Devonport Race Report + February Update

Long time betweens posts and race reports hey? Yes, yes I know I’ve been lazy but I’ll try my best to keep the posts more often into the future. To take your mind off my idleness when it comes to race reports I’ve got a new one hot off the press just for you. Enjoy.

Devonport Triathlon Race Report

As soon as someone utters the words "Devonport triathlon", those words are closely followed by the mention of North Street and the infamous hill that protrudes from the relatively flat surroundings. Of course anyone in their right mind would think that going up this hill more than once walking, let alone riding a bike up it would be as mad as a hatter. And so it'd seem fit that to battle it out for the title of Australian national junior champion we'd have to go up it four times on a 20km bike course as fast as we could after a 750m rough ocean swim, and then top it off with a 5km sole burning road run to finish it off. Nice way to spend a weekend down in Tasmania hey?

And we're off!
Credit: Kalmerimage

Battling up North Street
Credit: Kpalmerimage

Feeling fit, ready, and also having a bird crap on me the night before I walked down to the start line. I felt like I’d put in the hard work and hopefully had some luck on my side (isn't a bird crapping on you good luck?). After a swim that felt like more of a boxing match I exited the water a lot further down than I’d hoped to be on the leaders, seeing alot less bikes in T1 than usual, and so the chase was on. All the hill repeats I’d done leading up to Devonport were paying off and I was able to push through two packs and find myself sitting in the 2^nd chase group coming off the bike and into T2.

Bike in, helmet off and runners on I was flying out of T2 and onto the run. I felt great but that only lasted a few fleeting moments before everything came tumbling down like an avalanche of hurt. I couldn't match anyone for pace as one athlete after the other passed me and could tell I was paying for my effort on the bike. Finishing in at 28^th position I was initially pretty bummed with my race and overall performance. However after a few days to think it over I’m pretty happy with how I raced, aggressively and trying to give myself the best chance no matter what the odds were. This whole season has been about getting some draft legal racing experience and I’ve done that with a bunch of races under the belt and learning plenty.

What Next?

Today I competed in the Richie Walker Aquathlon, a fun vibed and well organised swim and run put on by Cronulla Tri Club around Gunnamatta Park. I always look forward to competing in the Richie Walker Aquathlon as it was one of my first ventures into the multisport world.

Next up on the racing calendar is the Elite Energy Wollongong Enticer to get some critical speed leading into the Mooloolaba Olympic Distance Triathlon up on the beautiful Sunshine coast. 

Until next time,

Ryan

Post Race - Watching the Elite Men/Women battle it out up North Street.
Credit: Kpalmerimage

Forster Draft Legal Triathlon

Forster Triathlon Race Report

Forster is a beautiful little part of the NSW coast and this was my second time racing the Sprint triathlon up there. However this was my first time racing the draft legal event and first time having a crack at a draft legal sprint distance triathlon, an exciting thought that I was soon to find out was a lot of painful fun.

Race morning and there was a deep fog over the race site that turned into beautiful sunny weather, couldn't get any better for racing. Warm up done and wetsuit on I was raring to dig into the 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run.

The buzzer sounded and we were off, the first 300m of swimming was crazy fast, I couldn't believe how quick the front pack went in the swim, I pushed myself to stay with them but lost feet just before the swim turn around. On the return I found myself swimming in the chase pack with the leaders getting further and further away, this was not what I wanted. Exiting the water I was 50 seconds down on a pack of 6 and 10 seconds off my younger brother. A smooth transition and as soon as I mounted my bike I dropped the hammer, going for the front pack.

After a couple of minutes I was in a pack of 4 and we started to work quite well together, everyone rolling turns. Just before the 10km turn around we found the front bike pack was just over 1 minute ahead of us, which was far from what I wanted. I wasn't at this race to fight for 7th place, I wanted to be in the battle for 1st.  12km in and after having an earlier chat with Jack he attacked and we dropped my brother Jason from the pack, one less person to worry about getting off the bike with. Rolling into transition I positioned myself at the front and made sure I was ready to hit the pavement fast. Runners on, helmet off and I exited transition in 7th place, first out from my bike pack.

The first 1km of the run was fast, I hit it hard but was passed and dropped to 8th, the second lap come around and I could myself battling for 7th with Jack, I knew if I could hold on until the last few meters I always have a solid kick and back myself over a sprint finish. The last km I was really starting to hurt and my legs were starting to get heavy but I dug deep and held on until the last 300m where I kicked, know that I wanted the inside line going for the finish chute. The last part is a bit of a blur but photos show me coming over the line in 7th. 

Every race I find myself going to that next level that I didn't think I was capable of and coming out with some things to work on so next race I can go above and beyond again. Thanks to everyone for the support over the weekend. Two weeks until the NSW super sprint weekend, an awesome tune up for Runaway Bay.

Until then,

Ryan  

Nepean Race Report

A 4am wake up greeted me for Australia's oldest triathlon, the Nepean Triathlon, a fast and furious 1km lake swim, 30km out and back bike and 10km flat run. An awesome week of training leading up to Nepean had me raring to go and keen to put the pedal to the metal, coming out the other side with a smooth and strong race.

Donning the wetsuit for what was still a pretty warm swim, I got off to a great start and found myself  sitting on a hip, just off the lead 3. A pretty un-eventful swim until the last 200m I had my goggles knocked off and ended up finishing the swim blind. 4th out of the water, I rushed transition and was on my bike hammering it in no time.

Outside onto the road, I found myself just off the pace of a few guys I would've liked to go with, smashing it out to the turn around. On the way back the earlier hit out was slowly starting to take its toll on me and I found myself lonely and hurting on the last 15km of the bike. Flying down the bridge into T2 I changed smoothly into my runners and was off for a 2 lap 10km run.

Passing one competitor in the first few km's I kept it calm and collected holding a steady 3:39 pace, just tapping away. On the 2nd lap it started to get super crowded and the mission changed to finding some clear road to run on. This lead to putting in a few surges when I had the chance and hitting it whenever the opportunity arose. Finishing up I was hot and hurt but overall stoked with how my race panned out, all the extra sessions and hard work is chipping away at making me that little bit faster and fitter each race.

Thanks to everyone who continues to support me and puts in the work behind the scenes to let me do what I love, I can't thank you enough. Two weeks on I'll be in Forster for my first draft legal sprint distance race, another awesome opportunity to smash myself and experience draft legal racing.

Cheers,
Ryan

World Championships Race Report

This was it, world championships, the big one! All I'd been thinking about for the weeks leading up was the opportunity to wear the green and gold on a world stage for the first time and experience racing on an international scale whilst also watching the best of the best battle it out for glory and the title of World Champion.

A week before racing my family and I embarked on the 14 hour flight to San Fran before 3 hours to Edmonton, Canada. Edmonton put on a great show, friendly people, warm days and a beautiful race site, everything was tip top, aside from the potholes on the road doing their best Grand Canyon impressions.

 

First up was the Aquathon on Wednesday. A 750m swim in Hawrelak park lake (which becomes an ice-rink in winter) and a 4.6km stroll around the outskirts of the park. Not racing for a long time I could tell the cobwebs needed to be blown out and this race was going to be a shock to the system, albeit a good shock. Paraded to the start line by a lone bagpipes-man, the heart started to beat faster and I was reminded of how exciting it is to just race.

"On your marks, set, *buzzer*”. One step and splash the Aquathon World Champs had started.  The first turning buoy was hell, guys coming from the left, the right, I couldn't get a stroke into the water without hitting someone and I felt pretty ordinary. On the return back to shore I picked an outside line and just avoided the carnage and got into my own rhythm.

I exited the water and made the long run to transition. Wettie off and runners on I hit the pavement in the warm Edmonton sunshine. It didn't feel like I was really running as good as I could've and it bugged me the whole run. Only the last km I felt like I was starting to hit it well and as I rounded for the finish line with no one in site I started to ease up and soak in the atmosphere, giving out high 5's all round and thinking to myself 'how cool is this, this is the world championships!'

Next up was the sprint triathlon on Friday. Leading up to it I had a massage post Aquathon and didn't let go of my roller when back at the hotel room whilst also sleeping in my BSC compression tights. The opening ceremony for the world championships was next level, marching in the green and gold finished off with dinner sitting at a table with a bunch of new friends was definitely a highlight of the trip and an experience I thoroughly enjoyed.

Friday morning struck and Edmonton had put on the sunshine again.  Today I felt much better than when I had the Aquathon and knew today was going to be red-hot with 70+ other athletes from around the world on the start line. Taking in experience from the Aquathon I chose an outside line for the swim start that would let me avoid the first buoy fist fight.

Buzzer sounded and it was triathlon time. My swim was awesome, I felt good, stuck good lines and ended up hanging onto the feet of some front pack swimmers. Transition was smooth and I was out onto the 20km bike in no time. Victoria hill was the first challenge of the ride, this hill was dirty and I hit it hard out of the saddle. Coming back down there was a few tight turns and must've been a mistranslation with some athletes forgetting in Canada you ride on the right hand side of the road, making for an interesting and funny style of non-draft racing. The second hill of the day Grout road was great, a slow long uphill, hitting it on the big chain ring whilst keeping it smooth and steady and thinking of all the times I'd gone up Waterfall hill at training.  Another lap and coming into transition I was brimming with confidence, nothing had gone wrong yet.

Run time and I went out fast with the cheers of "Go Australia" echoing in my head. 5kms starting off with a few km's of trail running. A pack of two started to catch and I ran with them for a few minutes before starting to hit the wall, slowly fading through the last km I could hear the finish line in the distance and spurred myself on. The crowd was amazing and running up to the finish line with the biggest grin I went all in and held off an attack from an American to finish 50th in my age.

Over the next few days I got to meet new people, make new friends and watch the best of the best battle it out whilst having a few well earned beers. This is an experience I will never forget and something that will spur me on to train harder and race faster to reach my dream of racing as an elite athlete in the future.

I'd like to thank my coach Mick Delamotte for helping me reach my goal at the start of the year to qualify for world championships and also provide me with all his wisdom and knowledge to become a better athlete each and every session. Also thanks to El, Pete, John, my training mates and everyone at HPT, my sponsors Bad Max and RidgeView and finally my parents, thank you so much for everything you've done to get me to this point and allow me to chase my dreams.

Best wishes,

Ryan