Racing in My Own Backyard........

For years, I have never made it to the start line of Tri The Gong. An Elite Energy Race and part of the series. It's in my own backyard so it is very frustrating having not been able to participate.

Harbour swim course and the grass edge was the run course

For one reason or another, Usually...yeah you guessed it, the ITB meant no running. As it was, I was only doing the Sprint. I had signed up to do the Oly series, but when Husky L.C became a team, I also dropped back to the Sprint distance due to the legs.

Well, as with all things, all things can be unexpected and the next minute I am standing on the shoreline in the Basin with Nikki, Sonya and Michele and of course my best buddy Roberto staring down an Oly. Ok, let's get this done. (No Onion Man today, injured Achilles)

Big Gazza had given me a tap on the butt and sent me on my way. The swim start was good. I jumped over the waves up to my knees and then went the dive as there was still some space. I kept the momentum up but my crop top (which I had second thoughts about when I put it on! should have gone with that) was way to tight. Suddenly I had no air to breathe and the usual loss of breath turned into a panic attack and a breast stroke to recover. I never really did recover. I got out through the harbour into the open water and the huge rollers brought me undone. They were massive and I struggled as much with my head as I did with my breathing. I turned the two buoys and then headed back in shore. I wanted to get out! But there was still another lap and it didn't go much better than the first, except throw in more bouts of breast stroke. When I finally touched sand again I was very happy and relieved.

The gap, looks like I'm winning, but no way....losing. Lots of bikes in transition still though.

 

Out on the bike I felt a renewed strength. I never gave the swim another thought. I just focused on the road ahead and worked hard. The road surface was beautiful and we hammered along at a great pace. I saw Coach and Megzy and lil Ava walking in to town. Coach yelled Go Sammi...and then realised 'hey why is Sammi in the Oly?' "Ill explain later" I yelled as I went pass him. The heading out of town leg was fast, heading back in, a little slower as there was a slight head wind. Heading into town there were hills and I just sat and did the spin up them.

Once out on the run, I really didn't know what to expect. I was ready to pull out at any point, even in transition. I walked all the way out of T2 and then gingerly started to run. I felt ok, the legs were fine. I even had my brand new shoes on that I had only done a 1km run in. Way to take a risk on a blister and kill the legs. BUT they just kept ticking along. Again I saw Coach and Megzy and I heard Megzy say to Coach "Isn't she supposed to be doing the Sprint?" I laughed and kept running. Most of the run leg was on grass and with a bad camber but the legs kept going. I stopped and walked mostly due to lack of run fitness. But about the 7km mark, the familiar tightness started. Oh well, It's a 3km walk home, not to bad I thought. But 3 became 2 and then became 1 and I yomped it home. I high 5'd Spence as she went out for her run.

I walked while I was hidden from the crowd and on the very final corner before the run home a guy came up beside me and encouraged me to run it in. He was so nice and we had a laugh as we crossed the finish line. He shook my hand and he disappeared. SEGWAY - you meet the most encouraging and supportive people in triathlon. I have lost count of the many people who have given a kind word to pick you up and get you going again.

Race done!

Love the red carpet

Take home thoughts.

• Roberto and The Onion Man have become such good mates, embrace that.
• You need to do the open water swims and get out there.
• Give that crop top to Kez.
• Coach - wants your micro goals.
• Linda is amazing. My legs were tight and tired and the burning was starting. But after a spontaneous massage, my legs are fine. Try and work out how to do the hip stretch at home. It worked a treat.
• I liked the Oly distance. I think it is where we might be best suited.
• My bike time was a little disappointing. Michele hhad2mins on me. I could have worked harder on the hills and overall. Go hard Sammi!

Times

Name	Total	Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run
Tracy FOYSTER (297)	2:22:38	0:26:24	0:01:46	1:08:12	0:01:16	0:44:58
Karine PRADIER (330)	2:31:11	0:29:46	0:02:37	1:11:25	0:01:46	0:45:36
Jennifer MCDONALD (319)	2:31:27	0:29:37	0:01:35	1:08:26	0:01:33	0:50:14
Francoise COIRIER (290)	2:37:14	0:25:38	0:02:06	1:12:42	0:01:25	0:55:20
Fiona BENNETT (278)	2:37:36	0:31:28	0:03:15	1:12:00	0:02:46	0:48:05
Danielle SYME (342)	2:41:18	0:28:20	0:02:08	1:11:04	0:02:00	0:57:45
Bronwen THOMPSON (343)	2:49:24	0:35:37	0:03:05	1:13:42	0:02:30	0:54:28
Samantha BOWDEN (283)	2:59:56	0:31:57	0:02:39	1:17:20	0:02:49	1:05:10
Paula GAUDRY (299)	3:02:17	0:38:37	0:03:29	1:27:45	0:02:03	0:50:21
Sonya STEWART (338)	3:02:37	0:34:00	0:02:16	1:18:02	0:02:13	1:06:04
Lisa KRUGER (311)	3:03:05	0:38:15	0:02:48	1:23:06	0:03:13	0:55:42
Christine PEARSALL (327)	3:09:04	0:38:34	0:04:53	1:17:54	0:03:16	1:04:25
Lisa MACFARLANE (315)	3:09:36	0:38:54	0:01:53	1:20:31	0:01:57	1:06:20
Lynne BERSON (279)	3:11:11	0:40:07	0:03:06	1:27:35	0:03:23	0:56:59
Caroline JACONELLI (309)	3:15:47	0:36:40	0:03:09	1:27:12	0:03:16	1:05:27
Polly SEIDLER (335)	3:23:44	0:38:42	0:02:44	1:35:49	0:02:05	1:04:22
Sharon PROSPERI (331)	3:49:07	0:45:09	0:03:34	1:35:46	0:03:20	1:21:16
Michele ROCHE (334)	2:46:27	0:30:47	0:02:25	1:15:29	0:01:42	0:56:02
Robert COULTHARD (112)	2:35:59	0:30:20	0:02:23	1:09:34	0:02:22	0:51:17

Times:
Happy with my bike staying in front of Sonya - ha, race wheels. But need to improve.
Swim - 2mins behind Roberto suggests how badly I swam.