I think I’ve won the beauty pageant! 
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Looking at the Cotswold Classic as a possible 2020 half. Would you recommend?
Fixed
100% 
Anyone else at the Cotswold Classic on Sunday? Looks like the swim is going to be toasty at 21C 
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Just swam 3.8km in 24.1 at Hamburg, and it actually wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.
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I was suspicious about the 24.1c on Sunday, I don’t think that was across the lake.
Jeff
Just reading back through this thread to get a feel for Sunday. Think I should have requested wave 1 as I’m in 4 and it’s a lot of thrashing bodies to get past.
This will be my first half so not too sure about times. Going to target around 4:45 but I’ll be happy with anything under 5.
- Swim: 29
- Bike: 2:40
- Run: 1:33
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I think you’ll be fine. The waves arent massive, and with 10 minute gaps it’s fairly spaced out by the time you do have to pass anyone. I swam 29 flat in June 2017 (I think it was a bit short), and passing the slower people from waves in front didn’t cause me any issues.
On the bike, I personally think a slightly later wave is good, as you get the slingshot of the slower riders from earlier waves the whole way around. In wave 1, you only get that on lap 2, and from what I’ve heard from some, as you’re riding through the slower cyclists earlier in the day, it can get more congested. Lap 2 in the middle waves has always been fairly clear and just a case of passing rider after rider, rather than any big clumps blocking some of the road.
The main advantage with wave 1 is you probably get 2 laps of the run with it being really clear. But even then, I’ve found most people to be pretty good about letting you past on the narrow trail section between roughly kms 1 and 2.
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Thanks, sounds good. I always need more help on the bike, just hope I can actually slingshot past people 
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Yeah - you’ll be reet!
Some people DID NOT enjoy being asked to move on the run.
I was expecting to run a 1:24 and ran a 1:27.
But I did fall over coming out of T2.
It’s pretty much 35% trail.
Then hard to get going again on the road.
Lake is awesome. Super clear and I swam okay.
Course was a tad long, but Graeme measures it Sat AM, the by sight in the PM. Not much you can do about moving buoys.
I think it’s way more than that. The big loop around the 2 lakes is more than 3km alone. Then there’s the other section through the woods with all the roots, plus a stretch past the aid station before that log. I’d say it’s more like 60% off-road.
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Great race on Sunday with decent weather. Stayed in Lower Mill with family which worked well. Swim start was fine, the wave was really spread out and only about 5 people between the starting buoys. Off we went and a chap to my right was flying, I drafted him for about 50m but even then I was working too hard. Swam on my own until I caught up with the other waves. Wasn’t too bad getting past. Lots of people sighting badly so I was mostly in clear water and time was 26.
Onto the bike and my target pace was 34 kmph. I enjoyed the flat course (a change for me) and settled into a decent zone. I was mostly going by feel and keeping HR around 140. When I did IMUK, my HR average was 135 and I struggled on the run with stomach cramp. Not sure if it was because I pushed too hard, ate wrong food, or ate to soon before run. This time I ate flapjack and couple of gels in first half, then just liquid thereafter which seemed to work ok. Traffic was OK, tried to slipstream as much as possible. Had to stop at a junction for cars to cross at one point. Road surface was mostly fine, couple of places with potholes and scattered bottles and supplies. Back to transition in 2h 32. Looking at photos I really need to work on my position 
First 5km of the run I was trying to relax into a rhythm. Went out in just under 22m, followed by 23m in the next 5km. Thought I felt ok but started to fade after the mid point. I’d carried round two gels but just couldn’t bear eating them so opting for the jelly babies and flat coke combo at each station. Next time I’m not going to carry any fuel on the run cos it just gets in the way. In shorter races when I eat a gel it seems to slow me down as I try to digest it. Although on reflection I’m thinking a gel at 10km could have been a good idea for this race. Route was nice but the few moments where it’s single file and runners coming the other way, interrupted my stride. Glad it was dry all day as I was in Kinvara shoes and hadn’t accounted for the terrain. Finished in 1:39 with overall time of 4:42. 3 mins under my target but felt I could have had a better run. Glad to get round without any major issues. Family enjoyed both the event and location so plan is to go again next year already. Target of 4:30 
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