Today I completed my second triathlon: a 111km (1km swim, 100km cycle and 10km run) affair. It was a non-timed, non-competitive event; a celebration for athletes from local tri and cycling clubs to mark the end of the racing season.
The swim was in the pool this time rather than the sea, and I turned up for an 8.00am start; it turned out that not everyone was doing all three disciplines so there was only one other lady partaking in the whole event. The swim was comfortable for me; 40 lengths of the pool, and I had time to snarf a few bananas before the cycle started.
The cycle was out to Dungarvan and back; I was quite apprehensive of the hills on this route but I hardly noticed them on the way out, as we were cycling in a group and chatting away. We had a few sandwiches in Dungarvan and then headed home again; the pace picked up on the way back and I was dropped fairly unceremoniously. The weather also worsened; the wind and rain were brutal and I was sure I was the last in the pack for a good few kilometers; then when I had almost caught the people in front of me a group of fellow cyclists overtook me from behind at such a rate that my newly rediscovered morale was quashed and I was dropped again (I should say "I dropped myself", I think. I'm sure I had a choice about it, although it didn't feel like it at the time). However, I eventually made it back, and I wasn't the last person home either.
Because everyone was soaked to the underwear we changed before the run and got in a few group photos before we all looked completely destroyed. I wasn't sure how I would get on with the run as I haven't been doing a lot of (foot) miles recently, but perhaps because of the slight rest and due to a couple of practice cycle-followed-by-runs in recent weeks I felt almost fine.
I'm not sure of the timing, but I think it took around 4h45 in total, not including eating time (something else I have yet to accustom myself to in the transition from pure running to cycling/triathlons; in this event and in the recent Sean Kelly 100km there were sandwiches and cups of tea and fruit and cake and chocolate, all mid-workout! This is the equivalent of stopping mid-marathon for a dinner and a chat before casually strolling on again. The mind boggles. And the foodie salivates.)
I also feel I should add that out of the field of two women, I finished first. In a non-timed, non-competitive way, of course. Just stating facts.
So my very brief triathlon season is over for this year (that I'm aware of; I certainly won't turn down any other spontaneous races though). Next weekend it's the Dublin half marathon, and an intriguing Rage Run in Cork, and then my somewhat unexpected month of racing will be at an end. I think in triathlons I've found my calling, though - bring on season 2013!
The swim was in the pool this time rather than the sea, and I turned up for an 8.00am start; it turned out that not everyone was doing all three disciplines so there was only one other lady partaking in the whole event. The swim was comfortable for me; 40 lengths of the pool, and I had time to snarf a few bananas before the cycle started.
The cycle was out to Dungarvan and back; I was quite apprehensive of the hills on this route but I hardly noticed them on the way out, as we were cycling in a group and chatting away. We had a few sandwiches in Dungarvan and then headed home again; the pace picked up on the way back and I was dropped fairly unceremoniously. The weather also worsened; the wind and rain were brutal and I was sure I was the last in the pack for a good few kilometers; then when I had almost caught the people in front of me a group of fellow cyclists overtook me from behind at such a rate that my newly rediscovered morale was quashed and I was dropped again (I should say "I dropped myself", I think. I'm sure I had a choice about it, although it didn't feel like it at the time). However, I eventually made it back, and I wasn't the last person home either.
Because everyone was soaked to the underwear we changed before the run and got in a few group photos before we all looked completely destroyed. I wasn't sure how I would get on with the run as I haven't been doing a lot of (foot) miles recently, but perhaps because of the slight rest and due to a couple of practice cycle-followed-by-runs in recent weeks I felt almost fine.
I'm not sure of the timing, but I think it took around 4h45 in total, not including eating time (something else I have yet to accustom myself to in the transition from pure running to cycling/triathlons; in this event and in the recent Sean Kelly 100km there were sandwiches and cups of tea and fruit and cake and chocolate, all mid-workout! This is the equivalent of stopping mid-marathon for a dinner and a chat before casually strolling on again. The mind boggles. And the foodie salivates.)
I also feel I should add that out of the field of two women, I finished first. In a non-timed, non-competitive way, of course. Just stating facts.
So my very brief triathlon season is over for this year (that I'm aware of; I certainly won't turn down any other spontaneous races though). Next weekend it's the Dublin half marathon, and an intriguing Rage Run in Cork, and then my somewhat unexpected month of racing will be at an end. I think in triathlons I've found my calling, though - bring on season 2013!
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