Summary:
I retain my 2nd place in the 50+ category. I am in 1 piece. Well done John Setford! Yet again, superb race - ideal for the professional and the amateur who wants a fun race.

Background:
Last year to complete midnightman I destroyed my knee and had to have surgery. I had decided to only enter distances of double IM and above - but I bumped into John Steford in halfords(I get all my punctures fixed there - I am their best customer). We discussed and he reminded my how brilliant the first two midnightman had been. I applied and got one of the last 4 places. No surprise that this event has become so incredibly popular. Its becoming a must do race for triathletes.

Preparation:
I still wish to go for longer distances so I am trying to lose weight, de-stress and learn to swim. Hence I was training until until 24 hours before the race - and only started carb loading 24 hours before.

Very bad week at work - including being told that I had to work less hard so I could be less terse with people. Guess where I work? Shop assistant? Health care? No - its investment banking! I was due to leave my digs 4pm and cycle to Dartford - but my wife called at 3:30 to say she had ordered me a taxi. It was her and the kids - driven from North Wales to support! Huge boost.

I had do almost no walking and no running since destrying my knee last year - so very nervous about the run.

Swim:
~01:30. I had been working hard on my swim. But I never quite "felt" the water. Suddenly everything comes together and I feel like I am flying over the water. 3/4 of the way in I cramp. Safety boat comes over - I have to hold it for 5 minutes while swearing. Partly pain and parttly anger. I could have done a 1:20. I see my new swim coach Tuesday - I will be talkiing about my kick and how to avoid cramping.

Bike:
~7:00. I do a 140 mile training cycle recently. But the swim cramping still hurt badly. After 11 laps I was feeling awful. No-one seemed to want to chat. A guy Danny appeared and we did 2 laps together - huge boost for me. After that everyone seemed to be in pairs - the midhightman spirit appeared! The chav end of Dartford was out again. 2 years ago a car "whittily" shouted w**ker at someone. I got called a t**ser. Good to see they are getting funnier - another 100 years and they might be able to walk on their back legs. There are a lot of lovely people in Dartford - I suppose there are a mindless minority everywhere.

Run:
~6:00. I walk fast. I walked almost the entire distance. After lap 3 of 8 my leg hurt really bad. I had visions of destroying my knee. I then realized the pain was cramp from the swim - and by compensating I had put too much pressure on the muscle under the knee. Many thanks to Marshall Sam who kept up with me most of the way - even though I suspect it was to stop me cheating! Considering I have done limited walking and no jogging/running for a year I am ecstatic.

Aftermath:
~14:40 including transitions. 6 hours after and I have slept and eaten. I actually feel like walking another marathon - it was that much fun. No damage done to my body. I looked at the midnightman results for previous years - 6 had done the full last 2 years. Only 3 had entered - and Dallas had dropped out 24 hours to go. So that left just myself and Richard Dudman. I wonder if he finished?

Next:
Brutal as a single in 5 weeks time. More losing weight. SWimming lessons. "Bonking"(running out of energy) on the bike then re-fuelling on the go. Getting a running lesson to minimise knee impact. More walking and running.

Next year I want to do enduroman (no idea whether individual or continuous and what distance). Midnightman (if I can get a place - I must book early). Brutal as a double. Some long distance swimming events including sea swimming.

Long term - channel swim. Brutal deca - channel swim, cycle Lands End to John O'Groats, run across Wales. So its roughly deca distances.]]>
Preparation:
For my blog up until enduroman June 2013 see http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/view.php?b=693.

I got sacked the week before endoroman so I had 6 weeks off to train. I had a swimming lesson with total immersion swimming - very very useful. I did lots of cycling. Alas at the end of my first week I went running and got carried away. 6 miles, 13 miles, 6 miles in 3 days. Day after that my left knee started to hurt. And nothing I could do to stop it hurting. 2 days before midnightman I went to see a physio - where the tendons meet the knee is incredibly sore - they have given strengthening exercises but I need to see a surgeon. Very upsetting as my right knee was operated on twice and was hurting alot until I started cycling which seems to protect the knees.

I slept Saturday afternoon but could not sleep - and had an urge to shave my legs. Gosh women do suffer! After 15 minutes I had to get Mrs BP involved and it still took her another 15 minutes. She suggested waxing.

Alot of empty bike spaces - apparently M25 traffic issues. But met a few of the regulars - and great to meet hammerer and funkster for the first time.

Everything seemed very well organized - top effort by John and the crew.

Swim:
Awaiting times but around 1:30 - I was delighted. 15 minutes better than last year. I did not have a great first 3 laps but then put my foot down. Someone was swimming all the way round the edge of the lake which helped me to keep up with them.

Bike:
Forget my gloves so go over transition twice. Very wet as I leave T1. Then there is lightening! Alas not towards the bridge but to the West - still really cool. On both lap 1 and lap 2. Then the rain really starts to pour down. Incredible number of punctures - but I have hard shells. Heavy - but as I can't fix a puncture its essential and paid off here.

I put waterproof cycle jacket on but way too warm. I have to stop to take off - still not sure if I missed the lap counter.

Turns are quite tough until the field thins out. I end up with 6 hours 10 minutes - 10 minutes better than last year. I took 13 high5+ gels on the bike - on top of 4 before the swim. And I had 4 litres of high5 drink. Just I well I have worked out how to pee while cycling - a tough skill but worth acquiring.

Run:
First 4 laps go very well. Everything feels fine. End of lap 5(out of 8) I know muscles are getting tired and need to eat. I am at 3hours 20 minutes so still on for a good time. I stop for 30 seconds for water and chocolate. My knee then totally stiffens up. I keep to the grass and walk in running motion where I can (seems to feel better than walking). 1.5 laps to go and I am in complete agony - but somehow I keep going. Last 3 laps take 2 hours 50 minutes - but I made it! So 6hours 10 minutes (from 5 hours 25 minutes last year).

Aftermath:
I get trophy for 50+! 2nd place! Totally surprised - I am delighted. Makes the knee agony worthwhile. Total time of 13:55. 20 minutes down on last year.

I had to use bike as a crutch for left knee!

Took Dallas(who got 2nd place female) to the DLR station. Many congratulation to Dallas for getting 2nd placed female - very well deserved. Though when we dropped her at Lewisham her final words were "you are minging too" - to be fair after I called her minging (a reference to last year when she refused to give me a hug as she was "minging" - though she smelt 100 times better than me.

Before wife can take kids to Wales I have to get them to put all my stuff away. Then bath and sleep - 5 hours and I feel fine apart from left knee. Its better - but I still can't put full weight on it. Going to be a fun next few days.

Next:
Double Brutal in 8 weeks. I intend to do the swim, cycle and go up/down swowden. Then see how the knee feels. Then see a surgeon. At the moment it looks like after that I will need surgery - and in that case I will give up running(its bad for my back too) and probably stick to cycling. This coincides with our move to North Wales where I won't have health insurance.

Summary:
Well done John, Mark and all the marshalls. Loved the event. I still hope to be there next year.]]> Preparation:
For my blog up until midnightman last year see http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/view.php?b=693. Training went well until End October 2012 when I went on holiday and could not stop eating - this carried on through November. December was seasonal affected disorder. January I fell off my bike. February I got flu. By end of March I was regaining fitness but was still way too heavy. So I lost 2 stone in 4 weeks - unfortunately it was partly muscle too. I then had 4 weeks to properly train for this event - ouch! I managed 2 4km swims, 1 180km cycle but had not ran more than 10km since midnightman!

I had real trouble getting crew - people kept messing me around. Fortunately my wife remembered Eddie GoldenTooth - in his younger days had a very checkered history but now a moral crusader. I met him via fathers 4 justice - he was the original batman. He is ultra reliable. The Friday before Eddie came down to stay and lost all the water in his car - we spent a long while fixing it. I was worried we were not going to make it. In the end we made the journey okay if slowly. Checked into the Burley Tea rooms and had lunch. And took this photo of us - http://www.flickr.com/photos/89965034@N05/8957131688/ . I then slept for 3 hours while Eddie got drunk at the cider house next to our accomadation. 5 pints of home brew cider and he was flying! I had to drive to AT. Got a horse rider waving at us despite doing half the speed limit and giving them all the room we could - found out later than horse riders hate EVERYONE - even walkers. After registering we spectated - Eddie was having the time of his life as I read out the names from the race list and he screamed encouragement at the cyclists. I was a bit encouraging - except for TC who I scramed at! Eddie was the guy in the hat at the entrance to the car park. All the riders seemed to love it - though I did tell him to stop swearing a couple of times. After dinner we had a huge adventure trying to find insect repellant. In bed at 9pm while Eddie went to the pub and screamed more encouragement at the cyclists. A few dirty looks from the locals - but several competitors approached Eddie after the race to say how grateful they were.

So pleased there were only 19 entrants in the individual single and only 14 turned up! And only 3 in the 50+ age group! I might get a decent place!

Swim:
It was warmer in the lake than outside. Thanks to all the double guys for pulling the buoys into the middle of the lake! I got a PB! 1:27:54. 11th - wow. And 2nd in my age group. Lost my crew thought and could not find him for a few hours.

Bike:
After 5.5 laps my wife and kids turned up in Burley! Total surprise! I was so happy. They had even made a banner. I have come to loathe Burley - there is loads of parking at the top of the town and everyone insists on driving badly. I have never been able to pee while cycling - but I was determined to get the habit and just about managed it! My crew turned up and hardly says a word to me! Obviously I was to severe about the swearing thing. But he does the necessary. Total time 07:30:10! Wow! 8th overall and 1st in my age group.

Run:
First lap I found the kids had hung the banner up - http://www.flickr.com/photos/89965034@N05/8957129444/ . I stop to get a picture with TC - http://www.flickr.com/photos/89965034@N05/8957127002/. See if you can tell which one is which! Okay - I am the fat, unfit one. I think I go backwards near timing lap. Then I get told I have done 1 more lap than I have. I argue with Eddie for about 7 laps then it gets sorted. No point in doing it unless its going to be the full distance. One lap a lady is dropping her kit for a pee in the lake! I shriek a warning then run past as quick as I can. TC is there at the finish but no crew! So enduroman marshall takes a picture of me with TC. I hope it online soon. TC was just superb - spectating all day, giving encouragement and posing for pictures! Total time 06:08:53 - but since I had done so little training no surprise.

Aftermath:
Total time 15:06:57. 6th overall. 1st in the 50+ age group. I am sooo elated!

I met the Rev - a great honour - super chap. Got home at 1am after a few water worries and could only sleep for 4 hours. Too much caffeine and adrenalin.

Next:
Midnightman in 8 weeks then the brutal 8 weeks after that if I can afford it. I would like it to be a double. The more I look like TC the more chance I have - I am working on it.

Summary:
Well done Steve, Eddie and team. Great event. Can't wait for next year!]]> Background:
18 months ago I was alot heavier than I am now and could not run 50 metres. I was getting fed up feeling tired all the time. My personal problems(including 2 disabled kids) weighed heavily on me. I spent a year losing weight (including cabbage soup diet twice) and getting very basic fitness. This IM was my first race since school. I was looking for something EXTREME - it is what I like. About 6 months ago I saw this event advertised. I was nervous and approached the race organizer John - who assured me I could make it no problem! He is only one of 3 people who were ever convinced I could make this and were not totally mad. The other 2 were the boyfriend of my sister-out-law(I think he wanted to get in her good books or maybe her pants) and Ozzy from White Oak who has been a huge source of inspiration. My wife is used to me doing totally mad stuff - including being one of the most senior/active members of the notorious fathers 4 justice.

I then started training more and more seruiously - then I fell off my bike (wrong way off A2 dual carriage way). Quite badly injured arm and damaged rib. Next week I showed off in front of kids by cycling on wet decking. Straight off taking all the scabs off my arm. Then I tripped over a child in play park(one of the five I was looking after - helping up my wife when childminding). Ribs gone again. Then I was cycling along pavement and a tree jumped in front of me. Hit ribs again and took me a minute to get up - a van driver actually stopped. I tried to train through it but after 2 weeks I gave up - I had to take a week off. It took 2 months to get up to full fitness.

I had swimming issues too. I finally discovered that open water swimming was different to a pool. So reluctantly I joined the local club which does twice a week lake sessions. I don't have much money so I found it expensive(I had already paid to enter the race). I got a wetsuit online for £30 - I could just about afford it. I went to the lake, unfit and still recovering from injury. I freaked out putting the wetsuit on (I wish I had a latex thingy) - then got 50 metres, tired, disorientated and had to be escorted back by rescue boat(cheers Sam). Then when I got out the organizer started laughing at me - "what is that you are wearing?". Me "A wet suit?". Organizer "That is a surf suit. You need a tri suit". £230! £230! Ouch!

About 3 months ago I felt I just had to do this for charity. I discussed with parish priest (who has been a great source of comfort both for me and the kids). Fortunately they were just starting on a new community project. So many people have made amazingly generous contributions. However it became very difficult as I knew I had to make it. The pressure was so intense. In the last few days I started to dream about the race - including getting to a feed station and finding only cheese there!

It was very hard to get information on what is required. At one stage I was told on tritalk that the fastest way of getting round the course was to wear my wetsuit the whole way and I believed it! I suppose they get a few trolls on the site. And subsequently I have discovered a process called sandbagging which is rather like the fiur yorkshiremen sketch. The idea is to pretend you eat only lard and do no exercise. Gosh these triathletes take it all very seriously! Thankfully Dallas stepped in (from a computer forum) and gave me tons of invaluable advice! Cheers Dallas!

Preparation:
Dallas gave me a link on tapering. I decided for the Wed/Thu/Fri to take energy drink, wait 30 mins, 10 min warm up, 3 min sprint. Wed/Thu were great Friday I was getting really aggressive! My wife took the kids out Sat morning - I have air conditioning so managed an hour sleep. Big lunch - getting fed up with pasta. Three diclofenac. It was a very hot day and I knew if I could sleep in the a/c it would help alot. But way too nervous - I believed I would not finish and would have to pay back all the sponsors. The last time I was that nervous was running the first ever superhero fathers 4 justice protest. I think I spent an hour on the toilet.

Got up and waited as I did not want to arrive too early. Headed out on A20 - road block by police/ambulances after accident! I was thinking of cycling which would have included M25 - I would have done it! Luckily we got going.

Wife dropped me at lake (so she could come back and support later). I walk past the bikes. OMG! The machines there! Get registered. Finally pluck up courage to say hello to Dallas - carefully avoiding the race favourites. Her bike looked great and she says "lets see your bike". I turn red. She tells me I have to put race number on. I can't put it on tri suit as its under my wetsuit. "Where is your race belt?". Aaarrgghh. I try to call my wife as I think I have one at home(high5 freebie) - she will bring it with kids on bike course. But I grab John who has a spare Vancouver one! Cheers John. I am then too nervous to put race number on - Dallas has to do that for me.

Swim:
Good atmosphere at the start - I find a pipe to stand on. Someone calls "tritalk" and I pop over - met hillwall and wicksy. Then it is off and field disappears in front of me. Few behind. Halfway round first lap I see quite a few have gone wrong way! Alas all on the half route - no competititors. I keep plugging. On last lap someone goes the wrong way - boat leaves them to it. Why? I was going to pop over to boat but almost no-one left and I need to get going. Later find only 3 behind me in the water. Get out and its 1:45! I cannot believe I was soooo slow - very down. Later find out it was 400m too far so was okay!

Bike:
Bike racks almost empty. Say hello to Sir Velo who is off. Wet suit stuck. Will not come off. I pull and pull. Finally pull timing belt to bits! It was over wetsuit. Beg race marshall not to DQ me - who laughs and says no issue. Lots of caffeine and out. 7:50pm. I pull out to track - marshall lets me go stopping car and also 2 other racers! I apologize then put my head down in case they punch me - luckily they are not bothered.

Far end of course - wife and kids there! They have made signs "go daddy" and "go andy". They sing the song they composed "go Daddy you're the best. you are better than the rest. go Daddy!". I later find my daughter apologized to other racers "Not to disparage the rest of you". Apparently someone shouted out "where is my sign". First sight of the amazing support at that end of course. Lady with 2 huge bottles (I hope a bottle just means a bottle in triathlon language) jumping up and down! Wow! Get to end of lap 1 and it is 20 minutes! If I can keep that up it is 6 hours.

Next 8 laps are 20 minutes each. I chat to Dallas (who has done 1 more lap than she thought). I chat to number 76 (I think he chatted to everyone!). Lose a full high5 on dual carriageway - sorry I did not stop to pick it up but Brillowood on a mission. Then I get overtaken by number 30 - one of the favourites. I sprint after him and overtake. Yeeaahh! I overtake a favourite. I feel happy but somehow like a saddo. Wife and kids go home leaving signs - but the support at top end of course is incredible. I encourage them with hand waves and shouting - definetly faster in that part of the course. They are amazing! Marshalls also clapping - wow!

Next 6 laps take 2 hrs 10 min. I had to stop for a pee. I keep swallowing mosquitos. And being bitten. A fox eats an empty gel sachet. Gets scared and runs off right under me - I have to break very sharply. How do the supporters at top end of course keep going? Marshalls also doing a fabulous job. Hear one person shouting at marshall - later seems he wanted to know lap count. Not nice.

Last 3 laps are 1 hour 10 minute. My back is hurting. Supporters keep me going. I need 2 pees - one of which Dallas is going past. Hope she sees nothing. As penance mosquito bites my 4rse. One of the things I find really annoying about heavy exercise is that my bits almost vanish - hard to pee. Luckily so far they end up at normal (what does that mean?) size when I stop. I wish I had to confidence to pee on the go.

Run:
Marshall has my timing band back. Fabulous course! I keep bumping into everyone! Very quickly Sam joins me to keep me going. He ends up doing half marathon. Cheers Sam! But its like a social gathering. I realize I could be on for a fast time - will wife and kids be there to see me finish? My back finally goes fully after 2 laps. But no chance of long term damage. It is really painful but I have to carry on.

Its start to hit me that the sleep deprivation has been countered by caffeine and adrenalin. I can make this!

Crowd, other competitors and caffeine keep me going. 4.5 laps my knee goes. Now this is serious. This is long term damage. But I MUST keep going. Charity depends on it. 5.5 laps wife and kids turn up. I direct them to finish line and tell them to cheer Ozzy who is nearly done.

Finally finish line appears. As I have limped I am not in bad shape apart from knee. Wow! I finished! And not such a bad time. Can't wait for t-shirt and medal.

Aftermath:
Total time 13:36 - 1:45 swim, 0.05 T1, 6:20 bike, 0.01 T2, 5:25 run. I get photos with Oz, Sam, John and Dallas. Dallas shouts "Keep away - I am minging!" As if after 13.5 hours I am fresh. Or maybe she hates me....
Leave Sam with Bike - wife will collect them both later. Get in car and get first back spasm. Which then goes every minute or two for next 4 hours. Get in bath. A hot like usual. I overheat and feel I am about to puke. Want to get out but back spasming. Finally crawl out of bath. After spasms stop I go to sleep - only manage 2 hours due to all the caffeine.
But I have raised minimum of £2550 for charity! Still collecting at church so will end up with at leat £3k. Superb!

Next:
I put on weight during my injury time - I could not lose it as I had to keep training. I am now mostly off carbs and doing as much exercise as I can. I need to lose that 3-5kg. My swimming is bad bad bad. I have lessons booked. I do Hever castle 25 mile bike as part of white oak relay team at end September.

I am definetly doing midnight man next year! Apart from that I am totally at a loss. I have been challenged to http://www.milano-sanremo.org/en/ - but I can't see how to get the bike there. I might do John O'Groats to Lands End (that way is its downhill). Wife has offered to take car and carry my stuff between hotels - as long as they are 5* with a spa. I reckon 160 miles a days is doable.

Summary:
Well done John! Can't wait for next year!]]>