triathlon training camp

Up at 730 and feeling ok. Honey nut loops(other breakfast cereals are available) ,no coffee fruit for breakfast. Off to the start HQ.Sun is out and no frost.Doesnt seem to be too much wind about. All set going to the front of the van, back of the van back to the front of the van then half way to the back of van remember something i need in the front of the van. Everything taking three times as long. Mild pre race autism . Keiron is there , go and say hello.Just a blank look on his face , jog his memory ,mention nbcc, just a flicker of recognition then nothing. Anyway must crack on.Got my number , 3.Then 20 min spin on the rollers. Go and look for a likely suspect to put my number on for me. Uncomfortable area this ,basically touching another mans arse whilst trying not to stick a pin in him. After much uneasiness number is on. Off to the start. Number two looks handy, disc wheel the lot. Number one is a no show.Hmmmn.

Off we go.9.03. Down the hill at warp speed ,roads a bit wet. Can’t fall off wearing NBs skin suit that he doesn’t know i’m wearing. all 160 quid of it. Keeping the power at 280 watts to 290 and feel like i’m really moving. HR monitor stops working. I don’t need it.Side winds are pushing the bike around a bit even with only 50mm rims how the guys with disc s are doing i dont know. Blast past number 2 after 5 miles no one else ahead. Distance on the computer seems to be on 7.65 miles for a while. Thats stopped working too. The way i’m feeling i’ll get off and carry the damn thing if i have to. Head down pushing hard up some long drags ,pouring the power on ,speed holding at 21/22 mph. On the flats 25/26 and downhill 30 plus. Get to half way in 26 mins. The hour is on.

A bit of a rough part of the course for 2 miles .wind doesnt seem to be helping much this way either.Don’t lose it here. Back on the main road ,speed back up, hurting now ,power is dropping to 250 watts at times .The finish can’t come quick enough.the long straights, a blessing on the way down seem to stretch on beyond infinity now. Legs burning ,lungs screaming ,head saying on on on !The final turn half a mile to go.Its not 10 o clock yet.Pass the time keeper ,3 i barely manage to whisper. Clock says 1000.Its got to be in the bag.Got to be. Roll back to the finish.

Time is on the board. 57 mins 53 secs. Fastest 25m tt for 23 years by 2 mins. Stoked. laid out my table and intention for this year. Was only 12th but these are real cyclists ,its all they do. not multisports where we have to compromise between 3 disciplines ,and i’m just about in the mix…..apart from keiron ……who won by nearly 4 mins with a 50 min something or other. which is just rude.

the cake at the finish was beyond immense. which was very well received.worth the drive alone.