Ironman Wales
On Sunday, September 3rd, the iconic Ironman Wales event was held in the charming seaside town of Tenby. The town’s breathtaking beaches, magnificent castle, well-preserved town walls, cosy pubs, lively bars, delicious restaurants, unique shops, stunning cliffs, and picturesque countryside created a perfect setting for the event.
Thousands of people came out to support the participants throughout the course, creating an electric atmosphere that made the event feel like the Olympics. The locals’ overwhelming support was awe-inspiring, and the town’s vibrant energy turned the event into a party that everyone was invited to. The Ironman Wales event followed the usual format: a challenging 3.8k sea swim, a gruelling 180k bike ride, and a demanding 42k run.
Peak XV Athletes
This year, five Peak XV athletes took on the challenge, pushing themselves to their limits with the help and support of their dedicated coaches, Garrie Prosser and Quin Beech. These athletes, Craig Taylor, Jonny Walsh, Gordon Richmond, Matt Reith, and Quin Beech, proved that with consistent training, perseverance and hard work, Anything is possible.
Ironman Wales Swim
On the morning of the race, thousands of people gathered on the cliff tops, beach, and streets to cheer and support the athletes. The race started around 7 a.m., with fireworks exploding and the Welsh National Anthem echoing around the cliffs, creating a thrilling and emotional atmosphere.
Ironman Wales starts with a challenging sea swim off North Beach. In previous years, the swim involved two laps in a clockwise direction, but this year, it was reversed to 2 laps in an anti-clockwise direction. The weather was favourable, and the water was calm with a slight swell. However, the tidal current proved to be the main challenge.
As the swim progressed, the tide became stronger. This made it more challenging, especially for the slower swimmers who had started later, causing them to swim significantly slower than expected as they struggled against the tide. Ironically, the faster swimmers who had started earlier had an easier time. The strength of the tide was evident by the far buoy straining against its mooring as the swimmers converged to turn around it.
After the race, many athletes found they had completed the swim much slower than expected. Those wearing GPS watches commented that the swim was significantly longer than expected, ranging from 100 to 500m.
Peak XV Swimmers
Our swimmers all did okay in the swim. Although initially happy to complete such a challenging course, they all struggled against the tide. As a result, their official times left them feeling disappointed. However, after discovering that other competitors also had slower times, we compared our performances with theirs and realised that we all did reasonably well.
Transition
Completing the swim-bike transition is a true test of an athlete’s endurance. After finishing the swim, each athlete must run up and across the beach, climb a zig-zag path to the cliff top, and run through the town amidst cheering crowds to reach the transition area. It’s a strenuous challenge, considering there are still 112 miles of biking and a marathon to complete!
Ironman Wales Bike
The bike course for Ironman Wales is stunningly beautiful and incredibly challenging. It consists of a small loop you complete once and then two larger loops. The first small loop takes you along the coast to the west and offers undulating terrain with breathtaking views. It’s tempting to push yourself hard during this section, but it’s important to be cautious and not get too caught up in the pace of other riders. This loop provides an excellent opportunity to find your rhythm after the swim. However, the next two larger loops are hilly and will put your endurance and strength to the test.
Near the end of each big loop are two famous tough climbs, Wisemans and Saundersfoot. The former is steep and will test every rider’s ability. I saw numerous riders struggling and some pushing, especially on the second lap with 100 miles already in their legs. Saundersfoot is the iconic ‘Heart Break Hill’. It is not as tough as Wisemans, but it is famous for its unique support. Here, the music blares out, and the crowd squeezes you tight like a climb in Tour De France. It creates an amazing atmosphere.
Peak XV Cyclists
Our Peak XV cyclists had a mix of experiences, but in hindsight, everyone did well. Craig had a steady ride and finished in good shape to take on the marathon. Despite facing some issues at home that affected his preparation, Matt was pleased with his ride. Jonny’s experience was a tale of two halves.
He started and finished strong, earning him a respectable bike time. However, he lost time in the middle due to over-fuelling. He deserves credit for rescuing himself and getting to the run in good shape. That leaves Gordon and me. You might find this hard to believe, but it’s true. We both had a good bike split. I was in the lead, and I knew Gordon was chasing me similarly; Gordon knew he was hunting me down.
The unbelievable part is that Gordon and I ended up with identical bike splits right down to the second. We both recorded exactly 6:12:14. Think about that for a moment. How is that even possible? You couldn’t do it if you tried. Onto the run!
Ironman Wales Run
The Ironman Wales run is considered one of the toughest marathons of any Ironman event. The course consists of four loops of approximately 10K each and is extremely hilly, with some parts being quite steep. The initial leg requires a long climb out of town before returning.
Following this, there is a spaghetti-like up-and-down route along the age-old medieval streets of Tenby, including its medieval walls. Even as a standalone marathon, it is a tough course. It becomes even more brutal after a sea swim and a long Ironman bike.
On race day, the weather was hot and sunny, with temperatures in the high twenties, making the already tough run even more challenging and brutal. Many people struggled to keep going. However, the support from thousands of people lining the Tenby streets, cheering and shouting your name (which is on your bib number), helps to lift you and carry you through the pain to the finish line.
Peak XV Runners
The team from Peak XV all successfully completed the challenging Tenby Ironman marathon. Despite the gruelling course, each showed great determination and perseverance to cross the finish line and complete Ironman Wales. Gordon, the fastest among the group, eventually caught up with me after our bike ride. It was a remarkable achievement for all of them and a testament to their dedication and hard work.
We also got an age group win and a ticket to the World Championships in Kona 2024!
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