Great to be back in the city where I’d started my working career, long before I’d heard of triathlon, but had run happily with Pudsey & Bramley, and trained on the track at Carnegie, while Alastair and Johnnie were (probably) still in primary school, and to see how little had changed – apart from the giant posters on Leeds Town Hall.  I’d not done the previous year’s race which had suffered from horrible logistics, failing to get dry (or any) kit to the finish, so hoped this year would be better. So it was good to see a London Marathon style drop off for finish line kit straight into lorries, during setup for the race. This found its way to the finish in good time so that fault had been corrected. We were racing on the morning prior to the elite races featuring the home team of Brownlee,

So it was good to see a London Marathon style drop off for finish line kit straight into lorries, during setup for the race. This found its way to the finish in good time so that fault had been corrected. We were racing on the morning prior to the elite races featuring the home team of Brownlee, Brownlee and Stanford, so spectators were out in force, producing a great atmosphere, both in Roundhay Park, and along the bike and run courses. The swim layout meant a good long leg out to the first turn, so Things went pretty smoothly apart from a “where is the next buoy?….” moment about half way

The swim layout meant a good long leg out to the first turn, so Things went pretty smoothly apart from a “where is the next buoy?….” moment about half way round the swim course, solved by heading for the splashing visible from the previous heat which thankfully was heading on the right direction. The long distances between swim\bike and transitions in big events suit my running style which was just as well as both the bike and run course involved a HILL immediately after the exit from

The long distances between swim\bike and transitions in big events suit my running style which was just as well as both the bike and run course involved a HILL immediately after the exit from transition. This can be managed on a run, although it’s a rude shock, but next time I’ll keep my feet on top of shoes until the course is flat. This will avoid stopping cursing and fiddling with shoes, and more importantly SAVE TIME.

Once properly shod, the bike course offered a tour of the northern Leeds suburbs (happy memories!) and great crowd support. Then it was back to T2 and up ANOTHER hill.

Once I’d puffed up that, the run course left the leafy areas around the park, dropped down into the slight edgy Harehills area and headed for the city centre. After a few km into a slight headwind, the course turned into The Headrow, where we’d do the last few km in front of a sizeable crowd, before finishing between Leeds Town Hall (watched by a giant Ali Brownlee….), and Leeds Art Gallery (full of giant Henry Moore figures…).

As I’m sure you saw on TV, the crowd grew to epic size, the BTA got the organisation right for the elite races later in the day, and were rewarded by a local win, and an exhibition of how to attack on the bike by Flora Duffy, but thankfully they also go the logistics right for all the other competitors.  I’d had a good day too, after a rather anxious pursuit of a runner who turned out not to be in my AG, and eventually picked up my second British Championship medal of the season.

Race Report by Chris Owens.