Team JMC athlete Chris Heys recently took part in the A Day in the Lakes Triathlon, read on for his race report:

A Day in the Lakes 24^th June 2012

Pre Race

As my training has been running full tilt towards Ironman UK, a half distance event in the lakes was the perfect opportunity to test my fitness before the big day and for only £49 a bargain. I’d organised family camping for myself and friends on the Saturday night what I hadn’t intended on was the amount of rain that only Noah would be happy with. Needless to say I went on my own pitched the tent in the lake and settled in for the evening.

Race Day

After a standard breakfast of porridge and a banana I sent of to Transition which looked like a bad weekend in Glastonbury ho hum. Checked the lake out that was bracing to say the least according to the organiser it was 13 degrees ( me and a friend agreed he couldn’t be bothered to move the buoys). So full length event it was.

Swim 1.2miles

I was put in the second wave which I was happy with giving me plenty of people to chase down. The first wave went off and we followed after about five mins. To save getting caught up the free for all battle I decided to go to the front and give it full gas to get away, it was a bit of a do or die strategy but it paid off and within 10 mins I was cutting my way through the first wave. The rest of the swim went of without  any problems and I was into T1 after 33 mins.

Bike 56 miles

On to the bike after ten miles of rolling roads Kirkstone Pass appeared through the rain my plan was just to spin the legs and sit in. From about half way up the cloud cover was unbelievable, I steadily passed a lot of riders which surprised me after a further 15mins of climbing I was at the summit and the conditions were ridiculous. For the decent I went very steady not worrying about the time, after the second corner a rider had gone into a wall and was in a really bad way. The second climb of the day was Shap Fell this was a long drag up into the clouds again by now I was wetter then when I swam. Over Shap and the road levelled out all the way back into T2. Bike time 3hr 18

Fell Run 12.9 miles

When I initially entered this event getting information out people who had raced it before was difficult at best and when asking about the run I was usually met with “ooh that’s tough or savage”, Out of T2 down the road the first climb hit me another long drag up what looked like a river. I steadily plodded to the top and then let the handbrake off for the long decent. The second climb was never going to be run up by me so power walking that Rosemary Conley would be proud of was order of the day. By now I was 9 miles in and my right calf was getting tight, for the last 3 miles on the road I shuffled along until I could see the finish line. It was at this point 150m out that a bloke came along side me and grinned – just what I needed. I went first calf screaming I dug in and took him by about 2 metres. Serves him right. Run time 2hr 19.

Time overall 6hrs 15:34

90^th overall out of 334. 32^nd in age group.

This was a great event and my first race for Team JMC.  So all in all a damp but enjoyable day in the lakes.