After last week’s wet Tri this weekend’s weather was shaping up to be perfect. Saturday was nice day but bit windy. As I walked through the compound you could see the white caps on the waves along beach it’s been like that most of the week. I chatted with a bloke who had just been swim in the bay at Elwood he told me that the water was cleaner but still didn’t taste great.
As I went to bed last night the windy was blowing from the South East at 22km/h at the time I thought that the bay could be interesting Sunday morning.
As I got up around 5:15am to get ready for the race I checked the weather and the wind had dropped right way to nothing. I don’t sleep well the night before a race so with around 3-4 hrs of off/on again sleep I knew today would be either a long day. After checking the temp was a cool 9.8c. I had breakfast, had a shower, etc. Grabbed my stuff and headed off. When I got to the compound it was dark and a little chilly. I racked my bike setup my transition area then headed over to race marking. After I got marked with my race number I walked down to the beach to see what the bay was like at this point my feet felt frozen, basically the ground was wet and cooled. The bay looked dark but flat but as the sun had not come up it was hard to really see what the bay was like. I made my way again back into transition to ensure that my bike had not been knocked over like last week did a final check of my gear and then headed over to bag drop off and grabbed my wetsuit (full sleeve this week) after the feeling the cold in the swim. Heading down to the beach again thinking about doing a warm up swim I slipped into my wetsuit and talked to a guy who was also racing, as we spoke we noticed that tide was heading out. A few younger competitors wadded out some 50 meters into the bay and the water was just up to the top of their legs. Comments like walking on water and you can walk half of the swim were made. I managed to catch up with Kathleen who I meet at the last Tri @ Sandringham we both had goals and what we were hoping for in this Tri. My goal was Sub 55mins as this was a longer race than I had done before.
Race time came and the first wave went out again they could walk the first 50meters or so. Few more groups went and then it was my age group turn we all head off. I stayed at the back of the pack and decided to take it easy. As my face hit the water for the first time it was fresh, cold and woke me up, I thought to myself glad I have the full wetty on. My swim was much better than last weeks, I made it around the first can and then heading up to the second I kept on have to stop as I was running over the top of other people. Once I got some clear water I went for it. I made it around the second can only again to run over the top of other people again. I stopped had a look around only to see myself mid pack. I pressed on and made it back to shore (ok some 20 meters out) I walked/run the rest of the way to the sand a started to remove the wetsuit. Once I made it back to the beach and started the run into transition. Found my bike removed the rest of my wetsuit got on my socks and bike shoes put on my sunglasses and helmet grabbed my bike and headed out. As we all headed up to St Kilda I powered on and passed other competitors, made it to the turn and started to head back to transition area passing more people as I went, towards the end I backed off a bit as I had a 3km run left to do. Grabbed a drink, jumped off my bike run back into transition area re-racked my bike took off my helmet and bike shoes and out on my runners and I grabbed my running visor and headed out. I held a good place right through the 3km run and I felt strong. This means a good running season a head starting in April. I made it over the line and watch showed 49mins and 41seconds. My goal was sub 55min.
My love / hate relationship with Elwood and today was love. After collecting my bike and leaving the compound I put in another 38km ride to Patternson River and back. My personal trainer will say I need to find some new challenges. We do have a bit friendly talk going on over Run for Kids, we both are doing 5.2km in April.
Now with half of my month of Tri’s now done I have next weekend off from competing but as it’s a long weekend in Melbourne I will use my 3 day weekend to put some training in, so far the weather says Sunny and 25c for Saturday here is hoping it will be nice all weekend.
Here are the official times
Overall time 49:38.44
Overall Place 403
Swim 08:23
T1 1:58
Bike 20:44
T2 1:58
Run 16:58
Placing M40+ 29
Gender Place 194
Pictures to follow as soon as I have them
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