This was a piece of delightful madness.

Ironman 70.3 Turkey’s finish line is in the middle of a massive Disney-like theme park, resort and shopping mall known as the Land of Legends, complete with canals and lakes, bridges and fountains.

All around are some of Europe’s swishest golf courses along the Turkish Riviera, just to the east of Antalya.

The sea was warm and calm: ideal for a fast swim. I came out in 36 minutes.

The roads were flat and smooth, ideal for fast bike times. I finished in 2 hours 32 minutes, my best result for the distance by 5 minutes.

The run course wound through and around the resort and shopping mall, which was also good for fast times, as long as you could manage the searing heat.

I sped down the finish shoot in 5 hours 29 minutes total, a new personal best.

It was a lovely way to end a season in which I’d competed for Great Britain, finished two of the world’s hardest Ironman races (Lanzarote and Wales) and made my first podium – third place in Challenge Gran Canaria.