Ringwood Tri - 16.09.2012
Rach found this event online about 10 days prior to it
happening, so it was definitely a spur of the moment decision to race it.
When she asked me if I fancied it, I had a quick look at the
bike course and was sold. Rach & I are both regular racers where it comes
to New Forest events. Personally, it's my favourite part of the UK to ride a
bike. Cycling there is almost a privilege as well as a pleasure. If you’ve
never visited the New Forest (let alone raced there) then you’ve missed out!
In the past all our New Forest racing has been in events
organised by the very excellent Race New Forest team. In fact, my one and only AG win in an Iron
Distance race came in the Forestman so the place has a special place in my
heart!
The Ringwood Triathlon however was the first race we've done
that was organised by Results Triathlon. The organisers may have been
different, but the friendliness and feel of the event was no more welcoming.
New Forest events tend to be smaller events raced by mainly locals which
surprises me as this area is well worth the trip!
We travelled up on Saturday morning, arrived and registered
then went and bought a picnic lunch and found a lovely spot in the Forest to
eat it. Never one to miss an opportunity to ride in the Forest, I went an
recce’d the course and was pleased to see I maintained an average speed of over
30kph at easy recce pace. The course went up the famous Bolderwood Ornamental Drive which is about 2-3km of stead climbing with a sting in the tail through
some stunning scenery. A lot of NF races use this road and it was good to be
riding it again. I got held up a couple of times on the recce by the wildlife
that roams free there and hoped for a clearer ride on the day, but that’s one
of the things about racing there that you need to accept.
Race Day
Alarm went a 6am, a bit of toast and jam then off to the
leisure centre. The race was fairly unusual distance-wise with a 600m pool
swim, a 45km bike and a 9km run. Being a short swim but standard-ish bike and
run suited my strengths and weaknesses somewhat.
Rach’s wave went off about 25 minutes before mine. I watched
her finish her swim from the viewing area before heading down for my wave.
There were 4 in my lane and after a quick chat it was established that I was
probably marginally the quickest (THAT doesn’t happen often!!). But the way the
start was seeded, I had to go off last – 10 seconds after the person in front
of me.
I quickly caught the person in front and stayed on their
feet. By the end of length 2 we were all in a line of 4. I stayed put conserving
energy until length 6 when I started tapping feet. By the 8th length
I was in front and stayed there until the end. I never really pushed too hard
(one of my problems with swimming) and got out with a split of 11:09 – about
where I expected to be.
T1 was pretty straightforward then onto the bike. Unlike the
glorious sunshine I had for my recce, race day was pretty grey and cool but
quite still which made for a pretty quick bike. I found my rhythm nice and
quickly and was passing people regularly. It wasn’t long before I was past
everyone in my wave and making in-roads into people from earlier waves. The
ride flew by and I was loving every second of it. My split for the 45km + T1 +
T2 was 1:19:27, average speed on the bike was about 35kph.
Quickly onto the run and I was maxing from the start. I went
through the first km in 4:07 and didn’t think I could sustain that so I slowed
a little to 4:15/km pace until I felt settled. Some young lad that I passed
towards the end of the bike leg flew by me at this stage – the only time I was
overtaken on the whole bike & run.
Shortly after I went passed Rach who was running well. Soon
my breathing settled and I steadied on a pace between 4:10-4:15/km. I held this
until 7km and managed a bit of a kick (but not much!) to record a run split of
39:30. I would have liked to have gone a bit quicker and probably could have as
I certainly didn’t feel like I’d left it all out on the course after I
finished.
My total time was 2:10:06, which put me 9th/117
overall and 2nd in my age group. Happy with that!!
Not too long afterwards Rach came in looking strong and
happy.
All in all a cracking little event. They run a race over the
same course in the spring which we’ll probably go do next year just for the fun
of it!
TTFN!
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