IronMan Hamburg Race Report - by Georgina Bishop

Ten months ago I sent my coach, Filipe, a screenshot - it was my registration for Hamburg Ironman 2022. We hadn't spoken about this race or about attempting a full Ironman, but with all the team signing up for this distance for the next year, I didn't want to feel left out! He told me I need to be prepared to lose my social life for 6 months, but we will be able to complete the race in a decent time. 

The decision on the race was largely based on the course: fast, flat and the timing of the race meant I would only have to train in 'Dubai Summer' for a few weeks before the race. I had recently ran a marathon so I was in a fairly fit condition, but after my month 'off' and the horror stories you hear about the ironman distance, I felt there was A LOT of work to do to get me 'race ready'.  

Starting in January, we upped the training load. It consisted of around 12-14 training sessions a week averaging 18-20 hours - eat, sleep, train, work, train repeat became my way of life. Having previously averaged 12-15 hours a week, this wasn't a considerable uplift during the week, but the weekends had to become dedicated to training (who can do a 5hr bike followed by a 1.5hr swim after going out the night before..?). Swimming, running & cycling 4 times a week, with added strength sessions, it became monotonous but the only thing that kept me going was thinking the harder I train now, the easier it will be on race day, and disappointment on race day was something I was not prepared to deal with if I didn’t have to - control the controlables! Keeping on top of any niggles became vital too, physio weekly with the odd massage and ice bath thrown in! 

I'll be honest, it wasn't the training that was the hard part, it was the fact that it impacted every other part of your life, whether it was the tiredness, the lack of socialising as you knew you had to be up early the following day, eating as fuel and not as enjoyment - every single part of your life effected or was affected by the training. But there was no compromises - if I was going to race this distance once in my life, I was going to do it properly and prepare myself the best I could. Luckily, Toby was also training for the same race, and although his training plan was completely different to mine, the one thing we had in common was tiredness! Weekends were spent training in the morning, sleeping at lunchtime, with a second session in the early evening. Every Monday the mantra 'we go again' was said as the training peaks week began.. 

After 6 months of 'green' training peaks (anyone who knows me knows I can't miss any sessions..),more miles covered than I could have imagined (especially in the swim!!) and what feels like an enormous amount of money spent on gels to 'train the stomach' during training,  I was in the taper and ready to travel to Hamburg! 

The day is finally here, our bikes are racked, our trainers are in the transition bags, and we are on the start line! 

The beeper goes, we say our good lucks and jump in the water together with only 140miles to travel before we next see each other! 

COLD, that is my first thought. The water is freezing, my face is freezing and 10 minutes into the swim I start to have a panic that I’ve never experienced before. I wanted so badly to call over a kayak and be saved, but I couldn’t waste 6 months of hard work and our families travelling all this way to watch us race by pulling out within the first 10 minutes! I have a stern talk with myself and keep moving. It is the hardest swim mentally I have ever done, you just see bouy after bouy and it seems never ending, until you finally reach the bridge and you’re being hauled up the stairs and into T1. I look at my watch, 1hr22, bang on target, let’s get this show on the road! 

Taking my time in T1 to ensure I have picked up all my nutrition and put my socks on, getting onto the bike felt great. The course is 2x 90km loops, consisting of a 15km start in the town centre, 5km along the canal path and the remainder along a fast, flat, tarmac road. 

I had three goals for the bike, do not push more power than I’ve been instructed, don’t get a puncture and eat! All of which I achieved. My biggest worry for the bike was boredom, I had only done 6 hours on the bike once before and I was having to do it now, followed by a marathon! I’m holding the power I’ve planned, but my speed is quicker. I tell myself to keep areo, and the more areo I am, the quicker I will reach the end! Finishing lap 1 and heading out onto lap 2 I saw my family which was great! It gives you the boost you need to keep going! Coming back into town I started mentally preparing for T2 and the run. I run through the sequence of events I need to go through at T2, the salt tablet and gel I need to take and the water I need to drink. Getting through the 180km in 5hr43 was well within the target so my goal of sub 12 hours is in sight!

Coming into T2 I come off the bike and wow, I can’t walk, let alone run! I was not expecting this, my legs weren’t hurting on the bike but my groin is so tight. I walk through T2 thinking if I can’t even run transition, how am I about to run a marathon?!? 

I take my time in T2, I sit down on the bench, change my shoes, chat to a fellow athlete from Dubai and look at my watch. 10 minutes already! Filipe is going to kill me - I don’t have time to get changed into my running kit as I had planned, I need to get back out on the course! 

Just. Keep. Moving. This is the mantra that we have been telling ourselves as we have prepared for this race, never stop, just keep going towards the finish line. Out I head and I tell myself to just keep running, I am not allowed to walk at all for the first two laps (21km), then let’s see how the body is feeling. Don’t ask me why, and it was never in the plan, but I turn my watch into heart rate only mode and switch off any lap notifications, the only guidance for how far I’ve run is the aid stations. 

Finishing the first loop I see my family and they are cheering, I look at the time on my watch, 55 minute 10km. My second lap is exactly the same, things are going to plan! The third lap is when I can’t take on any more gels, the sweetness is sickening and they have gone warm from being out all day, so I allow myself to pick up pretzels & banana & oranges from the aid stations. I know any fuel at this stage is better than nothing at all, an…

 from the aid stations. I know any fuel at this stage is better than nothing at all, and my legs are still moving! Every aid station I keep running, running past all the athletes who are walking and manage to complete the third lap in 55 minutes too! I see Toby cheering for me as I go into my final lap, it is a huge relief to know he has finished safely and has done so in clearly a phenomenal time so I can’t let the side down! 

I am now 33km in, less than 10km to go, and the sub 12hr goal has now moved to a sub 11hr 30 in my mind. I see various athletes from Dubai along the course which gives you the boost you need at times you want to stop; the struggle is beginning but I tell myself that I can’t stop now. The mental games are starting, and I’m beginning to get slightly dehydrated. At the aid station at 36km I let myself walk to take on some additional water, the next 6km are critical to a ‘make’ or ‘break’ race, hydration is key. I get running again, I can tell I have slowed slightly, but I am keeping my HR consistent, I will make it to the end. There is an aid station at the end of each loop where you collect a coloured wristband to track the number of loops completed. I am at this aid station for the 4th and final time, I have collected my final wristband and I only have 1.5km to go. I take the time to drink some water, tidy myself up, dump the unused gels (you have to look good for the photos right?!) and off I head to the finish line. I am running through the streets of Hamburg, 500m to go and the crowds begin cheering your name as Mike Reilly announces everyone you are heading to the finish line and I am done! Run completed in 3hr54, bang on target and brings me in for a total time of 11hr20. I couldn’t be happier and FilIpe’s predictions couldn’t have been any closer! 

I’ve done it, we’ve done it, all the early mornings have been worth it. Ironman Hamburg 2022 is complete, in a time I could only have dreamed of when we signed up, sat on a beach in RAK looking for our next challenge!

This was an awesome race, fun fact: there were more volunteers that athletes on the course that day!

Written by Fawz Athlete Georgina Bishop