As usual I couldn’t sleep very well post race. Combination of the excitement of it in my head and the dull in ache in my quads and foot. The tendon is tight and sore. Read all about it here.

Boy what a race. The swim  just gets more and more aggressive each time I do this race. I had a great race. I put together a swim and bike that makes me confident I can do very well here once I can run again. A 3:26 run split would have got me on the podium. Thats not meant to be a ‘woulda coulda shoulda’ more just an honest assessment of how pleased I am with how the swim and bike went and that it proved to me I could do well. I have tended to feel that my bike was my weak link when I race here and my run has been a relative strength. Yesterday I showed myself I can ride strong enough and I feel I can get even stronger.

Believe it or not I enjoyed the ‘run’. After about 6 miles I could feel it falling apart and to go from thinking it was game over to somehow getting myself sorted out was an experience. OK – it took probably 2 hours of walking but I managed to get enough fluid, salt and fuel in that I got running again. I also found that it’s very difficult to quit. Even when i was laid on Ali’i drive convinced they wouldn’t get me up again without me cramping in agony I was working out how long I could lay there and still get this thing completed.

Everyone I know seemed to have good races though a couple will be frustrated / disappointed. Russell had a great first race here ending 28th in his age group with a 3:14 run split. I’m hoping this will completely change his view on qualifying – it’s not whether he’ll qualify now, he should know he will qualify. Roger ran just a little quicker than Russell and was 7th in his age group frustratingly he was a mere 2.5 minutes from the podium. It may come as some consolation that in my age group 7th was only 8 seconds behind 5th and 6th was only 1 second behind having been chased down.

Jo raced well beating her previous time here and just ahead of her target for 6th. Just missing the podium and very frustrating. She ran in to 3rd place at one point. I am so proud of her.

Last but not least Rachel came 6th. YES sixth in THE WORLD. If it wasn’t for Chrissies rise 2 years a go I think people would be raving about this. First full season as a pro and she goes: 3rd (IM South Africa), 2nd (IM Lanzarote), 6th (IM World Champs). It can’t be long till she gets her first victory. I am so pleased for her. I’m not surprised as seeing her training in Lanzarote I thought she’d be right up there after the bike with everything to play for. I almost said as much here but didn’t as she’s a sometimes reader and didn’t want to put any pressure on her.

PHIL – thanks for the advice to carry the salt tablets on the run as I’d be likely to cramp. how did you know ? That saved my race.

Now I need to get back running so I can qualify again.