Stephen Little

Race report: Apologies reading this is probably longer than the event!

Entered this event sometime back in May after drunkingly telling my friend and his wife that I should really pull my finger out and do one. The next day she sent me a message with a link to this event, still slightly drunk 10 minutes later I’d signed up if nothing else it would force me to get off my backside and start to regain some fitness after 8 months out with Achilles tendinitis in both legs.

Started to try and do some swimming while I was on holiday which resulted in my being doubled over at the side of the pool feeling dizzy, wanting to be sick after a massive 150m swim, by the end of the holiday I’d managed the required distance 400m in 10.5mins the draw back was I had to lie down on the sun lounger for 10mins trying to get some kind of normality back, no way could I get on a bike after swimming this was going to be tough I decided I needed some help!

After getting back from holiday I found this club and joined up, several weeks later and a few fantastic coaching sessions and some pointers I was swimming 2,600m and getting out the pool arms tired but felling like I could get on a bike.

Morning of the race alarm goes off at 6am, I’d been worrying about that time being too early for my regular facilities visit, but nothing to worry about things were moving fine. Now for breakfast felt like I was forcing food down my neck, granola and a bagel with jam for the car. Pumped my tires up and decided it would be best to take the pump with me just in case.

Made it with 5mins to spare for the pre race instructions everything seemed to be straight forward enough and off I went to transition to rack my bike. Set all my kit up and Laurie KazMarchski came over to check I was alright with everything and suggested I drop my gear selection down more than I already had, which was a good call. Thank-you for looking after me and giving a few last minute pointers. Now all that was left was to wait oh and have a second visit to the facilities must be nervous excitement!

Swim, get called and given my cap and timing chip, jump in the pool and get my watch ready to start recording, if Its not on strata it didn’t happen so had to double check I was on the right setting. Then came the 5,4,3,2,1 go. Off I went, there was someone else halfway up my lane, competitiveness and adrenaline pumping I was quickly tapping their feet, the marshal asked/made sure they let me through and now I had clear water and time to…. slow down as I’d gone off in a PB 100 which I’d maintained for another 50, conscious of that I made myself slow down, with 4 to go I had to let a quicker swimmer through but then drafted behind them, think they did what I’d done, gone out quick as those 4 lengths were considerably slower than the rest but allowed me to calm myself down a little. Out the pool in 8.18 big improvement from where I started!

On to the bike weather perfect not too hot no wind; the first part of this ride is a fast downhill flat section which I was flying on, then came the turn and the long drag up the hill which I started to really suffer on the longer it went. I stated playing around with my garmin to try and take my mind of it only to come across a screen that showed me I was 4.5mins ahead of what I’d done for my pre-race guide this perked me up and I tried to keep this gap above 4 mins by the time I got to the top, lost a few places with others flying past but this was about me racing myself. Reached the top now for the speedy descent back up to the dismount line 5.5mins ahead of schedule, leg swung over, nearly fell off as my left foot was still attached, catastrophe averted didn’t make a fool of myself, had to lean more than I expected on my bike as I ran back to rack it.

Now for the run, weather was still go, having read the route I’d gone with my trail shoes which was a good selection as it was round the edges of fields. Set off at a bit of a pace for the first km then spotted people ahead of me, now I could start to pick people off one at a time and set in for a more steady pace grabbing jelly sweets from the marshals as I went past. After negotiating several gates a stye and a smile for a photographer I was set for the last sprint finish there was someone giving hi fives to people on home straight and I thought I’m having him and set of sprinting taking him a few meters before the line continued running straight thought the finish tent and finally coming to a stop. Yes I’ve finished I’m now a TRIATHLETE!!! Someone came up to me and suggested I might want to go back to the tent area and pick up my goodie bag, well it would be rude not too!