Start of the 2015/2016 Triathlon Season - 2 Races – 2 Great Results

To say I have had a good start to the season would be an understatement. I have been lucky enough to have two races where the hard work in training has been converted to great race results.

Rotto Olympic Distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run) was my first race back after world Champs in Austria, it was a laid back low pressure event that was a good race to see where my fitness was at. Rottnest Island is probably one of my favourite places in WA and I was lucky enough to have two of my team members take me out snorkelling and spear fishing the day before the race. After a good night’s sleep in the party house with some of my team mates I headed down to the pub, not for a breakfast bevie but to set up my transition and start the race. The transition was super relaxed and well organised; this was a nice relief after the pressure and hype around the world champs.

Pic 1: Entering the water for a deep water start

After setting up transition I went to the race briefing and then we were off, it was my first one wave start, so all the men and woman started together! I knew Neill Brooks, former Olympic swimmer, was competing and after the chaos that is the first 50m of the swim start, Neill was about 10m in front of me and I had dropped the other competitors. I thought I would just hang out behind him and see how I go. To my surprise I started moving closer to Neill and by the turn around point I was at his feet. We both chose different lines on the way back but the swim ended with a side by side sprint to the end and I managed to come out of water first overall athlete.

Pic 2: Coming out of the water first :D

Into transition and out onto the bike, I thought I had a flat and pulled over just out of transition but it wasn’t a flat so quickly swore quietly to myself and jumped back on my bike. The bike course was awesome, there was a head wind, it was undulating and technical, due to corners and snake dodging, I loved it! As per usual I was the hunted, cycling scared, thinking the boys will be coming any minute but I wasn’t going to give it up without a fight!!

Coming into transition the commentator announced that I was the first person off the bike. He was telling people watch my transitions as an example of how is should be done, FYI my transitions are useless :p and under the pressure I decided there was no time to put on socks (this is something I would severely regret later as the blood from blisters has stained through my shoes)! I ran out of transition and down the road, the first male rode past me and said ‘I’m coming Kerry’! This was David Bryant who I had been working with to get my nutrition right, nutrition has been a major issue for me and at this point in the race I hadn’t even felt a slight start of a cramp coming on :D Milestone.

Pic 3: Coming out onto the run still in first

The run was also a challenging course, hilly and hot! It was two laps and at the end of the first lap David finally caught me (there had been a lot banter days leading into the race about David getting ‘chicked’). As he ran past he asked how my nutrition was going and from the look on my face I think he decided the safest option was to move along. At this point I was pretty deep in the hurt locker but managed to pushed through and finish strong! 1st Female and 2nd Overall Athlete in 2:07:35.65, I was stoked!! It was a really well organised event and an amazing course, I mean the finish line was at the front of a pub… what more could you ask for!!

Pic 4: My first speech after a race, was pretty nervous but I had had a few celebratory beers by this point which helped ;D

A couple of weeks later and I’m toeing the line at Mandurah Interclub Sprint distance triathlon (750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run). Another really well organised race and a field of 350 people, so good to see everyone showing up and representing their team and supporting local races! I was star struck to realise professionals Kate Belivaqua and Michelle Duffield were racing and knew it would be a competitive race.

The swim was in calm waters but the field of swimmers were rough, the juniors are great swimmers and not afraid to get up close and personal, came out of the water 3rd with a few scratches but due to my amazing transitions was 5th out of the swim-bike transition. It was an undulating and technical bike course which played to my strengths and by the end of the first lap I was in the lead. From there I built my lead as I knew there were some good runners and made it into the bike-run transition first.

Pic 5: First into the bike-run transition, always the hunted

The run course was enjoyable J this is something I have never been able to say before. As I had built a good lead on the bike I didn’t have to enter too deep into that hurt locker yayay! Being 1st overall female, pros included, in a time of 1:03:08 was awesome and I’ll be stocked about this result for a good while! It has built confidence in my run and has reminded me why I love racing and competing.Thank you for the all the lovely messages and support, I wouldn’t be performing as I am without all the wonderful people in my life. Also thanks again to 32Gi your ongoing support means the world!

Pic 6: First over the line, had the lead bike with me the whole way which was really cool

Pic 7: Michelle Duffield, professional triathlete, congratulated me after the race, very strong athlete and someone I look up to

Im racing again on the 13/12 and am looking forward to the being able to race regularly through the tri season for the first time as I am free of Barrow Island :D!! Life is good, bring it on!!