AQs i was starting in the elite wave, i was mentally prepared to be last out the water, the pack quickly went away from me and i found it hard to get into my groove as i kept thinking about being last, my goggles steamed jup at about 400m, now being short sighted and steamed up i cant see the bouy, so i swim cautiously towards the canoes and at each ask for directions, i am like a lost tourist !!

I kept getting short injections of cramp in my calv es after about 600m, this was not a good sign, i thought i was v well hydrated and ate well ? whats going on with me ?

As i get round and approach the beach i stand up and run out and see my bro ane neice cheering me on ! as i run to Transition i see my mrs T amd my mum too ! they gave me a great mental push !!

Get anti fog stuff but does it actually work ?

I need to shave off 10 mins from this swim time, i got to get seriouis in the pool, maybe a lesson or something ?

All the bikes round me are gone, i am last out the sea. i am knocked my this, grab the gear and off i go,

200m, up the road, no race belt !! no !!!

erm ? race belt on ?

there was a steep him for 200m directly out of t1,so this is hard work, i get to the top and realise i have forgotten to put on my race belt NOO !! DQ maybe!?? i dont know what the penalty is. this plays on my mind the whole cycle.

Its a straight out and back down a duel carriage way, at 8am there are not many cars, but its bloody crazy some cars dont pull into the 2nd lane to give us space, i was shaken and shouted at some cars. Took on gels at 5 miles, 15 and 20 miles, i had 2 bottles on the bike, 1 energy drink and 1 electrolytes, now we all know how salty the elec drink is, well i made it too strong and it was undrinkable so only drank the energy drink.

I caught i think 4 people, but some serious bikers went by me on bikes worth more than i earn in 2 months ! this is a serious race, no novices here, well apart from 1 !

A BMW pulled up along side me, i wondered whats up with him, slowing down like that ? then it dawned on me, RACE MARSHALL looking at my arm for my number as i have no race belt on.......... GREAT ! now what does that mean?

I began to get cramp in the hip at about 15 miles, not a good sign for the run.

I got caught up in traffic behind a car that refused to overtake a bike ahead of me and it was weaving along, i tried to undertake it and he came into me, i punched the window but neither the passanger or driver looked at me, either they did it opn purpose or were oblivious to my existance!!



Taste drinks before leaving home.

I get to my spot and there is a marshall with a clip board, great he is here to tell me off for not wearing my race belt, i rack and strip my kit, he watched me, i then say i forgot my race belt on the bike as i clip it on, he goes, oh dear ! i asked has it been spotted, he said he does not know, so i plead well if not, then you have not spotted it too right ? lol !! and off i went on the run, i am releaved he was not telling me my race is over.

i see the family again on the out of T2, they spur me on, i also see my nephew now !! woo !!

there are km markers and they match my 310xt until km 6 which turns out to be almost and extra 300m, not good as i got to do that bit extra on the run back too,

my legs have never felt this bad in a race before, i am exhausted and considered walking but i say no. i get to a water station at 7km, slow to grab a cup, huge mistake, CRAMP in both hamstrings below the bum ! i am hobbling, i cant run, do i walk ?? its 3km to go, thats a long walk,. i dont want to walk as my family are here, i battled through it, eventually it loosened up enough so i could do what felt like running but probably looked very odd indeed ! i battled it and got to the end, 54 mins, not a good time for me but i ran it all, thats the main thing for me.

not sure.

none, chat and ate ice cream


the constant cramping i had all race from swim to run, i dont know what this happened, i think i did everything i have done in the past 3 races, the only difference is i ate a lot of fruit on the day before, could this be the reason ?


Overall i finished 5th from last in my age group, is my time that bad ?this was a race for seruious racer,s there were not many beginners here at all,

would race again, just to better my performance and as its local, i learnt a lot from today and although i had problems, i enjoyed it, now i knmow i need to get serious if i am to complete a 70.3 in october