Gatorade Tri Series Race 5 - Elwood Race Report

Last week saw me talk Friday, Saturday and Sunday off training. Sunday saw me take a trip to Geelong to support the TA crew racing in Geelong, it was wet, it was warm it was great fun! Fast forward 1 week - Another weekend and Triathlon, Friday saw the ye-old setup of the TA Taj. Getting to be an old hand at this but I feel that the team gives me support and this is my well of helping out and supporting the Team.

TA Taj at Elwood

Saturday saw a light training session, the body felt great the rest did it’s trick. I made a promise to myself I would do one race this session with the TT bike. So added race wheels and took the Fuji out for a ride and race.  Saturday’s session felt good, thank god we did some transition work as my transition practice sucked! Didn’t know why could be the many things but the first run through was not good, the 2^nd was better. A Quick open water dip and the Saturday session was done. Saturday afternoon saw the last week of my stroke correction class, these class are worth every cent. Saturday night was early to bed and rest for Sunday’s Race.

Sunday – Race Day!

Got to Elwood around 6:30am and made my way to the TA Taj, racked the bike in front of the tent and dropped off my bag. Around 7:00am a few of us made our way down to see the Active Feet TA crew start their race. Towards the end of the swim starts I made back to the TA Taj grabbed my Transition Bag and Bike and headed in to Transition. Got everything setup and then headed back to the Taj.

Around 8:00 I wettied up and headed down to the beach for a pre race swim. First off I noticed that the wind had picked up, during my swim I noticed the further out go, the worst the water got. On Saturday it was clear today it was not.

Lined up and waited for the horn to go, I elected to start down the beach a bit which was good and bad. Good as I was away from all the washing machine start koas, bad as there was a currant pushing down course. The start was good I found clean water (ie. No-one in my water) and pushed starting down course was good as I didn’t have a sharp turn at the first can it was more a genital turn. Powered on to can 2 and back into the beach. Run up the beach passing TA Cheer squad and run into Transition. Off with the wet suit on with the sunglass and helmet and  grabbed the bike and off we went. Got to the mount line and jumped on. The TT felt great not fast but felt good. There was a bit of a head wind heading out but in the aero position felt fine. Two laps seem to fly by you can see me here coming back to transition after finishing both laps.

Lap 2 of the Bike done Transiton time

Re-racked my bike on with socks and shoes and off for a 5km run. The start was ok, but just after the first water station the path transitions to grass then back to path. There was a dip in the grass area and I rolled my left ankle I kept on going and it hurt but once on the path it seemed ok. I managed to catch 3 other TA people on my run and made it back over the finish line in 1hr 19m 26s.

Then the team watched all the presentations where we collected 9 places on the podium. Great day for Tri Alliance. Later this afternoon some of the TA Crew meet up at th Beach Hotel which we all had a few cold drinks.

At the finishing line

The photo’s are not the best but I guess I had my game face one. I will post more as they come online.