City of Perth Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

the water was 26C so it was definately a no wetsuit race which I was well happy about being that I don't have a wetsuit I didn't want to be the only one without a wettie.

Headed out towards the buoy for a deep water start feeling very nervous and anxious. (unsual for me when I'm in the water) Suddenly the race had started, alot of the girls missed the buzzer start including me. so flicked on my HRM watch and off I went. The water in that part of the river is absolutely disgusting, very very brown and you can't see anything at all. Which made for an interesting swim. It was a bit of a battle at the start to find some clear water and not get thumped copped a fairly big whack to the head but just kept swimming and managed to swim over the top of someone I don't know how. (you really couldn't see anything in the river at all)

Settled into a really good pace and started to relax into the swim. I wasn't sure how fast to take it as I've never raced this distance before so I think I took it a little easier then I should but I was comfortably swimming along. A few mishaps along the way though. there were buoys marking out the course but as it was early morning everytime I looked up to sight the sun was right in my eyes which made it very difficult to see the buoys. we hit one set of buoys and a heap of girls turned round it which made me start to question if I was on the right course or not. After a bit of deliberation I realised that I definately was on the right course as we had only swum about 400m. So I continuted lost a few spots but at least I was heading the right direction. the girls that went the wrong way were picked up by the lifeguards and made to swim back to the buoy and back on track.

When I rounded the correct buoys we started to pass the guys in the wave ahead. which made it a bit tricky as I kept swimming almost over people. you couldn't see them till you were pretty much on top of them.

rounded the last buoy and headed into the river bank which had a really really steep ramp set up for us to climb out. It was very slippy and steep so took all your effort to hang onto the rail and haul yourself out.

Learn what pace I need to swim at for a 1.5k distance. I should have gone out a bit faster I think.
I need a new tri top or a tri suit. My tri top seems to have gone a bit baggy (or I've lost weight) I think a bit of both anyway It definately was ballooning out and I could feel it causing drag.

Be confident in my decision making regarding the course, I always listen well to the briefing so shouldn't doubt my decisions.

I had a crap transition. ran into transition area fine but I seem to dawdle putting my shoes and socks on. I shoudln't really have put socks on that was a waste of time. also one of the guys doing it in a team was chatting to me and said I had brown stuff from the river all over my face so I stopped and wiped my face off etc.

I gotta work on focusing in transition. and got to learn about doign the shoes on my bike etc. My transitions need work big time.

Jumped on the bike and the first 2ks were really tough. I started to worry that this was going to turn into a bad race. I focused on eating a gel and not on how bad my legs were feeling. I had bought a little fuel flask thing the day before and diluted my gel with a bit of water into that flask and could sip the gel. I had a much easier time eating it and digesting it this way. I'm soo glad one of the guys in my riding group taught me that trick.

After the first couple of k's I relaxed and my legs felt good. it was a five lap course and windy on the out part of the lap. But completely flat. so I decided that I would try and keep it on 30k's on the out and then push it hard on the way back in. First lap I sat on 35k's on the way back in.

Being a National series race and qualifying spots for World champs it was a busy course and at times quite hard not to draft a little. However there was some really blatant drafting going on out there with the super fast guys.

I managed to keep my pace right on for the 5 laps and got up to over 40k's on the way back in on most laps. And on my last lap I flew back in towards transition. Knowing I wasn't doing the run I really pushed the ride more then usual.

It was hot out on the course but I felt great my legs felt great and I really wished I was doing the run too!

Umm just more riding so I get faster. had my nutrition and drinking pretty much spot on I think. and my race plan was spot on too. I'm sure I can learn more but at the moment I did the best I could :)

As I was doing this in a team I jumped off the bike ran my bike to the racks and my team mate took of the timing belt, I took of my race belt and put it on her as she was putting on the timing belt. Quick as we could!

Nothing

I didn't do the run :)

I drank lots and lots of water and changed into something to cover up from the sun immediately as it was hot and sunburny. Then headed down to watch the rest of the race. And cheer my team mate on and everyone else I knew competing. I was cheering the whole time there were soo many people I knew out there. I did absolutely no stretching which was stoopid.

then watched the elite men and women race a sprint distance race. WOW I don't think I could ever come close to being that fast. great event to watch. I can't wait for the commonwealth games events. I felt really sorry for the poor English girl I think her name was Emma (cant' remember now) but racing in 33C heat really took its toll on her.


Being my first Olympic distance I wasn't sure how to pace myself so probably could have gone faster on the swim.


I loved this race, I was so nervous about the distance and I was completely fine over the distance I really wish I could have done the run, but It was definately best not to push my quad to quickly. I did feel like I had enough left in the tank to keep going though. I'm actually looking forward to my next couple of races now esp the Olympic on the 2nd of April.

Overall it was a great day, especially watching the elite races.