Gullane Beach Triathlon

I'm happy to say that the improvements in bike power in training have indeed translated to improved racing.

It was the Gullane Beach triathlon yesterday and I was hoping for a good race with a podium place in mind.

Race conditions were excellent for Gullanes standards (last year the swim was cut to 750m due to the swell) the swim was nothing to taxing, with the tide being more favourable throughout the 2lap 1.5k swim. I didn't managed to get into a group for the swim so ended up a few 20 or seconds down on where I would have hoped to be, but in sight of the other podium contenders, well except from Craig, he was setting a blistering pace right from the off.

Exiting the water in 7th I was happy as I still had people in sight to chase down on the bike and contrary to earlier in the year I was feeling positive about my biking.

The bike course from what I remember from the last time I raced it (2003, I can't believe it was that long ago) was tough due to the wind and climbs. Whether it was that I am stronger, of that I've ridden the race roads in training more, but the course didn't seem that hard. In fact it seemed to fly by faster than normal 40k (and Gullane is 42K) courses. After moving throw the feel into 5th Stuart Macleod came charging past, who I knew was a strong biker so I made sure to keep him in sight. Coming into T2 Stuart was still in sight and I was now in 4th place, time to put my running legs to work.

I knew that Craig was going to be way out in front as he is a really strong biker, so catching him was going to take something special. But catching Stuart in 3rd and Andy Turnbull in 2nd was definitely doable, Andy being a strong biker, but not too strong a runner. The run like the previous 2 disciplines is not an easy straight forward one. A 2 lap course which take you up and over one of the Gullane golf courses, with a handful of short but leg draining climbs, is not a fast run. Would this play into my favour.

After weaving my way through the houses at the start of the run I hit the first climb up to the golf course and to my surprise as I turn onto the climb I could see Andy and Stuart 50m ahead off me, excellent I wouldn't normally expect to see Andy until about the half way point of the run, I must of had a really good bike. Passing Andy on the descent he shouted I had about a 30sec gap to Stuart. The course now flattens out now for the 2nd half of the lap which is an out and back so I had Stuart in my sights and was reeling him in. With Gullane being a local race there were lots of club support on the run and everyone was giving great support as I went past transition.

I new Stuart was a strong runner, but I also knew that he was training for Ironman distance racing this year so he mind not have the speed on the flat, so when I came up behind him I move straight past him with a small increase in pace, nothing to explosive cause to be honest I was hurt myself and didn't want to die on the second lot of climbs. Passing transition Penny shouted that I had about 20ms gap so I knew I was at least pull away from Stuart I just had to hang on over the climbs, as his long distance strength might be advantages over the tough sections.

Descending off the climbs and passing back through transition for the last 2.5k Penny shouted that Stuart was out of sight, brilliant all I need to do is keep this pace for the out and back and 2nd place would be mine. I was tying up a little on the return leg into a strong head wind, but held on to 2nd place by 20seconds. Very pleased with the outcome, not running at my best, but thought that might be the case with all the biking had been doing, still 4th fastest run so not that bad.

Well Done to Edinburgh Triathletes for organising a great race. Also congratulations to Graig Dale on a truly exceptional race leading from the off and racing strong all the way to the line, great effort.