Background:

Years ago I used to set myself a winter challenge of some sort for some training motivation. This has included all sorts of silly antics, all cycling though. When I look back it turns out about 5 years ago I had the idea of trying to attempt a solo self supported iron distance triathlon. As not much of a runner or swimmer it was definitely an out of comfort zone ambition even then!

Back in 2012 I put together my own charity challenge to ride the Kielder 100 MTB race, kayak 7 miles across Kielder Water and then run the Kielder Marathon. Swimming wasn’t possible in Kielder Water at that time unfortunately but the seeds were sown for an attempt at a more traditional triathlon. I completed this challenge but it was a long day!

The Ironman concept has always intrigued me and it’s probably the biggest and best known ultra distance mass participation event? However once I started looking into it more the price tag and also the tattoo bro culture wasn’t really for me. Structuring your year around one big time defined goal you’ve invested a lot in definitely doesn’t appeal so much any more. The almost constant lurgy the kids and friends share with us means getting to an event not ill is a big challenge. I’ve probably been ill or recovering from illness for half of the events I’ve done over the last few years.

Anyway at the time of the idea I never really got round to it as I was still doing a fair amount of bike racing, so the time distraction from that was too much. I also found that my calves were so stiff after running I couldn’t do it again for days or a week after.

Cue 2025, a year of a lot less bike racing greater focus on events where kids and family could come along for a weekend. So less singular focus but an opportunity to see if I could sort out my stiff calves and figure out how to swim longer.

Preparation:

First stop some of those newer squashy shoes from Hoka which instantly felt great. Then a really slow build up with a little bit of strengthening work for the calves. I only decided to see if I could get through the run training beyond a couple of miles in August and before that I hadn’t done any running for many years (if you could even call that tiny volume running). Gradually I managed to build up the miles but time was against me on the graph between target date and increase in volume required! I was pretty clear from the outset of this that it wasn’t about time but completion and the main issue I saw was being able to have the conditioning to get through the run assuming I could flap my way through the swim.

I managed to gradually build up to doing a half marathon a few weeks before the event which in my head confirmed that I would be able to do the full distance with gritted teeth.

As for the swim. Well for a few years now I’ve been taking a dip whilst the boys have their swimming lessons at the local pool (why does it take them YEARS to learn to swim?!). This gave me a whopping 25 minutes a week slot! I had intended to get some lessons if the running got to a point where I thought the whole triathlon was possible. Time passed though and I left it too late so I made do with a couple of YouTube video viewings and trying my best to apply them! In the weeks before I did manage to up my hours to two swims a week on occasions, but like the run it was more about getting a feel for if the distance was possible than any particular speed goal.

As for the biking, I haven’t done loads since the MB race in the summer, with a lot more time spent out riding with the kids. But I was pretty sure I could get through the 112 miles distance even in crappy conditions.

Next to confirm the date. For some weird reason I enjoy a bit of jeopardy in a challenge and something draws me to doing things over winter where darkness and shitty weather come in to play. In 2018 with a mate Alan I organised ‘Lap of my Mind’ a 4800 mile relay around the edge of the UK by bike. I took the last leg back to Bristol and it finished on the Winter Solstice. Although on average the Winter Solstice isn’t the worst weather day it’s certainly the darkest and something about the jeopardy of that intrigues me so I’m drawn to that day. Plus it’s a good time to build up a festive season calorie deficit. So Winter Solstice it was so long as there wasn’t ice on the roads, everything else I could deal with.

Course: 

As this was a DIY challenge I could pick what I liked. The idea of doing it locally appealed from a logistics sense. We certainly didn’t have anywhere near a perfect bike course but I could make the swim and run work OK. For the swim I decided to do at the local pool in Keynsham. Given my lack of swim experience doing it outdoors would be a bridge too far, so Keynsham pool it was, but with my poor technique and lack of tumble turn it wasn’t going to be fast!

For the bike leg I made two big loops, one up North East to Malmsbury and back to a van in Keynsham for a reload, then out West past the Chew Valley, Bristol Airport and back. I’d planned a refuel at the far end of each of the loops.

I knew the run loop would be by far the hardest bit and the temptation was to do a shorter loop on repeat but I liked the idea and jeopardy (constant theme) of a one loop job, where there was no easy option to bail. So I ran out on the Bristol-Bath cycle path to Bath then along the Avon canal path and back via the Bath Two Tunnels cycle route. So actually a lot of off-road in total. I’d chosen to run home rather than back to the van expecting I’d collapse in a heap rather than have to faff getting the van home.

Preparation took a big hit in the couple of weeks preceding the event with my Mum having a severe post throat cancer operation complication, which following a cardiac arrest, left her with severe brain damage and unable to regain consciousness. I won’t dwell but it was an awful time whilst the doctors tried to find a way forward for her. In the end there was nothing more could be done and care was removed 5 days before the event. Mum was never one for any fuss and would have said ‘get on with ya bother’ to me if I’d said I didn’t feel like doing the challenge any more. So that’s what I committed to after she passed. Clearly this had the potential to go wrong in more ways than just physically at this point.

Rules:

Being a DIY job I could set my own rules. Clearly there were a lot of things I could do to make my life easier but I wanted to stay true to a self-supported vibe.

My swimming skills don’t stretch to tumble turns so there wasn’t much speed advantage indoors.

For the bike I thought about one big loop but this felt a bit risky given potential weather so I looped back to the van once. I only crossed over my route a couple of times. I could have put some gear and nutrition caches out on course but I felt this was a bit against the self-supported approach I’d committed to.

For the run I did one big loop and, as per the bike, I didn’t put any caches out but used taps and a petrol station – though it turned out I didn’t use much extra fuel anyway.

A few mates asked if they could come out and do a bit with me but again I sort of felt like the challenge I set was a solo endeavour and we all know how much easier things are with people with you.

Big Day

The event day came around scarily quickly and I still wasn’t really sure if I’d done enough to get round or whether I’d have an emotional meltdown and just divert to the pub. My main concern was the weather though as I decided that if it was icy the whole thing was a non-starter. Fortunately the forecast was OK for a least the first part of the day with rain forecast in the second half.

First in the door of the pool 7.30am, quickly in and off we went. It was nice and quiet at first so I quickly got in to it. Steady away was the aim and I managed the swim in 1 hr 21. With only a little bit of lane traffic I was pretty pleased with that time. First learning point was the challenge of getting changed into Lycra afterwards in the changing room – a right ball ache with sticky swim legs.

Out on the bike and the main aim was keeping it steady. I’d recently built up a lovely titanium Kinesis with some electric gears for the first time though I hadn’t done any super long rides on it. Fortunately it worked fine throughout.  Though mudguards and carrying a fair amount of gear will have slowed progress my total time of just under 8 hours was OK considering some mucky lanes and swirling winds. It was dark in the last hour and started to rain.

At the end of the bike I was feeling a little bit hungry so at the van transition I stuffed more food in. Unfortunately I got this a bit wrong and as soon as started running I knew I hadn’t got the balance of food and hydration right and got stomach cramps. The only solution is either chucking up or watering down the food. I chose the latter but that meant for nearly 3 hours of the run I survived on just water, one gel and a couple of petrol station Haribo.

The key was to get the transition right and starting to eat again for energy but not adding to the stomach issues. I was reduced to regular walking as my stomach just felt horrible with the bouncing of the running. The weather by this point had turned, getting rainy and colder.  Plus it was now dark. My Exposure headlight was doing a decent job through the murk but the flooding on the tow paths meant constant puddle dodging and climbing round railings at points to avoid full submersion!

I used water taps and a petrol station to top up but I was totally soaked inside and out so I had to keep moving just to keep warm. The Two Tunnels in Bath were some relief and being dry and a bit warmer for a while really helped motivation. The run was taking a long time though and the constant urge to walk was overwhelming. My muscles weren’t actually that bad considering but other parts of the body were causing serious issues. I had it in my head though that as long as I can still move forward I would be doing OK. Plus there wasn’t a great deal of choice in the middle of nowhere for most of the run! At times I closed my eyes and just laughed to myself how ridiculous the whole thing was, but then just kept moving forward.

I made it home to the doorstep and didn’t even make it through the door before being violently sick. Funny how the body and mind works really. Holding on to that for over 5 hours then letting it all go at the finish line. I made it upstairs before the main chundering event unfolded in the bathroom, with my whole body shaking. Sarah had fortunately run me a bath and eventually this calmed the severe shaking I was experiencing, as well as the vommiting, as my body totally gave up on me.

I wouldn’t say it was the most pleasant way to finish. I’d got myself in to such a focused zone I don’t think I had the jubilation I was hoping for. Just a sense of relief.

Looking back, given the lack of training, it’s pretty good to have ticked it off. Hopefully I can keep up a bit of running but not sure I’ll be rushing back to that distance any time soon.

Maybe it’s something that others might fancy having a go at though and perhaps creating some sort of Everesting style hall of fame. During training I was on a run through the Two Tunnels and bumped into Sean Conway (who completed 105 Ironmans back to back in 2023) which must have been fate given I’ve always thought he would be the man to figurehead something akin to an ‘Everesting’ movement for triathlons. I think you could have loads of different variants to suit any level, supported vs self supported, various distances, time of year etc.

Stats:

Swim
2.4 miles (plus a length as I finished at the wrong end)
1 hr 21 mins
869 calories
500ml energy drink
1x gel
60g carb

Bike
113 miles
7 hours 59mins
4 litres energy drink (80g of powder per litre)
1 litre water at refill stops
4 gels
4 energy bars
2 bananaz
1 protein bar
1 cereal bar
Total approx 615g=76g per hour
3679 calories
Average heart rate 153bpm

Run
26.2miles
5 hours 26mins
3 gels
5 Haribo
2 litres of water
1 litre energy drink
280g=50g per hour
3248 calories
Average heart rate 151bpm

Total transition (faff) time 38 minutes

Total 15 hours 24 mins

Total training August- December 21st