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| Course map for 2013 Blenheim Palace Triathlon |
Swim (4oom)
I had moved out to far side of the swim start to try and
keep out of the way (the last thing I wanted was to be in the middle of the
rough and tumble). I bobbed up and down waiting for the start, the hooter
sounded and off we all went. I started front crawl but struggled getting my
head down into the water as it felt so cold.
After a while my shoulders started to hurt so I broke into breast
stroke. This not only allowed me to rest my shoulders but also to have a look
at where I was and make sure I was swimming in the right direction. To my
surprise I was swimming in a relatively straight line and it the right
direction. I continued with this pattern for the whole swim. It was especially
useful when talking the only turn round a buoy to head towards the finish. As I
got to slipway where the swim finished I was clambered out of the water. Swim
done!
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| Swim start |
Swim time – 10:16 Swim position – 195
Transition 1 (400m uphill run + change from swim to bike)
So out of the water and straight into an uphill run (hang on
I thought the bike was next) from the lake to the courtyard where my bike was
racked. It is a tough little run but there is coconut matting down to save your
feet. I managed to get the zip on my wetsuit undone but hadn’t wriggled out of
the top half while running. The best bit about this short run is the 50m from
the top of the hill into the courtyard as there is always a big crowd to cheer
you on and give you a lift. I jogged through an arch and emerged into the
courtyard to be confronted by rows of bikes. I found my bike with few problems
as it was opposite the arch I had entered by. I sat on the floor to get the
wetsuit off as I didn’t fancy falling over. I tidied up after myself and got my
bike gear on. I grabbed my bike and jogged out towards the mount/dismount line.
Transition 1 done!
T1 time – 6:27 T1 position – 212
Bike (13.2km, 2 Laps)
The bike leg has a nice downhill start so I managed to get
some speed up. It’s then straight into the smaller of the 2 hills on the
course. This hill is small but even though I have looked at the course on line
I wasn’t expecting to start so soon into the bike. A short downhill and your
into the woods and on the second and slightly bigger hill. After the descent of
this hill it’s over a cattle grid and onto the exposed back side of the course
where there was a strong head wind. Now came the interesting bit of the bike
ride. There has been an accident the day before the race and the bridge
spectators were supposed to use to cross the bike course was out of action.
Everyone had to jump off their bikes push them over where the spectators were
crossing and jump back on again. I managed this ok on both laps. The second lap
felt faster than the first but I was getting overtaken by people on better
bikes the whole time (maybe they were fitter as well). After leaping off and
back onto my bike a second time I had finished the course and was at the
dismount line. Bike done!
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| On the bike course |
Bike time – 37:13 Bike position – 254
Transition 2 (change from bike to run)
T2 was easy again quickly spotted my rack position. The bike
went back on the pole with no problems. The only problem was I knew where to
exit transition at I just wasn’t sure how to get there. A friendly steward was
on hand to put me right and I was off on the run. Transition 2 done!
T2 time – 2:42 T2 position – 310
Run (3.1km, 1 Lap)
As you exit transition to start the run at Blenheim you have
to run over a bridge over the bike course (a 2nd undamaged bridge ).
The up and down ramps on it added further to heavy legs from the bike. You then
head towards the finish and hang a left about 200m from it get onto the main
run loop. It starts with a gentle down hill section to the far end of the loop.
Just after turning back towards the palace there was a water station. I took
some water. Most of it ended up all over me rather than in me. As the palace
came into site I started running up hill that was also the start of the cycle
course. It was a fun downhill section on the bike that turned into a unwelcome
uphill on the run. To make it worse the last section of it is ran on grass
which sapped any energy left in my legs. I was then back on straight that
started the run but this time didn’t need to turn left to start another lap. This
is the point where the competitor in me kicked in and I attempted a sprint
finish. It was more like stumbling slightly faster than before but it got me to
the finish. Run done and 1st triathlon done!
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| Near the start of the run |
Run time – 18:28 Run position 234
Medal from 2013 Blenheim Palace Triathlon
Total Time & Full Breakdown
Time
|
Position
|
|
Swim
|
10:16
|
195
|
T1
|
6:27
|
212
|
Bike
|
37:13
|
254
|
T2
|
2:42
|
310
|
Run
|
18:28
|
234
|
Total
|
1:15:03
|
246
|
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