming too, 5k+.
  • 101SUSY101SUSY Posts: 53
    Well done for completing your Ironman and having a new New Year's resolution...

    This is some mad stuff I have been thinking about ....

    Toubkal Marathon - run up and down Mt Toubkal in Morocco, 42km with 3300 metres of ascent. There was a 125km ultra run too, but that's been cancelled for this year. I am thinking about the marathon for next year. It's usually in October. The boy who won it last year did it in about 5 hours.

    http://www.toubkaltrail.com/lang2/

    Marathon Des Sables - if you are completely nuts and fancy a 6 day 153 mile run in the Sahara Desert in March. I think there's a minimum entry fee.

    http://www.saharamarathon.co.uk/

    Or just when you thought you were really extreme - check this out...
    http://www.danmartinextreme.com/home.php
  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    Go faster.
  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    Flavadave wrote:
    Go faster.
    Do as I say, not as I do!
  • wyno70wyno70 Posts: 189
    Thanks Susy. I've done marathons in the past and I'm no natural runner. It beats me up. Long and short of it, endurance running is not on the agenda!!!!

    I've always wondered how far I could cycle in 24 hours, so that might be something I do next year just for fun.

    Leave my house (Epping), head north and see how far I get!
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    Go faster.

    I personally dont really understand the 'sprint done, olympic done, 1/2 ironman done' attitude. It's all about bettering yourself for me. Personally, I would be more impressed seeing a sub 2:20 olympic distance than a 13+ hour ironman. It's just a shame (to me) that most people seem to be more impressed with massive distances.
  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    Mowf wrote:
    Personally, I would be more impressed seeing a sub 2:20 olympic distance than a 13+ hour ironman
    Cos a +13 hour Ironman is easy right?
  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    You've got to play at your strengths, and interests. Currently, I can't do speed, it just seems to break me. I do however, have endurance, and enjoy the physical and mental battle, so I went long this year, not just in distance, but in time as well. Whilst I'm up and biking/running, I might as well get the most from my money

    But next year I'm going to see if I can persevere with speed, injury here I come
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    Neither are easy, I never said it was. One just impresses me more than the other. But I do think someone doing a sub 2:20 olympic distance generally would not get the same kudos as somone doing a 13+ hour ironman.

    I only said that, for me, getting better and faster is what it is all about. Just my opinion, nothing more.
  • wyno70wyno70 Posts: 189
    All good points and yes you have to play to your strengths.

    As Triumphant says, speed for me isn't going to happen. I'm 40 and running doesn't come easy. I find it difficult and it beats me up! A sub 2 30 would be a massive achievement and I hope to conquer that soon. a sub 2 20 is simply unrealistic (for me). When I've done it the sub 2 30, it isn't going to get much quicker, so I focus on my strength which is endurance.

    I also like to try different things, so it's not so much about ticking a box, more about having different experiences.

    In my opinion you have to know what your limiters and enjoy what you are doing. My limiter is speed and I enjoy doing different things. Simple as that.

    Horses for courses I guess.
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Sounds like we're in the same boat(-ish) wyno... well, apart from you having done IM this year and I didn't. But I have done 2 x sprints, 3 x Oly, 2 x HIM, 2 x 10km runs and still got a HM to go, so I'm doing OK

    Like you, I'm 40, not a runner and happiest in the water. I'm so very tempted to put my life on hold and have a crack at IM next year, but I don't know enough about my work and/or financial position to be able to commit to it just yet. I will do it, though... I have to.

    Next year I'm going to go faster. Sub-2:30 Olympic would be an achievement for me (PB is 2:38), as would getting a reliable sub-45 10k time (PB is 44:58!) and possibly to approach 40mins.
    Might also do some long distance open water swimming too, 5k+.
    Well, you've missed the Brownsea Island 7.2k swim (25th July) but it might be worth making a note in your diary for next year. See you there!

    (All this might change when I go and and do something rash and stupid involving a credit card and the IMUK web-site, though)
  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    Bopomofo wrote:
    (All this might change when I go and and do something rash and stupid involving a credit card and the IMUK web-site, though)
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  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    I now have to confess that I've just gone and pre-registered.

    Happily, the web-site refused my request stating that my work IP address is banned.

    Phew. That was close.
  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    There's a 5km swim out at Lakeside Thurrock on 19th September... I'm already signed up *gulp*

    There's also the Dart 10k swim which looks awesome (through the OSS). Swimming with the current along the river Dart. Maybe next year for me, too much on at the moment.

    Interested in the Brownsea Island, but would have to conquer some sea swimming fears first. Can I swim in a chain mail suit?
  • andissandiss Posts: 82
    Swimming the channel is a good one; It takes longer than an IM, its more expensive and less people have done it. Don't even know if there is a tattoo u can get??

    You have to use less gear. Except grease, speedos a swim cap and a pair of googles of course
    And if u're brave enough u'll swim back also like a woman from Cork did last year.

    http://www.arockieswim.com/
  • TRIumphantTRIumphant Posts: 850
    Flavadave wrote:
    There's also the Dart 10k swim which looks awesome (through the OSS). Swimming with the current along the river Dart. Maybe next year for me, too much on at the moment.
    I've come so close to entering this, but just need to grow a pair. Some of my Masters Club are doing it, but I promised the WAT at the start of the year that after IM that would be it for me for this year. hmmmm!
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