Race Report: Emma's Olympic Distance Triumph
After twelve months of training, countless early mornings, and more gels than I care to remember, I finally crossed the finish line of my first Olympic distance triathlon last Sunday at the Lakeside Classic.
Race Morning
5am alarm. Butterflies the size of eagles. Triple-checked transition bag. The TTC support crew (Sarah, Mike, and Tom) met me at the venue with coffee and encouragement - absolute legends.
Transition setup went smoothly thanks to practicing at club sessions. Everything had its place, and I'd memorized the layout the night before.
The Swim (1500m)
Water temperature: 16°C - perfect wetsuit conditions
Time: 32:45
The hooter sounded and I reminded myself of what James always says: "Start steady, find your rhythm, enjoy it."
The first 200m were chaotic as expected, but I settled into a comfortable pace. All those Wednesday evening lake sessions paid off - I felt confident and actually enjoyed the swim! Sighting went well, and I only went slightly off course once (okay, maybe twice).
T1
Time: 3:12
Got the wetsuit off without falling over (win!). Helmet on, grabbed the bike, and I was off. Transition practice at club sessions made this smooth and stress-free.
The Bike (40km)
Time: 1:18:34
The bike leg was rolling hills - challenging but not brutal. I'd recced the course on a TTC group ride two weeks prior, which really helped mentally.
Nutrition went to plan: gel at 20km, another at 35km, drinking regularly throughout. The climb at 30km was tough, but I remembered Tom's advice: "Stay seated, spin it out, you'll need your legs later."
Saw the TTC support crew at the 25km mark - their cheering gave me a massive boost!
T2
Time: 1:47
Bike racked, helmet off, trainers on. Legs felt like jelly (they said this would happen). Grabbed my race belt and headed out.
The Run (10km)
Time: 58:23
Those first 2km were brutal. Everything ached. But gradually I found my rhythm and remembered why I love running.
The route was two laps, which was tough mentally but also motivating - you could see other runners and cheer each other on.
Hit the wall at 7km. Had my last gel. Dug deep. Sarah appeared on the side of the course at 8km screaming encouragement, which nearly made me cry (or maybe that was just fatigue).
The final kilometer: pure emotion. Could see the finish line. Heard the crowd. Gave everything I had left.
The Finish
Total Time: 2:54:41
Crossed that line with my arms in the air and the biggest smile on my face. Medal round my neck, space blanket wrapped around me, Sarah giving me a huge hug.
Reflections
Couldn't have done this without TTC. The training sessions, the advice, the support crew, the club members who've shared their experience and encouragement - thank you all.
To anyone thinking about their first Olympic distance: you can do it. Trust your training. Enjoy the journey. Join the TTC crew for support.
Already looking at what's next. Maybe a half Ironman? (Sarah's already encouraging me...)
See you at Wednesday's swim!