My first triathlon. My target was 1:30, and I just made it (1:28:33) but it was tough. Perfect weather (maybe 12 degrees, bright blue skies, very little wind).

Swim - tough, muchharder and  slower than pool. I was in the third (last) wave, so watched the first wave off, and entered the water when the second wave set off. The water was cold on feet and ankles, and when it finally worked its way into the wetsuit, but not bad, nothing like the sea a week earlier. I wore my bigger blue swim mask/googles and made sure the swim cap came right down my forehead so even putting my head underwater was only a little shocking for a few goes, then it was OK. We all swam over to the dock's exit channel ready for the start, and treaded water for a few minutes until they set us off (the website had said the dock was on average 5 foot deep, but where we were it was too deep to stand in). I was in the front half of the crowd, but not at the front, so when we set off it was a little chaotic, arms and legs everywhere. I tired swimming properly but was so jostled that I ended up breathing every other stroke, so always on the same side, for a 100m or so. Eventually I got some free space and started 3 stroke breathing, but was still getting the odd arm or leg touch. I tried keeping the wall to my right to ensure I was going the right way but still sighted the orange marker often, which really interrupts the swim stroke. As I rounded the first marked I was convinced I was near the back of my wave. I'd occasionally done breaststroke just to get a proper look and catch my breath, i'd taken several mouthfuls of water. Around the next two markers was OK, but when I next looked up I could see two more, where I expected only one. I just follwed where everyone else was swimming and rounded the final marker. The finish line was a long way off. I hadn't swam at all comfortably until now, nor fast, so I tried to calm down and swim properly with good technique, and finally got to the finish line. I wasnt dead straigh all the way round but dont think I meandered too much. At the finish I stood up and waded out into the funnel, saw Charlotte and the boys and ran to my bike.

Turns out I cam 49th in the swim, so must have been in the front half of my wave at least, if not closer to the front.

T1 - total disaster. I got to my bike quickly, and took my wetsuit off no problems, but then it all went wrong. I picked my number belt up from the floor and as I stretched it round my waist one of the two safety pins ripped trhough the number and the number fell off one side, so I had to undo and re-pin the number corner onto the belt. Next I put my jacket on as I'd planned, but it took forever. Because I was wet from the swim the arms of the jacket stuck so I had to peel the material up slowly. Next I put my gloves on. I really didnt need with the jacket or the gloves, so had probably wasted 90 seconds.

Next time I'll wear my number belt under my wetsuit for the swim, so that its already on ready for the bike. I'll also attach both numbers (if two provided) so no need to worry about spinning the number round for the run after the bike.

Bike -very happy, 22.4 mph average, my fastest ever. I got my feet clipped in quick and was off. Overtaking people straight away, only got overtaken 2 to 3 times. My hr and breathing were highish all the way round, but manageable. I ended up in a mini race off with two other riders. We kept overtaking each other just to be overtaken again. Eventually one dropped back so for the last 3rd it was just me and another rider, as we both overtook many other riders. We never drafted each other or benefited, just I think competed against and didnt want to be overtaken by. There was a few slight inclines, but nothing you could really call a hill. I didnt have to stop once all the way round. The only problem was slower riders holding up overtaking cars, which I then had to cruise behind for a few seconds every now and then until the cars could overtake the rider in front. 

T2 - fine, no problems, other than tiredness

Run - straight into the run I knew it was going to be slow. I think I maybe overdid the bike a bit, as my legs were heavy and tired running. I tried picking up the pace a bit but the slight undulations in the path were very noticable. Not my slowest event 5k, but not my fastest either. Definately room for improvement, I should be doing the 5 k run in sub 21, ideally sub 20.

Overall very good, but tough