Lakesman 2019

This is a post that a few weeks ago I didn't think I would get to write, I went to a body conditioning class with Amanda at our local Scout hut and somehow managed to sprain the AC joint in my left shoulder. The GP that I went to see advised against trying to do the Lakesman half and I got as far as completing the initial claim to get my entry fee back using the insurance that was included. Fortunately I had to wait to get the Dr's note so didn't get to the submit stage for a few days and in  the meantime my physio had advised that rest and a few light exercises should have me able to take part.

Having decided that I wasn't going to take part but would still go up to support, Amanda agreed to come up to Keswick with me, normally I would have left earlier on  the Friday while she was still at work. Even when I changed my mind and decided to try and give it a go we stuck to the plan that we would drive up after Amanda finished work on the Friday.

So at about 4.45 we set off on the long trip north and boy was it a long trip, it took us about 3 hours to get to the M40 junction some 60 miles from home! We eventually arrived at our camping pod at about 1am so there was nothing to do but crash immediately into bed and get some sleep, once we had rearranged the beds!

Saturday arrived all too quickly and I decided  to go and register in the morning to get the bags and stickers etc so I could get prepared before going to rack the bike and bags later in the afternoon, then back to the pod for a quick nap! We arrived at Keswick about 3pm to meet up with Andy, Nicky, Dave and Jennie, also met Nicky's sister Katherine who was also taking part.

Having racked the bike and bags it was onto the briefing, as we were sat in the tent we heard a bang come from transition shortly followed by Phil, Race Director, advising that if anyone had pumped their tyres up to race pressure that they may wish to go and let some air out, yes the bang was someone's tyre exploding due to the heat!

Following the briefing it was back to the pod for some food and yes you've guessed it some more sleep!

4am Sunday and the alarms went off, time to get up have my porridge and pack the car to go back to Keswick for the event.

Pumped my tyres up, put my nutrition on the bike and joined the queue for the loo. At this point Jamie, the race ref, was walking round telling us we had 10 mins and then we would be kicked out of transition. having visited the loo it was in to the tent to finalise my dry bag and get my wetsuit on. As I arrived in the tent there was Jamie again advising us we had 10 minutes, strange as this was about 5 minutes since the last advice, anyway about a minute later we were being told we had 5 minutes, time flies when you're having fun!

Wetsuit on it was time to line up with the rest of the athletes to make our way into the lake. First off was the full distance swimmers which we saw from the shore, then it was our turn. The water was colder than in previous years, about 2 degrees colder according to Phil when we spoke to him at the finish!

Doing the half this year meant that the first turn buoy was much closer something that made me happy! as I rounded the first buoy I could see the next yellow buoy to aim for, that one seemed very close too. The reason it seemed close was that it was only half way across and once I got to that one there was another one further away which was the final turn, Damnit.

As I headed for the finish I was suddenly aware of some faster swimmers around me, had I slowed that much during the swim? No it was the leaders of the full who had caught and passed me!

My swim was slower than usual, something I was worried about due to my shoulder injury which I did feel a bit in the swim but more because I have been neglecting my swim training. Anyway I made it within the time cut off and was back in transition to change and head out on the bike. Amanda told me after that of the group of 5 of us doing it I was last out of the swim, this wasn't a surprise, but she went on to add "by some margin"

As I headed out on the bike I was feeling good and my legs were strong, I was soon in a rhythm and my shoulder did not hinder me getting on to the tribars so I was happy. After a while I caught up with Dave, wished him good luck as I carried on my way, next up was Andy a few miles later, last time we rode in the same bike leg of a triathlon was the Outlaw when he was part of a relay team. At that event he caught me and passed me as if I was standing still so I was happy to have caught up with him as it meant my legs were going well.

The bike was more up and down than I remember the full course but nothing major which is quite a feat given the area that the race is in, it could have had some major hills!

Towards the end of the ride I passed Katherine, although I only realised this after so didn't manage to say anything at the time, sorry Katherine. As I came back into Keswick the bike course and the run course go side by side for a short while and it just happened that as I was coming in Nicky was on that run section, a quick shout of encouragement to her before I concentrated on negotiating the traffic through Keswick and back to transition.

I had gone quite hard on the bike and was worried that I would have no legs left for the run but as I left the change tent to head out on the run I wasn't feeling too bad, I even managed to run the whole course, well except through the feed stations but then you have to walk to be able to drink properly right?

As I came through the finish area at the end of lap 1 Amanda and Jennie were there cheering us on, Is stopped for a brief moment but Jennie advised me to not stop!

I saw Dave on the run as we came past the finish on one of the laps, things were a bit congested with spectators around quite a narrow section as we turn to head through the park again.

As I came round my final lap down the hill towards the finish I seemed to get that extra kick at the end of a race and was in full flow down towards the carpeted finish chute and over the line to complete the Lakesman Half!

As usual the event was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed it, well after I exited the lake anyway!

The marshals around the course were amazing as always and a huge thanks must go out to them for the amazing work that they put in to make sure that we as athletes (and I use that phrase when describing myself very loosely) can do what we do and enjoy a safe and fun event.

Thanks again to Marie and Phil an all their team who manage to put on a fantastic event that has the athletes at the heart of everything!

Congratulations to Nicky and Katherine for taking 2 steps on their age group podium

Thanks to Dave, Jennie, Andy and Nicky for their support and lastly but most importantly thanks to Amanda for all your love and support not only during the event but in the lead up to it and all the mad events that I do!