2 races this month accompanied by a shift in training. XTERRA Weston Park was the first race of the month, the week before round 2 of the British Triathlon Super Series, in Wales.
I’m still trying to keep on top of both off-road and road racing, and with two sprint distance triathlons in two weekends, XTERRA Weston Park was also the first off-road triathlon of year.
I took the swim out well, 2nd to the first buoy with another Junior guy in my category and then pushed to close the small gap I could see opening to him. Onto his feet and we had a small gap over the rest of the field, 5s or so a couple hundred metres in. Then about 250m in he swung right where the kayak was indicating a right hand turn at the buoy. There was one more buoy in the corner of the lake on the way out I saw after turning, and then did a couple backstroke lengths to check if I went wrong, and the rest of the field had followed our direction. I was right we went wrong so we cut the course short, I think not helped by the kayak’s placement but then I decided to continue as the rest of the field followed. Would’ve been right to go out to the last buoy but then would’ve probably DQ’d the whole field apart from me and no DQ’s in the end, so just rolled with it, as everyone went the wrong way.
Still 2nd out the water and pushed on the last bit to try and gain back my lost time. Caught the leader’s few seconds gap out of T1 and started the new bike course from last year. More climbing and a tough undulating course around the Weston Park estate was what I liked. Despite good legs I started to fall back pushing hard, mid way through lap 1. Turns out my legs are good just my cranks span back less than half a rotation after, so riding with some strong resistance made for a forcibly harder bike, and a 2minute+ gap to close heading into a 5k run.
Still unaware of the mechanical during the bike at this point I was a bit pissed feeling like I was riding slow so ran fast and pulled up to 2nd from 5th Junior-Youth/overall, still taking the Junior win though, with a 17.25 5k over a twisty trail course and punching another ticket to XTERRA World Champs again.
Unfortunately Worlds are in New Mexico, USA, so will be unrealistic for me this year. Still I’m hoping to get out to Italy for the XTERRA European Champs in 3 weeks but I will have to be quite lucky with getting that to happen with cost getting out there, just hopefully can get on top of it and sorting a suitable mountain bike upgrade.
My latest interview linked, this time with XTERRA PLANET here. Telling important life stories aside from purely sport.
Llanelli British Series
1 week later and in Llanelli for my 4th consecutive year for Round 2 of the British Triathlon Series. This being the first race with seniors made for faster racing, and some World Class guys to add into the mix with the top elites. Heavy rain and thunderstorms coming and hitting, pushed my race start forward with 20mins to go, and then again, becoming 45mins later than planned. Not ideal, but more just pretty boring waiting all day to race.
Getting going eventually at 5pm, I put myself on the red-line too early with my placing out the swim. Lacking aggression in my fight to make up places cost me and 4s was all I needed, being the first person not to get in the front two groups that stayed close and away, ending up riding lap 1 of the bike solo after failing to bridge solo to the 10 man group 3s ahead. I waited up at the end of lap 1 for the group to catch me and then started initiating work with them, but as seemingly classic with triathlon no-one is willing to work. About 3 of us were flicking through but it takes others to make it work. One attack went solo from one of the other guys working, just after I took a big pull on the front. No reaction was just what I wanted, so after 10s I had to take it into my own hands and tried to get up to him myself. I caught him up less than half a lap later, but unfortunately just ended up pulling everyone else up. Would’ve been more ideal if we could get away, but need to head myself in one of the front groups to make it work.
Getting out T2 at the front of my group I ran semi-well for lap 1/3 of the 5k, legs maybe a bit flat from pulling so much weight and effort on the bike to prevent too much time lost.
I started picking it up though with each lap until I found some proper shifting and really was able to kick the last k and pull myself up to 9th Junior. Top 10 was decent from where I was but still a bit of a slower 5k in 15.40. I’m happy to be self ‘critical’ and call it a pretty average result, and know the circumstances would be a lot difference if I could find 5s more seconds in the swim, which is definitely possible. There are good positives to take away, but I like to not forget ‘bad’ races.
Llanelli started a bit of a shift for something better. I don’t want to waste time and am happy with what I’ve implemented in the last 3 weeks since then.
The next thing for me now is my first Pro race – racing the pro race at Super Tri Blenheim Palace next weekend, and I’m excited to get stuck in with Olympians, seasoned pros and top WTCS athletes.
Thanks for reading,
1 more week until my next race,
I’m excited.
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