Page 53 - RADC Bulletin 2021

SPORT & AT
Ironman Bolton
Maj D McBride
In late 2019 I had the terrible idea to complete a full distance triathlon before
I turned 30. Having only done one sprint distance triathlon before and feeling somewhat cocky after it I thought ‘why not?’ Fast forward to July 2021, after a year’s delay due to Covid, I stood on the start line of IRONMAN UK in Bolton wondering what the hell I was doing there.
Full distance triathlons consist of a 2.4 mile (3.9km) swim, 112 mile (180km) bike and a 26.2 mile (42km) run, all to be completed in under 16hrs and 40mins. They are often known as an Ironman due to the IRONMAN brand, the flagship company, who organise many of the races, including the world championships in Kona, Hawaii.
I have never seen myself as particularly good at any endurance sport. However, I was looking for something new to get into after having finished with rugby due to injury, triathlon sounded fun. Also, the idea of facing something I don’t enjoy, long distance running, was a good way to push myself out
of a lazy, chocolate eating, comfort zone. With the start line over a year away, which
seemed an eternity, there was a slow build towards the fitness level I needed. A mixture of 5am starts, lengthy pool sessions and a very sore bum in the saddle. Then Covid hit and the race was postponed for a year. Like many around the UK, my motivation to keep training disappeared quickly and with work getting busier I found it very easy to replace training sessions with biscuit eating.
A regret of mine is that I didn’t use the extra 12 months to get fitter and faster. Instead, what I did learn was to quickly refocus after missed, or low quality, training sessions. With 6-7 sessions a week totalling up to 14 hours of training, it is essential to not get hung up over what you did or didn’t do yesterday otherwise it will bleed into, and hamper, that day’s session.
After a busy year of AGP hubs, DRPT and a vaccination MACA in Wales the Ironman was suddenly weeks instead of months away. The hours per week started to reduce
and 3 days out I got to experience the best part of any endurance event. Carb loading!!!
Race day arrived on a rainy weekend in Bolton. Fortunately, my PDO had decided to put me on the DRPT Weeton tasking on the weeks either side of the race, so I was only down the road from where I needed to be. Being a supportive husband, I made my very pregnant wife and 2-year-old come for emotional support and I had my sister there for logistical support.
At 6am I stood overlooking Pennington Flash, south of Bolton, with hundreds of other (and much fitter looking) athletes in
Ex NORTHERN PYRENEES DRAGON
Fri 03–Mon 13 Jun 22 inclusive
France/Spain
*Includes half day Fri and Mon for travel to Aldershot or Shorncliffe TBC
Level 3 Adventurous Training exercise ‘Chunnel’ to France & Spain Drivers will be required Regular and Reserve RADC eligible
20 RADC and two external IML
Summer Mountaineering Foundation delivered as Distributed Training
Clothing and equipment provided WngO 1 is out already
POCs: LCpl Dawn Samantha White & Lt Col Alun Thomas
RADC BULLETIN 2021 51