Where: Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire
When: 29/06/2014
Organiser: One Step Beyond
Course details: Pool swim. Rural bike, paved run
Distance(s): 400m (heated) lido swim, 24k bike, 5k run
Marshalling: Plenty and happy, excellent traffic control.
Facilities: Camping/caravan pitches, changing facilities, showers, toilets, post race massage
Technical: Chip timing,
Freebies: T shirt
Wednesday-
Physio: ‘I’m not happy about this, can you cancel?’
Me: ‘Well I’ll see how I feel when I get to the run and in any case I’ll dial it back’
Race day – Forecast, showers. Woodhall is only 13 miles away, woke up to bright sunshine, thought forecasts have been known to be wrong, as soon as that thought popped into my head it started to belt down … bum
Registered, racked. The earlier racers told tales of wind, gravel and rain , laid out some arm warmers just in case.
Swim
Woodhall Spa’s Jubilee park has a heated 33m lido which is quite jolly. Into the pool, 30s to go – wow, toasty. 3, 2, 1 off. Well this seems to be going well. Not the fastest of swimmers but feeling comfortable, behind a breast stroker for a length. Out, forgot to check my watch but it was in T1, saw 9:25 and thought that seems alright
Afterwards got the results print.
8:56 - 2013 9:17, 2012 9:28 …a PB, now how did that happen?
T1
Bloody hell, a sharp wind and belt of rain decided it for me – arm warmers on. Took longer than I wanted but don’t regret it. Trot out, switched on my rear flashing light.
1:31 - 2013 2:00, 2012 1:57
Bike
No flying leaps; trot, pause, right foot swing over into shoe, off, left strap came out so had to faff with that. 100m out of Jubilee Park onto Stixwould road, finally got left foot sorted. I think at this point the decision to take it easy disappeared. Peeled right onto Monument road, saw a couple of riders in front and gradually hauled them in, saw a few more and did the same. Started to rain a bit, well horizontal really , good choice to go with the yellow lenses but could have done with some wipers, started to globulate. After a few minutes, huzzah, lenses de-globulated … unfortunately because of the headwind. That was the theme for the ride, globulate and fast or de-globulate and slow.Anyway… first 4k, Strava segment Monument Walk to Sandy Lane 32.7-38.8kph, 71-98rpm, 160bpm, 16th out of 137 and a PR.
Left from Sandy Lane onto Moor Lane, steady climb, had been pulling in and overtaking other riders and then got overtaken, ah well … Segment Moor Lane to Langton Hill climb; 30.2-42.5kph, 71-94rpm, 44/141, PR.
Halfway point, a long swooping descent, well a 20m drop over 1k, Thimbleby Attack, 40.8-43.6kph, 1m 47s I think about 65/378, my PR 1:40 36/378
Wibbly wobbly for next 6k and even overtook about 4 or 5 on road bikes, happy with that and quite enjoyed this bit, don’t know why, the road was a bit poxy, a bit damp.
18-21km, Segment TRI this one; 35-42.1kph, 68-80rpm, 5:00, 55/378, my PR 4:53 42/368
21-24km. No segments, final slog, wibbly wobbly, some idiot drivers. Overtook a few more and also got overtaken by 2nd rider.
Last 1k, catching up with another rider but not quite. Feet out of shoes, peel right into Jubilee Park. No fast and furious in for the last 100m but in at a decent pace, anchors on, just before halt, leg swing over, running dismount and into T2.
Quite happy with that; the ride was OK overall, seemed to be a headwind all the way, on reflection not bothered by crosswinds, could have done without the rain but June in the UK so bound to rain.
Again didn’t check my watch as my point in the rack was very close to the 'bike in' so no time to faff about as had to decide calf guards on or not.
45:27 - 2013 46:40, 2012 45:23, just off a PB
T2
Forgot about the calf guards, faffed about with a shoe as forgot I had a gel in it.
0:53 - 2013, 0:56, 2012 1:09
Run
After about 1k got a bit worried; my intent was to take it really steady but I’d already overtaken about 5 runners and was pulling in another 4 or so, at this point a chap from RAF tri (25-29 AG) who started 4min after me. Quite chuffed with that. Thought I’d slow down a bit as this wasn’t my A race and didn’t want any injuries.
I really enjoyed this run, I was concentrating on correct form, posture, etc and after passing some more runners I was alone for the last 2k, HR to this point 155 +- 3bpm. Last 1-2k or so, checked watch and thought ‘ooh, doing alright’ and allowed myself a slight pace increase.
Came into the finishing straight, feeling quite good, excellent in fact.
23:28 - 2013, 23:31, 2012 22:26
So not brilliant but I was very happy with that.
Total
1:20:28 - 2013, 1:22:23, 2012 1:20:21 Just off PB
Very happy with that. Precious little training but I just worked out the magic secret … a few weeks ago played a game of garden badminton … Woody was right all along, now where do I get me a badminton bat thing?
Previous times: overall and bike
2011 1:21:36 46:33
2010 1:24:20 49:28
2009 1:22:13 48:19
2008 1:27:41 52:28
2007 1:31:50 54:05