Epworth Triathlon

It's only a week out from Ironman Mallorca 70.3 for me, but some last minute sprint action was on the cards today as some sort of reward for all the long distance stuff I've been putting myself through. I really like sprint Tri's but don't really get to do enough of them in my opinion.

Today was a nice May day with a morning temperature of 10 degrees and a 10mph SW wind. My swim start was a mega early 8.24 so I had to leave Lincoln at about 6.30 just to get there in time to register and rack my stuff - this is how the race went :

Swim 8.47 
This was a 20m pool and as such I had to swim 20 lengths instead of the standard 16. The pool was nice enough if a little on the warm side and the traffic for a sprint swim was quiet. I was happy with the time which included getting out of the pool and getting 30m to transition.

T1 0.43
This was my fastest T1 ever I think - no messing about, no gloves, no tops, shoes held on the bike with an elastic band - job done !

Bike 33.51
Settled down quickly, got into the shoes, and then went into time trial mode. The course is basically a square with four 3 mile stretches, the 4th being a bit undulating. I had trouble with my gears slipping and also I found out late in the bike that my elastic band was still attached to both the shoe and the frame - not that I think the latter had much bearing on proceedings ! I rolled back into T2 with a time of 33.51 where I had hoped for a 32 minute effort.

T2 0.28
Basically dumped the bike and went for a jog ! My quickest T2 to date as well !

Run 20.23
Not as bad feeling as last weeks 2nd run, but not the most comfortable either. I was on my own for much of this run which was eerily quiet! The run took me out of transition onto the main road and then down through a housing estate and out into the country. I had forgotten my race shoes so had to do the run in my old running shoes that I now use as casual trainers. This didn't seem to matter as I registered a 6.46 opening first mile. The course then went out into the fields and on single paths. It was nice to do a bit off cross country albeit the time slowed with a 7.10 2nd mile. The 3rd mile was fields until we came up a short sharp rise back into Epworth - I couldn't tell you what the third mile was as it never came up ! I would estimate the course at c.4.8k so a 20.23 run split was an OK finale to a very enjoyable event.

A time of 1.04.12 for my first crack at this course and only 4 minutes off the win ! Next up...... that 70.3 !