A highlight of the WA tri scene in another stunning location, KVT is always a great weekend! Last year it was well…brutal! High temp + hills +a midday start and it was survival mode. The course had a few changes for the 2nd running on the long course format, which saw the athletes turn onto Channybearup road during the bike leg. Driving down on Friday I checked it out and was impressed. It made the course easier, but there was plenty to like on the new road for the strong cyclists and it improved the race on last year too. So the Paul Zani and Rob Suriano, Well done!!
Of the races this season, this was the one I wanted to win. I put a bit of pressure on myself and got a bit from club mates too. Which is all good, it’s part of the game and something you have to deal with. I thought my main competition was going to be Guy Crawford. Brynt McSwain was another I’d have to keep an eye on this strong biker’s course. Either way I was expecting it to be a race of truth, in that there would be big gaps between the athletes, we’d be working by ourselves.
In the swim I started off to the left and got into a good rhythm straight away and had a good view of Guy and Scott Pontague off to my right. At the first buoy I locked onto Guy’s feet and he went very wide… I stuck with him, but he also upped the pace and I wasn’t able to hold on.
I was expecting to swim on my own and got on with it. I felt strong for the rest of the swim. As I got out I checked my watch, around 20minutes. Which is a good PB! I was still 2min down to Guy
There is a bit of a run to T1 so worked hard and got on the bike and away. Early on, I got a split it was down to 1.45. Thing were going to plan. Guy is a seasoned IM Pro on a strength course, but I was confident of bringing down the time gap.
As it turns out…..That was quite hard to do haha
The first lap was ok, but I was losing a little time to Guy. My bike legs just weren’t firing! It was becoming tough to stay in the moment and focused when things weren’t going to plan. Heading down the hill to end the first lap, which was a little sketchy in the wet at 70kph I was still going ok. The gap at the end of lap 1 was 2.15-30ish; it would be tough, but I’d back my run at that gap.
The 2nd lap didn’t improve; my legs were giving me nothing. Time was blowing out and Brynt was closing in from 3rd and at T2 he was within 30seconds. The gap to Guy was 4minutes…
Not getting a big hit out in Singapore was affecting this race. I knew it would be interesting after tapering for a 70.3, not racing and not fatiguing the body. I’d aimed to extend the peak out for this race, but in reality didn’t get much done in the days that followed Singapore, lacked a little mojo. The result was riding amazingly the weekend before Karri Valley in training.
Onto the run and I was going to have a crack. It was a big gap; my mind was filled with memory’s of Mark Allen’s efforts in 1992 (I think) at the Nice Triathlon, running down a big gap. I found my rhythm and took off.
My first view of Guy came on the damn wall; he looked like he was running well. I was feeling a lot better running. I pushed hard until about half way. I was happy with how I was running, but the gap wasn’t reducing anywhere near enough. I turned it off and cruised home and saved the legs for another day….yes this still eats away at me days later. Not how I race.
Congrats to Guy and Kate for the wins. Was happy to take out the Country Series and looking forward to get back into some serious training
Mikey
