Vitruvian Middle Distance Triathlon England, September 3rd 2011

1.9km Swim 84km Bike 21km Run – Temperature 13oC, Overcast

Swim 00:33:14 – T1 00:02:00 – Bike 02:21:08 – T2 00:01:38 – Run 01:25:15 Total Time 04:23:15

Winner 45-49 Age Group, 31^st overall

It’s always great to race on your home turf so the Vitruvian is one I don’t like to miss.

Race morning promised for a great day, the sun rose over the lake and the skies were clear. However, by the time my wave started, 40 minutes after wave 1, the skies had turned grey and a light chop emerged on the surface of the water. It was a two loop swim and I swam hard for the first buoy, turned sharp left and established a good rhythm. The field was pretty spread out so I never managed to find any feet to draft on and by lap 2 the chop had grown, making the swim a little more challenging; no PB this year! As we headed for the exit ramp I looked around for others in my wave and it appeared there were no more than half a dozen in front of me.

Through T1 smoothly and out onto the bike course. I had figured on trying to maintain a firm pace throughout the two lap route, pushing all the time. I quickly passed a couple of competitors that were in my age group and settled into the effort levels I was aiming for. By the end of the first lap I had passed a couple more and thought I was probably in the top 3 but that I needed to press on to give myself a cushion of time on the run. I hit T2 a couple of minutes behind my target but the wind had picked up, a bigger concern was the two guys in my age group that had stuck with me and were now entering T2 as I took off on the run.

I pushed hard for the first 5k across the dam to the Normanton Church turnaround point of the 10.5k out and back route. On the way back I saw the first chaser, clocked him at 01:40 behind me, a small cushion that I couldn’t rely on if his paced improved and mine started to drop back. With a tailwind back to complete the first lap, I pushed on at a clip and felt comfortable. I clocked him again on the way out for the second lap and the margin was growing, good news! I stayed at a pace I could maintain, ticked off the second lap and into the finish chute.

A friend confirmed I had won my age group – in the jargon of the sport I had threepeated or rather won for the last three years despite getting older!! A great race and all set for the October World Champs in Hawaii.