I nearly spewed it several times.
I nearly didnt start.
Glad i did now, one day I’ll get one right.
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I did a triathlon yesterday. Such a faff compared to single discipline event! Local lake, local roads, early start so up at 5am, cycle to the venue, home by 9:30.
Far too many rookie mistakes. Forgot to put rubber bands on my cycling shoes, Forgot to turn my bike computer on before the swim, forgot how bad a narrow mass swim start can be, forgot how to swim, Apart from that, bike was spent overtaking people, saw much less blatant drafting that usual, just a few points on the rolling sections of the course where some bigger guys will surge passed on the downs and maybe not drop back as they should when repassed on the ups.
Left T2 with a couple of people, ran up to and passed them and couldn’t see much else in front. Eventually caught site of 3 or 4 people further up the road. Spent a couple of miles closing them down, turns out it was the 1st and 2nd women. One more guy further up the road, couldn’t be certain of his age, but worth digging deep just in case. Caught as we re-entered the lake, pulled out 14sec in the last 400m to the line, which was enough to claim the old man trophy over him, and another from a later wave.
That might be the end of my tri season. Got a few swims, runs and TTs lines up, but no multisport events booked as yet.
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Retiring (for the season) at rhe top. 
Good work!
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I did the ROC Wales last Saturday & really should have submitted a report a bit earlier. As some sort of defence my work is having an audit this week & I was sick of the sight of computer monitors as we were all panicking to tick various boxes as well as doing my day job.
@Adam & @jeffb also shamed me into it with their super prompt reports.
I only accepted a place to the race 4 days before from a friend who was too late to defer after injury. He wouldn’t accept any money so we compromised & I made a donation to Sefton Women & Children’s Aid which satisfied us both.
Lots of faff commenced as I wrapped my head around travel, camp site, registration & the logistics of a 1500m sea swim, 50km bike, 12km/1000m run up & down Yr Wddfa, 50km return to Abersoch & a final 1km run on the beach.
Registration took place on the Friday evening where you received stickers, number, map & ankle chip as well as dropping off your mountain run bag. This bag had to contain compulsory mountain kit; waterproofs, whistle, hat, gloves, sun cream etc as well as shoes & nutrition/drinks for the run. The contents of these bags wasn’t checked which I thought was a bit 
.
With an 8am start on race day it was quite a leisurely start with plenty of time to rack up, chat with mates & importantly have an acclimatising swim in the 11.6degC sea.
The swim was great in cool, clear water I had no nerves this time just got my head down, kept swimming on feet & took care of business. My problem was cramp in both legs as soon as I stood to exit the water. All I could do was stand there swearing to myself in front of all the relatives & supporters massed on the beach. When this passed I tentatively trotted up to T1 rinsed feet, put on my shoes, number, helmet & off I went. 45/244
I deliberately cycled well within myself on the way out & my power was a fair bit below my normal middle distance power. Weather & traffic conditions were pretty good with only a hint of a headwind. I passed some, but despite losing 8 places I stayed patient chugging away at my drink & gels. 54/243
T2, rack bike, run to change tent, find bag, sit down, deal with fucking cramp again, empty bag out, put bike shoes in, vaselined socks & fell shoes on, hat & race vest on, hang bag & off we go.
The run was always were I felt I would be best to burn my matches & set off at a decent trot. It was really busy, but enjoyable run. As well as us lot & loads of inappropriately dressed walkers I kept passing/meeting runners on the various UTS routes so there was plenty of support, banter & wayward trekking poles to avoid. As I tapped out the climb I made sure I took on my fluids & gels early on as this would be difficult at the final technical/scramble to the summit & on the descent. All good job done I was now 30/241.
T3, grab bag, sit down, deal with fucking cramp, swap shoes, off with vest, hang up bag, top up bottles & back on the bike to Abersoch.
That cycle back was grim. Having chatted to friends who have previously race The ROC I had hoped to have enough kept enough in reserve to have a quicker bike back, but this wasn’t meant to be. Straight away my legs were seething with cramp & I couldn’t put any power down. I lost a couple of places within the first 10mins & was close to losing my heid but when the next pair passed me I had a word with myself, made an effort to increase cadence & keep them within sight. This got me out of my doldrums, my cramping subsided & I picked off one of the riders before getting into T4. 34/240
The negative bike split was always going to be a stretch, chatting to folks afterwards we were all certain there was a headwind & only 3 in the first 100 managed it…excuses, excuses 
There was no great rush into/out of T4 for the final dastardly 1km beach run as I was comfortably ahead of those behind & the chap in front was safe so I just had to trudge through the sand avoiding footballs, sandcastles & sunbathers. 34/239 & 3/36 V50.
All in all it was a great, well organised race, helped greatly by the beautiful surroundings & great weather. It was also a pleasure to spend time with the gent who is @Clive, we had great chats over the weekend as we kept bumping into each other.
(Not the greatest report, there was a lot of heavy lifting carried out by the excellent photos 
)
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Nice report - it was a bloomin hot day for sure
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Outlaw Half Yesterday, 7 years on since I did it last and 6 minutes quicker, even with the super long transition.
Swim - weirdly for me felt the worst of the 3. Just felt sluggish and it felt like it was taking forever. No drama though. Was about tenth into the water and an easy course to follow…27:08
T1 - just a loooong jog
Bike - a new course this year due to roadworks. I enjoyed it, flat, fast, technical. Some 90degree right hand turns but plenty of warning and highways crew. I’m more cautious on the bike these days, so took them easy. Some roads were in a right state, but OSB do a good job of spray painting them so a bit of warning. The usual gravel riding on the last mile or so, but a good time to take it easy…2:31:26 AP218 NP224 HR127
T2 - had a sit down to put on socks and shoes
Run - changed since last time I did it and now does a short loop out of T2 then onto the 3 lap course to make it up to the 13.1. Also now goes behind the big scoreboard and through the whitewater area which was a nice distraction and a few short hills on this bit. Then the loop of the lake. I don’t mind it, just switch off and go so got into a good rhythm and was concentrating on arm carriage and cadence I’ve learned during track sessions. Seemed to help and was a good hook to get back to when lost concentration or felt tired. Enjoyed the run and felt the best of the 3, weird for me with no big drop off in pace. 1:36.46 7:18m/m 153HR fastest mile 7:01, slowest 7:32
Bonus of Outlaw events is finishing with the kids, except my daughter decided to sprint ahead…no sprinting for me
Now just have to double the distance in July. All in all, very positive about it and good to be back and faster than 7 years ago.
Highlight of the day was my son showing up and supporting in a dinosaur costume. All 3 kids had a go at some point
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and now @Doonhamer has shamed me into writing my grump from a week and a half ago:
ROC WALES
PREP
Swimming – the odd monthly gap, no wild swimming so far this year
Cycling – not much in the Winter, struggled to get out once per week in the darkest, icy depths
Running – not bad, managing fairly consistent 2 weekly hill reps alternating with intervals, also weekly climbing 1000ft + off road (in fact no road running)
REGISTRATION
I didn’t get any pre-race emails so imagine my shock when at registration I was asked if I had bought the compulsory BT day licence. Had to sidle off and use phone to purchase said pass, and I wasn’t the only one. How on earth can an organiser miss emailing people. A bit stressful. Luckily this was all the eve beforehand. Handed in my run bag, great to meet Ian (Doonhammer) as well.
PRE-RACE-FAFF
Not too much this time although realised that I’d forgot to add my run race map into my run bag, never mind, can attach it to race number belt. Generally went well as I’d allowed about 1.5 hours…… which my ADHD brain generally needs to get it’s shit together!
Transition, whoooooaaaaaa, you selfish blighters either side of me are not taking over my space as well, you can fuck right off, me having to move their crap away from under my bike – selfish tossers, all about respect- grrrrrr.
SWIM
Ensured to get into the sea well before the start, brrrrrr, it’s a bit fresh….oh hang on, I’ve not been outside swimming for about 9 months explains why.
Started right at back for swim and didn’t really push it taking it quite leisurely. Lovely clear still water and an awesome blue sky sunny 0800 start to the day.
Odd sounds……… at one point I kept thinking that I was hearing voices in my head, then thought that a fly or something was under my swim bonnet, then realised that it was the tannoy on the beach.
Exit went well, managed to kick legs before I got out so no wobbly legs.
Time: 36:09 228/244 Age group 6/6
T1
Sand, arghhhhhh nooooooo. Having not done a sea swim tri since the old Ben Nevis 2009ish, I’d forgotten how to cope with sand. Had no towell d’oh so had to sit on arse and wipe feet before socks. Luckily for me, the weather was beautiful and hot hot hot so booties, bonnet and wetsuit off, and with trisuit already on, added to with helmet, socks and shoes and awayyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Time: 5:04 229/244 Age group 5/6
BIKE 1
Took this very steady as was somewhat apprehensive of the up (literally) and coming run. Forgot just how beautiful Wales is, especially in blue sky and sunshine.
Time: 1:57:00 235/243 Age group 5/5
T2
Hmmmmm, not sure what happened here but I ripped my nail down the side (blood) and cut my thumb (blood), wtf, then when taking off cycling shoes I put my digits on some mass of sheep shit on the underside of my cycling shoes, wtf2! Bit of shock. Went to the first aid ambulance folk to ask for plaster…… what a f*in faff, not getting out right sized plasters, asking for all of my details, and generally not thinking about the fact that it’s all about meeeeeeeee. Never to repeat.
Time: 15:08 240/243 Age group 5/5
RUN 1 UP
Took it steady but was on a mission to run what I could. Hampered by the masses of Ultra runners also climbing up the Watkins Path at walking pace (“Oh, can we join them, can we walk please, oh, please, please, let’s be lazy and walk……. sod off devil voice in brain”). I had to be so mentally tough to a) run not walk and b) run faster than they were power walking so as to not look like a tool. Just about managed both. The other challenge was avoiding those bloody walking poles – they are an absolute fuckin’ menace as are the chumps who use them without any awareness of others……. heat grumpy grrrrrrrrrr. In the heat of the moment, for the first half of the climb, I forgot to take any electrolyte/food.
Again at the top, avoiding the hordes (with poles) was a new challenge to me. Managed to run the last 20 or so metres which made me feel good after what seemed like so long of scrambling.
Time: 1:31:38 224/240 Age group 3/4
RUN 1 DOWN
Wheeeeeeee, I love this bit, and passed about 30 or so which was terribly good for the ego.
There were few sketchy moments with a semi-trip, but not enough to overbalance and crack my skull open on the rocks phew.
Time: 48:31 188/241 Age group 2/5
T3
Not as bad as the pedestrian T2 although still a tad tardy.
Time: 9:46 191/241 Age group 2/5
BIKE 2
Cramped up on the bike so didn’t manage to go as fast as I wanted to (excuses excuses).
Time: 2:04:25 201/240 Age group 2/5
T4
Ran in on cleated shoes, and within a flash was out and on the sandy run.
Time: 0:51 201/240 Age group 2/5
RUN 2
Nowt special here re pace, just plodded along passing one chap walking.
Time: 6:01 199/239 Age group 2/5
Overall: 7:34:57 199/239 (2 DQ thus 197/237) Age group 2/5
POST-RACE THOUGHTS
My watch broke off when I removed my wetsuit which then threw my hourly fuelling strategy off course somewhat. Hmmmmmmm….
Well I raced at about 68.5kgs and when compared with pre 60th birthday weight in Feb of about 63.5Kgs, this was probably not that clever of me really. Imagine, an extra 5kgs in my rucksack to inhibit my uphill running. Oaf.
I probably need to use the really old Wattbike at my X’s in Winter rather than moap and whinge re lack of cycling training.
All of those places I could have gained with even half of my transition times……. Note to self for ROC England, get a bloomin move on.
I’m not sure that I could have gained an hour and fourty minutes to beat the 47th placed Dutch Triathlon guy 1st V60, but I will certainly improve for the England ROC in September.
All in all, great to meet the good guy Ian, and a great day out with lovely weather and views, and I did achieve my aim which was not to come in last place.
Would recommend.
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Saw on the Outlaw fb that Billy Monger did the half at the weekend. 
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I’d seen that too, respect. 33 minute swim wasn’t shabby either.
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This should be a belter of a race
Kerr, Ingebrgtsen and Wightman among others
Mile record on the line?
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entered a 80km on June 8th instead of the SDW100. It’s the Salisbury Plain ultra, plenty of bail out options. 14hr cut off.
Also, a 50km point to point that finishes at QEP on June 23rd.
Both should be confidence boosters for Serpent Trail 100km on July 6th
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Watch out where you are stepping 
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It couldn’t do any more damage than I seem to do to myself 
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I was at the SWYD tri in Barry Island last weekend - thank dog the beach wasn’t this crowded as per this photo from 1963!!
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Went to butlin’s at Barry island yonks ago, it was around empire strikes back I think and there was a big drought and water shortages!
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3 AGers sub-8 
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And obliterated the top Fpro’s 
I dare say just very talented age group pro’s with time and money, and talent.
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Just that 
Time to visit Switzerland.
Money to spend at an “anti aging” clinic 
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No…?!
Innocent untill proved guilty ?! No?!!
Even if you are 40 years old doing two sub 4 70.3”s back to back.
If there clean good luck to em
If not … it really is very very sad