DGTri Athlete Report - Simona Carena

Terrapin Sprint Triathlon

The second triathlon of the season soon came around after a couple of weeks from the previous race and I saw this as an opportunity to improve at the sprint distance.

The training that Dermot gave me has been going well, kept me in good shape and motivated to complete each set. It seems that time flies and the sessions are never monotonous and I find myself pushing hard in training and enjoying it.

In particular I wanted to nail the swim and execute good transitions, as I felt in the last race I could have done better.

Of course I also wanted to have a good bike time, on a well known course to me; and last but not list I wanted to see if my improving run has got any better.

The week leading in to the race was very stressful for me and it left me a bit flat and not so relaxed, but nothing is better than a race to blow the cobwebs away and put a smile on your face, so I was still keen to compete.

The race venue, Bosworth Water Trust Park, is very familiar to me having competed in two duathlons and a few aquathlons and generally I see it as my home training ground. The race organization was not one of the best, in my humble opinion, and the goody bag consisted of 1 banana. Good job I got there early as it took 3 visits to registrations to get all sorted, not a good sign, especially on the first trip where I almost have had to wrestle the volunteer for a race swim cap!

The race started a few minutes before the “official time”, and I did not ear any warning, just the hoot but I soon got stuck in it.

My ambition of a sub 13’ swim was crush by a mild panic attack in the first 200 mt. I was gutted as I was well positioned in a small group of faster swimmers and comfortably pulling ahead when the engine room alarm went off and I could hardly breathe. I was sucking air in but not able to blow it out. I had to have a talk to myself and calm down, a few breast strokes and then start again. I think I lost about one minute and eventually I could see the group I missed exiting the water some 100 mt ahead.

It is a shame not to have had the good swim I wanted, and the benefit of drafting off some good swimmers, but no time to dwell on it.

Out of the water and to a quick transition, this time with no crowd entertaining somersaults to get the wetsuit off.

For some reason the bike course starts on a grass field, parallel to a very nice tarmac road, with the odd digged out shallow trench to dodge. Then you are on the park entrance road and soon after on the bike course proper. On the first section of the bike, where last time I felt efficient I thought I was suffering a bit, but unlike my last race here I finished strong on the last up hill before the village of Market Bosworth and felt really confident.

My target was to beat the time from the duathlon and, on equal distance I was about one and half minute faster, I would say on similar weather conditions.

This does not count for the second foray in to off roading across the back of the park camp site... on finishing the bike route competitors were directed, more or less clearly, at the back of the park amongst the tents and caravans for some more gravel beds and grass adventures.

I am very pleased with the bike section result and hope that Dermot’s plan will keep helping me get faster on the bike. I have really enjoyed the sessions that he has prescribed both on the road and on the trubo as I have seen that the hard work has been paying off. It was very satisfying to do some overtaking, both of ladies in my wave and in the previous wave, and only being overtaken on this section from the male winner that started 10 minutes behind. This is a very new experience for me!

T2 also was a happy place that only took 37 seconds to visit. I am pleased that I kept concentrated and made an effort not to waist time here.

The run had the added bonus of being also a “mystery tour”, possibly to compensate for the low value of the goody bags; luckily as I am familiar with the venue it did not affect me, but I did see some lost souls looking around for signage or tape! I started the run feeling good and able to set off at pace. Had to ask for directions but got on the correct course. The route was 2 loops of “there and back” around the outskirts of the park, partially on cinder gravel and partially on very well manicured springy grass. Some more instruction sought by a very ambiguous marshal at the second turn round point (is not a good thing to indicate opposite direction with both hands when asked for the way, right?) and I was back on track.

The second lap I felt even more at ease and able to stretch out my stride on the grass sections. I think with the amount of strides that Dermot has included in my training this year we are getting somewhere! Soon I was back from the second lap and in search of the finish line... that was missing.... you just went over a mat and had to figure out that it was the finish. A bit of an anticlimax really.

The run, yet again, is the fastest paced run I have done in a triathlon! Hurray! The course was about 4.5 km so a time of 21.35 is my new run PB! This is not world record time, but to put it in prospective, after 18 months of coaching I can now run 4 minute faster on a 5 Km course, and I was already training regularly and competing before.

Also I have to thank Dermot for his patience and ability to mould the training plan around a dodgy knee lately and still be able to me faster and keep me motivated to train hard!

Simona

DGTri Athlete Report - Samantha Anderson

European Triathlon Championships
Pontevedra, Spain
25th June 2011


Pontevedra is a lovely city in the North of Spain. It was to host the 2011 European Triathlon Championships and had an extra little heatwave to welcome us Brits to the country! The swim was along a river to a bridge, round a couple of buoys and back to land again. I practised the swim a few days before race day and the water was boiling! Wetsuits were optional but I needed mine to keep me afloat. The swim felt long and after talking to some other athletes they told me it was 2-3 minutes longer than the correct distance. This did not bode well for me as the swim is my weakest discipline!! I also had the chance to practice the bike course which was a long climb of 9k, around a turnaround point and back again. I love climbing hills so I was excited about the bike course. The run was 2 laps around the Old Town. It was undulating and slightly over 5k but looked like a good course.

The lead up to the race was fantastic. The opening ceremony saw musicians, actors, people with fire, lots of spanish dancers to entertain us etc. I met lots of old friends from the Worlds at Budapest. I saw the Belgian Boys who I made friends with in Ireland too and the whole city had a great buzz about it. I was nervous about the race, but more excited to be a part of it all.

On race day I got up at 6am and ate cornflakes out of a glass as we had forgotten to bring a bowl! We walked through the city to the start of the race. It was still pretty dark and we were greeted by party-goers on their way home from a fun night out shouting "buenos nochos" to us! I had racked my bike the night before so all that was left to do was set up the rest of transition. Everyone was provided with a box and your stuff had to be in the box or you were penalised. As quite a messy person this rule was stressing me out! So I stood in transition for a while and tried to visualise what I was going to do in the race. I spoke to the other girls in my age group for a bit. I´ve met most of them before but it reminded me how competitive my age group is. I was to be racing the national champion and the silver and bronze medallists from the 2010 Worlds. The current European Champion was back to defend her title and the silver and bronze medallists from last year´s Europeans were there too. I tried to remind myself that it wasn´t about them and I just had to do my own thing.

There were about 70 women in the wave I was going off in. It was so crowded on the pontoon, there were about 2 women per box on the start. We were asked to get into the water and then the hooter went. We were off! No more time to be nervous! As we all started swimming I instantly got hit, punched and kicked. I tried to get my arm out of the water but there was no room to even do that. I did some breaststroke and then got going. A bit of open water.....a couple of strokes and then another hit and punch. Now someone was grabbing my ankles. More breastroke. A bit of a panic. Then back into some open water, a couple of strokes.....then someone was swimming over me. A cough and a splutter. Bit more breaststroke. Then off again. Needless to say I hated the swim. On the way back I got a bit more room but I knew I had lost a lot of ground. I was out of the water 12th in my age group, 2 minutes 58 seconds behind the lead girl in my age group.

Transition was a long run in, I tried to use this time to make up ground. Wetsuit off and thrown into the box. Helmet and bike shoes on and then I was off. The ride out was brilliant. The climb was great and I was overtaking a lot of people. Nobody went past me. I don´t ride with a watch or speedometer but I felt like I was going well. I overtook 4 girls in my age group, turned round at the top and I was on the way down. The descent was so steep that when I pushed my hardest gear it didn´t make any difference. I felt like I had run out of gears and couldn´t go any faster whether I pedalled or not. I felt really frustrated by this because I had a lot of energy and power in my legs but it was just going to waste. The bike is my main strength but I felt like it went to waste a bit because of the course.

Back into transition and I could see a girl in my age group just starting the run. Running trainers on and I was off. I caught the girl ahead within the first couple of minutes. The run was brilliant. Through a massive stadium, around 2 laps of an undulating 5k and back into the stadium. As it was laps I could see where the other athletes were. I knew I couldn´t catch the girls ahead as there was nearly a 2 minute difference and I knew I was stronger than the girls behind. I ran in my comfort zone and enjoyed taking in the atmosphere, the crowds, the flags, the cheering. In hindsight I wished I had pushed a bit harder, just to get the best time that I could have got, but I will remember that for next time.

I crossed the line finishing 7th. It was a solid performance but I have learnt a lot from it, my approach to the race, my attitude during the race and more importantly my goals and next steps for what I have to do next. I am somewhat frustrated with myself as I think I have a lot more in me than 7th place and in many ways I matched the medallists for bike and run speed but I know if I persevere and keep trying I will get there. Dermot´s coaching has really given me a lot of confidence and I´d like to thank him for his continuous support (and patience!) with me. It was a real honour to race for GB and a great experience that I will always be proud of.

Sam

DGTri Athlete Report - James Harman

70.3 Half Ironman UK

Exmoor lived up to its name and so did the Hardest Middle Distance Triathlon in the World!. Rain, Wind and Cold were all factors in the Days leading up to the Race and on Race day its self. We got down to Exmoor on Friday afternoon in the pouring Rain. It stopped for about 10mins and i put the Tent up. It then started to Rain again and did not stop all night so there we were the Four of us Louise, Me and the Children stuck in a Tent in the middle of Exmoor in the Cold and Wet!. Saturday Morning came and it was time for a dip to test out the Water and get a little training session in before the big event. As soon as i got into the water i realised it was cold. Colder than what i was expecting for this time of Year and i don't usually suffer with feeling the Cool Water temp but i managed a trip to the Third Buoy and back giving me around 15-20Mins in the Water. I got back to the Tent and had a little snack contemplating if i should take the Bike out but decided against it as the Mud was totally unbelievable and my Core temp was way too Low to start Cycling in the Cold Air plus i wanted to keep my Bike and Kit Dry and Clean. I decided to go for a Run on the Road and did around 15-20mins before going back to the Tent and taking a Shower in the Mobile Shower block supplied which was as last Year very good and clean with nice Hot water.

Saturday evening came and with still more Rain but this time Torrential downpours and with Strong winds. We decided to hit the Sack at around 7pm as it was way too cold and wet to sit outside and that's when i noticed i was not feeling too good. I was Coughing most of the night and cold to the Core. No matter what i did i could not get my core temp up. Just too many hours in the Cool damp air and i was paying the price!. Sunday Morning came and i did not feel like Racing at all!. Infact i wanted to go Home as the Children were now suffering which wasn't fair but i decided to give it a go. I stuck to my plan for the Swim start and did not do what i had done last Year. At these events they like you to all meet up and walk down to the Lake together, They like to get everybody in the Mood for the Race but i feel it was like being Kettled so that the Pro's could get a good advantage on the Swim start so i waited for the shout over the Loudspeaker and Ran down to the Lake on my own getting a good position near the front of the Buoys with all the Pro's with there different coloured Swim Caps lol while the other1600 People made there way down to the Lake. This was a bad mistake!, They had to get all these People into the Water and the Race was supposed to start at 0700. I got into the Water at 0640 and by the time the Claxton Blew i was shivering and cold again despite Swimming around to try and keep Warm. The Swim was ok but i was expecting a better Time especially as i had been doing 3800mtrs in less than an Hour in Training however everything that could of gone wrong did do!. The glare from the Sun and Spray across the Water made it near impossible to see marker Buoys and the fact that people with very little Open Water swim experience made it very difficult. I remember being stuck behind Two People and every time i tried to pass they seemed to just block me on purpose but the fact of the matter was they could not see and had no idea where they were going!.

The Swim section ended for me in 37mins and it was a long run up to T1 to get onto the Bike. The Wetsuit came off easily and i was on the Bike and away to start the first of many climbs. The first Climb out of T1 is a 3 Miler which as i was so Cold still was very Thankful of however by this Time i could of so so easily quit!, The fact that friends had travelled to watch me, My Family were there to watch me and general Peer Pressure meant i had no way of just giving inn after Months and Months of Training. I got up the Hill and Turned Left to start the Flattest section of the Course at its highest point and immediately hit a Cold Headwind. This went on for about 10-12 Miles so by now i was absolutely freezing again!, Even with my Jacket on. After the flat section you have a couple of small rises and then drop down a big decent so more Cold air and not much peddling to keep warm before the few Big Climbs. Even though by now the Rain had stopped it was overcast and the wind was blowing a Cold breeze. Lots of People in just Tri-Suits were dropping like fly's through just being too cold. It was much the same for the second lap only towards the last 20miles i was just Grinding it out!, No Skill!, No Technique! Nothing!. Just a long Hard Grind and Pain. I then started to think about the Run!, How far i had to go, How much it was going to hurt and yes again those Demons were ever so present by this time!. I got into T2 had a Gel and everything went to plan. I tricked myself saying i would try one Lap and se how i felt which i was surprised about.

The first lap was great. I had a Gel in T2 and another at around 2Miles into the first lap and was just picking People off feeling really strong. Usually my Run starts pretty weak and i just get faster so i thought shit i am flying!, I'm going to really make some time up here! I got past the Lap 1 marker and started Lap 2 feeling a little weaker so decided to have another Gel which did not seem to make much difference. I banged another one maybe 10mins after that then at a Feed station had a bite of Banana with some Gatorade (Crap). 10-20mins later that was it!. I had a knot in my Stomach and bad Wind. I tried to hold back but oh Shit!. Yes, Need i say more!. Again the last lap was just a Grinder and i got Slower and Slower. I finished the event (Just) in 6hrs 50mins knocking 33mins of last Year!. And when everybody else's time was going backwards i made a Huge improvement. I did want a 6:30 but given the Severe conditions i now realise i was lucky to just Finish!. I would like to Thank Dermot again for Coaching me as i now know without his expert advice there is no way i would of been able to Endure and make the Cut off!. I would also very much like to thank My Friends and Family Mathew Farmer and Jemma Butler for coming to watch me and Help out and Believing in me!. And Louise my Partner, Ciaran my Son and Sophia my Daughter for putting up my my Mood Swings, Mardyness and generally Difficult stubborn ways!. Also Blue the Dog who had to Sleep in the Cold for two Nights on just a Groundsheet!. Here is some interesting info and if my Maths are correct then Wow! according to the Race Programme 1661 People entered the Race. 1105 Finished. 131 attempted to Finish but recorded DNF'S. What happened to the other 425 People???. Anyway just a little one to get out of the way now at the end of July and its home and dry for me for a while!. Good luck with Life and Racing!.

Don't forget to enjoy!.

Jamie aka Buzz!

DGTri Athlete Report - Bill Livingstone

DOUBLE IRONMAN UK

Arriving at Avon Tyrell in the New Forest for the Double, I was greeted by what looked like a fishing pond. Looked lovely until I spotted the inflatable buoys in the water, then realised that I had to swim 7.6km in it, along with 49 other athletes! That was going to be fun. Especially as I have lost a lot of open water bottle after the hammering I got in the water at IM France last year.
Once in the camping area, the pop up tent soon went up, but could I get the tent pegs to go into the ground. Must be near tree roots I thought. Move the tent, try again, no success. Eventually after 20 minutes of searching, I found a piece of ground good enough to set up the tent. At least I could get the tent pegs in the ground.

All set up, car unpacked and a decent cup of tea. As we were sitting in the sun, we soon realised that we were no far from Bournemouth Airport with the planes taking off over our heads.

Looking around the area, there were not many tents and not many athletes or spectators. The Deca, Quin and Triple had all started that mornings IM but no-one was off the bike and on the run. This was at 3pm, very odd!

Eventually an old familiar face was spotted on the run course, the legend that is TC. If you don’t know him, then no point explaining. At least TC had invested in a new bike for this season and the clunking softride was relegated to a ‘spare’ bike.
Registration was at 5pm. By now the wind had really picked up and the organisers were desperately trying to anchor down all the support tents (unsuccessfully).
Registration was over in a flash, walk in, shake of hands, registration bag and out.
Race briefing took place soon after registration. Checking through to other events competitor lists, there were several athletes who competed at Lichfield the previous year who were taking on the bigger events this year. At least I would be able to catch up with them at some point over the next 2 days of racing (or so I thought).
Briefing over, quick drive to the train station to collect Dermot Galea (Coach and Support Crew). Final briefing from coach about race plan and how important it is to stick to the plan on race day. This did not go in one ear and out of the other, as missing food can cost you the race.

Big bowl of pasta and red pesto (which Pam cannot stand!) for evening food, then crashed out for the night (with the planes still taking off and landing).
The usual pre-race nights sleep was had (nothing!) and up early to check the bike and kit into T1. With another 3 hours before my race started, it was a wander down to the water’s edge to watch the Deca, Quin and Triple start. The Deca and Quin athletes did not look in a good condition at all. They were struggling to get in the water and get moving. The water was 21 degrees (far warmer than Bosworth with its 14 degrees and rising!) but they were still at risk of hypothermia due to the volume of racing they had done.

Double Start

50 swimmers in the pond! Each lap was 300m. A total of 26 laps were to be done before you had completed the swim. 300 x 26 works out at 7.8km, 200 more than the official Double but you are limited to your race venue. You had to swim 2 laps first, then after each lap, you had to stop, shout out your race number and wait until it had been repeated before heading off for another lap. The original swim had been set at 24 laps, which we had worked out perfect for the nutrition, stop every 4 laps for fluid, carbs and electrolytes. Changing it to 26 threw us out a little but decided to swim 2, then start the race nutrition 4 laps earlier.

So off I went, the last athlete to cross the start line, let the idiots mash themselves out at the front. I soon got into a good steady rhythm and was making some progress through the back markers. Turning left through the lily pads proved a bit difficult, trying to move through what felt like a cargo net for 20 metres, with the stems and pads grabbing your arms and feet, not good for the nerves.
2 laps done, nutrition, then back to counting 4 laps for the next feed. Each lap stop, shout out your race number, wait for the reply then back out for the swim. When I had reached 22 laps, I asked how many I had completed, only to be told that I had only completed 20 laps. No point arguing with the counters, just get on and finish the swim. Coach had to get extra nutrition to cover the extra 2 laps (600m!) swim that I had to complete. Finally the last lap was confirmed by the marshalls, and I was out of the water in 2:25 in 8th position having swum 8.4km. Then it was a long way up the hill to the timing mat to get the final swim time (2.28).
Out of the wetsuit, dry off and the cycle gear on. Plenty of anti-chaff cream was applied, looked more like a channel swimmer in goose fat that a cyclist. Another long walk up a hill to T1 to collect the bike.

Off onto the bike course. This was a 20 lap route over undulating and exposed countryside. 20 laps of 11.7 miles to give you a total of 234 miles! Having not ridden the route beforehand, it was a steady spin for the first lap assessing the route. After all, I was going to be on the bike for a long, long time! Funny how the wind was still blowing, but in your face! Across the exposed moorland, avoiding the cattle and ponies just wandering across the road. Then the car drivers who refuse to budge an inch at the bottle necks, so you lost speed very time you came across them. Off the moors,and up a hill, down the hill into Burley, through Burley full of tourists and potholes, then up another hill, drop down onto another exposed area of moorland (more headwind), across the moors, then another hill, before another decent. Finally a flattish, undulating road (which had been recently tarred and chipped) took you back through the forest towards the bike turnaround. On this patch, you had some protection from the wind. Then you turned towards the bike turnaround, again up a hill! So 4 big hills, times 20 laps, makes it a lot of climbing on the legs!

Each lap passed, and the big black clouds were looming. Not in my head (not yet) but outside. You could see them gathering and the wind was blowing them onto the course. Lap after lap passed, stop every 2 laps, take on extra food and drink. Stop every 4 laps to take solid food and a hot drink (pastie and tea, thank you Mr Ginster!). The half way mark soon passed at 10 laps, then the rain started. Yes, rain, coupled with the relentless wind, it just was not going to be fun.

As it was getting close to lighting up time, all riders were getting stopped to put on their lights and hi-vis vests. This was the point when I realised that my £75 200 lumen light was not going to be good enough to get me through the night. The race organiser had advised on a 200 lumen minimum, I should have paid the £160 for the 400 lumen lights, but too late!

Funny how you do all the planning in the world for your race, then you realise that you cannot see the road in front of you let alone your speedometer. The light had worked fine at home when I done my night ride, but that was in the dry. Once the roads were wet, they just absorbed the light so you were virtually riding blind, not good! Even the athletes with the 400+ lumens were struggling to see where they were going, but more importantly what to avoid!

Lap 14 was a bad lap. I had already covered 154 miles and the demons were setting in. There were things in the woods chasing me. They were on my left and right, shadows pulling at the branches trying to pull me off the bike. Time to stop and rest at the next turnaround having completed 164 miles.

Into the tent, soaked clothing off, dry off, re-apply the anti-chaff everywhere, dry clothes, warm food and a hot drink, then a quick crash out in the sleeping bag. 2 hours later and back on the bike to complete the final 6 laps. I didn’t stay dry for long as the wind and rain were still destroying the athletes. It was difficult to get any heat into your muscles to keep them working.

Finally the last lap was approaching, only 11.7 miles to go and 4 more hills, hills which now seemed like climbing St Martine hill, every time! Those who know, know what I mean!!

It was a relief to get off the bike after covering 234 miles with an average speed of 15.4 mph. The actual time in the saddle was 15.30 hours, but include the 2 hour rest period, 17.30 hours for the total bike.
The funny thing was that I still felt in a good condition, my legs were not aching, but maybe that was because they had been subjected to constant wind and rain for most of the night!

Back into the tent, wet clothes off, dry off, more anti-chaff, dry running gear, hot food and drink and into the sleeping bag for 1 hour to raise my core temperature. 1 hour later, and an extra layer, then off the the run course.
This is where it all went wrong. Originally, it had been a 26 x 2 mile run, with 1 mile off road and 1 mile on tarmac. This had been changed to a 52 mile off road run, 52 laps off road, in the cold and rain. Again, the run had x4 hills which took all the strength from your legs each time you hit a hill.

The race organiser then informed us that the cut off time had been extended by 4 hours due to the bad weather. Not that we had noticed, as we had been soaked and frozen for hours! So the cut off time was now 39 hours instead of 35.
Each lap ticked off, 1 by 1. On lap 20, it all went bad. Coming down off one of the hills, there was no grip and I went over twisting my knee. Not good. I tried to run but could not put any pressure on the knee, so had to resort to a speed walk.
This is the point where your head goes through numerous calculations about time, speed and distance. If I could keep to 3.5 miles an hour distance, I could just get under the cut off time of 39 hours. My original plan of running to 30 miles had gone with the fall.

The rain was making the run course ridiculous now. Athletes were even falling over on the flat due to the course being a complete mudbath. Dermot had joined me for a lap to assess the course, but I know he was checking on me.
After completing 10 laps walking the course, the weather and conditions had taken their toll. My calculations were telling me that even if I kept going for the next 7 hours at my current walking pace, then I would not make the cut-off time.
I made the decision to get to 32 laps then call it a day. Not an easy decision to make after putting so much into this race.

I completed lap 32 and gave my chip to the organiser. We talked for 15 minutes about the times and I said that there was no way I could get under the current cut off time, explaining that the course was getting worse every hour with more and more athletes going round.

So, it was off to find the support crew and head back to the tent to try to get my core temperature back to a healthy level.

It was strange, but I did not have any regrets about withdrawing from the race.
After getting some sleep and hot food, things seemed a lot brighter the next day. The race organiser had decided to extend the cut-off by another 5 hours to 4am as the athletes were struggling with the difficult conditions. Even knowing this post race, I don’t think it would have made any difference to my final decision. I had no more dry clothes, all 3 pairs of trainers had been used, even my normal clothes had been worn to try to keep my core temperature healthy. It was just impossible to stay dry and keep and temperature in your body.
So I have my second DNF in a 24 year career!

Only 24 athletes finished out of 50 starters. If you took the original cut-off time of 35 hours, less than 10 athletes would have completed the full event.
This course was far harder than the course at Lichfield the previous year, the course itself was more physically demanding and the weather was completely atrocious.
My ultimate respect goes to those who completed the Double and they deserve to wear their finishers T shirt with pride.

My thanks go to the following:

Pam , for losing me for most of the last year with my training.
Sophie, for Dad not being around to annoy her!
Dermot, for getting me in the best condition for the race, both physically and mentally.

Finally.

Thanks to all who sent messages of support, I was getting a constant feed from my support crew (Pam and Dermot) during the event, which during the dark times helped keep me going.

DGTri Athlete Report - William Livingstone

DOUBLE IRONMAN UK

Arriving at Avon Tyrell in the New Forest for the Double, I was greeted by what looked like a fishing pond. Looked lovely until I spotted the inflatable buoys in the water, then realised that I had to swim 7.6km in it, along with 49 other athletes! That was going to be fun. Especially as I have lost a lot of open water bottle after the hammering I got in the water at IM France last year.
Once in the camping area, the pop up tent soon went up, but could I get the tent pegs to go into the ground. Must be near tree roots I thought. Move the tent, try again, no success. Eventually after 20 minutes of searching, I found a piece of ground good enough to set up the tent. At least I could get the tent pegs in the ground.

All set up, car unpacked and a decent cup of tea. As we were sitting in the sun, we soon realised that we were no far from Bournemouth Airport with the planes taking off over our heads.

Looking around the area, there were not many tents and not many athletes or spectators. The Deca, Quin and Triple had all started that mornings IM but no-one was off the bike and on the run. This was at 3pm, very odd!

Eventually an old familiar face was spotted on the run course, the legend that is TC. If you don’t know him, then no point explaining. At least TC had invested in a new bike for this season and the clunking softride was relegated to a ‘spare’ bike.
Registration was at 5pm. By now the wind had really picked up and the organisers were desperately trying to anchor down all the support tents (unsuccessfully).
Registration was over in a flash, walk in, shake of hands, registration bag and out.
Race briefing took place soon after registration. Checking through to other events competitor lists, there were several athletes who competed at Lichfield the previous year who were taking on the bigger events this year. At least I would be able to catch up with them at some point over the next 2 days of racing (or so I thought).
Briefing over, quick drive to the train station to collect Dermot Galea (Coach and Support Crew). Final briefing from coach about race plan and how important it is to stick to the plan on race day. This did not go in one ear and out of the other, as missing food can cost you the race.

Big bowl of pasta and red pesto (which Pam cannot stand!) for evening food, then crashed out for the night (with the planes still taking off and landing).
The usual pre-race nights sleep was had (nothing!) and up early to check the bike and kit into T1. With another 3 hours before my race started, it was a wander down to the water’s edge to watch the Deca, Quin and Triple start. The Deca and Quin athletes did not look in a good condition at all. They were struggling to get in the water and get moving. The water was 21 degrees (far warmer than Bosworth with its 14 degrees and rising!) but they were still at risk of hypothermia due to the volume of racing they had done.

Double Start

50 swimmers in the pond! Each lap was 300m. A total of 26 laps were to be done before you had completed the swim. 300 x 26 works out at 7.8km, 200 more than the official Double but you are limited to your race venue. You had to swim 2 laps first, then after each lap, you had to stop, shout out your race number and wait until it had been repeated before heading off for another lap. The original swim had been set at 24 laps, which we had worked out perfect for the nutrition, stop every 4 laps for fluid, carbs and electrolytes. Changing it to 26 threw us out a little but decided to swim 2, then start the race nutrition 4 laps earlier.

So off I went, the last athlete to cross the start line, let the idiots mash themselves out at the front. I soon got into a good steady rhythm and was making some progress through the back markers. Turning left through the lily pads proved a bit difficult, trying to move through what felt like a cargo net for 20 metres, with the stems and pads grabbing your arms and feet, not good for the nerves.
2 laps done, nutrition, then back to counting 4 laps for the next feed. Each lap stop, shout out your race number, wait for the reply then back out for the swim. When I had reached 22 laps, I asked how many I had completed, only to be told that I had only completed 20 laps. No point arguing with the counters, just get on and finish the swim. Coach had to get extra nutrition to cover the extra 2 laps (600m!) swim that I had to complete. Finally the last lap was confirmed by the marshalls, and I was out of the water in 2:25 in 8th position having swum 8.4km. Then it was a long way up the hill to the timing mat to get the final swim time (2.28).
Out of the wetsuit, dry off and the cycle gear on. Plenty of anti-chaff cream was applied, looked more like a channel swimmer in goose fat that a cyclist. Another long walk up a hill to T1 to collect the bike.

Off onto the bike course. This was a 20 lap route over undulating and exposed countryside. 20 laps of 11.7 miles to give you a total of 234 miles! Having not ridden the route beforehand, it was a steady spin for the first lap assessing the route. After all, I was going to be on the bike for a long, long time! Funny how the wind was still blowing, but in your face! Across the exposed moorland, avoiding the cattle and ponies just wandering across the road. Then the car drivers who refuse to budge an inch at the bottle necks, so you lost speed very time you came across them. Off the moors,and up a hill, down the hill into Burley, through Burley full of tourists and potholes, then up another hill, drop down onto another exposed area of moorland (more headwind), across the moors, then another hill, before another decent. Finally a flattish, undulating road (which had been recently tarred and chipped) took you back through the forest towards the bike turnaround. On this patch, you had some protection from the wind. Then you turned towards the bike turnaround, again up a hill! So 4 big hills, times 20 laps, makes it a lot of climbing on the legs!

Each lap passed, and the big black clouds were looming. Not in my head (not yet) but outside. You could see them gathering and the wind was blowing them onto the course. Lap after lap passed, stop every 2 laps, take on extra food and drink. Stop every 4 laps to take solid food and a hot drink (pastie and tea, thank you Mr Ginster!). The half way mark soon passed at 10 laps, then the rain started. Yes, rain, coupled with the relentless wind, it just was not going to be fun.

As it was getting close to lighting up time, all riders were getting stopped to put on their lights and hi-vis vests. This was the point when I realised that my £75 200 lumen light was not going to be good enough to get me through the night. The race organiser had advised on a 200 lumen minimum, I should have paid the £160 for the 400 lumen lights, but too late!

Funny how you do all the planning in the world for your race, then you realise that you cannot see the road in front of you let alone your speedometer. The light had worked fine at home when I done my night ride, but that was in the dry. Once the roads were wet, they just absorbed the light so you were virtually riding blind, not good! Even the athletes with the 400+ lumens were struggling to see where they were going, but more importantly what to avoid!

Lap 14 was a bad lap. I had already covered 154 miles and the demons were setting in. There were things in the woods chasing me. They were on my left and right, shadows pulling at the branches trying to pull me off the bike. Time to stop and rest at the next turnaround having completed 164 miles.

Into the tent, soaked clothing off, dry off, re-apply the anti-chaff everywhere, dry clothes, warm food and a hot drink, then a quick crash out in the sleeping bag. 2 hours later and back on the bike to complete the final 6 laps. I didn’t stay dry for long as the wind and rain were still destroying the athletes. It was difficult to get any heat into your muscles to keep them working.

Finally the last lap was approaching, only 11.7 miles to go and 4 more hills, hills which now seemed like climbing St Martine hill, every time! Those who know, know what I mean!!

It was a relief to get off the bike after covering 234 miles with an average speed of 15.4 mph. The actual time in the saddle was 15.30 hours, but include the 2 hour rest period, 17.30 hours for the total bike.
The funny thing was that I still felt in a good condition, my legs were not aching, but maybe that was because they had been subjected to constant wind and rain for most of the night!

Back into the tent, wet clothes off, dry off, more anti-chaff, dry running gear, hot food and drink and into the sleeping bag for 1 hour to raise my core temperature. 1 hour later, and an extra layer, then off the the run course.
This is where it all went wrong. Originally, it had been a 26 x 2 mile run, with 1 mile off road and 1 mile on tarmac. This had been changed to a 52 mile off road run, 52 laps off road, in the cold and rain. Again, the run had x4 hills which took all the strength from your legs each time you hit a hill.

The race organiser then informed us that the cut off time had been extended by 4 hours due to the bad weather. Not that we had noticed, as we had been soaked and frozen for hours! So the cut off time was now 39 hours instead of 35.
Each lap ticked off, 1 by 1. On lap 20, it all went bad. Coming down off one of the hills, there was no grip and I went over twisting my knee. Not good. I tried to run but could not put any pressure on the knee, so had to resort to a speed walk.
This is the point where your head goes through numerous calculations about time, speed and distance. If I could keep to 3.5 miles an hour distance, I could just get under the cut off time of 39 hours. My original plan of running to 30 miles had gone with the fall.

The rain was making the run course ridiculous now. Athletes were even falling over on the flat due to the course being a complete mudbath. Dermot had joined me for a lap to assess the course, but I know he was checking on me.
After completing 10 laps walking the course, the weather and conditions had taken their toll. My calculations were telling me that even if I kept going for the next 7 hours at my current walking pace, then I would not make the cut-off time.
I made the decision to get to 32 laps then call it a day. Not an easy decision to make after putting so much into this race.

I completed lap 32 and gave my chip to the organiser. We talked for 15 minutes about the times and I said that there was no way I could get under the current cut off time, explaining that the course was getting worse every hour with more and more athletes going round.

So, it was off to find the support crew and head back to the tent to try to get my core temperature back to a healthy level.

It was strange, but I did not have any regrets about withdrawing from the race.
After getting some sleep and hot food, things seemed a lot brighter the next day. The race organiser had decided to extend the cut-off by another 5 hours to 4am as the athletes were struggling with the difficult conditions. Even knowing this post race, I don’t think it would have made any difference to my final decision. I had no more dry clothes, all 3 pairs of trainers had been used, even my normal clothes had been worn to try to keep my core temperature healthy. It was just impossible to stay dry and keep and temperature in your body.
So I have my second DNF in a 24 year career!

Only 24 athletes finished out of 50 starters. If you took the original cut-off time of 35 hours, less than 10 athletes would have completed the full event.
This course was far harder than the course at Lichfield the previous year, the course itself was more physically demanding and the weather was completely atrocious.
My ultimate respect goes to those who completed the Double and they deserve to wear their finishers T shirt with pride.

My thanks go to the following:

Pam , for losing me for most of the last year with my training.
Sophie, for Dad not being around to annoy her!
Dermot, for getting me in the best condition for the race, both physically and mentally.

Finally.

Thanks to all who sent messages of support, I was getting a constant feed from my support crew (Pam and Dermot) during the event, which during the dark times helped keep me going.

DGTri Athlete Report - Samantha Anderson

Rather valley sprint tri - European championship qualifier

On Sunday 12th June I raced at the rather valley sprint tri. This was my best race last year and I felt like I had a lot to live up to. With it being a European qualifier for israel next year the atmosphere was fantastic.....but the competition was strong!

Transition racking was done in alphabetical order and according to age group. This gave me a chance to see who I was up against. My friend Christa from my tri club was there, as was a girl who took the bronze medal at the worlds two years ago in Sydney (Sarah) and a worlds aquathlon medallist and GB age group athlete (Kathryn). I felt confident about my form but you never know what's going to happen on race day!!! My biggest worry was the swim. I had bought a new wetsuit on Friday as I had ripped my other one one holiday (too many coco pops!) and I was worried about being able to swim well in it and get it off quickly in transition.

I got in the water 10mins before the start time to have a swim. Everything seemed to be ok. We lined up at the swim start waiting for the hooter for what felt like ages. Some of the girls were creeping forward then getting called back. I always position myself at the front but don't know why I do as I'm not one of the stronger swimmers. Everything went so silent you could have heard a penny drop. I felt sick!!! The hooter went and I got this sudden rush of adrenalin, we were off! I swam hard to the first buoy, getting there in 5th place.....but then the other girls swam round me, under me, over me and I was trying so hard to stay with them. Just like last week I felt like I was putting a lot of effort in but not really getting anywhere. I always feel like giving up after the swim, always feel like I've blown my chances. I kept telling myself to just try and stick worth every girl that passed me and stay on their feet for as long as I could.

The marshals pulling the athletes out of the swim all knew me so I got a loud cheer and a "go Sam, go" as I exited the swim in 25th place (7th in my age group). A quick T1 and out onto my bike and I caught the first couple of girls within minutes. A few minutes later I past Christa and we gave each other a cheer. The bike course was a 26k very hilly route. I know the course like the back of my hand after doing so many training days here last year. I was picking the girls (and the men) off and started to get some confidence back. Down on my tri bars, I remember thinking it's just me and the road, and I tried to block out everything else around me and just enjoy the feeling of pushing myself as hard as I could. I was overtaking more and more people until eventually, about 3 miles from the finish I overtook Sarah. I knew she was a talented athlete so all of a sudden I had forgotten about my awful swim and felt like I was having a great race. I was worried I had pushed so hard on the bike that I would have nothing left for the run but I always try to treat the three disciplines as separate races.

My mum and my sister were surprised to see me return to transition when I did. I had moved from 25th place to 8th and had clocked the fastest bike time for my age group and the third fastest overall. As I was putting my running trainers on, Sarah was racking her bike. I knew she had a good run. We were lying in 2nd and 3rd place in our age group. I ran out of transition strongly, more to make Sarah think that I had a lot left! I overtook a girl within the first 30 seconds. I was not in 7th, still 2nd in my age group. The run was a 1 lap 5k course around the lake. I started off glancing over my shoulder every minute to see where Sarah was, each time I looked she was dropping durther and further behind. After a while I started to focus on the girls ahead. I could see Kathryn and put in a spurt to catch her. I went past her quite easily. I was know in 6th and first in my age group. In the distance I could see another girl but there wasn't too much further to the finish, only another kilometre or so. For the first time in a long time I felt like I was racing on the run. Rather than holding on for positions I felt like I was attacking and closing people down. I put in another spurt to catch her and kept working until I could see the finish. I clocked 19.51 for the run, which again was the fastest in my age group.

Finishing fifth overall and winning my category was a great result for me. Especially as it was a qualifier and the standard and number of athletes was so high. Looking at the results, I am starting to open a bigger gap on athletes who last year were beating me. I really enjoyed the race, I loved switching off from everything and just for that hour or so nothing else matters but you. I was pleased that dispite giving the lead swimmer a 4minute lead I was able to claw some of it back......perhaps I am more of a fighter than I realised. I took the first qualifying slot for the Europeans next year, and I am moving forward to Spain in 2weeks with confidence in my ability. I hope to show everyone what I'm made of!

Sam

DGTri Athlete Report - Samantha Anderson

Full Boar Standard Distance Triathlon

I had just returned from a fab week in the Alps with my tri club and decided to get a late entry into the Full Boar Olympic Tri. Arriving back late afternoon on Saturday, having over 350 hilly miles in my legs and no wetsuit (I had tore it on holiday) was not the best start to this race but then preparation never was my strong point!! I rocked up in plenty of time, had a quick last minute practice of getting in and out of my borrowed wetsuit (which was too big) and was good to go.

I didn't have a very good swim at all. I was kicked, elbowed, swum over and I seemed to be working hard but not really getting anywhere. I was about 8th or 9th girl out of the water but the lead girl already had 5minutes on me!! On the bike is where I'm happiest! I just switch off and pedal and I love it. My legs were really tired from the alps but at least they were looking tanned and brown haha! It took me a while to catch the girls but eventually they started coming back to me and I was back in off the bike in second place. I was really chuffed with this as after the swim I'd thought I'd blown it. The 10k run was a 4 lap route and the sun was out and shining! I was closing slightly on the lead girl......but unfortunately the 3rd and 4th place girls were closing one me! I could see Dermot who gave me a cheer and some of my friends from the tri club. I tried to dig in but all the training had caught up with me and with one lap to go I got overtaken. Now in 3rd place, I knew the girl ahead of me was running well so I was just concentrating on holding on to my position. I crossed the line in 3rd place to rightfully earn a great prize from line break and of course a pink piggy bank (to go with my gold one!)

All in all I was pleased with my race, another podium position, a fairly solid performance and almost an 8 minute improvement on my bike from this course last year. I know what I need to work on between now and the Europeans at he end of the month. I would recommend this race to anyone, it was a great atmosphere, good course and brill prizes! Well done to Dermot anD all the other DG TRi, LInebreak and Rugby Tri athletes!

Sam

DGTri Athlete Report - James Harman

Market Bosworth Full Boar Standard Distance Triathlon:

The Full Boar Triathlon was the first Triathlon of the 2011 Season for me and i was looking forward to seeing what if any improvements had been made. Last Years event took me 2hrs 59mins and i was expecting to be a little faster this Year due to having a Coach (Dermot Galea) pushing me for most of the Winter/Summer Months during Training and getting me ready for the Season ahead.

This Year i have entered Wimbleball Half Ironman and Bolton Uk Ironman so i thought that a Standard distance Tri would be an ideal opportunity to dust the Cobwebs off and get my Transition sorted out. The Weather was a little cool in the Morning but there was generally as always a very good atmosphere amongst the Athletes with everybody looking forward to getting stuck in!.

The Race started at 0930 and i found the Water to be really quite Warm. It was the second Time only for me in Open Water this Season and the Second time in my Wetsuit as i have been Training mostly in the Pool. I Felt quite strong in the Swim for the first 2-3 Hundred meters but after that felt like i was struggling to get my Breath. I think this was due to the fact that i had not used my Wetsuit much and also all the excitement pushing up the Heart Rate. By the Time i had got around the top Island and half way down the Lake i was settled in and Breathing ok with nice long smooth strokes and what felt like a good technique. I managed to pass a few people who i noticed were Using the bank to sight off where i was cutting straight down the Lake Buoy to Buoy. I finished the Swim leg in 25mins which i was quite happy with although i was hoping for a 22-23min Swim.

The first Transition went well and the Wetsuit came off quite quick and easy. I noticed quite a few bikes still in Transition and thought that must be a good sign as i had no idea what my swim time was due to getting my watch caught in a Buoy and stopping the Timer. The Bike was Hard for a start heading up the Hill towards the A444 and i just decided to Spin up in a Low gear to get some Blood into the Legs and hopefully get them moving a little quicker. By the time i got onto the A444 the Wind was quite strong and behind me and i had managed to hold a good pace of 20-30mph in places. Even 18-19mph up the Hills which was excellent. The route took us along the A444 to Shenton Lane and then Left which was back into the Wind and uphill towards Market Bosworth. The Wind in this section seemed to be channelled along the Road between the Hedge Rows and into my Face which was really quite tiring. The open sections with no Tree or Hedge cover were even worse so again it was Time to get the Head down and Spin up in a Lower Gear. This seemed to do the trick and made the Journey into the back of Market Bosworth a little easier. None of the Hills are very big in this section of the course but just seem to Grind you down with the Wind. After going through the Town Centre and Market place it was a left turn and back down the Hill through another Faster section of the course and out past the Lake entrance to start another lap. The second Lap went much the same as there was no change in the Wind however it felt a little easier as my Legs were now warm and feeling quite Strong. I finished the Bike leg in 1hr 20mins which again given the windy conditions i was happy with as i had been struggling to find any Speed or Strength with the Bike during Training.

I lost a few seconds in the Second Transition as had i made a bit of a Schoolboy error!. I Racked the bike, Removed the Helmet, Put on my Trainers and started to Run towards the Transition exit but noticed my Trainers did not feel right. Infact they felt very tight around the Toes!. This was because i had left my Socks in the Trainers and pushed them in tight when i had put them on lol. I had to remove my Trainers and take the Socks out then put them back on. Lucky for me i had bought those Elastic Lock Laces so it did not take many seconds but they all add up when your trying to crack a Pb. My Run at the Start did not feel comfortable. I just tried to make what i felt were small but quick steps. I knew my Legs would eventually loosen up and i would get quicker but it was a case of when!. I think it was towards the end of the Second lap my legs started to free up and i could really get them going. The Third lap was strong with me either Running fast or Sprinting in areas and on the last lap i Ran Fast with a good strong Sprint finish and crossing the line with a 44minute 10k Run Finish!. That is the fastest i have ever Ran 10k and on the back of a Bike its quite unbelievable even now. The Race took me a total time of 2hrs 35mins knocking very nearly a Whopping 25minutes of last Years Time. It would of been nice to crack 2hrs 30mins which is what i was aiming for but given the Wind and Trainer incident a 2hrs 35 will do. Next race is Wimbleball Half Ironman on June 19th then Bolton Uk Ironman at the end of July. After that i would like to work more on speed and see if we can make bigger improvements on Times which i am hopeful about with Dermot's Coaching. Thanks Boss!

Thanks for Reading my Report and good luck for the rest of the Season ahead.

Jamie

DGTri Athlete Report - Simona Carena

Cotswold Women’s Sprint 05/06/2011

This year my Triathlon season opened with another sweet PB! I entered the lady’s only race in the Cotswold Water Park as it is a very good venue, precise organization, fast course and a convenient on site camping facilities by the lake shore.

I arrived at the venue the afternoon before with plenty time to register and pitched my campervan in a good spot. I then made good use of my time by going round the lake for a sighting of the course, especially the swim course as last time I raced here I managed to swim off course! I also checked the bike course, partially driving and partly on the bike to get some last minute practice in taking shoes on and off on the bike, and I had time to check and lay out my kit ready for race morning.

The small and friendly camp site slowly filled up by tents, cars and lots of bikes and compression wear clad athletes: a pleasant buzz of typical race atmosphere. I had an early dinner and got round for a bit of socializing before settling down to a good night sleep.

On Sunday I was up before the alarm feeling good but a bit too relaxed and flat rather than my usual bouncy race morning mood. That was rectified with two strong cups of coffee and a thorough warm up. I got to the start line with plenty time, feeling very happy and rearing to get in the placid and inviting lake waters.

The swim was 1 lap of a 750 meter course with a run start from a beach and a small climb out of a bank near transition. There was a little bit of biff in our wave at the gun, but not being shy it did not bother me, and after a 200mt sprint I got settled on a faster pair of feet to get a tow. I was feeling really good and smooth and may be, in hind site, I could have pushed a bit harder in the mid section of the swim perhaps. The last third of the race I started to put the foot down on the gas and catch up some places ahead. I exit the water in 16th position, not as good as I was hoping but the swim time was good for me at around 12:25.

The marshal did a good job of lobbing me off the bank on to the grass run to transition, I did take that run quite carefully as I have still a bit of a problem on my left knee so I was dodging holes rather than spreading canvas to get to transition, but I thought wet grass makes for a good slippery surface...

T1 went reasonably well, having fixed the location of my bike with a particular selling stand I found it quickly: I remember finding myself sitting on the floor as must have tripped in taking my wetsuit off, but it must have been a quick scarper as I still managed the 12th fastest transition on the day. A long run to the mount line, the race organizers did a fab. job of laying down a smooth carpet for the 250 meters to the mount line... until you get on some gravel and dust 5 meters before you mount your bike?

The bike course was windy, the first section there was a strong head wind and it seemed that almost all the way round was either cross wind or head wind again. Work that out! ;-) I was looking forward to this section as Dermot set me up with some good bike and turbo training and I wanted to see if I could execute a good ride; an added bonus was that recently we have had very windy conditions so I was comfortable with being buffered about a bit by strong blows.

The advantage of racing a ladies only event is that you can perceive how well you are going as all the other competitors are in the same category, and on a selfish note, I get overtaken much less. Nice for a change!

My legs felt good all the way to the end and I was still strong on the last fast segment; also the practice of timing of removal shoes paid off. I registered the 44th fastest bike split of the day just short of 19 mph on a windy day witch I am happy with. I was soon back running on to the long stretch to transition for the last leg of the race.

T2 was uneventful, that is the best way to keep it although may be less interesting for the spectators, but rather slow considering that I only had to rack the bike, take the helmet off and slip a pair of shoes on....and out on the run. At first I had a feeling of my knee movement being inhibited and not able to grab the floor and push off, so I was a bit worried. It did not help that the run is on and off small segment of grass and lumpy path, but the rest of me felt really good and rearing to go. On the whole my legs, heart and lung were in for the party! It seems still quite surprising that each race I do I feel some improvement. The benefit of having Dermot setting a training plan is even more pronounced this year and in spite of a dodgy knee I have had 4 consecutive PB.

Once the path got a bit more even I was able to feel confident and push some more. The first lap of two was good... but the second one was even better and I finished just over 3 minutes faster than the previous time I raced here. Also it is my fastest paced sprint run to date @ 7:55 minutes miles! Yea! ;-)

I am very pleased with the result of 1:18 and 36st overall, and also I have taken a few points back to work on, especially on pacing and T2... and may be I need to practice whipping the wetsuit off without falling down!

Simona

Full Boar Standard Distance Triathlon

My first A-Race of the season, and it went bang according to plan, except for one small detail, I didn't get the win yet it was definetly a strong performance and I must admit I haven't felt this strong for a few years now.

The race was held in Market Bosworth Lake and was part of the Full Boar Triathlon Series. Joining me in this race was club triathlete and DGTri athlete Barry Farrugia from Malta. The weather was not the best as after a whole week of sunshine, we had clouds and wind but at least the sun was out before the start! The 1500m swim was a two lap course. I started off at a strong tempo pace and was leading the race, which to say the truth I wasn't expecting. As I start the second lap I turned round to see what was happening behind me and I realised I had opened a gap. So I thought 'Right..... GOOO!!'. Pacing myself was a good idea as after pushing the second lap I went out of the water in 21.47 with a 1min 30sec advantage.

After a quick transition, I jumped on the Boardman and started pushing it knowing that the guys behind me are very strong cyclists, one in particular, Hywel Davis. I managed to stay infront for exactly 1 lap (21km) when Hywel sprinted past me. I tried to hold on to him for as long as possible but I must say that for the time being he is a lot stronger on the bike. (please note... for the time being! :p) I am very pleased with my cycling considering this is the third time I have ridden the Boardman and some new equipment on it needs some adjusting, but no excuses the man was stronger... on the day! Finished the bike ride in (42km in total) 1hr 06mins 49sec.

Second transition and I was out on the running course feeling full of energy... emm maybe not. Legs felt heavy but at least I was feeling strong. Although I was losing 15sec a lap to Hywel on the 4 loop running course I still thought I was running quite well at the time, actually looking at the results now surprisingly well. At the end of the run the watch said 35.42........and before you say it.......... No it wasn't a short course! Bang on 10k.......ask the winner!! BLOG

Total time 2hrs 05mins 14sec, second overall and satisfied with the work done so far. Barry also had a fantastic race finishing the whole triathlon in 2hrs 33mins 31sec in 29th Position with a 39min 02sec ......don't raise your eyebrows the course is accurate!!! DGtri athletes Sam Anderson and Jamie Harmen had great races. Sam finished 3rd female overall and Jamie finished the triathlon in 2hrs 35mins.... a 25min PB on last year!! Linebreak team-mate Mark Sykes had a good race coming in 4th.

A big well done goes to Full Boar organisers for a great race, great atmosphere, great people and awesome goodie bag. Oh and by the way... I got another pig prize...this time silver!!!

Dermot

RESULTS

Triathlete-Europe Article