Nerves kept me awake for most of the night and I was actually pleased to get up when my alarm finally sounded at 6.30am.
I got dressed in my Tri Suit before putting some warm clothes on top! A quick glimpse out the window was enough to comfort me that the torrential rain from the day before had moved on!
I tried to eat a bowl of porridge and a banana before checking my bike over, pumping up the tyres and packing the car.
At 7.15am we set off for the 48 mile journey from our home in Kendal to the Festival Village in Keswick.
We arrived just after 8am and got parked easily in the car park adjacent to the start. I went to register and collect my race pack. There was no queuing but when I gave my race number she said
"and you are Karen?"
"Errrrr no, I'm Lesley"She apologised and said there had been a glitch in the system that had mixed everybodys names up but promised me my race results would be correct under the right name.
I wasn't very happy! My first Open Water Tri and I wanted MY name on my number so I changed it myself!
I was back at the car by 8.20am where I stuck my numbers in the appropriate places then headed off to the transition area to set up my bike etc ready to go!
Although my wave had a swim time start of 10.30am, registration closed at 9am and the transition area closed at 9.15am which is why we had arrived so early.
I trundled into the transition area and found my bike rack place. I tried to set everything up properly ready for a quick transition but it was so windy everything kept blowing away! In the end I admitted defeat and put everything bar my cycling shoes and running shoes back in my box and secured the lid! A longer transition time was better than losing my things!
I didn't feel happy with my set-up but didn't have much choice under the circumstances! It was a large transition area so I counted how many rows in my space was so I had some hope of relocating it after the swim!
I nervously headed back to the car to try and keep warm until the race briefing at 9.30am.
I ventured to the toilet just before the race briefing and realised how difficult it was whilst dressed in a tri suit with a hoodie and jacket on top! Basically I had to totally strip just to have a quick wee! I think people in the queue thought I had tummy issues! Next time I will have to wear my tri suit pulled up to the waist with clothes on top until the last minute!
Most people had changed into their wetsuit in time for the briefing but there was no way I was going to strip out of my warm clothes until the last minute!
At the briefing I met a friend from the tri club, it was nice to have someone who was a confident triathlete to support and calm me!
We were informed that the lake was cold ... just 11C and due to the low temperature there was an option to miss the swim and just do the cycle and run! I must say this sounded very tempting to me but I knew I would be very disappointed in myself if I wimped out at this stage!
The rules and transition rules were explained to us before we were dismissed and told to reassemble at around 10.20am for the 10.30am deep water start.
Just after 10am I realised I couldn't delay it any longer and braved getting out of my warm clothes and into my wetsuit! Being a total wimp I also wore a neoprene hat under my race cap, as well as wetsuit socks and gloves! I needed some feeling in my toes and fingers if I was going have any success riding my bike!
No sooner had I donned my wetsuit and it was time to make our way down into the lake for the deep water start!
I was feeling slightly scared, but tried to be brave!
I waded out as far as I could before braving the cold water totally! The worse bit was hanging around waiting for the Klaxon to sound to start the race! I felt like I had been treading water for an eternity!
I didn't actually hear the klaxon sound but just saw the canoeists paddle rise! I'm not sure whether wearing 2 hats had temporarily deafened me or if it wasn't very loud!
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I was pleased when we were finally on our way but after about 25 metres I really started to struggle. I had to talk myself into staying calm and ended up doing a few strokes breaststroke and then some front crawl! I was pleased it was only 400 metres!
I think the cold and mass start got to me! I struggled to cope with so many bodies splashing around me!
My wet suit actually seemed to peel away without too much trouble and I was soon off out of transition pushing my bike. It was only whilst I was pushing my bike out of transition that I realised I had forgotten to put on my cycling gloves! I was expecting frozen hands - again!
I couldn't believe how far the "cycle mount line" was from the transition racking area - I felt like I had done a 5K pushing my bike! I really must practice trying to push it by the seat - other people make it look so simple but I really struggle!
Once I was actually on my bike I really enjoyed the ride despite it being exceptionally windy and fairly cold. The route had changed slightly since I had done my recce a couple of weeks ago but most of it I still recognised!
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Once I had completed the route and had dismounted at the "dismount line" there was a steep uphill section followed by a long grass section to push my bike over!
This really took it out of me but it made running without a bike seem easy!
When I entered transition I was comforted to note that there wasn't very many bikes back on the racks which meant I wasn't doing too badly or the rest of the people were doing the long tri!Whilst I was running out of transition I was hot on the heels of a young lad, until I heard someone shouting at me "you doing long or short route?" I shouted "short" and was told I was going the wrong way!
I had to do a quick turnaround to get on the right route but was grateful that I didn't have to do the full long route - I really didn't have the energy!
As it was the run route was great - it was scenic and very enjoyable despite the fact I was feeling tired! There was a couple of things that irritated me, the first being the number of competitors walking!
The route though the woods was very narrow at times and I struggled to get past all the people who were walking!
My other complaint was the 2 roads we had to cross which was also on the cycle route! The men's wave started 30 minutes after our wave so we were trying to cross at the peak time the majority of the male cyclists were coming along!
For the first crossing I was stopped for 3 minutes and the second crossing I was stopped for 2 minutes - that's a lot of time on a 5K run.
I think this needs rethinking and something different put into place.
Either a different run route or a later starting time for the men's zone so the 2 don't clash! The men won't have had this problem so they will have faster times!
We have had an awful lot of rain this week and as a consequence the route was very water logged in places! However, after swimming in a freezing lake splashing through puddles was a doddle!
When I re-entered the festival village I thought I was home and dry and then a hill that felt like Everest appeared!
Cursing under my breath I managed to keep running up it and then down the other side towards the finish line!
Once over the finish someone removed my timing chip from my ankle and I was handed a medal, a banana and a bottle of water!
Once I re-entered transition to retrieve my bike and my belongings I had to wash my wetsuit to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species - not something I was thrilled at doing at this moment in time but needs must!
I was delighted that I had finished my first Open Water Triathlon, slower than I would have liked but considering the cold water, the high winds and the traffic jams crossing the roads I don't think I did too badly!
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My "DREAM" goal time was made up of:
400m Open Water Swim: 12 minutes
Transition 1 (wet suit removal!): 4 minutes
20K (12.42 miles) Cycle: 55 minutes
Transition 2: 2 minutes
5K (3.10 miles) Trail Run: 27 minutes
My goals were:
Finish Time which dreams are made of: Sub 1 hour 40 minutes.
Realistic Finishing Time: Sub 1 hour 45 minutes.
Will be happy with: Sub 1 hour 50 minutes.
I ended up doing:
400m Open Water Swim: 13.24 minutes
Transition 1: 5.90
20K Cycle: 52.47
Transition 2: 5.11
5K Run: 31:50
Finish Time: 1:48:22
I was 2ooth /346 entrants
14th in my age group and
58th female
I hadn't realised when I was setting my goals that the transitions would be such a distance!
That's my excuse and I am sticking to it!
I am happy with my time all the same!
Not bad for a first attempt in bad weather!
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