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Tim Somers - Ironman
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Fatman to Ironman – Personal reflections, Tim Somers Ironman
My event report. I'm loathe to refer to it as a race as it never was for me, it was all about doing whatever it took to cross the line.
Pre Austria
This has been pretty well documented but I got to the stage when I didn't
know whether I could do it or even whether I should as my injury was bothering
me and was just eating away at me constantly which dents your confidence. I have
quite a busy life as it is with a young family and I run a business employing 22
people and a school governor etc. so it was really tough on my family and I did
often question why I was doing it. I still don't really know the answer although
I would say it is the most self fulfilling thing I have ever done but also the
most selfish.
Austria pre event
Registration on the Thursday morning was really nerve racking as I felt out of
place. Almost everyone looked amazingly fit and confident and I was glad to meet
a couple of portly Mexicans (there were 202 Mexican entrants which really added
to the atmosphere) I met Gavin and Woody and felt a little better then,
Woody was clearly pretty nervous although Gavin was really excited which was
great to see. I spent a couple of days looking at the area in the car with
my brother-in-law and sister-in-law which was good as it got me away from things
a little. Once we'd driven the bike course it started to get quite exciting and
we stopped for lunch at one of the villages at the top of the big hill where the
owner came out and was shaking my hand and gave me a miniature local apple drink
(alcoholic) to "pick you up when you're dying on Sunday". It was great
having fellow club members there and the pasta party was great with a Mexican
band and lots of gallows humour which is right up my street. It was suggested I
could have saved my flight money as I was going to be flown home in an air
ambulance and I wasn't sure whether to get my body repatriated or whether to get
my ashes scattered in the lake or at the high point of the bike!
Was starting to get really excited but you just can't help feeling paranoid as
you see others so you think:
1. I should be out running like him/her.
2. Oh he's on his bike maybe I should.
3. Those 2 are resting maybe I should.
I only swam once which was lovely and did a short bike which was great and
didn't even contemplate running and I felt this was about right. My wife
and children arrived on the Saturday which was great as we all went down to
transition to check everything in and by then I was really excited and just
wanted to get on with it. We ate out in the old town which is such a
lovely place and then back to the hotel for an early night. My alarm was set for
4am but I was awake by 1 and didn't really sleep much after that. Instead of
"Eye of the tiger" it was more like eye of a needle! Breakfast was buzzing
with everything imaginable including spaghetti bolognaise. I've got a pretty
cast iron stomach but even I draw the line somewhere. I had met Stuart Staples
in the hotel who had written a book that I had read a couple of times about his
first Ironman, this was his 10th but his dad was doing it for the first time
aged 60 and we agreed to keep each other company as we both had the same goal. I
found out the next day he didn't finish and he was really down.
We went down to transition just after 5am with nutrition for the bike and to
pump the tyres up and the camaraderie was fantastic and I didn't feel nervous at
all just excited. We all met on the beach before the swim and everyone seemed
pretty calm. Then it was wetsuits on and goodbye to loved ones which was pretty
emotional. I just stood on the beach right in the middle of these 2200 athletes
and was determined to enjoy it. I imagined this bubble round me protecting me
all day and knew that I would have some tough moments out there but as long as I
stayed in my bubble I would be OK. My goals were to finish and to smile all the
way. It's hard to convey it accurately but it was just awesome. A priest
blessed the water and spectators thronged the piers. I was in danger of my
goggles filling with water before I even got in the lake (mind you I'm a bit of
a softie at the best of times and had to pretend I had hay fever watching
"Finding Nemo" with the girls; the bit where his dad finds him.)
The swim
I positioned myself in the middle of the right hand section but towards the back
and I felt a pat on the back and "Good luck Tim" from Stuart Staples which I
took as a good omen. We waded into the water and the countdown started and then
the gun went. Pandemonium all around but I just stood there for a split second
and grinned and then got on with it. As Rob said it was busy but not
frighteningly so. I was relatively confident about my swimming as it has
improved so much lately so was hoping for around 1.20 but would have been happy
at 1.25 to 1.30. I swam wide and didn't go within 30 metres of a buoy and
found my own space in my little bubble. The swim is straight out for 1800m and
then left and back towards the shore but the last 400m is up a canal into the
town area and transition. I was just loving the swim and kept thinking
"You're actually here in an Ironman swim" I just couldn't fail to enjoy it.
After the buoy at 1800m I felt my back feeling cold and assumed my wetsuit had
come open so stopped and did it up and again for a moment I just savoured it and
looked up at the helicopters filming it and then had a minor panic. I looked
over my right shoulder and saw only about 2 or 3 people who were swimming really
well and I thought I was nearly last but it was just because I was so wide as I
looked the other way over my left shoulder and it was mayhem..... Phew.
I just kept it long and smooth and eventually got to the canal where I knew the
exit was on the left so swam right by the right hand bank and had free water all
the way as the canal was only about 4 metres wide so there was no advantage of
swimming on the exit side where everyone else was. The atmosphere was amazing
with the banks lined with people and the bridges over the canal packed. I
breathe to my left so could see everyone else and was mainly passing people
which felt great. Finally came to the swim exit and was sad to get out. I
looked at my watch and was amazed at my time (just under 1.15). I had swum to
conserve energy and very wide so was delighted. One last glance down the canal
to see loads of people still in the water and all the spectators it was just
awesome. Then grab my bag and into the change tent.
T1 was packed. I sat down and emptied my bag and put my wetsuit and trunks in
and then dried off and put on my FVS TRI bib shorts and flag of St George
cycling top, loads of sun cream, my Oakleys, socks, shoes, helmet and gloves and
suddenly I didn't need to be there any more. Stood up and metaphorically pinched
myself and grinned and went to get my bike. I purposefully took my time in
transition as I was there to finish and to "smell the flowers" and smile. I
later found out I spent 1/2 hour in transition overall! I could imagine KP
shouting "it's a transition sport" My entourage saw me come out of
the tent and they were going nuts, it was great. I was smiling and waving and
got my bike. I had taped pictures of the girls and Pauline to my tri bars and a
marshal walked out of transition with me saying "they will help you up those
hills" which was the intention and was so true. I had loads of shouts of "Come
on England" which was great and then the Woody/Gav fan club saw me and went
wild. I think they had been a bit worried about me before the event because of
my realistic/pessimistic view of my chances.
The bike
Started off great, eating and drinking but going a little too fast for me. I
passed Mandy after about 8 miles I think and checked she was OK and she checked
I was. We were both grinning so no worries there. The start of the bike is
gorgeous; in fact the whole route is beautiful. I was getting a bit
carried away and was going too fast, my target was 15 mph average and I was over
17 so decided to slow down and enjoy it even more. The first big hill came at
about 20 miles and that was when my negative thoughts and doubts crept in. It
took me ages to get up and was passed by loads of people. I'm sure the cyclists
amongst us would tell you it was fine but when you've got to haul a backside as
big as mine uphill it's tough. The support was incredible and a mobile dj
was yelling my name whilst playing Bucks Fizz at top volume. The crowd were
shouting out "hopp hopp hopp hopp" like in skiing. It was mainly Austrians out
on the bike course and they were fantastic.
The second big hill came at 39 miles and is a 2 mile steady climb but this was
real Tour de France stuff and was like the parting of the Red Sea as you came up
the hill. People were running alongside me and shouting out "super Tim super Tim
bravo go England" as everyone had their names on the race number which was a
lovely touch. Again it was really emotional and once the top was overcome it was
16 miles of pretty much downhill with only 2 minor climbs back to town.
The turnaround point was unbelievable as again the race announcer clocked me and
was screaming "He's from England and he's Tiiiiiiimmm Somers" there was so much
noise. I waved to my family and anyone else within a mile of the place and then
decided to stand up and overtake anyone I could.
I got to the special needs point and my bag was held out for me as they radio
down the course when you are arriving. I saw some people just grab their bag
without stopping but I stopped and only took out my food (2 more peanut butter
sandwiches and some malt loaf) and left my 2 spare tubes and fold up tyre. The
heat and distance were really starting to take their toll by this point and my
feet were really aching as my bike shoes were killing me. After about 70
miles I just had to keep releasing my cleats so took some Ibuprofen much earlier
than planned and that helped. On the climb up to Rupertiburg for the second time
at mile 90 I passed someone pushing 3 and a half grand's worth of Cervelo carbon
and that lifted me. I had really slowed and kept expecting Mandy to come
sailing past as I was struggling. I had been really good at eating and drinking
and took an energy drink and water at each aid station (approximately every 20k)
plus ate all the 8 gels that I had taped to my top tube before the start and my
3 peanut butter sandwiches and 6 slices of malt loaf and a Powerbar. My feet
were really sore and my hand was sore from all the high fives (that was nice
sore though).
Finally got into T2 after about 7hr 40 so that was fine. I knew then that
something pretty disastrous would have to happen to stop me finishing. The
volunteers were great and an English lady from Leeds (my home town) took my bike
from me and was chatting to me. I was just so hot and desperate to get my shoes
off so grabbed my bag and into the change tent. Here the wheels fell off a
little as I became a little disorientated and fell backwards crashing into a
bench but was just a bit dizzy. A volunteer came over and said she would get a
doctor but I said definitely not and said the floor was slippy so she let it
pass. I just sat there for a minute or 2 collecting my thoughts and pulled
myself together and had some more Ibuprofen and undressed then put on my FVSTRI
run top and shorts after smearing myself all over with vaseline then added my
run socks and trainers and kept on my salty sweat stained sunglasses put on a
cap and was ready to go. A volunteer smeared me with sun cream and then it was
just a marathon to become an Ironman. My longest run of the year was 6
miles and I hadn't done any brick sessions but I just couldn't stop smiling. I
think it was the mental side of it. I knew it had hurt a lot already and I knew
it was going to hurt a lot more and I knew my calf would go at some point but I
was prepared for all this and more and really felt it was all part of the
totally positive experience. People were going to DNF but I wasn't.
The run
Well it was never going to be a run for me but I had to run the first kilometre
or so as the supporters were all there. I felt really rough and hot here and had
to get to 2.5k for the first aid station. The aid stations are just
amazing and they are sort of a cross between a party and a market stall so I
found myself taking ages at each one as I'd take a sponge for under my cap and
then some water and maybe a gel or some banana or even coke later on and some
lovely salty bread that was on offer. I knew I could walk the whole way and
still finish so just kept plodding along grinning inanely and slowly covering
the distance. I saw Mike who was clearly suffering as he had put in such
an awesome bike and Kevin was in hot pursuit followed by Rob and Woody. They
just looked so focussed and I was just proud to be in the same club as them if
not in the same league. I didn't see Gavin or Graham and Mandy and I kept
encouraging others with high fives as we passed in opposite directions. Mandy
obviously suffered on the bike like me but held it together with her head held
high every time I saw her on the run it was inspiring to see. There was
such great camaraderie out there and I chatted and ran/walked with anyone I
could. The run through the old town was fantastic and the encouragement was
deafening. I was offered beer twice and various foodstuffs. People were
screaming my name from all the street restaurants and the distance was slowly
diminishing. I did the first half in a pedestrian 2.55ish but I was
oblivious to my overall time and at times felt like a calendar rather than a
stopwatch would have been more appropriate. I wanted to experience the end
but I just didn't want it to end so I really took my time in the aid stations
and chatted even more but kept the Ironman shuffle going.
The final 10k was approaching as I went through the family area and Gavin nearly
burst my eardrums as I went through. Luckily I was running at that point and
they looked genuinely surprised and pleased about how well I looked. I headed
into town one final time in the dark starting to become pretty emotional.
Again the town atmosphere and volunteers on the aid stations were incredible. I
walked back along the canal with a girl from San Francisco and we swapped
stories for a while then I let her go and walked into the transition area and
Gavin and Woody were collecting their bikes and they both went nuts as I did, it
was quite emotional with about 1k to go. I then heard the Woody/Gav clan shout
out "is that Tim?" as it was totally dark and they were shouting and then handed
my glasses and hat to my wife and we had a long hug and then headed off towards
the finishers' chute but got lost in the dark and asked twice for directions.
I made sure there was no one in sight ahead or behind me as I was desperate for
my final moment of glory. I collected my 2 girls and ran with them and it was
just so loud, I remember "Tim Somers you are an Ironman" and I was bowing to the
crowd and milking it for all I could and then crossed the line with the girls
and met my wife and we were pretty happy. The finish line team asked if I
was OK and wrapped me in a silver blanket and gave me water. I told them I had
never felt better in my life. We went straight to get a beer (big mistake) 3
mouthfuls was all I could manage and then met up with Mike and watched a few
more finishers.
Mike was convinced it was a 16 hour cut-off and so thought Mandy wasn't going to
make it but I was sure it was 17 hours as I knew what time I had to finish in.
Mandy finishing was awesome and we had all made it back. I haven't stopped
smiling since. I had an amazing experience and loved it all. It was
brilliant to have club mates around and I wouldn't have changed anything about
the race. What I should have done beforehand is lose some weight as I
could have achieved a decent time and I should have gone to turbo but I finished
and I've raised about £3,500 for the girls' school as they are short of funds.
If anyone wants to sponsor me then send me a cheque made payable to Stapleford
School to Heath Cottage 106 Bramfield Road Bulls Green Datchworth Herts SG3 6SA.
I'm only asking as a couple of the guys said I should so don't feel obliged.
Conversation of the week/month/year/my life.....my youngest Emilia (aged 7) to
her best friend Mabel at school this morning "My daddy's an Ironman". Top that.
Thanks for reading and if I can do it, you can. You know you want to