Lough Neagh Triathlon 31-07-2010

Bambaata

It seems there's a few heading up north for this on Saturday? Ive never done this race but have heard good things. It will be coming at the end of a large enough training block and i hope to have 8 to 10 hours done this week before the race starts so im not expecting anything great from this race. It'll be a good brick session and im not going to treat it as anything more than that.

onimpulse

I'm entered as well - after being sick for a few weeks I'm also treating it as a training session, can't imagine doing a good time given lack of training lately... also heard good things about this race - can't understand why there are only 165 entered?

El Director

Ya I couldn't believe that when I saw it. Especially as I have heard nothing but good things about the race. As we are getting in the excuses I may as well offer my own. My achilles is killing me, just hoping to make the race now. I need the NS points so I will be pushing myself if I make it, fingers crossed.

Macanri

3 stars (average)

I am doing this too. It will not be a training race for me - it will be my first standard dist. 2:30 - 2:45 for me hopefully, the closer to 2:30 the better!

Hope to see ye on the day. I will have my (mainly white, some blue) Kellys bike with me.

El Director

Don't forget lads you must collect wrist bands on the 4 lap run course, so by the end you have to show that you have 4 bands collected. This system was in operation in Athlone but it was optional.

Won't make a decision myself re racing until Saturday morning.

shotgunmcos

Hoping to get up myself but en route to Antrim for some R&R, so as a spectator only. If I get there in time I'll give ye all a roar Have a good one guys

Bambaata

4 stars (good)

Bets of luck to everyone tomorrow. Hopefully catch a few of ye there? I'll be on my red/white P2C if anyone spots me

Hopefully see you there too MCOS!

Bambaata

4 stars (good)

A nice time for a race start (12 noon) meant it was possible to drive up Saturday morning without having to get up stupid early. Luckily the Sat Nav got me there early with no issues. Registered and went back to the car for brekkie part 2 at about 9:45 (i like to eat about two hours before the off).

Headed for transition and met Macanri along the way who seemed in far too good a shape for it to be his first OD!

Swim:
We had a bit of a wait as swimmers had to come back to the starting line in the harbour. The first 100/150m were as rough as it has been for me all year. I got about 6 elbows on the back of the head and 1 fist in the right eye. It pushed my google in so far that it felt like my eye socket was exploding into it! I kept my head under water as much as i could to avoid the fists from there on! I also had two guys try to swim over me which i had to push off but as we left the harbour things settled and i finally got to adjust the right side of my goggles. The swim was enjoyable for once. The water was quite calm until we turned back across the harbour. I got some tri podcasts last week and in one they discussed pushing at 80 - 100% on the swim and how it can effect the bike and run so on the back of their results I focused on not pushing too hard. The last 100m or so where quite shallow and i passed a few more people with some dives. Exited the swim in 24:34 (24th).

T1:
Lost a little bit of time messing with the buckle of my helmet but nothing major. 01:09 (29th)

Bike:
The bike is a 4 lap, fast enough route. The first half is a little hilly with one lovely little climb. You have to turn into it and it is very steep for a small part with Allez! chalked into the road. I was catching lots here. I never needed to take it out of the 50 on front and consistently caught guys. After this there's a km or 2 into a headwind before turning back and flying over some small climbs. I was pushing these hard and again managed to catch a lot. The turnaround point also doubles back on a section so you can see who is ahead. On lap one i passed about 10 - 12 of the 24 which were infront. Lap two was going well again and i caught 6 guys on the nice hill again. As I came off the far side however my chain over-ran onto the frame!! I was raging. I had been doing some maintenance the day before on the bike and obviously got it wrong! I had put in a lot of work to catch them and was well inside top 10 but i had to get off the bike to fix this. Unfortunately this whole group plus some more whizzed past and i was back to square one! I lost roughly a minute here. Laps 3 and 4 went by and i caught the majority of this group again who had strung out at this point. Finished the bike in 01:03:30 (9th) Had i not lost the time i would have been about 4th or 5th on the bike but in the end it wasn't going to effect my position greatly.

T2:
I had the fastest T2 somehow! I didn't feel like i rushed it. Out in 0:38.

Run:
Last week was the conclusion of a big enough training week so i didn't know how the run was going to go. I had done 4 runs through the week and the legs were feeling it so anything could have happened. In the end i passed 2 or 3 people who were ahead (it was a 4 lap course so i passed plenty more but 2 or 3 were definitely ahead). I was hoping for a 39:59 and maintained some sub 4min km/s to the half way point. Unfortunately i just couldn't maintain it and the km's starting going to 4:10's. In the end i finished the run in 40:44 (17th) which was okish. I got caught by 1 guy on lap 3 and just couldn't get the distance back despite keeping him to 20m.

Overall i finished 9th with 1 relay ahead so i'm happy with that. I was then surprised to find i won my AG as Bjorn and Wayne Reid were taken out of that as they had 1st and 3rd overall so i was happy to accept a cheque which covered the petrol money

I think Lough Neagh is my favourite course of the year so far. Its a pity they didn't get the numbers they would have expected but hopefully they can spring back next year. The people behind it all seem great. The guy MC'ing the event kept the crowd happy and the fact that it was a 4 lap bike and run gave the family and friends plenty to cheer about. The swim is also very spectator friendly as they can walk out and follow the progress from the edge of the harbour. I'd highly recommend it and will hopefully be back next year.

El Director

Bambaata wrote: »

....the first 100/150m were as rough as it has been for me all year. I got about 6 elbows on the back of the head and 1 fist in the right eye. It pushed my google in so far that it felt like my eye socket was exploding into it....I also had two guys try to swim over me....The swim was enjoyable for once.

Lol had to laugh...ya it sounded real enjoyable

Well done man, that was a great time, pity about the chain though. 63 mins for your bike, with a droped chain is something else! A very good swim time set you up nicely and you got very close to the sub 40 run. All in all very solid. A mate of mine loved the course too, said he would love to do it next year again also. Good stuff keep it up.

Bambaata

4 stars (good)

ha yeah reading back that reads a bit funny. it was gonna happen there though as the swim start is quite narrow and it has its first turn at about 100m so everyone is going for the one point. i didnt let it bother me and took it as part of it. glad to say i didnt hit anyone myself. all i did was push two guys away when they were trying to swim over me!