On 28th June 2010, Steve Haywood (Enduroman No 4), set off to test the 2011 Enduroman Triathlon Championships course by completing the Deca (10 Ironman distance triathlons in 10 days). For the majority of the challenge, Steve was unsupported. Steve's tips and advice for athletes posted at the bottom of this page.
Live Feed:
07/07/10 - Day 10: What a great finish to this event. After the usual getting wet (59mins), getting a pain in the ass (6:11), then getting sun burnt (4:18 - a total time of 11:29), I drove over to Weymouth and took Jay Goss out on the Enduroboat for his 8-hour swim and swam him into the night. This is why I do these things. To complete events such as the A2A and the Deca and then help other people to do the same gives me great satisfaction. So.. that's it. I will complete a race report or should I say "tips report" that will help everybody that is attempting the event in 2011. No 4 finally signing out for good!!
06/07/10 - Day 9: Assos cream is definitely for winners. Although I learned a lot of lessons from Cornwall last year in terms of unwanted hair, changing cycle shorts throughout the day and making wet-ones my new best friend, the bike stage has still been a right pain in the ass! 6:07 on the bike and a 4:12 marathon. Total time 11:21. Last day tomorrow.... and I haven't started to get dizzy yet! No 4 out.
06/07/10 - Day 9: 62min swim and well into the bike. Chose an old pair of bike shoes today. The loss of a little power more than makes up for the blister pain my carbon set gave me. The New Forest ponies seem to be demonstrating today and have decided to walk down the centre of the roads in several locations around the route. Food consumed so far: 2 x porridge and raisins, 2 packets of salted crisps with extra salt, 2 x sausage rolls rapped in bacon, vit c, zinc and multi vit tablets, sausage and cheese toastie, 3 x bananas. Such great weather we are having. Totally different to the hurricanes I had to cycle through in Cornwall last year.
05/07/10 - Day 8: Absolutely nailed it today. Not sure why, just woke up feeling really good and it stayed that way until the end. 55mins swim, 5.47 bike and a 4:08 run. Total time 10:50. Food consumption: porridge x 2, toast x 4, mahusive fry up, chicken salad, 3 x banana, 2 pairs, 1 orange, sausage and cheese toastie, 2 packets of jelly babies, granny's stew with dumplings with 2 slices of white bread that I made a stew sandwich out of 
, more toast, 2 x yogurts, zinc / Vit C / Multi Vit and Iron tablets (as I have done for all days so far), 500ml sports drink or water per half hour (again - every day so far). This has been the most enjoyable day so far. Thank you to Neil, who joined me for the second half of the marathon. Good luck for your ultra marathon in a few weeks time. No 4 signing out.
04/07/10 - Day 7: Beasted in the heat today. Probably the first day I haven't kept a close eye on my nutrition and paid the price big time. Luckily, the problems came towards the end of the run, but I still had to play catch up in the evening. Swim 57mins, bike 6:49, run 5:45, Total: 13:33
04/07/10 - Day 7: Extremely windy today, my blisters hurt more in my bike shoes than when I'm running. Zinc tape saves the day as normal. Top trick I picked up from my army days... Pop it, dry it, tape it, then leave it, til it falls off in a few weeks!
03/07/10 - Day 6: Body really starting to adapt to what is being asked of it now. Normal nutrition throughout the day with the inclusion of a juicy cheese burger, milk chocolate magnum and melted cheese topped rolls. Slower swim on 62mins (due to tummy... issues ;-) 6:18 bike and a 4:31 run. Total time 11:52.
02/07/10 - Day 5: long day at the office... 8:01 on the bike followed by a 4:05 run. Total time 13:03. Hamstrings problems seem to have gone away, achilles a little sore but nothing to worry about at the stage.
02/07/10 - Day 5: 55min swim this morning then it was great to get out on the bike in the rain after all the heat we have been having. Steak n Chips ordered at the Burley in for dinner this evening!!
01/07/10 - Day 4: timings for yesterday: Swim 56mins, bike 7:55 (including 90mins at hospital for scan), run 3:48, total time 12:42. Food consumed: porridge x 2, toast x 4, ham and bacon rolls, fish and chips, mixed grill, sausage and cheese toastie, 2... x rivita with cheese, jelly babies, 3 x oranges, 3 x banana, zinc, vit C and multi vit tablets, 500ml of sports drink or water every 30mins.
01/07/10 - Day 4: Mixed grill in the bag...... and 2 x banana Frij shakes in my bottle cages!
01/07/10 - Day 4: Really enjoyed the swim this morning. 56mins then onto Litespeed. Only did a few laps as Kathy had to go for a 12 week scan. I'm going to be a Dad again!! Yey!! Only one this time!! I had a good 90min break to go to the hospital..., which caused my legs a bit of grief but they are starting work their way free again. Porridge for breakfast, 3 x bananas, usual sports drink and water, cheese rolls, and then fish and chips from the chippy!! Stopped at the Burley Inn for another toasty and its head back down again in a minute. Although the ass is painful, the legs are bearing up pretty well and I am looking forward to another marathon this evening. I am really impressed with the run course. Yes it is short (1 mile - same as Lichfield), but it is so much easier to run on than tarmac and lots of stunning scenery to pass the time.
30/06/10 - Day 3: Much better day today. Swim 56mins, bike 6:11. Remembered at the end of the bike why I had promised myself a granny saddle after Cornwall last year. I forgot! Starting to pick up one or two blisters at the base of my foot. Don't usually suffer from blisters but I think the canver (?) on the trails are to blame. Took the run a bit slower today due to the heat. Finished in 4:47. Total time 11:56. Consumed 4 x toast, 2 x snickers, fish pie, egg and pork pie salad, 3 x bananas, lots of jelly babies, cheese and sausage toastie, salted nuts, more jelly babies, 3 x apples, lots of raisins, 2 x pints of coke, more jelly babies.
30/06/10 - Day 3: Not alot of sleep last night due to a late finish, but after a beautiful swim and a few laps of the bike course the legs are starting to feel quite fresh again. The hamstrings are still a little tight (from a previous injury), but to be honest they actually feel better than when I started. Looking forward to a sausage and cheese toastie again for lunch at the Burley Inn ;-)
29/06/10 - Day 2: Total food consumed: porridge x 2, 4 x toast, 2 x yogurts, 2 x oranges, 2 x crumpets, cheese and onion pasty, lots of thortons chocolate, cheese and ham salad, pork pie, 3 x banana, cheese and sausage toastie, 500ml of sports drink/water per half hour. No 4 signing out.
29/06/10 - Day 2: I definitely feel a lot older than when I used to do this stuff. Really enjoyed the swim as it eased the pain in my hamstrings. Time: 59mins. The bike felt a lot harder than yesterday, but that is natural as I have to give the body enough time to adjust. Time: 6:06. The run was fantastic. The wooded trails are a lot less stressful on the legs than tarmac. Time: 4:20. Total Time: 11:26:58
28/06/10 - Day 1: Finished off the bike in 5:46. The heat really played its part today, and those little hills at the start of the bike, weren't so little at the end. Run completed in 4:31, Total time 11:12:02. Fuel consumed: 500ml sports drink / water per half hour, salad with salmon chunks, jacket potato with tuna, sweetcorn and mayo, pasta pesto, bacon and egg sandwich with HP sauce, porridge, 3 bananas, 2 oranges, 1 chocolate bar, cheese and onion pasty.
28/06/10 - Day 1: Beautiful sunshine in the New Forest. Swim done in 55mins, still out on the bike. I have been burnt to a crisp already! Averaging just under 20mph. Looking forward to some pasta pesto
Summary Results:
Day 1
11:12:02
Day 2
11:26:58
Day 3
11:56:16
Day 4
12:42:09
Day 5
13:03:46
Day 6
11:52:00
Day 7
13:33:52
Day 8
10:50:33
Day 9
11:21:19
Day 10
11:29:02
Total: 119:27:57
Tips and Advice for athletes:
General training: Those that have followed my previous adventures will know my philosophy for training. "If you do it during your race, then you do it in training". I combined this theory with the common knowledge fact that you have to train slower than race pace to build endurance, and faster than race pace to improve speed. This would apply to a 400m track race, or a Deca Iron triathlon. I have deployed these tactics in everything that I have done. In 1993, my goal was to run a sub 4 minute mile. That is 4 laps of a 400m track in less than 60sec. It would not take the brains of an Arch Bishop to assume that unless I could run 4 x 400m in 59 sec with a short recovery, then I stood no chance of running 1600m in less than 4minutes. So I did this session religiously, every week, for about 10 weeks before the big day. Each week I would reduce the recovery until I was only having 10sec rest between reps. On race day, I knew exactly what pace to run at, and more importantly I knew that I could run under 4 minutes for the mile. Training theory does not differ between sports. Therefore if you want to break 60mins for a 40km bike time trial, would it not make sense to train using 4 x 10km race efforts, with 10mins rest at exactly 15min pace? Then reduce the recovery as you progress through your training cycle. Do you want to run under 36min for 10km? Have you trained over reps of 2.5km at 9min pace. If not... why not? If you do not do it in training, you will not do it in competition. The general knowledge of triathlon training between club level triathletes is 10 years behind athletics. Heart rate monitors are a triathletes best friend... but would it surprise you to know that most elite level runners keep their HRM for their recovery sessions, and correctly rely on pace.
Triathlon is a different animal. The only sport we start fresh is the swim. We have to take this into consideration. If your goal is to run under 4 hours for an Ironman run split, then you should only use pace training after you have completed a long bike. Eg: 5 hour bike (1st hour EZ for endurance / next 3 hours at desired Ironman race pace / last hour slightly faster for strength). Run straight off the bike for 2 hours, with the middle hour at 4-hour pace, the rest zone 2 (aerobic). Come race day, your body will be conditioned to this pace, exercise type and you will be confident you can keep this pace.
Before reading on, it is extremely important to remember that we get fitter when we recover after our training sessions, and not when we train. If we train too soon after the session, then this will lead to injury and illness and your fitness level will decrease. Leave it too long and your fitness level will naturally decrease. The secret is to find what works for you. Take what you think to be too much recovery to start with, then decrease. Each and every athlete will be different.
The Deca, is 10 x Ironmen in 10 Days. You have to condition your body to swim, bike and run each day for 10 days AT YOUR DESIRED PACE. So this is what you need to do in training. Start with swimming, biking and running for 30mins each sport on one day. Take at least one day off to recover and to allow your body to reach a new level of fitness. Do this 3 times per week for 3 weeks building the duration of the sessions. Progress to 2 consecutive days twice per week for 3 weeks taking 2 days off after each 2-day period. Your weeks will now be 8-day weeks. Progress to 3 days with 3 days off, 4 days, then 5 days. Keep building until you can complete at least a half Iron distance for 7 days. You should be taking off 6-7 days rest to allow for fitness gains. Mix up the sessions so you are still racing slower and faster than race pace as well as the EXACT pace that you will compete at. You will know this off-by-heart come race day.
Aim to finish this process at least 1 month before the race. My last Deca 'session' was that I swam, biked and ran for 20mins each day for 10 days, then took almost 2 weeks off before the race.
This of course is the way I do things. My methods have coached 3 out of the 6 athletes in history to have completed the Enduroman Arch to Arc and I have coached 11 age-group triathletes into the ranks of the elite. My only reason for doing this Deca was so that I was able to give advice to our athletes and that they would trust in our advice.
Nutrition:
If you remember anything at all, remember "THEORY DOES NOT CUT IT ON THE STREETS". It has been banded around my army and police career for years but it has never been more applicable than to the sport of ultra distance triathlon. This goes from the Double, Deca and right up to the A2A. Apart from sports drink.. give all your sports nutrition to the dog. You don't need it. When you plan your nutrition, firstly pretend that you are not exercising for the 10 days (or whatever period you are racing for). What would you normally eat during this week? What ever that is, eat it. You need to eat a balanced diet. There are not many of us that would shove gels down our throats for 10 days if we weren't training. I have seen it every year for the past 3 years at Lichfield. Every year we offer advice on nutrition. Every year the new athletes ignore us. Every year we see athletes being pulled from the race through exhaustion (not refueling correctly). Every year I have to send athletes to the burger van when they are thinking about withdrawing from the event. If you read all the forums, the most common mistake admitted by the athletes is that they got their nutrition wrong and next year, "WILL BE EATING NORMAL FOOD".
During an Ultra distance triathlon, you body will burn minimal sugar. There are certain short-term levels that you can keep topped up using weak sports drink, but in the main, you body will require fat to get itself around the course. Your salt level is just as important that needs to be maintained. Microwave meals are excellent. Full of fat and salt. Just what the doctor ordered! Next time you are on an 8 hour plus bike and your energy levels are running low, resist the temptation to reach into your bag and pull out one of Granny's flap jacks. Go and and find a greasy spoon cafe and get some fat down you. I guarantee it will make a huge difference.
To summarize, my usual diet consists on porridge, bananas, fruit juice, pasta, fish, vegetables, red and white meat, sweets, chocolate and crisps (and jammie dodgers of course). This will form the basis of my ultra race diet. I will then top up with pasties, microwave meals, sausage, bacon sandwiches etc. Then comes the comfort food.. jelly babies, jaffa cakes etc. On both the Arch to Arc and the Deca, I put on between 2-5lbs. I was never going to run out of energy.
This is definitley the "Big Mamma" of Ultra racing. The Enduroman Arch to Arc however, still carries the title of the, "Big Daddy". The level of fitness, self motivation and mental toughness required for the A2A far outweighed the Deca.
I hope this lot helps. I will update with tips about the course soon.
Steve
No 4