World U23 Champs Beijing

I had a very late call up for me to do this race, so I didn’t really have much time to prepare specifically for this race, however, I still went into it superfit and especially swimming better than I ever have.

I arrived in Beijing on Wednesday in thick smog with only a few 100m visibility, which would have made an interesting race, but when I woke up on race day it was blue skys and scorching hot. The race venue was amazing, we were competing on the 2008 olympics course, around some amazing old Chinese buildings and beautiful green hills a long way away from the concrete of Beijing city.

The swim went well enough for me, I wasn’t nervous at all before the race which helped I think and I was able to get a quick start and find good position in the front half of the race. The front 30or so stayed fairly compacted, so I got out only 20seconds from the front.

I made up this deficit in the first few km’s of the bike, and I quickly went to the front. I had been planning to break away on the bike during the second half of the race, but I am not one to muck around so I thought “stuff it” and rode hard up the 1km climb dropping everyone. A group of 3 of us, including NZer Tom Davison, then formed and we rode really hard to try gain a lead. I had hoped the bunch would muck around and maybe we could get more than 2mins, but they never let us go and despite us smashing it we only ended the bike with a lead of 1min10. I had the fastest bike split for the race, and my time was actually faster than the men went at the Olympics 3 years ago!!

I felt great at the start of the run but the heat got to me and I started to cramp very badly, and I really struggled for the next few km’s. And was caught by the first lot of runners. I did get myself together in the last couple of km’s but it was well over by then.

While the result ended up not being so good. I was happy with doing my best with giving myself a chance at wining, and while the risk didn’t pay off, it is better to take the chance and fail than never risk anything.

I’m now off to ride to see the great wall, and its going to be great to see the other races going on this weekend.

Also here is a link to an article on the race which includes a short highlights video
http://www.triathlon.org/news/article/sharp_leads_british_podium_sweep_in_mens_under23_world_championships/