Previous race report is here. Today's results are here. There's even a photo of me on the bike below (thanks to Mark Philo).
Being a bit more relaxed meant I didn't feel the need for quite such an early start this time :) Still, I was through registration and setting up in transition by about 7:15am, all present and correct with nothing forgotten. Had a bottle of water ready for feet-washing, but the club has invested in some matting to make the transition easier on the soles. Gave the bike a good once-over yesterday, so minimal checking to do there. Mark headed off to his midway marshalling point about 7:45 and I got changed and hung out with everyone else waiting for the race briefing at 8am.
First swimmers were in at 8:30, and I managed to see Kerry, Clare, Trish, Marie, Kate and Debbie all start before I did at 8:55. I don't know what was up with the freebie swim hats, but they were covered in a roughish powder (not talc - rice flour maybe?) and smelled absolutely rank. (Even after the event mine smells of whatever it is more than it smells of chlorine - not just rubber, but some awful sour smell...) The swim start was a bit odd: we were told to enter the water with 30s to go, then told 10s to go, and the next thing was "go", no countdown. Oh well - I had a good, controlled swim and managed to clock 8:01 for the 400m which included getting out of the pool and making it to the door, so I was probably 7:55 or so for the swim (wow). The following swimmer in my lane overtook me at one point, so I was able to swim in her slipstream for a length or so, but I can't imagine that helped too much!
Transition was reasonably quick, still tricky to put socks on to wet feet, but no niggles with the bike shoes as I thought there might be. I realised that mounting in the road is actually a bit tricky, as I usually have one foot on the kerb, but I managed it and got away smoothly. A moment of confusion with the marshal on the (potentially dangerous) exit who was directing me with his red flag (I wondered if he meant stop?), but after that it was smooth for the rest of the route. I caught one rider on the Flixton road (who had been in my swim start) and Debbie just before the finish (she was in the previous start) but without time to overtake safely. The route is pretty much continuous effort, nowhere to take a moment's breather until you get to the main road at the end, and I'm sure it was hillier than I remembered!
T2 was probably slower this time as I had to change my shoes. I hadn't bothered with a buff under my helmet, but grabbed one for the run as the sun was now blazing down. I took it off at halfway though, as it was bugging me! I saw the girls at various points on their return leg of the run as I was going out, which was a nice boost, and the turn point on the hill wasn't as far as I remembered. However, I'd gone a bit too hard on the bike, I think, as I didn't have much left for the run even on the downhills. Just about scraped something together for the finish!
So, my results this time were (last time and difference* in brackets):
Swim 8:01 (8:46) (-0:45)
T1 + bike + T2: 40:02 (40:47) (-0:45)
Run: 18:12 (17:57) (+ 0:15)
Total 1:06:15 (1:07:30) (-1:15)
My bike computer said 37:58 and 18.8mph average, compared to 18.0mph last time.
Overall position 88/130 (72/115)
Women's race position 10/31 (15/36)
Age group position 2/7 (5/10)
*I've been informed that the bike and run times aren't easily comparable between last September's race and this one, as last time T2 was included in the run, whereas this time it was with the bike and T1. So that explains why there wasn't a massive difference on this year's bike despite a higher average speed and a chain which stayed where it should do. But it means my run was definitely a bit slow!
It was a fantastic race, I really enjoyed it (even the run, just about) and I reckon with some more serious training I could get under 1:05. Possibly.
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