St Neots Sprint Tri

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St Neots Sprint Tri

Postby Sir Jibbenstein » 18 May 2015 18:30

Where: St Neots Riverside Park
When: 10 May
Organiser: Nicetri
Distance(s): 750m river swim, 24km bike, 5km run
Marshalling: Plenty, very friendly.
Facilities: Porta potties, burger bars, Erdinger tent
Freebies: Technical tee

Bit of a fleshed out report from my original post in corporal punishment.

The aim this year has been to get to Chicago for the world champs, a lofty goal and today was the the first shot. Looks like I came nowhere close, but I'm staying positive.

After a good parkrun and a 9 mile TT in the week leading up to the race I was feeling a bit more confident after the setback with illness a couple of weeks ago. After I recovered and a discussion with coach I had a plan that would start working on my speed again. Plenty of new kit on show this year; wetsuit, bike shoes, pedals, rear tub :oops: The morning was looking good for racing with just a light breeze, a pleasant change after a blustery day before.

Watched the first couple of starts and having stood around for a while was quite glad when the call to get in the water came, warmed up, then the start was taking a while as we were told another 2 minutes so needed to warm up again. The horn went and the river was a mess of silt, it was like swimming at night with your face in the water. About 100m in I really started to struggle with breathing, very much like the panic attack I had at Dambuster last year, I just couldn't get enough air in, but knew logically that I was. I tried to contain the thoughts and work through it. By the turn buoy I’d settled down, put the Chimp back in its cage and set about focusing on the rest of the race, I began to settle down and banished negative thoughts about time lost. Then I saw a boat in the marina. Do not do a Flavadave. Grateful for the OW swim practice the day before I just set into my rhythm and focused on the last buoy. Swim exit came and went fine.

T1 was far better than it has been in previous years, wetsuit off, almost lost balance, but no sit down needed :D . Out onto the bike and I was glad for the mount practice the day before, seemed to go alright with the new shoes and had feet in pretty quickly, 180 at the roundabout then out onto the loop, up a nice hill to start... then onto the flats. The bike course was a good loop, some cross and head winds, but just a matter of head down and power on. Forgot the new Garmin I'd bought from IanM for these races, so relying on one I'd borrowed from dad, only had instant power and not averaged, numbers looked good though so I soldiered on. Roads were nice so quite quick. Was playing leap frog with a few guys, and overtaking a fair few from earlier waves. Then a nasty hill, ouch. After a nice downhill stretch was almost back in transition, out of shoes cleanly, off and running.

T2 was going smoothly until I couldn’t get my feet in my shoes, they were a bit numb with the wind chill from the bike, not great. Eventually got them in and off after what felt an age. Run course was 2 laps with a mixture of grass and path. Felt much better than the brick sets as I set off, think they prepared me for far worse! Quite a lot of twisting an turning on the course, and a bit of camber on the surface so wasn't really feeling it on the first lap. Having settled into the groove lap 1 was finally over. Thinking about last weeks Parkrun I knew I was doing alright from the splits the Garmin was chucking out, and would manage to hang in there, lap 2 seemed to go by much quicker (turns out it was a negative split) and before I knew it I was under the bridge and in the last 500m, and on for a sprint finish, beat 1, but lost to another.

Overall / Swim / T1 / Bike / T2 / Run / Overall Time
283 / 0:14:22.31 / 0:01:05.27 / 0:43:00.59 / 0:00:51.34 / 0:19:36.56 / 01:18:56.1

Crossed the line and I was a mess. The bottom of both my glutes was excruiating, went and sat in the car at great pains! Came 33rd in AG, with a time of 122% of AG winner, not ideal, but it was the British Champs so brought out the best of the best :x Overall an enjoyable race, albeit quite sore afterwards, but means I raced hard. Going to have to hope for a slower winner/better performance from me at Nottingham in a couple of weeks. Already read the report from 2 years ago in preparation!
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Re: St Neots Sprint Tri

Postby Jimba » 18 May 2015 18:41

Good result Jibby. Reading about the river swim reminds me why I decided Peterborough instead! Great run.
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Re: St Neots Sprint Tri

Postby King Sad » 21 May 2015 21:07

Well Jibby, you were faced with demons and overcame them. Nottingham will be a better race for you; may see you there and give you a cheer as I will be registering for the Outlaw Half. Good luck :D
It seemed like a good idea at the time :? .



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Re: St Neots Sprint Tri

Postby Bopomofo » 21 May 2015 23:20

Sounds like you did a great job job with tough competition Jibbs.

I'm interested in your swim breathing issues as this happens to me a lot (or it used to... I haven't raced in ages, obviously). I only managed to overcome it by starting REALLY slowly then pacing myself into the race. Last time I did Windsor it seemed a real shame as I basically ended up at the back of pack and once up to speed I had to overtake most of the field. It took a bloody age to catch up with the wave in front before I was finally able to imprint 'duuH' on Jon's head as I sat on him getting out of the water. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: (full credit for 'duuH' joke to Mr. Elliot, of course).

Also wondering about your glutes issue? Something different about the way you ran, shoes not on properly, mixed surface messed you up maybe?

Problems aside, well done on a great result with tough competition. It must be great to be up there and mixing it with the big boys and so soon after being ill as well. Impressive stuff, Jibbs! :D 8-)
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Re: St Neots Sprint Tri

Postby Sir Jibbenstein » 22 May 2015 09:23

Bopomofo wrote:
I'm interested in your swim breathing issues as this happens to me a lot (or it used to... I haven't raced in ages, obviously). I only managed to overcome it by starting REALLY slowly then pacing myself into the race. Last time I did Windsor it seemed a real shame as I basically ended up at the back of pack and once up to speed I had to overtake most of the field.

...

Also wondering about your glutes issue? Something different about the way you ran, shoes not on properly, mixed surface messed you up maybe?


Interesting you suffer the same issues, 2 strong and confident swimmers that suffer in race conditions. Interesting starting at the back works for you. I was thinking of taking the opposite approach at Nottingham next week; start at the front with clear water and hope that solves it. To be honest it has me pretty worried (the prospect of another attack, not the swim)

Not sure what it is about the glutes, my right glute has been sore for weeks. Not sure if it actually comes back to the bike. I think a bike fit may need to be on the cards soon if I do get the qualifying time.
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Re: St Neots Sprint Tri

Postby Bopomofo » 25 May 2015 23:23

Sir Jibbenstein wrote:Interesting you suffer the same issues, 2 strong and confident swimmers that suffer in race conditions. Interesting starting at the back works for you. I was thinking of taking the opposite approach at Nottingham next week; start at the front with clear water and hope that solves it. To be honest it has me pretty worried (the prospect of another attack, not the swim).


Strong? Used to be. Confident? Never was.

I think I got to a point where I knew I was fast in the pool but got very intimidated by being punched at the front of the pack. I'd spend most of my time swimming head up and wanting to apologise to the people I was hitting or who were crashing into me. I got over that a bit, but then found that I was far too capable of going out at a pace to keep me in front of everybody... for about 150m. Then, I'd be wanting a break, as I do when swimming sprints, and I'd get run over. Back to the first problem of being Mr 'Oops, sorry'.

I nailed it many years ago, once, before I started thinking too much: New Forest tri, Ellingham Lake before they turned it into a split transition - which is too much faff for a sprint. I timed myself into the middle wave for the 1200m sprint which was pretty much out & back, clockwise turn around a buoy 600m away. Everybody bunched to the right to be on the 'inside' line. The slow swimmers gathered to the left. A quick check with our friend Pythagorus told me that swimming in clear water from the right would be about 601m compared to 600m of scrapping on the left. So I did that. :-D

I was cruising past people in the melee. Finally closed at the turn into top 10 position then climbed to 3rd before swim exit. Nice.... but a bit artificial and the last time I can remember doing a properly great swim.

Other swims have seen my trying off the front only to panic then have the additional problems of being run over, or starting at the back then having to overtake.

One thing that I HAVE managed to beat, Jibbs, is weakness. I AM (was) a great swimmer. I can take MY line, take MY strokes and guess what? You guys can be the ones saying 'Oops, sorry' when we collide.

Switch of your manners, Jibbs. Focus on your strokes and if there are a few 'lumps' in the water just ignore them, same as seaweed, jellyfish, Solent Sharks :? etc. Plough on through.

I can't really help on the breathing though, buddy. I've not properly solved that yet.
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Re: St Neots Sprint Tri

Postby kfjatek » 26 May 2015 08:50

Sounds like a solid start to the season Jibby, despite the OW hiccups. Well done!

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2015:
26/04 Southampton 10k
30/05 Sieraków Triathlon
21/06 Dambuster Triathlon
29/08 Club Relays
27/09 Hever Triathlon
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