Chelle and I were sat in the Surfin Café in Biggleswade waiting for the guys to reach the half way point on the Kingfisher Way run, just after Christmas 2012. We were chatting about training and Chelle already having signed up for Ironman Zurich the couple on the table next to us interrupted our conversation. Tracey had completed Zurich a couple of years earlier and was the last official finisher, she said what an amazing experience it was and that if she could do it then anyone could!!
Only having started running properly in January 2012, and having participated in 2 sprint triathlons that year I thought it would be a challenge…. But like Tracey said ‘If I can do it, then you can do it!!’
The next thing was to convince Dunc it was a good idea! And as we jogged along the muddy Kingfisher Way ankle deep in freezing water I caught him at a gate and told him about the conversation in the coffee shop. He didn’t really give me a response and carried on to the next gate! Not so good I thought!
We all finished the run, and then met up in the pub that evening. Can’t remember who was there exactly, but after a few pints and lots of banter, Dunc had signed me up!!
As recommended by Liz, Chelle and Michaela I bought the 24 weeks to Ironman book and began my training. I don’t have much base fitness and it took a while to adjust to the level of training I was doing each week.
I was lucky enough to go to Spain with Dunc when he competed in the European Middle Distance Championships in June and met some wonderful people that also happened to be brilliant athletes. Seeing everyone take part in the Middle Distance gave me a huge wake up call and I started to think I had maybe bitten off more than I could chew!
I chatted to lots of different people that weekend and got some really great training tips. I thought my training was going really well, but everyone I chatted to said I needed to be loads more. So as we rolled into the Grafman Middle Distance race I doubled my training and started to give the event the respect that it deserves!
I had an amazing day when we did the Grafman and did a respectable time of 6hrs 20mins.
With only 6 weeks left to Zurich my bike rides were reaching the 100 mile mark and runs were in line with a regular marathon schedule. I was not prepared for the fatigue that I experienced, and kept having to remind myself that I had paid money to do this massive thing and as the weeks ticked by I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I did a 2 week taper and cycled 118 miles and ran 27 as my last big weekend. I kept hoping my body was going to feel better as it just felt broken!
I finished work on Wednesday and went for a well earned massage on Thursday morning before helping Dunc pack my bike up and off to Heathrow we went. We all met up for a beer and our last supper and Paul Ridley handed us all our Nice Tri Ironman tshirts to wear to the airport the next morning.
The first of our bright and early starts and we were off. Trying to get 16 people and 8 bike boxes on an impatient train was the 1sthurdle, but chucking kids, luggage and bikes in through 1 door meant no one got left behind.
The hotel was amazing, and thanks to the fabulous job of our tour operator Nic!!
As we hadn’t got enough time for all of us to go to the race briefing Team Captain Dunc was nominated to go for all of us and do a NiceTri race brief when he came back. I unpacked and waited eagerly with a beer in hand whilst over looking the beautiful lake we were going to swim in on Sunday morning. It was already too hot for me to sit in the sun!!
Dunc came back with a few rules and regulations, but more scarily the fact that it could be a non wetsuit swim!
Early Saturday morning I headed out for an hour on my bike to check that it all worked and to take a look at the lovely smooth Swiss roads. A 20 minute run along the lake and up a big hill and then put my feet up for the rest of the day. Apart from having to jump on the train with our bikes to get them racked for the next morning.
I didn’t sleep too badly and felt calm when the alarm went off at 4am! I plastered factor 50 all over myself and then headed for breakfast. 2 cups of hot water, a bowl of muesli and 3 slices of bread and jam, all accompanied by NiceTri banter. 26 Swiss Francs!!!!
We all headed for the train and I could feel my nerves building. I made my way to my bike, put all my food in the cross bar bag, filled my bottles and thought I should make my way to the toilet queue as it was already pretty long. On my way there I had forgotten I needed a bottle for my recovery shake, so back to the bike I went, picked up a bottle and walked back across transition again. I bumped into Dunc and burst into tears, I really need to calm myself down otherwise I was never going to make it through the swim at this rate.
Stood in line for what felt like for ever, saw Chelle, Michaela, KP and Ridley and then made my way off to the village to drop the ‘streetwear’ bag. Managed to see Dunc and ran over to give him a quick kiss and then he disappeared to do his warm up swim.
I walked into the lovely warm water and swam out for a few strokes and got bashed in the shoulder as a swimmer was coming back into the shore. Crickey, if I am getting bumped in the warm up I have no idea how manic the proper swim is going to be!
Making my way to the swim start I tried to spot the rest of the Nicetri crew but couldn’t find anyone at all, so I decided to start in the middle at the back. My plan being to let everyone else bash each other and then I would find a lovely calm space and swim with excellent technique until the bridge and then do it all again.
The South African MC was getting the crowd cheering and trying to make the competitors whoop whoop, but I don’t remember making a sound…. Very unusual for me!
They blew the horn and I slowly crossed the beach and made it into the water. As my favourite stroke is ‘panic’ I tried really hard to do front crawl from the beginning. Failing miserably I took on loads of water breast stroked for ages and generally got caught up in loads of other slow swimmers trying not to drown each other. The 1st buoy looked a long way away, but every stroke I took was a little bit closer to completing to 2.4miles. Once I eventually made it past the 1st buoy I had managed to get my front crawl under control and made my way to the bridge for the end of the 1st lap.
As we all funnelled to go under the bridge, I could feel lots of people around me, bashing elbows, feet, knees. Luckily none of it was too horrific and before I knew it I was being helped up on to the ramp and jogged down the otherside and back into the water. We had to swim diagonally to the furthest point and I couldn’t even see it as I started to front crawl, so I just followed the stream of yellow hats in front of me. I did manage to pass afew people as I settled in and enjoyed the 2nd lap!
Back under the bridge and we headed left to the ramp for T1. As I ran around the corner Katie shouted my name and I shouted ‘I survived the swim’ with arms in the air I headed for my bike bag and into the ladies changing tent.
I took time to dry my feet properly and put on socks and my bike shoes. Hat clipped on, glasses on and off to find my bike. As there were only 255 women taking part all the girls bikes were in the 1st 2 sets of racking so found my bike without too much trouble. I was also pleased that my bike wasn’t the last bike in transition like it was on the NiceTri sprint last year.
Got to the mount line, jumped on my bike and I was off. The man next to me had a watch on and it said 1.52, which made me smile as I thought it would take me a good 2hrs to swim with no wetsuit.
The 1st 30km is lovely and flat and kept telling myself to pace myself and not go too hard too fast. Loads of fast blokes with aero helmets came flying past me. A couple of British guys said hello, and I even had some bloke blow me a kiss! The 6KM markers seemed to be going past quite quickly and it felt amazing to just be on my bike enjoying the race.
Then I reached a sign that said ‘The Beast’. My brain quickly tried to recall the race profile and I’m sure the long stream of slowly pedalling cyclists criss crossing the (I want to call it a mountain, coz it is definitely bigger than a hill!’) incline in front of me didn’t bear an resemblance to the little wiggly line on the map. Dropped into my little cog and made it up no worries.
Smiling and puffing at the top threw away my empty bottled and picked up ‘Iso’ and water to throw over me as I was starting to get hot already.
I remember coming past Chelle and looking back to see her right gear lever hanging out of the bike and having a water bottle tucked down her vest! I shouted some encouragement, and wasn’t sure whether to stop or not. I knew that competitors couldn’t help each other, so although I felt really bad for her I carried on.
Another long climb and I made sure I took in the beautiful view at the highest point, over the crest and then onto a wicked descent. I only managed 39MPH, but whooped the whole way down! Into a tunnel and squeezed my breaks hard to avoid hitting a car, back end had a right wiggle and I made my way back into the cycle lane. Back into town and then up to Heartbreak Hill, where everyone cheering you on makes you feel like a Tour De France superstar!
Back past transition and onto lap 2. I could feel it getting really hot and was making sure I was pouring water over my neck and through my helmet. I had been eating regularly but on the 2nd lap I felt like I was being cooked.
The Beast rose before me again and I managed to pedal through locals with hoses to cool us down. Paul Ridley came past me and gave me a massive boost, even though he told me it was 40 degrees!!! As he disappeared into the distance I decided to walk the last stretch of the hill as I felt like I was really over heating.
At the water station an eager volunteer sprayed a hose on my face and completely took my breath away! Taking a few minutes to compose myself I clipped in and carried on. I couldn’t stomach any food and was starting to worry that I could bonk at any point so decided to drink some coke from the feed stations that I passed.
Down the awesome decent and back into town, I passed Dunc on the run route and shouted ‘I LOVE YOU’. I had no idea how far he was on the run, but was so chuffed to see him.
Heartbreak hill with not so many supporters felt much harder, but I’d forgotten the lovely descent on the other side. Tried to pick up speed along the straight past the Lindt Chocolate factory but didn’t have much left.
Rolled up to the dismount line, jumped off and racked my bike. Grabbed my red run bag and back into the tent. Chatted to the other ladies in the tent and got my run shorts, NiceTri tshirt and trainers on. Whoo hoo I was on the run!
Heading out of T2 I desperately needed a wee and had to wait for someone to finish using the toilet at the 1st aid station. Grabbed some pretzels and water and told myself I had done the hardest part… just a marathon to go.
I had no idea where I was going but just followed the stream of people plodding along in front of me, faster runners were coming past and I was trying to work out how far they had all run depending on the number of bands on their wrists. As I came round the corner I heard Maisie, Grace and Nic shouting my name. Huge smiles and high 5s and they were gone behind me.
I picked up my 1st lap band and felt so jealous of the others that were collecting their 4th band, but I decided that I was going to run for as long as I could, just walking while I was drinking at the aid stations,
It was great to see all the runners and shouted everyone’s name as I saw a Riverside running top coming towards me. KP was running toward me as I headed towards the end of lap 1 as he was heading out on lap 2, and he looked like death! I gave him a huge hug and he was worried that he wouldn’t finish. A few encouraging words and we were both running in opposite directions.
Not quite sure where I was when Dunc came running past in the other direction, but he had he red band and he was on his last lap. He shouted ‘I think I can do it’ and I was so chuffed for him that I started welling up! He came back past me again as we got close to the finish line, I think he smacked my bum! Then he was gone and off to enjoy his finish. As I came past the finish line I could see the time was still 10hours something and was bursting with pride and tears that he had gone under 11 hours but couldn’t tell him how fantastic he had done as he was already milling around the finishers village and I still had 3 laps to go!
The rest of the run was much the same, jog jog, drink some water / iso / bouillon (mmmm lovely) grab some fruit or pretzels and will yourself forward to get your next band.
The support on the run was fantastic and the Nicetri posse were amazing. The rest of the British supporters were shouting my name as I ran past and my face was aching from all the smiling! I kept thinking that something was going to go twang or my legs were just going to stop working but they just kept going.
It got dark really quickly and although I had seen Chelle quite a few times on the run I could see her in front of me as I came toward the finish on my last lap. Even though I was incapable of calculating what the time was and how much time she had left to do one more lap, I told her to keep going and not to give up. She replied ‘I’m TRYING!!!’ and I knew that if she had that fight left in her then she was going to cross the line too!
I came round the final corner smiling from ear to ear and picked up the pace, all the fatigue disappearing into the night sky. I high 5’d everyone that stuck their hand out and as I heard ‘Lucy Bush is an IRONMAN!’ I high 5’d the South African MC and glanced at my finish time. 14hrs 49 mins. Not too bad for my 1st attempt.
Someone put and medal around my neck, took the run bands off my wrist and Dunc gave me a MASSIVE hug and told me how proud he was of me. Even though I crossed the line it hadn’t sunk in at all that I had really done it!
It was amazing day and a fantastic weekend.
Thank you everyone that was there, you were all brilliant.
Even though Paige wasn’t in Zurich, I know she was following our every move in the UK, I need to say a special thank you to her for putting up with Dunc and I while we have been training, it got quite tense in our house at times!
And thank you Dunc for being such a superstar, and all your support and encouragement.
| definitely want to do another Long Distance event and if you are in 2 minds about entering a Long Distance triathlon, I would say….. if you are prepared to train for up to 22 hours a week and you have a strong support network of family and understanding friends then go ahead as the event is AWESOME!
Lucy