NEVIS CYCLE & TRIATHLON CLUB

The sun shines brightly and the wind is blowing considerably when the Olympic Distance of the Carino Nevis Triathlon starts at 1.30 PM. The start is in Gallows Bay. The waves are less than two days ago, but from buoy 2 up to buoy 3 you do feel them. Soon I have space and I swim along with someone who seems to have the same speed. That's nice, so he can do the watching navigation for me. From buoy 2 up to buoy 3 also James, one of the Nevis Triathlon Club members, swim aside of me. The swimming consists of two laps of 750m. Luckily we don't have to come out of the water between the two laps. After about 30 minutes I come out of the water. I think that's a nice time and they tell me I am second woman (later it will appear that I was third). Now it is over 200m along the water over the 'boulevard' to transition one. When I arrive at my bike, I see Gilles sitting and busy with his shoes. Quickly I put on my glasses and my helmet, I grab my bike and I am gone. So, before Gilles I am on the bike. While I put on my shoes and while Idrink something, Gilles passes me. My heart rate is above the 160bpm from the fast run to transition one. I try to get it down now. The first kilometers I manage to keep Gilles at about 50m, however when we see the first person in front of us Gilles is gone. With his famous demotivating acceleration he passes the person. I follow somewhat later and more quietly. I am struggling to get a good cadence. I manage, however, to pass some people and after 10km I pass Jessica, who beat me four weeks ago in the sprint triathlon and who studies at St.Kitts. In the second lap the biking goes better, but I still take my time to drink. In the last 10km I pass the first woman, Jennifer, who is from Barbados. After a 1:13 hours ride I am the first woman that starts running. Gilles already started his run. I put away my bike, helmet and glasses. I put on my socks and shoes. I grab my number and cap and I am gone. Twice up and down, literally and figuratively, to Four Seasons. After 2km, Jennifer, already passes me. She is running fast! I certainly can't follow her. I also see Gilles who passed Reggie on the bike. Reggie is now chasing him. On my way back in the first lap, I see Jessica. Four weeks ago, she ran a little bit faster than me, so I should watch her now, although the gap I set during biking seems big enough. Then I start my last lap. Gilles is a little bit more than 2km in front of me, that's less than 15 minutes! Reggie has almost caught him again. I also see that the gap between me and Jessica has grown, but I keep going on, to be sure I did not overlook some other fast woman. After about 2hours and 44minutes I pass the finish line as second female overall. That's great! The running went well too, 57minutes on this course and with this heat (30-34 degrees Celcius). I am very content!