Saturday, 10th September, 2011. So my race is tomorrow. I start at 7.40am, but my only option is to get on the bus at 4am! This means getting up at 3am. The whole thing sucks really, and I am so disappointed. I suppose it is just as well I was in bad shape with a knee that probably won't see me through the 10km run. If I was in good shape I would be livid. But nevertheless I have spent an enormous amount of money to get here, and I spent a lot of time trying to ensure everything was in order. Of course I did not know that I was to be deceived and then herded like a cow. I guess that is (my bit of) China for you. I don't think I will be back in this lifetime. I guess you were right, Gabrielle. I am not widely travelled having only being in the sum total of six countries, not counting the two I have lived in. Each of the other five had me wishing I could stay longer, and has wanting to go back. Not this one, baby.
Anyway I got out on the bike course yesterday, and I had a swim in the reservoir in the morning as well. I felt awful in the water, on the account of my fatigue. However once out on the bike, I met up with some Hong Kong guys, including two who had seem my Manawatu cycle top and come over for a chat. There were North Islanders now living in Hong Kong. The cycle course is undulating but still quite fast. The road surface is very smooth, and it is full of big sweeping bends. It will be technically tricky because we have to ride on the right, on an anti-clockwise course. This means cyclists will naturally drift to the wrong side of the road, meaning there could be passing or blocking penalties galore. There will be about 1000 athletes doing 3 laps, and even with the wave starts it will be rather too busy, making a relatively simple course quite technical.
Prior to getting out on the bike course, I watch the Men's elite race. I have to say it must suck when you are 21 years old and you come second in the world, but you can't beat your big brother. There can only be one thing worse than a Brownlee when you are an elite male triathlete. And that is two Brownlees. The brothers dominated wire-to-wire, with the younger finally finishing third in the race, but securing second in the Championship table. The kiwi men did not really challenge for the race win, and the first of them, young Ryan Sissons seems to be the heir-apparent in New Zealand.
They lead out the water...
Dominated on the bike...
And almost demolished the field on the run. Young Jonathan slipped to third in the end.
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