My first "Iron Woman" sporting event.

I have also taken part in – and did rather well in – an “Iron Woman” event organised by the Armed Forces. Rather like a Triathlon but with some tweaks to the lengths of the three parts. 

The first section was a river swim of 1500 metres. The first part (about 1000 metres) was against the current so it was best to swim fairly near the bank where the current is slower and the second part was after we went round a buoy and were swimming with the current so it was better to be nearer the middle of the river .I was in the first group of 4 that all got of the water within a few seconds of each other. I usually do OK in the swim so this was about where I had hoped to be. 

We came out of transition still together but one the first flat part of the 20km cycling section they started to pull away. I just don’t have the leg speed to cycle as fast as the best athletes. I have the same problem in running, I will never be a 100 or 200 metre sprinter. But when we started up the first hill I noticed that I was catching them quite fast and by the time we reached the top I was in front of them and actually leading in the race. That felt really good. 

The course has quite hilly which suited me. I kept on expecting other cyclists to overtake me as has happened before on flatter courses but it never happened. I was getting more and more excited because I knew that I was probably the fastest lady over the running section and that if I was leading going into the second transition I might even win the event. 

The second transition came and the 6km run started – 3 km out and then 3 km back in exactly the reverse direction. When I reached the mid-point turn I started counting the seconds until I met the second runner coming the other way. It was about 90 seconds till I met somebody so I knew I was 180 seconds (near enough) in front. Then I knew I was going to win – and I did!! 

One funny thing happened at the finish. I saw the second runner coming down the final straight waving to the crowd. Funny I thought, does she think she has won the event?  The answer was yes she had thought that. She hadn’t noticed me running the other way and she didn’t realise that I was in front of her until it was far too late!