Gatorade QLD Tri Series 2007/08 - Raby Bay Race 1 - TriathlonMini Sprint

I tried to start towards the front of the pack but got swam over as the gun sounded. I got hit around the head, neck and back but I think I hit a few guys too so it was a fairly rough start. I settled into my stroke after the hectic beginning pretty quickly and thought I was on track for a good swim but as I got out of the water and checked my watch I was a bit disappointed. My swim was 1 minute slower then last years, not the start I was after.

I thought it was going to be a good time so I'm not sure what I did wrong. I guess I just need more practice....

All good and I think I passed a few guys.

The last time I raced here it was a new bike course so it was all new to me and I didn't know what to expect. This time I had knowledge of the course and I tried to use it to my full advantage. I knew when to go hard, when to relax and the best spot to drop a GU. I monitored my average speed and tried to maintain a constant 33kph (my computer displayed 33.1kph average for the 14.7 k’s which I think is one of my best ever average speed).

Very happy with my bike time and to be in the top 17% overall was a great result.

I fumbled putting my shoes on and it seemed to take forever to tie my laces (I need to buy some elastic laces again) so it was a slow T2.

I need my elastic laces for one!!!

I headed off on the run after making up a heap of time on the bike and I worked out that I needed to run the 4k's somewhere under 17 minutes to beat last years time. At the 1k mark I knew that it wasn't going to be a PB today. A mate of mine passed me at the 2k mark and that spurred me on to pickup the pace some. In the end the run was still good, even though it wasn't fast enough to give me that PB.

One of my goals is to run 4.30 k’s and today I did that which is very cool. My sessions with Pat have helped me reach this goal. Now I just need to repeat this effort in 2 weeks time but this time over 10k.

Caught up with my mate (over a Gatorade and watermelon) and had a chat about the race and how we were traveling for Noosa which is only 2 weeks away.



A crap swim time and wasting time in T2.


To go so close to beating my Raby Bay PB was a little frustrating, but on the other hand it was also encouraging. I know now that I'm pretty close to the same fitness level as I was this time last year which means I should go close to beating my Noosa PB as well.

Today was great hit out and a good way to blow out the cobwebs that have built up over winter. Bring on Noosa!!!