TOM Lucas said getting round the Ironman UK course is largely in the mind after completing his first one.

The Bromley Cross athlete was one of 134 Bolton people to take on the ultimate physical sporting challenge of swimming 2.4 miles, cycling 112 miles and running 26.2 miles.

Despite it being his debut at the event he was relatively fresh at the finish line, but revealed the fluctuating feelings experienced on the day can make or break an attempt.

“There are so many highs and lows you have to keep a level mind,” said the 28-year-old Bolton United Harrier who works in human resources.

“If you get too high and run faster you can suffer, and if you get too low you might give up. You’ve got to stay level-minded.

“But it’s so well organised, you don’t have to think about anything, everything is done for you so there are no problems which is great for those taking part.”

He beat his time target, finishing in 12hrs 12mins 40secs, but admitted he struggled at the end.

“I did the swim and cycle faster than I expected but the run half an hour slower. I’m disappointed with that but you can never assimilate in training what’s going to happen on the day.”

Rick Northrop completed his second Ironman UK and achieved his target of beating last year’s time.

The 40-year-old sales executive, who also plays cricket for Astley Bridge in the Bolton League, might give himself a break from the event after doing it two years in a row.

“I might do a couple of half Ironmen but maybe not a full one,” he said after completing the challenge in 13:11:54.

“I might come back and do another full one in the future.

“The swim was as challenging as ever and the cycle was good – I don’t mind it, maybe because I’m quite light anyway.

“But I got cramp in my hamstrings on the run and I would have liked to run half an hour faster.

“But I knocked half an hour off my time and my challenge was to try to beat my time so I achieved what I set out to do.”

Martin Richardson also succeeded in bettering his time at his first attempt at Ironman 12 months ago.

“I just beat my time,” said the Bolton man at the finish line after recording 11:59:20.

“That’s what I wanted to do.

“The swim was best for me, I knocked 10 minutes off my time.”