Press release:
Full pre-race interview with Fay Dellimore, UK
Fay, what has brought you to the island of Lanzarote?
- I have been coming out here for a few years and the first time I came out here I fell in love with both Lanzarote and Ironman and I swore then I would do it. I have been watching it the last couple of years. I felt like an outsider and I wanted to be in there with them, and this year I feel like I am at home.
You have never done an Ironman before, are you a little worried about taking on what people call the hardest Ironman in the world as your very first one?
- I was a few months ago. I hadn't done anything on the bike course. And I am not a strong biker, swimmer and runner. So yes I was scared of the bike course. But then I did some training here in February and ok, I was slower than everyone else. But I knew then that is wasn't impossible. I could do this! I probably need the cut offs in the bike and the run. But I know I can do it and this is the hardest in the world. If you can do this you can do anything so why not!!
You are from England. How did you do your training in the winter?
- Well I have done a lot of turbo training. I was doing 5-hour sessions on the turbo, because where we live you have to stop every 5 minutes for traffic lights, roundabouts. There are so many cars it is so dangerous. It has been tough, very tough. I have done most of the training on my own. There were a couple of times where I have really felt do I really want to do this? Can I do this? There have been a couple of times where I have said I am not going to do it especially when things have gone wrong. But then again it is my dream and I don't want to give up my dream not for anything or anybody, so I am here!
What is it that is so appealing about the Ironman?
- I think that having been here for a couple of Ironman events, it is the feeling of family, it is the feeling when you have done an Ironman and meet somebody else who has done the Ironman you are family and I find that very attractive.
So you have obviously seen most of this course what is it that you are most worried about on Saturday?
- Well I was thinking to myself this morning when I got up, I have been going around thinking this is going to be so hard. But actually when I have broken it down in my mind today, there are going to be parts that are going to be so hard and so tough, I am going to go through bad patches. There is a lot of uphill but also a lot of downhill so there are going to be good parts as well. And there are going to be times that I have got my supporters on the marathon course and you know I have got so many friends here. The people of Lanzarote have really taken me to their hearts and everyone is saying we are going to be waiting there for you whatever time you finish. I can't wait for that, I can't wait for people shouting my name. But especially to cross the line with my 6-year-old son and to get my medal and t-shirt.
Fay did not manage to finish the bike course within the bike cut off time, but was allowed to go ahead… At midnight, she still had a long way to go, but she went on, to pursue her own dream… and reach the finish tower at 2.00 a.m., i.e. 2 hours after the race cut off time.
She promises she will be back next year, to finish before midnight!
|
