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Deva Triathlon - race report

JulesJules Posts: 987
I did this today, my first OD.

I had a great time and enjoyed it, even though I was hoping to be quicker.

I was in the first swim wave at 8am. The start was OK, I deliberately started at the back to avoid the ruck. I started off a bit slowly - mostly due to a tight chest due to nerves but also swimming upstream first (the swim being in the river Dee)

I slowly got into it and got a reasonable ryhthm going, especially after the turn and swimming downstream with the flow.

About 500m out from the end I kicked someone - by accident obviously! This caused my right calf to cramp up painfully and I had to swim a while with no legs at all.

The swim was about 32-33 mins. I don't have exact times as results are not up yet - I had a look at the screen after finishing.

Then on to the bike. I have only just got clip in pedals and shoes. I hadn't perfected to shoes on the bike thing so I didn't bother. It was only fifty yards or so on grass to run so I was OK just running in the bike shoes.

The bike went well, it's my best discipline and I went past a fair few people on the bike. However, I don't know if the swim took lots out of me or what it was but after not very far my legs started feeling odd, a bit light and I couldn't put much poer though a pedal stroke. I was OK, I stuck it in a lower gear and spun quickly and managed to get good speed up. I felt the leg thing might not be a great sign for the run though and so it would prove.

I clocked 1.13 for the bike which I was happy with. I reckon with a bottle on the aero bars I could have knocked a couple more minutes off that too.

Then there was the embarrassment also know as the run. Or slow jog in my case. As I'd feared the legs just didn't have it in them. Not just jelly legs at the start, I couldn't get them moving for the whole 10K. About half the field seemed to pass me plodding along. My legs were very heavy.

I managed a dreadful 56 minutes 10K. Shocking, a slower pace than my half marathon in April.

Transitions were OK I think. Not desperately quick but not bad. I got the wetsuit off fine.

I ended up with a time of 2 hours 47. Not bad, but I'd been hoping for a lot nearer to 2 1/2 hours - which I would have been with a half decent run. Still, when I'd entered in November, I wanted to break 3 hours but couldn't see how I would manage that! So I'm OK about 2.47, just not the run I managed.

I know a few other 220ers were doing this, I hope it went well!

Comments

  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    I should have said - any tips for avoiding the run problems next time greatly appreciated. I had plenty of fluid and food, gels etc on board so I don't think that was the problem.
  • brizzichickbrizzichick Posts: 166
    56 mins for your 10k run is rubbish!! man o man...wot i'd do to do a 10k in 56 mins and think it was rubbish!!! you should still be chuffed jules...great report... altho i've never done a OD, wouldn't you use this as a guage for future ones, like a benchmark?

    (don't worry, I'm really good at giving out advice but when it come to me looking over my results I'm always way too critical and know i coulda done better)
  • moobsmoobs Posts: 14
    Deva was my first OD tri in 2007 and I've never looked back.

    The organisation at Deva is really good, although the steps at the end of lap 1 / lap 2 are a bit of a bugger on tired legs. I still wear the T-shirt with pride.

    Well done.
  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    loved the report......it, along with a few others posted today are getting me excited about doing my next. Thanks!

    I've never done a OD so i can't offer any advise, but i can tell you i'm in ore of you. A big well done.
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Jules wrote:
    I should have said - any tips for avoiding the run problems next time greatly appreciated. I had plenty of fluid and food, gels etc on board so I don't think that was the problem.
    I think it will mainly be a question of practice! ... And a bit of training... You've just stressed your body in a different way - the overall time is a lot more than a half marathon - and you are using completely different muscle groups/physiology. Some intense brick sessions might help. A base built on greater distance at the disciplines.. plus some good intervals. Hmm.. I'm not being much help here.. but it is about raising the level...

    Well done though - it's a good effort!
  • stubtoestubtoe Posts: 9
    Hi Jules. 56m ain't bad mate, I posted 58m yesterday! Did the first 5km in 23m and the next lap in 35m, so I obvioulsy hit that 'wall' everyone talks about. Well, more like ran smack bang into it and knocked myself out!!! So I'd also be interested if anyone got any tips to avoid blowing up like that...

    Other than that, for my first OD, I was chuffed. Posted a 29m swim, 1h16m bike, so about 2h47m overall as well (think I actually finished right behind you looking at the results???)

    Also like to say a big thanks to Chester tri club for organising what was a brilliant event. Marshalls were suberb all the way round the course.

    So, you doing another OD this year then?!?!
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Feeling slightly better about it today

    I'm doing Bala Standard in September, so I'll see how I get on there.

    Jack Hughes - more intensive brick sessions is one thing I've thought of, I think I need to get more used to not just running but running a t a reasonable pace after a bike.

    A guy at work had a nightmare yesterday, anything that could go wrong did he said. His goggles came off in the river, then he was sick straight out of the water (in front of some couple on a Sunday stroll ) which would have dehydrated him, then he had a pedal unscrew on his bike leg, so he had to stop and screw it back on - with his fingers, then couldn't get going on the run. His first OD race too! He finished in 3.23 which was a top effort in the circumstances.
  • gdh250467gdh250467 Posts: 237
    Interesting to read how you got on, and that time is excellent for a first OD, you must be chuffed. Hopefully got my first OD this weekend, and targeting a sub 3 hours.

    It seems that whatever training you do, it just doesn't replicate race day. It seems that the best brick session there is to race!
  • nicknofingernicknofinger Posts: 284
    Hello just got back home now after a weekend away for the Deva, so here goes.


    Swim was really good and really pleased I did it without a panic attack. I had a time of 33.51 not the fastest, but seeing as I did Blenheim last year in 28 minutes, I was over the moon.

    Bike was ok really nice ride great conditions and just really enjoyable. A time of 119.00 so ok on my little bike.

    The run was really good even managed a sprint finish up the hill to post a time of 46.27, so pretty pleased with that.

    The best bit has to be a combination of the swim and the great chocolate brownies at the end. I'd doo it again, good crowd and amazing fun.
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Oh, blowing the club trumpet here, but the race t-shirt was the best I've ever had too
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    well done jules (and nick!), glad to see your first OD was an enjoyable experience.

    were you hammering it on the swim? the tri-talk podcasts some time ago had a thing about swim pace affecting bike and run. something like 90+% effort in the swim having an affect on other disciplines. i don't know how they judge 90% effort though and it could all be nonsense to non-elites.

    56min run isn't anything to be ashamed of though and gives you something to aim at in september!
  • nicknofingernicknofinger Posts: 284
    I tried to take it really easy on the swim to save myself on the run. I do think it helped, mainly using my arms to save my legs.

    I can't wait t do another OD it was great. And Jules have you taken your T shirt off yet?
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    @ris - I was trying not to try too hard in the swim.

    Why is there so much swim in an OD anyhow? It's only another 400M in HIM yet the bike and run are doubled.

    @nick - not put it on yet, I'll wear it on Wednesday to track session. BTW if you registered on Saturday before 6ish, cahnces are it was me dished it out to you
  • nicknofingernicknofinger Posts: 284
    No registered on Sunday my girlfriend keeps telling me to take it off, great tri your club did well.
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