Kinloch Tri

So it's been well over a week since my last blog and my promise to update this with a race report from Kinloch while I was over there clearly didn't eventuate.  And with a big week of travel, training and organising uni and race plans I am only now getting a chance to sit down and write all about it.

Last Thursday I began my journey to Kinloch and it wasn't the smoothest start with an hour delay in Brisbane Airport followed by another hour sitting on the plane on the tarmac while they tried to sort out some issues with everyone's bags, all before we'd even taken off for Auckland!  The three hour drive from Auckland to Taupo was supposed to be nice and scenic but because of the delays there wasn't too much to see driving through the night.  Eventually after eight hours travelling I made it to my accommodation and well and truely looking forward to a good nights sleep.  Unfortunately sleep is somewhat difficult staying in a street with three backpacker hotels and seven different bars!

Because the race wasn't until Sunday afternoon the next few days were spent doing a little bit of sightseeing but mainly the standard pre-race preparation and spending a fair bit of time just laying low in my room.

Warming up before the race and the days prior I knew it would be a tough race, not only because of the athletes in the field but also because of the very hilly and technical bike and run courses but I was feeling good and ready to go.  Lining up on the startline ranked 16th, I had in the back of my mind that if I could finish better than my ranking I'd be pleased.

The swim was a non-wetsuit lake swim so there was little that could go wrong but unfortunately I wasn't as quick as what I wanted or needed to be and found myself in a small group almost 30 seconds off the front pack as we got on the bike.  With the nature of the bike course there were a lot of smaller groups as people went between groups either forwards or backwards as the hills got tougher on each of the five laps.  As we came in to transition we were almost two minutes behind the front group and clearly not the most ideal place to be with only 5km to run.  Having one of the top 10 fastest runs I managed to make up some positions but only as far as to finish 16th.  Finishing the same position as my race ranking I was pleased, with what I would consider an average result while there is still plenty of room for improvement in coming races.

And with the Australian Elite Sprint Distance Championships on this weekend down in Geelong I don't have to wait long for another opportunity.  Training has been going really well and I am even posting some of the fastest run times I ever have and with a small taper before the race on Saturday afternoon I should be nice and fresh and ready to fire come race time.

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