London (Olympic) Tri - Race Report

---

If you want to swim in the Thames, ride past the Houses of Parliament and run around the Excel Centre then this is the race for you, but be warned, this race is bigger than Ben Hur!!

With nearly 15,000 triathletes in waves of 400 starting every 20 mins you are a small cog in a very big wheel. The organisation is amazingly good; however, the logistics of getting yourself and your equipment to/from the east end of London are quite demanding to say the least and I got stuck in a 2 hour traffic jam going to rack on Saturday afternoon (you can't take your bike on the underground or Docklands light railway)!!

As I was a late entry I was in the 'Male OPEN Category' and therefore missed the age group waves on Sunday morning which ride the full Westminster Bridge route. Nevertheless, the afternoon slot did give me time to get there as well as the luxury of a lie in. I only declared myself 'fit to race' late on Satruday afternoon as I had been suffering from a bad stomach bug all week, this put me in a mixed frame of mind come the race and thus I started the swim in a 'relaxed' manner.

SWIM - started steady, put a steady effort in the middle and to be honest finished quite steady!! (lets just say that I was 4 mins slower than planned and am reluctantly claiming a PW) - the water was warm (+18), murky and tasted of something rhyming with HIT - there were also some noticably 'warmer' areas with a definate change in viscosity!! - despite the numbers of 'mixed' abilty starters the swim was not too physical and I think I actually drafted someone (although I think he was doing breastroke!!).

T1 - out of water, out of wetsuit (which you had to put in a plastic bag) and then up a slippery flight of stairs into the excel arena - its massive - hundreds of rows of bikes and each row is about 100M long - I was in row JJ and actually found my place quite easily. Helmet on, glassed on, then 400M run to exit and the mount line.

BIKE - Very technical out of the complex, down a very steep ramp with a couple of sharp bends (best done with both feet in shoes and not faffing to get feet secured whilst riding one handed down a bumpy concrete ramp - note to self!). Once out onto the main drag the roads were relatively clear and very fast (especially the Lime House tunnel). There were only a couple of choke points, the rest of the course was flat out, low down aero position stuff. Completely in 'race' mode now and wishing I had put a bit more effort into the swim - finished with a 59min spilt which was a PB by a long way

T2 - Off bike and ran through transition with none of the cramps that have blighted my recent races. Found my rack position straight away, left bike/helmet and striaght into run (like to claim another PB!)

RUN - Four of the most boring and congested running laps I have ever done in my life. never managed to get into a rythm as was constantly dodging in and out of people, had to queue at the aid stations, and to cap it all it was incredibly hot and humid (+28C). Did finish quite strong and managed a negative split (many thanks to all who have helped me at the track sessions this year). Overall, very disapointed that they couldn't find a more interesting place to run - and why four laps, it was 6 deep most of the way round.

Overall finished in 2hr22mins, a bit outside my original plan but have taken many positives - most notably the bike.

Good Points - Organisation, WOW Factor, Bike route (especially if you get the Westminster Bridge route)

Bad Points - Logistics, Cost (£82), Docklands Water, Boring/Congested run course.

Next stop - New Forest Middle Distance in September - now that'll be a challenge....

 

---

Author: Nigel Peterson - 04 August 2011 19:34