Full results here (update - results seem to be gone now)
I've done a lot of sprint run training recently, and have managed an unofficial but pretty accurate 19:40 time - on the 400M track at Thames Valley Athletics Center.
I hadn't planned to race today, but spoke to a few people from Evolution triathlon club and thought I would give it a go if the weather was nice.
The weather was very nice for February.
Got down to Dorney in plenty of time and paid my £40, registered and racked my bike. Spent a long time thinking about what gloves I'd wear - left long gloves and fingerless ones beside the bike just in case.
Met up with Kevin,Sally,Tomas and Caroline before the race and we did a warm up together - feeling quite relaxed even though I knew this was going to hurt.
This was my first race in my new Newton running shoes, so I was wearing my calf compression guards just to be sure. I also don't have quick release laces, so I left my Asics by the bike for a quick change for the second 5K run.
Run 1 - 19:59
The first 5K was a 2 loop out and back along a very dirty track covered in sheep's droppings. Very slippery on the turns so we had to slow down a lot. I managed to run well, deliberately slightly below my fastest pace, and came in right on my 20 minute target.
T1 - 0:44
Pretty fast, wasted a second or two by running down wrong aisle. Feeling quite warm from the run, decided not to wear gloves at all. This was the right decision.
Bike - 35:19
Six loops at Dorney is quite soul destroying. As usual there is a fast wind assisted section followed by an uphill struggle into the wind. I never did feel great, and was quite dispirited to see lots of fast cyclists frequently race past me. It was impossible to really tell my place though. In the end 34km/h average is quite good - I'm still disappointed though as I wasn't actually aerobically tired - just couldn't make my legs push harder. Somewhere in the back of my mind I was contemplating the second run.
T2 - 0:34
Quite fast - even though I got the wrong aisle - again - and had to duck under the railing with my bike.
Run 2 - 20:21
My legs hurt from the bike ride and after nearly an hour I was tired. It took me 1/4 lap to get into any kind of stride. At the first turnaround I suddenly spotted Tomas right on my shoulder. This shocked me out of my mental reverie - I hadn't seen him on the bike anywhere and thought he must be quite a bit behind me, but there he was challenging. It hurt but I upped my pace a bit. This is where I started to really want to just stop and walk. Once lap done and Tomas was still right there. Started looking for people ahead who looked like they might be over 40 and in the VET category. There was a remote possibility that I was chasing a top 3 position and I didn't want to lose it by a few seconds. So I speeded up again and by the third and final turnaround I saw Tomas and knew I'd made enough of a gap between us that he wouldn't catch me. I think I overtook about six people in that final push. I always feel OK once I've mentally decided I can sprint as far as the finish line which I did for about the final kilometer. I think I should have been able to manage another 20 minute run, but I lost it all in that first bit just after the bike. Coming out of T2 I did notice a lady runner - I have finished at around the same time as the 1st place lady before and wondered if this might be the case here. However she sprinted way ahead of me right off the bike when I was just settling in - that was my worst section of the whole race. I must do more brick sessions. I've checked and she did go on to win the ladies race in a time 15 seconds faster than me (Felicity Cole)
Result: 1:17:00
19th overall out of 110 finishers
5th VET out of 34
Quite disappointed that I didn't make the top three in my category. Fourth place was over a minute ahead so at least I know I didn't lose out narrowly on the second run. But first place was seven minutes ahead - finding it hard to imagine any way I can make up that kind of time. The race was won on the bike - he did a 40km/h average - that's what I have to do.
Found out later that Tomas had punctured on the bike and didn't manage to finish all the laps, but made it back to transition in time to start the run just behind me. Wonder if I'd have run quite so fast without him spurring me on like that :)
