400m (pool) swim - 24k bike - 5k run
Sun 29th Aug 2010
My 4th Malmesbury Triathlon on the spin, and boy, was I looking forward to this one, especially after last year's, (and my only) DNF. - 2 punctures saw to that!
I was really hoping for a PB, after my extra training through 2010.
The joy of not being the slowest, or the fastest swimmer, ensured a very humane 10.39 a.m. swim start........a lie in on race day, what a novelty.
There was a field of approx 230 for this race, with a great mix of talent (and kit), on display.
This being my first, and only race with a pool swim this year, I found it a little like wading through treacle without my new best friend (Wetsuit).
I don't particularly like the constant turning at the end of every (short) length, and you always end up with at least 4 in the lane. This time I was P3, and went off, as ever, slow and steady. Seemed the other 3 were going slower and steadier, and I soon past the 2 in front of me.
But, as my (lack of) swimming strength kicked in, they soon passed me back. Un-phased, I cracked on, remained calm, finished with an 8:47, and quickly made the short dash to T1.
T1 - with rather a long u-shaped exit out to the mount area, it took me a sluggish 1:40. Next year I am actually gonna focus more on all transitions, and saving time in this 'apparently' easy way.
Hit the bike as hard as I could, and within a minute or so, I had swept past all 12 or so that were in my swim start. This made up for the below par swim, and really fired me up.
THEN I hit the really stiff westerly wind (coming square on), whilst heading on the 'out' of this 24k out and back bike section.
I was only overtaken by 1 chap(super vet), and then decided to keep him within 30 metres at all times. In what seemed like an age, we hit the turn round point after 25 mins of riding.
At this point, I was hoping for a swift return back to T2, after that beast of a wind on the way out.
Boy!, wind slows you down! I hit the dismount mat about 5 minutes quicker than the 'out', after about 19 mins of riding. This gave me a 44.19 bike, STILL 10 seconds slower than my bike PB here in'08! Thanks Mr.Westerly.
An improved T2 of 1.17, and me a my super vet buddy left T2 almost together.
This guy was now 12 ft in front of me, and he was pacing me well - thanks very much!
This was how it stayed, to complete an uneventful, but windy run of 24.02, a run PB for this race.
It felt good to maintain P2 out of my wave, from passing them all on the bike, to the finish line.
Elated after a strong run, and a swift 'back' on the bike, I had to wait til I got home to check if a PB was on, as I had purposely not checked my current PB before leaving that morning.
It was a relief to see a PB set at 1:20:07, but only by a 28 measly seconds.
For next year, and hoping the weather helps out just a little, I'll definitely have something to gun at.
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