Takapuna Contact Tri

With the sour taste of missing Geelong still ripe in my mouth, I jumped on the bird to Auckland for a grudge match. I wanted three things out of the race; number one was amending last year's blunder of tearing off on a extra lap on the bike; two was to test the tit out in a short sharp swim; three to just let off some steam!

Taka treated us to a rip snort of a day and my tired body was quietly fizzing for a tester.
I was off to a tentative swim start, then put the gas on and managed to swim the long, but less messy, way around to the front guys where as I just started to get into my stroke, the beach came up to meet us. The 500m swim must be measured on the king high tide and we were right on the bottom of it, not to worry I'd survived and ticked off one of my key processes.

After seeing my heart jumping out my throat coming up that nasty hill to transition we were on our bikes and away. I'd talked to Tim, (the coach), and we'd agree I'd work hard from go if there was the chance of a break, which there was and a group of us made the most of it. It is amazing how fast you go, with relatively little effort, when in a small bunch with everyone organised and working. And that was the that for bike ride. No real attacks were thrown out there, although a Korean rode away for a small gap towards the end, which I think none of us actually realised, I definitely knew nothing of it.

A good T2 and I had my legs running for their life - another thing Tim had said, take it out hard. So was me and the Frenchman Moulai forcing the pace through the first kilometre. It was about then my legs sent an urgent memo to my brain asking wtf I was going on.I had done bugger all running, let alone anything at that pace, since Kinloch and 1km was about as far as I could fake it. I tried to hang tough but about halfway through I did a silly thing and started thinking backwards. Four of us had broken clear, but I couldn't sustain the pace - how far behind was fifth? What if I pushed to hold on and then exploded and got run through? Two questions that shouldn't have crossed my mind. I was in defence mode and watched the front three run away, only to see one drop off just up the road - if only I'd been 'just up the road'...

I ended up coming in comfortably in fourth and even stopped to lap up the outstanding atmosphere Takapuna streets put on for us - it really is an awesome place to race, possibly my favourite so far.

Lesson learnt - hang on as long as you can, then hang on some more.

Until next time,
Nugget.

Kinloch Sprint Oceania Cup

Well, boy oh boy I came into this race fair humming and hungry to cut my teeth in the first race of the year. Of course, there's also those pesky brainwaves wondering what everyone else has been doing, and has anyone really been on the sparkling water and sleeping pills? With a freezer of venison, I certainly had not.

Having never raced well in Kinloch I was a bit on the nervous side but pre-race head-space aside, I was ready. Got off to an average start (these young upstarts really bring the biff) and had my usual 100m in panic that, oh shit I'm at the back. I'm actually at the back. Shit. This is generally what it takes for me to really kick it in the guts and start swimming furiously towards the first can, which I did and managed to round it near the front. After swimming up a little further I was happy I was where I needed to be and settled in beside Doddsy for the rest of the swim.

T1 was good, but I playing superman onto the bike wasn't. Somehow both my rubber bands had broken and mid air I realised I didn't have anywhere good to land my feet, luckily the baby makers stepped up and took it for the team. After faffing about here I looked up to see I had my work cut out to get back in the front bunch. With the blood squashed out of my groin I had plenty in my legs and made the bunch ok. Good start.

From here it went downhill. My legs felt great, but I had nothing every time I stood up and soon found myself second bunch, hanging on for dear life. I couldn't work it out. I felt like I had the stitch and no strength in my arms to work the bike. I can assure you I was calling myself all sorts of colourful names by this stage.

Please to get off the bike and still in second bunch I was ready to run. First km was good and I found my rhythm quick. Then BANG I had the stitch. Cue more colourful names. Whoa! I really had the stitch and I was slowing a great rate of knots. Even more colourful words, I mean, who lets the stitch slow them down on a 5km run?! Then I stopped in, to be frank, agony. I was not a happy chap but managed to pull myself together and jog it out to finish. Head in my hands, it was an incredibly disappointing day and I couldn't understand how I'd let myself be beaten by the stitch of all things.

The next day my tit was quite sore, but I wasn't too worried, and after all, my mind was still focused on fuming after the disappointment of yesterday. However by the time I arrived back in Wellington Sunday night I was in a fair bit of pain and realised I must have actually done myself a mischief. Off to the doc and a few scans later I had a torn tit (pectoral minor in doctor speak). Despite being well pissed off, I had a chuckle that maybe I'd get a boob job? Crushed, I was advised not to go down that path. Slightly more concerning was that I'd have to miss Geelong ITU race and Takapuna Contact Tri was a mmmmmaybe. Wonderful.

Chin up and truck on.

Nugget.