'I'm sure it will be warmer when we get there!'
This bank holiday weekend saw the first of Warwick's races as he attempts to qualify for a spot on the Team GB Age-Group Squad
After making the 100 mile trip up to Cambridgeshire excitement was high and so were the nerves for what lay ahead. As is becoming customary for Warwick's races the weather the few days before had been "varied" which meant that as we tried to prepare for the race every eventuality had to be considered. When driving the route the day before it was clear that, although quick, given the route would be effected by any degree of wind pacing would be the key to a well executed race.
The night before a race is always a strange one, everyone else would get an early night; make sure that they are well rested and relaxed for the following day. Warwick however does things a different way, in a strange fashion a shut down happens in his mind. A different mindset takes over, one ready to accept pain, to focus on the goal and to keep pushing when everything in your body tells you to stop.
After a blissfully uninterrupted five hours sleep it was time for race day breakfast. With Warwick forcing porridge into a stomach full of nerves Jodie came bounding into the room beaming from ear to ear with a toffee coffee in one hand and blueberry muffin in the other, apparently the McDonald’s next door was 24 hours!
After scraping the ice off of the car there was an overwhelming feeling of unease of the conditions of the swim. Whilst registering and preparing his equipment the announcement came across that organisers had taken pity upon the athletes and the swim in the 11 degree water had been shorted down to just 1000 metres. All prepared, briefed and ready to go the under 40's men tip-toed into the cold water - the general consensus was to 'get this thing done quick'.
After some of the coldest 15 minutes of his life, Warwick came out cold, dizzy but safe and running towards his bike whilst trying to strip his wetsuit off and possibly get warm.
On any normal day I'd be a simple case of put your helmet on and hit the bike course but given the wind chill and the already wet tri suit, layering would be the key to success as racing warm will always be far better than racing cold. So as Warwick came out onto the road it was clear that the decision had been made to put his training top on and take the extra warmth for the downside of slightly longer transition.
Before the race he was aiming for an average pace of 35kph (21.75mph) which was almost nailed to the digit with an average speed of 34.3kph (21.3mph). As predicted the leg out to the southern turn around point was quicker given the favourable wind so having the patience to keep calm and not fly out was key. Thankfully he didn't push to hard with the free speed being given so on the return leg it was simply a case of chasing down riders who had gone to deep and couldn't maintain the pace against the headwind for the final 16km (10 miles).
(Please note the number of woolly hats being worn)
With the ride over it simply came down to a straight 10km (6 mile) run, normally this would take around 40 minutes with Warwick's PB being around 38 minutes. It was going to be a tough run to stay with the field. The first to third kilometre came at a flying speed around Warwick's sprint distance pace (around 3:55 per km (approx 6 minute miles)) which was going to be near a personal best if that pace was maintained but triathlon is anything but a place to shoot for a running personal best. Around 4km (2 and a half miles) the pace started to settle down and get back to the plan which, looking back on the event, is crazy that to stay with the field for 40% of the run you have to push beyond where you thought you could and take that pain.
(Taken around the 4km mark)
At the final mile mark of the race the pace was sitting comfortably but the last hour and forty minutes of 100% effort was taking effect, the little voice of the normal Warwick was breaking in; the voice that tells you to ‘stop' 'walk a bit' 'drop the pace for a minute and recover' screams all around and makes you want to take the pressure off and stop the pain. Thankfully the final 400 metres (1/4 of a mile) was along the path from the car park to transition; a route Jodie and Warwick had walked many times a few hours earlier as they scrabbled to find layers against the cold. With this familiar path stretching out Warwick had time to look back, review the distance between him and the guy behind him as he knew he wouldn't be caught on a sprint to the line and enjoy the feeling he knew that he had given it everything he could have to get the point he was now at.
(A medal for the finish and a break down of the timings)
To get to qualify for the GB team you must be one of the first four in your age group and within 115% of the age group winner to qualify for a ‘roll-down’ spot, not easy maths but thankfully British Triathlon have a good website for that sort of thing.
A note from Warwick
I've always been my own worst critic, there is no argument there. I've always looked for things to improve and things to work me harder. On my second ever triathlon I couldn't accept a top 20 placing because I had placed 18th compared to 16th the month before and gave a time two minutes slower. Now almost two years on I still see that race as failure as there was no improvement made in my performance. So how did this race go, from a planning perspective it went well, I stuck to the agreed pace, kept a positive mindset throughout and handled the conditions well. However 7th in the age group, let's break that down. Since late October 2018 my main goal has been to perform and excel in a field with high talent level to qualify for the Team GB age group and this weekend my first attempt I FAILED. There's no way around it I failed. Yes I ran a well executed race, yes I stayed positive but I returned home to Sussex without achieving what I went out to do. I am under no illusion that I'm the best out there currently, however this goal of getting into the squad relies on me being close to their capabilities and this weekend for me feels like a big eye opening experience of what is going to be required to make this happen.
On the 19th May 2018 I ran an Olympic distance triathlon with a run split of 5:43 per km, for perspective almost two months later I ran the Long Course weekend marathon with a split of 5:47 per km. So with hindsight I can see that from May 19th 2018 to May 5th 2019 the athlete in me has come on leaps and bounds, however, the perfectionist in me will not take this laying down. The nature of the beast is known to me now, I know what qualification will take and what I have to put in for it so as I write this on May 6th I am setting the alarm for 5am to go and train so that in two weeks when we race again against the same level of talent hopefully this blog will read with a positive tone and not of that of someone who came away from a race weekend a failure maybe not to others but certainly to himself.
This sport isn't easy and sometimes it comes down to seconds in a two hour race, sometimes its out of your hands. But we learn and move on each day to become better people and better athletes.
Keep Tri-ing
Please let this be an inspiration to anyone struggling that no matter the result take whatever you can as a positive and keep Tri-ing.
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