Ironman Cozumel 2009 by Alan Kirkham

Back in 2008, in October, I began to think about my big event for 2009.  Having done three different Ironman events in the previous few years and finished fourth each time in my age group, it was decision time.  In July 2009 I moved into a new age group, the one where a person becomes labelled a ‘senior citizen’.  (In Ironman events, unlike BTF, age is taken as age on the day of the race).  This was perhaps, my last chance to win my age group and thereby, claim a slot for Hawaii.
The search was on for an event after July that was still taking entries but it didn’t take long to find just two in 2009, Louisville, Kentucky and Cozumel, Mexico.  Both looked to be flat courses, a change from my last two at Nice and Sherborne, and hot.  Louisville was a river swim with the rest of the course appearing to be through a typical sprawling American city while Cozumel was a sea swim and only a small part of the bike course going through the only town on the island.  Mexico sounded more appealing too as a holiday destination so the trip could include a two week break for me and my support crew, wife Elizabeth and Ironman groupie daughter Helen.  The only drawback was that race day was 29th November so final preparation would be when our nights were closing in and weather becoming considerably colder.
With entry submitted, flights and accommodation booked, it was down to me to do the training.  Easy, isn’t it!  The year started reasonably well with an age group win at Bala Middle Distance in June in a time that was a 6 minutes improvement on 2008.  Things didn’t go quite so well after that with a niggling left hamstring that had never bothered me before.  Despite massage and Pilates sessions to correct a misaligned pelvis, it actually spread to include the left glutes.  This only impacted on my running and while I could feel the niggles while on the bike it didn’t stop me provided I pedalled with good technique.
Once the dock swims ended in September I started going twice weekly to the Picton swim sessions.  I found these to be invaluable in my preparation because having been coaching sessions for years; I hadn’t been coached since the club sessions at Westminster Road finished.  Derek pulled my stroke apart and with many changes and some long sets to work on, my swimming improved for the first time in years.  As the race, which was to have a non wetsuit swim, drew closer I decided to invest in a speed suit which I bought on a visit to Tri Central.  With my struggle to complete a run of longer than 40 minutes without invoking more pain and tenderness in my left hip region, I needed any legal advantage available.  A trial in the pool with the speed suit provided a morale boosting improvement in 100m swim time of several seconds.
Eventually, departure day arrived. I had decided, as the course was flat, to take my old Nimbus, a bike I had built up around a custom built low profile frame.  The frame itself was Columbus Neuron steel with Campagnolo Record 8 speed gear set and brakes etc and Spinergy carbon fibre wheels.  The trip out to Cozumel was a flight from Manchester to Cancun then bus, ferry and taxi to our hotel.  Apart from a long flight it all worked out well and although it was a week ahead of race day, there were other Ironmen dragging bike boxes down to the ferry terminal.  We even had time to enjoy beers and marghuretas with some Belgians while we waited for the ferry and, it happened to be Happy Hour in the bar so we got a BOGOF deal too.  What a start to Ironman Cozumel!
In the week before the race, the wind swung round from the prevailing westerly to the east, the side we were staying on and also where the race swim would be. By Friday, the wind was so strong the official training swim on the course had to be cancelled but at least it gave me the chance to have a good look at the T1 layout.  The swim was at Chankanaab, about 10km south of the town where T2 and the race finish was to be.  The cycle course was a circuit on the only road on the island other than those in town while the run was along the sea front to the north of town, not unlike Nice.  Both bike and run were to be three laps and disc wheels were not permitted on the bike, an indication that wind was likely to be a major influence.

Race morning was fine and calm, the pros going off at 06:45 and age groupers at 07:00.  There was a scramble to get everyone in the water once the pros had cleared the start line but we were off on time.  I was well back but was more concerned at having some space around me.  Once under way there was the usual bun fight to find clear water but I kept going without too much hinderance.  The first leg was supposed be against a current but it didn’t seem too long before we turned away from the shore line and then again for a long leg down the outside of the course parallel to the shore.  Now with reasonably clear water, I was able to settle down and concentrate on all the stroke improvements Derek had told me to work on.  I felt I was going well, passing others all the way along the course.  After the final turn towards the swim exit, I was flattered to have someone drafting off me.  As we clambered up the steps to the jetty a bloke slapped me on the back; at least he had the decency to acknowledge the tow.  I checked my watch and was amazed to see 01:03:...  I knew I had swum well but that was three minutes faster than my previous best, a very pleasant surprise.  We had been told about a current at race briefing but it must have been in our favour on the long leg of the course.  The fastest swim of the day was by an age grouper who despite starting 15 minutes behind the pros was in amongst them as he left the water in 39 minutes!!

I was through transition and out onto the bike course without any hitches.  The first part of the course was fairly easy but when we hit the coast road on the Caribbean side of the island it was immediately evident why disc wheels were not permitted.  The next 20km was a battle to hold the bike in a straight line with the wind hitting us side on with no shelter between Cuba, 90 miles away, and the course.  Once we turned inland however the road was sheltered from the wind so no refund here.  At least I was able to get my speed from around 20kph back up to a steady 30-32kph.  There was increasing roadside spectator support as we neared town and then as we left town, passing the tourist resorts there were groups cheering as we passed.  By now Liz and Helen were outside our resort so a quick pit stop was made to have a sun screen spray across my shoulders arms and face.  Soon it was back to the grind along the coast road and at 90km into the bike, the leader came steaming past with Steve Bayliss close behind.  Well they did have a 15 minute start advantage!  Shortly after, the special needs station appeared and one of the few glitches in the race.  The crew had not had time to sort all the bags and after a few minutes I gave up searching. I still had a little SiS Go so topped up the bottle with water, grabbed a Gatorade and rode on.  The Gatorade soon bounced out of the bottle cage and disappeared so I was left with some dilute energy/electrolyte drink and water from the feed stations.  By the last lap, the crew at the special needs station had sorted all the bags and I was able to pick up my two bottles and a gel without delay although there was only 20km to T2. 

After 6 hours and 48 minutes on the bike, most of it spent on the nose of the saddle, it was a relief to step off.  I soon found my run kit bag and took a seat while I changed.  There was an open tub of Vaseline nearby so grabbed a handful to smear over my toes and feet.  In the last few years I have lost all the tough skin that used cover my toes and feet; must be something that comes with the pension book!  Anyway, I was out onto the run in a little over 6 minutes which wasn’t too bad.  The sky had become overcast during the last lap of the bike and remained so but it was still hot and humid.  It took a while to get my legs into running mode but by the time I neared the end of the lap and met Liz and Helen I was firing on all cylinders.  By now, our other daughter, Susan, who was at home and working nights had got out of bed and gone onto Ironman Live to find out how I was going.  I was not surprised to hear that I was in second place so I needed to press on.  I was able to run the whole of the second lap except for a walk through several feed stations.  By now however, it was dusk and the midges were out, with a vengeance.  By the end of the lap my back and shoulders were covered in midge bites.  Fortunately though, the bottled water at the feed stations, which was chilled and plentiful, took the itchiness out of them.  By the time I went out onto the last lap, the lack of run training was really beginning to tell.  My hip flexors were as sore as hell and I was back to taking frequent walks which progressively became longer as I eagerly looked for each mile markers but at least they soon began to start with a 2.  I’d had a few small bottles of energy drink from my Fuel Buddy belt and also swallowed a few salt sticks to keep my sodium levels up.  What I needed now didn’t come in a bottle; what I needed was lots of willpower and determination to keep going.  The hardest thing was to start running again after a walking break although to call it running was a gross exaggeration, more like a shuffle that was degenerating into a slither.

Eventually the finish shute came into sight and Liz and Helen were nearby cheering me in.  I made a feeble attempt to run the last 100 metres or so and staggered up and over the finish ramp.  After my struggle to keep running over the last eight miles my finish position was at best going to be second unless the guy in front of me dropped out.  The results next day confirmed that but with the fastest swim and T1 time, it went backwards from there.  Despite not being able to claim the Hawaii slot, I was happy to have finished with a reasonable time and a second place in my age group.  I also enjoyed the race which for an inaugural event was well organised, the only hiccups being the special needs station on the bike and kit bags that were barely big enough and had no draw chord to close them up.

     Swim  /  T1   /   Bike   /  T2   /    Run    / Total  / AG rank/Male rank/O’all rank                                        01:03:59/06:26/06:48:32/06:38/05:35:56/13:41:31/     2     /    669    /   810        
I would certainly recommend IM Cozumel to anyone who was contemplating a long distance event combined with a holiday.  You will be amongst the minority nationalities in terms of individual numbers; I reckon there were only about 15 British entries year.  We took the cheaper option to transfer from Cancun to Cozumel, you can fly all the way.  All the hotels seem to be all inclusive and have plenty of organised activities for children.  Entries for the race are still open even though 1000 places were taken up in the first three hours of registration.  If anybody wants to know more visit www.ironmancozumel.com or contact me via alan@merseytri.org.uk