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As a spectator at Bala olympic triathlon today it was quite brutal, strong winds, rain and a bit nippy near that vicious lake that looks like the sea!  but with a brave face i got through it which was probably quite inspiring to bec and all the other triathletes!
Bec was not relishing the swim but seemed in good spirits all the same.  30 minutes swimming in an angry  lake resulted in several people returning by boat but i knew Bec wouldn't give up, she never does as she proved heroically later..... Becci came 1st in Nantwich last week and although we didn't expect her to win this one with it being a much higher profile race i thought maybe a top five was possible.  As Dave and me waited to spot her coming in from the bike i think we were both quietly concerned when there was no sign of her in the first ten.  Maybe she's fallen i was thinking and i reckon Dave was too but we just commented that she's having a difficult race and wont be happy with her time..... as it turns out she had crashed! ouch! Half way through the cycle someone had fallen right in front of her and with no time to avoid them Bec ploughed right over the top.  Shocked, shaken up and bruised all over Bec picked herself up and completed the remaining 20km with twisted handle bars, a slightly buckled wheel and no rear brake.
...i'll come back to the race in a moment but meanwhile the spectators were having a jolly tough time! it was too windy to put my umbrella up properly and it was still rather chilly especially now i was a bit soggy from the rain. Awful.
...anyway back to the race! yes, Bec still determined as ever came through transition wincing with pain and set out on the 10k run.  she finished the race upset and disappointed and in typical Bec fashion kept saying sorry thinking she had let us down.  The fact is she still finished 15th in a field of over 100 and although i'll never convince her of this it was a bloody brilliant performance, brutal but brilliant.
bala tri photos on flickr
euro tri 2010 photos
Posted by jonny brand at 20:03 Labels: bala, bala olympic triathlon, heroic, rebecca brand, triathlon



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