So, each year ATC gate-crash the East Grinstead Sprint Tri and use it as one of our Championship events (with the support of EGT - we don't just party-on down!).
With a standard tri, when you enter you supply your predicted swim time so that they can allocate start times roughly in accordance with competitors of a similar ability and minimise the hold-ups cause with different swim speeds.
EGT allow all ATC members to start towards the rear of the start list, thus allowing us to start at about the same time and race together. Champion!
I'd not looked at this as a race, merely additional training with a lot of friends - I think about 40 ATCers in total.
I felt really good in the swim, but as expected with the group of varied ATCers swim speeds, was held up a few times and I'm sure I did a couple more laps than I should have (maybe my mistake, but the Lap Board certainly wasn't displayed). My swim time was bizarrely 10% longer than I swam last Friday evening. Coincidence?
Swim to transition run:
Transition was fine. Socks slowed me down, so I
think for shorter races I'll do without in future.
Bike was a mixed bag. Again, settled in to the bike much quicker
than I did last year. Not too cold to start with and got some great speed out
of East Grinstead.
Those of you eagle-eyed will see that I
completely bottled the TT Bike (should have been a grand first public display).
That weekend there were 20 / 25 mph winds with gusts up to 50. Yes, I am a
chicken (as can be seen from the Chicken Wing 'elbows out' running style). The
Road bike was much more controllable.
The bike route was 26Kms, so not bad. A couple of
hills (don't mind them).
I had four stops to a dead halt (Roundabout / Traffic Lights and 2 chain-offs).
Most frustrating.
Felt good off the bike and into Transition.
Quickly through and onto the Run.....
Not
sure what I smelt, but it must have been bad!!
So, I typically wasn’t expecting anything special
in the run.. I always take a time to get in to a rhythm, so 5K isn't a very
good distance for me. The run route is a 2-lap affair through the town High
Street. Bizarrely on the first lap I didn't see another runner. Felt a bit like
I was the only burk in Lycra. At least there were Marshalls on every corner so
I couldn't have taken a wrong turn..... could I .....Well actually, no, I
didn't.
For the intro into the run phase the legs were
good. Injury only slightly evident (usual when I've just jumped off the bike)
and legs felt OK. It’s the breathing and heart-rate control that I do struggle
to be comfortable with, hence the slow run start. I'll stick to that excuse for
now I think.
At the end of the first lap I turned in to the
Leisure Centre and ran past Transition to commence the second round of torture
(Lap2) to the cheers of ATC members, only to be out-shouted by the cheers for a
certain Blond Team Member catching me hand-over fist. Nice running J Typically, I have NO change in pace, and she
breezed past me right down the High Street. Classic! Consider 'Dust' well and
truly eaten!
For the remainder of the run I was happy to
concentrate on the technique / breathing / heart-rate control that I'll need
for the 26.2 miles (Holy Crap) of the Outlaw run, so wasn't surprised or disappointed
to see other team members bounding past. There was also no aggravation to the
sore calf issues. Only the expected level of suffering. Onwards and upwards as
they say.
Total time for the race was 1:27, which was a 4+
minute PB. Given that I'd not concentrated on training for short distance, I'll
take that.
Rock on to more training!!
W.
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