Dublin City Triathlon Race Report
Persuaded my brother Art (right) to do a race report so we could have a perspective from outside the club. He has a background in cycling and this was his first triathlon. "I'd finished my breakfast three hours ago, so my stomach was just right. Not too full, not too empty. I'd set up my transitions. I'd done my warm up jog and cycle, leaving myself just enough time to stretch before the race briefing."
"After stretching, I entered the transition area to put on my wetsuit. This is when it really hit home about the race that lay ahead. The atmosphere before the swim was so thick you could almost reach out and grab it. Those final adjustments to the transition area. Some doing last minute stretches and looking "up for it". Others grabbing a final sup of energy drink to give them that little kick of sugar for the sprint at the start of the swim. A girl beside me taking slow deep breaths preparing her lungs for what lay ahead."
"This was it. Race briefing was over. My swim wave was lining up by the edge of the pontoon now. I got a little kick of pre-race adrenaline. I felt good. I felt up for it. I couldn't wait to get in the water. Even if it was the Liffey!"
My swim wave had all predicted sub 30 minute times. I was in this wave because when registering for the race I'd taken a rough guess that I'd do a 28 minute swim. The Sunday before the race I went to the pool to do 60 lenghts(1500metres) and found out that that distance took me 33 minutes. Uh oh! A little white lie to the organisers there. Haha. What could they do now? I was already in the water and feeling rebellious for lining up with the fast guys.
The horn sounded and we were off. Swimmers clambering over one another almost like a herd of cattle struggling to get into their pen. I got a kick in the face. One or two people swam over me. A lightbulb sparked in my head. I remembered the James Bond movie where he runs across the aligators to make his way out of the pond! Didn't think the race marshalls would be too happy though so instead I opted to find open water and focus on getting a nice rhythm!
Once the madness of the start was over I quickly settled into a good pace. I knew my swimming was a weak point, so I drafted other swimmers for about half of the swim to save in energy what I lacked in rhythm. I kicked hard for the last hundred metres of the swim to get lots of blood into my legs in preparation for the cycle.
My swim to bike transition went alright. Coming from a cycling background, I figured I'd use the bike leg to balance out my race. I'd used up a lot of energy in the swim and had only done two runs in preperation for the triathlon, so I rode at about 90% on the bike. This gave me time to get my breath back from the swim, top up on fluids, and save some energy for the run. I used the rolling downhill finish on the bike leg to have a stretch and spin out the legs before the run.
Right. Two down, one to go.
Those lovely ladies handing out Gatorade at the start of the run lap were a pleasant surprise. Shame I had to keep running. Damned triathlon! But if I ran faster it meant I'd get to see them sooner at the end of the lap!
Took it easy for the first kilometre of the run, gradually upping the pace to warm myself into it before finding a nice steady rhythm. The encouragement from the race officials/marshalls all around the course did help in making you push that little bit harder. Didn't acknowledge it at the time but it certainly didn't go unnoticed, so big pat on the back to ye. I'd decided before the race that my power word if I was feeling tired would be: PAIN! I felt I had slowed a little on the second lap of the run, so on the third lap, any time I felt a little tired I'd just grit my teeth and up the pace in search of more pain! Haha. Masochism is great fun! Finished the run feeling strong.
I was very impressed by the professionalism of it all and the sheer numbers participating. The mix of three different sports left me feeling nicely tired after the race. The type of tiredness where you know you've used every muscle in your body. I was feeling good soaking up the post-race camraderie until I realised some friends and my brother were at the finish line and I was wearing what looked like a crossover between hotpants and a leotard!!! (Triathlon clothes, they're more comfortable. Honestly).
Had a little cool down on the bike, then went down to the Garda Boat Club to wash the lovely "Eau de Liffey" off and get some real clothes on before re-entering society as a changed man who was going to do lots of training and eat healthily from now on, right after the post-race barbeque that is, and maybe a few pints that night.
I can't wait to try another one next year.
Art MacManusa