Stafford Tri Forum
Arrived in Blackpool just after 8.00am having travelled with Stu Turner and Dion Viok the traditional smell of booze and chip fat was very apparent in the sea air, the weather was looking very good. Found registration only to be told that my name was not on the list of entrants for either the sprint ( my preferred choice ) or the olympic! There was however a Stuart Smith from Stafford Tri entered in the Olympic ( thanks Mr Chair for your belief in me! ) having won the free place and as the weather was set fair it was Olympic for me, my first one, slight nausier now set in. Having set up my gear in transition 10.00 start time soon arrived, after having walked the 350m to the waters edge and having paddled out to check water temp and had a good look for floaters, we were lined up and the claxon set us off. Swim was tough but with out incident, I always felt comfortable. Swim time was 53 mins ( 14th of 35 )and includes the long run up the beach and a painfully slow 1st transition, I still struggle to get my wetsuit off. Bike was 4 laps along an apparently closed (not at all) lower promenade and upper cycle path, a nice long set of downhill cobbles finished each lap. Bike leg was 1:19:53 and could have been better but I was very concious of the run. Run was a nightmare and entertaining as you had to dodge the general public along the sea front and although there was an element of support along the route, men in skin tight Lycra fitted in very well with the hungover gay pride lot that that were enjoying basking in the hot sun along the run route. 41 minutes of hell later it was over, 2:54:02 in total, 21st out of 35 and a glorious tri suit tan that still smarts, must put sun cream in my kit box. Well done to Stu Turner 8th, Dion Viok 17th and Rich Hill who came 2nd in the sprint. Great day that I won't forget and finished nicely with a great pint in the Sun with the Hoff in the evening. 