#TeamTCUK athlete, Ed Crisp, was one of several #TCUKers to take part in this year's ever-popular Outlaw Half Nottingham. Here's his race report and yet more evidence of how we should all just 'trust the process'.

Pre-race

How were your preparations leading up to the race?

We were on holiday the week prior to the race so it was pretty much enforced taking it easy. The taper training period during this time was bloody awful, pulls and niggles on the run. Loch Morlich, where I was to do my last couple of open water taper swims, still had snow melt water coming down and was bloody freezing not to mention the wind picking up and making it choppy. Goggles failed so I was pleased I had planned ahead and got a new pair that I had tested for the race day.

I didn’t have my bike available while on holiday and couldn’t rent one, so my last training ride was the Friday before Sunday’s race. A 90-minute long ride this close to racing on the Lake District terrain I thought was going to be a bit much and to be honest the ride didn’t feel great, it felt like a struggle.

Did you feel that your training had prepared you sufficiently?

I went into this knowing I had trained more consistently and structured than I have ever done for an event before.

In the latter stages of the training (last 2 months) the load was hard and I was coming back in from brick sets especially feeling knackered and wondering how I was ever going to manage to complete the Outlaw.

At the back of my mind I just knew I had to trust the process.

Swim

Time: 31.41

How did it go?

As swims go it was ok. I’m not sure how well the course was measured. My Garmin clocked it at 1999m. I don’t think I chose the best starting point. I went for position number 3 (Far right) which meant a diagonal swim to the first marker buoy.

What were the positives/negatives?

Positives: It was an OK swim.

Negatives: Should have rinsed my goggles before diving in, they fogged a bit and I had to slow to clear them.

I tried to turn a buoy too early, don’t think the bloke I was shoving out the way before I realised I still had another buoy to go was too happy.

Probably could have gone a bit harder on the swim.

T1

Time: 6.29

How did it go?

This is going to sound really daft, but I have very soft feet so the 200m run on the tarmac before even reaching the transition area wasn’t great for me. My bike was about two thirds along the racking which gave me time to start getting my wetsuit off and getting my HR and breathing under control.

With my bike being so far along the racking, it made for only a short run to the mount line.

What were the positives/negatives?

Positives: I think considering I dried my feet, put socks on, don’t have quick release tri shoes and I managed to have a drink and ram some food in on top of the transition area being bloody enormous I am pretty happy with the time it took.

Negatives: Massive transition area. But nothing we can do about that.

Bike

Time: 2.38.56

How did it go?

As far as I’m concerned, I couldn’t be happier with how the bike went. I took the decision prior that I wasn’t going to stop at the feed station and carry all I needed. Fortunately, it wasn’t too hot so I had plenty enough fluids on board.

I felt like I was firing on all cylinders for the whole bike ride. The southern loop went well. I flagged a little around 50-60km but that kind of coincided with the slight incline from Gunthorpe over the A46 and turning into the headwind that was at the start of the northern loop. Knowing I only had 30km remaining I gave it all I had with the knowledge the last 10 km is an easier downhill run to Radcliffe on Trent.

I made sure I had drunk plenty and took a gel on the final run in.

What were the positives/negatives?

Positives: I think that all the training at distance on the hilly terrain of the lake district really paid off on the flatter Outlaw course. I found myself powering past many other riders as soon as there was the slightest incline.

For once I think I managed to eat and drink well, making sure I was drinking and eating prior to feeling thirsty of hungry.

Negatives: Don’t think I have any negatives other than getting stuck behind some dickhead in an Audi on one of the descents where I could have picked up a couple of minutes.

T2

Time: 5.52

How did it go?

A long run from dismount to racking on grass in bike shoes was not the best think for my crippled joints. I reverted to walking for some of it. I had identified markers and found my racking position straight away

What were the positives/negatives?

Positives: The rain holding off and not having to change to dry socks was a bonus, managed to grab a drink and a gel before heading out on the run.

Negatives: Long run in bike shoes across grass not great.

Run

Time: 1.53.05

How did it go?

I set a PB for this distance about a month before in training of 1.38 so I knew my running had come to form, so after a swim and fast bike I’m stoked with this time.

Lap1 - Felt really heavy and wondered how I was going to make it round, started to find some form about 4-5km in.

Lap2 - Felt much more comfortable and found my form and relaxed into it a bit more.

Lap3 – first half was just surviving, the grassy hillock that you had to take at the top of the lake was a bit of a bitch, like running over a ploughed field which my leg joints and back didn’t appreciate.

During the last lap and a half, I kept going for 40 stride accelerations which kept my speed up, so I managed to negative split the second half of the run.

Took on board one gel and multiple cups of water on the run which I found sustained me and wasn’t too bad on my stomach.

What were the positives/negatives?

Positives: Once I passed the mental barrier on the first lap and found my form, I knew I had this nailed now, I had no idea what kind of time I was on for until Charlotte shouted at me on the last lap.

I think I got my nutrition pretty much bang on. I think using my trail running shoes that I had done most of my training in was the right choice considering the weather forecast although they are a bit heavier than my road shoes.

Negatives: on laps 2 & 3 the two grassy hillocks took their toll on my hips so I had to have a short walk which I was disappointed with.

Also got blisters under my big toes.

Post-race

How have you recovered from the race? Now that it’s done, what are your future race plans?

I was pretty sore post race, and for most of Monday but now I’m ok and starting to consider getting back to some training, maybe later in the week.

I have a painful right hip which I want to spend time to get sorted now. It’s caused by weak glutes so I’m going to consult with my physio (Sarah) at the weekend and I’d like to come up with a rehabilitation plan launching back into full training for some shorter distance events.

I am not going to race any more 70.3 races (unless my siblings come back at me with a better time in which case all bets are off!).

I want to race Sprint and Olympic Distance and I have seen a quarter Distance that looks interesting. I think given my back and knee injuries racing the sorter distances and the volume of training required will mean I can carry on for longer before my body gives up on me.

Planned events if they go ahead:

15^thAugust Erewash Sprint Tri (400/16/5) want to go under 1 hour: PB 1.00.23

19^th September Aviemore Long Durty off road (1000/18/9) failed to appreciate how hard this event was last time. This one is tentative as we may be on holiday if travel restrictions get lifted.

Race review

I would highly recommend the Outlaw events. I have done the Half and the full (ss a relay). It is a great fast course, good for spectators and athletes alike.

The organisation is top notch. The event crew, staff and volunteers all put so much in to making this a well organised and friendly event.