| London |
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The Michelob Ultra
London Triathlon, to give it the full title, is a strange beast.
Sponsored by a beer -bad for triathlon hydration- that’s low in carbs
–bad for endurance fuelling- it’s all wrong! But that’s post modern
irony for you, I guess. London was the world’s biggest tri in 2004 and,
love it or loathe it, there is a feeling of occasion which accompanies
it. A sense of “being there”. It’s big. Very big. Transition is huge.
Almost labyrinthine. At racking there’s plenty of room for bike, box,
bits and pieces. And, although it is well marked come the race navigate
yourself well through transition or you’re in serious trouble of
getting lost.
SWIM Swimming in the dock isn’t as bad as you’d imagine. I’ve swam in worse. And this, for me, is where the excitement started. Corralled down to the dockside, onto the floating pontoon and into the water… With maybe 200 other athletes… Now this can be a problem. But seed yourself. Yes, there are lots of people. Yes, it is a washing machine. But you are a triathlete. This is what you do. Get on with it. The swim route is long and allows you to get into a good rhythm between turns and tends to spread quite early. Great viewing opportunities are to be had for spectators from the dockside or high up on the bridge crossing. Out of the water and you must de-suite dock side and place wetsuit in a plastic bag before you’re up the stairs and back into the main hall of Excel. Seems a bit strange I know, but I had no problem with this and managed T1 in 2.52 mins. BIKE The bike route isn’t a pretty one granted but hey, you’re not a tourist right. My age group, 35-39, did a two lap circuit from Excel out to Tower Bridge up to Galleons Reach roundabout and back. There are more than a few mountain bikes to negotiate but that’s only a problem if you make it one. No drafting as I would define it. Head down and power through. There are three deceptive little climbs on the route which can be quite sapping. The exits of the Limehouse Link tunnel and the river crossings. But it is a fast route nonetheless and the smart rider can gain quite a few places into and powering out of the turns. RUN The run was short last year, 9.8 k by London’s own admission. It’s a flat out and back two lap course around Victoria dock. Almost uneventful if it wasn’t for the loop inside of the Excel “arena” which takes you past an impressive and enthusiastic crowd. I didn’t care who there were cheering for, it gave me a boost. Finish and you get a medal. I don’t how you feel but there are only so many T-shirts you can have. So it’s a welcome change to get a medal. And the London medal is big enough and heavy enough to kill a pony. If you had a mind to swing it at one. Yes London is big. Yes it’s expensive. Yes there’s no T-shirt. But without the London Tri our sport doesn’t get many headlines in England. Some of the first timers get the tri bug. This is only a good thing for our sport. Worth a go if only once.My time. 2 hours 27 minutes. Malcolm Jeffries |