Aaron's Race Report Patthalung Thailand September 2022

Seriously nothing makes me happier than doing what I love, and that's competing, travelling, and in great company, oh and food. I love food; this road trip was an almost five-hour drive from Phuket, where im based, I almost didn't go as I was so sick two weeks before, so sick I was in bed for three days bored shitless, I tested negative every day for covid even after being exposed not once but twice to other confirmed cases?

Anyhow training was minimal for the last four weeks due to a big taper I did before my previous race in Krabi, so fitness was lower than usual and only one swim on Monday on this race week, but I am the master at putting it together on race day no matter what I just seem to wake up race morning ready to go.

Six am race start meant up at four thirty for the short drive down to transition rolling in the bike rack every one seems to know me now from previous races with a very impressive friendly greeting (my Thai is so much better now I know how to answer most greeting or questions) setting up the bike etc. I headed for a little warm-up run, only 1-2kms with the usual stretching and run thoughts, then got ready to hit the water with a little warm-up swim; the water wasn't as bad as I thought it was, maybe because it was still dark, my breathing didn't feel excellent with some congestion still on my chest.

My Race plan was simple swim easy, bike easy, then run hard only if I needed to.

 I started the swim quickly but need to put some extra speed in the first 200m to stay in front, then nothing; as they dropped off, my friend was just ahead of me, so I needed to get a draft and save as much energy as possible, second 750m lap started to find some rhythm with long strokes but kept it very relaxed focusing on head and body position.

 Coming out of the water and heading into transition, my legs were heavy, but I knew I could hurt if I needed to, but sticking to the plan was the goal; first place on the bike was 200m in front and I could see him pulling away ever so slightly but knew I could keep in touch, just before 20kms I sat behind 12 metres for 5 mins before passing at 39kms at the turn around point I put a bit of speed through the corners and technical parts with the police car in front I needed to keep yelling at them "BI Laew Bi Laew" which means go already before I needed to pass.

 Finishing the bike in 1:05mins seemed slow but im pretty sure it was a more prolonged course by 1-2kms.

Now for the run, I started steadily remembering my 10kms Friday afternoon run the last four months, and how I can hurt but keep a good pace, starting a little fast I backed off quickly, running an average of 4:30mins per km feel quick, comfy the first 5kms and seeing were others where was good, I missed the 5kms turnaround and ran an extra 40meters, then 1kms up the road my old Scottish mate says im catching you, WTF not today my friend as I but some pace into it 4:15min per km for the next 2.5 km the next turn around I they were nowhere insight and not catching me so just cruised the last 2.5kms coming over the line in 2:20mins not my fastest race but collecting the 1st place overall felt pretty great.

 Thanks to Jurgen Zack for the coaching and training and all my friends in the Z- coaching team for support and commerartery.

Next, stop Laguna Phuket Triathlon in November unless another local race pops up, which is highly likely.

Aaron Buchan