Noosa 5150 Triathlon - 7th

I have raced at Noosa since I was 15 years old and since then (I am 26 now) I have experienced some massive highs and huge lows. This year I am happy to say was a positive experience with a 7^th place finish. Because I am now targeting long course racing I knew that Noosa would be a tough ask. Competing over the shorter Olympic distance against Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games, short course specialists was sure test my leg speed.

Race Day:

Admittedly I put no major pressure on myself for the race and just wanted to race smart and have fun. My plan was to use this as a solid ‘speed’ hit out before the following weekend where I will be racing Challenge Forster (half iron distance) which is one of my major goals for this season.

I started next to the 2013 champion Aaron Royal in the swim and planned to use his swimming speed to carry me to the front of the swim pack, which worked perfectly. The start was very fast and I was happy just to stay up in the front swim pack and conserve some energy. On swim out to the turnaround the pace was on and I had to push hard to hold my position in the front swim pack. During the last 600 meters or so the pace seemed to slow up quite a lot and then quicken again during the final turn before the swim exit.

I emerged right up with the front pack and quickly went about pulling down my HUUB swim skin and then pulling up my Scody A.I.R Tri suit on the long run to transition. I knew from previous years that the pace would be on right from the start of the bike leg and so I made the decision to leave my HUUB swim skin pulled down to my waist and save some precious seconds in transition in order to ensure I made the front ride pack. This proved to be a smart decision as I was the last athlete in the group of 8 to establish myself in the lead group. I sat tucked away in the front pack for the majority of the cycle leg, noticing that a few athletes dropped off the pack unable to keep pace. Just before the turn around Casey Munro managed to attack the group and put some time into the pack, which was no surprise as he is a very strong cyclist. However I was pretty content to just sit back and save my energy for the run leg.

Heading into transition after the bike leg I quickly took off my HUUB swim skin and slipped into my Saucony race flats. I was positioned just off the back of the rest of the athletes who I had come in with due to having to spend some extra time taking off my swim skin. I knew that I wouldn’t have the run speed of the short course specialists and so I settled into my own rhythm trying to maintain my position in 9^th. On the way out to the turnaround I was passed by a few other athletes and rounded the 5km turn around point in 12^th position. On the final run home I battled with myself to keep pushing as hard as I could and with just 1km left to run surged with everything I had left, passing some of the athletes who had passed me minutes earlier. I moved from 12^th to 8^th with less than 500 meters left to run and then surged again just 100meters from the line to catch another athlete and crossed the line in 7^th.

To run from 12^th to 7^th in the last kilometer of the race was brutally tough and I crossed the line totally spent. Being totally honest I get a lot of satisfaction with races like these where I can find that extra something to push myself beyond what I think I am capable of and finish strong. This result gives me a lot of confidence going into Challenge Forster this weekend and I know that I am ready to race hard and fast.

Images: Lucas Wroe