The best inspiration is not to outdo others, but to outdo ourselves

Well, I'm going to sound a bit like I'm making excuses here, but I wasn't really expecting to do all that well at this race. My training seems to have been going generally badly this year, with illnesses all round being the main problem. I've been unwell far more than usual, stress-related no doubt! But then both children have been ill too, leading to reduced opportunities to get out and train. Anyway, that's my claim for understanding before I begin!

This was my third attempt at this race, which centres around the leisure centre in Stratford. Like all the Fun2tri events, it is well organised and genuinely fun to take part in. It comprises a 400m pool swim at the leisure centre, followed by a 23K bike round out into the surrounding countryside and finishes with a 5K run around the playing fields behind the leisure centre.

The race began pretty well, I enjoyed the swim and found myself with enough room to get on with the job in hand. The swim progresses across the four lanes from one end of the pool to the other, with the competitiors ducking under the rope after their allotted number of lenghts in each lane, it sounds more complicated than it is! Anyway, that part went pretty well, with me recording a time of 8:06 for the 400m, as opposed to the 8:27 that I managed last year, and the 8:26 of 2005. Anyway, the important point was that it felt okay. Mind you, I also did a better job of finding my bike in transition this year, that always helps.The bike was a seriously wet and chilly affair. It rained for the vast majority of the day, the result being that I almost felt wetter at the end of the bike course than I was at the beginning! Yes, really! As I cycled around the course I was assailed by water from every angle, it fell from the sky, it sprayed back up from the road as my tyres flicked it all over the place and it came in sideways whenever any other traffic was nearby - lovely. It was a pretty cold affair. Still, despite all that it's a pretty good bike course, if a little busy at the beginning and the end when you are actually in Stratford. The rest of it is out in the countryside and not too hilly, barring a mile long climb up a dual carriageway. That's okay though, it's not especially steep, it just goes on for quite a while. And at the end of all this? I managed a time of 54:11 for the 23K, slower than last year's 52:47, but then in worse conditions and with less training behind me (back to that again!). So, all in all, I thought that was acceptable going. Still better than the 1:00:23 of 2005.

The run was something of an experience. Running is never my strongest discipline anyway, and the going was tough. The course itself is fine, two laps partly on grass and partly on trail type paths, pretty flat too. Shame about the mud! I, like a lot of other people, found myself being rather tentative as I didn't fancy landing on my backside in the mire. Still, I think my time was okay, I managed 29:35 for the 5K. Last year I did it in 28:48. and the year before came in at 28:50.

All this might sound like I'm saying it wasn't a great experience, but I still really enjoyed it. I was pleased I hadn't really lost fitness through illness and missed training, and it was as well organised as ever. A good day out all round. And my finishing time? I completed the race in 1:31:52, slower than last year's 1:30:02, but still better than my first attempt which came in at 1:37:39. I will be back to try and improve on last year's time.