Out to buoy, then swm right to 2nd buoy, then swim back in, the current was to the left so had to swim out strongly to the left ot get round the buoy, the back straight was easy as had the current with us, but the swim back in was terrible, goggles filled up with water, could not see anything, so had to keep looking up for 5 seconds at a time to see where i was going and the tide was going out so it was a hard slog, the swim b ack in seemed to take 15 mins alone, but i did not panic, i had my groove on and could have gone round again, i was buzzing with confidence. I was doing 15 strokes to every sight as the sighting was pretty useless anyway and i was zig zagging all over the place,

New goggles needed as my eyelashes are touching the lense.

My Dad got a great pic of my face coming up the ramp out of the sea, i was really out of it, could not see anything, eyes had just gone after standing up so suddenly, i staggered up the ramp, walked to the top then jogged to T1, took wetty off outside of T1 as it was grass but Transition was gravel, got told off, I used elastic laces on my bike shoes as i wear lace up MTB shoes, got them on eventually !!

nothing i could do differently really.

I cranked up the bike seriously as I thought i had lost loads of time on the in from the swim. It was an out and back x 2 course, 5 k out, 5 k back ,twice, which i enjoyed as i knew the course on the 2nd lap and where to push hard. I took on a gel at 4k and 16k and drank constantly.

I was motoring along, catching up guys constantly. I had a scare on a corner when it was a 90 degrees turn onto a main road and i braked too hard front and back, locked up and went sideways, released and yelped but stayed up right, the guy behind me commented nice skid as he overtook me as i had slowed right down. Dont worry, i had him in less than 400m though. At the turn around on the out the marshall was pointing in 2 directions as she was pointing to me to go left and pointing to some non racer cyclists on her right to wait for me to pass, unfortunately i took the right as i did not know where i was going, she shouted, i then stopped, not unclipping and toppled over only to just get my right foot out in time before contact with the tarmac!! I back up only having to catch up the same guy who i just took. Dont worry, i had him in 200m this time !!

As i went by him for the 3rd time he said eventful ride mate !

It was quite flat and out was with the wind and back was into it and up a slight hill.

I caught loads of riders who were in the waves before me and on their 2nd laps, so that meant i had made up over 20 mins on some people!

drive the route before, unfortunately i could not get to the race before race day but i try to drive the route normally

None, in and out, done !

Check me out !! 5k, thats not a run, thats a few steps !! i boomed round this run, it was flat and with the wind behind me on the out and into it on the way back, i caught up several guys and gals and did my normal hows it going? your doing really well, keep going, nearly there, enjoy the race conversation with everyone, i should stop doing this as i am slowing down,

I knew this as a 5k run was really nothing to me and i should smash round in way under 25 mins, considering i have been doing races with 10k runs in them and i did not dissapont myself, At the 2.5k mark i eyed up the photographer and pulled some poses, cant wait to see them, at the 3k mark i stepped on the gas and charged home !

stop being so friendly to those i am about to overtake !

I was buzzing ! i was so high from doing this, especially how awful i was feeling before the swim! this felt like a proper race, and i now feel like i am a triathlete and not a pool bike run racer (not knocking that, its just how i felt myself) this was so much fun, i am buzzing now still and its some 11 hours since i finished !


goggles, laces,


Brilliant race, the 1st time they have done it, i hope they do an oly next year, but if not then i am back for the sprint definately !