So after some fairly exhaustive packing, re-packing, last minute panicking and swearing the only thing left to do was head to London on Saturday to rack the bikes in preparation for Sunday's race. Traffic in central London caused further swearing, followed by a little more panicking as the deadline for racking crept ever nearer. However, even with central doing its very best car park impression, we arrived with an hour to spare.
With bikes racked, transition boxes ready, bellys full of carbs and butterflies an early night was called for. After some discussion it was decided that a glass of red wine would help with pre-race nerves, ensure a good nights sleep and since the pros on the TdF do it, why can't we!?
The Race
The swim was as hectic as I anticipated, with limbs flying everywhere. Luckily I kept my goggles, but definitely got caught in the slower traffic, despite starting in the supposedly quicker half of my wave. Definitely lost a minute or two at the start. just trying to find clear water. Some people definitely over estimating their abilities as I passed one guy who had STARTED the race breast stroking - all fart, no poo. Sighting was pretty poor, not helped by zero visibility in the water preventing me from using the line of buoys marking the course as a guide. Despite this got out the water feeling OK and got my suit off pretty sharpish with the aid of copious lubrication of ankles and wrists.
Swim - 27:53
Grabbed my bike and ran out of the Excel Centre, necking a gel in the process and slipping one up the leg of my trisuit. An interesting bike out, weaving through a part of the car park but soon out onto the course proper. Not quite as flat as I had been led to believe with a constant gradient of one sort or another., but managing to maintain a decent speed of about 23mph. Not sure exactly what my average was as my Garmin was being thrown off by all the time it was spending underground in tunnels! Bike was fairly uneventful. Managed to get into a bit of a duel with a lad on a nice Specialized, chasing each other down the course (without drafting of course), which helped keep me motivated on the fairly ugly course. Think the course came up just short of a full Olympic distance at 38.7km.
T1 - 3:41
Bike Lap 1 - 30:48
Bike Lap 2 - 29:23
Total Bike - 1:00:11
T2 was also smooth as you like, which I'm definitely pleased about. Out onto the run and within 30 paces, I get a horrendous stitch down my left side. Breathing control didn't seem to help, but eventually the stitch eased a little somewhere around the 2nd lap! Definitely a weak run though, not helped by a seriously crowded, uninspiring course on an extraordinarily hot day. Hydration was definitely a problem, as I've not yet learned how to drink and run without choking!
T2 - 2:09
Run Lap 1 - 13:12 (8:44min/mile)
Run Lap 2 - 12:37 (8:24min/mile)
Run Lap 3 - 12: 19 (8:12min/mile)
Run Lap 4 - 12:10 (8:06min/mile)
Total time.......2:24:08
Ecstatic to get under 2:30, especially with a few minutes to spare. Need to sort my run out for the Hever Castle Triathlon at the end of September!
To do for next tri...
- Start nearer the front on the swim, no point getting stuck in with the all fart, no poo swimmers.
- Try drinking while on the run
- Don't fill water bottles until I know how hot the day is going to be! Definitely would have appreciated double the amount I had but at lower concentrations. May have helped stop the stitch I got on the run too.
James out.
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