City of Rockingham Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

2008 time 19:19
2010 time 17:49

I ummed and ahhed about whether to wear my wetsuit or not. In the end I decided not to, partly because I was worried it wouldn't fit (ha ha ha) but mainly because when I had my swim assessment done, the coach said my body position in the water is quite good anyway so a wetsuit probably won't make me much faster. So I decided not to wear it and save time getting it on and off. Good decision in the end.

Rockingham is an annoying swim - the first 100m or so is very shallow, I mean about 50cm of water, so you have to run out there a fair bit before you can start swimming. Same at the end - you have to run the last 100m out of the water. My heart rate went a bit high doing this but was soon able to settle it down. I focused on my form and breathing and found myself keeping up with a pack of girls which was nice. Wasn't able to really draft very effectively and also my navigation was a bit all over the place. The water was very murky and there was a bit of chop and swell on the way back. Overall I was pleased with my swim. I'd wanted to do it in less than 16 mins, my watch said 16:45 as I was getting out of the water so not too bad, especially if you take into account my zig-zag navigation!!! Total time includes the run up the beach and entry into T1.

Sight more, navigate better, draft better.

Good good. The usual. No dramas.

Not much.

2008 time 45:40
2010 time 39:51

VERY pleased with my bike performance. I really hammered it hard. Did I mention that the race was VERY windy? There was a strong headwind on the way out so I could only manage 27-28 kmhr but on the way back was able to get 33-35 kmhr. I used aero the whole way, drank well, ate some jellies. I passed lots of girls and a few blokes too. I was hoping to go under 40 mins and went well under that, especially as the total bike time actually includes T1 and T2.

Not a lot. Very pleased.

All good. No complaints.

Nothing.

2008 time 29:13
2010 time 32:01

OK. So I'd had a good swim and a bloody marvellous cycle. As I was exiting T2 my watch said 57:30 which is a bloody good time for me. But then I kind of lost the momentum. My lack of fitness really showed in the run, I didn't have the staying power to push as hard as I'd been able to in the swim and cycle. The run was just a long slow shuffle of "are we done yet"??? It was super hot too and that didn't help. If I'd been fitter and run faster, I could have got a really good race time (for me). All the girls I'd passed on the bike flew past me on the run.

Sef & Jacob cheered me from the sidelines. So lovely to see my boys there.

More run training!!! Well, more training in general.

Crossed the finish line and heard my name called. Drank water and got an apple. Found Sefton & Jacob, Jacob didn't recognise me with my hat & sunnies, but I got a big smile & cuddle when I took them off. We went out for breakfast with some friends, although I wasn't hungry and just had a coffee.


Lack of adequate fitness to finish strongly.


2008 time 1:34:14
2010 time 1:29:43

As it was I'd hoped to go under 1:30 and managed to do that which is fantastic, a PB over this course by about 4 1/2 mins, but I just can't help but think how much faster I could have gone if I'd had the fitness to lift my run pace!!! Oh well, live and learn. I think thats the great things about triathlon, no matter how much you improve, you can always improve more! I am doing as much training as I can and I will continue to just try and do my personal best. I like this course, this is a good race even though its at a difficult time of the year just before Christmas. I hope to be back again next year, as long as I am not pregnant with #2 LOL ;-)