LONDON TRIATHLON - Sunday 3 August

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LONDON TRIATHLON - Sunday 3 August

Postby Dan B » Mon Aug 04, 2003 12:36 pm

A hot one in the Docklands! I think my shoes started to melt in the last 2000m. I've got a lovely burn in the areas normally covered by biking shorts and now resemble a Neapolitan ice cream.

They expanded London this year to two days to include 5000-odd participants. The site of all those bikes (some of them properly drool-worthy) was amazing - millions of pounds of equipment in one quick scan.

I saw Steve Bayliss just before his elite race where he finished 24th. Hopefully he can write in with a report - his knee is almost back to good shape. I also waved hello to the Butler's crew who were manning the Expo for the first time, I believe.

The race was hot from start to finish. Standing dockside in black neoprene is a recipe for sweat. Luckily they had a few gallons of bottled water waiting to sip. We jumped in and I seeded myself towards the front third. The horn sounded and off we went.

The swim can be a bit boring; other than getting kicked in the face nothing else much happened as I set out a strong, long stroke. I could tell I was doing well when about halfway I couldn't see very many people in front of me. On the home straight there was a bit of contact, so I hammered for about 10 seconds and passed a group of five. I also lit up a lactate burn and a quad cramp that receded slowly as I glided in to the jetty. I figure I was top 20 out of the water.

My least favourite thing in the world is taking off a wetsuit. You can never do it fast enough, as it grabs your ankles for dear life. What seemed like 10 minutes went by before I got it off, bagged it and ran up the steps to the bike.

Tri tip: the Addiscombe hat draped on the saddle makes an excellent beacon when you're looking for a bike among hundreds in your rack, especially without glasses. A minute later I was mounted and rolling.

The bike leg was quite technical, with dozens of roundabouts to negotiate, but it was well-marshaled, well-marked and, best of all, traffic-free! The leg has been extended to Billingsgate Market so there's another bump to keeping you shifting. At 13-15km the crap swimmers started going by - you could hear the carbon wheels coming for miles. The bike is still by far my worst leg; even though I was pushing it I barely managed to top 20mph for 40k.

Coming off the bike around noon it was hot. Plain ol' stinky hot. To make matters worse was the lack of water stations on the run - one for each 3.3k loop, with half-full cups. By the third lap I was crusty with salt - think Lance at Cap Decouverte - but still passing people left and right even though I felt crap. I think only two runners managed to gap me permanently as I passed 5-6 dozen in 10k.

In the remains of the 30-34 age group I managed to come in 32nd of 374. A lot of the other 30-34s I would have competed against took the 'sub-2:30' option of the elite cycle course to Westminster - sort of a second division, if you will - and the winner of that race was in my age-group, about 11 minutes ahead of the 'winner' of my race.

All that aside I'm happy with my time of 2:26:30 - a new personal best. I know what I've got to work on (bike!) and I'm looking forward to the 1/2 Ironman at the end of the month.
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Postby Elliot M » Mon Aug 04, 2003 3:18 pm

Did the team relay over the full distance and came 40th out of 192 teams in 2:26. Massive respect to those doing the full event -- we all found one leg tough enough!

Our swimmer was pretty fast (21 mins) but I was a bit disapointed with 1:16 on the bike (pretty much 20mph). Only 2nd TT though. I really should have got aero bars but I left it too late to sort it out.

Some of those corners were a bit tight especially the one at the end of the back half -- and those rumble strips near the end were pretty uncomfortable until I realise it was possible to avoid them by riding in the gutter on the last lap!
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Postby richv » Mon Aug 04, 2003 4:27 pm

I also took part with a work team.

We finished 29th with a time of 2:20.

Elliot, don't take the cycle time too literally as it includes the first transition time as well. My time on the website for the cycle is given as 1.09 but my computer made it about 1.06 (and I'm pretty sure its accurate), the other 3 minutes would be explained by the transition time.

It was a great day and I am also impressed by those who do all 3 events. 2.26 is a pretty impressive time although it is difficult to comprehend how Steve Bayliss can get round the entire course in 1.56, which was quicker than any of the team entries.
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Postby Dan B » Mon Aug 04, 2003 4:29 pm

Excellent! Great way to get into tris.

I remembered those rumble strips almost too late, but by chance a guy passed me and, hand behind the back, told me to hug the gutter. I did the same on the last two laps to preserve the karma.

The turns kept you awake. The ones at the extreme ends of the course were definitely of the dead stop variety - had to make sure you dropped a couple gears so you could accelerate again. In my race there was enough space on the first couple of laps to cut the tangents of the roundabouts and bear down on the corners. Just like a real TT!

Aero bars are the next big addition for me. I'm borrowing some for HIMUK but I'm definitely getting a set for next year.
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Highlights on Grandstand this weekend!

Postby Dan B » Mon Aug 04, 2003 4:34 pm

I find 1:56 to be superhuman. Nuff said. Well done Steve!

What's cool is seeing all those world-ranked and nationally-ranked athletes in one space. There was a steadicam following Leanda Cave around for the BBC.
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Postby Elliot M » Mon Aug 04, 2003 5:05 pm

Cheers Rich, my bike computer gave me 3 mins less too so I will claim a 1:13!
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Postby Maria David » Fri Aug 15, 2003 11:17 am

Well done to everyone that did London Tri.
I saw the feature on it on Grandstand last Sunday. It looked good and certainly gave triathlon a good appeal.

I was surprised to see that the bbc reporter was the guy I took the plane with coming back from Biarritz after the etape. His name was Graham Bell and he interviewed Richard Allen. He also did the bike leg triathlon for the BBC relay team. Funnily enough when asked how he found the bike leg he said it was the hardest bike ride he's ever done - I can't believe that for a minute - especially when he completed the etape in 7 and a half hours !
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Postby Dom » Fri Aug 22, 2003 2:06 pm

Was a hot one and no water about at all! For First tri took me 2hrs 55 mins (started at 1.50pm which wasnt fun) and that left me in a pretty reasonable state compared to others around me collapsing with heat exhaustion.

Anyone doing the Southern one (between Brighton and Bournemouth on the 7th Sept???)
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Postby Maria David » Fri Aug 22, 2003 2:22 pm

I would have done the Brighton Tri but I'm doing the Southwater Relays with my tri club that day.

By the way, for anyone interested I was planning on doing a duathlon in Ardres, near Calais on 28th September (The Ardres International Duathlon). It's 6.5k/30k/3.5k and costs about 12 euros to enter. I've not done it before, but I've been told they do a generous goody bag.

Some people from my tri club are doing it, and some were thinking of travelling down the night before. As it starts at half 2 in the afternoon, I was thinking of just getting the ferry down on the day and cycling the 6 miles from Calais to Ardres, and then returning to England in the evening.
If you're up for it let me know.
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