Last weekend was the Wollongong tri festival. This was the start of the journey back in 2013. Yes it was only an enticer but back then it seemed like a very long race. This year I competed in the olympic or standard distance. 1.5km swim, 40km ride and 10km run.
Standing on the start line lately I keep thinking that this is not really a race and what have I forgotten. No longer is there the nerves and I am not overly pumped like I used to be. I just stand there talking away and don't really think about what is ahead of me. I know I am racing and am ready to go but I am just not a worry that I will not finish.
Anyway my wave starts and I feel I get off to a nice pace. There are a few people around me but I am not getting bashed so thats good. This year the swim was a two lap rectangular course. This meas when we went past the first buoy we came in contact with some of the other groups starting their second lap. The water was clear and cool with some very disturbing warm patches. As soon as we get outside the protection of the harbour the was a nice rolling swell. Its only a couple of hundred meters of this but you do get a shock the first time as you try to push through it. The second lap was a bit easier as you are ready.
I get out of the water making sure not to fall on my face this time. I have a quick transition as my shoes are already on the bike and get on with it. The bike was not a hard course. Three laps with really only one hill at the starting end of the lap. I felt like I had some pretty good speed during the bike leg and not a lot of people passing. Apart from almost hitting a cone on the course when not paying attention the ride was fairly uneventful.
Getting off the bike, T2 was another quick transition to the run. As always I getting running at a pace I shouldn't. I don't look at my pace on my watch but instead use what I feel looks about right. I don't know why but everything seems slow. Maybe my mind is still used to the pace of the bike. When I do look at my watch I then understand why I am struggling so much. I find I am going way faster than I should be for the distance. I try to slow down but thats actually not easy to do. So you end up holding on as long as I can. I hope that I get close enough to the finish line as I can so I can convince myself that its only a little way to go now. Then I might be able to will myself to keep running. Sometimes easier said than done. On this day I made that happen. Heading up the last hill on the ran I take a quick look back knowing I don't have a lot left in me. No one can be seen. Then its a right hand turn which heads down the hill past the finish line to the end of the park before taking a couple of quick right turns and back to the finish line. Half way down the hill I have another quick look. Oh there is someone but its ok I have time. I get to the first right hander and have another look. Oh dear he is getting closer but I still feel its ok. 50 meters later I am at the last right to head to the finish and the volunteer says I am almost there with only 300 meters to go. I don't even have to look behind me as I very soon hear the same volunteer talking to the guy catching me. Oh crap he is close now. I give it everything that I have. I feel if I can make the red carpet then he will give up. 300 meters is not that far normally but when you want to fall over from the pain it is. Lucky for me I can hold him off and make it to the finish keeping my place. Not that it really means much when you are a mid pack competitor but we all have to have simple goals. :)
So the final results are below. I am pretty happy with them and hope I am improving. Next race is the big one.
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