Portobello Sprint Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

I lined up in the second line of people thinking I would take it easy and not get involved in any stramash at the front. Then the airhorn went as did my plans. Sprinted to the water and attempted the dolphin thing. Remarkably argy bargy free start, after I had settled down I couldn't see many people ahead of me. T was swimming at the RHS of the pack and somehow found myself about 3rd round the first bouy. Fantastic - no melee.
I may have gone a bit fast as 1st to 2nd bouy saw a fair amount of people passing me. Down the home straight I went stroke for stroke with some guy. He was just edging ahead of me but I overtook him in the last 15 yards again using the dolphin thing.
I heard a shout for me from the seniors wave waiting to start - it was one of the upcoming Stirling tri guys Stu Fraser.
Safely negotiated the pointless paddling pool and into transition.

This was a great swim in a flat calm sea. I maybe could have pushed harder in the middle.

Taking the wetsuit off was nearly good but then I had a lot of faffing around with the left leg. The start of the cycle is on an incline so I opted for not leaving the shoes on the bike.

After the initial flurry of people passing me things settled down. I had a marshal on a motorbike for company for about a 3rd of a lap. A couple of very tight corners on the course. I took these with extreme caution which was just as well as I nearly came off one time when my back wheel slipped on one of the pedestrian crossing markers.
About two miles from home a guy from my club passed me (Scott) and opened up quite a gap. This was a spur to up the pace. I managed to reel him back in a bit on the downhill and then kept in touch to the end of the cycle. I could see Scott had a nightmare dismount and we ran through the timing mat about 5 seconds apart.

The spur of Scott passing me showed that I could have pushed harder on the bike than I did.

The race was now well and truely on. It was all about me and Scott.
I completely cocked up putting on my left shoe and had to put it on twice. All I could think was that's it he's disappearing out of sight.
Great relief on leaving T2 to see him just infront of me.

Put my left shoe on just the once.

Pre race I thought Scott and I would be pretty close, but I would put him down as slightly faster at the run. The disaster was that he was ahead of me already. I felt good though so it was time to give it my best.
He was about 10 yards ahead all the way down to the first turn point. We give each other a jolly wave as we pass in opposite directions but Scott now knows I'm hunting for him. Towards the end of the first lap I pass Zoe going in the opposite direction and we high five as we pass.
Last lap and Scott is definitely starting to pull away. Lady number 24 comes up alongside me and I vow to hang onto her guessing that she will pull me back in touch. I stick with her all the way down to the last turn, but Scott is still around 20 yards ahead when he has another disaster. The guy infront of him rounds a bollard and Scott runs straight into him. They exchange phone numbers and insurance details and then Scott finishes his turn. Lady no. 24 obviously has a smaller turning circle than me and is suddenly 2 yards ahead through this turn, the elastic between us has snapped. Halfway down the final stretch I note with frustration that Mrs 24 is now level with Scott about 10 yards ahead.
The pace goes up but the gap remains the same, I just can't catch him.
I spot Zoe rounding the first lap turn just as I head for the finish tunnel and try to give her a shout but even I can barely hear it.

Loved the run. The attempt to run down Scott pulled me along.

Remembered that I had brought the camera so ran along to get it to snap Zoe and Stu crossing the finish line.


Great fun.
Stu got 2nd.