I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed racing Olympic triathlons. Yesterday’s race was a pleasant trip down memory lane as I re-discovered why I spent 2 years at this distance.
The stats are;
Swim – 23.31
T1 – 2.16
Bike – 1:18.42
T2 -0.41
Run – 43.02
Overall – 2:28.14 / 2nd lady
As this race was pretty local to Andys house we decided to give ourselves more time in bed on Sunday morning by registering the day before. This was all very quick and hassle free and we headed back munching on the bag of cookies and wagon wheels in our race bags.
My “race face” slowly started creeping back during the day as I prepared my bike with her new wheels and go faster tyres. Early night and an early rise to get to the race in time to rack and get to the waters edge for the briefing. It took me a while to remember what I needed in transition, the last couple of triathlons I have done involved race bags and someone unpacking and re-packing them whilst you tell them what you need. Though for this race I certainly left more in transition than I normally would because of the weather. After getting out of 13 degree water at 07.15 in the morning I decided that cycling jacket, socks and gloves were a must. So a quick clamber into my wetsuit in the loos (which, with a small field and even fewer ladies were totally empty) and off to the lake. A 2 lap course around very obvious blue barrels and exiting just to the left of the entrance. As I wasn’t planning on leading the swim, I was fairly relaxed about being able to find my way around without too much bother.
We got in a few mins before the start to get used to the water and though it was cold, it wasn’t as bad as I’d been expecting. Though the rest of the field seemed reluctant to get in and despite the pleas from those of us in the water to “hurry up and get in so we can start!”, it took the race director to say “1 minute to go” to get the remaining wimps into the lake. I found myself at the front and as it wasn’t a particularly big start, wasn’t that concerned. Off we went and people seemed to find their space in quite a civilized manner. There was no argy-bargy and any knocks I got were a result of me swimming into people. The lake water was very murky and you couldn’t see you own arm let alone any feet to draft. I slowly started passing people again and settled into my pace. I did use a few people to leap frog my way ahead and came in off the first lap leading a mini group of swimmers. Onto the second lap and I was swimming alongside someone that I was fed up of seeing every time I turned to breathe so I put on a surge to catch a lone swimmer up ahead. I dropped my old swimming companion and found the feet of a new one. He was going at the right pace for me to draft so I tried to stay on his toes. As you couldn’t see anything, not even bubbles to alert you to movement, I had to do it all by feel. Once the water felt still I’d look up to see I was too far left or right of him and right myself. As we were coming to the exit I could see that he was going to miss it so luckily I’d spotted it in time to beat him out of the water ;-p
The race director was there helping people out of the lake and cheering them on and even undoing every ones wetsuits as they teetered up the ramp, which I thought was a great touch. Saves me fumbling around with numb hands!
Into T1 and started to get dressed. This took an age to get everything on whilst wet and numb but it seems that everyone was in the same boat and even Andy who had lead the swim out took longer than I did! Naomi came in about 20 seconds after me which I was surprised about and as I thought she’d out-ride me, got a spurt on and left. About 15 yards after the mount line it I noticed that my front break was rubbing so I had to get off and adjust that. Just as I was getting back up to speed Naomi came flying by me. Time to get going then Carritt and I went with her (obeying the 7x3metre drafting rules of course!). It became apparent throughout the race where each other’s strengths were and though I’d make passes on inclines, on the flat she would take them back again. I was ahead of her going into the first of the 2 loops of the lollipop course and concentrated on pushing. About half way round the first loop I noticed my aero bars were loose. I checked them and they had indeed managed to wiggle their way out of the brackets holding them onto the underside of the handles bars and I tried to wriggle them back in. Doing this whilst trying to race was unsurprisingly unsuccessful and I decided to just not touch them anymore and use the drops instead. Apparently the aero bars had different ideas and on a particularly rough surfaced section of road (there were a few on this course) they launched themselves off in protest at being ignored and lay on the road in a sulk. The thought of leaving them there flicked through my mind a nano second before I slammed on my brakes (no one was around me at that point) and turned round to retrieve them. I swore loudly and shoved them in the pocket of my jacket (good job I’d battled with it in T1 or I’d have no pockets) just as I saw a group of cyclists coming round the bend. I sped off and threw the aero bars (which at this point, being too big for my pocket were about to make a second break for freedom) to a marshal on the next corner. He very kindly agreed to take them back for me. So, about as aero as a garage door I set about the second lap. Much the same, though I did tell a guy off who was literally on another guys wheel. I’m talking Regents Park style here. Cat and mouse-ed with Naomi a bit more until the long flat stretch home where she put her foot down and went by me again. I said I’d get her on the run and though I meant it in a jokey, banter-ous kind of way I wondered if it sounded b1tchy so I sped up to try and apologies but though I got closer, she was motoring and started inching further away again. I used this flat bit of road to take my gel about 8km to go and came into T2 about 10 seconds behind Naomi. Somehow I managed to leave before her, I’m not sure what she was doing, maybe looking for my lipstick…..or having a chat with Andy……I dunno ;-p
Onto the run and my feet were like blocks of ice. I couldn’t feel a thing and could have been running on stumps for all I knew. 4 and a half laps of slightly undulating grass and a bit of a gravel track. Fairly pleasant I thought. I didn’t know where I was in terms of position and hoped that my run legs wouldn’t desert me. I also hoped that I could back up the bold statement I shouted at Naomi about getting her on the run and did have a moment of worry where I wondered if she was about to pass me any minute. There is one section of the course where you can see people about 100-150m behind you and the first time I got to this I could see the Tri London blue of her vest. This spurred me on but the second time around I couldn’t see her at the same spot. I lady spectating told me I was second lady and when I asked how far ahead first was she replied “4 minutes”. Oh. Do-able if she is a rubbish runner but I decided to only push if the gap came down significantly over the next lap or if she came into view. Neither of these things happened so I just concentrated on making sure no one challenged me from behind. It was nice to be passing people and I do love the feeling of passing men in full fancy tri kit who had swooshed by me on their TT bikes with pointy helmets earlier on. Good support as you pass through the transition area as people are still coming in off the bike. You get a band at this point and when you have 4 you do half a lap and the come into the finish. As always I like to see who has how many bands and managed to pass away another lap and half with this game. Finally I got my last band and took the turn for home. I had not seen another girl either in front or behind but I still put in a sprint finish just in case I’d missed one! Nice to be home 2nd lady but as there only about 7 of us its not really a victory worth crowing about. I was more pleased that after such a long time away from this distance and in particular any form of speed work on the run and very little on the bike that I managed to get under 2.30. I hadn’t embarrassed myself and the girl I lost to is current world champion in oly distance in my AG. Funnily enough, when I was doing oly distance in 2009/2010 I beat her significantly in Windsor (my first ever tri) and Bedford the following year. So she has worked hard to become pretty darn good!
I thought this was a great race. Easy to register, decent goody bags, indoor toilets, showers, café, parking close by (free on race day), great marshals who were always ready with words of encouragement, a well marked out course in all disciplines and thoughtful touches like sweeping the gravel off the bike in/out exit and undoing your wetsuit. A small field as it’s their first one but I hope this one grows into something bigger. My only slight complaint would be the road surface in some parts but this isnt their fault and the roads were very quiet and the distance was spot on. I recommend it to anyone looking for a near-ish early season race.
Oh, and the marshal even came to find me at the end to reunite me with my wayward aero bars!
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