Tri / Triathlon / Triathlons - do they float your boat?

Course this year is still tbc- but last year I did 4:54 - if I can string together a half decent race it should be possible..

Wrote a long and self-indulgent race report: https://lambonabike.wordpress.com/2015/06/17/cotswold113-middle-distance-triathlon-2015/

Three points: 1) will there ever be a photo of me mid-race that is in any way flattering? 2) I appear to have eaten less on race day than I would during a morning at work. 3) why the fuck am I looking at doing another race?

I enjoyed that. You capture the daft thought processes you have when racing well.

^Totally this. My mind also wanders when racing and I usually get odd songs stuck in my head. I put my last Half Marathon PB down to watching the "The Duck Song" (Google if you must) with my daughter the evening before the race. Had it in my head the entire duration. Excellent running tempo.

@hats I like the idea of hiding in the toilet and hoping the race will finish itself!

Good write up, sounds as though you battled yourself hard to get through it!

have you looked at the Marlow Middle Distance race....?

its slightly short on the run, and although the aid stations aren't as fantastically stocked with Jelly Babies there is at least free beer at the end of the race!

8th in my age group at the dambuster today, first race this year where things went to plan - and I'm finally settled on my TT bike again!

1 Attachment

Nice work. Flying transitions!

Great work Ed and Hats!

Mojo not great:-

• Last swim: 1st May
  
• Last time I put in some Richmond Park laps on the bike: 8th March
  
• Last Parkrun: 2nd May
  
• Recent running: 75km in the last 30 days (in 5 runs)
  
  

Need to put the excuses away and get out there:-

• Friday swimming is gone thanks to the centre redevelopments (will be done in time for September though).
  
• Need to just go cycling on a Friday rather than finding other stuff to do
  
• Need to get up and go swimming at 6.30am on a Tuesday and also on a Sunday morning
  
• Stop cutting out the shorter faster runs (Wednesday and a parkrun on Saturday)
  
• Routine is everything
  
  

Actually looking forward to tonight's run home...

[EDIT] Ran home, almost enjoyed it. Played 5-a-side and was happier.

Big up Joe Skipper, 3rd at ITU Long Distance Worlds today. 2nd at IM Texas last month after smashing the bike course to pieces.

He's gonna be one to watch at IMUK plus a dark horse for Kona depending on how he copes with the heat...

Very impressive run and bike performance according to what he posted on Twitter yesterday - depressing that he can hold what I can for a 10 over 80 miles!

First tri yesterday.

I've never tried to swim in the sea with a wetsuit on before. The weather was awesome, and when I went into the water to climatise (it was 11C I think). I felt great with the wetsuit perfectly floating my heavy legs.

But when the gun went and I started pushing it I feel apart. I was hyperventilating, so couldnt use my usually technique. Had to keep my mouth out of the water at all times. At 300m I was convinced I was going to drown. I stopped, someone crashed into me smashing my head under water. I swallowed a shit load of water, and decided to swim hard and get the feck out of the water. It was still shit. But I was at least moving faster. Bloody glad it was a short one.

https://www.strava.com/activities/334096289

At T1 I was stumbling around like I was drunk. I even missed trying to put my sunglasses on. My kids were watching so I was trying really hard not to look as out of it as I felt.

Decent kit and prep meant I was on the bike quickly. I couldnt hold anywhere near the power Id expected. Obviously I felt a bit fecked. But suffering on the bike is something I'm very used to. It was a 15min 8% climb. Lovely. I didnt smash it as hoped. But I recovered fully.

https://www.strava.com/activities/334096308

T2 was pretty striaght forward. Bless whoever it was that invented stretchy laces.

The run was bonkers. I igured I owed it to myself to smash it. After using the ride for recovery.

But how do you smash it up a 45% gradient rock pile?

https://www.strava.com/activities/334096319

I had a fun day though. Definitely need to train sea swimming in the wet suit of course. But I think I'll enter a few more next year. The whole thing felt like a battle again fatigue more than a pure run or bike race. Which I kinda related to more then just worrying about pure speed.

11th place.

Bugger. Could have been top 5 if i hsdnt fecked the swim.

Turned up to do my regular swim at West Reservoir this morning, and found out there was a race. I entered the 1.5km on the line, (my first race), and did a massive PB of 25.39, which I'm pretty pleased with.

Nice! Wish I could swim that fast.

Won my first ever tri yesterday - it was a three up team trial over roughly 3/4 Olympic distance (800-33-7.5) where you race as a three for the whole race. Great fun and a a really nice hamper from lidl for winning!

The bike was undoubtedly the best bit, we had a couple of issues doing too long a turn at the front and dropping the third man for a minute or two but we got the fastest bike split of the day by 2 minutes and ended up beating second place by 4 minutes overall!

Ankle is now quite swollen but not painful so will hopefully be ok for marlow middle next week!

1 Attachment

It's pretty common sensation at the start of the race - the one time it's happened to me I just sat up, paused to catch my breath and then set off much slower!

Good effort otherwise - onwards and upwards from here!

What trisuit is that? Club issue? I want a sleeved trisuit.

Oh and well done!!

It's a champion systems apex tri suit - it's a special order from my club - it's nice but the pad probably isn't up to Ironman distance and is a bit thin in the ass area!

ah ok cheers. I think I'm going to try and look at one of the Castelli ones, but I'd want to try one on before splashing the cash to make sure I get the right size. I like my Castelli bibs but they're in size small and just to the snug side of perfect... I'm not sure I could cope with them on longer rides. Unfortunately they are so close that I think mediums might come up baggy.

The pearl Izumi one is supposed to be nice as well, and a mate wore it for the whole of wales

Really hard to find in the UK.

I got the Zoot one...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/zoot-ultra-tri-aero-skinsuit-2015/

don't know anyone who has used one of those, but looking on wiggle i know a few using the fusion ones, including a pro who has just bought one, which presumably means that they are pretty well regarded.

Does anyone have a tri-top I can buy / steal / have? Medium or large (42" chest).

biggest race of the season tomorrow with my tri club champs - being a sprint with an extra short (18k) bike rather disadvantages me vs the fish/runners in the club, but hopefully I can come in the second group in the swim, get to the front of the pack on the bike and see what I can do on the run....

4th last year, hoping for a podium, think its all going to come down to everyone starting the run at the same time with one guy who has previously done a 16:30 in a sprint tri abut 2/3 minutes back..

#ifyouaintfirstyou'relast

Went for it and won!

Took until the final stretch of the last lap to catch the fish but some uber fast transitions and a 19:03 5k gave me a fairly comfortable lead in the end!

Only disappointment was finishing in 1:00:07 so close to sub 1hr!