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Ironman done - So what next???
wyno70
Posts: 189
in General Chat
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 . . . . .
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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Go out next year and smash my time and get the totally euphoric feeling again
Its too close to my marathon for me this year, so I'll just be checking it out for next.
Should be quite good if you've already got the Ironman fitness and therefore perhaps less training than otherwise.
http://www.enduroman.com/lanzaroteultra.html
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
Dye your grey hairs.
New wardrobe of clothes that someone 20years younger than you would wear.
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...
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...
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!!!!
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+.
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
http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/2 ... pionships/
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!
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.
But next year I'm going to see if I can persevere with speed, injury here I come
I only said that, for me, getting better and faster is what it is all about. Just my opinion, nothing more.
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.
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. 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)
Happily, the web-site refused my request stating that my work IP address is banned.
Phew. That was close.
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?
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/