On Sunday last myself and big Frank borrowed my mum’s car (as it has a hitch) and drove across to Leitrim with our bikes and butterflies in our bellies. Frank did the same race last year and said he really enjoyed and it was my first open water race. This was meant to be my first race but I managed to get a place in the Fingal Sprint in the last few days.
It was a great race but I was very very nervous before it as I had never swam that far in open water before. Even the swim to the starting line seemed daunting. The klaxon for the start of the swim went and pandemonium ensued. Most people were forcing their way forward but I think I was the only one pushing people in front of me to try and get as far back as I could. I took it very easy stopping to breast stroke every 30-50 metres to catch my breath. I finally made it to the bike transition (somehow managing to take a minute off my Fingal swim time). It was no wonder the swim was so sluggish when you consider my wetsuit filled with water – thanks Lidl!!!.
I danced and fumbled my way out of my suit and onto my bike and and off down the road. It was a tough bike ride with plenty of hills but I got a good time (taking a minute off Fingal again). The transition from bike to run was easier this time as I had remembered to tie my laces before the race this time. I had a good week of running training before the race and knew I could make some time on the run. That I did – coming tenth over all on the run leg of the race.
0:19:12 (Position in the swim leg – 143rd /152)
0:01:31 transition from swim to bike
0:39:56 (Position in the run leg – 64th /152)
0:00:43 transition from bike to run
0:21:05 (Position in the run leg – 10th /152)
1:22:26 (Overall position 63rd /152)
As you can see my swim needs ALOT of work.
Frank came 34th overall, only 4 outside his personal goal for this year of being in top 20%. The bottom photo is Mark – Sarahs boyfriend who did his first official tri coming an amazing 33rd.
One thing I did learn from the race was that I didn’t eat enough carbs after as I got a little too tipsy too easily on Sunday night and I had a huge sugar low on Monday morning (I was the laughing stock at training) which was quickly fixed with two lion bars, a moro, a pack of skittles and a bottle of Pepsi – I still feel like crap two days later. I haven’t eaten that much sugar in months.
3dtri took 444 photos of the event and they’re all up on flickr.