| |
|
Mark White left no stone unturned in preparing for the ultimate triathlon challenge -
The Hawaii Ironman World Championships.
Knowing he was likely to encounter extreme heat, the WIGSTON firefighter trained at the height of the summer on an indoor bike
in a greenhouse and running on local roads wrapped in thermal kit, gloves and woolly hat.
"I got a few funny looks and double-takes," he said.
He was following a path first trodden by one of Britain's most eminent Olympians, Don Thompson, who won the 1960 Games 50km walk having acclimatised by training in his bathroom with the heater turned up. Charnwood's European 5,000m champion Jack Buckner also prepared for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul in an acclimatisation chamber at Loughborough University while, recently, Huncote's Nicki Nealon did some training ahead of winning the World Masters 10,000m title in her conservatory.
As for White, the planning paid off as he set one of the fastest times ever by a Leicestershire triathlete in an Ironman
event over a course that is rated the most gruelling on earth. After the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run,
the 35-year-old from Enderby was "really pleased" with his efforts, finishing in a time of 9hr 26min36sec.
It hardly went swimmingly at the start, though, for the former Marine. He had barely got into his stroke in the swim when
he needed treatment for cramp. "We were treading water in the water for half an hour before the 7am start and then when
I kicked like mad to get going, my calves cramped up," said White. "I was hauled into a canoe and got some massage.
"Then it was back in the water for White to complete his swim in 62min 6sec. "I was 330th but I overtook maybe 160 on the bike
(5hr 6min 9sec) and another 50 on the run (a 3.11.59 marathon)," he said.
"I knew it would be very hot on the run because of the reflected heat through lava fields, but I kept my fluid intake up and
not many ran much quicker. "At the end, I was 119th and 15th in my category (M35-39) which was a real bonus,
especially as I was racing against athletes from 26 qualifying races around the world which probably had average fields
of 2,000. So I was effectively 15th for my age against the best in the world."
White had endured two unsuccessful shots at qualifying for Hawaii, in 2002 when he missed out by an agonising 10 seconds
and 2003. So when he finally achieved his target in the Florida Ironman, it was a dream come true, but what made White's performance in Hawaii all the more creditable was that he was racing against full time and part time athletes, many of whom
receive considerable financial backing. In contrast, apart from a couple of donations amounting to £450 in total over the last few years, White has had to fund himself. The race entry cost $400 and the trip to Hawaii set him back £2,500 as well as having to fit training, which peaks at 23 hours a week, around his job as a leading fireman.
"It does get to me when I see other sportsmen, especially footballers, earning vast amounts for putting in a lot less effort than me,
but I try not to think about it," admitted White. Now, though, having been committed to the Ironman discipline for five years,
he is eager to make the next step and become one of an elite group of Britons to beat nine hours.
"Less than 10 have ever got under nine hours," he said. "That's the big goal next year."
White has already set a best of 9hr 6min at Wolverhampton's Longest Day Ironman this year, but his Hawaii performance
is rated far higher by those 'in the know' like Leicester's former world duathlon age-group champion Chris Mawer.
She said: "Mark's Wolverhampton time is far more beatable by a County athlete on any local Ironman course than his Hawaii one will ever be at County level - the two are in just such a different league. "The other admirable quality Mark has is that he is not a club member and does all his training alone, which is right-on for a race like Hawaii, which is as much about mental strength as physical."
Next summer's Austria Ironman, which is renowned for its fast course, is likely to be the target for White.
"For people to do the Ironman in 14 hours is a real achievement. They're over the moon, and rightly so," he said.
"But to be really serious you have to race it every moment. "At every Ironman I've done, I've improved.
"Next year is going to be a big year for me. Getting under nine hours would be a real pinnacle."
Just entering the Austria Ironman costs £220, so if any individual or company is interested in backing White,
one of Leicestershire's truly amazing sportsmen, they can contact;
Graham Melton on 0116 2224288 or email grahammelton@leicestermercury.co.uk |
TRI UK The World's Largest Triathlon Store - Official Elite Sponsor Of Mark White