The Dambuster Triathlon

Dambuster Olympic Distance Triathlon - Race report
- 1.5km Swim
- 42km Bike
- 10km Run

Todays race would be my very first at the olympic sized distances as my previous triathlons had all been at the shorter sprint distance. It would also be a good barometer for the training undertaken so far and would give me a good idea of what was missing if anything for Antwerp.

So, alarm set for 3.30 check, ringtone set as Black Sabbath's Ironman, check, manage to get up without waking wife to be, check ! I made myself some porridge and then put my OCD to good use by checking that I had packed everything about fifty times. It was out the door at stupid o clock and then an hour or so drive to Rutland Water. I arrive at just before 6, which gave me some time to go to registration, pick up my race number and then head down to the water for a look around. It was stunning and I wish I'd taken some pictures now just to show what people really are missing. I managed to rack the bike and change into the wettie before the race briefing at 6.45. By 7am I was in the water with my wave of 34-39 year old nutters, and this is how it went...

Swim 33.41

I was aiming for around 37,38 minutes, so obviously delighted with that time. In the water, I could tell that I was swimming well as I could see plenty of white swim hats (my wave wore all white, other waves blue etc) still behind me as we swam around the bouys and turned around. I swam off line a few times too , mostly as on the first straight the sun was very low and I couldn't see the swimmers half the time in front of me, net alone the orange bouy.

T1 2.47

Not bad, considering I always do a zombie shuffle from the water into the transition area, I also chose to put socks on for this ride, and had to cram my nutrition (including my asda bake bar) into the back of my tri suit.

Cycling 1.33.21

I set off into a head wind, turned left into a headwind, turned left again into a headwind... by now you're getting the picture, it was just one of those days. I did set off like a bat out of hell and rode the fearsome Rutland Ripple very well (mind you after all the hills Kev has had me up over the past few weeks these held no fear), I was out of the saddle and really moving even overtaking on the worst of the climbs. At about the halfway point I was well ahead of schedule and going well. Then, my chain fell off during a change down and once I had fixed that and got back on, it seemed to be a bit of a struggle from then on. Maybe I'd gone out to fast I don't know, it was certainly hard work from then on in, but I managed to get the bike home with no further problems.

T2 - 2.01

I'm great at transitions me.....usually !!! I still don't know what happened but I got completely lost in transition and just stood there looking like a dork, trying to find my station ! I must have lost a minute before rediscovering my bearings.

Run 55.11

The run is an out and back, around the lake and crossing the dam four times, (hence the name Dambuster), my plan was to keep to an even pace and watch my breathing. I also always run with an ipod, so to do a whole 10km without was going to be challenging.

I set off at a good even pace and held it together as I tackled the dam for the first time. I crossed some fellow Lincoln Tri peeps across the dam, coming back the other way and we all spurred each other on which really helpmed me. I also had my race nemesis of the day to track - Great Olmond Street Man (GOSM) who I had battled hard on the bike section. Having lost my time in transition, he had again gone ahead of me, but now I was reeling him in and by the last length of the dam I was on his shoulder, which is where I stayed until I kicked as we left the dam and built a small lead over him. GOSM probably thought the same and for a while he just stalked me at a safe distance and I thought uh-oh the gits gonna scream past me in a sprint finish. With just a kilometre to go though I looked back and he was done, all the race pressure disappeared, and I coasted home the rest of the way.

My time in total was 3.07.04 and well within my target of 3hrs 15mins. As distances go, it was OK, far better than anticipated, and gives me renewed confidence for next month. the dambuster by the way is an excellent all round event, and very well organised, well worth entering.