Box End Triathlon National Championships, 18 August 2019

On Sunday 18th August I competed in the English National Champs Sprint Triathlon and European Age Group Qualifier at Box End, Bedford. With a change in location 2 weeks before and the Air BnB already booked for Hertfordshire, it was a nice early 5am start to get to the race.

With a decent swim coming out in the top 4 and first in my age group I was off to a good start. A slow T1 (having to sit down to take my wetsuit off as it got stuck) cost me a bit of time! Managing a flying mount, the bike felt good, spending most the time on my tri bars and the first race using my new wheels. Coming into T2 I was 2nd in my age group and in a good position to qualify for Europeans. The run was hard to judge, having come off the bike alone and with a twisting course I couldn’t see any other girls to chase down, and was quite disappointed with the pace. On the last km stretch I was taken by 2 girls, coming 4th in Women’s 20-24.

I waited for the presentations to take pictures of my friend who had come 1st and was surprised to hear my name called out for bronze at English National Champs (this was due to someone in my age group not being a Triathlon England member). I have now found out I have also qualified for European Age Group Sprint Triathlon Championships 2020 in Malmö.

Amie Buttle