With my new job in Bristol, clocking up 170 miles just commuting, I simply don’t have the inclination or the energy to even think about running any more. A sensible decision, Elies assures me

Well done on the triathlon Ben! They are fun… What bike did you ride? What preparation did you do? Did you do any bike specific training?

The scariest thing for me was the open-water swim. I am not a particularly
strong swimmer, and though by the time the event came I had managed to
convince myself I would complete 750m without collapsing, I still hadn’t
had the chance to swim in a wetsuit or in the open-water. My real fear was
being elbowed or kicked in the face and losing my breathing pattern,
whilst eating waves! As it was, I followed the advice and hung back a bit,
so I managed to avoid all but the most flaying breast-strokers. By the end
I was over-taking people and steadily eating duck-poo as I caught up with
the faster swimmers. The run in bare feet to the transition area was none
too pleasant, but the transition itself went very smoothly. Getting on the
bike felt wonderful after paddling around in a cumbersome wetsuit.
However, I quickly realised how un-cycle fit I was as people steadily
overtook me on the hills. I was being overtaken by fat charity runners on
mountain bikes! I realised I have never cycled 20km in my life. I also had
a panic about how many laps I was supposed to do, but very helpfully they
had signs up. In fact it was brilliantly well organised, with everything
signed and marshaled so a hair-brained muppet like me couldn’t go wrong.
Not like pentathlons where I’ve managed to get out the pool before
completing the swim! By the time the cycle had ended I was feeling a bit
lonely, as there was no-one in my heat to be seen. I set off on the run,
really hoping to do well. Like you, I can normally do 5km sub-20-min,
perhaps 18:something on a good day. But my legs were rubber, and
flat-footedly I jogged off around the very hilly course. However, as my
muscles remembered they could run, I picked the pace up and started to
overtake the charity runners. It was reassuring to realise some of them
were the heat before me, and I was lapping them. I then saw some Oxford
people, to go and run against, and managed the sprint finish of my life.

I finished with a time of 1:34, 30th in my heat (the Oxford-Cambridge
match). I had actually really enjoyed it, and I have had no aches and
pains since. My splits were:

Swim: 16:32
T1: 04:11 (everyone was over 3mins due to the distance to transition)
Bike: 47:46
T2: 01:26
Run: 24:04

My ride was a full 7 minutes slower than the top guy and my run was a bit
disappointing, but I think due to the slow bike. The swim was OK, but I was
holding back and I think I could have gone for it a lot more. I enjoyed
it, and I am now thinking about doing the full Olympic distance.