Derby Sprint Triathlon
I entered my 1st Triathlon, Derby Sprint, a " flat" course, well it did say it was flat on the website, so thought why not have a go!
Arriving there with all my "gear" in a box, and pushing my bike, it was apparent that they stretched the truth a bit about it being a "flat" course. The leisure centre was in a slight valley.
After laying all my kit out with the help of Linda Whitelegg (a seasoned Ironman Athlete), I went to the poolside to await my slot. Butterflies in the stomach, but they felt more like Pterodactyls!
Once in the pool my stomach churned even more, then count down and I was off!
I had caught a very large built man within 30 seconds, I swam past him to touch the wall, then pushed off. But this man didn't seemed to like the thought of me overtaking, so proceeded to speed up and swim all over the backs of my legs. So a few swift strong kicks got rid of him, until I caught another slow swimmer, and this man proceeded to speed up and be hammering me on my back, so I repeated the swift kick manoeuvre! This lasted for only 4 lengths, then I could back into my rhythm.
16 lengths over in a flash, and out to T1. A quick rub of the towel on the feet, and all the gear on and off to bike mount to the shouting crowd of "Come on Pamie". A bit of a wobbly clip in and I was off.
All I kept thinking was look for the yellow and black BIG arrow signs! The "flat" course big fat lie became apparent in the 1st 5 minutes of the bike! And the wind was terrible, at one point I was only doing 13 MPH! Half way round we came to a village called Sutton on the Hill (clue in the name) that sapped my legs. Also a dice with death along a dual carriage way, that had the usual BMW drivers (male), white van man, and Sunday drivers!
Then back to the leisure centre, battered by the wind and the usual abuse off the Sunday drivers, dis mounted to a chorus of come on "Flossie",(name on bike) and tried to run with the bike. The legs where not mine at this point!
T2 was a battle as a girl was sitting right in front of where I needed to rack my bike! After I clonked her a couple of times with my bike,she moved out of the way! Bike gear off, run gear on, and started to run out of T2!
The run out was up a sharp muddy grass bank, that proceeded up another muddy grass bank, up a gravel car park out into Etwell village. My stomach was like the fast spin on a washing machine, and I wanted to be sick!
The run consisted of a down then a up, then a down, then a muddy undulating pathway. (Flat apparently) Turnaround, then back the way we came.
On the top of a very long hill was the drink station, the marshal asked if I wanted a drink.
Drink?? I couldn't barely breath let alone drink after shuffling up that hill! Then a nice run through Etwell back to leisure centre, then a uphill to gravel car park, then a skiddy run down the grass banks to the finish line to the chorus of "come on Pamie!"
Finish time 1 hr 30 min 28 secs! I was over the moon with my time considering the wind and the "flat" course.
I loved becoming a Triathlete and I wouldn't have been able to achieve this result if it wasn't for Dermot's coaching and guidance.
Bring on the next race!
Pam
I entered my 1st Triathlon, Derby Sprint, a " flat" course, well it did say it was flat on the website, so thought why not have a go!
Arriving there with all my "gear" in a box, and pushing my bike, it was apparent that they stretched the truth a bit about it being a "flat" course. The leisure centre was in a slight valley.
After laying all my kit out with the help of Linda Whitelegg (a seasoned Ironman Athlete), I went to the poolside to await my slot. Butterflies in the stomach, but they felt more like Pterodactyls!
Once in the pool my stomach churned even more, then count down and I was off!
I had caught a very large built man within 30 seconds, I swam past him to touch the wall, then pushed off. But this man didn't seemed to like the thought of me overtaking, so proceeded to speed up and swim all over the backs of my legs. So a few swift strong kicks got rid of him, until I caught another slow swimmer, and this man proceeded to speed up and be hammering me on my back, so I repeated the swift kick manoeuvre! This lasted for only 4 lengths, then I could back into my rhythm.
16 lengths over in a flash, and out to T1. A quick rub of the towel on the feet, and all the gear on and off to bike mount to the shouting crowd of "Come on Pamie". A bit of a wobbly clip in and I was off.
All I kept thinking was look for the yellow and black BIG arrow signs! The "flat" course big fat lie became apparent in the 1st 5 minutes of the bike! And the wind was terrible, at one point I was only doing 13 MPH! Half way round we came to a village called Sutton on the Hill (clue in the name) that sapped my legs. Also a dice with death along a dual carriage way, that had the usual BMW drivers (male), white van man, and Sunday drivers!
Then back to the leisure centre, battered by the wind and the usual abuse off the Sunday drivers, dis mounted to a chorus of come on "Flossie",(name on bike) and tried to run with the bike. The legs where not mine at this point!
T2 was a battle as a girl was sitting right in front of where I needed to rack my bike! After I clonked her a couple of times with my bike,she moved out of the way! Bike gear off, run gear on, and started to run out of T2!
The run out was up a sharp muddy grass bank, that proceeded up another muddy grass bank, up a gravel car park out into Etwell village. My stomach was like the fast spin on a washing machine, and I wanted to be sick!
The run consisted of a down then a up, then a down, then a muddy undulating pathway. (Flat apparently) Turnaround, then back the way we came.
On the top of a very long hill was the drink station, the marshal asked if I wanted a drink.
Drink?? I couldn't barely breath let alone drink after shuffling up that hill! Then a nice run through Etwell back to leisure centre, then a uphill to gravel car park, then a skiddy run down the grass banks to the finish line to the chorus of "come on Pamie!"
Finish time 1 hr 30 min 28 secs! I was over the moon with my time considering the wind and the "flat" course.
I loved becoming a Triathlete and I wouldn't have been able to achieve this result if it wasn't for Dermot's coaching and guidance.
Bring on the next race!
Pam
No comments:
Post a Comment