Race Report: 2014 Middle Distance Irish Champion

By Aileen Flynn

“Middle Distance National Champs this year are in Kenmare”- yay!what great news! I love the Lost Sheep and look forward to this race every year. It’s a challenging course in a fantastic place…in May I just couldn’t wait to give it a good lash. I was hopeful back then of getting onto the podium there…I knew I’d made some gains after a solid winter of training and I felt optimistic!

Then I did my ironman in July..things weren’t as good as I hoped and I didn’t feel as optimistic about the Lost Sheep. I could see how strong all lot my competitors were in the weeks leading up to the race and I was scared. Getting onto that podium was not going to be easy! I had finished 4th in Kenmare in 2013 , 6th in the National Champs 2013 and was fully aware that it was going to be a great fight to reach that podium.

I travelled down to Kenmare on Thursday. Did a small swim, bike and run on the Friday. I was sharing a house with some great friends but forgo the Friday night dinner out for some low res chicken and rice and some quiet race prep… nail painting and nutrition mathematics!

I was pretty wound up the night before the race and didn’t get much sleep- infact I slept it out an hour. I was trying not to panic when I was woken 10 mins before I was hoping to be racking my bike in transition. Eating my breakfast an hour before I was due in the water was not in my plan I can tell you! It was ok…I was ready otherwise. This was a small hiccup.

I was racked in transition with all the Piranhas..the usual banter ensued. There was a relaxed atmosphere tinged with eager anticipation of a challenging race ahead… weather looked good!

The swim went well enough, I felt I was working evenly throughout but probably lost my line a bit on the way back in from the 2nd buoy to the finish.
Swim 32:16.

“ Time back from the leading lady is 6 ½ minutes” I heard as I headed to my bike. About right…I thought.

Off I went on the bike- this is a familiar route to me and I was well aware of the hills ahead and was really hoping to keep an even paced effort round the course. I really wanted to run well! Early argy bargy with Kona bound Tami and Kim Hickey left my legs screaming on the road out of Kenmare. I eased off …”let them go” I told myself…Tami will climb those hills quicker than me and Kim wasn’t doing the run so could afford to do a good burst around the bike course.

I only caught up with the fish that is Carolyn Hayes coming into Glengariff. She told me there were 4 girls ahead. I caught Kim going up the Caha and Tami and Joyce at the tunnel at the top. I wanted to get down that hill first. I felt great riding the rest of the bike on the flat road into Kenmare..thinking that it was just Rachel Glendon ahead of me now…WELL ahead knowing Rachel. Thanks to the gang in Bonane for your cheers of support..I noted your positioning just outside the chocolate shop 😉
Bike 2:36

Pulling into T2 I could see Eimear “watch this space!” Fitzmaurice ahead…mmm this is going to be even harder. I thought she was behind me. Eimear was having an awesome race and I know what a gifted runner that girl is.

I trotted out onto the run course with a handful of jelly babies ready to massacre and 3 gels stuffed into my suit. Going over the bridge I got some cheers from number one supporters Linda and Nick..with Linda informing me that Tami and Joyce Wolfe were just behind me. Yikes- I hadn’t put much time into them so…and those girls can run!

I settled into a steady rhythm on the run and was heading out the out and back section curious to see how far ahead the 2 girls were. Rachel was in the lead with Eimear looking like she was closing the gap with confidence. I kept pushing and felt really good. I love that run..the ups and downs, all the people on the first half of the course, seeing who was leading the men’s field ( awesome race by Charlie Maltha), lots of shouts of support back and forth. At the end of the out and back section there was a support crew stationed on the road cheering me on…”keep up that leg turnover Aileen” thanks Mr O’Gorman that really stuck with me! I asked how far ahead Rachel was at this stage ( I assumed Eimear had the race in the bag!)… 5mins, 7 or 8 km left…not a chance! I was doing all I could, I felt strong and 3rd place would have to do …the key now was not to get caught by Tami , Joyce or Anna Crooks.

The road kicks up viciously at about 17 km. This where I passed Eimear- I could tell she was struggling injury wise by her form. She didn’t look like she had run out of steam so it was unfortunate (for her!) that this niggle reappeared when she was motoring through the course so well. I dug in and tried to close whatever gap lay between me and Rachel, the leading lady. I caught a fleeting glimpse of her hugging the ditches on the corners with less than 2 km to go and thought I have to reach her if I just keep it steady.

I passed Rachel with less than 1 km to go and thanked God that it was downhill to the finish line. I was beaming going over the line, I couldn’t believe the race worked out the way it did. I am so delighted to have achieved so much this year and to race in such a quality field with some great friends!
Well done to all my clubmates in Piranha tri, most notably Jonathan Maguire who had a great result in a very strong field and John Walnutt- the come back kid! Thanks to Jane, Linda , Anne, Nick, Siobhain, Tadgh,Louise , Timmy, Peter and Cliodhna for all the great support on the course….it really helped! And thanks to all the people following Nick’s fb updates- you know who you are! Ms Duffy reigning National Champ to mention but one….would’ve been great to have JD in the mix too!

Huge thanks to Catriona Morrison who is coaching me this year – I am loving every bit of my training plan! Thanks to the amazing 6.20am UCD swim group- you are my saviours!! Thanks also to Eanna for keeping a wistful watch over me.

Next up is IM Mallorca in less than 4 weeks. I am looking forward to it and hoping I can do myself justice over the distance. I learnt a lot in Roth in July and will have great respect for the distance that is Ironman.

Well done Cork Tri on yet another awesome Lost Sheep – the country side is a gift and sets up a great back drop for a truly great race. Thanks to John O’Shaughnessy for a really lovely photograph of the swim start..its going on my wall!