My race was tough. Everything had gone according to plan over the last week, although I was a bit tired from traveling, and I knew what to expect. I had been over the course, and was well aware of the hills we had to go up five times on the bike and three times on the run.
My race was at 2pm and I met up with Murray just outside our residence at 12 noon so we could ride down together. We needed to be there in plenty of time in case we had to sort out any issues, but not so early was to exhaust ourselves sitting around. We were to race with the 50-54 year olds as well.
Check in went smoothly, and we hung around warming up and making sure we were getting enough fluids and also an understanding of how transition worked - it changed every few races to accommodate the "moving" bike racks.
At 2pm we took off - well everyone else did! The pace was hectic, and it was more than enough for me. The reality of my last nine weeks came home to me. Let me recap.
* I had been in fabulous shape, worried that I was doing to much and that "something was going to go wrong" about nine weeks out. At this point I picked up a mild cold, but wasn't worried and took a few days off and kept it easy for another week.
* Then in the third club duathlon of the season an orange safety road cone jumped out and attacked me (OK, so I wasn't looking where I was going, being more concerned on a safe merge with the traffic ahead at an intersection). I fell hard, but nothing was broken, and apart from the bruising I had a pulled abductor which kept me out for a week.
* Stupidly, I then raced in the abductor which put me out for another week.
* Thereafter a bunch of small things started to accumulate - none of them serious but all keeping me out of training for 2-5 days each - a strained lower back, a pulled hamstring, a sore knee, and an aching shoulder, the last two keeping me awake at night. These things were most likely a direct result of the accident.
* Add to this shin splints and an inflamed achilles because I was doing intervals in the track in an effort to make up lost ground - possibly counter-productive.
So I finished the run about two places from the back of the field and already one lap down to the top few guys. It got worse on the bike as most of the field lapped me, and I only made up a few places. I'm just not used to this pace after so many years of ironman training and 'racing'.
The second run hurt, but I could not walk, and my speed was reduced to over 5 minute kilometers by the end of it. I finished second to last in my age group, and some 10 minutes slower than I had hoped on that course. Nevertheless I was pleased with my effort under the circumstances and I feel I went well. However I shan't be back until I can manage 4 minute kilometers on the run without going into the 'red-zone'.
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