Triathy 2009 – 673rd position

“I don’t want a good General, I want a lucky one ” Napoleon once said. Although I was feeling good in the battle of TriAthy 2009 luck deserted me at kilometer 5 on the bike course

Everything was going to plan and I was feeling in control. I was surprised to be in the lead at a very early stage in the swim as I don’t think I’m back to swimming my best just yet – I did not really want to lead as in my mind 3 or 4 of us would enter transition together and so my plan was to try and conserve energy for the early stages of the bike ride – but as I rounded the bridge to swim the final 300m against the current I realised there was only 1 person with me – if the others had dropped off with the current I told myself they were unlikely to ‘get back on’ in the final 300m so again I kept a strong but comfortable pace.

Only as I got to my bike did I realise that Fraser was slighty adrift and so it made that first few kilometers on the bike that little bit easier as it was in the first half of the ride last year that I really suffered. I took my gel early and some fluid on board and kept it at around 38-40kph into the wind – I knew Fraser would catch me and probably quite quickly but my plan was to go with his pace when he did.

As I heard the locomotive coming and his gears changing down to make the pass I also a nightmare sound – a loud bang from my front Zipp 404. Game over.

“Fecking£$other**ck**gshi£%head”

It was the first time in quite a while that my turrets took over – and its only the fact that I love Sally S-works so much that I didn’t throw her into the field. We had gotten to know each other well since British Champs 2 weeks earlier, our bond was getting stronger every time I mounted her and I know that “all she wants to do is ride”.

It was 10.50 am in Kildare. I had gone through the process well until that point and like I told “The Pack” a few times in the early season – sometimes the process is just as important as the result. I had done a few prep sessions, I had stepped up to the start line with the intention of winning and I had even found the only bar of dark chocolate the night before in all of Athy !

My swim and transition had gone well and although my racing was now over my day was not (maybe if it had of been raining I would have had a different mentality !?). I got back to transition as quickly as I could in my cleats and Rob Cummings from Wheelworx very kindly came to my aid and brought me a new front wheel. As the leaders headed towards the 1km marker of the run I began my race for a second time.

I tried to keep as good a pace as I could but I found it difficult to regain a race intensity. I kept a good pace on the tarmac sections of the run course and apologetically weaved in and out of a steady stream of athletes. Finally after nearly 2hrs and 53 mins I crossed the line in 673rd position. My boy Cartmell had impressively defended his title as he builds towards Uk 70.3 in a few weeks.

It may sound weird but apart from having a 10min cursing fit I was happy when I crossed the line. Sometimes you have to just suck it up and try to make the best out of a bad situation.

I love racing in Ireland. I love the positivity and spirit in an Irish transition area. The race was once again a great event that gets bigger and better every year – my thanks to Brian Crinion and all his team who looked after me so well.

Some post race shenanigans to report on as my memories come flooding back in the coming days

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