After doing two standard distance triathlons earlier this year, I was curious about how doing a sprint distance triathlon would feel. Would it be easier? Would it feel just as hard because I'd have to push harder? Would I be able to beat my Leybourne time in April and by how much?
I woke up feeling really nervous. The nerves really hadn't affected me much that week, but there was a lot else going on. Also there had been predictions of thunderstorms and heavy rain, as if the Indian summer that we'd been enjoying for the last couple of weeks seemed to be having a tantrum after being asked to leave. The weather was predicted to be light showers, with a humidity level of 97%. In effect this seemed to turn out to be a very fine mist which turned into quite a thick fog on the motorway - not much fun! I was hopeful that the weather would clear as I didn't really want to be cycling through fog and for drivers not to be able to see us.
I got there in good time though and found a great spot to set up. Coach W had advised us to place our bikes near the bike out section so I found a prop to place my bike next to. I was visited by a few mosquitos, which I tried to bat away, as I set up my transition. There were loads of Tritons setting up at the same time. I dragged on my much disliked wetsuit using gloves (surprisingly easy!) and got to the start. The water temperature was 18.2 C and there seemed to be an awful lot of competitors present, which was quite scary! The race started with both boys and girls, which created quite a melee. I'd never swum with so many people in and around me. I started to panic a bit with all the legs and arms around me. I knew I could do this so I just thought, relax, swim with just your arms and make sure I breathe in and out. Some guy elbowed me in the face and I kept swimming into people. The water was murkier than I remembered from the week before. I got to the final bend and realised this was probably the last time I would get to swim this, so I'd better make it a good one. I got out of the water after 16 minutes, in front of Nadja which surprised me! Normally there is someone helping us out of our wetsuits but Jim was there instead so no help was forthcoming (thanks Jim!).
I tried to get in and out of transition as quickly as possible - I always struggle with my socks and am seriously considering no socks next season.
And so it was, when I got to the run, they went straight past me. Coach told me to make sure I didn't go off too fast and so I tried to slow down. I got round the first lap (2.5 k) and didn't want to continue. But I knew Penny and Thea were somewhere behind me and I really didn't want to be overtaken! So I carried on, trying to remember to keep my knees up, something I'm clearly failing at in this photo:
Eventually I finally got round the second lap, and knew that I was nearly there. I could hear someone behind me so I sped up. I was determined not to look at my time until I finished! So I finished in 1:33:45, 8.3 minutes quicker than my time in April! This is mostly due to my super fast bike, and slightly faster swim, transition and run times. My aim for next year is to try and get under an hour and a half, and under half an hour for the run leg! I have to say it's nice to be able to do a triathlon that's actually the distance advertised - the bike was definitely 20 k and the run is 5 k!
I'll be seeing you again next year, Leybourne.
