Another great weekend away racing. This time it was down at Nowra for the opening of the National Series. I did this race last year and enjoyed it and knew it would be good fun again. I was also keen to have a bit of race before heading overseas for work for 4 weeks. I have been training fairly consistently, but not doing very much running. My plan was to have a strong swim and bike and not worry too much about the run.
The swim is in the Nowra river, and is a straight 750m upstream, turn and 750m back. I concentrated on not slacking, long reach with my arms and good kick. After about 500m I got on the feet of someone. I tried to pass her a few times but it did not happen so I figured it must be a good pace and I stayed there. I came out of the water in 23.XX and I was happy with that ( it was prob a bit short).
The bike course was an out and back, steady gradual climb to 20k, then mostly down again n the way back. I got down on my bars and concentrated on pushing fairly hard. After a few kilometres I hooked up with another woman, no 44. We then played cat-and-mouse for the whole bike. This could have been annoying but it was actually really good as it made me work harder and reminded me that it was a race.
Before the race the TA officials had demonstrated how to pass correctly and emphasised that you must stay in the draft of the bike in front as you approach and only move out to pass when you are just behind them, so you are not blocking. I have never done this before, tending instead to sit out to the right when I pass, so I make sure I don't look as though I am drafting. But this time I followed the rules exactly and realised the benefits of doing this - you get a slingshot effect that is quite awesome.
I got off the bike in about 1.15 and I was pleased with that. I felt that I had pushed fairly hard and done my best. I was "curious" to see how the run would go. No 44 was just ahead of me going out of transition and I reached her as we crossed the bridge over the river a the start of the run. We said hello and she said she was trying to qualify for Vancouver Worlds next year. I passed her fairly easily, but then about 500 m later on the biggest hill on the course, she passed me. I thought "maybe I should try and stay with her", but the truth is, mentally I can be weak sometimes and this was one time when I was. I let myself just keep plodding along. My aim from there was to keep a positive attitude, concentrate on my form and not go too slow. The run course has two loops out and back where can see other runners and so I tried to hold or decrease the gap to other runners. When there are only 2k to go its all downhill, so from there I tried to really pick it up and finish strong. In the end my run split was 48:XX which is not great, but not terrible. But I think the run course might be a little short. (I was not wearing my GPS).
I crossed the line in 2:28:XX and was happy with that. Its a minute slower than my Olympic distance PB, but 4 minutes faster than I did this race last year (although the bike course was different). I was lucky to get 3rd in my new age-group of 30-34. If I had still been in 25-29 I would have been about 9th I think.
It was really great to get the tri season started with a race, and a good idea of where I am up to with my training (still lots of room for improvment). Now I go overseas for 4 weeks so the plan is work on my running and hope that magically I don't lose too much on the bike.
3 comments:
Great race & result Zoe, congratulations. Enjoy your time o/s - where are you off to?
PS I've sent you a PM through CR about the angry doctor. If you don't get a chance to answer it before you go o/s, don't worry about it. It's still a long way off yet !
Great effort Zoe - good to see you enjoying your first race of the season.
However, that's really interesting to read about the TA 'officials' instructing you to overtake in that manner - cause that's actually in contravention of TA rules. Under TA rulings, you must not intrude anywhere into the 7m long draft zone behind a rider in front of you (under any circumstances) and you must also keep a 1.5m clearance to the side of that rider. If you want to over-take, you have to start the passing manoeuvre before you reach that 7m zone. Unless it was a draft-legal race?
Hmmm. Interesting point there Miners. But that is not how I read the rules or how it was explained. The rules state that the draft zones of 2 riders may overlap, but only for 15 seconds and the rider behind must be gaining on the rider in front at all times. The rules also state that if you pass and your draft zones do not overlap, you may be guilty of blocking.
It was definitely not a draft legal race. I will be sure to clarify this the next time I race at a TA sanctioned event.
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