No running since January, very little bike in the winter. The course was hot and sunny. The first really hot day of the year, in contrast to last year, where it rained for this race.
I was a lot calmer. I had trained a lot more during my first year as a triathlete than the previous year.
My tendonitis is still sore but on scale of 1-10 it's about a 2, so I figured I could go for it.
This year, I remembered my kit. This year I remembered Sharon, I wondered why such a good looking woman as her didn't post an abdo pic on Trifuel.
I got off to a good start and went hell for leather on the bike to climb to the pool. This time only one guy passed me and that was at the entrance to the complex. Off the bike I was already exhausted, feeling pushed to my limit. Breathing hard, wondering about the medicine again. In the pool I was better than last year, I had the goggles this time, I pushed my chest down pull my hips up and swam 100meters and I was fading, I couldn't get the breathing right, one guy passed me. Just stay calm, you are never going to win so stop hammering.......
Out of the pool, I want to be sick ......it's not a strong feeling but it's there. On the bike fiddling with a zip, damn it should have left the jacket behind, I am off.
down hill I see a competitor not far in front maybe I will catch him, down hill around the bend across the village, and uphill and no I am not going to catch him. My legs are burning. We climb for about 5 km up and around to the left, up and around to the right, and up and up and up......and feck it it's hard. I call on Garen and IronMom, I don't know why they just pop into my head. I will save the spirit of Anton for the run......
I don't remember this part of the road, and my breath is laboured, I can't even get out of the saddle and then I see the next village, there is a huge turn and it will level out. I remember that from last year. I relax a little, find a rythm and there is gang of ladies by the side of the road, it's cool to get cheered on, it fills up my tank a little and I set off. I don't have a high cadence maybe 75 -80 I have to leave something for the run don't I? But in truth I was pushing as hard as I could. The descent was just great. Now I was out of the saddle, looking up into each bend to see if the marshall was giving me the 'take it easy sign', I didn't quite master all the turns, and there was a moment, when it seemed like the bike left the ground for a split second........ I managed to get my feet out of my shoes and make a perfect dismount. A guy on the door said open your helmet, I opened it, he said, NO don't open it, I couldn't get it closed again. I ran with one hand on the clasp, set my bike down, the hall ref had a good speaking to me, I got my shoes on, grabbed my bottle and off I went. I realised the goggles were still around my neck. I wrapped them around my wrist and forgot about them...
1KM into the run, I am calling on Anton to wonder what the heck you do with a stitch in your back, I am slow as a fat pregnant ox. I can't get any speed up... at this point last year, I was the last person on the course. I am now happy as there more than a few, the people I saw on the way home loop last year I didn't see till I was on it, and that was good. 2km no more stitch, some easy of running coming, 3kms I am struggling slow. Daniel comes up alongside, come on Collie, don't stop, someone else calls out on the other shoulder, come on collie the warrior, you can do it... I am hurting...I am running, I am digging... Daniel mentions the rugby matches from yesterday, I remember the faces of the Irish guys fired up in the scrum, I remember the English, it's all I need, it's like a refuel. I take off , I am still digging, I am still swearing, there is the line, come on to f**K I can do it, ......arrgh yeah we stuffed them in the rugby.......sharons, abs, the line........a sprint... Daniel laughing , dear God I did it again.....................wow.
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