| It was the day I had been waiting for...further | | | | anything or anyone else, this normally means the |
| that, the day I had been training for. The winter | | | | mornings! |
| base and months of following training would all | | | | After racking up I applied the baby oil and got into |
| amount to this race, the Dambuster. | | | | my wetsuit. It was 0630 so I headed down to |
| The Dambuster Triathlon, one of pacesetter | | | | the water. |
| events finest would be my first Olympic distance | | | | The mass start for the swim was brutal, I didn't |
| event. Not only that, it would be the qualifier for | | | | want to start at the front because I didn't deem |
| the world championships later this year in | | | | myself quick enough, there were 90 of us in the |
| Hamburg Germany. How badly did I want to | | | | 18-24 category and I was in the middle of the |
| qualify? Badly enough to have already written the | | | | pack. After a few kicks taken and a few handed |
| date in my diary and ensured that there would be | | | | out I found a bit of space and swam parallel to |
| nothing going on in the two weeks before the | | | | another guy, who I kept track of because I |
| event so I could progress through my taper | | | | recognized his Orca wetsuit. I find normally when I |
| without any disruption! | | | | swim I pass the time by counting my strokes per |
| Set in some of Leicestershires most spectacular | | | | length, in open water there are no lengths...the |
| scenery with the centre point being a Dammed | | | | swim seemed to go on forever! 26minutes to be |
| lake in Rutland I would never have even dreamed | | | | exact, 4 minutes over my pool time. I couldn't |
| of the gruelling challenge that lay before me. | | | | believe it, to qualify I needed to be in the top 4, I |
| Upon arriving at Rutland Water on the Friday | | | | was 50th out the water! |
| (22nd) me and my dad, who I must add always | | | | After a reasonably quick transition jumped onto |
| travels with me to all my events, set up camp | | | | my bike and begin to pedal....there was a problem, |
| near to the lake before heading off the check out | | | | I was spinning more than a washing machine....my |
| the course. We had already driven the famed | | | | chain was off. What are the chances, the most |
| 'Rutland Ripple' on the way in, a punishing set of | | | | important race of the year and my chain fell off! |
| up hill drags that seemed keep repeating | | | | After solving the problem I knew I had to make |
| themselves just when you thought they were | | | | up alot of time, it was a case of just putting your |
| over! My dad of course, always keeping a sensible | | | | head down and pedalling. After 6 or so miles we |
| head reminded me that "For every up, there is | | | | hit the Rutland Ripple, I say we because it was |
| always a down!", a comment that would stick with | | | | almost like a queue of traffic up the hills. This was |
| me when edging up those hills the next day. The | | | | where I could make up my time, I was used to |
| swim was a diamond like route, 1500m around 5 | | | | hills, I train on hills and so I decided to stay in the |
| buoys, fantastic! There is nothing worse for me | | | | saddle and spin up the hills. It hurt, the expression |
| than a straight out and back swim, it just looks | | | | on my face in the photos says that, but I |
| so far! Onto transition to find that I actually had | | | | managed to overtake a fair few cyclists until that |
| me own named area of transition set apart with | | | | is, on the second hill, half way up my chain came |
| a little sticker, I would have felt like a professional | | | | off again....I cannot state the words that came out |
| had the same not been done for everybody else. | | | | my mouth! But it had happened, so I jumped off, |
| Still a great touch, well done pacesetter! The run | | | | flicked it back on and continued with the struggle! |
| route would take me and all the other potential | | | | On the hour I had completed 22.5miles and so |
| qualifiers around the lake and out to the dam | | | | coming back into transition I had a fairly fast time |
| where an interval type sprint out and back across | | | | of 1hr 12mins for 26.6miles. My legs felt good and |
| the dam twice before heading back to the start | | | | I had pulled back a number of places. Now I was |
| would make up the 10km. With everything | | | | onto the run, I ran off the bike quickly, with my |
| planned out it was back to the tent for some | | | | dad running parallel shouting advice. The run was |
| sought after grub! | | | | mainly track but also a little cross country. The |
| A typical campsite, with groups of men/women all | | | | backdrop of the lake was great if you wanted to |
| staying together would typically be expected to | | | | take your mind off the run. I decided to run the |
| be noisy through most of the night. One of the | | | | first 2km under 20min 5k pace. I wanted to get |
| things I absolutely love about triathletes that | | | | under 40mins for the run so badly, I originally |
| would seem peculiar to anyone not accustomed | | | | opted for 36mins. I can run a 17min 5km and so |
| to the sport is that we all need our sleep, and we | | | | though 36mins for 10km would work. Straight |
| know it! Half past ten and the campsite was dead | | | | away I knew that was out of the question. Still I |
| to the world, not even a whisper! Fair enough | | | | stuck with my plan for 2km and then cooled |
| really when the first wave of swimmers was off | | | | after a little for the next 4km. Running out and |
| at 06:40! In fact even if you weren't in the first | | | | back across the dam meant I could see the |
| wave, you still had to be in transition for 06:00, | | | | opposition heading back the opposite direction. |
| that mean getting up at 5:00 for me for an early | | | | They were fast, some wearing GB tri-suit-what |
| breakfast! | | | | was I trying to do? Qualify against these guys...still |
| Oats and bananas, thats what I have found | | | | anything was possible. I tried to run the last 4km |
| works best for me over the last year or so. Still | | | | hard but I was already too far behind. I finished |
| feeling full after a mountain of pasta the night | | | | the run in 40mins 30secs. Not fast enough but still |
| before I had to keep breakfast reasonably light. I | | | | a personal best over 10km. |
| decided to get into my trisuit early, why not be | | | | I ended up 17th in my age group and so didn't |
| prepared? I`m the kind of person who needs to | | | | qualify for the Worlds. Disappointed...yes but |
| have everything planned, probably due to the fact | | | | coming back from 50th to 17th is something I am |
| that I have to live my life by timetables in order | | | | personally proud of. I have the Wakefield triathlon |
| to fit all the training in for 3 sports. As well as this | | | | in a couple of weeks, a last change to qualify. |
| I have a girlfriend, Rachael, probably the most | | | | Although this will be the national age group |
| understanding person in my life, who always | | | | championships as well and so the race will be by |
| stands by me with my sport but I would hate to | | | | no means easy. I just hope that since there are 8 |
| take more time than necessary away from her. | | | | qualifying places per age group I will stand a |
| Hence all the timetables;to ensure I am getting | | | | better chance of getting a place! |
| everything done at times when it doesn't affect | | | | |