Sweeties, Pies and Ginger

Sunday morning saw my up bright and early and on my way to Bedford for my first triathlon. As I indicated in my post just before I left, I was really bricking it as I didn't know what to expect. Even with all the problems that befell me, I had a great morning and really enjoyed myself.

So I got to Robinson Pool in Bedford around quarter past six, so I was there in plenty of time. I registered just after half past and got the bike out of the car and into a good spot in the transition area. It was right after this that things started to go a bit pear shaped.

I went back to the car and opened the boot to get the rest of my kit out. I pinned my race numbers onto my cycling top and then shut the boot. Shame the car keys were in the boot along with all my water bottles and drink mixtures.

I quickly went and asked a marshal where I could get a couple of water bottles from and he suggested Ryd:on. So I went up and asked, they didn't have any. Although they could get a couple from their shop for me before my expected start time, excellent.

So I got changed and stored my stuff in a locker and went and picked up the water bottles, which were also filled with SiS sports drink. I'd really like to thank the folks at Ryd:on as they totally saved my life, as I wouldn't have been able to complete the race with out some fluid on the bike leg.

The Robinson pool in Bedford is one of those old style 33.3 metre pools with high sides and narrow lanes and I didn't like the look of it at all. After a brief warm up in the diving pool, it was the only bit you could swim in once everything had got underway, I joined to queue to wait my turn to start.

I was getting nervous at this point and my stomach was turning over as I just didn't know what to expect, or how I'd get on. My turn came soon enough and off I went into the unknown trying to chase down the swimmer in front.

I thought I was going quite slowly due to the style of pool, however, I passed about four or five people before the end of the swim and even had to do half a length of breast stroke as I couldn't get passed someone and I couldn't do front crawl slow enough to stay behind them.

I got to the end of the swim thinking I'd done okay, grabbed my glasses from the desk and ran out into the transition area. My first mistake was putting on my windproof top before my cycling top, it wouldn't go over my wet back and I lost too much time putting it on, I don't think I'll wear it next time.

I'd driven the first few corners of the bike course when I arrived, just so I knew where to go and I'm glad I did. Just knowing the first few corners meant that I could concentrate on getting my legs working rather than having to wonder where I was going.

I felt terrible on the bike and I just couldn't get my legs to work properly, I think I need to practice the swim to bike leg at the local outdoor pool. I was getting passed by all and sundry and it got worse when I came to the first downward slope as I couldn't get the big ring to engage and was spinning out.

About five miles in you join the A6, which is a short section of dual carriage way that goes down to two lanes after a short distance. Someone had just passed my and I heard this pop and a load hissing noise and realised that I'd got a puncture. So I stopped and used the “seal and flate” stuff I'd bought just for this eventuality.

The foam started to go in okay, but it didn't empty the can and didn't pump the tyre up fully. So I started and again and really didn't like the feeling I was getting from the front wheel, so I decided to stop again and use my pump to inflate the tyre a bit more.

It's been so long since I got a puncture that I'd forgotten how to use the pump and ended up letting more air out. I decided I was loosing too much time so I got back on the bike and started off again. I eventually came to a right hand corner and couldn't get round it due to the front tyre being too flat, with the big decent still to come I decided to change the inner tube.

A quick change later left my right at the back of the bike field and I just soldiered on as best I could. The marshal's were great, giving me load s of encouragement as I went past and I eventually made it back to transition.

While on the bike I'd been really pissed to get the puncture and my failure to just change the inner tube first time round. By the end of it I was laughing at the absurdity of my anger, after all my intention was to come along and do the triathlon to see if I could do one, not to do it in a blistering time. Next time out will be different as I'll know the course and will be able to give it a bit more.

I took my time in the transition area, I'd sort of given up and just wanted to get through the run in one piece. So off I went and it didn't look like there were many people left and those that were were all on their second or last lap.

Every time I came back round to transition I think they thought I was finishing and when I kept going straight on they didn't quite know what I was up to. It was quite hard at first as my calf's were sore, but they eased off and I just kept going at a sensible pace until I got to the finish.

I managed to overtake someone just before starting the last half lap so when I got the the finish I wasn't the last person on the course, but only by about 10 metres or so. I was glad to see the finish as I don't think I could have run much further and I was just glad to have finished my first triathlon.

According to the official time sheet I completed the course in 1 hour 32 minutes and 54 seconds. I aim had been to break one and a half hours by the end of the series, so I was gutted not to have broken that barrier at the first attempt.

My bike computer reckoned that I did the bike leg in fifty minutes, so if that's true, I would easily have been inside one hour twenty, which is going to be my aim for the next couple of races that I do.

After getting all my stuff together I managed to borrow a marshal's mobile and phoned home to get the details of the recovery people. They were great and turned up in about twenty minutes, it took about another fifteen to recover the keys from the car, I could go home.

After a quick stop at Ryd:on to pay for the water bottle and to thank them I headed home. While in the car I could certainly feel that I'd been out exercising as my legs had that familiar burning sensation that follows a stiff bike ride or run. I also had that post exercise relaxing feeling and a smile on my face th whole way home.

The next race at Bedford is on the 26th June and I can't wait to get back out there and try it again. I've just got to find a way to get out running and biking before then.