Ill Concieved Plans Poorly executed

Stenying Triathlon

I'd thought that I'd entered the Stenying long course triathlon but when I looked at the start list I found that I was in the short course and my start time was based on my estimated swim time for the long course. Seeing as I had unexpectedly run the London Marathon the week before I wasn't about to complain to loudly about doing a shorter course. My legs had only stopped hurting a few days before and I doubt that I'm young enough to recover from a marathon in a week.

I ambled up to the start to find that everyone else in the lane had over-estimated their swim times, so much for overtaking everyone and feeling like one of the fast boys. We quickly established a running order and started splashing up and down the pool. The guy in front had insisted that he should go first as his fast swim time combined with his glacial bike and run would mean that if he set of at the proper time everyone would be packed up and have gone home before he got to the finish line. I was expecting him to shoot off like a torpedo after a story like that; instead I found myself slowly gaining on him and then sliding past. It doesn't happen often, me overtaking someone, but when it does I really like to saviour it. The rest of the swim slid by in a racing haze. I really enjoy the swimming part of a triathlon and I was really enjoying this.

Being first out of the pool was different, I dashed into transition and seemed to be surrounded by club members urging me to get sorted and get on the bike. It was nice to have support in a stressful sort of way. Once on the bike a small realisation hit, the slower triathletes start first and although it doesn't always hold true, usually the slower swimmers are slower cyclists as well. There was every chance that if I put some effort into this I would not be over taken for a considerable time. Now that would be a unique occurrence! I got to the roundabout and no one passed, that was good. Now I was heading back and I could see the others coming down the road. There seemed to be a fair gap between, this was better. I might even make it to the next roundabout without… The problem with thinking like that is that the moment the thought comes into your head some road-tanned whippet of a cyclist comes haring past at a speed that can only be described as obscene. I nearly made it without being overtaken, nearly. As I arrived at the centre the marshals told me to turn left, they didn't specify which left though so I had to guess, I got it wrong!

After last weekends exertions I wasn't expecting anything resembling good for the run but when my calves started screaming in pain and I'd not left transition I knew that I'd not recovered. Still it was only 5km, which really doesn't sound that far. No one had told me about the hill just after half way so I jogged though the early morning life in Steyning high street in blissful ignorance. I was tempted to walk up the hill but there was someone running slower in front, I try to kid myself that I'm not competitive but when a golden opportunity to reel some one in is presented what is a man to do. Glory in it that's what. It wasn't long before I was heading under the finish banner happy that I completed my first triathlon of the year and ready for a nice cup of tea