This was my first OWS and my first time in my new wetsuit. (Nothing new on race day right) I love OWS!!!
My wetsuit is ace. It's only the entry level suit, but as it's my first, I don't know any better. The bouyancy is great and i could swim so fast in it that i felt like i had a propeller strapped to it. So, why is the time so slow???? read on.
My son told me that he wasn't a good swimmer, but with a mum who used to swim for the county, his brother a qualified lifeguard, and him having a body that looks like a 5' 9'' version of Micheal Phelps, I didn't expect what unfolded.
We started at the back of the last wave so as not to get bashed about too much.
I was to swim to the right hand side of him so that i could sight him each breath and pace him. Around 10 strokes in, i backed off my pace a little as i was 4-5m ahead already. By 20 strokes in, i began treading water to allow him to catch up. 'He's just getting used to it' I thought.
Wrongly.
To cut a very long swim story short, i spent the next 45 minutes swimming side stroke (which was still a little too fast for him) on my back doing leg drills, doggy paddling, looking for fish, chatting too the nice canoeists who had given up their time to make sure we wern't drowning, and of course encouraging Elliott that it wasn't too far to the next bouy and that we were doing well.
The most interesting thing that came out of it, was a conversation that we had whilst being passed by a breaststroking lady. Elliott thought that he might be being slowed down by his wetsuit that we had borrowed from my brother as it didn't quite fit him right and had a lump of spare material across his shoulders. I went through the pros and cons of wearing a suit Bouyancy etc), but at the end of the first lap we checked if it was ok to take it off and i stripped him out of it for lap two.
Off we set, with Elliott proclaiming how much better it felt, as we powered(!) the first 50m or so. Of course at this point he tired again and realised how much the suit had been helping him to stay horizontal. The second lap was, needless to say, slower than the first.
We exited the water 3rd last with the last two competitors just a few seconds behind us.
Never mind, i thought. He can pay me back on the run section.
And my wetsuit rocks!!!

Pay for swimming lessons for my son?
Illicitly add a tow-rope between us?
Leave him at home. Definately the cost effective option as i had to pay for his entry fee.

Due to my laissez-faire attitude to T1, we hit the mount line dead froggin last. Nothing like a challenge, eh.

Take a race attitude into T1, not a Sunday morning one.

I had borrowed my friends Specialised Tri Cross bike for this event as my son was using mine (which is actually my other sons that i had borrowed). It was a joy to ride.
what wasn't as slick was me getting into my clip ons. My brilliant friend who is a keen cyclist and works in a bike shop, had given me a pair of shoes that he no longer needed complete with clips to match the bike, plus gloves, jersey, water bottles etc. (thanks Jack)
I had not had any real practice with the clips, so struggled like a donkey at the mount line, trying to get clipped in.
Elliott and I were fairly well matched due to him being kn*ckered from his swim effort and me being super fresh from mine.
He settled after a couple of miles and despite this being a no-drafting race, we stuck pretty close together so we could chat. I kept all of our energy supplies in my borrowed cycling jersey and passed over gels and energy bars as required. Neither of us had ever used them before, so this was quite novel.
We maintained a good (for me) pace and actually passed a few people. The weather was perfect, the scenery great and we rode through some really pretty villages.
I remembered my clips and prepped for the dismount so as not to look a fool and all went well.

Practice my mount. Otherwise nothing. I loved this part of the race

Due to my laissez-faire attitude to T2........
We left Dead Froggin Last

I really must take this these changeovers seriously

I adapted to the run better than Elliott, who struggled with the stitch for the first mile, causing us to walk for short periods. He then settled in and became the stronger as i started to feel the distance. I had to walk every 5 mins or so for about 20 seconds which reflected in my overall time. Elliott was always in front, having to stop for me to catch up and it was his turn to shout the encouragement, run backwards, side skip etc whilst i plodded on.
We managed to pass a few people again, hwich was satisfying.

I need to run more, and for further. I haven't done close to this distance since my 10k race in April.

Collapse by the refreshment stand, drinking lots of water and munching water melon. Nice lady poured a jug of water over me, which was nice.


The race was held in Yorkshire. This is a region of 6 million people, yet it remarkably would have come 13th overall in the Olympics if it was a country. Alistair and Jonathon Brownlee come from Yorkshire and they took Gold and Bronze in the Triathlon. They are one fast breed of people! The winner of my race was only 8 minutes slower than the Gold Olympic time and would have won the womens race outright with his time of 1.58.59. Jeepers.
My initial target was 3hrs 50. My big dream was 3hrs 30. I acheived that and know i could have been maybe 15mins faster, so i am am thrilled by my performance for my first ever Oly.
It was great to do it with my son, who is now looking forward to our next race, and my other son also wants a piece of the action.
What a great sport i have the honour to be part of!