Low (like a snakes belly)

Ironman Nice - that feels like it was a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away (nope that was something else, i'm certain).
Training was ok, but really i felt like i might have underdone the bike a bit, having missed what I always feel are key bike workouts - the long TT's as they are hard, controlled efforts with a run after. On the flip side of that, my running felt like it was going great, so I figured a sensible bike followed by a strong run would be fine.
So, the race:
The swim was, ridiculous. We swam out from the apex of a triangle, to swim around it, returning to the apex. Then we came back onto land and back out, almost heading straight back into the mass coming to exit the first lap, to swim another smaller triangle off to the side of the main loop. Eventually I made it back onto land, and we were still on the same day we started the swim on!
In triathlon, it is generally accepted that transition is another discipline to practice, alongside swim/bike/run. In Nice, It's a whole new event, suited to Cram/Coe/Ovett as it's about 800metres from entrance to exit.
The Bike- starts off on the Promenade des Anglais (Angels, not English), before heading inland to the Alpes Maritime - which is as spectacular as it sounds. It's also bloody lumpy. But the climbs are long consistent ones with good descents or open alpine meadow stuff, rather than the up/down/up/down etc ad infinitum of a UK course. I had decided (long ago) to keep a good, steady, sensible effort on the bike in order to have a solid run. As good as the bike course was, the aid stations were shocking. the Infinit drinks were all over the place strength wise - sometimes about right, but mostly really (really) weak so you couldn't get the calories from it, or the electrolytes, and this was made worse by the fact that when it's 35deg (C) you want a full bottle of drink, not 1/3rd of a bottle!!! merde.
After a disappointing, but 'sensible' 6hr bike, i hit T2 with legs still in tact, unfortunatley internal thermostat was set to 'England/summer' not 'South of France/Scorchio' so although i was initially running ok, boiling point was soon exceeded and shut down was imminent. so at 9 miles i lay down in the shade for a little sleep and a drink, then got up and walked down to my sister who guessed the wheels had come off.
So i stood around to watch Sarah miss a kona spot by 18 seconds (she went on to race IMUK in Bolton, and battered her age group, winning it by an hour, to get her Kona spot), then had to partly carry her into the med tent for 3 units of IV - very interesting blood pressure and HR she had.
Post race - 3 lovely days on the beach with my little sister and Ali. thanks guys xx