I’m Pleased to inform you that with the support of my friends and family yesterday I completed the Iron Distance Duathlon in 14:45 hours in total (moving time 13.39 hours), starting at 6am and finishing at 20:45.  A special thank you to you all who have sponsored me and supported me.  Thanks to you we have raised so far a staggering £1540.00 to such worthy causes (if you wish to donate please links in e-mail below)

As always I have written a blog of my journey below if you wish to read

 My Slog

So back on 5^th January I started my 6 month training for what I thought would be Ironman UK (swim 3.8km/bike 180km/run 42.2 km), I knew it would be tough but I had a structured programme to follow, so got on with it.  Training was going well up to March, then came Covid-19, the leisure centre closed down, so had to stop swimming, and as for us all difficult times lay ahead.  There was one shining light though, Bojo had informed the country that we could take one form of physical exercise a day outside, therefore I thought I would carry on with the running and cycling and see how it went.  It got to early May and I was informed that my Ironman event was cancelled, was gutted but expected, so I thought to myself I’ll carry on with the programme.  In the back of my mind I felt I could possibly do a long distance duathlon (run half marathon(21.1km/13.1miles)/ cycle (180km/112miles)/run marathon(42.2km/26.2 miles), I found a virtual one on the internet and signed up a week earlier than expected on 5^th July.  So started to make some routes up in my training to make sure I knew my what I was doing on the day.

The day finally arrived alarm set for 5.25am, all my kit, drinks and food I had prepared and ready laid out on my pool table in the outbuilding (which was my base for the day and transition point in between each leg of the event). Mark (my best friend from school days) met me at my back gate, Mark said he would like to join me for the first run, we set off for a half marathon heading towards Broomfield and up through to the Chignalls in Chelmsford, it was quite blustery but we kept a good 5.30 km pace going, after about 12km we had done the loop of the Chignals and headed towards central park, the rain started to come down, as out Heart rates began to go up. We had managed to talk and run most of the way round (great way to catch up with your friends run/talk), we started heading back to base.  Mark is a good runner (quicker than me), told me this was the longest he had run since doing London marathon 14 years ago, so it was great to have him by my side, we climbed up Arun Hill then arrived at my back gate, half- marathon completed in 1:54:53 (5.27km avg pace) so pretty much spot on.

Back to base, said bye and thanks to Mark and had Danny (long-time friend and training partner) and Pete (friend/cyclist and my support from last year’s Trafalgar Way cycle) waiting for me to join me for some of the bike ride.  So just after 10am off we set for a 180km/112 miles bike ride, I clipped my shoes into my pedals, reached done to tighten the Velcro and ironically fell off my bike 😊.  We had to laugh and say that’s a good start as we headed of back to the Chignalls, heading up to High Easter, not any easy start quite an incline and the wind was against us, our pace for the first 5km seemed a bit slow.  On to the Rodings and then into Fyfield, really long stretch through Chipping Ongar, past the not very Secret Bunker and arriving at Brentwood High Street at 10.00 am. Nice recovery downhill to A12 roundabout, then up through to Billericay.  Not so nice climb up to Stock, up through Ramsden Heath and then onto Hanningfield reservoir where there is a long stretch adjacent to the reservoir and on a good day you can fly through it, guess what the wind was against us today! Up to South Woodham, stopping at BP garage to top up water bottles, as getting dehydrated, temperature reading 27 degrees and treating myself to some much needed Haribo’s (fangtastics), as was getting fed up with the protein bars and bananas I had been refuelling with whilst on the bike. Back on the bike through to Fambridge, hitting lowest gear and standing up on bike to get up Fambridge Hill, through to Mundon and arriving in Maldon reaching 100km.  Pete who had been fantastic on the ride and has been brilliant in supporting me on events over the past years, headed back off home.  Danny and myself carried on through to Heybridge then a long drag through Great Totham up to Tiptree (passing Tiptree Jam) and onto Salcott (which was the furthest point).  When reaching Salcott up about 120km, we were thinking all we had to do was have a nice cycle home, how wrong were we!  Turned round a Salcott passing Five Lakes, straight on to an incline with the wind in our faces, finding it hard to cycle against the wind, and gusts of winds wobbling us on our bikes.  I realised at this point how fortunate I was to have Danny with me last year he had successfully completed Ironman Lanzarote (known as the 2^nd hardest IM in the world), where he had experienced the turbulent winds and the heat.  We kept going past Tollesbury and through Goldhanger back to Heybridge, then another long drag towards Hatfield Peverel the winds had been relentless. Finally made it to Utling, through Danbury, up to Bicknacre where my parents came out to cheer us on, then on to Sandon, stopping my watch at the junction, then heading past Park and Ride and towards Boreham, panic I forgot to restart watch, that’s an extra 2kms I have to do, sorry Danny! A ride around Beaulieu Park and Channels and headed back to Base.  180km (well 182km…) ride completed in 07:04:30 (avg pace 25.5km) again pretty much spot on.

Back at base have family in the garden and Alan waiting for me (Alan was my final support, Alan had rode the Trafalgar way with me last year, and had previously supported me on a run along the river through the night on a training dusk to dawn  run).  So had some drink (as had run out on bike), ate some Bovril sarnies, and changed kit, putting on my camelback (rucksack with water bladder), talking about bladders must quickly empty mine. A big thank you to Danny, and off we go for a full marathon leaving at 15:45pm with Alan following me on his mountain bike.  So I have to pace myself now or I won’t make it! So through Chelmsford, past Essex Records Office and on to the river run heading towards Maldon.  The pace was going ok, although I was taking on regular water, Alan and I were chatting away as we reached Sandford Mill, heading towards Boreham, nice surprise to see Mum and Dad there to cheer me on (Wendy, my parents, brother and my team all had me on trackers on their phone so knew where I was during the event).  Ok reached Boreham 10km done, not feeling to bad, although pace was starting to slow, it was still hot and blustery running towards Paper Mill Lock (which was packed with people on Paddle boarders, kayaks) and my chatting was starting to fade.  Back past Ulting church (which I passed on the bike a few hours ago) and onto Hoe Mill Lock.  Alan was still chatting but I was starting not to answer, Alan knew this was a sign of fatigue (from pervious experience supporting me), I started to feel a bit queasy and faint, I pushed on to halfway point under a bridge at the back of Tesco’s Maldon.  I stopped, propping myself up next to the shopping trolleys, scooters and bike which had been pulled out of the water, to take a long drink and try and eat half a banana, at this point I didn’t know if I had enough in me to make it home.  Turned round and started to run back, we then made a wrong turn and went round in circles for about 10 mins then realised we has to go over the bridge on the lock.  Managed a few more Km’s then I had to have walk, Alan encouraged me to use a  run/walk strategy to get me home, taking on extra fluids when walking.  Carried on like this for about 10kms, then approaching Papermill Lock and saw Mark and his family, Marks informs me he is going run with me (again) and pace me in, this was good news.  Marks girls run with us for a bit, parents waving from the lock and on we go, Mark followed by me, followed by Alan on his bike.  This is a much better, I just focussing on Mark’s heels of his trainers whilst they chat away.  We reached the 35km point and I realised that we had to take a short cut or we would do over a marathon (didn’t want to make that mistake again), they worked out a route cutting off the river at Chelmer Village back into Chelmsford and running along the bunny walk to home.  One last walk and drink, then less than 1km to go, as we arrive at Arun hill, I see Wendy, my girls, our parents and all my team and their families cheering me home, a kiss up to Meg and marathon completed (04:41:00, avg pace 6.39km) at 20:45 (Overall moving time 13:39:23, overall duration 14:45:00)  .  Big sweaty hugs to Wendy and the girls and a big socially distance thank you to my team, I would have never completed it without them!  

Once again thank you for your support and donations.  If you have been inspired by my event please keep yourself active (walk, run or cycle) as part of your daily routine, helping to live a healthier lifestyle.

Now I can get married!

Neil

P.S.  I came 2^nd overall on the virtual event for the Iron Distance Duathlon, although only 4 people had been crazy enough to sign up for it!