My 1st Middle distance Triathlon in the Czech Republic took me to the picturesque town of Doksy, about 1 hours drive north of Prague.
Race was due to Start on Sunday 9th Sept, and registration and race briefing was on the morning of the race too so could take an easy drive upto Doksy on Saturday. I arrived in Saturday afternoon, went for lunch and took an easy stroll to the lake so i could go for a quick pre race swim. Always good to get into the water, get a feel for the lake and check out reference points while you are there.
Doksy lake is beautiful, actually its a pond, but yeah its pretty, its big, surrounded by forests and as flat as a pancake:-) After that had a went for a bbq with my girlfriends family and took it easy for the evening.
Next morning, woke up at 7:45am and race due to start at 12pm so luckily didn't have to get up too early for this one. Didn't have the best of sleeps sadly, so was feeling pretty tired but tried to get as much food inside me as possible. For race day i normally keep to what i know and have either muesli with some fruit or porridge, lots of bread and jam with lots of coffee to go with that.
Registration was fast and easy, and racked my bike up and sorted all my things out within 30mins before race briefing at 11:30am. Race briefing didn't take long and am use to a lot longer briefing, but was over literally in 10mins and had to have my lovely girlfriend translate everything to me ha.
Went for a little warm up swim, they played the Czech national anthem and the gun went off at 12pm sharp. The swim course was a one loop clockwise course and placed myself off to the far left to keep out of the madness and get into a good rhythm. Swimming is not my strong point so plan was to keep it easy and then go for it on the bike course and on the run. Swim was hectic free and got out the water in 40mins.
After a quick transition I was on the bike! For the 1st 1omin minutes i always try to keep it easy and get my cycling legs on and after 10mins take my 1st nutrition on. My race course nutrition plan was 1 shot block every 10mins and take in one bottle of electrolytes every aid station, making around 80g of carbs an hour. The bike course was a rolling course with no massive climbs but kept it steady and didn't power it up but maintained a max of 300watts on the climbs, staying in the saddle and not burning my legs at for the run. Roads were smooth and after 3 laps finished the 90km in 2h 45min.
Run transition was good and felt i had my running legs;-) The course though was very up and down and on trails so found it pretty hard to get into a rythum, and with some sandy sections as well was quite hard. But kept it in there and kept to my Nutrition plan, alternating between water and Coca cola on the aid station. Came through the 21km mark in 1h 47 but realized the course was longer than said..and worked out to be 24km..
Anyway finished in 5h 31min, normal 70.3 would of been 5:16 but anyway happy with both and had a great experience in Doksy. Thanks to the great support to my girlfriend and family;-) I'll be back next year hoping for a sub 5 hour finish;-)
