Post by shanek on Aug 14, 2008 14:12:48 GMT
With the great reports I've already seen on MTC message board I think I got carried away and may have waffled too much below. It is a tri I would reccomend to do just for the sheer size of the event but it will not be one I would choose if it clashes with CK tri again.
Race Report:
First off I met up with the other guy, Kevin from the Ulster Cancer Foundation who was in the same wave as me. He had already done a few Olympic distance and as this was my first I was glad to have his company and race tips. We got to the Expo Centre on the evening before the race to rack up for the following day. Traffic was in chaos as they had closed off a lot of the roads in the area for the sprint races which were on that day. When we finally got there we went and checked in to receive race number and timing chip and then headed over to transition.
My goodness this place was bleedin enormous, you could nearly fit Lough Ennell into it. There were just so many bikes racked up and it felt very daunting indeed, I was now officially ‘outta my league’. We chose a spot for the bikes and checked for swim in, bike out etc. trying to picture where we’d be running. Little did we know that it would all be changed for the following day so this pre-race plan was a bit pointless. When we left I had huge butterflies in my stomach thinking of the daunting task of the following day. Before we had entered the centre I was hoping I could beat 3hrs but after seeing the size of the place I thought it would take me three hours just to get through transition.
The next morning up early and had a well balanced, if nervous, breakfast. Drove down to the expo for 12, with our race starting at 2:40. Got a chance to see some of the elite races which was great, my goodness those lot can swim, bike, run. Gathered for the swim at 2:20 with a few final race tips being given out to a lot of people not looking half as nervous as I felt. Then it was down the gangplank and a jump into the dock where as I went under the water I realised this was the deepest place I’d ever swam. Not a good thought as you’re still under with loads more people jumping in behind you. We swam over to start line where the 300+ other 35-39 males were gathering at the post. I was trying to move a bit to the back, to avoid the rush but realised there was so many others doing the same and that there was just so many of us anyway that I don’t think it mattered what position I was in. After a final “oggie oggie oggie….oiy oiy oiy” The whistle was blown and we were off!!! Yehaw!!!
I was ready for the initial onslaught of legs, arms, heads and who knows what else, thinking that it would fade out later on. Being a breaststroker it’s easy to sight and take an inside line away from the rest. But as we had to swim within the guide ropes this never really became an option. So for the full 35 minutes of the swim there was constant kicking, punching, being swum over under and through. But finally made it to the pontoon and was helped out of the water, swim split done!
In the race booklet they had advised and advised again to remember where you’d put your bike in transition. I had checked my lane and number and knew it was on row W3, at the far end. But of course in my elation at not having lost an eye or any limbs during the swim, I got it wrong! I was at the end of what I thought was my isle but couldn’t see my bike. I now had images of just not being able to find it at all and having to run the bike split. But luckily Kevin, the guy from UCF was there at the same time one isle over and there was my bike beside him, phew! So on the bike and away, I’d even remembered to turn on the computer to keep track of average which was a rare one for me. Off through the streets of London where we had the roads to our selves, just about. It was a brilliant ride which I really enjoyed, meeting some good people on the way (one guy from Wicklow tri club).
The best bit and also probably the scariest was going down into Limehouse link tunnel at such an enormous speed that I’m sure I went into a speed wobble, (not a nervous shake
). After a quick slap in the face to snap me out of it and told myself not to be scared of a few hundred km/hr (or close to it anyway) I carried on to the end of the cycle. Thinking I would save time by undoing my shoes first before getting off I nearly killed myself as I caught the open straps in my wheel. I must perfect my dismount in future.
Through transition again, this time knowing exactly where my gear was. Bike racked, shoes on and off on the run. It was two laps of a 5km circuit with just a constant stream of people running it, from waves before and probably even after mine. Got great encouragement from other people and was hopefully able to pass on some uplifting words to others. It was getting quite warm now with the sun out so I listened to the advice of others and drank little, but often, taking a cup at every station. There was a small hill just at the end before returning into the expo which really took it out of me on the first lap. But on the second lap I was ready for it and burst up it, forgetting that my body would need to be repaid at the top of the hill. Feck, I nearly collapsed.
Finally I turn into the expo and am on the finishing straight. I cannot believe it. All that training has brought me to this point. All the help from my family giving me the time and encouragement to train. The help from everyone in the midland tri club who are a great bunch and have given me wonderful advice and training company. All my friends, family and colleges who had helped raise the €1500 for UCF. This was it, this was the pinnacle, the moment I’d been waiting for. So I threw my arms in the air, cheered myself on and staggered over that finish.
Looking at the vid it may not be a pretty style but it was one that got me to the end in 2:47:00 beating my 3hr target.
Thanks again to you all in MTC.
Race Report:
First off I met up with the other guy, Kevin from the Ulster Cancer Foundation who was in the same wave as me. He had already done a few Olympic distance and as this was my first I was glad to have his company and race tips. We got to the Expo Centre on the evening before the race to rack up for the following day. Traffic was in chaos as they had closed off a lot of the roads in the area for the sprint races which were on that day. When we finally got there we went and checked in to receive race number and timing chip and then headed over to transition.
My goodness this place was bleedin enormous, you could nearly fit Lough Ennell into it. There were just so many bikes racked up and it felt very daunting indeed, I was now officially ‘outta my league’. We chose a spot for the bikes and checked for swim in, bike out etc. trying to picture where we’d be running. Little did we know that it would all be changed for the following day so this pre-race plan was a bit pointless. When we left I had huge butterflies in my stomach thinking of the daunting task of the following day. Before we had entered the centre I was hoping I could beat 3hrs but after seeing the size of the place I thought it would take me three hours just to get through transition.
The next morning up early and had a well balanced, if nervous, breakfast. Drove down to the expo for 12, with our race starting at 2:40. Got a chance to see some of the elite races which was great, my goodness those lot can swim, bike, run. Gathered for the swim at 2:20 with a few final race tips being given out to a lot of people not looking half as nervous as I felt. Then it was down the gangplank and a jump into the dock where as I went under the water I realised this was the deepest place I’d ever swam. Not a good thought as you’re still under with loads more people jumping in behind you. We swam over to start line where the 300+ other 35-39 males were gathering at the post. I was trying to move a bit to the back, to avoid the rush but realised there was so many others doing the same and that there was just so many of us anyway that I don’t think it mattered what position I was in. After a final “oggie oggie oggie….oiy oiy oiy” The whistle was blown and we were off!!! Yehaw!!!
I was ready for the initial onslaught of legs, arms, heads and who knows what else, thinking that it would fade out later on. Being a breaststroker it’s easy to sight and take an inside line away from the rest. But as we had to swim within the guide ropes this never really became an option. So for the full 35 minutes of the swim there was constant kicking, punching, being swum over under and through. But finally made it to the pontoon and was helped out of the water, swim split done!
In the race booklet they had advised and advised again to remember where you’d put your bike in transition. I had checked my lane and number and knew it was on row W3, at the far end. But of course in my elation at not having lost an eye or any limbs during the swim, I got it wrong! I was at the end of what I thought was my isle but couldn’t see my bike. I now had images of just not being able to find it at all and having to run the bike split. But luckily Kevin, the guy from UCF was there at the same time one isle over and there was my bike beside him, phew! So on the bike and away, I’d even remembered to turn on the computer to keep track of average which was a rare one for me. Off through the streets of London where we had the roads to our selves, just about. It was a brilliant ride which I really enjoyed, meeting some good people on the way (one guy from Wicklow tri club).
The best bit and also probably the scariest was going down into Limehouse link tunnel at such an enormous speed that I’m sure I went into a speed wobble, (not a nervous shake
). After a quick slap in the face to snap me out of it and told myself not to be scared of a few hundred km/hr (or close to it anyway) I carried on to the end of the cycle. Thinking I would save time by undoing my shoes first before getting off I nearly killed myself as I caught the open straps in my wheel. I must perfect my dismount in future. Through transition again, this time knowing exactly where my gear was. Bike racked, shoes on and off on the run. It was two laps of a 5km circuit with just a constant stream of people running it, from waves before and probably even after mine. Got great encouragement from other people and was hopefully able to pass on some uplifting words to others. It was getting quite warm now with the sun out so I listened to the advice of others and drank little, but often, taking a cup at every station. There was a small hill just at the end before returning into the expo which really took it out of me on the first lap. But on the second lap I was ready for it and burst up it, forgetting that my body would need to be repaid at the top of the hill. Feck, I nearly collapsed.
Finally I turn into the expo and am on the finishing straight. I cannot believe it. All that training has brought me to this point. All the help from my family giving me the time and encouragement to train. The help from everyone in the midland tri club who are a great bunch and have given me wonderful advice and training company. All my friends, family and colleges who had helped raise the €1500 for UCF. This was it, this was the pinnacle, the moment I’d been waiting for. So I threw my arms in the air, cheered myself on and staggered over that finish.
Looking at the vid it may not be a pretty style but it was one that got me to the end in 2:47:00 beating my 3hr target.
Thanks again to you all in MTC.
