After one year of working together, last weekend James took on Ironman Wales. Achieving sub 12 hours was the goal which he absolutely smashed and to do that on the Tenby course, for your first Ironman was no mean feat. It’s been a fun year coaching James through all the highs and lows that come with Ironman training. I asked him to answer a few questions about his experience with me as his coach and whether he would recommend to others thinking about Ironman’s in the future…
Why did you to sign up for Ironman Wales, and how did you feel about the challenge ahead before we started working together?
Having grown up in Pembrokeshire it was always a goal to one day compete in Ironman Wales. Having watched the race on several occasions I knew how tough it was going to be and felt very apprehensive about the challenge that lay ahead.
What were your initial goals for Ironman Wales? Did you have a specific time in mind or were you just focused on completing the race?
My initial goal as soon as I entered the race was to go sub 12 hours. As time went on I thought this goal was extremely optimistic.
Can you describe your training experience over the past year? What aspects of the coaching program stood out to you the most?
The level of detail and understanding that Sophie puts into your plan is second to none. Each plan is tailor made to your exact requirements. I really struggled with the early mornings. Having rowed for many years I was kind of over the early starts. Having a coach helped me to have accountability for each session and the motivation to keep going through the tough times. A structured plan with “hard” and “easy” weeks as well as having specific bike and run sessions to follow helped me to have more structured, focused training.
I noticed significant improvements in my running throughout the year with Sophie. The ability to run fast off the bike really improved resulting in a 1:33 half marathon at the end of Holkham middle distance triathlon and I finished off with a strongly paced 3:52 marathon at the end of Ironman Wales.
What kind of support or feedback did you find most helpful from me as a coach?
Real honest feedback with no bullshit. Sophie reminded me to dig deep on race day, it was probably going to hurt regardless.
On race day, how did you feel going into Ironman Wales? How did our training prepare you mentally and physically for the event?
I felt good. I think everyone has the feeling of “have I done enough”. I went through my race plan with Sophie and we tweaked where necessary. Sophie also massively helped me with my nutrition strategy on race day (going from no understanding of nutrition to a detailed race day nutrition strategy!). Physically I felt fit and ready to race.
Walk us through the race day experience? How did you feel during each segment (swim, bike, run)?
Swim – Nerves, just get through it in one piece. 2nd loop was very choppy so just stay calm and get to the next stage (the bike).
Bike – Started off strong with a nice tailwind. I always knew the second half of the bike was going to be tough as this is where the real hills were. Knee started to hurt in the last 40/50km but the crowds got me through.
Run – Just enjoy it, we are on the final stage. Focus on running technique and don’t worry about the time. Loop 1 and 2 were fine, loop 3 was tough and loop 4 was fine (home stretch).
What was the most memorable part of the race for you?
The most memorable part of the day for me was seeing my friends and family on the run. The run was 4 loops and each loop got harder and harder. Seeing them so often really helped.
What was going through your mind as you crossed the finish line and realised you had achieved a sub-12-hour Ironman?
I’VE DONE IT!!! 12 months of training has all been worth it. A huge sense of relief that all the hard work has been worth it.
Whats next? Do you have new goals in mind?
At the moment no future plans or goals. Everything was leading up to Ironman Wales and now that this is over I need time to plan my next adventure (Sophie: and rest!).
What would you say to someone considering working with a coach for their own Ironman or triathlon journey?
Just do it. You can’t really fluke an Ironman so if you want to get the most out of your race and enjoy every second get a coach to help you on that journey.
Thank you James – for your trust one year ago, training hard and smashing the goal! It was a pleasure 💪
Sophie Kirk - Triathlon Coaching 