Lakesman 70.3 - Chris McKee

The Lakesman is one of my favourite weekends in the calendar. This being my fourth time racing the event, two fulls and this would be my second half. My previous half PB which was set on this course was 5 hrs 39 mins in 2018.

I felt comfortable going into the race despite a couple of niggles and in the main I felt I had done the training, getting comfortable with the brick sessions through the last block. However I still was unsure about getting off the bike and running at the pace I had been doing in training and what coach Paul had set me for race day. Given the pace would give me a half marathon PB. So hence the doubts.

Race Day

I woke up and went through the usual race morning routine with no major issues other than the usual battle I have to eat porridge that early in the morning. I headed over to transition and to be honest I think I left it a little late and before I knew it, computer and nutrition was on the bike and i was heading down to the lake with very little time to get myself together.

Swim

I consider myself a comfortable swimmer but I have always struggled with the nerves of a mass start, last year was great with a rolling start. I thought I would go mass start and get started. I headed into the water and got my self in my usual position on the left, get away fast and cut over once the swim start had calmed down. It felt really busy around me at the buoy, but I was at the front. The horn went, it was brutal. In all the years of racing I have never had that many people swimming around me, over me and at one point half way up my back. Its done no good for my mass start confidence. I kept telling myself to stay calm and just turn the arms over as fast as I could until it calmed down. After that I got into a steady rhythm and it was uneventful other than someone tickling my feet all the way round. In amongst all the panic to get to the start I had selected pool swim instead of open water, so I didn't get any pacing prompts. But this didn't impact me too much and got out of the swim in 30 mins.

Bike

The bike went to plan with me looking at the weather all week and after seeing the wind direction I thought id go a little bit harder until about mile 24 after all the bumps and back to Keswick I could back it off, get back on race power and settle down to prepare for the run as the wind would be behind me. Got to mile 36 and expected the wind to be behind me but it didn't feel like it was. I decided stick to the plan get back on race power and bring down the intensity factor. Nothing really changed from there all the way back , staying focused and making sure the nutrition was being taken on board ready for the run. Bike complete in 2 hrs 39 mins. Run

I came into transition 2 thinking right that's two out of the three roughly on target and only one discipline left to do and if I nail it I would have my target time of under 5 hrs. So in and out transition two fairly sharpish until I decided I needed the toilet. Out onto the run and into the first mile the voices were already starting in my head that this was going to be tough, I had gone too hard on the bike and I cant maintain this. Quick word to myself and I started treating it as one mile at a time and hit the pace. Before I knew it I had 4 miles in, then 6 and when I got to 10 mile I knew I just had to hold it together. Despite having a target I never once looked at the overall time on the course. I knew I had to be finished by 11 am. But I just stayed focused on pace. I really started to feel a few warning shots of cramp in the legs in mile 12/13 and got it the last time I ran back down the ramp into the rugby field, knowing I had the steps to do one last time. Luckily it didn't get any worse and the run finished in 1 hrs 36 mins.

Official Time: 4 hrs 53 mins 33 seconds a half PB and absolutely chuffed with the result. Thankyou coach.

Learning for the next race, watch settings, right place for the swim, review nutrition as i don't get cramp ever. But most importantly I need to learn to pee on the bike i feel the run back to the urinal in T2 contributed to me not getting third in my age group!!!!