Been a week since the race, and I'm just finished with pulling it to pieces and separating the good and bad.
Saturday and we went over to Ely, to register for the race, have a mooch about and grab my race pack. It was a beautiful day, but I really wasn't feeling too good. I had an upset stomach and just hoped that I'd be ok for Sunday.
This race has to have one of the earliest transition closing times I know, so it's a very early start!
Luckily, it's a local venue.
Having racked my bike, I filled the Speedfil bottle with approx 1.5 litres of Tailwind.
I was still unsure how the race would unfold, as I felt quite rough.
A couple of visits to the Portaloo and it was time to suit up and head for the start.
It was quite difficult to predict how the weather was going to pan out... It was fairly windy and quite a cloudy sky. Light rain was forecast for around the last hour of the bike, but you never know... One thing was for sure, it was nowhere near as good as last years weather.
As I completed the suiting up, with the help of Sharon, I spotted a few of my club mates getting ready and had a quick catch up, prior to the briefing.
I was off in the first wave. We got a 5 minute warning of the race start and were allowed in the water for a warm up.
Soon enough, it was 'time'... A brief few words and we were off!
I hung back, to allow the faster simmers to get away and thus avoid the biff, and my plan was to then see how many I could pick off during the swim.
As I got into my rhythm, I decided that I would change my technique slightly and reach further each stroke.
There was a bit of clear water between me and the front bunch, and I could still make out the pink hats of the Elite athletes. As I got into the 'new' stroke technique I was quite surprised at how much distance I had made up on those ahead. The pink hats were gone, but I was now having to weave through some swimmers. I was made up with the result of my change, and concentrated on maintaining my form.
Soon enough I was being helped out of the river, I glanced at my Garmin as I hit the lap button... 36:XX! 6 minutes faster than last year, I was well impressed and headed off along the blue carpet, towards T1, as I tried to remove the upper half of my Vanquish wetsuit.
Swim time: 40:03 (including run to T1).
In T1 I sat and gave my feet quick towelling, before pulling on socks and my bike shoes. Stepped into my number belt and donned my helmet. I grabbed my bike and headed for the mount line...
As I exited T1 I suddenly needed to visit the toilet again! I dropped the bike and headed to my right, to the bank of loos.
I emerged a few minutes later, and did wonder whether I should continue, or sack it off!
I wasn't sure when that would strike again, but decided to continue with the ride and see what happened. Maybe do the first lap, and then come in...
I continued.
It was very windy out on the course, and I questioned my sanity on choosing an 808/ Disc wheel set up. The wind and the many rough road sections meant that it was very difficult to build any rhythm into the bike leg.
I remained aero as much as possible, but was still arguing with myself over what to do... I could stick out the 1st lap, then turn right (Transition), at the end of the first lap, or left, and continue...
A few miles before the turn, I passed John Lee (club mate). This gave me a boost, as he had left T1 as I arrived and was of similar speed to myself.
I got to the turn, and just couldn't go 'right'!... Mentally, I couldn't quit!
So, that was it, I settled down for the 2nd lap. Now I was cursing myself for wasting so much energy on the first lap, deliberating where best to quit!... I continued to argue with the Chimp!
Soon enough, I was back at the turn, and this time it was a right turn and a quick blast (with the wind), down to T2. My bottle had just emptied as I reached town, so I was quite happy with that. The Tailwind fluid really does work well with me.
An extra loop had been added to the bike lap this year, increasing the ride by about 10k, to satisfy regs for using your result for Qualifying for European Champs.
Taking into account the extra distance, plus the headwinds I hadn't expected much from the bike...
Bike time: 2:58:10.
Out on the run and I finally felt okay!... It was the first race in my On Cgloudsurfers, and I ws keen to see how they shaped up. It's a bugger of a run, with 4 laps of the town centre, taking in the Cathedral hill on each lap.
The rain hadn't shown on the bike leg, and it looked highly unlikely to appear now, as the Sun had finally broken through and temperatures began to rise...
Again, thanks to Tailwind, I experienced no cramps at all during the run.
I was a little disappointed with my run pace, as it's generally my best discipline.
I finally ran up the finish chute after 1:47:11.
Total time 5:32:39.
Unfortunately, I couldn't hang around at the end, as per my normal habit, to chat with friends, eyeball new kit at the stalls, and watch the awards, as I had to quickly head home and change bags, before heading off to Aberdeen on a work course.
My time hadn't been great, but I accepted that, bearing in mind how I felt, I thought it had gone alright.
Imagine my reaction, when up in Aberdeen on Monday, I read on FB that I had won the Eastern Region Middle Distance Champs 2016 (Male Super Vet)!
As they say, 'Every cloud...'
Once again, big thanks to Zone 3, for supplying the Vanquish wetsuit, which is finally proving it's worth in getting my speed up.
Thanks to Jason Battle (Performance Coaching.Me), for keeping me on the right track.
Tri Harder, for their continued help, advice and assistance.
Tailwind products.
Simon Brierley for advice on the On's shoes.
Next stop, IM Wales!
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