Race report by Nico
Well after deciding to take the trip to Kalgoorlie for the race and to catch up with some friends and family I decided to drive up Friday and Jody would fly up after work Friday. We got our gear sorted and went to a local pub Friday for some beer n Pizza to unwind from the day.
On the Saturday just spent the time catching up with some friends and re acquainting myself with some local roads on the bike (lived there for 10 years) and tidied the bike up ready to race on the Sunday. At lunch with Jody’s family low and behold Brother Julian (aka Courtney the Star Triathlete) walks in and was saying he is living up there while finishing off at the School of mines and playing footy for Boulder, Small world.
Saturday night the Kalgoorlie Tri club have a Pasta Carb Loading Party so we walked down to the park where it was at and caught up with quite a few people from Esperance and Kal that I hadn’t seen in while.
On Sunday I made Jody drop me off at the Oasis Pool centre and I gave a hand setting up and got myself ready with all the gear layed out and ready for quick transitions.
Did a small warm up in the pool and found out I was sharing with a WA Tri team junior who swam really well and did she what she lapped me 5 times in 30 laps! Talk about Junior Chicked! But I had a reasonable swim and got out in 25mins and headed to the bike chasing about 5 people who were up to 6 mins ahead.
Bike went OK but I struggled to get into a rhythm with the light but swirly wind and as it was 9 laps for 40kms you never really got out of it. I averaged 40 with transition times and had caught all bar 1 gun swimmer from Esperance but he had only a few hundred metres on me as we headed out of transition on the run.
With my lack of training over the last few months I had decided to just go hard as possible on the bike and come what may on the run and it seemed to be working being sitting in 2nd position with 10 km to run. I closed the gap to about 100meters after 1.5 laps on the 4 lap run course but my legs were starting to cramp and the pace came off and with 2 to go he was back out to 500meters lead and pulling away. I went into cruise mode and survived for 2nd over all with 3rd breathing down my neck but happy to make the podium. Comparing times off my course PB I was something like 7 mins slower with most of that lost on the run but hey a place is a place right. 🙂
Overall another great well run event at the hands of Kal Tri Club and I highly recommend anyone visiting/moving to Kal to look up the Tri/Bike or running clubs as there is some fantastic people up there.Got quite a few comments on the SPR Tri suit although must bag Brother Julian for not having his, think his excuse was my brother has it 🙂
What’s next for me? Well I have a 80km TT next week and another 40TT the week after then onto the Busso Half Ironman with some of the other SPR lads (all in our SPR club suits), Going to hurt but as its my 5th one I am determined to finish but cant see myself signing up for my 3rd full Ironman in December….. never say never though right 😉
Nico
Nice one Nico – looking forward to Busso now!!
Tell you what – you sign up for the full IM, I’ll throw my hat in the ring and that’ll mean Paul O has to come too!!!
Well done Nico. See you at Hopelands. I’m a bit surprised if not disappointed you’re not doing the 160km! haha – only kidding. I can’t imagine the pain of doing such a thing! OK in a triathlon, but on its own – no way!
Stooge
Rob wash your mouth out mentioning that! Im getting married late October and it would mean instant divorce haha.
Stooge, my biggest ride in last 4 months has been 90kms so no way on 160 🙂 Next year maybe…. see you there
Bring Busso on, no tri suit for me 🙂
Can we get tent set up ?
Well done Nico on some more silverware. Looking forward to Busso 🙂 Nice try Rob but no IM commitment from me…yet…as Nico said never say never.