My First Triathlon
Well I have survived my first triathlon, although half way through the swim I had my doubts. I could sum up number 8 in my 65 race challenge in just a few words:
- Swim, awful.
- Cycle, excellent.
- Run, reasonable.
The swim was always going to be my weakest event and that was very much the case on the day. I had intended to take lessons in front crawl this last winter, but somehow never got round to it. Instead, I had a few trips to Wentworth Pool, Hexham and rattled off lots of lengths of breast stroke. I say rattled , but in truth I never really got back to the days when I could regularly do thirty lengths without effort. Last Wednesday when I attempted a tri rehearsal I found that even the sixteen lengths that I needed for Ashington was a trial. As I left the Leisure Centre on the way to retrieve the bike , I found that I was panting. Safely into the saddle and away I pedalled at speed, averaging 20 miles an hour on the straight, heading east towards Corbridge. After six or seven miles I turned back towards Hexham, only to find that I had gone out with a following wind and now it was against me! Back at Hexham and time to test the legs for the run - oh, they did not enjoy it.
As Bank Holiday Monday and Ashington approached my nervousness increased. Any further training ceased as a calf strain I picked up in that d......d rehearsal ruled out any exercise. Last night I had an easy jog as walked the dog and things felt easier.
7.30 am this morning found me at transition, racking the bike and setting out helmet, etc for the ride, then it was time to join my fellow competitors at poolside. I was first off which was probably the worst position as the other three swimmers in my pool quickly caught me. Between giving way to them at the end of the laps and wallowing in their wake, I was never able to settle into anything like my stroke and started swallowing water and totally losing it. A break after eight laps got me into some sort of routine and I also noticed that my fellow swimmers had not maintained their initial speed. By lap 15 one of them was struggling and I was near to catching him. Even so I was last out of the pool and relieved to be dashing bare footed along the road to transition - have a look at the first image - no, that is not a tag around my ankle, it is a timing chip.
Now Transition is supposed to be about speed, putting on your helmet, slipping into shoes and getting out onto the cycle course. That's the theory. For me it meant helmet on, socks on, lace up trainers, tee shirt on ( I feel the cold nowadays), Tynedale vest on and 'lets get the hell out! Yes, the adrenalin was pumping, so much so that I almost came off the bike as I shot away.
Did I tell you I was competitive? Well, I found out after the race that I was fifteenth out of the pool in my wave. I didn't know this at the time but start counting competitors I was able to overtake. There was clear road ahead as I went hard out of Ashington heading to Bothal Castle and its (in)famous bank. After half a mile the first cyclist was in my sights. Straight past him and the one in front, coming up to the left turn for Bothal I passed the lovely girl I had chatted to when waiting to enter the pool. Clear road ahead again as I flew down the hill into Bothal Village. A sharp bend meant just a touch on the brakes before I spotted the foot of the hill. A couple of gears down and as I hit the hill, down onto the lower chain cog. With a couple of gears in hand I hit the real killer part of the hill. Down into bottom gear and I was at the top of the hill without even getting out of the saddle. Past another cyclist, before spotting the flooded road ahead. Do I go on the pavement ? 'thought I' , before a voice from behind , the lady competitor I had just passed, shouted it's shallow. Feeling like the wimp which I obviously was, I went straight through the middle which was probably no more than four or five inches deep. Back up to speed, I was really into the ride and passed another competitor before completing the first , of two, laps through Bothal. Second time going up Bothal Bank I heard that weird sound behind which tells you that a real triathlete complete with a funny helmet ( long pointy bit at the back) and solid wheels was overtaking. Now it was simply a case of turning right at the roundabout ahead instead of left for Bothal. Suddenly the wind was behind me and I could really push on. Overtaking another two riders , I calculated that seven of the fourteen better swimmers was accounted for. Into transition and now for what should be my strongest discipline, the 5k run. But, everything hurt! Never mind, thought I , they will be suffering too and that was the case, for in the three lap run was able to pass another six runners.
Now I know that some of those that I passed on the 20K cycle route and in the run were probably from an earlier wave, I was in Wave 3, but when you are competitive, you just want to get past the person in front.
At the finish I recorded 1 hour 28 mins for the whole event, including a ridiculous 4mins 54 for the two transitions. I finished 190 out of 234 competitors. Here are the stats:
16 Length Swim 12.52 mins
Transition 3.43
20 K Cycle 47.29
Transition 1.11
5K Run 23.33.
Over 60 Age Group - 4th out of 6.
Now a positive, I was first V60 in the 5K run, the second recording 25.07.
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