Spent most of the swim coughing again but completed it in 62 mins 30 secs ( again). After heavy overnight rain , the track was still quite wet but not slippy as it is NOT a smooth surface . It’s a bit like a rural Cheshire lane surface – ie very bumpy. We dispensed with suncream as it was so overcast , but Sam has ended the day with a burnt face and neck . I completed the bike in 6 hr 4 mins ( approx 30 secs faster than yesterday and 2 mins slower than Thursday . My challenger for 3rd place , Hermann Steinacher of Austria pushed a fast pace on the bike , so I knew I could not relax . At this stage of the race , you don’t really want to still be pushing the limits . I knew that a good run was required . I went quite steadily for the first half and then really tried to hold the pace ( I have been slowing down most days in the last few laps). With 2 laps to go ( 6+ miles ) I knew that I had a chance of my fastest day if I could put in a good hour’s running . I was also 10 minutes behind the day’s race leader , Kim Greisen who I crossed the line with on Thursday , so I used him as a 2nd target as we crossed paths twice on each of the out and back laps . I sprinted through the last feed station , ignoring Sam’s offer of food/drink ( and his order not to injure mysel) and caught Kim with 300 metres to go , in the process beating my best time of the race by 1 minute !! I think I am about 50 minutes clear of 4th place but anything can still happen on the last day .
As you can imagine , the camaraderie amongst the competitors is growing by the day. It develops quite a shared bond by undertaking such a tough task together . Today I had my first longish chat with Thierry Delhaye of France , who is competing in his first Deca . His goal was only to finish , so being in 2nd place is the creme sur le gateau for Thierry. He has been lucky to have his wife alongside him on her bike throughout the runs . Also today , despite having dropped out , Kari Martens was there supporting us all with his wife Petra and son Oliver . They informed me that they had been counting strokes during the swim. I swim side by side with Harald Oswald . Apparently it looks quite funny as he tkes 16 strokes a length to my 24 !! Vincenzo keeps plugging away and it looks like he will make it . Mike Ward of England had a storming run today and Wayne Kurtz continues to smile and TALK all day despite painful shinsplints . Tony Reed is a character — yesterday he had a shave AFTER the swim . None of us had ever seen that before . His rear end was so so sore after 3 days — I think Sam and I have made a friend for life by letting him use my Assos cream each morning — that stuff really is good for saddle sores . AND …………… amazingly after 9 marathons in 9 days , some in very wet conditions , I do not even have a hint of a blister !! That run to Rome must have really toughened my feet up .
So…………….I day to go !!!
Brilliant effort today Dave. Good luck for day 10. Make sure you get that 3rd place and don’t ignore Sam! Nick and Jane
Great effort from the team. Bought a bottle of wine yesterday and its sicilian. Will only open it when you’ve finished. Pam, Kev and Vik xxx
Well done you 2- no -better than well done. Bxxxxx marvellous. May as well run back home now- via Rome. mum & dad
HI Dave always great to see you doing so well you never
cease to amaze me.About time you wrote a book.
Best wishes Jim