Want to be inspired? Want to know what it takes to do a full ironman? Want to hear how one lady, who came to triathlon wanting to just get through a Super Sprint swim ended up becoming an Ironman athlete?
Read all about one of our regular camp guests and coached athlete Paula. She started out in triathlon not being able to swim a length and just a few weeks ago conquered an Ironman…this is an incredible story of determination and sheer bloody mindedness to never give up and believe everything is possible.
The early days
My venture into triathlon started in late 2016; I had been running for about 2 years, settled on 10k as my preferred distance and had no desire to run further than that so decided that I needed a new challenge. I found an appropriate event and signed up for it, in May 2017; 200m swim, 12k bike and 2.5k run. The only problem with triathlon was that I couldn’t swim. Had about 7 weeks of lessons and was able to very slowly get through that first event.
Found Challenge Tri Camp; had read about people going on triathlon camps abroad, looked online and found a few. Challenge Tri Camp was easily the front runner and I started thinking about signing up. Thinking lasted a while before I eventually filled in the form; even then I thought nothing would come of it, I didn’t actually have to go. Then I had a call with them and that was it, I was going!
At the end of September I was excitedly and nervously on my way to camp in Mallorca. Apart from the timetable that had been sent out the week before I had no idea what to expect. I had never ridden a road bike so the thought of cycling the proposed distances was daunting. Obviously new to swimming, unable to swim the length of the pool without stopping the idea of swimming in the sea terrified me. The only thing I was a little bit confident about was running.
The camp was full of so many firsts; on the first day I cycled further than I had ever cycled before and the distance increased every day (all in trainers), cycling up a mountain and back down again was epic, cycling round the velodrome was good fun, swimming analysis was great and I couldn’t believe that I actually swam in the sea. It really didn’t matter that I was the slowest swimmer and the least experienced cyclist, I had a fabulous week which set the course for everything that has happened since… totally changed my life.
Progression through the distances
2017 – Winchester May Day Novice (pre Challenge Tri Camp)
2018 – Winchester May Day Supersprint
2018 – Winchester May Day Supersprint
2018 – Eton Sprints Weekend Supersprint (first in open water)
2018 – Shock Absorber Women Only Sprint
2021 – Human Race Season Finale Olympic Standard
2022 – Cotswold Classic 70.3
2023 – Wales long course weekend
2018 – Shock Absorber Women Only Sprint
2021 – Human Race Season Finale Olympic Standard
2022 – Cotswold Classic 70.3
2023 – Wales long course weekend
2024 – IM Barcelona
What happened next?
I came home from camp, bought a road bike and clip in shoes… learning to use cleats was interesting. I think it was my second camp in 2018 when I started to understand what all the distances were and at that time my aim was to complete a standard, but I didn’t think I’d ever be able to swim that far. I had a conversation with Helen one of the coaches (I wonder if she remembers), where I said I’d never be able to complete an Ironman and she said “never say never!”
Post Covid. Once I’d done the standard in 2021, I started to think that the jump to the 70.3 swim wasn’t that big and maybe I could do it… and if I could do that maybe I could go longer. It was all still very much about whether or not I could swim the required distance. I’m not a great cyclist either; not very strong on climbs and scared on descents, but I have stuck at it and improved over the years. I think I just decided that I would work hard and set myself the target of increasing the distance each year. I don’t set out to win, I just want to complete.
Having Nick, my Challenge Tri Camp coach and his guidance throughout this journey has been critical. I put so much thought into what my events would be depending on the time of year it was (needed enough time to train), what the course was like (nothing too lumpy)*, what the reviews said about them (if they were friendly to beginners) and with Nick would plan and discuss the lead up events and the training, based on the goal for the season. Returning to camp each year and the whole coaching process has obviously been a key part of this.
*the only time I didn’t avoid the ‘lumps’ was the Long Course Weekend in Wales, and that didn’t go to plan! I might not have finished it all but still a good experience and another learning curve.
This was my Ironman ‘list of options’ – can you spot the theme!! We knew a flat course would be my best chance and Barcelona gave us enough time to prepare for it and was not too late into the season.
Barcelona won. Now to prepare…
So I had an Ironman planned, looked at the course and cut off times with Nick and then just did what he ‘told’, well set me each week to do!! The training was relentless but worth it. The first few months were not too bad but then it got ramped up and I knew it was not going to be easy.
I doubted myself so many times and wondered what on earth I thought I was doing, but at the same time had total trust in Nick and faith in the training.
I did some sea swim events in awful conditions that definitely helped me get ready for this, even though the conditions were nowhere near as bad on race day in Barcelona. I had shorter sessions planned for me around my working calendar, but of course had to increase and practise longer rides and longer runs. Nick had me doing ridiculous brick sessions to practise my fuelling and to just see if I could bike and run for such a long time, and even got me doing punctures as fast as I could, just in case it happened on race day! It was all about just getting me across that finish line in under 16 hours and the dreaded cut off!
What else!!
Before I put my race report down on paper, for those that have read down his far! I am just so happy to say I have done an Ironman but it’s so much more than that and you learn so much about yourself.
I would advise people to follow their own path… even though I know better, when training for Barcelona I fell into the trap of comparing my training to others… why are they running 20 miles? I’m not running 20 miles. OMG, they have just swum 3k. I would say focus on what you’re doing, not what other people are doing.
The friends I’ve made through triathlon and the community that exists around it, just phenomenal. Athletes who get on podiums and / or qualify for championships call me inspirational… these are the athletes who inspire me. I also feel so lucky to have been able to share the race day with someone from my tri club and three ladies who I met on Challenge Tri Camp earlier this year. Seeing friendly faces on the course, being able to say hello and getting a thumbs up or a wave made it all the more enjoyable.
The Race – Ironman Barcelona
The Swim….
My expected time was two hours so I seeded myself in the 1:50 pen with the hope of maybe getting on someone’s feet and being pulled along. It wasn’t a big group, maybe 30 of us if that.
While we were waiting the announcer said that we would all swim quicker than we expected because on the way back we would have the wind with us.
Once the pros had gone and the rolling start began it wasn’t long before it was our turn; before I knew it I was at the front and off. I think I ran in… I never run in!
The sea was absolutely beautiful, very gently bouncing on the way out. I settled into a rhythm and was enjoying it. I had my first “I’m actually doing it” moment. There were more people quite close to me than I’m used to but I was okay with that… it wasn’t elbows and aggression, we were swimming with each other rather than against each other.
At the turn buoys to head back a huge wave picked me up and seemed to throw me in the direction I needed to go which was helpful. It was a bit bumpy for a few seconds so I let the waves do their thing before starting to swim back.
It was definitely speedy. Before I knew it I was at the turn buoy to finish and could see the exit arch. I looked at my watch and thought this is spectacular as I headed back in.
There were 3 or 4 of us still together and I could hear the water safety team shouting at us to go left. I looked up and we had drifted out a bit, so course corrected and carried on. This happened twice; the current that had helped us get back was now working against us.
The most challenging part of the swim for me… I started to think this is where it all goes wrong if it takes me 30 mins to get out . Head down, strong arms and go! I made it
My swim time was 1:41:51, beyond my expectations.
Even with c. 10 mins in T1 I was ahead of where I thought I would be, so extra time for the bike.
The Bike….
I got on the bike at just over 1hr 50 mins which meant I had over 4hrs to do the first 90km… at my planned 25kph this was achievable. I set off all pedals blazing.
It was pretty much one long road with a couple of offshoots on the way out and one on the way back. For a lot of it you could see the sea. Headwind on the way out, tailwind on the way back. I focused on maintaining my pace, kept drinking (it was warm), and eating because I knew I had to not because I wanted to.
The recognised climb (according to Garmin) was one of the offshoots and while it was a slog I’ve ridden worse and I didn’t think it was that bad (hold that thought). The rest of the course was up and down; I noticed 4% gradients on my bike computer a few times.
I saw the Challenge Tri Camp ladies and we hollered at each other which was nice and I was having a marvellous time. I completed the first lap 30 mins ahead of the cutoff and off I went around the roundabout to do it all again.
The second lap was a bit different, let’s say there was less of the enjoyment factor. The ups felt much steeper, the climb was definitely a mountain the second time around. I was counting down now, how many kms did I have left. My average pace was slowing and I was willing myself to get to the furthest turnaround point so that I was definitely on the way to the finish. I did a time check when I got there; 45km to go and about 2hrs 15 mins to do it. Head down and pedal… where was this alleged tailwind?!
The last 20km was horrific. I just wanted to get off; my pace was slowing, every incline felt huge, my back was aching, the few riders left on course were passing me and disappearing into the distance. I was so relieved to get back into town… a few technical turns then I could get off that bike.
My bike time was 7:46:21 and I was so pleased with sub 8 hrs. Came in from the bike at 9:37:56 so 12 mins, 4 secs to spare, loads of time.
The run….
Coming into this race I thought that once I get on the run I will have made the bike cutoff and therefore have at least 6hrs 10 mins to complete it so just have to run 4 x 10km, aiming for 1 hr 25 mins for each leaving enough time to do the last 2km – simple
We found out at the briefing that we would run parallel to the finish line three times before we ran down the finish chute the fourth time. I did think that seeing people finishing when I was only just starting my second lap would crush my soul. In reality when I went through on my first lap people were already finishing… however I saw that as exciting.
I was feeling good… pace was ahead of where it needed to be and it felt comfortable, plus the first time it was new so I didn’t know where I was going. It wasn’t the most inspiring of routes but it was flat.
The first lap was non-eventful and I was ahead of the 1hr 25 mins mark at 10km.
My second time past the finish line was eventful; as I was heading towards it a member of my tri club Chloe was finishing, so it was amazing to watch her cross the line… the opposite of crushing my soul. What were the chances of that? out of c. 3400 athletes.
I had a cutoff to start the third lap; my 10km plan would achieve that and I was ahead so happy days! I made it comfortably; this time past the finish I was thinking next time it will be my turn.
The run wasn’t hard as such, it was looong; the final 10km was never ending but I just had to keep moving forward.
I was elated when I got back to the main site; I could not stop smiling along that final stretch.
Running down that red carpet finish chute was epic. I chuckled at having to jump for the first timers bell, because doing an Ironman wasn’t enough exertion.
I can still hear him saying “PAULA HIGGINS YOU ARE AN IRONMAN”
I impressed myself with a sub 6 hr marathon, completing in 5:53:36 (So the marathon is actually a PB… the only time I’ve run that distance before it took me just over 6.5hrs)
Oh and I had 21 mins, 35 secs to spare!
Want to find out more about triathlon training camp and training to improve your triathlon skills in the UK and Mallorca, along with 1:1 and group coaching options then drop us a message to have a chat with one of our head coaches..contact us here
