Anglian Standard Qualifier
Looking at races I knew 2.10 would be about what's needed (give or take) and a pretty good marker. 27 swim, 3 transitions, 1.03 bike, 37 run I had in my head.
Training, even with an Ironman and family holiday has been pretty good on all 3 fronts. I know my bike power is down from lack of conditioning but speed seemed to be OK. So, went into the race knowing it would be tight BUT I had half a sniff of nabbing a spot on the team.
Met up with Mr Turner bright and early and after the usual sodding about we hit transition.
Best part of turning up at your own clubs races is you get a bt of VIP treatment #happydays and cheers to Chris and Rich in particular !!
So, if you're reading this you probably know the pre-race drill so I'll start in the water!
Claxon goes off for our wave (no 2) and 200 odd old farts set off in shitty old Grafham water. First few strokes are a blur and it's the usual biff. Have a bit of a panic, feel really tired and struggle to breathe. Take time to compose a bit and get my head back in the game. First buoy takes an age but once I'm round it I start to feel a bit looser and just think about a nice rhythm. Start to overtake people - ME overtaking people in a swim, whatever next ! Blimey by the second buoy I'm enjoying myself. Don't get too carried away and start chatting but things are going nicely and I'm not a million miles off the pace. Last buoy comes up quickly and I kick like a bastard to get the blood circulating. Things are looking up and even the sun is coming out to play.
Out the water, over the mat in 26.25 - OK it's pretty shit in real terms but that is far and away the best swim I have ever done. incidentally, nobody in the top 80 is slower than me! Run into transition like a piss head with the dizzyness and slip out of the new wetty like a dream. Nearly fall over the next bike in the process but hey, I'm out of the thing! Shoes on, helmet on, bike off, belt on and bang I'm running along the minefield we've parked on to get out onto the road.
Big shout from Rich as I hold up the entire field trying to get on my bike (still don't know how to connect my shoes to the bike!) and then a couple of minutes clipping my shoes in, including a bit of off piste action up a grass verge. And were away. Peddle like fuck for a few minutes and get real tired. Oh dear!
Finally settle in to a rhythm (guess what my buzz word for the day was) and get the pace up. Course is slick for first few miles then a bit of a bastard for a few back up past the start. Absolutely smash it to the stop line and from there it;s out on the fast part of the course.
Love the bike, usually my favorite part of the race but today it just wasn't there. Felt hard and just didn't have the power to make the big gains. Not sure if the disc is just a bit heavy for me or if the lack of bike miles is starting to wear into my form but just didn't feel like I wanted it to. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't shit - 1:00.20 (course was well short) but I was only a couple of mins behind Tom and he's flying at the minute.
So, into transition and I'm well aware that a 40 min 10k is all that's needed to crack 2.10. No idea where I am as triathlons are like wacky races with age groupers all over the show and fast swimmers riding like mermaids at times. Off the bike, run in and shoes off and away in 57 secs - I'm getting the hang of this - before this race my fastest ever transition was 3 1/2 mins lol !!
Off on the run and nearly disappear down a sink hole in the first 100 yards but get my feet. Run with a kid who looks like he's in his PE kit. Watch is showing 5.50 pace for the first mile and we hit it. Start to feel REALLY good now and hold back on the 2nd mile for a 6.02 or something. Done the Dam section at a good clip and now comes the hills. Start taking people now, noticeably faster than people I'm catching. Next miles reel off in 6.20 and 6.09 to the final turn point. Up the hill to the church and it's about a 6.12 before a 6.06 last mile then run pretty hard into the finish for an exact 6.20 miles in 37.52.
Outcome is 2.07:13 for 58th overall and 14th place 35-39 AG. Disappointingly I've worked out I'm 9th in the 40-44 AG (which I'm trying to qualify for) and 7th of the registered athletes. So, 4 to go through that leaves 3 in front of me with 5 remaining places and with the race winner being in my AG (and not trying to qualify) that will put me way outside the % needed (would have to be 105% but is probably 111%). Annoying as he's not trying to qualify either!
So, my qualification basically depends on the financial situation of the people who have out-qualified me! It's quite fitting for triathlon really as it;s the most expensive sport on the planet!!
Really happy with the performance today, first time I've really left it all out there. I didn't qualify but that's down to me not being good enough and I can live with that. I'll come back tomorrow and crack on to make some inroads into that fitness debt.
Most pleased with the swim today, really done some good work and it's a long term plan.
Next up is Stowe Middle next Sunday. That will be more training time than racing to end the season and then the TT bike gets mothballed and the winter wheels come out.
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