Steyning AC

THE (NEW) FOREST MEN – Shane and Gary

To try and keep up with Simon James’ and Mark Tyler’s great performances in last years New Forest Middle Distance Triathlon Shane Bridgman and Gary Brind entered the 1.9k swim, 56mile bike and hilly XC 13.8mile run. Race day started well for Shane as we turned off into the New Forest area with him saying “S*%t I have forgot my wetsuit”, (mandatory wetsuit swim). Luckily for him he managed to borrow a wetsuit from one of the water sports Managers.

There were 2 waves of around about 200 in each one. Gary came out of Transition 1 in 4th overall and Shane just 4.5 mins behind, Gary climbed to 3rd in the bike and had the most lonely boring race of his life, with the 1st and 2nd place guys never in sight. Coming into the XC mainly sandy run which starts with a road gradient of 25%, was not a welcome sight 1 mile into the run. After 3 miles people slowly started to overtake one by one, and in the end Gary came “24th” (hit the wall at mile 7). Shane was ranked 98th overall and was very happy with his stella time. BUT when looking at the final times, Gary was DQ’d for dangerous cycling, hence guess who was a happy bunny and is appealing it….. At the end a welcome sight of eat as much as you want snacks and a massage went down a treat!

THE VITRUVIAN – Mark Tyler

Another half IM distance triathlon was the target for this year and the chosen event the very popular Vitruvian. This event seems to sell out very quickly every year and I was pleased to secure an entry alongside my friend Mick Barstow from 7Oaks Tri. Mick is a regular Stinger marathon runner and also accompanied myself and the other SAC gang members to La Marmotte earlier this year.

The weekend weather looked good as we racked ours bikes on the Friday evening. Yes the race is Saturday event. The race HQ was at Whitwell on the banks of Rutland Water near Oakham. The man-made lake is set in beautiful rolling countryside. More rolling than hilly which was good for the bike course.

We elected to fuel (pasta and a beer) in Market Harborough on Friday evening and also met up with the Hesketh clan who had decided to come along and support this year’s effort. Thanks guys it makes a real difference.

The usual race morning started at 5am. Up and getting ready whilst trying not to wake the family is the usual routine – never succeeded yet and this time was no exception. Top tip from this adventure is the discovery of porridge in a pot. You just add boiling water. So in a room with no fridge and only a kettle this stuff is great. Just add boiling water and the resultant porridge is nearly as good as James Walkers’ from our French trip. Mind you the portions weren’t as large as James’ so I had 2 pots to make sure I had enough fuel. Then it was off to the lake.

Our start wave (40+ males) would hit the water (tip toe in really) at 7.10am. So we had 45 mins to check over the bikes and get ready. First panic for me was the discovery of something nasty growing in my aero bike bottle just as I was about to fill it with the drink I’d prepared earlier in the hotel room. Those things are a pain to clean due to their shape. I was sure that what was growing down in one corner of the bottle wasn’t going to be the latest discovery in Sports Nutrition! Luckily I spotted the tea stand and got them to let me use a kettle of boiling water to rinse it out.  Didn’t look perfect afterwards but would have to do.

So all set it was off for the swim start with Mick. The water was warm but very brown! Couldn’t really see much under the water – not an issue as with most lakes there weren’t going to be the lanes markers that are so necessary if I am ever going to swim in a straight line in open water.

The most interesting thing about the 2 lap swim was the exit, small run of about 50 yards and then entry back into the water for the second lap. I had visions of a stylish re-entry dive as seen during the ITU events on TV. This was far from the truth as it ended up being a stagger along the matting then through the mud and into the water looking knackered and dizzy. Umm.

After the swim it was on the bike. I was glad to see Mick’s new TT bike still in transition as I hastily remove my suit. I checked the watch and thought ‘that will do.’ With Martin H’s words of wisdom in my head I set off on the ride determined not to ‘over do it’ and ‘keep fuelling’ when necessary.  The ride went OK but as usual what didn’t look like much more than slight rises in the road on the first lap, turned into Alpinesque passes on the second.

As I came into T2 I was wondering how much more time I had pulled out on Mick. Little did I know that he had actually gone faster than me on the bike and was targeting to get past me early on in the run. Mick’s a useful runner and did a 3.11 marathon at London last year.  At the New Forest Middle Distance Tri last year I managed to keep ahead until about mile seven on the run, when Mick came past me closely followed by Simon James – thanks guys!

The run was a 2 lap out and back affair round the lake – nice and flat. I set off trying to get the legs going and remembering to heed Martin and Jo’s advice for the run ‘take it steady for the first half’. Due to the run layout I would pass by Mick going the other way (and pulling me in) at each of the three turn points. I was shocked and disappointed when at the first turn after 3 odd miles I saw him what I estimated to be about a minute behind. I reluctantly high 5’d him. But in my head I was thinking nothing more complicated than ‘sxxx (sorry can’t print it!) he’s going to get me very soon.’ I decided to just maintain my steady pace and not panic. Oh and at the same time think up some creative excuse for not holding him off for longer!

I was surprised Mick hadn’t caught me by the six mile turn and grudgingly thought ‘he’s playing with me!’ I concentrated on keeping the steady pace going and drinking/cooling off at the feed stations, but not stopping at them – no way.

I kept thinking he was going to come past at any moment. I was starting to run like I was being stalked, looking back over my shoulder every couple of minutes. At one point I even thought he may have passed me and in my delirious state didn’t notice. At the final turn I again passed by Mick who was closer but strangely not right behind as I thought he would be. As I approached him he shouted ‘I’m not going to catch you’. Sorry, did I hear that right? I was too shocked to answer back. But suddenly I wasn’t so tired. I started passing people as we went over the dam for the last time. I was moving with the freedom of a child, well until the last mile. All too soon I felt very tight and tired with only about ½ mile to go – oh no so close yet so far. Mick would be able to sense I was tiring and would push for the coup de’grace. Not again.

This is where I played my Jocker. Well in this case Jo Hesketh. She met me at the exact point on the course she thought this would happen. A slight uphill section which took the path away from the shore for a bit. Jo ran alongside me shouting encouragement; telling me to stop running with my head on backwards looking for Mick and letting me know he wasn’t gaining.

That’s just what I needed. I pushed on to the finish and pipped Mick by the massive margin of 1.5 mins.

It was great event and I was pleased with my time for this distance, it was a big improvement on the New Forest one, even though the bike course is about 3 miles short of the standard 56 miles and the run flat.

I would recommend it.