Bedford Sprint Triathlon
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Official Results |
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Richard's report:
This sprint Triathlon is the 1st in a series of 3 based at Robinson Pool this year. The conditions couldn't have been much worse!!. Many competitors suffered badly with the cold and coming out of a near tropical swimming pool into a biting northerly wind and driving rain wasn't pleasant - so much respect must go to our first-timers!! (hope it hasn't put you off Katarina!). split times above do not include transition times - once again I failed miserably especially in T2 as someone had put their bike right over my plain white running shoe bag and it took me getting on for 2 mins to locate it! Anyway well done all.
Richard
Katarina's report:
What a great day to attempt my first triathlon... thunder, lightening,
torrential rain and wind in the night before and the rain and near to freezing
temperatures in the early morning start! I could have had three choices; to stay
at home and wimp out, to begin the triathlon and pull out when I had had enough
or to completed the triathlon no matter what.
As it was my first triathlon I wasn't going to go out and spend x amounts of
money on a tri bike however good they look and work. But I had several bikes to
choose from at home and the one that I chose in the end had covered more miles
than the others (still not very many though as my cycling has been worse than my
swimming and have greeted many ditches in my time, only these times I had
been completely sober with a cycling helmet on!) My hybrid was originally bought
to get me from A to B, to work etc. but still weighs a ton without the paniers
which sit on the back. Still, at least I no longer need stabilisers!
The 6.15am registration was quick and simple enough. Give your name, number
written on your hand and then collect your goodie bag. At this point I could
have gone home, after all, it was the goodie bag I was doing it for!
For the swim we had to line up in number order, slowest being first. I was a
little confused as to why I was not the actual first person in, especially as I
just knew I was going to be the slowest. But I managed two lengths of front
crawl before my chip slipped off my foot, luckily I was at the end of the length
so I was able to retrieve it and fit it tightly around my ankle. I then swam one
more length of front crawl before changing to breast stroke as I was losing
concentration due to the amount of swimmers swimming too close and the choppy
waters. (It is completely different to practising in a pool) I was really
tempted to do backstroke to finish quickly but the thought of being smacked in
the face from a swimmer going in the opposite direction on the next length did
not appeal so I ended up doing some breast stroke and alternated to doggie
paddle. My time recorded me as having the slowest swim, although the chip mat
did not 'clock' us leaping out of the pool but at transition area so in fact I
did swim a bit faster as I was on pool side for a few moments.
Having practiced my transitioning before, I knew the order I was going to take
although I did rack my bike the wrong way so had to duck under the rack when
coming out of transition!
I was glad that it was early Sunday morning for the cycle part so that there
would not be a lot of traffic, one speeding car zooming passed me would sure to
send me off in to a ditch! I took the whole of the route very easy as I had
heard about the hills and had seen the route. I am not keen on running up hills,
cycling up them was even worse particularly as the weather was against us. Going
down the hills was even more of a problem as I felt like I was going too fast
despite other triathletes zooming past me but I kept my brake on most of the
time. There were a few occasions when I had to hop off my bike due to one thing
or another and I had also managed to go into three pot holes but no ditches. I
must remember next time to make sure that I have my gloves on the correct hands
and my fingers in the correct holes, I had two in one!
I was expecting the 'jelly legs' that people had told me about after
dismounting but all I had was 'jelly arms'. The transition from cycle to run was
quick although I did struggle to get my helmet off as my fingers had gone all
numb but fortunately I was not the only one as the guy next to me also had the
same problem.
I felt fine doing the run although a little thirsty as I my last drink was
before the swim. I felt like I did not have time during the cycle part or
transitions. There were quite a few runners on the course when I was running but
they soon petered out after my first lap and a half so I was expecting everyone
to have packed up and have gone home by the time I had finished. I only stopped
once in the run due to an itch but after a good scratch I carried on and it was
great to have finished. The marshal tended to my chip and gave me a banana as I
think that my legs were still in running mode, at that time I could not stay
upright and walk without looking drunk. Strangely enough my time was quicker
than many of my other recent race times and that is despite the swim and cycle
beforehand. I also discovered that I had been quicker at run than quite a few
others.
I was expecting to be last overall, which I had psyched myself up for due to it
being my first triathlon and very slow in all disciplines but I wasn't. Several
people did not finish the event and some did not show (they were wise enough to
stay in their warm dry beds!) Thank you very much to Tony and Elise - my support
crew!
I think that if I had been anyone else competing in this event as a first-timer
it would have been the weather that would have put me off for life, however, for
those that really know me... you know exactly what I am like!
Katarina