Another clear and sunny morning for this race. We really have been lucky so far with the weather this season.
We were out in numbers today as well – Danny ‘Gorilla Hands’ Harris, Lee Oliver, Paul Scriven, Daniel Geisler, Neil Wicks and Ros Townsend-Hope and yours truly hit the start line for the 5m / 17m / 5m event. We also had Raymond Bunn in the slightly shorter event that just did 1 lap of the first run instead of two.
Although sunny it was chuffin freezing and most opted for a top under their tri suit. This low body fat lark leaves a lot to be desired in the colder months!!
I hadn’t done this race before but had heard good reviews and it didn’t disappoint. The run started off with a lap of the grass track on the school field before hitting the road. It was all right turns starting on the main road and then into a country lane before a little off-roading across the thankfully dry field and back into the school grounds to repeat again. It was a flat run apart from a very little up hill section in the country lane.
The pre-race favourite Lee Rankin set the pace. Danny and Neil went with him along with a few others and the rest of us set off at our own pace. I didn’t see them again but Danny tells me that he managed almost the first lap with Rankin before Lee stepped up a gear and ran off.
I’d started this race after a recovery week and was feeling pretty good. But it was one of those days when you set off and know you’re not firing on all cylinders and your just gonna have to suffer and beast yourself through it!
Into T1 and I believe I was in about 8th place. The team were going well with Paul, Danny, Daniel and Neil all in and out of T1.
The bike leg was surprisingly hard. There was a little headwind, which never actually seemed to become a tail wind? There were also more steady ups and fewer actual downs. Or maybe I was really suffering?! I overtook two very early on but didn’t make any ground on the others in front. It felt like I was cycling through treacle today. Then just in the last ½ mile I was actually caught by another rider. Now I know I’m on a bad day when I get caught as I’m not too bad on the bike. I noticed Danny on the road already running and shouted words of encouragement.
Into and out of T2 with two others right on my shoulder. One lad ran past me, whilst I could hear the other on my heels. We caught the lad who had passed us and he dropped off the back but I couldn’t go with my man and he pulled away to finish ahead of me in 6th place.
Danny and others were waiting at the finish. Lee Rankin won the event by nearly two minutess and again showed his class.
A brilliant overall team effort with the following results:
3rd – Paul Scriven
4th – Danny Harris
5th – Neil Wicks
6th – Daniel Geisler
7th – Andy Day
32nd – Lee Oliver
65th – Ros Townsend-Hope (3rd lady overall)
In the shorted event Raymond Bunn finished in 39th place in just over 2hrs.
Great to see such a good team turnout and such strength in depth.
Oh and on a personal note I was slightly happier when as I removed my bike from T2 at the end of the race, I realised that my rear tub was virtually flat (Lee is my witness!) This may have had something to do with me hating the bike today.
But on a serious note I didn’t have the legs and the rest of the WTC Boys showed me the way it’s done!! Top ride lads!!
Daysey!!