Race Review - Clacton Triathlon 9th September 2019 (My first sea 'swim')

I was thinking about how to open up this article and had the idea of saying that, since I have now mastered, or conquered the open water lake swim I wanted to test myself in a sea swim....but the more I thought about those words, mastered, conquered, the more I thought, I'm not sure that is right !   I have certainly got over my previous fears and apprehensions around open water swimming....but mastered, conquered.....mmmmm I'm sure if you saw me swim you'd perhaps challenge my choice of words.

Anyway, this is a race review piece.....  So, the Clacton Triathlon 2019.   For a while now, I have been aware that a few Triathlon races I would like to do, include a sea swim.  In the scale of swim challenges, for me at least, sea swimming comes right at the top.  I have graduated from the pool, to open water swims in lakes, but the sea, this holds a lot more challenges for me (swell and current being the main ones).  As such, I wanted to test myself on a sea swim and see how I went.

It isn't as easy to train for a sea swim as it is for the lake.  I'm sure there are groups that host sea swim training, but until now, my 'training' has been to swim in the sea when I go on holiday.  So, next best thing, enter an event with a sea swim and give it a go, hopefully taking some confidence from having now done plenty of open water lake swims.

And so, I ended up signing up for the Clacton Tri.  I entered with a couple of mates, who had done the race before, so had a good idea of what was in store.  Clacton is a local event, only being an hour or so away. 

Like my first half iron man race, I felt myself getting anxious a few days before race day, thinking about the sea swim and what it might be like come the day - would it be calm, or windy, or cold....I eventually stopped worrying and just focused on packing kit and making sure I was ready as it was an early start on race day.

Race day dawned early.  The alarm woke me up at 4am and I desperately tried to eat some breakfast, but this is one thing I'm still to master, eating at such an early time of day.  I got enough down to feel full and made sure I took something to snack on pre-race, as the start times were at least 4 hours away.  My good mate had volunteered to drive again and duly picked me up bang on time as usual, 5am.  Bikes and bags loaded we were ready to roll.

The Journey down was full of the usual Tri related chit chat, the day seemed to be shaping up ok weather wise. It was mild and dry so all looked good.  We arrived in good time and met up with another mate.  Registration was easy and quick, goody bags in hand it was back to the car for final bike checks and then off to transition to rack and set up....I should have been more worried about conditions when the guy at transition said to me 'with those rims, you may want to try racking your bike, but if it moves around too much in the wind...feel free to lean it against the outside fence'....but it didn't really register.    

It soon did though whilst setting up my transition. I began to realise it was a lot windier than it had been when we left home.  There were a few sponsor flags letting me know there was a stiff wind out there.  Thoughts turned to the swim again....but the sea looked fairly calm still.

Race briefing done and a quick trip back to transition to make final checks and then there is the wait before the first wave of swimmers are off.  I was in the second wave (the worst swimmers go early I think) whereas my mates were off slightly later.  It was a fair walk to the swim start so we all decided to wander down, arriving about 10 minutes before my scheduled start.  All seemed well, I wasn't nervous, or anxious.  I think it helps being with mates, as you naturally chat and discuss things and it just means there is less time to focus on things you might otherwise worry about.

Before I knew it, the first wave was off.  We watched with interest on which lines people took to allow for the current, which would be taking us toward the first turn buoy and then pushing us to the finish.  There were a couple of swimmers who got marginally the wrong side of that first buoy and they really struggled against the current to get back round it.  This would be useful information for us later swimmers.   And then it was my time, we all lined up in race number order and the 'register' was taken, we were all accounted for and then made our way down the causeway onto the beach.  Swim instructions given and then we are allowed into the water for a warm up.  Water temp is a pleasant 17 degrees, but still feels cold the first time it finds skin through the wet suit and tri suit !  Back out of the water and all lined up in classic beach start poise, we wait for the klaxon and it happens...I need the loo !  I'm still to work out why your body, given all the opportunities to empty excess fluid always chooses the time when you are no where near a toilet.  There is the option of using the wetsuit which I know is never going to happen, so I resign myself to wasting time in T1 by having to use the loo.....and then we are all running toward the sea, we are off.  There's no bay watch dive for me, I'm more of a walker until I get to the point where I can sort of fall in and start swimming.  I head straight out - as instructed, not heading for the bouy but letting the current take me toward it.  This is actually quite hard I think, there is a swell coming at me and I find it hard to find a rhythm in the water.  I'm not quite sure what to do,  the wave I started in soon breaks up, unlike in a lake swim and soon we are all scattered about the water.  I focus on making forward progress, but find it hard.  I'm going to have to use breaststroke to allow me to swim head up and try and catch the swells, and then try to swim front crawl in between the swells.  All I can think of is my mates watching from the sea front thinking 'what on earth is he up to....why is he swimming like that'.  After what seems like an age, I make the buoy and turn.  

It is at this point the swell and wind really starts to kick in.  Swimming (for most of us) becomes even harder.  I stick to my breast stroke and front crawl combo.  It sort of works, but isn't perfect.  At times it is like a roller coaster as the swell lifts you up and then drops you down.  I take on board plenty of salt water via the mouth, nose and ears.  At points, I really don't like it and get quite worried about my ability to carry on.  I look around and see everyone else suffering the same and no one is signalling to be pulled out, so I  just carry on.  At times, the swell is high enough to obscure the coast line and bouys so I'm swimming blind for periods of time.  This is a whole new ball game !

Just to make things that touch more comfortable, my goggles have steamed up and I can't see that well, I manage to stop and take them off, rinse them and get them back on.  It does add to the confidence being able to see.  And then, just as I think it can't get any worse, I get cramp in my left leg, it locks solid.  I'm now swimming on a roller coaster with one leg.  I think it must be the combination of my survival swim technique and the salt water/wetsuit giving slightly too much bouyancy, as I notice my legs are often higher than the rest of my body.  Eventually I manage to clear the cramp, not that it makes much difference.  I continue with my combination of breast and front crawl, still drinking way too much salt water.  How much longer until this is over.....I steal a glance at the Garmin and it tells me I'm 1200m in...good news, not much more of this to go.  Eventually I make the last bouy and turn for shore.  It is the first time I can actually string some strokes together.  I have to breath to the right which I never usually do, but I can live with that.  Eventually I get the instruction that I can stand....and I'm done, I've survived my first see swim.  I run up the beach full of myself and head for transition and that much needed toilet. 

Of course, running via the toilet is not conducive to a flattering transition time or overall race time.  But my main goal of the day was that swim, so I can't say it really worried me. I can't really seem to control when I need the toilet, so its just one of those things.  But...seeing my Garmin ticking over 6 minutes, I knew it was a particularly slow transition.  That said, aside from the toilet break, I didn't do a bad job, the wetsuit  is off quickly and I'm out on the road fairly quickly.

The 40k bike was a 2 lap affair.  With those wheels of mine, I noticed it was still quite windy but there were some nice sections where I could get tucked up on the Tri bars and maintain a reasonable speed.  It wasn't a closed road bike section, but the course was well marshaled and the marshals told us when the junctions were clear.  In places I was able to average over 20 mph so I was pleased with how the bike went.  There were places where a slower bike in front meant a queue of cars in front, so you had no choice but to slow and be patient.  Again, just one of those things.   I enjoyed the bike leg, a couple of 'moments' from those deep rims, but that aside, it was an uneventful bike leg.  I clocked somewhere around 1hr 15 from what I could see off the watch.  Not too bad.  Into T2 to ditch the bike and get onto the run.

The simplicity of the Tri suit really comes into its own here and coming off the bike to the run is so easy.  Elastic laces also are a great time saver.  With no toilet stop I was out a lot quicker from T2 !   Into the run and you have that initial worry about how the legs will feel.  Not too bad, but I did have a small niggle in the hamstring, I'm guessing from the cramp I had in the swim?  Anyhow, I settled into a stride on the run, not quick by any means.  The run was an out and back.  I seemed to struggle on the way out, it was into the wind, but I just couldn't really find that much speed.  I did find it a bit easier on the way back with the wind behind and the sun starting to warm things up.  

I eventually crossed the finish line in somewhere around 2:49.   My pre-race prediction of being last against my other two mates, was spot on.  But not to worry, it's not always about winning or beating your mates (although that must be nice....I will be sure to write a nice post on that when I have experienced it - haha).

There are always positives to take from any race.  I entered with the intention of getting over my fears of a sea swim.  I'm not sure my fear really went completely, but having completed one in some rougher than average conditions I have gained the confidence that I should be able to handle sea swims in the future, so it will no longer stop me entering events that have them.

Would I race Clacton again?  Yes, I think I would.  It was a small local event and it's nice to support those.  I went with mates, which is always a great way to race.  Parking was easy and free.  Registration was quick and well organized.  It was a decent course, well marshaled and friendly, with some support from locals.  There was a place to get food and drink afterwards.  All in all, I really enjoyed it and am sure I will be back.