Hi guys. I’m now back to my desk after a summers lifeguarding and I’m off to race this weekend at the first of the new 70.3 series races this weekend in the UK. I have been an Oly distance man so i’m now beginning to step up. Any advice on races of this distance and what I should expect or do ?
Bryce.
UKGM - Tonk the bike as hard as you can - leave nothing in the tank! 
JC
PS - Is it right that its a 3 lapper? 800+ athletes, 18+ miles a lap? hmmm.
So much so that they are setting off 4 waves of 150 athletes. Not the mass start WTC experience I was hoping for…
Thought about signing up for this, but split transistions, 3 bike loops and the cost was a factor. May just have to spectate the Helvellyn triathlon instead…
JC
Its the first year of it anyway. I’d wait and I’ll get back to everyone on this next week to give the lowdown on how it went…
Balls out on the swim and bike, then hold it together on the run to qualify for Florida. Or race smart and enjoy the experience, but you wouldn’t do that would you!
Good luck anyway. I’ll wait to hear how you went on Tuesday.
Yes well when I was racing at the Europeans the other week I got drunk on the last night along with the rest of the team and we all took predictions I’d go 2:15 on the bike. Although we then took bets on a 1:55 half run off the back because of it !..
Julian wrote: Balls out on the swim and bike…
Hmmm. Unsavory mental picture, not to mention un-necessarily painful and probably illegal. Minus 5 points!
Yes it seems everyone is keen for me to self implode !!! Isn’t there a more conservative approach to be applied at Half Iron distance ?
Well, I’ve only done 2 HIMs, so FWIW…
I tryto “ride” a heart rate rather than a speed on the bike…just keep it nice and casual. Both races my legs felt good at the start of the run.
Spot
May well be there spectating as a few of my club mates (Oxford Tri) plus a mate from Cheltenham Tri will be racing. What race number are you, and what bike will you be riding - will try to give you a shout!!
Hmm - now competing at Helvellyn.
I’ll be happy if I don’t have to walk any of the BIKE LEG!
Oh yes, and they won’t let you out on the run without the following:
Map
Compass
Whistle
Full body clothing
Food!
A DQ if you don’t have these on you at various checkpoints!
JC
I haven’t got my number yet but I’ll be easy to spot. I’ll be riding a full tricked out Kuota Kalibur with carbon everywhere, S bends and all the trimmings, disc and tri spoke but more importantly I’m lean, 6ft 3 and built like an gorilla. My run leg will not be pretty…
Helvellyn Rocked.
Certainly did!
Does 212th out of 330 make you MOP or BOP?
JC
In a race like that JC, 330/330 makes you FOP!
How are you feeling now?
…but if you fancy a hard race go for the UK 70.3. It’s not for the faint hearted…
Granted. But something like Helvellyn is so refreshing. No hype, no arrogance, just balls out. Also, take a look at the times. The slowest time in Helvellyn was 6h41m. So many enter feeling it’s just like an OD race, but it isn’t. OK the distances aren’t the same, but for a lot of competitors, the intensity and time is comparable to a half.
I liked your report on the half 
Excuse my ignorance but where is Hellvellyn ? I’ve never heard of that one.
I’ll post a race report, been thinking of doing so anyway. It’s in the Lake District. And you’re not ignorant, it’s only in its second year, and it was very low key last year.