It has been a couple of years since my last succesful start of a triathlon. Back in 2019 I had Outlaw Half Holkham and IM Barcelona. Last year and this year I was supposed to start at IM Lanzarote & Outlaw Full. Lanzarote being deferred until 2023 due to Covid, a late opportunity arose to do the Outlaw Half at Nottingham 5 weeks before the full - I took that with both hands !! Training has been going to plan with the odd foot injury, but overall on track for the full. A rapid taper into this race and yesterday the Outlaw Half took place - this is my version of events...
Pre-race
It was supposed to be heavy rain for the first two hours followed by drizzle for the rest of the day, but actually stayed dry albeit bit windy and cold. Also, for covid, transition had been moved to the side of the lake and was 800 metres long - and it felt longer than that ! At least though, the event was on ! Racking took place the afternoon before, and I chose the trusty disc and tri spoke comination for the bike, and my race belt and water bottles for the run. No sleep the night before, up at 3.05am, in the car for 4.15 and in transition around 5.40 ! readyt and pumped for a days triathloning.
Swim
Seeded by estimated swim time with the quickest going first. Being race numbered 1144 I was quite a way down the batting order and had a swim start of around 6.50am. It was a socially distance affair and it worked well - I was able to lower myself into the lake and then swim a strong controlled pace. I think I'd estimated 43 mins and my swim split was 43.22 which included quite a run to the transition along the concrete path. I was happy with that. Long 6 minute transition due to the length of it.
Bike
My part of the race. I had estimated 2.26 without stops but hoped to be quicker than that. I knew things weren't going to go to plan when I reached down at 6 miles to discover that I'd forgotten to attach my nutrition box in transition. Fairly numpty mistake to make. On a hot day, it would have cost me my race, but today I managed to get through on one SIS gel to the feed at 31 miles, then crammed 4 high 5 gels into the last 20 miles, washed down with my PH1500. Also, traffic hold ups a plenty, and plenty of sitting up due to staying safe and not overtaking other riders where not safe to do so. 2.31.33 and a bit disappointing knowing how well I've been going in TTs. It was what it was though, and with that nutrition error I was fortunate to get through it unscathed.
Run
I had been really looking forward to the run, I have worked so hard on it recently, and wanted to see for myself if I could better my 1.47 split at Holkham in 2019 which is my Tri PB. HAppy to say, I ran strong throughout, and ended the day with a 1.42.04 run split. Marvellous and now I'd like to go quicker !
Overall, my time of 5.09.53 was slower than I had hoped, but there were positives and I feel confident about Outlaw Full - I won't even worry about 6 laps of the lake if it goes that way !
