I sometimes have an issue with overconfidence when thinking I can achieve something. This can be a really good thing when I commit and then have to come up with the goods, regardless of whether it was in my skill set before. With multi-sport it can be great as when you have entered an event, quite often at considerable expense, it means that you have to get through it and prepare. Sometimes you get over excited and enter something that is possibly a step too far.
Late 2012 had just whetted my appetite for the sport. I needed something to keep me going over the winter so that I didn't fall back into old, sedentary habits. As such, I joined Portsmouth Triathletes. A well run, welcoming club that were happy to accept even muppets like me. It seemed churlish then not to enter the first of their events to come along, the Goodwood Duathlon. Fresh from my championship winning form (see previous but one BLOG) I thought it was about time that I went long. And so I entered the 4k run 40k bike, 8k run event rather than the shorter one.
Somehow I managed to persuade both my brothers that it would be a good idea as well. Tim, the youngest of us and a very efficient runner, didn't even have a bike at the time so he was particularly brave. I gave him my hybrid sit up and beg bike that is great for trails but perhaps not quite so effective on a wide, flat motor circuit. My favourite quote when we arrived was a kindly duathlete spotting his bike and saying: "don't worry, people are really nice here, you'll be fine." The only shame is she didn't finish with "bless you."
This 'spring' in the UK has been absolutely freezing and this day was no exception. The temperature was hovering around minus 3 Celsius as we approached the circuit. We had all brought extra gear to keep us warm and would be glad of it during the race, in particular the overshoes for the bike leg that meant our feet were only moderate blocks of ice rather than glaciers. The coldest man at the circuit was my dad, who had come to watch his boys fly around the circuit. How proud he must have been when we trailed in at the back of the field.
Alarm bells began to ring as we set off. All three of us are reasonable runners, but as soon as the whistle went the rest of the competitors leapt forward and left David and I in their wake. Tim was keeping pace and running strongly, clearly concerned about the cycle leg. I suddenly started to worry that he might even beat me on a hybrid bike, now that would be embarrassing!
Warming up slightly we made our way into a nasty, biting wind along the back straight. In fact, in a physics defying fashion, it seemed that the wind was against for three quarters of the lap. Soon we were in transition. I had pulled out a slight gap on David and was pleased to see Tim still there struggling with his helmet (bless him). "I can't get the blessed thing done up," he yelled at me, or words to that effect. David arrived shortly afterwards but would faff in transition for ages getting his hair and makeup perfect before setting off.
For once my transition was swift and I came out just after Tim and soon overtook as he toiled into the breeze. I tucked down into aero position and accelerated, feeling good. The men and women on the carbon bikes (powered by stronger legs than mine) flew past but I was leading the personal Marshallsay battle. 10 laps to go....
By lap 5 I was struggling. I knew this by the fact that I had been overtaken by one of the marshalls who was gently riding around checking on the competitors. You always know the going is tough when you get well meaning, but mildly patronising, encouragement. The sensible people doing the shorter distance peeled off at lap 6 and I looked on enviously as I sailed past the pits/transition area to complete another 4 laps.
On lap 7 the worst happened. Legs burning and lungs empty I heard David's voice "keep going bro," and he was past. I had no response and he gradually pulled away. A momentary lift came on the next circuit as I lapped Tim. He hurled a string of expletives that I couldn't possibly repeat here in my general direction. I believe he was suggesting that this was all my fault (at which point I couldn't agree more). The last lap finally arrived and the track was full of runners but there were very few bikes still out there. I am sure that at one point a nun on a shopping bicycle came past, but perhaps I was hallucinating?
I limped thankfully into transition and was pleased to see David still there playing with his equipment. His faffing had got me back into the race. Just an 8km run to do but my legs were waking up and I had a brother 100m ahead to chase down.
I caught him towards the end of the first lap and went past him. I expected him to respond and was surprised when I looked back that he had disappeared. I looked back again a bit later and there he was, a long way behind. It would transpire that he stopped to have a wee!
David slowly caught me over the next lap but I was determined that he wouldn't recover his lead. I managed to stay ahead and came in to the finish, even overtaking one of the few people left out on the circuit. David finished soon after and we settled down to wait for Tim. He came in dead last but had run two fantastic run splits.
All three of us found this really hard but were chuffed to have completed it in tough conditions. Tim is still talking to me and might even be thinking of getting a decent bike to try another. I am worried that if David ever stops faffing I could be in trouble.
Next year I will be back, and maybe the boys will be too....
Muppet rating: 1 (biting off more than I could chew)
Triathlon Muppet
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