Since the blog posted following the Gauntlet on Sunday the results have been published and in summary:
I came 195th out of 274 finishers – they said there were 400 competitors doing it so either 126 DNF’d or they exaggerated on the entry list.
In terms of a breakdown:
Swim 114th
T1 106th
Bike 185th
T2 136th
Run 236th
So a good swim, average bike and disaster for a run. ‘Pleased’ with the fact 79 others were slower than me or I was faster than 79 others.
I have also had some very positive conversations with Mark and there is the strong possibility I still have the after effects of my cold from last week rattling around in me.
I also spoke to a friend who asked me if it was ‘as hard as the hype’. He refered me to a series of blogs on the Tri Talk website and the initial blog is below. It compares the UK 70.3 half race versus the Gauntlet:
Swim
Iron 70.3 – 1 lap, large lake, plenty of space, boisterous field!
Gaunlet – 900m out and back a bit, then 1000 up a narrow, muddy, winding stream!
Bike
Iron 70.3 – 2 laps, 1 big hill, long 14% and 2 sharp 12%ish, rest is undulating, mild hills and part flat
Gauntlet – 2 laps, hill after hill after hill, all approx. 10%, 1 at 12%, but no flat or undulation, just constant up and down sharp hills.
Run
Iron 70.3 – 3 laps, mostly made-up hard packed gravel trail, some grass, some mud, bit of tarmac, 1 short sharp hill, rest either flat or undulating.
Gauntlet – 2 laps, 1 ploughed field, grassy fields, mud tracks, steep bridges, up a steep bank, muddy (#@?#) bridleways, up and down a regular gradual hills
You decide!
Pro winner times 2013 (the winner of Iron 70.3 was in both races)
Iron 70.3 – 4h 20mins
Gauntlet – 4h 40mins
20 mins is a massive difference at the pro end, and equates to over half an hour extra for Joe Average!
Anyone else has an opinion as which of these is harder!!!!
I wouldn’t under estimate either of these middle distance Triathlons!
So it seems I shouldn’t be disappointed with my result – it was a bloody hard race!
Thanks for reading.
