Where: Southwell Leisure Centre
When: 17 April 2015
Organiser: One Step Beyond
Course details: Based at Southwell leisure centre, pool swim, undulating out and back bike course, undulating 2 lap run
Distance(s): 400m (pool) swim; 17.6 km bike; 5km run
Marshalling: Traffic control at bike exit, marshals in transition, at junctions and at other points along course
Facilities: Leisure centre facilities, free parking, toilets, massage, trade stands
Technical: Chip timing
Freebies: T shirt, Quavers and some orange glucose tabs.
Getting old is pants.
All my lumps n bumps n buggered legs n chest infections over the last 6 months have been really inconvenient, I couldn’t train effectively, but that is life. Crack on.
Things started off OK, did the Dukeries 10 mile x country and the Rother Vally Duathlon so a good start ... Then.... started getting haemorrhages in my eyes, blood pressure was spiking ... up to 192 and had a couple of ‘turns’ at work. Had blood tests, an ECG and 24 hour blood pressure monitor with more blood tests and echo cardiogram to be scheduled. GP was happy for me to resume training, happy boy. Result of all this? Not a lot of swimming, a little bit of spin/turbo but fortunately some running.
The Southwell Triathlon attracts the usual wide mix of abilities and because of its location there is a solid core of top notch triathletes from West Yorkshire, Derbyshire, East Midlands and the East of England. It is run twice a year; once in April or May as the Southwell triathlon and in September as the Last Minute triathlon.
So rocked up to Southwell. Perfect weather but somehow not feeling in the mood.
Swim
Splashed up and down, feeling quite good, Got out ran to T1 about 30s off my PB, no surprise, about mid ranking.
T1
Felt quite slick and out before a couple of faster swimmers in my wave.
Bike
Out of T1, feet in shoes, short section before joining the main road then up the first hill then uppy downy for the next 8.5k. Got held up a couple of times by traffic but otherwise I enjoyed it.Slight delay at the roundabout and then back. Into Thurgaston and then the uppy, uupy, downy bit starts. Again it felt OK and having a good time. Bus slowed things down a bit. Back to the turn in to the dismount point, came in a bit fast and into a small queue so that I only got one foot out so unclipped the other and ran in with one shoe on.
35.07, 2.30 off my PB, even so just off top third.
T2
Again slickish except for being a dork with one cycle shoe on.
Run
Two circuits, uppy downy. Feeling quite good and again enjoyed it.
23.12, just under 2 minutes off PB and again about mid placed overall.
Overall
1.10.15 just under 4 mins or so off PB and overall ranking just off top third.16/29 in AG
Thinking back I enjoyed it, didn’t hurt ... Not a bad hurt but the good, productive type of hurt so could have pulled back a minute or so, Never mind, sunny weather, little wind, enjoyable and nothing hurt or damaged. I dumped the data as I didn’t want to spoil the enjoyment I had so no recriminations. A bit drastic? Well I would only go over it and become unhappy. I was slow, no fire in the belly but I had a good day, that’s got to be a bonus. Now to continue with keeping myself well and build up for my races later in the year.