Wimbleball Hell

[Luegolover]

So, last year my wife entered the half ironman at Wimbleball and failed to make the cut at the end of the cycle. I mean how hard can it be to cycle 56 miles in Exmoor after a 1.2 mile swim in under 4 hours? ( the swim is an additional hour on that time) So I offered to enter and do the training with her. Fast forward 11 months and 2 weeks and this donut has just spent hours walking up hills in Exmoor whilst my lovely wife was a spot in the distance. I wouldn't mind but this training ride was only 1 lap of the two that I will have to do in anger in 2.5 weeks. I haven't had to walk up a hill since I was a kid. Tomorrow we are doing the full 56 miles and I am pooing myself.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I've got mates training for the full IMUK, (one for the third time in fact!), so I doubt you'd get any sympathy from them

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail as a wise man once said

 

[ziggys101]

See you there :-)

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Wimbleball Hell should be about tennis.

 

[Chris432626]

I did this last year, it was hell. So wet and cold, I was weeing down each leg just to warm up. Hills are so steep, my jeep had problems getting up them. Good luck, it's in the top 2 toughest half ironman courses in the world so quite an achievement.

 

[Luegolover]

Sat in the pub (I kind of know that this is bad) following another go at the course. Failed again. We did only one lap and then ran away. I know I have a penchant for a train but my wife has trained like mad for ages, and ages, and ages and she found it very tough as well. I walked up three hills today FFS. The course is really tough. we are having another go tomorrow and then heading back to the flatness of London.

 

[jay clock]

If she wants another challenge then Mallorca 70.3 is the one to go for.. Beautiful race

 

[derrick]

Stop drinking that Peroni and the pair of you will be fine.
Ps
There's one waiting for you when you get back.

 

[Chris432626]

No shame in not making it, there were a lot of competitors walking their very expensive bikes up. But I've got a feeling you'll do 3rd time lucky! Pain is temporary...right?

 

[Luegolover]

Well I made it, 4:05:39. The ride actually felt a lot better than I thought it would. What is more interesting is that my wife did 3:50 and for first time has proved that she is a better cyclist than me. I did the swim faster than I thought I would, 54 minutes but I couldn't run so my overall time dropped to 8 hours 32 minutes and 43 seconds. My wife did 6 hours and 50 minutes finishing 4th in her age group whilst I managed 147th (FFS). I actually missed the official cut off or 8.5 hours but I got the medal so I say I did it.

However I did crash my scooter on the way to work on the Friday and spent the day in hospital having X-rays etc. so the fact that I got round feels amazing to me.

Now I am back to Budweiser and happy.

Oh, happier still is that my wife thinks she might do a full one next year which means I get to build her a proper time trial bike, very cool.