August 3rd, 2009:

Counting to 5. 1…2…3…3…4…5…

Or at least that’s what the marshals at the Cardiff International Pool Aquathlon managed to do.  When attempting a daunting, never before done by yourself 500m swim in a wetsuit you’ve never worn before you’d like to think that at least you wouldn’t have to do anymore than planned.

Marshal had other ideas when he called out 3 laps done twice as we went around the large triangular course they’d laid out.  It wasn’t just me but everyone in my wave who was affected.  I managed to do it mind and I guess in theory Tuska is now only a little bit more rather than 50% more.

Got out of the pool and into T1 – is it just T for a aquathlon or duathlon? – and managed to get the wetsuit off easy enough,  Took a while faffing with socks which I wouldn’t have done in a big race an set off on the run aiming at a run time of about 32 minutes.  Problem was I couldn’t settle into a rhythm at a fast enough speed and kept falling off the pace.  Managed to overtake several of the faster swimmers in my wavebut still only came in on 34 minutes.  Not really happy with that and the 32 minute target would have seen me jumping about 8 places in the field.

A good event though and less wary about Tuska’s swim now – although I do need to add a 22K bike in between with some killer hills.  Why do I do it?  To see if I can I guess.

Off to Maindy cycle track in the week for a couple of hours of leg spinning – must try and work on getting my cadence up to something respectable and a track is about the easiest way to do it I guess.