After yesterday’s collision and pain, I was very worried that I wouldn’t be able to swim or run today. But, the shoulder was fine and, after lowering the intensity of both cycle and run, I made it through another day.

It could have been very different, I am sure, if it wasn’t for the caution urged on me by someone who knows about these things.

With my Garmin watch vibrating every kilometre during the previous two days, I had drifted back to competing against time rather than thinking about the bigger picture. So it was a timely intervention in the form of a Facebook message from Ian Mayhew (gearsandtears.com) who said: “Don’t over think the pace, enjoy the moments & allow yourself to ease into each discipline. This is not a challenge where 1/10ths of seconds count, much bigger than that.”

So, I managed to ignore the watts on the Wattbike and not care about the vibrations as the kilometres ticked by on the run. Until 7km in that is and I became complacent and started to push hard. Immediately there was a sharp pain in the middle of the knee and I eased back.

It was the sign I needed and I held back the rest of the way, and another triathlon is done, one closer to the bigger goal.

As on every day, I paid tribute those officers and staff who died today in history, they are:

1733 – Watchman Mathew Davis – Mile End, Bow, Middlesex

1863 – Police Constable Robert Campbell – Glasgow City Police

1888 – Sergeant Henry Norwood – West Riding of Yorkshire Constabulary

1904 – Detective Constable John Hutchinson – Reading County Borough Police

1926 – Inspector Charles Hutchins – City of London Police

1935 – Police Constable Henry Groves – Metropolitan Police

1939 – Police Constable Harold Anderson – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1939 – Reserve Police Sergeant William Huggins – Metropolitan Police

1953 – Inspector George Watson – West Riding of Yorkshire Constabulary

1969 – Police Constable David Prior – Metropolitan Police

1977 – Detective Sergeant Neil Caskie – Strathclyde Police

1981 – Police Constable David Allwright – Sussex Police

1981 – Police Constable Clifford Haywood – Metropolitan Police

1983 – Reserve Constable John McFadden – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1989 – Police Constable Philip Lake – Metropolitan Police

1991 – Acting Sergeant Simon Lilley – Northamptonshire Police

2012 – Detective Constable Adele Cashman – Metropolitan Police

I thank you for your sacrifice and that of all officers and staff who risk their lives every day.

Please donate and help get a fitting tribute to them built at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire – www.justgiving.com/paul-lander3