750M Swim 20K Bike 5K Run
This was my first effort at a triathlon, and the following paragraphs will be well worth reading for those who want to give it a go.
The first mistake I made was taking advice about wetsuits. All the websites said hey, you need a specialist suit. Right I looked into hiring one at 50 quid, which was a bit steep and eventually bought an Orca for £180. After trying to fit into 2 of their larger suits, and almost choking to death, I sent them both back. Bearing in mind that most specialist swimmers have a huge upper body, these suits were far too tight and only suitable for slimly built athletes. Eventually I picked up a normal full length suit from the boat shop at swallownest, for a £130, this fitted comfortably.
Okay onto the race itself. It was a miserable cool and wet day, in fact so cold that people were begging to get into the marina! On arrival I got some strange looks, and then I realised why. Everyone had graphite racing bikes with tribars and solid wheels, and probably there own road crew. Mine was the worst bike on show.
I got the swim course sussed out, once around the lake in a circle and back onto the beach. The swimmers went in 5 categories at 10 minute intervals, I was lumped in with the vets. The fast swimmers went first, and unbelievably the first guy out was told to go back in and go to the first buoy! Wrong, the Marshall was unaware that this was where the next bunch started from! The next few swimmers gave the Marshall a mouthful and I had to spin one around to send him in the direction of the bikes. This was just the start of the Marshall mishaps.
I got in the water for my event, and guess what, the water was as warm as a bath. This wetsuit malarkey was peeing me off. I started way to fast, and had to breaststroke at 100M, I was feeling overwhelmed and almost missed the first marker buoy, a canoeist put me right here. I was now struggling in last place, trying to keep tabs on a breast stroker. I reached the buoy for the turn home, and had a bit of a wrestle with it, before getting into a good crawl rhythm. Every time I looked up the breaststroker was in a different position! I was zig zagging my way home! Finally I got back on dry land and ran a couple of 100 metres to transition.
On to my bike?.....er not quite it took me 5 minutes grappling with a sticking wetsuit, and why was I the only one putting my socks and cycling shoes on? I clip clopped out of transition and on to my bike. The first section was a there and back loop to a roundabout, back towards the marina, and then a sharp left to sandtoft. I have been down this route in training, but it isn't easy to spot if you haven't done it before. And guess what? the Marshall made no attempt to funnel bikers down there, by standing in the road, and I watched one poor chap motor past. He then had to perform a dangerous 'U' turn in the middle of the A18 to get back onto Sandtoft road. I was conscious of over exerting myself and cycled far too steadily whilst the "graphite boys" sped past me. On the way back I was getting close to someone with a worse bike than me. It was a mountain bike!!! Full of encouragement I got passed him and left him for dead, then a lady biker appeared on the horizon. I was in full flow now and was sprinting, within sight of the marina. I went passed the lady rider and she didn't respond.....come on Dave!!
Clip clopping into run transition(you're supposed to leave the shoes on the bike dick-head!) I laced up my shoes and got away fairly quickly. A few hundred yards later and my calves packed in. What a horrible feeling, my blood was in the wrong muscles and I had to stop to stretch them out. I struggled for a bit, but finished like a steam train to overtake a few near the finish.
92 (29) David Drabble M40 28/32 Novice/1st Open Swim 22.19 position 97 Bike 55.04 position 97 Run 22.07 position 67
92nd out of 105. The swim was slow but my first race ever so I can improve here. The bike was a bitter disappointment, I was far too steady and should have driven myself into the floor. The run was pleasing a couple of minutes outside my best, with a transition included, and including a 30second pit stop. However I completed my first Triathlon and now know how to tackle the next one.
Here are my tips for anyone who would like to have a go at one.
1)Buy a cheap shortie wetsuit for about 50 quid. You will be plenty warm enough.
2)Don't wear socks, fill your shoes with Talc and take a foot towel.
3)Get used to leaving your bike shoes on the bike!( bike shoes are essential, cost with pedals about £90)
4)Get used to swimming in a wetsuit.
5)Know the course, the marshalling was poor here.
6)Use elastic laces in your running shoes.
7)Really hammer the bike section, and stretch your legs in the last mile.
8)Practice navigating in open water, this is the most difficult skill to learn.
Dave Drabble 23/08/2004