Oxley Triathlon

Lesley sent me the following e-mail report of the above event:

After Charlie’s blog I’m not sure anyone will want to read my humble witterings. But I thought I'd let you know how it went on Sunday. We were up at 5.30am to get there in time, which we just did, other people were arriving at the same time for the 9am start (mine was 8am). In a typical Lesley moment I realised I didn't have my timing chip on at 7.58am and was in a mad panic to get back to locker having retrieved the key from RW to get it. So the start of the swim went really badly and I couldn't breathe for the first 6 or 8 lengths. I did lose count so was pleasantly surprised at what I thought was 12 lengths to be told there were only 2 to go. Next a run across grass and tarmac being heckled by Phil to the transition area. Being so slow my bike was at the far end, and I had to get into the cycle shoes as well. The bike ride went fairly well, the new one is much quicker than the old one even though it's the same old legs pushing it!!! So two loops round the roads and lanes near Sherborne, managed to avoid any red traffic lights and found the right directions at the route split (which some failed to do apparently). Then continued through the town back to the transition area. Which is where things went a bit wrong. The sight of RW taking photos should have warned me that I was nearly there and it was time to detach my shoes from the pedals, but I got confused. Easily done as you get older !!! So as I approached the dismount line I was trying to undo the fastenings on the shoes. Marshalls are calling out to me to brake, which I eventually did, came to a stop with feet still firmly clipped in with the inevitable result - a sideways fall to the ground, the impact did finally detach my feet from the pedals. As usual after a fall my reaction is to get up as quickly as possible hoping not too many had seen, unfortunately Phil was there wishing he'd got his camera!!

So a change of shoes, onto the run and here I did OK. Started on grass, down a lane onto the road, round to the road by the castle entrance, watching all the really fast althletes on their bikes. It's a fairly flat route and I overtook a couple of runners on the way, then back into the fields and and a marshall said I was 2nd lady and 15th person past him. (Being a handicap type of race this doesn't really mean much). I followed the lines of tape up towards the finish and here I saw RW again letting me know the other lady was not far ahead and was going slowly. Managed to get past her with about 200m to go, so was 1st lady across the line. A small triumph which didn't count for anything. My watch which I remembered to start and stop said 1:58:35 so i went round happily telling everyone I'd gone under 2 hours. I later found out the chip time said 2:00:51. Not sure why the discrepancy.

One good thing about triathlons is that my legs feel OK after. A 2 hour running race and muscles would be aching badly next day. But I was able to go and dig the allotment for two hours, followed by an hour in the garden (working - that is!!). However the other Westgate was tired out by all the supporting and took to his bed for the afternoon!!!