The blog of Ben Ward

I entered this race knowing that my coach would probably not give me much rest leading up to it and that was exactly what happened. As I am getting ready for Ironman Arizona the training has been heavy with a lot of running, so going into the weekend I was not sure how I would perform. I set off in the morning and got most of the way there when I realised I had left my power meter at home and as the point of doing the race is to get data from it I had to shoot back home and get down to the race in double quick time.

I arrived at the race with less than an hour to the start so only had time to register and rack my kit and get my wetsuit on before I got into the water for a short warm up.

The horn sounded at 8am and we were off. As usual I had got to the front for the start and hit the first 100m hard and then jumped onto feet in the front pack. There were 4 of us at the front at the first turn but after the second turn the front two started to pull away and me and Mark Horne pushed hard together to stay in touch. By the end of the swim the front two had about 30 meters lead and I exited the water 4^th.

Once on the bike I could just see the front two in the distance so I pushed hard keeping above 300 watts and was soon close to them. As I went past I picked up the pace so they could not keep up with me and I kept this up for the next 10 km before I took a look behind me to see that there was no one in sight. I just worked on keeping the power on and the speed was high as well. I knew I was on for a sub hour ride.

I hit T2 to rack my bike first and after a poor change I headed out on the run, looked down the road, and still no one was in sight. I settled into a good rhythm and after all the running in recent weeks I still was moving fast and feeling strong. It was an out and back run on what was a stunning morning in the Kent country side. I hit the dead turn at 5km and headed back to Lydd in full stride and could still see no one.  It was over 500m from the turn before I saw the chasers. I knew I had the win at this point and all I was racing was the clock so after the water station at 7km I started pushing hard to try and get a PB. I ran through the town getting some strange looks from the church goers but I was still feeling strong. When I could see the finish area I hit top speed and did not stop till I hit the line.

I got a PB and course record in 1h 57m 11s. It was over 6 minutes before the second place athlete came in and I was happy to have put such a big gap into the entire field with all the back luck I have had this year and knowing I am getting into good shape for Arizona.

Well I headed off to Prague with great form and knowing I had a good chance of a top 3 finish. Drove there which took 14 hours but beats flying and I can take as much kit as I like. I got settled in ok and tried to fid out the course route. There came my first problem. Bigman is the worst organised race I have ever been to. Athletes from all country’s were pulling there hair out as the information was so bad that you could not tell in which direction you would be heading and where. The whole event became a bit of a joke. People were still scratching there heads race morning.

I got in the water and over the river to the start, we were all told to get back up the bank even after being told it was a water start but a few of us headed forward and were in the water then all of a sudden someone shouted go and with 300 people still on the bank on rocks I got away on the front while the pack were still getting in. It was a 2 lap swim 4k in total but a river swim with a strong current. I headed up stream using people in front to do the work up stream. Once we turned to go downstream I was surprised to then see large boats heading at us. I was told there were gasps of disbelief on the banks when they saw them coming but I can tell you not as big as mine! I got out of there way but the wake from them caused me to swallow some of the river water. This was to be the turning point of my race. I got through the rest of the swim which got hard in the strong current and got into T2 well up in the field.

Once out on the bike I was feeling ok but had a discomfort in my stomach. I had some water to try and settle things but straight away the pain got a little worse. It was a six lap bike with 6k flat section and s 4k climb to the turn and straight back. The aid station was at the lap point and we were told the water would be in bottles and it was but the wrong type, just a normal 500ml with no sport cap and the lid off so you could not carry it.  With each lap the stomach pain was getting worse and to top it all the aid station was out of water be the fifth lap. There were no signs on the course so nobody seemed sure where to exit the course so I guessed which turn and by luck got the right one. After hitting the dismount line you had to run across some boards put across rocks which were very dangerous when just getting of a bike and trying to push it at the same time. My biggest problem though was my stomach as soon as I got of my bike and running into T2 the pain was severe.

I got my trainers on and exited T2 and tried to let things settle taking it easy for the first 1k getting some water on board but as soon as I did the pain got even worse. I started picking up the pace up to 4:10m/k but was planning to hit 4m/k but by 5k I had to stop and was doubled over in pain trying to relieve the pain in my stomach and my chance of a medal gone. I can only assume it was all down to the river water I had swallowed. My girlfriend Dan was with me and told me to do what I can but I just wanted to go home as I came for a medal and I knew I would not be able to race the run. I thought it would be crazy to drop out for Dan’s sake after coming all this way if not for myself. I would run a little and the have to stop all the way around about a dozen time but got to the end and finished 7^th.

My worst result at a European Championships ever. A bad result all round and an appalling event to boot and my advice people not to do this Bigman event in future. Hopefully with the Europeans in Spain next year it will be a far better event and I will try not to drink the water!

When I saw this event come up on the race calendar I knew I had to enter as it is on my training patch and the only Half Ironman in Kent to date. After the disappointment of New Zealand I also had a point to prove to myself and everyone else that I had made great improvements over the winter. I did not get much rest for the race as the coach had been pushing me hard but still felt I could produce a good performance.

The swim was in a sports lake at the back of Lydd. It’s a shallow lake so the water was not cold for the time of year which I think a few people were worried it would be.

I was off in the first wave and got a good start and away from trouble. The course was a Z shape and by the first buoy I was in a small pack with Alex and was holding a good pace. At the second turn the pace shot up and I had to work hard off the buoy which reduced the pack down to three of us. We pulled clear of the rest and I came out of the water right behind Alex in 27m06s a PB swim for me and was 6^th overall.

Got out on the bike and started pushing hard from the start.  Within 5 miles I was in second with Alex behind me. I was on the B2070, a road I know well, and pushed really hard to try and get in sight of 1^st but at over 30mph I could never see him up ahead. By now the wind was picking up and meant it was going to be a hard day both on the bike and run. At 40 miles I had a time split from the crowd at Appledoor telling me I was 5m50s back. I had been pushing hard and knew at this point I would not catch 1^st on the bike.

The last 10 miles on the bike were brutal as the wind was very strong by now and I was getting blown sideways across the road.  It was a relief to get into T2 with a 2h27m bike well down on what I normally do but that shows how hard the winds were.

Out onto the run I was again told I was 10 minutes behind 1^st so knew unless he blew I was holding onto 2^nd now. I got settled in and headed out to Dungeness Nuclear power station and by now it was heavy rain as well as wind. I know Dungeness can be bleak but this took the biscuit. I could not see a soul behind or in front of me on the long straight road I was on. I then saw a marshal pointing me up onto the sea front where it got no better, just the odd aid station on the way. The wind was so strong they could not put drinks on the tables and struggled to even pour water into a cup. I hit New Romney where we had to do a cut across a field which must have been ploughed very recently and was like running in treacle, plus it had 4 styles. I was now on the road back to Lydd so knew it was just under 5 miles to go. It was clear in front of me and behind so I knew I had 2^nd secure. This proved to be the hardest part of the race as it was straight into the head wind which was a real battle all the way, with no respite.

I hit the finish area and was looking for the finish line but it had blown away in the winds so just knew by the timing mats and photographer that I had finished with a run split of 1h27m07s. Another PB, just, and an overall time of 4h24m20s in second place, 3 minutes clear of Alex in third.

This was a well run event for it’s first year and I look forward to next year as long as it fits in with my other races.

Ironman number 8 completed but not in the time I know I can do.

I came in to the race knowing I had a good time in me as I have had good winters running getting really good times under my belt managing 2h30min runs at sub 3h marathon pace and a total of 100km plus a week. My bike more due to the weather this winter was not as strong as it would be in the summer but still not weak and my swimming as good as it’s ever been.

Was in NZ 2 weeks before the race so had plenty of time to recover from the flight and get used to the warmer temperatures and got settled in Auckland the first week where it is warmer than where the race is in Taupo. I went down to Taupo for race week and stayed in a great house near the 9k mark on the run course where I was well looked after and was feeling good in training and doing my race pace intervals with ease and was nice and relaxed. The weather forecast for the weekend was not looking good with heavy rain and high winds the day before the race and sunshine and showers with a light NE wind race day which is exactly what we got.

I had a good nights sleep before the race and woke up feeling ready got down to transition at 5:30 am checked the bike pumped up the tyres but not at high as usual because of the wet roads and got in the never ending cue for the toilet. I got down to the lake, wetsuit on and had a little warm up and got myself on the front of the pack for a floating start. At 7am the cannon fired and off went 1400 athletes, I got away well and was in a quick moving pack not to much pushing and shoving. At the 2km mark I was at the front of the a pack and made a big effort to jump off the front of the pack and make the 30meters to the next pack. I had to work hard to get there as I was swimming against the chop of the water and it must have taken a 1000m to catch them but once I had I just sat on the back and rested until we exited the swim. The swim times were all down this year so I was not worried when I came out in 57:29 as it was flat calm last year when I did a 54 and this year the wind and chop was against you on the way back with a weaker current behind. After exiting the water there is a long run 400m along the harbour and up some big steps to T1 which is not easy in a wetsuit into the change tent and out to my bike but on the way out of T1 I was stopped as a referee showing me a yellow card who thought my helmet was not done up but it was. So instead she made me take it off to tighten the straps which I pretended to do put it back on and she said it was ok now even though I had not changed it. She could have just said sorry and let me go!

Once on the bike I got a gel and some fluids in and took it easy up the climb out of town as when I pushed up there last year my legs tightened up but no such problems this year and I got settled quickly and was moving along well and keeping over 200watts. It was not long before the first shower which was not nice as it was making it hard to see with sun glasses on so you would take them off then the sun would come out so you would have to keep them on and the sun also made it humid. This went on for the whole of the rest of the bike leg the rain being more of a welcome relief. At just over 160km I started to drop power and was not staying over 200 watts as I had wanted and started to get passed by a big pack which I had worked hard to stay away from hoping the draught busters would break them up but they never did as usual. I hit T2 after a 5:10:57 bike and was unsure weather I had to serve a penalty for being stopped in T1 for the supposed helmet violation so once I had got ready fro the run I had to go to the penalty tent and find out but I did not have a 4 minute stop to serve nut it still cost me time plenty of time.

I eventually set off on the run and was feeling good after a few km my calf’s felt a little tight and my lower back was hurting but that’s part of Ironman, I had already been going for 6 hours so things are always going to hurt. I started trying to pick up the pace but just could not get up to what I had trained to run at and I was soon being passed. After about 12 km my back and calf’s loosened off and it was feeling easy the weather was still sunshine and showers which now was bringing the bugs out around the lake and everyone was getting bitten along the way. I could still not pick up the pace and after the first lap I knew it would not be a quick time and a battle to get under 10 hours. By 30 km my quads started to lock up and I had been getting some cramps and this is where the pain really starts. I had to fight hard for the next 12 km trying to keep running but at 35km I had to walk through the aid station, I drank loads of flat coke and ran to the next aid station and did the same all the way to the end where I did a 3:48:03 run nowhere near what I know I can achieve and a 10:04:30 finish time.

All in all not a good result 7 minutes down on last year and slower in all three events, 19^th in my agegroup which I needed a top 7 to go to Hawaii, a 9h 40 m would have got me a top 7 so for sure I need to run better off the bike so plenty more work to by done once I get back. Marshman next in May which is on my training patch so I will be going hard and angry there.

Had a great week out in Estonia. Started with Ain's wedding in the south of the country where we all had a good time at his traditional Estonian wedding. Me and Dan were in traditional Estonian wedding dress as Easy Jet lost our luggage again.  This carried through til the next day where we went to Ain's country house to plant the trees which everyone bought him for his wedding. We then moved up to Otepaa where our training camp was based. This is a great area for training as roads were quiet and you can swim in any of the beautiful lakes, and run through endless pine forests. Me and Alex did some really heavy sessions in the build up to Almere in four weeks time. The plan for next year is to hold a large training camp for interested triathletes. On the Friday we all moved north to Paide where Ain holds his half ironman race. The race had a strong field with Ain, Rich and Thomas Hellriegel so promised to be a great race to watch. The weather race day was perfect which saw Ian finish fourth and Rich fifth. Thomas had to drop out due to tiredness from a recent race. Me, Alex and James entered as a team and took second place in the team race. Liz also had a swim as part of a team who lost their swimmer late on. Duncan is still yet to be seen at a race where he is not in a coffee shop watching. LOL

Back home now for a four week run in to Almere to get ready for the main race of the year- World Champs.

This as far as I know was the first running of The Harwich Olympic Tri and my first at this distance for 3 years. My main aim was to PB and as my PB before was over 2h20m at Volcano in Lanzarote I was sure I could do it with ease but in the back of my mind I wanted a sub 2.

Race day however was a bit windy and when I got there I could see rough waters in the sea was going to mean a slower race than I had hoped. As the sea was so rough they decided to cut the swim to 1000m so the sub 2 was now back on in my plans. Once underway it was soon clear that you could not see a thing to sight on in the swim but just tried to stay level with the shore line until I could see the way in and ended up 5th out in my wave in 13m39s. I exited T1 and was running to the road when the wind blew my front wheel into a tree which stopped me dead but no damaged caused & mounted my bike only to find my chain had come off when I hit the tree. I jumped off and got it back on quick and was away with not to much time wasted. Straight away I knew it was going to be a head wind all the way out and that with my strengh I should move through the field quick and within 10k I was in second. The bike course was a rolling twisty course as I kept getting sight of the lead man and was soon on his tail. I caught him right in a bottom of a dip so caught his slipstream just right as we started going uphill into the wind and I just flew past him so quick I was away before he even knew I was there. I still had half the bike left so I kept pushing and the route back in was great fun with the wind behind the only problem was the cars in front slowing me down in the 30 zones! The bike was a bit slow overal with the winds but with both transitions I clocked a time off 1h 7m 5s. In T2 I was out and away and still no sign of the chase behind so I headed out along the sea path and turned back after 500m then I got to see how far ahead I was and knew it was not over yet. It was a 2 lap run so got to see the gap each time we turned and it was soon clear I was getting away and building a bigger lead. I managed to run a 38m 01s 10k which is a PB not that I do 10k much but I also got my PB for Olympic in 1h 58m 45s but with the shortend swim not one I can really count but it will do when boasting to my mates! lol

Back to some training now with some really hard stuff to get done now as I am building to ITU Long Course Worlds at the end of August. Have got a training camp in Estonia at the end off July along with Ain's wedding so time to get my head down if I want a medal at the worlds.

Another local sprint and another win. Did not expect to win this one after all the training the last few weeks but felt ok race morning and an unusual sunny bank holiday ment it was a great day for racing.

The course was very hard the 2k 10% hill at the end of the bike was a long slog when flat out and the same on the run as the turn around was at the top of the hill in Knolle Park.

Another sprint tri this time down in East Sussex. I done tis one about 6 years ago but could not remember much about the course so I got down there early so I could drive around the course to check it out. The road surface is very poor now and through some on the little villages it gets a little tight. As soon as I see transition I remembered the run which is now the other way around.

I had a 9.50 start which was good in one way that the road had dryed on the course but bad in the fact the shoppers were out on the road. Had a great swim as I do not usually start well without a few lenghts warm up but touched the wall just under 7 min for the 500m and then the long run to T1 to the bike and to the road. Once on the bike I was flying as I had warmed up on the turbo before hand but when I got to the first village I had to stop at a red light which was on for what seemed forever. Got moving again over the spped ramps and out of the village where the road surface is very poor and as there is alot of trees you don't see half the holes and a couple of times I thought I had smashed my Zipp's up but I was going well and flying past other athletes. Got to the T junction to turn back along the main road and again had to stop as there was so many cars on the road, managed to slip out in a small gap and get going again until I was dropping down hill and a horse box went passed and then as we went around a left bend it braked hard and stopped as on the main road was a rather robust looking lady on her horse and the horse had got spooked so she had to get control again and get off the road why we all stood there and waited and off we went again. Came into East Grinsted and at the double roundabout had to wait again as there were road works off the left turn and it was backing up onto the main road. By this time I was a little upset to say the least as it is on the bike where I usually win my races so I knew the win had gone for sure. Eventually got on the run which is tough as there is not a flat bit on it and after a winter of long distance traininng I do not seem to have the leg speed down the rolls but planty of power up them.

I finished with 5th but even with the hold ups I would not have one but should of hit the top 3. I think also until the road is resurfaced I will not go back even then it's a bit to busy around there to go flat out. lets hope high fuel  prices reminds people how to walk as it was a lovley day which was one plus!

Had a good day at sevenoaks and managed to win it again for the second time. I enjoyed this win more than the last as this time I had alot of friends there to enjoy it.

Although I won the times did not look quick on paper but it is a really hilly bike and they changed the run again to make it even harder.

Tonbridge coming up but not very confident as I am not feeling great this week because too much work and training has left me feeling very flat but maybe on the day I will feel fresh.