Lakesman Half IM race report

Lakesman Half IM race report... 

Sunday 16th June 2019. Eight hours, twenty five minutes and twenty four seconds.

I bloody loved every minute of it!!!! I went from sick with nerves will I survive the swim / make the bike cutoff to OMG I am just one big bundle of utter joy 🙂 isn't our sport just the best.

I was so nervous about the swim - Derwent Water is just so deep and cold but actually it was fine. Loved the fact that I ended up treading water before the start with tri club / HB buddy Donna which I reckon really helped calm my nerves. Found the swim fine. Veered off course - looked up - no one ahead of me! Luckily I then crashed into a swimmer turning right so I was pushed back on course.

Very choppy but as I'd taken a travel sickness pill when I got up a knew I'd be fine - no need of the rescue boat this time (look back to I think July 2017 to read about that incident)

The wobbly walk to T1 was hysterical - you walked/jogged through a funnel of cheering supporters which was useful as you bounced off them.

T1 was manic but 12 minutes later I was on my bike cycling slowly into the barrier. Oops. Regroup and then I was off.

I've worked so hard on my cycling. Got my 'new to me' bike (and various biking stuff thanks to my awesome friends and family for my 50th birthday in January), been out on a lot more long rides, been smashing it at HURTBOX - I was quietly confident but knew it would be tight. What a lovely ride - amazing views, saw the sea. The Lake District really is beautiful. However, I did start to get a tad nervous as I kept checking my watch, the road signs to Keswick and the fact the miles were ticking down slightly slower than needed. Eeeeek. Plus of course not closed roads so I had to do things like follow the Highway Code and do breaking and stopping - all very stressful when chasing a cutoff!! As I shot down the hill to T2 I knew I had it!!! Lizzie Lou was going to get out onto the run course.

The pic is me 10 seconds into the run. I think you can all see my utter and complete joy 🙂

The run was great fun - lots of chatting, high fives, whooping, thanking marshals, eating crisps, drinking coke, waving at everyone and anyone... My feet though not quite so happy. I'd tightened my laces just before the off road bit on lap one - cold feet off the bike, felt a bit slippy, didn't want to turn an ankle. Then it got hotter and hotter. I should have loosened my laces... Thinking about it now, it's exactly what happened during the Brighton Marathon in 2017 when it felt like I was running on nails - luckily it wasn't that bad on Sunday but it certainly slowed me down a lot.

In the end I was jog / walking hoping Lakesman were flexible with their finish cut off time as I was going to be about ten minutes outside the 8:15 cutoff (they were)

I loved my final lap. Thanked every marshal, applauded the spectators, soaked it all up.

Turning down the hill to the finish.

I'm smiling just thinking about it.

Let's just say my awesome Southampton tri club / Hurtbox buddies knew I was coming way before they actually saw me.

I love a finishing shoot. 

That feeling of utter and complete joy / happiness / I've done it that courses through every fibre of your being... It's magic xx