While fresh in my mind a few memories from IMUK although the day went so quickly.
Met Andy Holgate (its all his fault we are doing this !) in T1….the sheer excitement at the swim start….the national anthem as we floated in the water…the noise of the crowd at the Aussie exit, we could still hear them while I still swimming 200 metres out…….the kick to my ribs and promptly throwing up my breakfast in the water, apologies to those behind me in the swim ! …..Colt Alley on the bike was amazing and deafening……the mankini men at the top of sheep house appearing out of the mist, ……having a cheese and onion pasty, crisps and pork pie from my special needs bag at 83 miles…..the marshal who gave us hand wipes after my chain came off at 100 miles to go…the locals who came out in their hundreds in nightwear to support thousands of strangers cycling past their homes……getting off my bike after nearly 8 hours……catching up with Sam Grange along the canal….. having two police cyclists escort me along a mile in Bolton on the run……seeing Chris Wild battered with a shredded tri suit toughing it out on the run with a cowboy hat and a smile ……Smiles and high 5’s from Ewen Lewis and other Pirates……Getting lap bands from Rae & Colin (Chippenham)……the guys outside the pub half way along the run loop, they got drunker each lap……the RedBull Minis and the wings I got from that high caffeine fuel….licking salt off pretzels on last 2 laps….meeting loads of people throughout the day who I only know through Facebook/Twitter – too many to list, but great to meet you all in the flesh……the comradery walking those hills when the going got tough….who would have though Bolton was so hilly…..ALL the volunteers who were endlessly enthusiastic and helpful thank you all……….hearing those four words YOU ARE AN IRONMAN from Paul Kaye on the magic red carpet….Those four slices of pizza in the athletes recovery tent were delicious…..Special thanks to Mike Forman who had got up at 3.00am to drop me off at Reebok and then stood on the side of roads around Bolton for an entire day to cheer me with Chris Hopkins, Debbie Pearce Tess VF Ryan & Pat…..The medical centre staff who confirmed my cracked ribs and looked after me and many others at the end.
Thanks to all who have been part of my ironman training, journey and race experience especial coach Neil who got me to the start & finish with a perfect training plan for me.
What a day, what an experience, what an event – I loved it. But no I didn’t sign up for 2015 !

Full race report to follow