THE WORLD QUINTUPLE IRONMAN TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS, MEXICO

6 - 12 NOVEMBER 2005

12 mile swim, 560 mile bike, and 131 mile run

by Arthur Puckrin

After a 24 hour journey from England we were pleased to be met by Denise Andonie, daughter of our host, race organiser, Mr Jorge Andonie. We had left a cold England and arrived in a very hot climate at Monterrey, Mexico. We soon made ourselves at home in the Sports Village. Although Mexico is a third world country, its sports facilities are second to none and within 800 metres we had a Cycling Velodrome, an American Football Stadium and a Baseball Stadium plus 50 brand new tennis courts with coaching. Also Monterrey has several 50 metre swimming pools.

I swiftly put my bike together and tried a ride round the track which was only 150 yards from our accommodation in the Sports Village. Fortunately both the bike and myself had survived the journey intact. I also acclimatised by walking the 2 miles to the shops and back each day, ‘carbo loading’ at the “Sirloin Steakhouse which allowed unlimited eating once you had paid for your steak. It was a very good bargain for hungry triathletes.

The day before race day, we had our ‘blood doping’ and drug testing ordeal with the doctors. Always a problem for me as they seem to find it difficult to extract blood from my arms. With that over, the race should be no problem according to my support crew and coach, Mary.

Race day soon arrived and at 10 am we were taken to the swimming pool for a prompt start at 12 noon.

I made a steady start and after 2 hours felt good with a nice steady swim. However, there must have been some chemical in the water which disagreed with me because I started to feel very ill. I felt I was not going to be able to complete the swim. I came out of the water, but I remembered the words of the Irish doctor in Hawaii when I was having difficulties. He said, just do 1000 metres then have a rest, something to eat and drink and then do another 1000 metres. I did this for a while, and noticed that other swimmers were being sick and leaving the water. After a while things improved and I managed 2000 metres, then a bit more and finally, I was only left with 7000 metres which I swam to the finish. Very slow at 11 hours 45 minutes, but at least I had completed the swim.

We now had a taxi ride to the start of the bicycle course and I took advantage of this to have something to eat and drink. It was now after midnight, but I would try and complete at least half of the bike ride before I rested. I started my 560 mile ride and soon began to catch and lap the leaders, Emmanual Conraux of France and Todd Heady from the USA. I had severe indigestion following the swim and could not eat or drink anything for about 6 hours. I had to allow my stomach to empty. I rode all through the night, but next morning I did stop for some scrambled eggs, bread and soup. I also ate Ritz crackers, cheese, peanut bars and tinned pears. Once my stomach had settled down, I felt all right and rode at a good pace, stopping for a short while for the mandatory medical check. I felt sure the doctor would say I was unfit to continue, but as long as I could stand, I was fit enough to race. The day passed slowly and the miles to be covered slowly decreased, eventually I reached 280 miles and I would have a sleep. Into bed for 5 hours, and then off again. A brief stop for breakfast of eggs and bread and tea, and then away I went. I was still maintaining my pace, but was feeling very lonely, and was glad of an excuse to stop for food and chat every 40 miles or so.
Eventually the day and the miles passed into the night with still a long way to go but hopefully I would complete the bike course before midnight. I did, just, very weary but I had moved up to 7th position. Could I improve this on the run?

Something to eat and drink, into my running kit and away, no sleep this time, I would try and finish it off.

I had been unable to run since July due to an Achilles tendon injury, but I could walk in my walking boots, and I had managed a few walks to harden my fet. I stopped every lap for something to eat and drink. I drank Coke, Seven Up, tea, coffee, water, Powerade, and I ate chicken & chips, eggs and bread, jam sandwiches and Ritz crackers and butter, melon and pears. As I approached the half-way mark, my body craved sleep. I was nodding off whilst walking. I had to have a short sleep, so into the haven of bed for 2 hours and then away again. I only managed a short distance before I had to have another short sleep, but now it was daylight on the 4th day, my pace was slowing, my feet were deteriorating fast. I had to stop and let the doctor have a look at them. He burst my blisters and bandaged each foot and said, “You will sleep now”. I said I had 50 miles to cover before I could sleep. He looked at me in dismay, but off I went. I had now changed into one boot and one sandal and after a few more laps into both sandals, which had no heels or toes. My pace slowed further, but I was making ground and the miles to cover were coming down. I was not eating much now, just slowly grinding out the miles. I walked a few laps with Todd Heady, USA, whose early lead had disappeared, and Beat Knetchle, Switzerland. We were all suffering in the heat and with our feet, but we would somehow reach the finish.

On entering this event, my original plan had been to complete the swim and bike in 2 days, and then to do what I could on the run as I calculated that I should have been no lower than in second place. However, with my Achilles injury, I knew that whatever lead I had after the bike, I would be run down long before the finish. After my difficulties in the swim I altered my plan and extended the time for the swim and bike to 2½ days. This would allow me over 3 days to the finish, which I suspected I would need to complete the run in comfort and so it proved, although in the event the run proved anything but comfortable.

Although everyone tries their best to win the event, as time goes on, the competition is not with other athletes, but with the event itself. Instead of trying to overtake each other, we actively help each other to finish. We cheer each other on regardless of position as we all want each other to do well and reach the finish line. As the end nears, I am overdosing on painkillers, which seem to have very little effect. The doctor warns me to drink plenty of water to avoid damage to my kidneys. However, I am advised by another doctor that so long as I can pee, my kidneys are all right. The pain in my feet becomes intense. Every time I stop it becomes more difficult to start again. It takes at least one mile of walking before my feet loosen up and the pain diminishes. We are all walking round like zombies. No one speaks much, we are all involved in a personal battle for survival.

The first night of the run, after dark, I was surprised to be accompanied by a mysterious lady. We talked a while, time passed, and the miles passed. I was glad of her company, but who was she? Just before midnight she disappeared. On I went alone. The next night, just after dark, she appeared again. Who was she? Was she only a dream, or was she a product of my exhausted mind? She spoke English to me, fluent French to Alain Dupuis, Italian to Vincenzo and Spanish to Carlos. She accompanied us for many miles, then just before midnight she disappeared. Could she be only a dream? On the third night again just after dark she appeared. I was very tired at this stage, only crawling along, but she kept me company and the miles went from under my feet. She told me she had to leave early to catch a plane to Mexico City, but she seemed in no hurry to leave. But, again, just before midnight, like some latter-day Cinderella, she vanished, but instead of leaving a glass slipper, she left behind a pair of cycling shorts which our Italian Lothario, Vincenzo, (a noted cross-dresser) had enticed her to give him on the pretext that his own were too small???? (I shall look out for their appearance on Vincenzo in future races).

My feet were agonising now as the finish approached. I was joined by Alonzo, a late addition to my support crew. I knew if I stopped and slept it would be agony to start again, but I was falling asleep on my feet. Alonzo begged me to sleep, but there was only less than half a marathon to go. I would complete it somehow. We were now on the fifth day. My feet were now infected and I had open wounds in the bottom of my feet. Fortunately I could not see them too well, but the end was in sight. Alonzo was trying to teach me Spanish to keep me awake. I told him my brain was exhausted as well as my body. Eventually the last lap came. I completed it somehow. Run time 3 days 0 hrs 38 mins 3 secs Total time 5 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes and 3 seconds.

There was a large turnout to cheer me as I crossed the finish line even though it was about
1 am. I had a telephone call from my mysterious friend in Mexico City. Somehow she had learned of my success. Perhaps she was real after all. The emotional demands of the event were clear as many were in tears after reaching the haven of the tape, but I felt only relief that my agony was over. However, 2 days later I still could not walk and had to be carried to the closing ceremony.

Thanks to Mary, my support crew, who somehow got me over the finish line despite all difficulties, and thanks to Jorge Andonie, his family and team who provided a great festival of sport and a superbly organised event. It was a pleasure to be in Mexico.

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
. . . .
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
. . . .
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And - which is more - you’ll be a Man my son!

Extracts from ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling

Results: - MEN

01 Emmanuel Conraux - France - 3 days 1 hr 18 mins 16 secs
02 Sergio Cordeiro – Brazil - 3 days 9 hrs 29 mins 26 secs
03 Guy Rossi – France - 3 days 18 hrs 57 mins 15 secs
04 Hildeberto Villa – Mexico - 3 days 23 hrs 17 mins 56 secs
05 Michael Ward – Guernsey - 4 days 3 hrs 45 mins 25 secs
06 Beat Knetchle – Switzerland - 4 days 7 hrs 54 mins 4 secs
07 Todd Heady – USA - 4 days 9 hrs 11 mins 6 secs
08 Alain Dupuis – France - 4 days 13 hrs 6 mins 45 secs
09 Harn Wei Kua – Singapore - 4 days 13 hrs 19 mins 51 secs
10 Arthur Puckrin – England - 5 days 12 hrs 12 mins 5 secs
11 Gilberto Cerda – Mexico - 5 days 16 hrs 15 mins 45 secs
12 Todd Zagursky – USA - 5 days 22 hrs 35 mins 2 secs
13 Vincenzo Catalano – Italy - 6 days 7 hrs 45 mins 21 secs
14 Alfredo Muñoz – Mexico - 7 days 3 hrs 59 mins 48 secs
15 Carlos Cortes – Mexico – DNF

Results: - WOMEN

01 Surays Oliver - Great Britain - 5 days 4 hrs 8 mins 7 secs
02 Eileen Steil – USA - 5 days 11 hrs 39 mins 16 secs
03 Manuela Resnik – Austria - 5 days 18 hrs 17 mins 23 secs
04 Maria Luisa Valdez – Mexico - 7 days 4 hrs 47 mins 58 secs
05 Silvia Andonie – Mexico - DNF