Claire you're doing a great job as we have two race reports on Lake Garadice last weekend. Read on for Grahams [aka birdy] report. Well done on your first one! Hope you're hooked!!Gregs is below too. Claire you're doing a great job as we have two race reports on Lake Garadice last weekend. Read on for Grahams [aka birdy] report. Well done on your first one! Hope you're hooked!!Gregs is below too.
Glorious Leitrim! Training had been going well up to going away for the weekend. I had gotten some helpful race tips off Jack as I was a bit apprehensive about doing the open water swim it being my first race. I was in Sligo for the weekend hoping to get some surfing in but the weather decided I would be spending the Saturday watching some rugby instead as there wasn't a wave to be seen anywhere in the area. My friends all thought I was a bit strange giving up one of my bank holiday days but they were very nice and kept the partying on the Saturday night in a part of the gaff so I could get some sleep (very much appreciated!)
Race day arrived and off I went with all my gear packed the night before, or so I thought. About 40 minutes from the house I was thinking about the swim and I decided to have a look at my hat and goggles and then realised they were sitting on my bed back at the house. Good going Graham. So tried for a sports store in Carrick-on-Shannon no joy. Luckily I knew somebody else doing the race gave them a buzz and they had a spare pair to lend me, mental note invest in more then one pair of goggles just in case. So I got into Ballinamore and found the registration point and signed up. That went nice and smoothly. I asked one of the organisers if he could tell me whether the cycle route was marked so I could do a bit of a drive on it and I was told it had been changed from a loop to an out and back due to a horse and donkey fair clash I laughed and then he turned to me and said "no seriously we have had to changed it" fair enough so. I went the wrong way to the transition area and had a nice 25 minute drive around the lovely Leitrim countryside, When I eventually was on the proper road I noticed how rolling the roads were, this didn't bode well for me using my brand new tri bars. Parked the car near the transition area and brought my gear down to the transition area and had a look around at some of the other nice and shiny bikes, wishing I had of polished up the German (what I named my bike) for its maiden race. I went back to my car to put on the wetsuit and was surprised at the number of people running and cycling around, I figured I would be doing enough of that in a short while and would conserve my energy. I managed to miss most of the race briefing in my lackadaisical approach to getting ready for the race. I figured I would just be following most people anyway so couldn't stray too far off the course. I was getting very nervous at this stage and the butterflies in my stomach felt like they invited as many friends around as they knew. Then I heard 10 minutes to the start and would the competitors get ready to get in the water soon. I tried to set my transition gear up as best as I could and pulled up the wetsuit and put the game face on, it wasn't a pretty sight my game face that is. The noise of the others started to build as obviously others were starting to get excited too. Into the water all of us green capped swimmers went. There was a rather strange sight of a guy sitting on bike on top of a couple of floats in the middle of the water that was a bit puzzling. So we were bobbing up and down at the start line and I decided it might be a good idea to find out off one of the other people doing the race where we were supposed to be swimming. I had been advised to be at the side so as to not get kicked in the face but somehow I had managed to get myself up the front and slap bang in the middle. I decided feic it might as well stay here and then suddenly the hooter sounded and the arms started thrashing the water. The visibility was about 5 foot in front so I decided to stick with these two people in front and hoped they would look up now and again and save me the hassle and it turned out to be not a bad move. I didn't ever manage to settle into a rhythm for the whole swim which really annoyed and tired me. I am not ashamed to admit it but this is the one part of triathlons that I really like and here I was wishing it would be over. Anyway got out of the water in a respectable time and straight over to the bike. I was quickly changed and off on the road. Now those rolling roads were having a laugh at me. I was passed by my mate after about 5 minutes on the bike, he was far from the only one that would pass me on the bike but few had as big a grin on their face. I found it tough not being able to hunker down and be able to power away (you would swear I could cycle quickly) on flat road for long stretches. Anyway during the cycle I decided I needed to get in more speed work on my bike as I was amazed at how many people were flying by me. At the turn around point though I started to feel a lot better and the legs were starting to get into the scheme of things. Not too many people were passing me now and I even caught one or two. There was a group of about 6 of us arrived in to the transition area. I tried to put my bike up on the rack but it wouldn't stay on the bar, after the 3 attempt failed I said screw it and laid the bike on the ground against all my better judgement, I cherish my new bike a lot and have even gone to the extent of putting socks on the locks when I am locking the bike so I wont scratch the bike. Off came the cycling shoes and into the runners and out again. Good second transition. I didn't feel to comfortable on the run and then it happened a stitch sent from the devil himself. It felt like 4 of my ribs were trying to trying to either puncture my liver or my stomach wall or both. I ended up having to walk for about 15 seconds and then I was off again. I was surprised that not too many people were passing me even though I felt like I was jogging at a really slow pace. At a water station I almost drowned myself trying to drink and run at the same time. Yep was funny for the spectators at least. The second half of the run was sore but I seemed to be feeling sorry for all the people still on the run out. I finished knowing there were 2 people close behind me and I had decided that there was no way I was letting them beat me to the line. I was so glad that it was over and I was worried that Kilkee a the end of the month was twice that distance but I put that thought away popped on my free t-shirt that I could wear with pride now I had finished the race. I headed back to Sligo to see if there was any surf but it was as flat as when I left. A big dinner and a few beers were my reward that evening. I found out I finished 50th in the field out of 125 so it wasn't the worst start. Here is a lovely picture of me in full flight though there is another on there of me looking not so composed in you can find it J http://www.flickr.com/photos/3dtri/528757714/in/set-72157600305694507/[thanks to 3d photo club]
Birdy
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