Most of us would run a mile at the idea of a corneal transplant. Many would agree triathlon isn’t for the faint of heart and others would say working and studying part time in London is just too difficult.

TOWER BRIDGE ROUTE
WAVE: 12h10 Mixed Category
DISTANCE: 1.5km/41.4km/9.8km
RESULT: 2:53

My alarm clock was due to go off at 7am. I woke up as luck would have it at 5:17am... my tummy alerting me to the fact that it was in fact 'RACE DAY'! Still a bit dazed after the nightmares of T1 - and my mother interfering with my kit and stuffing my cycle shoes with newspaper and losing my timing chip (I know?!)

After two days of a dodge tummy and not been able to eat properly I thought a big hearty breakfast was what was needed. No. My body did not want any of it....

All I could do was drink loads of water and try some power/carb drinks.

The temperature must of already been 25deg at 9am when I left the flat with my tri-box full of kit under arm, camel pack on back and loaded up with about 3l of liquid for journey there. Running through my checklist in my head on way to the tube station.

I was tired, not in the mood for racing - I think a result of lack of sleep and nerves and not feeling in top form.

I arrived at the Excel Centre around 10h15am. The buzz was unbelievable as competitors had started racing as early as 6am.

Crowds of supporters and competitors swarmed around the finish line area where I spotted the SAUK tent - well I actually could smell the boerewors frying before I noted the SA flag proudly flying high on the finish straight ~ in true SA style the girls and guy's who had raced were cheering the other competitors on.

I headed off to Transition to check on my bike and make sure my rack position was still the same and get all my kit ready for T1 & T2. Ran through it all in my head making sure I had not left a thing out. Towel down on ground to dry wet feet/cycle shoes open and ready/helmet open and sunglasses inside. Behind: Run shoes - power drink and sun cap.

Tyres pumped. Bike in Gear. Power gels on bike for ride. 2x 750ml bottles of hydration for ride. It was already steaming and I was sweating.

Time to 'lube' up and check out the Swim start. Nerves KICK in.

Dawie talks me through the swim. Knowing my 'eye' situation. He says - just line up at front to far right of buoy. You'll swim a bit further but will have open water. Just swim straight he says for bridge in distance and turn at blue boys. No worries about sighting he says..it's straight.

I grease myself up in baby oil put on my tri suit and say goodbye's to Dawie and head back to my bike to double check everything. I look up at the clock in the transition hall and at the madness around me. 1000's of bikes racked, competitors busy racing coming in to T2. Then I take a closer look at those zipping up their wetsuits around me - all obviously in the same wave as me.

They all have balls. Not Mrs Balls Chutney. But the real deal.

Steroid Navy Men. Huge. Gulp.

I start warming up - keep saying to myself you'll be fine, bound to be a few girls you can 'hang out' with in the water. I make my way to the swim assembly.

The girl who hands me my swim cap and no. says:' well done you one of the final ladies racing today'.

I smile, inside I kuk. I ask one of the Alpha looking males to zip me up. There are TV camera's everywhere.. I avoid eye contact with the tv presenter. 'Don't please don't ask me anything'. We countdown to the swim entry..10, 9 , 8.... 'shit I can't get my swim goggles on properly'.

As we are walking down to the swim entry Alpha Male taps me on shoulder and says ' Have a few butterfly's sweetie?' Damn right I do because I have to contend swimming next to you -you huge thing! Gulp.

I look up and it's hot. The footbridge running over the docks is packed with supporters. I jump in and swim out to the start buoy. Looking out for a familiar fairer sex. No luck. I find Tracey's brother Sean at the start line hanging on to one of the lifeguard boats. We banter for about 10minutes while waiting and treading water. The race official on the boat gets us all ' Oi Oi Oing' and singing... 30 sec's to go. I get myself horizontal. I go.

So much for open water Dawie! It's turmoil. Washing machine of note. I think I'm stuck between Sean and some other guy. Sean tells me later I slapped and kicked him a few times and then sped off. I just put my head down and swam hell for bells to try and get away from the rough. The water is salty. Next thing I feel a sudden blow to my mouth. ARGH! I stop look up make eye contact at enemy. He apologies. I grunt and keep on swimming but at an angle and end up off course and when I next 'sight' I'm about 200m no jokes from the rest of the group. Shite. Lots of catching up to do.

I'm so mad by now, we turn at the blue buoy just before bridge and I feel myself get caught up in the current of swimmers going round and end up swimming over a few myself. Oops. Sorry boys.

As I'm swimming up to the docks by this stage I'm gasping for breath every 2 strokes or so I can see the red & yellow shorts of the lifeguards legs and arms under water helping pulling out the swimmers in front of me I swim for a nice pair of calf muscles see the hand grab it and next thing I'm on my legs and running... it's a blurr.... I'm trying to get my wetsuit off, run like hell and get my lungs to stop heaving.

I hear someone shout 'go litchi!' I can't look too much to concentrate on.

Thanks to J&J baby oil my wetsuit comes off like a dream, I chuck it into the bin liners we were provided with and run..stairs! Wet and slippery I hold onto the side as I take two at a time. The run in to T1 is long, I think I may need to take a rest when I get to my bike. No time for that.

I dump my bag, sunglasses on, helmet on - click. Cycle shoes on. Grab bike and start wheeling her out... dripping wet competitors in front of me the floor is slippery and running in cleats dangerous. I make it out and hear my timing chip bleeeep as I cross the bike exit.

This is what I've been waiting for ~ the bike. The exit is down a ramp..wooohoooooooo! I drink. I lick my lips..something salty. I touch my lips to see blood. Damn Alpha Male.

My quads are burning as I settle into an easy gear. Probably the cycle in from home to the start of the race the day before was not a good idea. Struggling to settle into the ride my stomach starts cramping up. Sean passes me and says good swim girl, applauds me by smacking his ass. I laugh.

Tower Bridge came quickly and I turned on my first lap. I noted 2 men who were cycling the same pace as me and I decided not to lose them. We took turns playing tag. By the time we got to the limehouse tunnel I was getting irritated I wanted to smoke them! So I did. Glee :-00

Finally started getting into a rhythm, but stomach cramps were killing me. I just kept remembering what my neighbour and training buddy Donald had said the day before on the ride out there... if you don't push yourself you'll always wish you had.

So I push on. It's hot. I've finished almost 3l of liquid on the bike. 41.4km and 1hr27 later I'm coming up to T2 - another hill... I jump off my bike and start running in.. where's my row..L3-M1 6102. Thank goodness my bright beach towel I have on the ground makes for easy identification. I rack. Helmut off. Cycle shoes off. Run shoes on. Praise the man who made elastic laces. I grab my naartjie flavoured now warm as bath water drink and start running. I see a woman up ahead of me!! RELIEF! I'm not the only one. She looks 'hot' and gets her running legs quickly. I'm now dying and thinking in a negative way. Then I run down the hill and pass the SAUK tent... the screaming and supporting gives me that added push. It's hot... I'm starting to feel sick, my calves are cramping. Apparently when I came past on the first lap of the run I looked 'pissed off with life'!

A much needed 'leigh baby go girl' - it's tracey ahead of me passing me in the opposite direction. Her wave went off 30min before mine, and there is no way in hell I'm going to be able to catch her for a chit chat.

Cute marshal at 2.5km turning point makes me speed up he he... I pass every water station and just pour the water over me. I'm starting to pick up pace now and pass people. It's great passing men! I pass the SAUK tent another 3 times before running up the last hill to the finish line. I keep thinking did I push hard enough? I know I could not have pushed any harder.

I cross the line at 15h03. Some 2hr57min after starting. I'm happy it's all over. I receive my medal and a bottle of water and some lady tells me to smile while she takes a photo. It must have been a very tired smile!

I make my way straight to the bathrooms where I promptly get sick again. Then straight down to the SAUK tent for some TLC and post race talk and some of Hannah's chocolate brownies! To find Dave has emptied out my Transition box and filled it with Beers and Ice. Good Boy!

The drive home through London was bliss... ie. Not public transport. Windows down, watching the tourists going about Westminster, Embankment etc... back along the river and over Putney Bridge - home - shower - bed.

So would I do it all over again? Probably.
Would I do anything different? YES!

1. I would not cycle the race distance the day before
2. I would make sure I entered into my age group category ie. Females only!
3. I would not race on an empty tank post been sick. STUBBORN I am

But there is a long road ahead in terms of training and improving. For now I'm putting my feet up for a day or two.