3:30am on Sunday 28th September and my alarm is going off, you really are a nutter Steph!! Ready to get up and out to travel down to the New Forest for the HOWSC 100 triathlon. It was only about 10 days earlier that I had received an email asking if I was excited for the event. Having totally forgotten that I had been given a free entry into the event I thought to myself ….Well I am now!!
The preparation of getting out the door was the same as always, although this triathlon was not like the rest. Today I was getting ready to compete in my 1st standard distance (or slightly longer!!) triathlon. I’m only really just settling into the world of triathlon, and am still learning every time I do a sprint triathlon. Yet today I was going to step a little further out of my comfort zone and see what I could achieve. 
Arriving at the race venue after a couple of hours drive there was a really welcoming atmosphere, with all of the stalls/registration/transition in a reasonable small space, the excitement of competing really hit home. A quick trip to the porter loo and I was ready to get going!!!
I was back to my normal self today, very focused and walking around the venue I was visualising how I wanted to push myself. I didn’t really know what to expect having never done a 10k race before let alone at the end of a tri so I knew this would challenge me. I love a challenge……CHALLENGE accepted!! I knew I was just going to give it my all as see what happens.
I started to set up my transition area the same as always, I got my elastic bands on my shoes to keep them upright on the bike – I nailed the transition 1st time at big cow now to do it again!!There was just one difference today I knew that in a 2 hour race I would need some form of energy/nutrition. So having practiced with it in training I had chosen Cliff shot gel – Raspberry and taping it to my bike I hoped I had picked well. But with it being my first shot I will soon find out!
Before getting my wetsuit on I had a couple of minutes to have a quick look at the lake, as I wondered over I noticed a short steep climb – now that’s a bit mean to have on the run to transition! Good job hills are my speciality! Little did I know that it was also part of the run course that I would have to complete 4 times!
Another quick toilet stop and I was ready to suit up. Vaseline at the ready, although today again was slightly different. I’m a big fan of Vaseline when racing and today I decided to cover my feet in it too. I was starting the day with bad blisters and had heard a rumour. So as I always say – try anything twice! So shoes filled with Talcum Powder, feet covered in Vaseline I was ready to go!
Normally at the start of the swim it feels like a mass scrum and everyone is on top of each other to get the best spot. But here for some reason everyone was really polite, maybe it’s something to do with the New Forest?!!! There was quite a big area for us to line up in and I managed to get myself floating at the front a brilliant line for the 1st buoy. Then came the 20 second countdown – 20 seconds??!! 19,18 ,17…… This felt like it was going on forever, yet it soon came around ….2,1 and I was off.
One of the best starts I’ve ever had. Knowing that I was doing 1500m I wanted to settle into my rhythm as fast as possible, and by the time I hit the first buoy I was there! The swim seemed to fly by I felt really strong pushing through the water – not elegant looking I’m sure, but never the less I was 2nd out of the water. Again not an elegant exit fumbling around on the stones on the bottom, my legs didn’t seem to want to stand up – so I went for what I guess was a bit of a bear crawl as I rolled myself up the bank!
Heading into transition I saw the number 1 swimmer at his bike, out before him. I was leading this! Only one problem I must have knocked my cycling shoes when taking it off the rack and it was now dangling upside down. Jumping on the bike I flipped the shoe with my foot and it went in 1st time?!! Not even sure how I did that but I had nailed it again!! Awesome!!! I was of on the cycle…..
The cycle was a very challenging course with a lot of steep uphill’s followed by narrow windy single track road descents. I was enjoying the challenge, pushing up each hill, it’s strange to look back now and think that one lap would be all I would normally do. Hitting the 2nd lap I now knew what to expect and wanted to push on even more. I had taken on my energy gel on lap 1 and now just wanted to focus on driving forward with every push/pull of the pedal. I was not going to be caught….
Arriving back to an empty transition was a great feeling, I headed towards the bright coloured towel and grabbed my shoes, I was off 4laps of the course to do. Another very challenging run with some on fields and the other on trails and filled with hills. The marshals were amazing and full of support; they seemed so excited every time I ran passed. Little did I know that I was half way round my 2nd lap of the run course before the next woman started the run.
A wise man had told me to negative split my run – good plan I thought, let’s do it! Well my nutrition plan had not gone quite as well as hoped and on lap 1 I saw my gel again. Well at least that should be over and done with now, and there is no excuse not to run faster on lap 2 now! So I pushed on and lap 2 felt great. Although on lap 3 disaster – not again I thought, this must be the lot this time! So again I pushed on. By the time lap 4 came I was working really hard, picking off different trees, tables, corners and hills as I made my way round the course. I dug in deep and powered up the steep incline taking me back to the transition area one last time. Every step hurt more than the last but this drove me forward, and made me want to push even harder. In my head I felt like a cheetah speeding towards the line, not quite the case I’m sure! Crossing the line there really was nothing left, yet I instantly felt great. Even with a few minor issues within the race I had loved every second!
The results were amazing too; I was 3rd overall and 1st out of the women but 13 minutes, with 2nd place having qualified to do standard distance in Geneva. Standard race No.1 – Smashed it!!!
Am I a standard distance convert? I’m not sure yet I guess only time will tell! I think with the right training I could be better suited to the standard distance as more of an endurance event! Although my main aim is to keep pushing my limits and see just how far I can go. Where the next few years will take me I don’t know, but I will work hard and push myself to be the best I possibly can be.
No comments:
Post a Comment