Sally Taggarts tames Glenelg

Seems I have a bit of a reputation for not getting the course right on race day, but I can assure you,  there was no chance of that happening in Adelaide over the weekend for Race 1of the qualifying races for Worlds, Gold Coast 2009.  This was the business end of some hard training for many of the HERT crew.

As we checked in bikes Saturday afternoon, I suddenly started to feel quite nervous, sighting some pretty flash bikes, plenty of race wheels, disc wheels and some very serious athletes getting their bikes into the compound.  

After a pre-race meal with the HERT Team Saturday evening,  we awoke to an overcast and cool Sunday morning and learnt in transition that the swim option was a rectangular course.  We watched the boys start first from the beach and picked up early here that there was a strong current that started at the end of the break wall.  By this stage, the wind had been picking up and the current was well and truly taking the first of the athletes down to the 2nd can.  It was only on the way back around that you realised how strong the current was and it was much tougher coming back the other way.  I had no trouble sighting the cans and even managed to get on the feet on the swimmer in front of me which helped me back to shore.

On to leg 2, and by this stage the wind had really started to pick up, so there was some tough riding up to the turn around point and some very fast riding back to the start.   Five minutes in to the ride, my right glute seized up.  Has this happened to anyone before?  It’s painful!  I wasn’t able to get down on the bars and just tried to stretch it through.  Jane rode past me but I couldn’t say much, so I was very happy that it only lasted that first lap of the ride .  Coming in to the last lap as we leave transition, 2 of my competitors fly past me on the bike.  So that was that….GAME ON.

Now the run leg is my favourite part of any race – even though it is often the hardest.  So with a wild cheer from the HERT group now growing as the boys join them , it was on to 3 laps of the run course, Yes, that was 3 laps, not 4.   So I took after those girls, and by the first lap, had past one.  The other one was keeping a pretty good pace but I caught her in the 2nd lap and just sat on her feet for a while to see how she was feeling.  Sure enough I could hear very laboured breathing and I knew I had her then, so put the pressure on and upped the pace. It wasn’t long before I was on my own but by the last lap, I felt really lousy and had slowed considerably. With an anxious look over my shoulder every now and then, I was pleased to reach the finish line. Game over.

Well done to everyone that raced  in Adelaide .  Thanks to SuperCoach for his company and last minute tips too.  We all had a great time.  TA organised a well run event and no doubt will be doing the same next race in January You can be assured that the same serious gear and athletes will no doubt be there too. See you in Canberra.

Sally

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