2nd Race : On The Day

Course map for Brownlee Brother 2013 Super Sprint Triathlon

Setting Up

I arrived at Fountains abbey and parked up. 1st came a  15 minute walk from the car park to registration. After registering there were volunteers on hand to help stick the free race tattoos in the right places. It was then another 5 minute walk down to the lake and transition area. I found the rack for my wave with no problems and setup my bike and gear for the bike and run. As transition was in an open area there was not may objects to remind me where my bike was. As was early I set myself up next to one of the A frames in the racking and counted the number it was from the end of the racking. I got my wetsuit on and headed down to the start to wait for my wave to start. 

Alistair & Jonny Brownlee watching waves at the swim start

 Swim - 400m

The 400m swim was in a small pond, the water quality was ok but there was loads of weed in it. We had the standard briefing  and got in to wait for the start. When I got in I was able to walk all the way to the start line which I wasn’t expecting. The hooter went and we were off. Most of the swimmers in my wave were faster than me which I wasn’t expecting. However the swim was odd as for most of it the pond was very shallow. I could touch the bottom with my hands while swimming. Also I am sure one of the guys behind me walked  for a good part of the swim. When I finished the swim I wasn’t happy with how it went. It felt like it had been slow, when I got my time I would find out I was over 30 second faster than my 1^st race.

Swim time  9:40

Transition 1

The run up to transition 1 didn’t cause slow me down. The grass was slippery in bear feet. I found my bike, got my helmet and shoes on with no problems. It was a bit of a trot out to the mount line and I need to practice pushing my bike from the saddle.

Transition 1 time 3:42

Bike - 10km

The bike course was 2 laps most of which was on estate roads with a short section on an open B road. It was mainly a flat ride with a couple small hill. It went well on my new bike I was passing other riders but also being passed by people on some very expensive looking bikes. I remember passing a very fat man on a mountain bike on the first lap and passing him again my second lap (I did see him finish so well done to him). I was nearly wiped out by another ride at the end of my first lap as he headed back to transition. Apart from that little problem the bike leg was brilliant and over all too quickly.

Bike time 26:08  

Transition 2

There was the same short run back into transition after the bike. This is where I made my biggest mistake of the day. I came down the wrong side of the racking with my bike. I couldn’t get my bike into the racking couldn’t reach my running gear on the other side of it either. I had to take the bike and myself round the other side and start again. Once I got to the correct side of the rack for how I had set my kit up I was fine. Helmet & bike shoes off (not confident to for shoes on/off while they are attached to the bike) and trainers on.

Transition 2 time 1:52

Run course went through the ruins of Fountains Abbey

 

Run - 2.5km

It was only a short run around the far side of the pond where the swim had been, up a small hill, through the ruins of the abbey and onto the finish. For almost the whole run I felt awful and there was nothing left in my legs. After feeling so good on the bike it was the total opposite on the run. I was determined not to walk or stop so just kept going. As I came through the Abbey ruins I could see my wife cheering me on but couldn’t hear her over the rest of the crowd who were fantastic. I crossed the line and collected my medal and addias goody bag (worth about £30 including the bag & it’s contents). The run had not been as slow as I thought it had been but at that point I knew I needed to run more and learn to enjoy my running more.

Run time 14:45 

 

Alistair Brownlee finishing the course and playing to the crowd

Afterwards

After the race I found my wife. She suggested I get changed and put some deodorant on. One of the portable toilets made a good changing room as with most events none were provided. As we sat near the finish having lunch we were able to watch the Brownlee brother finish after doing the same course as I had just done. They were a lot quicker than I had been.  We then packed up, my wife headed straight to the car and I headed back to transition for my gear. I soon realised it was a trek from the finish to transition and another trek from transition to the carpark. It had been a spectacular setting for a triathlon but not the most practical. I enjoyed the race and the day and it confirmed I would be back for more in 2014! 

Total Time

Leg	Time
Swim	9:40
Transition 1	3:42
Bike	26.08
Transition 2	1:52
Run	14:45
Total	56:07