British Age Group Sprint Triathlon Champion

Well. I wasn’t expecting that!  On Saturday, 1^st June 2013 I became the Male 55-59 British sprint triathlon champion at Nottingham. It has certainly mixed things up for me in respect as what I’m now going to do, what are my targets, how I’m going to train, work/family priorities etc.  Oh god, there is just so much to taking in.

I’d looked at the start lists for Nottingham and with my vastly improved performance at Llanelli two weeks ago I’d realised that for the first time in triathlon I would really be in with a shot in my age group. However, as just about anyone who was at Nottingham will tell you, it was very competitive with just about everyone attempting to qualify for the London world champs in September. In fact of the over 1000 or so entries I think there were very few there just for the fun of it.

So how did the day go for me?  Well first I made a good decision the day before. I was planning to travel up on my own very early (3am!) on the morning of the race. In the end I decided that was a bit much, especially having entered the Deva tri in Chester the following day. So instead I bought a cheap but good small tent (our family tent is massive and takes hours to put up) and camped the Friday night. The campsite next to the Nottingham National Water Sports Centre is great and the weather was perfect. So I had an enjoyable evening planning things, doing a course recce, getting well fed (and a few beers) and a good night’s sleep.

The race was split into 5 waves with 2hrs 15 between waves so it lasted the whole day with the last wave off at 4.30pm. I was in the 2^nd wave starting at 9.45 so I got there early to see the start of the first wave and pick some tips up. It was the first time I’ve raced where there was a split T1 & T2 transitions, but it was quite straight forward. I met up with some Cardiff tri who had done it before and got a few more tips. Luckily I’m a strong and confident swimmer (it was the water polo) as us oldies (55-59) were lumped in the same wave with the testosterone of males 20 to 34 and the swim start was as brutal as I can remember. I’ve got a good sprint so cleared out pretty quickly and then largely had clear water to settle into my rhythm. A few passed but I don’t think I touched anyone all around the course.

Getting out of the wetsuit (All photos courtesy of David Gunthorpe, Cardiff Tri)

Good in T1. I had decided again not to do a flying start but put my bike shoes on in T1. So my T1 time (69secs, 317/893) looks worse than it probably should, however once I was on the bike I passed many in the first 200m going slow still trying to get their feet in the shoes on the bike whilst I was already in aero. I guess if you can get your feet in quickly and go, it’s faster.

Bike was 4 times around the outside of the rowing course anticlockwise. The course is essentially a rectangle with the ends slightly rounded. I was already warned by one of the guys that the second corner curves more and comes back on you and that he went on the grass in wave 1. So what did I do on the first lap? The same! I only just made it inside the post of the gate. Apart from that I flew around. The new Trek Concept TT bike is magic.  Being a single track road around the lake the course was narrow. I could see many groups bunching up. I guess it is so difficult not to draft in these situations. Luckily (or unluckily if you look at it that way) I was just about always on my own so no problems. I see in the whole event they only busted a few drafters. But as I said, it’s difficult on that type of course. I had the fastest bike time in my AG.

On the bike exiting transition and looking good

T2 was also OK. I had thought of getting out of my bike shoes on the bike but with the final two corners coming quickly and tight I decided to err on the side of caution. I managed to get my run shoes on without the hint of cramp which normally occurs when I do this in races. The run was back the other way clockwise around the cycle course with a couple of diversions. Apart from the first 500m is was flat. Due to managing my Achilles issues I’ve not really done proper run training in the last couple of months but it felt alright and as I was going so well I decided I might as well push it for all my worth. It was a flat course after all! My run ended up at 21.58 which I’m pretty happy with although there were six or so in my AG with around 20mins or under run times.

So coming into the last 400m to the finish I knew that I would qualify in the top 7 for the worlds but I also thought I was probably 1^st or 2^nd so I gave it all. One guy sprinted past me but he was just a kid! Coming over the line I could hear the announcer say “here’s the first 55-59” and then my name and club and then some very complimentary things. It actually took me a little while to realise that I had, provisionally anyway, won my age group. I waited to see who would come in and it turns out 2^nd & 3^rd had a huge sprint finish. One second difference and some guts left on the finish line. That’s how good the racing was. Although I was  2 minutes ahead of them. My time for the 750m/20k/5k was 1.05.41

It was still a provisional result so I went back to the camp site, showered and had some food. When I came back I went to the computer to get a print out of my result. It said 1^st in age group. I happened to ask the official if I got anything for it and he said the presentations were already going on outside. I quickly walked outside just as my age group presentation was about to start. Thirty seconds  later I was up getting my trophy and medal, standing on the podium with the 2^nd and 3^rd and getting our photos done. So that was it – confirmed British age group sprint triathlon champion!

A good day out as they say.

I didn’t hang around as I had to drive to Chester to register for the Deva Olympic distance triathlon the next day, which stupidly, but due to circumstances at the time, I had also entered. That wasn’t as good day and I’ll tell why in the next blog.

So here I am qualified for the first home World Triathlon Championships in London in September and qualified as British AG champion. No pressure then!  Oh and I already qualified for the World Aquathlon Championships earlier in that week in September. The good thing is that on reviewing both my races this weekend I don’t think I’ve yet reached my full potential. I know I can go faster in the swim. I’m only just learning how to get the best on the TT bike (I still couldn’t hold the aero position for the whole race) and, if my Achilles allows me full training, I think I can run a bit faster.
Next up, next week, is the ETU European Championships in Alanya, Turkey. This is becoming fun!