Sunday 12th August. 7:25am start.
For me this was going to be a good race. The bike course is part of my training route, so I was confident of putting in a good ride. I have swum regularly in the sea at Swanage and my swimming has been improving over the last few weeks. But I was worried about the run because of the steep off-road sections.
So I rode down there feeling good, reasonably fresh and looking forward to the race. Got set up in transition quickly, forgot to get marked up and went for a warm up swim, which was not long enough really, barely 5 minutes. Wanted to warm up for at least 20 minutes, as it takes me ages to get going. But nonetheless I went over to the swim start and when the name checks were done, I managed to get my number marked on me at least. Then to the off. I was at the back and I couldn't get passed some slower swimmers and got boxed in near a line of small buoys and got caught up in rope, then got banged about before the first turn. I couldn't get into a stroke for a good 200m. And by that time I was well back. I am going to have to be more aggressive in open water swims, get my head down and just go for it. I'm too polite, let people go and swim too easy. I can regularly swim under 30 minutes for 1500m in the pool. My time yesterday? - 35 minutes. I was really disappointed in how slow that was. It wasn't until the last 500m of the swim that I at last started motoring a bit and putting in the effort and stroking well. Before that I kept bumping and stopping an checking where I was. I need some more open water swims. I enjoy swimming in open water, I just don't like the starts. I think I'm going to try a keep well out of the way strategy next time, and not get caught up behind any slow swimmers.
So I exited and then onto my bike. I don't know why but I've not been leaving my shoes clipped in. I don't know why, I should do because it would save me a lot of time in transition. And so I got on my bike, and took me a few seconds to get my right shoe in the pedal. I felt really breathless and as I set off I just couldn't get my breath and my legs felt dead. For 2 miles it was uphill but I should not have had any problems getting up to speed, but somehow just could not get going at all. Not until I got to Corfe Castle did I start motoring, and even then I wasn't as fast as I know I can ride, anything like. I was passing people steadily and up around 27mph on the flatter sections, but just not quick enough. And that showed in my bike time. 1 hour 9 minutes for 40km. Very disappointing, even though it was a fairly hilly course. Was held up a bit by a van going slowly, but that said I just didn't go hard enough and it showed. But I had a good T2, and flew out on the run. I was determined to really push myself on the run, and I did. I found the uphill hard going, but I stuck at it and focussed on my breathing and just though 'what goes up must come down'. It really was proper fell running for 1 section of the course, but it wasn't long before descending, quite steep in places, and I got myself into a good rhythm. It was uphill again out of Studland for half a mile or so which was hard going again, but then the last 2.5 miles were down into Swanage and I really made up some time. I did my best 10km run of the year - 47 mins 22 secs. Very pleased with my effort, especially on that course. I was 2 minutes quicker than at Bournemouth and that was pancake flat.
So final time of 2 hours 33 mins, finished 103 out of 280 or so. Very enjoyable race. It's only now at post-race analysis that I'm very disappointed with my swimming and disappointed with my bike. But generally my bike time was ok, not far off the better bikes, and in the top 25 so I'll settle for that. But my swimming needs work, and a lot of it!!
Well done to James Gilfillan yet again, who cam first in a time of 1 hour 56 minutes.
No stopping him at the moment. He's out to do Monaco 70.3 next week, best of luck James if you are reading this, and to add the win yesterday must have been down to that ride on Saturday!!!
Pictures to follow
No comments:
Post a Comment