Photo by William TingThis year, I was in tough luck for the race. But yet, I did what I could and what I do best to overcome the race. Just two days before the race, I fell sick with a fever and nose-block which I felt so bad that I couldn't even know if I could race on Saturday. So training on Thursday was forced to cancel and had a day off, it was boring without training because before I fell sick all trainings were going so well and preparing myself for the race was definitely on the way, especially conditioning training. So on Thursday, when I got sick I just felt so devastated and upset because I knew I will not do well on Saturday to do a sub-2 hour’s race.
I felt better on Friday and was really glad that I could recover so fast thanks to the 2XU compression top, but the nose-block was definitely the biggest set-back as it would interrupt the breathing system during the bike and run. So on Friday, I decided to go down to the track to do a final fitness check on myself and my performance just to clarify that I was able to race on Saturday. I was in my full 2XU compression top and tight just to speed up all the process of recovery and enhancing my performance, so the track session actually turn out very well. Then, I knew I could race on Saturday. During the briefing, I was hoping to see Jeff Cowie who is my major competitor but he didn't turn out due to some injury so the race would seem as a one man race after all. Winning wasn't in my mind, it was all just about how to race with peak performance and strategic performance, and have fun.
So on race, Saturday, I woke quite early before 5 just to get myself ready. The weather seem perfectly fine at first but it rained heavily around 5:30 am so I thought the swim would be canceled and the race would be a duathlon again just like last year. Well, thank God as the rain stopped just around 6! When I got to the race-site, everything seemed fine as the sea was calm and wind condition was perfect. So right away I knew it was gonna be a fun race for the day. Everyone was busy setting themselves up in the transition area, but I was warming myself up before I could I get everything right in the transition area. Without Jeff Cowie, the race was gonna be a big disadvantage for me as I thought when I was looking around at the rest of the competitors. After I got everything set in the transition area, it was time to move out to the beach to head for the start.
The start of the swim was fun as there was no large wave to wash us into the shore so basically it was pure sprinting towards the buoy. I was caught up with the swimmers who are from the relay teams in the group, as no one else in the individual category could follow during the swim. So I was the only individual in the first group of the swim, which I knew it was gonna be a tough and big disadvantage for me. Being the first guy out of the swim is never easy because the pressure and stress of breaking away from the others during the bike would be very energy consuming, and the run would be very tough as the body would get exhausted from the bike. So with the second swimmer a few minutes behind my back, I was on my bike to pull myself way ahead of the rest. It was tough cycling on the beach using a tri-bike, but big fun on the road. By the 3rd lap, the only guy who me was Simon on the beach as he was using a big rear tyre which was a brilliant idea that I have never thought of. So using a road-bike or tri-bike was a big mistake on a beach-road course. During the run, I found it hard to run because I wasted too much energy during the bike-leg as to stay ahead of the lead. So I kept myself very consistent on the run though Paul Hague caught me up!
At first I was running with a French guy named Erik, he's really a good runner and we were pacing together. But I was dying hard to push myself ahead and stay away from the catch. But in the end, it was a great race though I got 3rd with a lost to the French guy. I learned something new from this race somehow, it was something I have never experienced or felt throughout my triathlon career. Erik and I had a chat after the race where he pointed out, "Jack, you're a good triathlete with a very strong swimming, cycling and running which your strongest leg is swimming! But it's even harder to be chased rather than to chase." the moment he mentioned that very last sentence, it just clicked my mind right away of what Kimberly has experienced in the past. Kim has always been the fastest swimmer in many races, but she was always caught up during the bike as being the first person to get out from the water without having a group to draft on the bike or work things out together is tough being alone as she had to push herself ahead of the group behind. And there, Erik reminded me a lesson that I have just learned from the race. I admitted that it was really tough to be chased as I kept worrying of people coming from the back and was doing whatever it takes to stay ahead of them. So after all, I was the main target in the race where everyone was chasing my butt.
I'm happy that I've learned something new in such a small race, yet it was fun after as it is really worth having such an experience. Winning or losing didn't matter at all as it was all about having fun. I didn't feel tired at all after the race, but my nose-block remains disturbing until present moment. And even though I was sick, I was still able to race and have a great time. Yet, I've learned a new lesson and discovered my new capability. As for that guy who has been telling everybody he could defeat me, he's just gonna have to try even harder next year as there is no point bragging about it the whole time. Triathlon for life!
I felt better on Friday and was really glad that I could recover so fast thanks to the 2XU compression top, but the nose-block was definitely the biggest set-back as it would interrupt the breathing system during the bike and run. So on Friday, I decided to go down to the track to do a final fitness check on myself and my performance just to clarify that I was able to race on Saturday. I was in my full 2XU compression top and tight just to speed up all the process of recovery and enhancing my performance, so the track session actually turn out very well. Then, I knew I could race on Saturday. During the briefing, I was hoping to see Jeff Cowie who is my major competitor but he didn't turn out due to some injury so the race would seem as a one man race after all. Winning wasn't in my mind, it was all just about how to race with peak performance and strategic performance, and have fun.
So on race, Saturday, I woke quite early before 5 just to get myself ready. The weather seem perfectly fine at first but it rained heavily around 5:30 am so I thought the swim would be canceled and the race would be a duathlon again just like last year. Well, thank God as the rain stopped just around 6! When I got to the race-site, everything seemed fine as the sea was calm and wind condition was perfect. So right away I knew it was gonna be a fun race for the day. Everyone was busy setting themselves up in the transition area, but I was warming myself up before I could I get everything right in the transition area. Without Jeff Cowie, the race was gonna be a big disadvantage for me as I thought when I was looking around at the rest of the competitors. After I got everything set in the transition area, it was time to move out to the beach to head for the start.
The start of the swim was fun as there was no large wave to wash us into the shore so basically it was pure sprinting towards the buoy. I was caught up with the swimmers who are from the relay teams in the group, as no one else in the individual category could follow during the swim. So I was the only individual in the first group of the swim, which I knew it was gonna be a tough and big disadvantage for me. Being the first guy out of the swim is never easy because the pressure and stress of breaking away from the others during the bike would be very energy consuming, and the run would be very tough as the body would get exhausted from the bike. So with the second swimmer a few minutes behind my back, I was on my bike to pull myself way ahead of the rest. It was tough cycling on the beach using a tri-bike, but big fun on the road. By the 3rd lap, the only guy who me was Simon on the beach as he was using a big rear tyre which was a brilliant idea that I have never thought of. So using a road-bike or tri-bike was a big mistake on a beach-road course. During the run, I found it hard to run because I wasted too much energy during the bike-leg as to stay ahead of the lead. So I kept myself very consistent on the run though Paul Hague caught me up!
At first I was running with a French guy named Erik, he's really a good runner and we were pacing together. But I was dying hard to push myself ahead and stay away from the catch. But in the end, it was a great race though I got 3rd with a lost to the French guy. I learned something new from this race somehow, it was something I have never experienced or felt throughout my triathlon career. Erik and I had a chat after the race where he pointed out, "Jack, you're a good triathlete with a very strong swimming, cycling and running which your strongest leg is swimming! But it's even harder to be chased rather than to chase." the moment he mentioned that very last sentence, it just clicked my mind right away of what Kimberly has experienced in the past. Kim has always been the fastest swimmer in many races, but she was always caught up during the bike as being the first person to get out from the water without having a group to draft on the bike or work things out together is tough being alone as she had to push herself ahead of the group behind. And there, Erik reminded me a lesson that I have just learned from the race. I admitted that it was really tough to be chased as I kept worrying of people coming from the back and was doing whatever it takes to stay ahead of them. So after all, I was the main target in the race where everyone was chasing my butt.
I'm happy that I've learned something new in such a small race, yet it was fun after as it is really worth having such an experience. Winning or losing didn't matter at all as it was all about having fun. I didn't feel tired at all after the race, but my nose-block remains disturbing until present moment. And even though I was sick, I was still able to race and have a great time. Yet, I've learned a new lesson and discovered my new capability. As for that guy who has been telling everybody he could defeat me, he's just gonna have to try even harder next year as there is no point bragging about it the whole time. Triathlon for life!
No comments:
Post a Comment