Lazy Sunday mornings...............

The day finally dawned - as wet and soggy as it was the last time I attempted this crazy triathlon, The Rowers Revenge - 4km rowing (on an erg), 25km cycling and 7km run.  But this year the course was shortened slightly as Marlow bridge was closed to pedestrians and the river tow path was so muddy it wasn't really safe to run on, so we only had to complete 5km run on tarmac, which nobody complained about!
First challenge of the day - would the bike fit in the back of a mini?  I really should have checked this out before I realise.  Luckily, it just squeezed in.

After that my main concern was who I had to beat.  I had previously quickly scanned the previous years' results and figured there was a chance of winning my category (if I didn't fall off the bike, or blow up on the erg to start with).  On arrival I checked out the competition and spotted a very lean, seriously kitted out, obviously a triathlete, woman of my age - this was my competition!  I figured if she was a 'normal' triathlete she would be a swimmer and not a rower, so my original timing goal on the erg had to be revised - I had to up my game and make sure I beat her on this, and then just stay ahead for the next hour and a half cycling and running - sounds simple really!
The first bit went according to plan, I was the first to jump (OK, crawl) off the erg and head out to the bikes.  Not my strongest part of the race mainly due to inexperience and general nervousness going down steep hills on such a tiny bit of machinery, I gave it my all - for the first time ever I didn't even break going downhill.  Every time I saw somebody in front of me I made it my mission to get past them, and this I did pretty much the whole way around.  Alas, after around 12km I heard a bike coming up behind me and despite all my efforts was overtaken by my competition.  I was not deterred however and kept up the pace until the end and had to be content with second place.
Those people that say that it's just the taking part that counts really don't get it.  I felt very satisfied having completed the course but would have felt so much more satisfied had I won!