Question: On December 6th I'll be participating in my first triathlon in
Phuket, Thailand. Has anybody out there participated in this race
before? If so, what can I expect for the course? Also, if anybody is
going to this race I hope to see you there.
Answer:
Your FIRST triathlon is Phuket? Zoiks, and I thought I was a little nutty
travelling 1800 miles to the West Coast for my first. Not only that, but the
conditions there are tough, hot & humid, and roads...errr...less than ideal
from what I've seen.
Not to mention the disorienting swim of 1000m in the salt water of the
ocean, quick jog across some sandy beach and finish with 500m in a fresh
water lagoon!! Gotta be a strange feeling.
Phuket Laguna is a very well run race -- you will have a great time.
Last year it was Olympic distance, but this year it is a bit longer (as
it was two years ago). Bike last year was pretty flat, two years ago it
was pretty hilly with some good turns. Swim is of course in the ocean,
it is generally pretty calm early in the morning and the water is pretty
warm. Run will be flat in and around Laguna area, and it will be HOT!
I think December is towards the tail end of the reainy season, so maybe
the course won't be wet (would make the bike a bit scary). They had a
pretty good crowd last year, almost 500 including many of the top pros,
which is kind of fun. However, lots of pokey people too (in the Olympic
distance last year, my second triathlon, I finished at the bottom of the
top third in about 2:30).
Bottom line, I think this race is run better than many in the region and
is a good one to pick for your first go.
