Race Review - Knockburn Sprint Triathlon

Full results are here.

I left it late to enter as I didn't really want to race. I don't like the course and I don't like the entry fee. Knockburn is a fabulous training venue, great swim location, but the bike and run courses are poor. However, the opportunity to score some Club Championship points while my main rival was away at the European Sprint Champs in Dusseldorf was enough to drag me to the start line. 

I managed to get my new disc wheel inflated on the Friday night and took it for a test ride round the block. On the morning of the race it was fairly breezy, but I decided that the areas that might see cross-winds were all well sheltered so I decided to run with the new wheel. I got to the venue quite late but managed to get my kit set up in time for the closed transition. 

My swim was not too bad. There was a lot of the expected kicking, punching and shoving at the start but I managed to get into a bit of space by the first buoy. I had a bit of tightness in my back from there and I decided to slow my stroke rate and shift to a longer stroke length. I took a tight line round the back of the island. Slightly too tight as I dragged a couple of left hands through the rocks in the shallows. 

Coming out of the back of the island I set a straight line for the next large buoy while the bulk of the field followed the curve of the bank and swam further. I was happy enough to be in some clear water and comfortable with my local knowledge that I was taking the fastest line. That didn't last long though as someone else had decided I was on the best line and that he wanted to be on it as well. Not just near my line, right on it, in exactly the space I was occupying. The first few arm bumps were a bit annoying but by about 6 and him actually trying a purposeful grab and pull on my back and ducking me I was getting more than a bit annoyed. I missed a stroke trying to rebalance after my ducking and then intentionally moved away from him, even though it was upsetting my line. 

I was still going with my longer, slower strokes down the back straight, and all the way to the 180 turn at the bottom end of the loch. As I took the turn I realised my back and shoulder weren't giving me as much pain so I shifted back to a higher rate for the final section of the swim. Everyone was pretty strung out by this point but there were still a few people taking a very wide line along the loch side. The water exit was manned with two marshalls helping people to exit the water which negated all the practice exits that I have been doing. 

I was out in 12:37 according to garmin, and across the official timing mats in 12:47. Not my best swim time but well within the definition of a decent swim time. 22nd place coming out of the water.  

I was unzipped and half out of my suit as I entered transition. I got my earplugs and goggles off and tucked tidily into my swim caps so I could drop them next to my bike. I rolled my wetsuit to knee height as I reached my bike and grabbed my helmet. As I did the helmet strap I managed to step out of the last of my wetsuit and roll it nicely into a pile in one move. Feeling very pro I grabbed my bike and made a good exit from transition. From a field of 121 starters in the Sprint race I had the 4th fastest T1 time. 

I flipped my visor on my helmet as I crossed the mat and hopped onto the bike on the move. I had my feet both in to my bike shoes before reaching the gate but both strapped loosely. That was enough to get me pedalling but I had transitioned so well that I hadn't recovered my breathing. I particularly dislike the first section of the bike as it is a fast downhill with blind sweeping corners. With the new disc and loose shoes it was no better. I lost about 4 places just on that descent to the main loop, all to road bikes. I could argue they have better handling and braking so could afford to be braver but ultimately my TT bike in the hands of a better descender should still be faster on that section than any road bike.

On to the main loop and I did get a chance to adjust my shoe straps and settle in to my TT position and actually do some cycling. This resulted in a game of leapfrog with a few of the guys who had passed me on the descent. On any fast sections where power, position and consistency mattered I would pass them. On any section where handling for corners, and bursts of power for climbs or out of turns mattered they would pass me. Considering there were a few of us in such close proximity it was amazingly well behaved with regards to drafting with nice sized overtaking gaps being left as we all shuffled our order repeatedly. 

We were also starting to pick up slower riders from the super-sprint race, and occasionally being passed by fast cyclists who were either from the heat behind us, or more likely weaker swimmers from our heat. 

About two-thirds of the way round the bike course there are a couple of undulations and then a really short but steep climb. I passed another TT bike on the steepest part of the climb but then as I shifted out of the saddle I managed to somehow tense my wrist in a way that unclipped my fitbit and it fell on to the road. I was going slow enough on the climb and it took a lucky bounce off the handlebars and forward so that I was able to hop off the bike and grab it without having to double back. Only then did I realise that the hill was too steep to remount the bike and I had to do a bit of a Chris Froome and run with my bike for about 15-20m to get off the steep section. That little escapade probably cost me maybe 20 seconds. I could argue more in terms of lost speed but at that point on the climb I was hardly moving anyway. 

I got back up to pace relatively easily but the next section of the bike is so fast and sweeping that everyone had disappeared into the distance. As always, there were too many fast drivers on this section taking oncoming corners in the middle of the road. I decided to stick with safe lines despite the occasional glimpse of riders ahead of me taking much faster and more aggressive lines on the corners. 

I was still making good progress at this point and passed a couple of riders on the approach in to the descent that warrants a warning at briefing and two marshals to slow everyone. I took that a bit too carefully as I am still not used to the better braking characteristics of the disc. That and the next right hander allowed a couple of the road bikers to sneak past me again. I expected them to then disappear up the final climb but I was able to keep pace with them all the way and came in to the loch site just behind them.

I managed to unstrap and stand on my bike shoes as I was coming in to the loch site. The cyclist in front of me was less slick and one of his shoes unclipped and ended up on the path, right in the middle of the track. I managed a neat little swerve around it just as I was swinging my leg over the bike. Could have been messy and got a bit lucky there. 

39th fastest bike time. 34:33. Not great, and even if I strip out the fitbit stop it wasn't noticeably faster than 2013 or 2014. 

Through transition and I racked my bike and dropped my helmet on to my wetsuit. I was in to my running shoes cleanly and out of transition. This time a 25 second transition had me 5th out of the 121. Transitions are going very well. 

Out on to the run and I felt quite good. I passed a couple of people in the first few hundred meters and up the first hill. From there I just ran out of gas though. I had given both those places back by the end of the first lap. On the second lap one of my team mates came past me. I tried to follow him but there was nothing left. He went on to beat me by 39 seconds, more than I can reasonably blame on the fitbit incident.  

Coming in to the finish I was almost caught by another athlete but managed to eke out a bit of a sprint just to defend my position. 

1 hour 9mins 23 for 24th place overall and 11th Vet. 

Not my best race, not my worst. Disappointing result but against quite a fairly strong field.