Titan Middle Distance Triathlon Race Report - Angharad Pocock

WhittleFit coached athlete Angharad Pocock raced the Titan Middle Distance Triathlon in Brecon last weekend, let's hear how she got on:

The alarm went off at 5am and it was already very warm outside. After my bowl of porridge and banana I smothered myself in factor 30 sun cream and started to get ready for setting up in transition.

I’d entered the Titan Middle distance as I knew it was a tough course and would give me the ideal race prep for Ironman Wales in September. A couple of weeks before Stuart and I had planned a bike route recce, and I had a run to do straight after. The weather was terrible: rain, wind, cold, but this was the kind of weather you’d expect so it was heads down and get on with it. We didn’t complete the whole course as we were drenched, but at least I’d got a taste for the ‘Iron Mountain’ so knew what was to come on race day.

Mark had suggested a ‘game plan’ for the day which I stuck to and so glad I did. There were a lot of big guys lined up in their wetsuits so I quickly decided to start right at the back of the pack and stay out of trouble as per coach’s advice. I kept my stroke steady and didn’t push too hard and quickly began to cruise past other competitors. I stayed to the side of the pack as much as I could and managed a nice tight line around the first lap. It was an Australian exit and back in for lap 2. The pack had stretched out a bit but I got pushed a bit wide on the second lap, but rather that and stay in clean water that get bashed about. I got out of the swim fresh and happy (coach’s advice) and headed for T1.

The bike course for Titan Brecon is 60 miles, so 4 miles over the standard 113 distance, and it is a toughie. As well as the renowned long ‘Iron Mountain’ climb towards the end of the course, you have to climb a fair way at the start to get over the mountain from the other side and drop back down. From then on the course is undulating until you get to just past the half way point where there is a very cheeky 18% climb. At the top of the climb the views across the Brecon Beacons are stunning, and you are also treated to the fastest section of the course.

I had planned my nutrition and hydration and this mostly went well. I tried out the Team Sky salted parmesan potatoes which I had after about 30 mins. These were fantastic and I will definitely be using these more. After that it was the standard energy bars which I struggle with as I don’t have a very sweet tooth, but I kept shoving it in as I knew how much I’d need the energy. There was a chance to re-fill any bottles at about 42 miles which was great and much needed.

By the time I’d reached the bottom of the Iron Mountain I’d averaged 16.3 miles per hour which I was delighted with. This gave me a good buffer for the climb ahead to make sure I would hit my target of 15mph average overall. I was fairly confident climbing the mountain in the heat as we’d had a lot of practise out in Lanzarote at the end of April. I knew I’d be fine, I just had to keep pedalling and sipping my drink. The worst thing about the climb was the flies. They hovered over you the whole way up, everyone had their own personal swarm of flies as they feasted on our sweaty gel and snot covered bodies…yuk!

At the top of the climb I felt ok, it’s a tough climb but I was so thankful for that Lanzarote training and coach’s advice to just chip away at it. But Lanzarote didn’t give us the opportunity to practise sheep dodging! We had been warned by the race organiser about the kamikaze sheep, as well as ponies and cattle. You really had to keep your wits about you; it’s a fabulous fast section at the top where you can get down on your aero bars or drops and go for it, but just watch for those sheep, one minute they’re snoozing by the road side, then they leap up and make a dash for it right in front of you!

This bike course plays tricks with you, and when you think you’ve got it in the bag and can spin for T2, it throws in one last climb, right at the last few hundred meters, just to make sure your legs are fully drained! I have to say, I was ready to get off my bike when I made it back but generally felt ok and well fuelled. Off my bike, I stretched my back to standing position and walked into transition. Again, I took my time in transition. It was very hot by now and I wanted to make sure I got everything right and felt comfortable before I headed off on what was set to be a very challenging run. I swapped my bike jersey for a running vest and put on a visor as well as having my sun glasses. It’s at this point that you think ‘oh my goodness, do I really have to run 13.1 miles now?…really?’ but I saw Stuart, and by this point my parents had arrived wit Hector our dog, and an added surprise was to see Mark and Sarah there. This gave me a huge boost so off I trotted at a (coach advised) very steady pace.

Just about 50 meters into the run was the first aid station so I stopped to take a sip of cold water (the drink I’d left in transition was literally boiling so I couldn’t take on the fluid I’d planned to) and poured a cup of water over my head. The first section of the run around the Parc Bryn Bach lake is pretty flat so it does give you a good opportunity to find your trotting / running pace, although I was getting bit distracted looking into the lake and resting the urge to jump into the water to cool off! Round the lake and my support crew had walked over to meet me which again was a fantastic boost. I was actually in a pretty positive frame of mind and figured that the best thing to do was to smile way round this run. After the flat lake section the run route climbed up to the top of a golf course where it flattens out a bit, drops back down, and just to add a sting in the tail there’s another sharp kick up to the turn around point where there was another aid station. The race organisers had also put on an additional water only station at the top of the first climb which you passed twice, so each lap had 4 aid station stops.

There were 3 laps in total, and on each lap I stopped at each aid station for a drink of water and a couple of cups over my head. As it was so hot I decided (along with most other competitors) to walk up the hills and run the downs and flat. I actually kept quite a nice rhythm when I was running and noticed that by lap 3 I was starting to catch other competitors that were clearly flagging far more than I was. I was also pleased with my nutrition intake on the run, I’d managed it on my own 2 gels (which had melted into a hot slime) and a few bits of banana and a few jelly babies from the aid stations. In the heat the jellybabies were melting into a mush and the bananas were turning brown very quickly. The aid station marshals soon gave up on the jaffa cakes and any other chocolate! 

Coming up to the last aid station I could see my fellow WhittleFitter Martyn Lewis and knew I was closing on him. This gave me a last kick for the finish line which was down hill all the way - could I catch him? … alas, not quite but I had closed the gap which was good enough for me. I finished dead middle in the female pack, and 3rd out of 9 in my age category which I’m delighted with. I can honesty say that Mark’s pre-race advice and the training was invaluable to keeping me in a positive frame of mind nearly all the way through the race and kept me smiling. This was my third 113/70.3 distance race and the first one I finished with a big smile, so much so that I almost forgot to stop running. It was a really tough race but in a strange way I enjoyed it. It has made me feel a bit more relaxed about Ironman Wales in September, infact I’m quite excited about it now. I know it will be really tough and it will hurt, but I’m confident I have the mental and physical strength to complete it and enjoy it.

A huge thanks to Mark and my friends and family for the awesome support. Here’s to the up and coming weeks of big training, Ironman Wales, I’m coming for you.