John Brady - Tri-Tyrone 70.3 2024 Race Report

After the tragedy in Cork Ironman 2023 and the fallout afterwards leading to the cancellation of that race for the foreseeable, I began to think what other 70.3 I could do this season. After much chatting with some of the 3D lads, Tyrone seemed to be a popular opinion so the date was checked and worked out with my plans as I was gonna be away for a good chunk of the summer and summer races in Ireland. So myself, Ciaran Larkin, Sean Rooney and Sean Farrell were on it the moment entries went on sale. We got spots, happy days now time to train!

After a March training camp in the Algarve with coach Sean and 3D members I decided I needed a plan gearing towards this race and who better than Coach Danny and PSI. The wheels were put in motion and I started training specifically for Tyrone (after I had the small matter of the Hyrox world championship in Nice to take care of).

I didn’t have as long as I may have liked to gear up for Tyrone, but I did all I could in the window I had and Danny’s program made it so much easier rather than just winging training and hoping to be good on the day. So after all the training we set off on the Friday before the race and stayed overnight in a place close to the race start, got registered, picked up race pack and off we went. Started off early Saturday morning, not too early, as it was a 9am start which was good. Bit rainy starting the day getting the bikes put into transition but all went well and ready to go!

Swim start... The swim was in a lake with two loops of a well marshalled and marked out course. It was a mass start though and self-seeded, which for me this would be a first. There were two different coloured hats, white for if you were gonna be over 40 mins for the 1.9k or yellow if under. After all my swimming over the past 12 months I was definitely taking a yellow hat!!! I took time to think about how far my swim had come on since Sean Farrell told me to join the swim sessions and put so much time into me!

So everyone is in the water. I’m looking for Ciaran Larkin as i think i could stay with him for maybe a few mins before he powered off but i can’t see him. I’m surrounded by white hats, I should be further up by the front but somehow all these slower people are around me....3.2.1 GO!!! SHITSHOW!!! I’m getting a few bangs and clatters, I sharply dispense a few of my own!! People are clawing around trying to swim over me but after a few mins they find their pace which is behind me and I eventually get up the field a bit and into a bit of a rhythm but that mass start and the goings on have cost me a couple of minutes if not more. I get out of the water at about 42 minutes. I am NOT happy. I thought I had about 38 or below in me easily.

So then I’m onto the bike. Slightly cheesed off and power in the legs ready to go but can’t go too mad I don’t want to blow up. The plan was to hold average of approx. 200 watts. Bike course was flat-ish not totally flat but no windmill hills type stuff so was good, it was 3x30k loops, was exchanging places with a couple of strong women for most of the bike and we were sick of looking at each other I think so one of them dropped me and I couldn’t catch her, she must be very light I told myself as she got smaller up the road. I’ll see her again though!

Crossed the loop and saw Ciaran who was flying and gave him a shout of encouragement and Sean Rooney also. No way am I catching Ciaran I think but Sean could be in sight! My fuelling throughout the race has been bang on and I’m feeling fresh and have lots in the legs for the run...into T2, a quick #1 break, shades and hat on and we are away. Sub 3 hour on the bike was the plan so 2:50 was on the clock coming into T2 so I’m happy. The sun had come out at this stage too!

Run...The plan had been to run 4:30-4:40km and the first 2km I am feeling great and doing 4:30, that’s when I passed the afore-mentioned woman who dropped me on the bike. I think to myself you’ve 19k left here and its getting quite warm. I decided to peel it back to 4:40 and stay there for the rest. 3x7k loops is the run and I’m looping past the lads again, high 5s as we pass each other, Ciaran is motoring but Sean Rooney is not too far away, just stick to the plan don’t kill yourself to catch anyone, run your own race John! There were people cheering on the run (Ciaran’s family being my loudest fans) and the aid stations of Coke and water made easy to break up the run in your head. I’m on the run thinking if they told me to keep going for a full marathon I’d be comfortable to do it if I’d a few more gels with me, it was going great.

3k to go feeling good and try to put the hammer down. Its not there so I sit into my pace and finish it out where the 3D lads and Orla who had been there all day awaited. A great day overall and I’d highly recommend the race to anyone who wanted to do a 70.3 close to Dublin.

Packed up our stuff, got the Medal went to the car and went directly home, via the pub for a well- earned two pints before I almost fell asleep on the stool.