Oliver Westbury Reports on his London Triathlon Experience :
13.07.07
News...
DUKA's multi-talented distance runner reports on his 'Michelob ULTRA London Triathlon' experience
By Oliver Wesbury (Number 4044): Event Date: 5th August 2007
Olympic distance - 1500m swim / 40km bike / 10km run – Group two at 7am.
It was my first time to enter one of the “World Biggest Thrills” the Michelob Ultra London Triathlon - based at the al Docks in London. Over 12,000 entrants entered this multidisciplinary event. The race was due to start at 7am so it was pretty early for me to wake up at 4.30am - to start the preparation of the racks and get ready for the start, it looked like perfect weather for racing – with the sun about to rise. A day temperature forecasted 30c degrees!
When I entered the big Excel warehouse I saw thousands of people, bikes and wetsuits everywhere. I was nervous, but excited. As I walked to the edge of the Royal Dock water and I saw the 1500m swimming length that we had to cover, I was very shocked! Oh my God, thats long!
When the competition started, everyone was pushing and pulling each other so I had to swim as fast as I can. The water was not clean, which means I was unable to see anything under the water even though I had my swimming goggles. Finally, after I completed the 1500m distance, I creeped out of the water with my body feeling like jelly. Yet I had to continue to run to the bike area and get ready for the 40km bike ride! Luckily, I had bought a nice road bike from eBay site two weeks before the triathlon. Finally, it was on the bike route into central London (Westminster) that I started to catch up the very good swimmers and passed a lot of them! The bike route was excellent because there were no cars on the road!
After completing the bike part, I had to do 10km run straight away. Ouch! my body hurt! For a few minutes my legs went out of control as I had been riding for 40km without a stop. Ah, next part of the run was my favourite and I ran faster and passed even more people during the 2 laps round the Royal Docks area.
Surprised I was in 213 places :-) I'm really impressed with my excellent result as it was my first time in the triathlon. It was quite a shock to see the the BBC team at the finish line filming me and wanting to interview me but I was out of breath and unable to talk! Oh-duh...my signing fingers were dead! The London triathlon is fantastic experience that I would definitely want to do again next year, and hope some more deaf people will join me. I need improve my swimming to make further progress in the next triathlon.
Many thanks to these excellent supporters who came - Stuart, Warren, Angela and Adam/Emma also my mum and Chris! They loved it and found it exciting as it was the first time they have watched a triathlon.
My next challenge is Berlin Marathon on 29th September! I’m praying it won’t be very hot this time.
Oliver Westbury
Please support me to North Pole: www.justgiving.com/oliverwestbury
DUKA is congratulates Oliver on his fantastic experience. Am sure it is not long that he will be ready to race internationally for the GB Deaf Athletics Team. Watch this space!
For details about Deaf UK Athletics click: www.deafukathletics.org.uk
Further information contact: briank@deafukathletics.org.uk
