Gavin Noble competed in his first ever Senior World Championships over the weekend and while he was disappointed with his final place he is happy that he was able to leave Hamburg with no regrets. On his website his diary entry for the day before the event showed the mindset and determination that Gavin had.
Its the night before the big game. I have been over the course the last 2 days and so I know it pretty well and also know its going to 'be on!' from the get go. I'm feeling good and looking forward to it. Its my first senior World Champs, on paper I'm 73 out of the 80 starters so I have nothing to lose. I know its going to be tough and painful but that's what I have prepared for in training. I think the first lap of the swim and especially the first turn bouys will be a battle royal but I will survive.
As we find out later Gavin's words were to prove very true. Gavin was determined not to have any regrets after the race and that he was going to fight for every inch.
For me its about total effort no matter what situation I find myself in. Its about fighting for every place possible. If I never compete in a World Champs again I want to remember tomorrow as a day in which I did everything I could.
There is 51500m to be covered, that's 2027555 INCHES, that's a lot of INCHES.
Gavin went on to finish a highly respectable 45th out of 80 starters and as his diary entry explains it was the rigorous and at times heavy hitting swim which were to prove the most difficult.
Did I fight for every inch ? Yes. Am I a bit disappointed ? Yes.
I ended up in 45th yesterday; the best I could have done on that moment in time. Here's the low down:
Swim - out on to the pontoon a few from the end is never a good start however I was happy enough when I got there as I was beside Unger (the new world champ) and Polikarpenko. We dived in on the far left which meant we had to go furthest to the first buoy but it also meant we had clear water for the first few hundred meters. Just before the buoy I was on their feet but then came the scrap. I was forced wide, way wide, 3 or 4 groups collided - if there's going to be a fight its better to be on the inside on the buoy and not the outside - so I lost a lot of places around the turns. Getting out at the end of 1000m I was 63rd !!! Its never a good thing to get out of the water and not see many people behind you. 'Oh shiitttt' I thought. Diving back in I forced my way to the inside going under the bridge swam as hard as I could around the bouys and managed some how to male up about 30 places in 500m. Getting out the water I was relieved to see I was in a good enough place. Transition was good and I jumped on my bike with the group.
Bike - the bike was on the whole way !!! There was no let up at all ! 88 corners, 88 sprints. It was very difficult to hold your position and then attempt to move up the field. It was pretty much just a long line of guys the whole way around. I felt in control though and came in off the bike mid way up. My second transition was fine too.
Run - The first k was as usual a sprint. I was at the back of the second group of runners but was never in control. I felt tired, heavy ...... no mojo !!
Afterwards I was disappointed. Not with the effort but the placing. It was a tired run. Having to move through the field in the last 500m of the swim would have cost me energy and the bike was hard but I think on reflection my race programme didn't give me the best chance of reaching a satisfying result. My training in France in going well and I am pleased with my adaptations to the altitude but having to race in Croatia last week made me pay. I think its fine to race back to back in normal circumstances but maybe not the week before a World championship..... it is World Champs and it is a world apart in terms of intensity, aggression and levels of performance. In saying that though I did have to do Croatia and I do have to do Poland next week - I am chasing a bigger dream than Worlds. Its all just bad timing !!
That dream is of course qualification for the Olympic Games next year where Gavin is aiming to be the first ever Irish Triathlete to compete in the biggest sporting event of them all.
This weekend he goes to Poland in search of more vital points. Check out the Fermanagh Herald and 'Tracking Gavin' next week to follow our man's progress.
