Bath tri
Blimey, you can tell how long since I last posted, the online form's gone all new media. Still, what's the odds they're XHTML and AAA compliant under the hood?
I still need to get round to posting my 2006 write up, but at this rate I reckon it'll probably merge into 2007 write up, or the 2010 one.
Before this gets too exiting, I will add
So, having managed to screw up the London Olympic tri last year (power aid instead of water, so no drinking, so major dehydration), and having had a chest infection for three months this year, I've been feeling rather unfit compared with all the other tri folks out there, and debating whether I wanted to continue with it at all. So plan this year was to do a couple of short, local tris (easy logistics) to get back on the horse, and just to enjoy them. Bath was my benchmark, a 750m/25k/5k sprint.
Kicked the bug couple of months ago, have been slowly getting back in training since then. fialta and I joining Bristol and District (BAD) tri , and have been going to coached swim lessons once a week, which is a pretty intense (1.5-2k) workout. We have also been up and down Bristol and Bath cycle track so many times we are bored of it, and I managed to get a few brick sessions in. Also been practicing drinking on the bike a lot.
Race operated out of the sports complex at Bath Uni, which is a really nice complex. Getting there was a breeze, compared to the logistical nightmare of London - door to registration in less than 45 mins. Only preparation screw ups were forgetting to bring pre-run water, something to protect kit from the rain with, and dumping half a bottle of talcum powder in my left sock (noticed at the time fortunately).
Pre-race nerves weren't helped by them running 30 minutes late and not being able to hear anything in the swimming pool. But start came round fast enough. Start didn't go too well: lost my nose clip and got a breath of water as a result, and I realised that practice in my tri suit might have been a good idea. As such, I swam badly for first few lengths, until I remembered all the new stuff I've been taught in the last few weeks (lead with the hips, stretch the arms, lift your head). Works ok in training, but not engrained enough yet for a race. However, managed to recover and finish ok, despite being lapped by the rest of the lane.
T1 was ok, the potential downpour hadn't started, so risked going without a jacket. Pulling socks on takes some time (no bike shoes yet), but this wasn't the time to start with new techniques. Felt pretty good on the bike, took it easy to start with, got a lot of drink in me. The bike part is on a fully open A road, which I naively wasn't expecting, but didn't prove to be a problem. At this point I find that my musical accompaniment will be show tunes from Oklahoma (I always have songs in my head during a race: helps keep the pace). We start with "The Cowboy and the Rancher".
I actually did some prep and checked the map so I know there's going to be a big climb just before half way. What I failed to notice was that there is a steep dip into it. "Oooooookkkklahoma...were the plain..." I've learnt a bit from skean: no brakes, pass all the wuss folks - it only occurs to me half way down that as this is an out-and-back course, I've got to climb this again on the way back.
Whizz through the dip, straight into the climb on the other side. Lots of folks seem to be grinding up this, but high cadence and hydration is the motto today, so into lowest gear and lots of revs up it. This seems to work, as I pass others, and no-one passes me. It occurs to me that on our few mountain bike rides I was better on the hills than skean as it relied on brute force, but he was always better downhill as it relied on lack of self-preservation. The former is probably not true any more.
Finish the hill ok, feeling a lot better that I thought, double back round a flat, straight bit singing Surrey with the fringe on top (The dashboard's genuine leather). Manage the dip and hill ok, water almost gone (I save a bit as a reward for getting to the top), and I manage to get home over-taking more people as I go. This is much better than London, at this point (proportionally) I was almost dead.
T2 is a cinch, have my running shoes on so off comes my hat and straight out into the run. Legs grumble a bit, but I'm then directed off the pavement onto a muddy path. I realise this is going to be proper, muddy, slippery cross country - none of this tarmac crap. Cool. It reminds me of school cross country, which reminds me that this is what I _do_, and what most other triathletes don't. Adrenaline kicks in, and I'm flying and passing even more people. And then I fall over.
Get back up, bruised knee and cut hand - very minor, but now it definitely feels like a proper run. Lots of marshals then start telling me to take care as its slippery. Thanks for that. Now I'm getting really hungry, so I pagger it back home (remembering to make it look as effortless as possible when passing other people). Sprint(ish) finish, Fialta cheering me on. Tired, but at least this time I don't require medical attention. Only thing is, I don't have a clue what my time is: my watch stopped working, so I decided to focus on enjoying the race rather than the time. Which I did (apart from now not being able to get Rogers and Hammerstein out of my head).
Slight disappointment today, seeing my results, but I think that's because of unrealistic assumptions. Results here . 1:34:48 , 42nd out of 146, 24th out of 62 in my age category, 62nd / 53rd / 16th out of 146 on the swim / bike / run. My impressions of the race felt correct, more focus on swimming and biking is now required, think the running is ok. I also realise, re-reading this, how important 'climbing the field' feels during the race: is this a good thing?
Still, main objectives are achieved. I had a good time, got back on the horse. Next steps are another short local one before the end of the season - Langport is full, perhaps Malmesbury. Then, lots of training over winter, and Olympic next season.
A few photos of camera-shy ant
One final thing - one of the guys at BAD tri has created triblogs, might be of interest if you haven't seen it already.
Phew! Well, that's my annual posting quota used up, maybe do that again in a few years..
I still need to get round to posting my 2006 write up, but at this rate I reckon it'll probably merge into 2007 write up, or the 2010 one.
Before this gets too exiting, I will add
So, having managed to screw up the London Olympic tri last year (power aid instead of water, so no drinking, so major dehydration), and having had a chest infection for three months this year, I've been feeling rather unfit compared with all the other tri folks out there, and debating whether I wanted to continue with it at all. So plan this year was to do a couple of short, local tris (easy logistics) to get back on the horse, and just to enjoy them. Bath was my benchmark, a 750m/25k/5k sprint.
Kicked the bug couple of months ago, have been slowly getting back in training since then. fialta and I joining Bristol and District (BAD) tri , and have been going to coached swim lessons once a week, which is a pretty intense (1.5-2k) workout. We have also been up and down Bristol and Bath cycle track so many times we are bored of it, and I managed to get a few brick sessions in. Also been practicing drinking on the bike a lot.
Race operated out of the sports complex at Bath Uni, which is a really nice complex. Getting there was a breeze, compared to the logistical nightmare of London - door to registration in less than 45 mins. Only preparation screw ups were forgetting to bring pre-run water, something to protect kit from the rain with, and dumping half a bottle of talcum powder in my left sock (noticed at the time fortunately).
Pre-race nerves weren't helped by them running 30 minutes late and not being able to hear anything in the swimming pool. But start came round fast enough. Start didn't go too well: lost my nose clip and got a breath of water as a result, and I realised that practice in my tri suit might have been a good idea. As such, I swam badly for first few lengths, until I remembered all the new stuff I've been taught in the last few weeks (lead with the hips, stretch the arms, lift your head). Works ok in training, but not engrained enough yet for a race. However, managed to recover and finish ok, despite being lapped by the rest of the lane.
T1 was ok, the potential downpour hadn't started, so risked going without a jacket. Pulling socks on takes some time (no bike shoes yet), but this wasn't the time to start with new techniques. Felt pretty good on the bike, took it easy to start with, got a lot of drink in me. The bike part is on a fully open A road, which I naively wasn't expecting, but didn't prove to be a problem. At this point I find that my musical accompaniment will be show tunes from Oklahoma (I always have songs in my head during a race: helps keep the pace). We start with "The Cowboy and the Rancher".
I actually did some prep and checked the map so I know there's going to be a big climb just before half way. What I failed to notice was that there is a steep dip into it. "Oooooookkkklahoma...were the plain..." I've learnt a bit from skean: no brakes, pass all the wuss folks - it only occurs to me half way down that as this is an out-and-back course, I've got to climb this again on the way back.
Whizz through the dip, straight into the climb on the other side. Lots of folks seem to be grinding up this, but high cadence and hydration is the motto today, so into lowest gear and lots of revs up it. This seems to work, as I pass others, and no-one passes me. It occurs to me that on our few mountain bike rides I was better on the hills than skean as it relied on brute force, but he was always better downhill as it relied on lack of self-preservation. The former is probably not true any more.
Finish the hill ok, feeling a lot better that I thought, double back round a flat, straight bit singing Surrey with the fringe on top (The dashboard's genuine leather). Manage the dip and hill ok, water almost gone (I save a bit as a reward for getting to the top), and I manage to get home over-taking more people as I go. This is much better than London, at this point (proportionally) I was almost dead.
T2 is a cinch, have my running shoes on so off comes my hat and straight out into the run. Legs grumble a bit, but I'm then directed off the pavement onto a muddy path. I realise this is going to be proper, muddy, slippery cross country - none of this tarmac crap. Cool. It reminds me of school cross country, which reminds me that this is what I _do_, and what most other triathletes don't. Adrenaline kicks in, and I'm flying and passing even more people. And then I fall over.
Get back up, bruised knee and cut hand - very minor, but now it definitely feels like a proper run. Lots of marshals then start telling me to take care as its slippery. Thanks for that. Now I'm getting really hungry, so I pagger it back home (remembering to make it look as effortless as possible when passing other people). Sprint(ish) finish, Fialta cheering me on. Tired, but at least this time I don't require medical attention. Only thing is, I don't have a clue what my time is: my watch stopped working, so I decided to focus on enjoying the race rather than the time. Which I did (apart from now not being able to get Rogers and Hammerstein out of my head).
Slight disappointment today, seeing my results, but I think that's because of unrealistic assumptions. Results here . 1:34:48 , 42nd out of 146, 24th out of 62 in my age category, 62nd / 53rd / 16th out of 146 on the swim / bike / run. My impressions of the race felt correct, more focus on swimming and biking is now required, think the running is ok. I also realise, re-reading this, how important 'climbing the field' feels during the race: is this a good thing?
Still, main objectives are achieved. I had a good time, got back on the horse. Next steps are another short local one before the end of the season - Langport is full, perhaps Malmesbury. Then, lots of training over winter, and Olympic next season.
A few photos of camera-shy ant
One final thing - one of the guys at BAD tri has created triblogs, might be of interest if you haven't seen it already.
Phew! Well, that's my annual posting quota used up, maybe do that again in a few years..