So, here are the eagerly awaited times of my first triathlon ( so you can secretly train and beat me next time:)

overall, 1.31.50 came 326th out of 406 finishers.

swim: 10.30 - rank 352
bike: 47.24 - rank 286
run: 33.21 - rank 350

So, as you can see, my bike was by far my best leg, and the other 2 much of a muchness. Swimming was impeded somewhat by being in a lane with a lady left over from last night's aquarobics who thought doggy paddle was compulsory, so struggled with a bodged overtaking and had to walk the last half length behind her, so think I could gain 30 seconds next time on the swim. Cycle was fab, really flat and fast and the bike did the job! I knew R was trying to catch up on the bike ( he started 10 minute later) and it gave me a great incentive to not let him. I finished the run about 30 seconds ahead of him in the end, he came in with an awesome overal of 1.21.55. The winners were just under an hour, so pretty good eh? Run - aargh. First 2k my legs were like jelly and it was on really long and uneven tufty grass, felt like we were going on a bear hunt. The middle 2k were fine, got some speed and better surface, but the last 1k was mainly around the perimeter of the school field and seeing the finish but having to go so far round to reach it was grim. Running on my fresh legs last month I could do 4 minutes quicker, and on hillier terrain, so really I could improve the run by a couple of minutes. My aim was between 1hr 40 and 1hr 50 so I am delighted to be nearer 1hr 30, and next time will aim for under 1hr 30! I totally recommend it to anyone who enjoys running dripping through a leisure centre car park in just your bathers. So, any takers? The finish was a bit of an anticlimax compared to the Bolt round the Holt, no banana or gift pack, just a glass of water.

There was no reason to walk around bare foot before the race, but lots of people seemed to think it was clever. Because people start from 9am til 12 noon, there is always something going on and the best people go last, so I guess technically they could be finished before the first people. WE didn't hang around for the prize giving, guessing that the medals don't string out to 232nd or 326th. It was quite fun in the end doing the transitions despite me being really nervous about those bits. Some people set out a little stool (as in like a bench, not a sample) to put their possessions on, but I just put mine on my towel on the ground.

We enjoyed a Pizza Express lunch together in Fleet, before heading off to Little Bookham, or more precisely to Polesden Lacey to join H, A and the A A A Gibbs family for little A's 3rd birthday picnic. It was cold and drizzling and they had stuck it out for a good few hours, and as we arrived the various babies started crying and everyone headed for home. So, back to triple A (baby number 2 on the way - Alex? Alice? Andrea? or Alec?) for a well earned cuppa before returning to Southampton to deliver Matthew and Anna their tea - we went for the fish and chip lazy man's option as there had been little opportunity to knock up a souffle or similar. I have just treated myself to a post first triathlon massage a la Jackie Brown, so feeling loads less knotty than before.

Will I be doing it again? Oh yes! The massage that is, not the tri!! Only joking, am just off now to find one for Sarah and I to do together.