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Bala Middle Distance Tri
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Well if that was it, then I gladly give you my ability.
You need spitting on pre Nice?
Just adding to the many race reports.
My swim was 8 minutes quicker than last year, mostly swim improvement plus a bit quicker in T1. I managed to not zig zag that much on the outward leg but I found it a bit harder sight the exit on the way back. I had some people try to swim over me as I was getting to shallow bit at the swim exit.
After about 1 mile in the cycle I realised that I had forgot to put on my cycle gloves!! I did not want to push to hard on the cycle this close to Nice so I took it a bit easy and concentrated on getting the nutrition while on the bike. I also think one of my cycle shoes is not setup right and I was getting a pain in the outside of the knee when going up a hill. I will get this checked out tommorrow when my bike is being serviced. In the end I was 35 minutes slower than last year.
The run I felt better on the run as I got the cycle nutrition right this time. I had also taken some gels on the run as sports drink which I was glad of in the heat. I felt I had a strong run and an even pace but I was 3 minutes slower than last year. Overall I did it in 6:13 which is nearly 40 minutes slower than last year, however I was just glad I made it round in the heat.
The other thing I learnt for Nice was to put a lot more sun lotion on, as I have some nice burnt arms and shoulders.
It was also good to have a lot of pirate support around the course, I wonder what the french will make of the pirate invasion next week.
What a grand day out that was. Well done everyone to everyone who started, finished and supported.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself which is strange as most people who've seen me race before know. Everything went as I'd planned as my last big training session pre-Nice. Swam, biked and ran to HR. Based on the usual course, I wanted to finish between 6 and 6:30, my time was 6:27 which given the discussions that the new course added on time, I'm perfectly pleased with that.
Big thanks to the pirate support contingent - debbo (hope your leg heals quickly), Nam, Knackered knees, Mrs Knackered knees, Mrs GOM, SyM.es and Mrs SyM.es, BtS...and anyone else I've forgotten.
It was also great to meet new pirates too, though I have to say, given the bravado and drinking prowess talked about on here, I'm disappointed it was the usual suspects still up and drinking when everyone else had gone to bed. And we even walked the 3 miles back to the hotel at 1:30am. That's dedication for you.
top work holly. looks like you're all set for Nice now.
hope all those that didn't have the day they planned for find redemption at Vitruvian or elsewhere this year.
I think that the Admiral knows damn well who shouted 'go Cougie' at him
...in my defence, it was all Bassy's fault 
I couldn't focus by this stage and just assumed that the Shimano-meister was right 
lol, but Hollywood really tried to make out it wasn't him, 'thou dost protest too much' wasn't applicable this time lol, and I know you were led astray by Bassy as he had already shouted it very loudly
it was defo the hat, my glasses weren't as nice as his !
Hello Everyone, I do like hearing how you all got on.
RB sorry to hear you had a nightmare. You mudst have looked very indecisive to-ing and fro-ing on the run.
Well I had seen a physio in the week who told me I had torn the hamstring where it inserts into the bone, hence why my knee still hurts from GFC, and won't bend properly. Anyway rather than risk being told not to race I neglected to tell her what I had planned, a smart move as they do like to scaremonger.
As a compromise I decided to do the swim and bike and not do the run. I toyed with the idea of not putting my trainers in the transitIon area, then thought if I was really up for it in the heat of the moment I might be tempted to nick someone else's or run barefoot or in my flip flops.
On the bike I had to be careful not to twist my knees, as that is when it hurts, and had a bit of a mmoment when I struggled to get my foot out of the shoe on approaching T2 as it killed, but apart from that it was ok so know the bike will be no problem at Nice/Double.
I decided for once in my life to do the sensible thing and not head out for the run, so just did the transition then let them know I was stopping. feels a bit wierd hanging about in transition as everyone else is passing through, but as my kneee had swollen up again after it was the right thing to do, got to think about my main race and have a bit of time for it to calm down, Nice will involve a lot of Ibuprofen I think.
Had great time on the bike, loved all the hills as that is all we ever ride on round here, I do hope they keep the course and agree about it feeling like a safer route. The turnaround was very well marshalled and organised, so thanks to the organisers for making it a brilliant day.
Think I hit the start of the run at 3:30, so on form it would have been a good day I think, however I got the chance for an all day breakfast and another swim before a lot had finished so there is something to be said for DNF'ing.
Was great fun fighting with Bassy for the lead!!!
Oh yes what was that warm patch all about at the turnaround on the swim?
Calfs brief race report (bet it won't be)
Swim - I don't like the swim, don't like it at all. I'm not very good at it for a number of reasons, I sight like a blind man and as such swim further than I have to, my stroke goes to pot in a wettie after 10 mins and the real indicator is the s****e times I keep posting. Needless to say I didn't enjoy the swim that much. In fact if Tri finished with the swim I wouldn't do it........is this coming across???
Bike - Hilly, now I know people don't generally like hills and I suppose I am one of them, but I'm quicker up them relatively speaking than on the flat or going down hill, suppose its related to me being a lanky streak a pish..... So I found myself having mutliple position changes with people as they would come by on the downhill and I would go by on the uphill, even to extent I was chatting to a couple of them it became that regular. I was wishing for more hills and having seen a group of people go away from down the big hill toward the turn round looking forward to going back up to pass them all AGAIN
nice to be able to see the pirates on the bike, a wave and a shout is great for the spirit.
Run - Now I suppose of all the disciplines this is my best however I always seem to be injured so training this year has been limited to 2 or 3 at most 6-7 mile runs a week. I've had patellar tendonitis for over a year and long runs just aggrevate it so was a little worried about even getting to the finish line and the distance. Furthest I had run this year was one 12 miler. Anyways I needn't have worried, knee held out fine, set out at a decent pace and managed to get the first 3-4 miles in at 7 min mile pace which is a pain as I then feel I have to keep going at it. The pirate group at the bottom of the hill was great support probably didn't look like I appreciated it as I was breathing out my ass and bleeding out my ears but I did. Got to the turn around and headed back down the hill, fell running style lean forward as fast I could, great for getting down them quick but messed up my to that point well behaved belly. Started getting a cramp etc usual thing, had a quick stop and stuck some fingers below the ribcage and it seemed to sort it out. I didn't take any gels on the run as I was worried about my gut so about 9 or 10 miles was beginning to suffer but stuck at it and managed a run time I was really pleased with.
Now the downsides, straight after the race had the usual dizzy feeling, want to lie down and die, St johns came to see me about 5-6 times which made me wonder if my relaxed prone position didn't look that relaxed and I was potentially about to pass out, but after 20 mins got my stuff sorted and headed back to cheer...... then those of you that saw me in the evening pointed out I might have been better putting some suntan cream on, I did and lots of it, FACTOR 20 but having transparent skin it wasn't enough so shoulders and back all blistered so on the hunt for a decent cream for nice.
A great weekend and brill to meet everyone, just wish I could have stayed for few beers after but w**k called.
Time was 5:04 which was 90 mins quicker than previous middle distance race 2 years ago so really really pleased.
I know I saw him on the wekend KK
but when i saw the tattoo I felt that I'd seen it somewhere before..................and he said it was his avatar but the picture in my mind is on skin so I'm feeling really disorrientated that my mind is saying that I 've seen it before when I couldn't have.
Does that make any sense.................
Seren you may have seen it on our swim coach (Tuesday) as he has it (on his ankle I think)
Well done everyone.
well done everyone, some fantastic reports.
Holly_G, I'm really glad you enjoyed a race all the way through. There is one thing you forgot in your report, how did the jelly fish repellent work?
It worked excellently. No jellyfish all day. It did however rub off under the wettie around the shoulders and I have some new comedy tan lines. I could say I was prepping the area in time for Nice. But that would be a lie.
Calf - with skin as transparent as yours I'd wear factor 30 or above.
Oh yes, funkin. Forgot to say to Nam, thank you so much for getting a pic of me smiling! Doesn't happen often when I'm on a bike.
HGL - You were smiling when you went past me on the bike
(ahem - sorry - man's gotta do what a man's gotta do)
LOL... and there was me thinking you were all weeing on the bike...
Yes, everybody help yourselves to the pics to do whatever with... That's what they're there for.
Oh no - I confused Gyraffe with HGL.... this sort of embarrassment always happens when people turn up to parties in the same dresses.... Sorry - that's more embarrassing than being incontinent in the first place - I'd better go get my eyesight and memory checked!
P.S. At the time I'd been holding it in for ages... really should have gone at the bottom of the hill rather than carrying all that weight all the way back up the mountain....