Monday 6 September 2010

London Junior Elite Triathlon

London Junior Elite Triathlon

London Docklands/Ex-cel Centre

8th August 2010

The worlds largest triathlon, it was crazy, it was just a constant stream of participants.

All ages, all shapes and all sizes competing in different distances.

I was in the Junior Elite race. This race was mainly made up of the Top Juniors from across Britain. This was my chance to see what I was like against our friends from the mainland.

The swim was in the docklands, with an in-water start.

Had a decent start, and was going up towards the 1st buoy in line with the front bunch, coming upto the buoy everyone just crammed ontop of eachother, it was like nothing I had ever experienced - it was scary, I thought my race was over there and then.

I had to thing quickly I see what was the best thing to do, I had no water to catch so I bailed out of the bunch and went up the inside got around the buoy ok stayed where I was until the next one, and managed to get around it without much drama. Finally clean water! Now the huge straight. This was my chance, I swam straight up the inside along the rope I didn’t even sight, I just followed the rope the whole way up, I just was passing loads, I was making up all the places I lost at the buoy. The rest of the swim was fine and exited with the front guys maybe 8th out of the water, happy enough.

Had another super T1 maybe 1st or 2nd fastest, this helped me get out on the bike in 4th place. The cycle was pretty uneventfulfor the majority of it, just sat near the front of the lead bunch, was not a very fast pace at all but still the chasing pack wasn’t gaining anything on us.

Then coming back upto the Ex-cel Centre, the race completely changed, I was at the very front of the pack, the course was meant to go on past the Excel Centre, around a round-about and back in. the only problem was the marshals wanted us to go straight into the centre without going past it, and therefore not the correct course. As I was leading the bunch I knew I had to go on, I started to go past the entrance, but I seen the majority of the pack turn in, I decided I had to do the same. I had to turn back. From being at the front I was now at the middle to back of the pack, I had lost so many places.

Another good transition made a few more places up and onto the run, feeling ok I just had to forget what had just happened and try and do my best on the run.

Run went ok nothing special, but still ok.

I managed to gained more places along the way, and ended up finishing in 6th, very close to 5th, if I had another 100m I would have had him, but I didn’t, so 6th it was. Therefore I was pretty pleased, didn’t manage to fulfil my aim of top 5, but I think it was very good considering the major mishap that was uncontrollable.

All in all a really enjoyable weekend, and a good race to finish it off. Looking forward to this race next year.

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