Where do i begin? When i first got the email informing me that i had been selected to represent GB i just could not believe it! So i sent the BTF an email asking if they had made a mistake!! NO they said we haven't!!
I arrived in Eilat via Tel Aviv on Weds. 18.4.12. On the coach
between airports in Tel Aviv i saw a sign for Jerusalem, it made me
think of all those thousands of years of biblical history.
Wednesday was basically a free day after putting my bike together
and setting it up. There was a swim recce at 17.00 and most people
swam without a wetsuit as the water temperature was 21c. Most
people after the swim were discussing the pros and cons of wearing
a wetsuit.
Thursday and it's my BIRTHDAY!! Up early and out on the road at
06.00 to recce the bike course. Good road surface but very windy
and open, lots of steep inclines on the way out. On the way back
the traffic was starting to build up, luckily on race day the roads
will be closed. Once back at the hotel it was out again to walk and
jog 1 x lap of the run course. Only one incline which was on the
way out of T2 against the wind, otherwise a flat course mainly on
tarmac surface and gravel track. Then it was back to the hotel
again for breakfast. At 09.00 it was registration time, then at
16.00 it was the race briefing and team photo. 17.00 it was bike,
helmet and race kit check and racking of the bike in T1. I let some
air out the tyres so that they didn't explode in the heat
overnight!
It was all sinking in now, the enormity of what 1 would be taking
part in. It was time then for the evening meal, plenty of
pasta!!
It's Friday RACE DAY!!! Up at 05.00 and had two pots of porridge
that i had taken out with me [good old Tesco ] At 06.00 i made my
way to transition, luckily i was staying in the Team Hotel which
was only 5 mins. walk.
Once in T1 pumped up my tyres and laid out my kit. By now i had
made the decision to wear a wetsuit for the swim. Obviously NOT for
the BIKE and RUN!!!!
The majority of the age groupers had also decided on a wetsuit as
the water temperature had dropped a few degrees. The organisers
were very strict about what you could leave in transition, any
excess clothes, track pump etc. had to be placed in a bag in an
adjacent hotel. We had to leave transition by 07.00 with our
wetsuits half on and make our way to the swim area approximately
400m away.
At the swim start there were huge crowds and music playing over
the loud speakers, great atmosphere. At 07.50 our wave was called
forward and you had to line up on this long matting that was laid
out on the beach. Suddenly the music stopped and all you could hear
was this really LOUD heartbeat over the speakers. As if i wasn't
nervous enough!! Then on your MARKS and then the claxon. We're
off!!!
We had been advised before the swim that there was a strong
current moving from left to right so kept to the left side of the
pack. I managed to keep a pretty good line out to the turn around
buoys even though the water was a bit choppy and then it was back
to the beach and the swim exit. The run from there to T1 was hard
on the feet even though they had put matting down covering most of
the tarmac surface.
My T1 time was a bit slow due to the run from swim exit and taking
off the wetsuit. It was another 50m run with the bike to the mount
line, then it was down on the tri-bars and go!!!
The ride out to the turnround point was extremely hard against a
very strong wind and undulating inclines, average speed out was
between 14 and 16 mph!!! The return leg was fantastic with the wind
behind and averaging 30mph. Heading towards the finish of the bike
i removed my feet from my shoes and performed a good dismount!!
[ i had been practising at home in the local school
playground !!! ]
Into T2 a quick turnaround and out on the run, the first 500m was
up an incline against the wind and then settled into my pace.The
run was 4 x laps and by now the it was pretty hot but i dug in and
even managed a faster last lap.
What an amazing feeling as you run up the blue carpet towards the
finish gantry and you hear your name called out over the loud
speakers and the crowds are cheering!! I've got a lump in my throat
just writing about it!!!
I may not have won a medal but i did bust a gut trying!!!
Swim : 1500m
39 mins 42secs [ a PB my previous time was 47mins 23 sec
!!]
T1 : 4 mins 42secs
Bike : 40k 1 hr. 22mins 50secs
T2 : 1 min
Run : 10k 57 minsOverall: 3hrs 4mins 14secs
Overall Position : 10th