Hi all,
Can we please have a bumper attendance tomorrow night (Friday 1 July) as we will be issuing the New and Exciting membership cards! So, if you have not already paid monies to Fee and filled in the required form, can you please bring your £15 subs tomorrow and in return you will get a shiny new membership card! Thanks! See you there! New / prospective members welcome too, no pressure to join immediately of course.
At the start of the month I took part in the Bala Middle Distance Triathlon near Snowdon in North Wales. It is a 2km lake swim, 81 km cycle ride and a 20km run to finish with.
The day before the race the view down the lake was looking quite nice, what a difference a day makes.
The next day it was wet, windy and only 8c!!
It actually felt warmer to be in the lake which the surface temperature was reported as 10c, so once I got my face used to the cold water I felt a lot better. The swim was ok until the far turn point which there was some waves to swim in to. I quite enjoyed this but it did slow my swim time down.
When I was in T1 I knew times were out of the window as the person next to me was putting his run shoes on as he was quitting already. After a few minutes putting a few layers of winter cycle kit on I left on the cycle.
There was lots of people cycling back within the first few miles, lots just going out in the poor weather conditions in a tri suit, they were not going to get far. Then the wind and hills started, at least I got to improve my bike handling skills. You know its bad conditions when there is a person waiting in a phone box to try keep warm. After finally making the turn point I stopped to fill up my drinks bottle at the only one on the cycle course and then headed back up the hills. It seemed to be head wind on the way back as well, which is not good going up a 10% incline at 4 mph!!
I finally made it back to T2 and there was yet more people quitting, I was even asked if I wanted to continue, I had got this far so I was not going to quit. So after a few minutes changing in to some dryish running gear I headed out.
The run the first and last half a mile was flat then the rest is undulating with the highest point being the turnaround point. There was a lot less people on the run than previous years but I was still going. After 3 miles my legs muscles had become a fatigued due to the cycle effort and the fast run start, so I had to walk any incline from then.
I made it around in over 7 hours which was 70 minutes longer than the previous year but over 33% of entrants did not complete the race.
My full race report is available on my blog, including some more pre race photos.
Just a reminder that 2011 club subs are due now for existing members. New members can join at any time throughout the year. Please email me using the contact details on this site and I can confirming joining and payment details.
Many thanks
A very successful day yesterday at the Cotswold middle distance. Before I start on the race report I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported my training. Be it advice, training rides, training runs, Riccione, soggy sportives or borrowed kit. Thank you so much! I really appreciate every bit of help I’ve had and couldn’t have done it without you!!! Thank you!
Cotswold 113 middle distance race report
Two years ago I took part in my first middle distance tri. I carefully picked a UK race with a lake swim, flat bike and flat run to give myself every chance to complete what then seemed like an insurmountable challenge. I did ‘complete’ it but it didn’t go to plan. Horrendous weather and last minute course alterations did not play in my favour. I came across the finish line in tears after 6 hrs 47mins swearing never to do one of those again……
18 months later and somehow I’d forgotten my finish line vow. I’d reasoned with myself that if I’d done this differently or that differently, then I’d have been stronger, quicker, enjoyed it more. Perhaps I needed to go back and do a better job of it. Perhaps I had unfinished business with a middle distance tri. So before I knew it my entry fee was paid and the 26 June was the date. A flat course at a lake I’d done before as a sprint – giving myself every possible chance of success.
Training started on the 1 January with a new years day ride around Corfe Castle with a hangover (those who know me well will recognise my not so secret training trick of riding on too little sleep and too much vino!). Since then regular runs on a Thursday with BMHAC, rides with NHRC, Riccione, Tour of Wessex, the odd mountain bike ride and twice weekly visits to Copthorne Lake. The Allen’s emailed their training plan which was stuck to the fridge and I did my best to aspire to follow it – with the caveat it was devised for the World’s. I had bad weeks when I just felt tired, then good weeks when it all came together and I realised I was getting stronger. Then before I knew it, a two week taper and race weekend was here.
The plan was to camp, accompanied by Jerry, and set off at midday Saturday. We left at 3pm, got to the M3 then went home again as I’d forgotten to feed the cat, got to the M3 and then turned home again as I’d forgotten my BTA card! Not very organised – was this a good start????
I tried to work out before the race how long it would take me. 6:10 was the time I calculated. I’d be happy with 6:17 though knocking half an hour off my previous time. J was issued with maps and rough times to spot me on the course.
Got to the Cotswold Water Park, registered, got familiar with the set up, pitched the tent, had a good solid pub dinner and bedded down for the night. Did I sleep – er no! I remember seeing 1am. This was not good. I consoled myself that at least I had included sleep deprived sessions in training!
4am and everyone was up – a hive of activity around the campsite. Everything was packed and ready to go. Quick coffee and some brekkie then down to transition. The lake was shrouded in a thin mist and looked very moody, but it was mild and dry. A quick race briefing and before I knew it I was waste deep in the lake for a mass start of 300 competitors. I was quite worried about this as it seemed like a lot of people. I’d heard bad things about mass starts and the punching, people swimming over you and ripping goggles off, the washing machine effect. I made sure I was at the front and out of trouble. The horn sounded at 6am on the dot and we were off!
It really wasn’t as bad as I feared, and within 400m I had space and was falling into a strong but relaxed pace. It is a beautifully clear lake and I was enjoying myself. The weed didn’t seem as bad as I remembered and as it passed underneath me I felt like I was speeding along. Two laps and then up what looked like an unfeasibly steep ramp (actually I think two guys pulled me up it) and I was on my way into transition.
Now I have Reynards – which is just a posh label for having really stupidly cold fingers and toes. Socks and gloves are a must, so my transitions are never going to be amazing. But I was a lot faster than last time.
Out onto the bike course. It really is stunningly flat! It’s not very often you get to ride 56 flat miles in one go with no stops so I’d not really appreciated how much of a difference that would make. I’d figured on the two lap out and back course taking me about 3:30. After the first quarter it was apparent I was going quicker than that. I was on my borrowed tri bars (thank you DK) virtually all the way. I had left instructions I’d be back round at 8:23. I was fast approaching home again and it was only 7:55 – would J be there in time to see me – yes he was! Hurrah – I got to see a familiar face and feel great about being ahead of schedule. But really – I was dying for a pee – so as soon as I was out onto the second lap I found an unsuspecting hedge and popped behind it. Back onto the course and still feeling good. I felt like I was working hard and I overtook more people than passed me. It was also encouraging to see that I was far from being at the back as I passed the field behind me on the return leg. It was overcast and a little mizzly for the entire ride, but not cold at all. I got back to transition just as the sun was creeping through.
Out onto the run course. Three laps around the three lakes on tree lined paths along the shores. I felt so glad that I had recce’d both the bike and run course a few weeks before and knew what to expect. I felt surprisingly OK and very positive. Normally I dread the run – thinking of it as my worst discipline and something to ‘survive’. But this time I knew I was better trained and prepared – those brick sessions where I rode and then ran with BMHAC had gone well – hadn’t they? I also knew my cheering crew might be waiting for me on the pinch point of the course which you run through twice on each lap. I enjoyed the fact that people were running at all different paces and it wasn’t obvious who was on which lap. If people were overtaking me then they would have been way in front and going to win. If I overtook people I felt fabulous. Then there they were, J, my best friend Kate, Mum and Marg. Brilliant! I’m so used to racing on my own it was amazing to have such support. I dived into a portaloo at the end of lap 1 then ran lap 2 really well. Passing my supporters each time and watching them scrabble for cameras as I went past. Had a gel and dived into the portaloo again 
but then ran past the finish clock as I went out for lap 3 and hardly believed the time. The last lap was tougher, but it didn’t seem anywhere near as bad as I would normally feel at that point in a half marathon. I didn’t walk except to take on water. It was getting hotter by now and I didn’t have any cream on but I was so close now. At 12 miles I felt a tight pinch in my left quad – not great but not enough to stop me – I was almost there! The last stretch and I could see the finish. I overtook a few chaps on the way there and then I was running under the banner with 5:20 on the clock. Oh My God! 5:20! Really?!?! Wow. I didn’t know what to do with myself for a moment, but was then greeted with hugs (brave people as I was pretty sweaty) and congratulations.
My swim split was 33mins. Bike 2:49. Run 1:51 which is also quite unbelievable my half marathon pb!
Shower and then to the pub for a well earned burger and chips 
I am still on a high! Thank you again to everyone who has helped me prepare and supported me.
What next….. my first Marathon – Berlin – 25 Sept.
At the lake at Copthorne Hotel, Reading on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday and Thursday of the month at 6:45pm they hold an aquathon. Which is also for those who just want to practice a “mass” swim start. It is just an extra £5 to do the aquathon.
The swim is a single lap (750m) of the lake then a 5.1km (3.2 Miles) run on the footpath around the lake which is 3 laps.
On the 24/6 there was three Basingstoke Tri Squad members taking part which we had the 1st and 3rd men and 2nd place women.
The swim had a bit more weeds than the last time I swam there but was ok but I had a reasonable swim time for me. The transition felt a bit quicker than normal for me but we still had to use the ladder to get out of the lake. The run was 3 laps of a footpath around the lake which was slightly muddy in places due to the recent rain. The main issue was the amount of flies on the far side of the lake. On the plus side I was getting quicker each lap.
It was quite enjoyable and I would do again as good for me to practice swim starts and transitions plus try different kit before a race day. My “race” report is available on my blog.
Hi all,
please let me know if you are interested in doing this 120 miler this coming Saturday, (by leaving a comment) start and finish at Pamber Heath Memorial Hall. Approx average 15 mph.
Thanks!
Hopefully, anything that is posted on the Club website will now appear on Facebook. And with a bit of luck, any comments posted on Facebook will appear here. And perhaps the other way around. I think…
Hopefully, this will appear on the Tri Club’s facebook wall.
Hi All
I will be riding to the lake tomorrow (Tuesday 7th) straight from work, aiming to leave Basingstoke as near to 5pm as I can manage. Please shout if you’d like to join me, on the bike or see you there at the lake.
Fiona
