Milton Keynes OD Tri 21/09/09Posted by willtri on September 22nd, 2009
Race Report – Sorry about the length but my first OD!!
Two members of the BCTTT we there myself and James Wilson. Well done James – good to meet you!
PRERACE
First impressions of the event were not good – no routes released until 10 days before the event – so no time to ride the course.
Went up on the Sat before to drive the course – and ouch – after a couple of miles of the bike there was a beast of a hill. 12% on the sign with the internet talking about 16% at one point – I measured it at 0.5-0.6 of a mile – and we had to do it TWICE!!
Also doubly glad to come up the day before as took about half an hour to find the start (stupid tomtom couldn’t calculate a route to the one provided by Blacksheep Sports)
Pretty much no sleep the night before – couldn’t stop thinking about the missed training, the two hills (did I have gearing to cope with it – only two ring on the front – really wish I’d had time to ride it!!) – The fact that I’d only swam 1500m once in the pool, etc….
Eventually got a few hours kip and then up at 5am for breakfast.
Jumped in the car – grabbed my one year old daughter and up to Caldecotte Lake – Mum met me to look after Olivia – had time to give a quick ride on the bike (Olivia – not my mum!!) – need to get her into the “way of tri” early 
Usual milling about pre-race nerves – had a chat with a few folks in transition- all set to go.
SWIM
The Sprint was off first so we got to watch them head off. The highlight being the last person out of the water – they were really struggling in the last 75m – bit of crawl and then slowing to a stop – we were in the water at the time, when we saw her coming in everyone was really cheering her on – she couldn’t help but keep swimming with 100 odd people egging her on. Really good to see.
So the horn goes and we’re off – immediately get smacked around the head! Ha ha – that’s what’s it’s all about.
My main aim was to set off as slow as possible – every other time in a race I’ve had to resort to breast stroke as gone off far too fast!! Managed the whole “1500m” without stopping (well apart from 20seconds of BS so I could go for a wee!)
Got out of the water in just over 30 mins (something must be wrong – quickest before was 36 mins) the course was definitely short – which becomes a bit a theme!!!
i’ve worked out that the swim cannot be more than 1300m!
BIKE
It had to be the most technical first 2/3 miles of a tri out there – first few hundred yards over grassed paths – then over an aqueduct and then through a housing estate, railway line and then finally out into a decent straight road. I did make some time up/overtake a few people by hitting the apexes!!
Then to the hill – it was a bugger – when I got there, there were people walking and pushing their bikes up. I was determined not to do that – got 2/3 up the first steep bit and then had to do the old diagonal trick to make it less steep – made it, then the slightly less steep bit, then eventually the well deserved downhill to make up some time!!
Then my lovely Trek decided to let me down – when going quicker than 7mph got a load of squeaking from the rear wheel – carried on for a bit – trying to work out what it was but eventually had to stop – lifted up the back wheel, spun it, nothing. GRRRR.
Got back on and it immediately starts again – carry on for another few hundred meteres – jump off – breaks not rubbing. ??????????????
Have to do the last 15miles with this noise – sounds like I’m riding a 90 quid Halfords which has been left in the rain for winter. Turns out it was a rubber bung/seal on the left hand side of the axle. Not sure what’s wrong or how to sort it, not sure it was slowing me down. Great time to have a problem! Off to the LBS.
RUN
The plan was to run 5k at 154bpm, 2.5k at 162bpm and then hammer it for the last bit. And I was pretty much bang on. 23mins for first “5k”, and then 21 ½ mins for the second “5k”.
Again – the run was short – seems to be around 8.5k!!!
OVERALL
A really fun well organised event let down by all three events being very short. Why is this – to make sure everyone gets PB’s and comes back next year!?!?!?
Chip timing should be at every race.
Results – Overall 105/136
Swim – 00:31:08 109/136
T1 – 00:01:58 92/136
Bike – 01:19:47 82/136
T2 – 00:00:40 51/136
Run – 00:44:35 122/136
Adjusted
Swim – Around 35mins
Bike – Around 01:27:00
Run – Around 52 mins
Moving forward
- Make sure ride route before hand
- Get bike fixed and maintain it better
- Work on swimming over winter
- Work on running as well!
Loved it! Really enjoyed being out there longer than the sprint! C’mon next year!!!!!