Oxford tri club championships
Last Saturday, 15th September, I competed in the Oxford tri club championships for the first time. I joined 22 other people at the lake with a good crowd of supporters and marshals at around 9.30am.
I'd been nervous in the run up to this event because it's longer than any I've done before. At 1100m the swim was 50% longer than Blenheim, the bike was 18miles rather than 18k of Eynsham, and the run was 7km or so, not the typical 5km (or 4.5km of Newbury). I'd only run over 5km for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and definitely wasn't confident that I could do it after a long swim and bike.
I'd been preparing for the event since Newbury - concentrating mainly on my running. I'd also been down the lake with the tri club a few times to check that I could cope with the longer swim, and I was confident I could cope with the two lap course.
The weather on the day was fantastic: still and dry, with the sun coming through more and more as the morning progressed. I usually get very hot when I run, so I was a bit worried that I would overheat but in the end the temperature was just right.
The race briefing at 9.50 was very brief. I like to know a course in detail, and there wasn't really enough of that for my liking at the briefing, but there was a promise of lots of marshalls and signs on the way. No time for butterflies though anyway, as we were in the water 2 minutes later and ready to go...
I'd been nervous in the run up to this event because it's longer than any I've done before. At 1100m the swim was 50% longer than Blenheim, the bike was 18miles rather than 18k of Eynsham, and the run was 7km or so, not the typical 5km (or 4.5km of Newbury). I'd only run over 5km for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and definitely wasn't confident that I could do it after a long swim and bike.
I'd been preparing for the event since Newbury - concentrating mainly on my running. I'd also been down the lake with the tri club a few times to check that I could cope with the longer swim, and I was confident I could cope with the two lap course.
The weather on the day was fantastic: still and dry, with the sun coming through more and more as the morning progressed. I usually get very hot when I run, so I was a bit worried that I would overheat but in the end the temperature was just right.
The race briefing at 9.50 was very brief. I like to know a course in detail, and there wasn't really enough of that for my liking at the briefing, but there was a promise of lots of marshalls and signs on the way. No time for butterflies though anyway, as we were in the water 2 minutes later and ready to go...
Swim and T1
After a quick countdown, Mike blew the airhorn and we were off. I started out a bit too quickly and got tired quite fast - not that you could tell as most people whizzed past me, leaving me in a group of 5 or 6 slower swimmers. It took most of the first lap before I really got into a rhythm and started to feel more comfortable.
The swim was much more exiting than normal because at the end of the first lap we got out, ran a few yards round the bank and then jumped back in again for the second lap. This was explained as 'Australian style' and although it was hard going when I got back in, it was more fun than a straight two laps.
I'm not that hot at swimming in a straight line when there's no line on the bottom of the lake and I was expecting to swim a zigzag course of about 1500m instead of a direct 1100m. So I was lucky to discover a great new technique for going where I want to. I was swimming almost alongside a girl in a bright green swimming cap. She was doing a mix of crawl and breaststroke and so was able to see where she was going and keep a good straight line. I was doing front crawl but as I breathed I could see her cap and follow along. It was like having my own mobile buoy! I thanked her by passing her on the last lap and getting out of the water about 30 seconds ahead!
Aside from one show-off who had a clever little bike stand and hat stand, everyone had laid their bike down on the grass in the transition area beside the lake, so bike transition wasn't as quick as it could be. And because the lake is really an old gravel pit, the exit from the lake onto the bike was bumpy gravel and so running across it in cleats way pretty rough, but a couple of minutes later I was on my way.
Bike and T2
The ride was pretty flat: out towards Eynsham then down to Standlake and back round to Eynsham and back to the lake. There were a few deceptively flat-looking long uphills but otherwise it was good, and I managed to catch a few people that had exited the water way ahead of me, including Steve who I just about beat at Newbury. He's a much faster swimmer and runner but I was able to get far enough ahead that he didn't quite manage to catch me on the run, which was nice.
The big problem with the bike stage was the lack of signs and marshals. A few times I found myself wondering whether I'd missed a sign or a turning, and this meant I was wasn't concentrating enough on the race. The marshals that were out there were excellent but just not frequent enough for all of the turns. A few people got lost (4 or 5 of them!) and ended up doing between 2 and 5 miles extra, which caused lots of angry discussion at the end of the race - I felt lucky not to have gone wrong!
Second transition was nice and quick, and I felt confident starting out on the run.
Run
The run was 3 laps of a circuit which took us down the road beside the lake, back up to the lake entrance, then down and back on the grass. Each lap was about 1 and a bit miles. I felt pretty good for most of the run, except for needing the loo as soon as I started. Running up and down the short route meant that I saw lots of other runners which helped keep me going.
The 4.5 miles didn't really turn out to be that long, and I reckon it was more like 6km (3.8 miles) based on my record-breaking 28 minute run time. One guy finished the run in 19 minutes!
Final scores on the doors
Swim: 25:54
Bike: 1:00:41
Run: 28:45
Total: 1:55:20 - 18 out of 23
Aside from the problems on the bike leg (which didn't affect me too much), I really enjoyed the day, and am happy to have finished a half-way-to-Olympic race. The atmosphere on the day was brilliant, and the barbecue afterwards was just what we all needed! Thanks to everyone who helped out.
After a quick countdown, Mike blew the airhorn and we were off. I started out a bit too quickly and got tired quite fast - not that you could tell as most people whizzed past me, leaving me in a group of 5 or 6 slower swimmers. It took most of the first lap before I really got into a rhythm and started to feel more comfortable.
The swim was much more exiting than normal because at the end of the first lap we got out, ran a few yards round the bank and then jumped back in again for the second lap. This was explained as 'Australian style' and although it was hard going when I got back in, it was more fun than a straight two laps.
I'm not that hot at swimming in a straight line when there's no line on the bottom of the lake and I was expecting to swim a zigzag course of about 1500m instead of a direct 1100m. So I was lucky to discover a great new technique for going where I want to. I was swimming almost alongside a girl in a bright green swimming cap. She was doing a mix of crawl and breaststroke and so was able to see where she was going and keep a good straight line. I was doing front crawl but as I breathed I could see her cap and follow along. It was like having my own mobile buoy! I thanked her by passing her on the last lap and getting out of the water about 30 seconds ahead!
Aside from one show-off who had a clever little bike stand and hat stand, everyone had laid their bike down on the grass in the transition area beside the lake, so bike transition wasn't as quick as it could be. And because the lake is really an old gravel pit, the exit from the lake onto the bike was bumpy gravel and so running across it in cleats way pretty rough, but a couple of minutes later I was on my way.
Bike and T2
The ride was pretty flat: out towards Eynsham then down to Standlake and back round to Eynsham and back to the lake. There were a few deceptively flat-looking long uphills but otherwise it was good, and I managed to catch a few people that had exited the water way ahead of me, including Steve who I just about beat at Newbury. He's a much faster swimmer and runner but I was able to get far enough ahead that he didn't quite manage to catch me on the run, which was nice.
The big problem with the bike stage was the lack of signs and marshals. A few times I found myself wondering whether I'd missed a sign or a turning, and this meant I was wasn't concentrating enough on the race. The marshals that were out there were excellent but just not frequent enough for all of the turns. A few people got lost (4 or 5 of them!) and ended up doing between 2 and 5 miles extra, which caused lots of angry discussion at the end of the race - I felt lucky not to have gone wrong!
Second transition was nice and quick, and I felt confident starting out on the run.
Run
The run was 3 laps of a circuit which took us down the road beside the lake, back up to the lake entrance, then down and back on the grass. Each lap was about 1 and a bit miles. I felt pretty good for most of the run, except for needing the loo as soon as I started. Running up and down the short route meant that I saw lots of other runners which helped keep me going.
The 4.5 miles didn't really turn out to be that long, and I reckon it was more like 6km (3.8 miles) based on my record-breaking 28 minute run time. One guy finished the run in 19 minutes!
Final scores on the doors
Swim: 25:54
Bike: 1:00:41
Run: 28:45
Total: 1:55:20 - 18 out of 23
Aside from the problems on the bike leg (which didn't affect me too much), I really enjoyed the day, and am happy to have finished a half-way-to-Olympic race. The atmosphere on the day was brilliant, and the barbecue afterwards was just what we all needed! Thanks to everyone who helped out.
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