Pre Outlaw

This weekend started of weird as I was quite emotional on the drive up there. Which was strange due to there was absolutely no pressure on me at this race to do any particular time (apart from the cut offs), I was planning just to make it round. Perhaps it was the journey back to the “spiritual” homeland of my surname (Sherwood).

This seemed like a good plan after completing the Ironman Austria only 5 weeks ago. The only goals I had set were for a faster transitions times and feeling strong on the cycle and run.

The event site was starting to become more of the race venue at the international rowing lake. The race was getting real.









There was even some swim “races” you could do or not, I opted not to waste my energy even though it would get me some experience of the lake. There were already pirates everywhere!!



The expo was only a few exhibits which had main suppliers but the one bit of kit I was looking to buy they did not have. The race bags were strange as the opening was along the longest side, hopefully nothing will fall out of the bags on the way to be racked in transition.



My spiritual side even got a rare outing as I joined in the Outlaw prayer session (was a slightly different branch of my faith) or was it just coincidently were there race briefing was going to be. It was an interesting 30 minutes listening to various people including some triathletes. On the way out they gave us a bottle of water with a quote from the bible, coincidently (again) it was from one of the gospels that is the name of one of my brothers.

The race brief was nothing different than normal, with some instructions about some the corners and what they had done to minimise any risk. The other thing they confirmed was there would only be water and the race sports drink on the bike course. This would mean I would have to take some more food than normal with me.

Once the bike and bags were in transition and been to race briefing there was nothing else to do but to relax back at the hotel the other side of the city. I then increased my nutrition options for the bike by packing some of the extra bike food my brother had brought with him.









Where should the Sherwood Triathlon Team go to have the pre race meal in Nottingham? Obviously it is Sherwood Manor in Sherwood district of the city.



There was good food and even better dessert’s and even got to see my football team’s goals as they went joint top of the league. So I was nice and relaxed. The hotel was nice and quite away from the city centre and the music festival weekend, as extra quietness I was also helped by being at the far end of the hotel.

On to the race day.