2007 London Triathlon Report

To say I woke up early on Sunday morning for breakfast would be misleading as it would imply that I actually got to sleep in the first place. For some reason I get so unbelievably nervous that I can not sleep and found throughout the night my heart rate and breathing racing as I imagine certain aspects of the up and coming race. This combined with a lack of food on Saturday due to being stuck on the M25 for most of the day whilst visiting family and then finally room service at the hotel informing me theY had run out of pasta an hour after it should have been served. I thought it best to miss the meal as it, now being 10:30pm, would keep me awake – oh how wrong I was!

On the day of the race it was a fine warm morning. As I wandered over to transition it was great seeing all the bikes and competitors getting ready. It also filled me will a little confidence seeing some of the people who were running very late dashing about; at least I had an hour or so before my 8:30 kick off. The great thing about London, as I am sure those who have competed in it before will confirm, is the scale; it is enormous. There is a great sense of participation seeing the whole mix of competitors and indeed, later on, all the TV crews, bikes and helicopter as the elites compete.

To the race: My briefing was at 8:10 where the usual explanations and warnings were given. It was also the first time I realised that there were 470 people in my wave. Last year there was about half that and I thought that was pretty big. We were ushered down stairs at 8:22 having completed a serious of chants and handshakes with complete strangers in an atmosphere of both tension and humour – both brought on, I would imagine, through fear.

I got into the water early. It is totally mad being lined up on the start line having had a little swim and still seeing a constant stream of black wetsuits and white hats entering the water. Having become accustomed to the unusual taste of salty water with a hint of aviation fuel I looked behind be to see row after row of men and just thought – oh my god I hope they are not all quicker than me or else I am going to be severely trampled.

The horn sounded and I swam with my head up for the first 5 or 6 stroke whilst I worked out who was where. I had gone wide on the start line to avoid the overly competitive bunch huddled around the nearest buoy and this paid off as I soon found myself in the relative clear. I had one or two tussles on the out part of the out and back circuit – largely due to individual’s problems with their sat nav’s, I thought: if you want to cross in front of me then you have really do have problems as I am out wide!

The return leg was trouble free – and I love using the huge yacht and Excel Centre as markers – it just seems so different having trained at Whitlingham. Out of the water on to the pontoon – out of wetsuit – and on to the long run (well jog) to transition, up the stairs and retrieve your bike – in amongst the other 10,000 odd! The transition went well and I was soon out on the bike. It is a fantastic feeling having the roads closed just for you. I was doing the Westminster route along with all the early starters and the elites. This was my first time on this route and I was looking forward to riding along embankment. As it happens you get so carried away with the race that you do not really spot all the great landmarks. I think the highlight is the Limehouse link tunnel: you really accelerate on the decline and the wind and echo in the tunnel really gives you a sense of speed – the only negative is obviously – what goes down – must come up!

Coming into T2 I was pleased that my feet-out-of-shoe whilst riding and bare feet run worked; despite not having practiced it recently (no doubt thanks to Phil for drilling it in to us in last years tri-training Sunday mornings). 

Having completed the bike (without too many people coming past me) it was on to the run. Two laps, again out and back, around the dock you’ve just swum in. I knew this was going to be tough as it is my weakest discipline. I was pleased that I did not suffer the bambi legs – but I think this is helped, in part, by the long transition areas – where you end up running more slowly. I really noticed the lack of sleep and food in this part; I was knackered. The sun was really beating down and I found myself literally running from shady bit to shady bit, albeit there was not much. I decided I would take water at all the fuelling points provided by the event sponsors, discovering that Gatorade is not easy to take-in on the fly – wearing most of it – and also finding out that it is very sticky and stings the eyes. I only used the water ones in the end. I was seriously drained and really felt like I was ambling rather than running – you know it is hot when you see people just stopped, walking or receiving medical attention! As I turned for the head-to-home (last ¼ lap) It felt like I could not pick up any pace, remaining relatively constant – but no sprint finish. The final ramp up into the Excel centre was very tough. I thought I had sprinted home the last 100yrds – but when I looked on the finish cam they have – the difference between perception and reality was clear.

I was seriously knackered – having problems walking and hearing what people were saying to me – in fact I do not recall speaking to some people! Despite the worst preparation for an event I have ever had (in terms of sleep and fuelling) I was still very please with my time of 2:25:51 which saw PB’s in each discipline. I was seriously glad that I was not a later starter getting the bulk of the sun – like Gary Wooton (it was 31C when he finished).

In conclusion – London is a huge event and it has a really special atmosphere. Yes there is less support from the crowds and marshals on the course say compared with Norwich, but it is just amazing and so different. It is billed as the largest triathlon in the world, yet the organisation is faultless and you cannot believe that so many people are able to compete at the same time. A good way to spend your birthday? – I think next time I might just relax in the garden!!!

Results

Official Results