First open water swim since January 2022, so a bit of a step into the unknown.

I positioned myself on the back row, on the outside to try and avoid getting too beat up in the bunch. Long story short, it didn't work. I spent the entire 500m with swimmers all around me, no real contact to speak of but no room.

As usual I focused on trying to keep a long, controlled stroke. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Sighting was ok, but not that needed due to the numbers of swimmers around me.

Overall considering my training and lack of recent OWS experience it was pretty good. Felt in control the whole way round, was pushing but not super fatigued. Happy with that.

As discussed in the course notes, the finish buoys were 300m off the beach, with a 'no swim zone' So I hit the buoys in 10:17 on the garmin but hit T1 in 13:38 officially. 3 minutes plus lost here unfortunately. And 3 minutes in a sprint is a lot.

Swim more in training to be just generally faster.

Once out of the water started jogging. Wetsuit down to the waist, goggles and cap off before reaching the bike. Wetsuit off the legs, sunglasses then helmet on. kneeled down to put on socks and bike shoes. Fast wal rather than jog through transition to the mount line.

Tri shoes rather than cycling shoes. Boa fasteners are nice, but slow.

Poor start to the ride. For some reason (probably being more fatigued after the swim than I acknowledge) I just couldn't clip in. I lost what felt like minutes, but was probably seconds fumbling trying 3 or 4 times to get my shoe clicked into its pedal.

Once in and riding I took a moment to ease myself into the ride. It took a few hundred meters to get comfortable but was then able to up my effort to around 30km/hr to the first turn around. Once past the first U-turn it was hammer time. Effort went from comfortable, to comfortably hard. Speed increased but I did feel like I was into a little bit of wind. after the 2nd turn around I tried to lift again. Going past Transition to complete lap 1 of 2 I noticed my speed was 34km/hr, that's a bit faster than I expected. Must be a slight wind pushing me along.

Approaching the 3rd U-turn I sat up, took a swig of my nutrition, dropped down a gear and started pushing again back the other way. On this leg my race almost ended. I was riding along when a big pace line (drafting is legal in these tris) went past. Just after passing me a rider clipped the back wheel of a rider in front, big slide sideways, everybody on the brakes. But luckily for all involved everyone stayed up. I let the group go off ahead, composed myself and continued on my way.

Repeated the nutrition drink just before the final U-turn and then tried to up my effort to get off the bike in less than 40 minutes. Which was going to be very close (40:19 according to my Garmin) Unfortunately I recorded an official time of 41:19. I didn't realise that the ride was 1 full kilometer long. Even with my time lost at the start I would have been on for sub 40 minutes if the course was an honest 20km. Garmin says I had an average speed of 31.3km/hr, which I'm going to claim. And that's the highest average speed I've done in a tri since my only olympic distance in 2012, which is also what I consider my best triathlon performance and the fittest I've ever toed the line.

Get clipped in faster and off riding.

Jogged the bike to my rack. Helmet off, shoes off, run shoes on, elastic laces helped here. Grabbed my 100ml nutrition bottle, rece belt and visor to put on/in pockets once running. Jogged to transition exit then accelerated

Velcro tri shoes rather than Boa fastener cycling shoes would save a few seconds.

I haven't run a fast 5km in so long, I didn't know what to expect. Based off the speeds I have been running various interval workouts at I guessed 6:20-6:40/km was probably what I was capable of.

As I went around the mission bay fountain exiting transition I checked my watch, 6:30/km. So right in my expected range, quick systems check, how do I feel? legs felt like I had just finished a hard bike ride, to be expected. Otherwise I felt ok, HR was a bit high but felt manageable. So I decided to maintain that pace for the first km and see how I felt.

1km marker came in 6:33. Still feeling manageable, overtaking a similar number of runners as the number that are overtaking me. Going to keep this pace for the next km.

Km 2 was knocked off in 6:34. Approaching the turn and aid station I took about half my nutrition bottle, washed the sugar down with water from the aid station. Started to slow after the turn, seeing more numbers beginning with a 7 on my watch. Not good enough, upped my effort to stay on pace. 3rd km 6:40.

Kilometer 4 was just about hanging on. I knew if I get to the last km on pace adrenaline will carry me home. Still overtaking, and being overtaken in similar amounts. With Olympic and Sprint distance athletes on the course, and Tri/Du options for both distances it's a bit hard to know how I'm going. Km 4 complete in 6:34

Into the last kilometer I just tried to hold on till the last few hundred meters when I wanted to speed up. That's pretty much how it happened. Km 5 was my fastest split 6:27, and the final 100m was at 5:39 pace.

Overall I was surprisingly happy with my run. Bang in the middle of my prediction, and the fastest overall pace of any run I've logged since 2019.

Judging my my pace over the last 3-400m I had more in the tank. Im happy with the first half, but should have tried to pick up the pace at half way not save it all for the end.

Banana and electrolyte drink post finish. Hung around for an hour or so to see if I won a spot prize (did not) watched the kids in the playground, and let Mr 6 talk me into a game of 1v1 soccer at home in the afternoon. Can't do that after an Ironman.


Other than the usual too fat and not trained enough.

Swim, very happy with what I produced based on the training I've done.

The start of the bike was cr@p. Lost a chunk of time there. Probably could have pushed a touch more on the bike too. A power meter would help here.

For the run, I think I held too much for the end. I talked a good game and said I would push until I blew up. And I did push. But with hindsight could have pushed a bit more.


My first 'peoples tri' event since 2016. Well organised, nice friendly atmosphere and good value. And on one of the fastest courses you're likely to come across. Already penciled in the April race for the end of summer.