What a race of races to end the season on. I knew it was going to be close and once again it never disappointed. By close I meant making the team! With the big guns racing, like Fish, Reardon, Westy, Jase, Daz, Mat I knew that a top 10 placing was going to be tough let alone even top 6.With a restless night I was up at 4:30 with the rest and prepping everything in transition ready to race at 6:15. A rushed meal the night before and just a cake bar for breakfast was a little silly to say the least but I felt ready when we entered the water. I knew that if I eased back slightly I would be able to exit the water high in the standings and avoid the usual cramp on exit.
28 minutes later I was out and into transition. So impressed by not cramping I actually forgot to undress out of the wetsuit and got to the bike just a head of the 2nd pack of swimmers who followed my feet for the distance, one of which was Nathan. Taking it relatively easy on the descents I knew that it was going to be a tough ride with the lack of quality training and knew that Jase and Westy would catch me shortly into the bike. Within 10 minutes they had caught me and soon put down enough time to disappear from sight. The next person t pass me would be Chris Wilcox and then the second wave of competitors including Chris Stewart of the Army followed by Fish.
Maintaining a good pace I finished the bike in 2:30 and was happy to be under the 3hr window I set before the race. All i needed to do now was hold a good pace and push home for a 1:35 run again to smash a new pb. All was going well until I tried t push to hard in the opening 5k. The pace was to much but I knew the 10 minutes Jase and Westy had made could be regained with some good training but not this year. I eased my way through the Field and soon caught up with an familiar face of Nathan from Prague. He destroyed me in Prague and today just by regaining the lost time on the bike. I was able to pull away and soon caught the fleeting Wilcox (Navy), slowing to chat I soon found myself passed by a few familiar faces including Daz and the Army guys who had broken the 5 minutes I had on them just by being young and starting early.
With the sight of Mat Stevenson in agony on the run I spurred on and was soon joined on the run by other RAF athletes including Roy and Doug as well as a few other familiar faces from the small world of triathlon including Duncan Hough (BRAT) who was just about managing to keep up with his running partner from team Viper.
Finishing the run in pain from the feet up in 1:40 was great and taking 2 minutes of the previous best of 2007 was great. 4:42 and a top 86 finish of 1000 entries. I now know that even by not training I can go quicker, so next year I plan for a 4:30 by sitting on the sofa and eating Big Mac's. Do you fancy your chances Hamilton's.
The only thing that really scared a perfect day. Was the massage after, not that it was bad, in fact the opposite and I will say that "Madam" Trish (you are my best customer, come this way I give you best price) had everything covered. The only thing I can grumble on about is Lawrence Fanous and the way he was charming and flirting so much with the gorgeous female masseur that after 20 minutes she had was mesmerised by his winning smile and forgot to move from stroking his left thigh. When I returned 30 minutes later to clarify the results she had managed to pull her self away from his left thigh and moved on to his right. It must be that winning smile and boyish good looks people keep going on about, I'll see if I can get some on the tinternet!
Congratulations on a great race, Lawrence and good luck for the coming season. Next year will be my turn to charm the ladies, just you wait and see!!!
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