The swim was quite nice with the majority of it downstream, although it took some of the challenge away!

By the turning buoy I had caught up with lots of pink hats from the wave before and they all seemed to come to a stop with the change in direction of the current. It was a bit like dodgems!

After the longest transition ever (my Garmin clocked .76km) it was onto the bike. Really enjoyed the part through the park. Didn’t so much enjoy the rain and my tyres not gripping at the roundabout. Managed to avoid coming off but had to go round the roundabout to make the turn.

Then the run, I’m not too fond of that part, or the hill! I ended up 2nd in my AG, holding 1st position the whole way until the last lap of the run! I blame the hill!!

…Well done Lara. 🙂

On Saturday I raced ETONMAN 70.3 as a training day for IM Bolton. I had completed 100k surrey hill cycle and an 18k run 2 days before so wasn’t what you would call race rested.

I planned that if I buckled at least I was only 1.5k away from transition at any point – one benefit of doing many laps!

The swim went smoothly. I got in to the groove (and space) quite quickly and cruised the distance without trying to race it coming out of the water and T1 2^nd in age group and 11^th overall.

I started carefully on the bike, not sure how my legs would hold out after Surrey Hills on the Wednesday, and built in to a consistent near 34kph average for the 10 lap 90K. I entered transition 2^nd in age group and 16^th overall but took my time to put calf guards on and hydrate as I had run out of fluid on lap 9 of the bike. I exited T2 21^st overall and 3^rd in age group.

The run started well at a steady 5.50/k as my hopeful best was a 2 hour finish. At 15k my sever lack of run training manifested. My first run over 6k this year was at Belvoir Castle Olympic on the 16^th May so had increased distances without having time to consolidate. At 15k I fell to pieces and had to stop and stretch several times. By the last 2.5k I was hobbling along at 7.00/k – just.

I finished the run in 2.22 which was such a disappointment.

I finished the race in 5.46 and 10^th in age group

 ….Great work Simon.