It was a chilly early morning start in Nantwich for the Cheshire Sprint Triathlon — the kind of cold that makes an outdoor pool feel even more refreshing than usual.

The outdoor pool at Nantwich is always a bracing experience, but today it felt particularly cold. Despite the conditions, Ellie came out of the water with a new 500m personal best by a few seconds before heading onto the TT bike.

A Shortened Bike Course

The bike course had been shortened following a car accident the previous day, which meant part of the original route needed to be avoided because of a closed road.

Ellie was understandably disappointed about the change, especially with the bike being her favourite part of the race. However, with the temperature low and a wet trisuit making the conditions even colder, getting through the bike leg in around 25 minutes still felt like a strong effort.

Cold Conditions on the Run

Still absolutely freezing as she headed onto the run course, Ellie focused on holding a high cadence in the hope that her heart rate would rise and she would start to warm up.

The run course at The Barony always feels harder than it should. On paper it is a flat 5km, but the grass makes it hard going in places, and the twists and turns around the park add to the challenge.

Training Paying Off

Despite the tough conditions, it turned out to be the best run Ellie has had off the bike in a while. Perhaps those unpleasant brick runs in training are starting to pay off.

• New 500m swim personal best
• Strong bike performance on a shortened course
• Run course personal best
• 3rd place overall

Ellie finished with a run course PB and an excellent 3rd place overall, rounding off a strong performance in cold and challenging conditions.

Onto the next one. The road to Copenhagen Ironman continues.