This is a bit of a strange preview to write as I don't care much about how this race goes. Even more so as I will now be going into it after my first week back at work and I expect to be even more exhausted than when I started writing this.
I have had such a good race season already this year, whatever I do at Huntly isn't going to change that much. At best it will be an extra cherry on top of a marzipaned, iced, cream-covered cake of a season. More likely it will be an exhausted drag around a distance that is slightly out of my current range, on legs that have already carried me through a very long season.
I expect to swim quite well. So far this year, while I am having a huge year on training miles, I have actually logged less race swimming miles than the last couple of years. I guess this comes from missing Knockburn and Huntly Sprint races and the Kings Aquathon not being held this year. My target swim time for the year is to break 26 minutes. Last year I swam 26:42, and this year I have done a handful of longer training swims where I have gone through the 1500m mark in the mid 27's and carried on. So barring any problems or a load of traffic breaking 26 should be easy enough.
The bike is where I expect to struggle a little. I have been a bit lax on the bike the last few weeks but that was mostly because I just don't have anything left in the tank this season. The long start to the year with the Kintore rides were great for my fitness, the Time Trials really helped my technical riding against the clock and the Kintore Thursday night sessions gave me some good speed work, but they have all piled up to leave me exhausted every time I get on the bike.
Last year I clocked 1hr 11 mins for the 22.3 mile ride. It is a very weather dependent bike course as a basically triangular route. After a very short climb out of town it is 10 miles straight out as a Time Trial completely exposed to whatever the wind does. Then 5 lumpy miles with some corners, all well sheltered, but light and dark changes through the trees mean any damp surface in the shade is a gamble. Then 8 miles back through a a semi-exposed section with few trees, but hill protection on alternating sides mean a tail or head wind can be hugely influential but cross-winds are only bad in patches.
Anyway, those are my excuses for why the bike time could be anywhere from the 1:11 of the last two years to the 1:24 from 2010. Or worse if I run completely into the wall of emptiness that I suspect is waiting for me somewhere in September.
Last year I clocked 1hr 11 mins for the 22.3 mile ride. It is a very weather dependent bike course as a basically triangular route. After a very short climb out of town it is 10 miles straight out as a Time Trial completely exposed to whatever the wind does. Then 5 lumpy miles with some corners, all well sheltered, but light and dark changes through the trees mean any damp surface in the shade is a gamble. Then 8 miles back through a a semi-exposed section with few trees, but hill protection on alternating sides mean a tail or head wind can be hugely influential but cross-winds are only bad in patches.
Anyway, those are my excuses for why the bike time could be anywhere from the 1:11 of the last two years to the 1:24 from 2010. Or worse if I run completely into the wall of emptiness that I suspect is waiting for me somewhere in September.
After my race at Glen Moray I expect to run quite well if there is anything left in my legs. The run is long for a 10k. Generally by about 5-600m. The run length is a bit strange because there is an out-and-back cone that could just move in by 125m and the two outs and two backs would bring the course to the right distance. I expect to run faster than previous years, but with the caveat that if I have to work hard on the bike, or if I know I am struggling for time or places, I could be reduced to just jogging round to the finish line.
If I get somewhere near 2:25 I will be really pleased. If I can get under last year's 2:28:44 I will still be very happy. If I can survive under 2:35 after the long season I have had I will take it. And just to cover myself for a disaster, I will even be pleased enough with a 2:40 as long as I come out of the far end of the race with no injuries and I can have a bit of a rest.
If I get somewhere near 2:25 I will be really pleased. If I can get under last year's 2:28:44 I will still be very happy. If I can survive under 2:35 after the long season I have had I will take it. And just to cover myself for a disaster, I will even be pleased enough with a 2:40 as long as I come out of the far end of the race with no injuries and I can have a bit of a rest.
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