Lincoln Sprint

[King Sad]

Where: David Lloyd, Burton Waters, Lincoln
When: 27 April
Organiser: One Step Beyond
Distance(s): 400m pool swim, stated as 22k bike but it is actually 24k, 5k run
Marshalling: Plenty, very friendly. Traffic control
Facilities: Use of the David Lloyd club facilities, showers, changing rooms
Freebies: Technical tee

Yes … the season starts and the first of my reports … will try to keep them shorter this year.

Pre-race excuse – tried out some new running shoes and they did not suit and made my calves tender.

Weather forecast – rainy, windy. Race morning, blue skies, sun shines, light wind

The race

Swim - My weakest event. Taken by surprise by poolside instruction that overtaking in pool not allowed! Started off nicely but after 25m then got stuck behind a big, slower swimmer who despite my tapping his feet for the next 10 lengths wouldn’t let me pass.

Crossed T1 timing mat 8:55. Bum! Disappointing; 259 out of 500. Having said that probably lost up to 30s stuck behind the whale but only 12s slower than 2013.

T1 – No dramas, 57s 104 out of 500

Bike – Out of T1, across the roundabout (traffic controlled), first 2.5k undulates between 4m band. Not going 100% as concerned about my legs and wanted to save them for the climb through Burton Village. A gradual rise of 25m over 700m and then a short 26m climb over 300m through the village. Climb went OK so relief. This section took 7:57 v 7:34 last year; av 23.5kph max 36.7kph, HR 157-168.

Onto the top, left through the next traffic control for 3.5K, legs felt OK; cadence 70-93, HR 154-166, 34 kph av-41kph max. Left onto the drop from the RAF Scampton Viewpoint to Sturton. Short drop, 60kph then next 6.5k concentrated on position, pedalling, monitoring Garmin data, av 42kph, 1m30 improved on last year and apparently 20 out of 277 on Strava segment so got to be happy with that.

Left onto the road to Saxilby for the next 5k or so, 41.8kph max av 34.1kph, HR 155-158, another Strava PR 84 out of 418.

Left onto the A57 for last 4k, headwind, 32kph av. For the first time OSB managed to get the last 2k of the A57 closed to Eastbound traffic so the right turn at the Burton Waters roundabout was a breeze. Bonus!

Time; 44:00, improved by 1:36 from last year – if I had pulled my finger out would have got sub 44. Placed 108 out of 500 so pleased with that.

T2: helmet went bouncing down the racks so lost a second or so, 48s, 182 out of 500.

Run: Started off with an easy PB in sight, 25m in, sharp left turn … ow, ow, ow. Left calf went hurty. The next 5k was testing; mixture of hopping or turning the offending leg to get maximum relief, thoughts of how a crab might run. Uppermost in my mind was a PB, still in sight so MTFU. Pushing on right to the line. A disappointing 25:42 which was 296 out of 500.

Total: 1:20:19, a PB by a whole 1s – hey I’ll take that. 5th in AG, down 1 place.
172 out of 500 so just out of top third all ages, down from 157 out of 494 in 2013.

My AG
1st 1:15:11
2nd 1:15:28
3rd 1:17:03
So within 6.7% of the winner

So a sense of foreboding about weather and fitness but in reality a good day’s racing. I am going to check on the ‘no overtaking’ in the pool; the 30s or so I could have had in reality would have only made a minor difference of about 10 places overall and not altered my AG placing.

Three weeks to the next race, need to sort these legs out and avoid further injury.

[kfjatek]

Sounds like a solid start to the season, KS. Well done!

[Jack Hughes]

Very well done. Not the best of days, weatherwise, I suspect. If it was anything like Saturday. So the bike looks strong.

Being slowed down In the swim may have left you more for the bike.

And 30 secs is less than a 120 secs penalty.

Calf is more of a worry. Give it chance to repair!

[IanM]

Nicely done KS! A PB is a PB, and a good start to the season.

[jonathon.e]

Great report as always.
You have to love that initial couple of miles after T1, but the ridge ride with the view makes it worth while.
A PB is a PB no matter what, hope the campaign for the series AG title goes well this year, and the calf sorts it self out.

[King Sad]

The weather was actually perfect, blue skies, sunshine, some wind but not blowy or gusty , a great surprise as the forecast was a bit umpty. Made for an enjoyable bike and run. Glad I put on some P20 to protect my delicate visage . Everyone had a good time and the BBQ saw a roaring trade, a good start to the season .

Swim was not a lung bursting thrash so plenty of steam left for the rest of the event and not overly concerned as exited T1 only seconds down from last year.

Must admit to being a bit oblivious to the surroundings as concentrating on the tarmac and Garmin, think I lack the requisite brain processing power and peripheral vision to take it in Must go for a leisure ride up there sometime as whenever I go along the ridge it is either driving or racing and in 13 years living here have never had a good look at the view.

On the whole a lot of positives; my great concern is keeping the legs in condition so now resting them. Looking at the entries for the rest of the series the first three will be competing in the remainder and their margin is such that I am out of that. Never mind, this is not my prime focus this year but will still give it a good go

[jonathon.e]

On the whole a lot of positives; my great concern is keeping the legs in condition so now resting them. Looking at the entries for the rest of the series the first three will be competing in the remainder and their margin is such that I am out of that. Never mind, this is not my prime focus this year but will still give it a good go

All it takes is for them to be ill, puncture, have a mechanical, plenty of opportunity until the well endowed person of the female gender starts to sing.

[King Sad]

That is true and have always been of the mind if anyone beats me they will have to work damn hard for it right up to Brunhilde emptying her lungs

[CCS]

Another great result! Bit off not being allowed to overtake on the swim though!


Sent using some sort of new fangled technology

[Sir Jibbenstein]

Great stuff. Shame you missed a PB, but not by much and sounds like without calf issues you could have made it.

Was the no overtaking instruction mis-understood? we were told no overtaking yesterday, we should tap and wait until the end of the length and conceed/pass there.