Well these posts are getting to far between each other so I'm making an early New year resolution to keep more up to date.
A quick summary since the last post:
My daughters 18 birthday on the Friday night before the Awesome Foursome race at Bude on saturday morning!!! hmmmm only 2-3 hours sleep after leaving Spalding at 2100hrs and getting to Bude at 0230hrs. Up early for breakfast and drop the tent and get to race HQ. A quick recce of the swim course shows up some big waves crashing in to make an interesting race. Luckily my swimming is my strongest discipline this year and I exit the 2 lap swim with a long sandy beach run in 5th position among the relay competitiors. I chase the pre helmeted and prepared relay cyclists up the hill and start to make headway overtaking one or two but tiredness kicks in later in the horrendously hilly(1:4) course and Steve Clark and Leos Rousavy catch me and leave me behind on the climbs. Back in transition I nearly run over a few people milling around in the middle of the bike finish area and despite shouting to get out of the way I catch someone with my kayak as I move it to the water. Bloody chaos! Organisers take note please!
The kayak goes as expected, steady but I lose a bit of time on the very tight turns. I make it under the low bridge tho without dramas. This course has everything!
Heading out onto the run I am now chasing a Navy triathlete and this spurs me on. I'm running well but not fast enough to make up the minutes lost on the bike and kayak. The Czech are streets ahead when it comes to paddling. The run course is mainly cross country and takes in the cliffs. Add strong winds and narrow coastal paths and bright sunshine for the complete picture.
I finish 5th overall which makes me 3rd in the World Cup series for 2011. I win the Vet 40 European Championship and come 2nd in the National Trophy series overall but win the Vet 40. I hate getting old!
Well it was a great year and a baptism of fire with great expectations. Plenty of highs and not so many lows. Really hoping for a better year next year and learning to get more kayak speed.
I have completed another Wadenhoe Quagmire race. A run/kayak/bike/run format all cross country. I won the race but was chased hard by 15 year old Tom Stead. I did a quicker time than last year despite thinking I was taking it easier.
I aim to race in the next one on the 4th Dec, just a week before I have a small inguinal hernia repair! No training for a month then. I am concentrating on the biking at the mo since it doesnt hurt to bike and went out for my first night time paddling session without falling in. Good job really as it was cold enough in the boat.
Thats it for now. More within the next month!
