Emberton National Sprint Championships 2012

It would be fair to say I was a little nervous going into this race. I know that the standard and popularity of triathlon has exploded this year, and nothing less than an outstanding race would do, given the massive field expected here this weekend.

The last time that Emberton hosted the national sprint championships and a world qualifier rolled into one,  a massively talented field dotted with pro and ex pro athletes turned up, setting the bar extremely high. I was expecting the same again this time. With a start list of well over 900 athletes this was going to be a BIG race. Just up the road in Belvoir, Leicestershire, another well known race the Beaver olympic and speedy beaver sprint triathlons were taking place too, with only 150 athletes in each, you could be sure They were mostly all down here at Emberton instead!

All this did not help the fact that I don't actually like this race much (despite it being right on my doorstep!) because the run is long, which doesn't suit me, and the lake holds some horrid memories of being kicked in the head, thumped, dunked and swam over the last time I was here: very small tight course and big wave starts.

Still, you can only influence yourself so I focussed on MY race.

I wasn't sure if the fact that transition was organised in A-Z alphabetical order was good or bad, not wave starts as usual. The positive: I could hide effectively, the negative, I would have no idea how I was doing relative to my age group!

SWIM

It was rather a confusing start, to be honest. The race organisers seemed more intent on starting the race on time rather than starting it properly. They let us in 4 mins before the start, and with a minute to go called us back. Some women' were almost out to the first bouy doing their warm up - and the guy continued shouting and continued the count down. He was demanding everyone stand in line by the bank, which is where I returned to, but before everyone had made an attempt to move back (some still floating around aver 50m in front of me) he blew his whistle to start. Some people who were still retreating had to turn on their heel and start swimming with almost no warning at all. It seemed very unfair and disorganised.

I was determined to be aggressive this time and not get smacked so each time anyone swam nearby I stuck out elbows, or kicked harder. I think I may have kicked a few people in various places including the head, but they were NOT getting me this time! The course was a bit confusing as I realised half way round that there was 1 more bouy than he ha mentioned in the briefing. So I followed the other swimmers!

T1 was rather uneventful, all went smoothly, no idea how was doing - onwards and upwards.

BIKE

After negotiating carpet, grass verges and a layby, I was out on the road. I knew being first off in the 40+ wave that anyone who came past was an issue for me so I had to stay focussed. Jane Saunders (50+ friend) came by soon after the start, and a few others. I had my eye on the legs (for age group letters) while focussing on what I was doing. This was no good, I had to just focus on what I was doing! I began to catch people up ahead this way, but when I joined the main road on the back of the course, it started to get more frustrating. I was in close proximity with a couple of H athletes, a J and a K. It was like cat and mouse. They kept passing me then dilly dallying around in front. I was very concerned about being accused of drafting so I was forced to constantly get back in front of the group. This went on for miles. One shouted something at me on one time I passed her, who knows what it was, I just kept on peddling. It was hard because it was taking my focus off the business of pedalling consistently hard.

I got all the nutrition in before the end of the bike leg but it hadn't been ideal playing sprint leap frog with others.

RUN

Here would be the test. It was warm, it felt hard. I focussed on me, and my technique, reciting my mantras to myself. I knew though as i came to the end of the first lap and the announcer was saying someone was finishing in 1:08 that either my age group winner was finishing, or had done already. Either way, oh dammit, that was fast. I kept on going, focussing on me, keep it together Mel, and picking off people from other waves gradually knowing that the finish line would come soon.

Result? For me, not so great. As it turns out, my age group winner was over 2 minutes faster than last weeks age group winner, and someone I have never heard of. Rachel Bown who was third behind Shona Girdwood, said the winner was a duathlete for sure, setting off out of T2 like a bat out of hell and taking an immediate commanding lead.

So, I guess it's Bristol here I come.

Reflections

Several people alluded to the fact that the standard has massively increased as has the interest in triathlon particularly this year. A guy from my club who always gets on the odium at races was 4th today. A a girl I know who wins every race she usually enters was 4th today.  A woman who is world and European champion in her age group was 2nd today. A silver medallist from the Europeans was 4th today.

Triathlon gets harder and harder, the field gets bigger and as you get older the women get faster!! The F45+ winner today beat the F40+ winner - by almost 2 minutes!!

To all those who continue to earn GB vests, big respect. You know some serious hard work goes into that. We have one of the biggest most competitive Age Group triathlon teams in the world. A space on that team was never going to be easy now was it.

Bristol here I come, I guess!