» My First ever 70.3!! Lanzarote Half Ironman race and another win. Daz Parker

After 4 years in the sport of Triathlon I finally took a deep breath and entered a long distance event (for me) at last.

I started my Triathlon ‘career’ in 2008 and never looked back, only ever forward as I loved the sport so much , however shied away from the longer events such as 70.3 until now! I guess I just wanted to give it my best shot , be really prepared for it in so far as my fitness, endurance and mental abitily is concerned. And that took 4 years.

So just to give myself a heads up on the event I went on the Richard Hobson 70.3 training camp for 10 days before the race to prepare

Ironman was very different to Xterra and ITU so I wanted to be sure of my bearings in the race. Smooth execution being the upmost importance when it comes to transitions!

La Santa was hosting the inaugrial event so was the best place to be staying, training with some like minded athletes in the week leading up to the race , we recce’d the run in the 32 degree heat which was sticky and humid for the time of year. and rode the course in the searing heat and no wind (unusual for lanazarote)

It was indeed a luxury to be able to have such a long and familiar prep time for a race as normally I would get to a hot and humid place a few days before and suffer on race day.

I felt very ready for this race , with my spin teaching giving me added volume and power. I was doing some 2 hour long sesions at ‘BOOM’, the indoor cycling studio,. www.boommybody.com , with constant weekly massages from Mark at Purus health in Covent Garden it all kept me ticking over for what seemed an extra long season, which spanned from early March racing in the Philippines to Novenmaner with Lanzarote

The race had 800 athletes starting together in the La Santa lagoon, warm, and cramped and no clear water to swim in, bashed and kicked all the way round the course there had no space all the way round the two laps and my chip around my ankle was ripped from me as swimmers all round me pulled and tugged at my legs. which meant I had to keep stopping to put it back on, this slowed me down, until the end of the 1900m,

Swim over I raced out of my wetsuit into the tent and swiflty got my blue bag for my bike belt and helmet. I was off on the bike. The wind had picked up during the previous few days. So was much tougher than in training. Howeever I felt strong on the bike and just powered through until the Tabeysco climb, a 10 km long twisty climb that most dreaded, but easier for me as I was used to XTERRA hills on my MTB, I tried staying down on my tri bars all the way up, in so doing passed around 20 other athletes , easy riding not going too hard . I knew there was a long way to go Tho I was thinking at the top of the hill the last leg (about 30 k) was mostly down hill with some amazing descents, getting up to 80kmh on my 2008 Cannodale Slice with borrowed Mavic wheels (Thanks Nick from ‘Bike and Run’) Then after 10 km we turned and the WIND hit us It was suddenly really hard pushing into a strong headwind for 15 km.

At last I saw La Santa in the distance, looking at my time I was amazed , it took just over 3 hours , the training ride took 3.45!

I jumped off the bike and popped the running shoes on without socks as time was of the essence, me and no 75 were ‘dancing’all through the bike so was able to run with her, we came out of T2 together and she was on my shoulder for 1 lap. Finally we ran togther striking a conversation as we went that lasted for a lap and half and finally she upped the pace and was off, I was hoping for a time of 1.30 but as I had never done that before I thought it was a big ask.

My feet were blistering for the first time in a race, and I was feeling pretty uncomfotable the last lap, it was a killler, Thank goodnesss fpr my compresssport calf gaurds that helped me through.

All I needed to do was hold on but the course took no prisoners,mentally, you could see your rivals closing in it becomes a game of cat and mouse with 3 laps of the course and a hill to climb up to La Santa each time.

At last I came into the stadium with a fininsh time of 5 hr 23 . The longest race I’ve done but strangley not as gruelling as I imagined I think the off road races take it out of you more and the finish line is crossed in such a state, usually ending with a med tent visit, not this time, i had enough energy to dance til 330 am….

I ended up Ist age group and 18th overall , I was pleased with the result and my perfiormance on the day, It felt so different to other races as the bike was so much easier BUT the runs so much harder!

Now all I had to do was a leg massage and cold plunge followed by the awards and PARTY! I gave up my Vegas slot ( which was sprung apon me) BUT felt instincitvely that now it waa time to concentrate on Xterra for next season. I liked 70.3 and will definaete;ly do another but have no huge age group ambitions for it, I like Xterra racing too much to give it up just yet. I’m sure if the two can be raced side by side in one season…

Anyway if i were to race 70.3 again wouldnt I have to get an aero helemet ???

Thanks to my support crew:

Bike and RunSuunto