Tim Guille

The Triathlon is... a Mexican/Brit Duathlon!

Hi Guys!

Well thats it the race is over.. So where do you writing about a disaster? Some people talk about 'where were you when man landing on the moon?' or where were you when princess Di died..' or even '9/11'.

Well i can add to this now - cos the talk over here will now forever be - ' where were you when the swim got cancelled?'

So there i was an hour before race start mentally preparing myself for what was about to unfold.. luckily we had a hotel that was basically right on top of race start so we were able to head back to the room before the start to keep warm and put our wetsuits one.. So the 5 of us did so.. And you could feel the nerves and tension in the air.. Our window looked over the swim course so we know we could see some of the starts before our race.. but oddly there was no action. Anyway Tony said 'im going to get a drink next door and left..' still the tension and nerves were free flowing.

All of ten seconds had passed and Tony came back knocking.. i opened the door and he walked in and announced to us 'The swim has been cancelled'

It was pretty much one of the most sickening moments in my life. How can oyu come around the world to race in a triathlon to have my strongest and most important leg cancelled. Each and everyone one of us Aussie's couldnt believe it. The Euopeans would have been licking their lips at the fact that it was now to be a duathlon (run/ride/run) yet we were left to our own devices with the strong leg for us gone. It was shattering to say the least.

Anyway we moved on as quickly as possible and the moments after that are still a blur.. but i still had a world champs to race in even though it was now a duathlon instead of triathlon! Oh dear..

The race got changed to a 3km run/ 40km ride/ 10km run. (The 3km run replaced the usual 1500m swim) So those that know me know my stronger legs are the swim and run and my weakest the ride. I was stuffed when this change happened to say the least!

So over to the race start.. lots of smiling mexicans and europeans.. alot of frowning aussies and canadians!

Made my way to the start suprisingly still quite focused on doing well.. hey i still trained bloody hard - i might still go ok surely? Im running extremly well and riding better than i have.. so lets give it a crack.

BANG! The gun sounded and off we went on the made 3km dash.. Wow the legs felt good.. I managed to stay with the lead group of about 20 for most of the run only to finish up about 100m behind going into the first transition. Quick shoe change (I got to race in socks!!!) and off on the bike i was.. This is where the fun began.

I started strong.. figured i was sitting in the top 20. And bit by bit i watched as the 'cheating' Brits and Mexicans worked together on the ride. It was disgusting.. and best part? No technical officials in sight.. So i faced a dliema. Do i cheat like the rest of the field or do the right thing? Of course i did the right thing.. But i knew that it was going to cost me.. but at least i have my aussie pride! Oh by the way - that aussie on the back of the MASSIVE pack in my race.. Please dont smile at me as you freely roll past..

Funny point happened on the climb on the bike though.. Anthony from CBD cycles was positioned up the top.. Anyway i was in a pack up a climb (legal as you know..) and i sung out to Anythony - "hey this is the hell ride yeah???' he laughed.

Must admit it was an awesome bike course. And coming back to the corwd each lap was AMAZING. there was thousands lining the course and so many people around the bike finish. I felt like a tour de france rider pushing through the crowd!

So off the bike and onto the run course.. after feeling pretty slow on the last lap of the bike i actually came off the bike feeling pretty good and quickly settled into a good stride with heaps of rythm.

Just like the bike course, the run course was lined with thousands of people and it was such a good buzz and experience. There was a large contingent of aussies there so it was a great buzz hearing them yell out my name and cheering me on. Off the bike i knew i was placed around 50th or so.. sad but true! I could see about 7 aussies in front of me. So be it that i felt really good i wanted to have a crack at this run. The competitive spirit was still alive!

As the run progressed i felt better and better.. and was starting to pass people quite easily. I had set a goal of running a 36 so i was determined to at least get something out of this race. God i cant describ how cool it was running the crowd lined street.. it made me feel like i didnt have any legs.. i was on air!

Coming into the last lap and i was really starting to enjoy this experience. The sun came out for the first time in 4 days and the crowd was huge. I headed up the last little climb and was about 2km's off the finish line now. This is where the smile started to glow. God i was loving this amongst the crowd. what a buzz. The cancelled swim at this stage was a distant memory.

So here i go.. running around the bend towards the finish chute knowing i must have made up at least 10 places on the run and was going to achieve the 36 i set out to. I saw the aussie crew on the side hanging over the fence and of course i grabbed a flag to run up the line with.

So then of course there was the last dilema. What is my finish going to be.. the Door Bell? A handstand? What??? Full of adrenalin and excited i had a great run.. out came the aeroplane of all things! There  iwas parading up the last 50m flying like a good old plane.. special for the corwd of course!

Anyway the 5 aussies in front of me where at the finish line and we all embraced in a cool moment and a memory that will be with me for a long time. What a great finish. I knew as time went on i would go back to being devestated about the swim being cancelled but just enjoyed the moment of being in the finishing area having just produced a great run.

For the record i came 39th and had the 16th fastest run split!

Thanks again to everyone and hope your all keepng well.

To those Collingwood Supporters out there.. Melbourne got a bit close! I thought you were a good side! ha ha.

Miss you all and will write from New York New York!

Bring on the food and drink..... 

British Triathlete.

1:30 PM, 10/6/2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

You are an Aussie wanker! We stumbled across your blog and can't believe the shit coming out of your mouth. Just face it, you dick head, you are a shit athlete and accusing other countries of cheating will not bring you any closer to the podium.

Typical

10:22 PM, 10/6/2008 .. Posted by Keaysy

A Pom whinging about an Aussie beating them.....

Awesome race Guilly, I miss you already. Don't eat to much cause just remember, I'm fast.

Well done

4:16 PM, 11/6/2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

your strongest leg wouldn't have been your middle leg if the swim went ahead in that coldness.

To British Triathlete

2:33 AM, 12/6/2008 .. Posted by Tim Himself

You have got to be kidding whoever you are mate.. you guys were doing a team time trial.. Gay Tear Drop helemts and all!

Call me when you want to race a real race and non drafting i mean you f*cking cheats!!!

Mexican Burritto

10:01 PM, 5/7/2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Areeba areeba, you is a slow poke epa epa!!
We see you slow ass up the hill, why you bring a time trial bike to a bunch course anyways??
Maybe in Gold Coasting we can team with you fast man and make it a good racing in 2009's.
Team Mehico. Not feelings of hard
Felix and Hose.
p.s. the cervesa's are on uses!! xx