Last year we went to Ireland for the excellent Triathlone event. For those not familiar with it, an excellent closed road triathlon event with a river swim and a flat cycle and run, in super sprint, sprint, and olympic distances. We had myself, Dave Astins and Alex Price at Olympic distance and Ian and Alex Cooper a the Sprint and 4 extra people hell bent on supporting us.
This year the club were back again for the difficult sequel. A bigger cast, some plot twists and hopefully less unwanted explosions. Would it be another blockbuster weekend?
The cast had changed slightly - Dave Astin, Alex and Ian Cooper couldn't make it due to other commitments but we had no shortage of superstars in their stead. Joining Alex Price and I in the Olympic Distance were Dan Sheen and Jack Rees, and in the sprint distance we had Christopher Goldsmith, Shane Storrow (on his first sprint distance triathlon, and first open water swim) and my better half Ange Windsor (not satisfied with supporting last year, doing her first ever triathlon this year!).
On top of this we had not one, but two relay teams. Jeff Richards from the club would join my friend Paul O Brien cycling, and my little brother Patrick running. Paul had to drop out last minute due to unfortunate circumstances but I managed to organise a suitable replacement... in Brian Keane. No, not me, I found another one. Seriously!
With our former lodgers and now good friends from Germany, Ben and Jon informing us that they would be returning to Ireland to support us (along with Jons girlfriend Imke), the stage was set for another great weekend!
After an overnight ferry trip and a drop into my parents house for breakfast (and hottub and endless pool fun), and a quick trip for me via Dublin to pick up Ze Germans, we were all back in Athlone in the apartment we had last year. The landlord had kindly given us a whole apartment block to accommodate our numbers, making it the perfect place for future club visits. After a quick reccy of the bike course in the car confirmed it was indeed going to be on a road, off we went to the hottest italian restaurant in the world for a pre race group dinner.
 |
| Some last minute training! |
 |
| Race Eve din-dins |
 |
| Last known civilised shot of the gang pre race day |
Off to the pub for some civilised pre race drinks then. Here we had the pleasure of confirming the swimmer on Team Flo would be .......... German John. Highly hilarious until he realised it wasn't a joke! In the absence of Dave Astins, Jack took on the burden of being the model of restraint in the pub. He failed. All was wrapped up at a relatively civilised hour, and there was nothing left to do but race.
 |
| Jon finds out he's swimming in the relay tomorrow. Jack..... empathises |
RACEDAY
Again racing was quite late in the day (3pm), which meant a very relaxed morning... until we all remembered the logistical headache of getting everything for a multisport race. Everybody on their own time table and methology, the apartment was a bit of a mad house! Still a relatively relaxed walk into town for registration - late race starts definitely have it's benefits!
 |
| Some last minute nutrition! |
Once all bikes were racked and transitions prepared, we could all relax for at least a bit in the riverside park. I had many goals for today, the first being not exploding out of my trisuit. Everything seemed to be in order in this respect - already winning. This was nothing to do with the fact that I lent my trisuit (with my name on it) to Jack for the weekend, and that i had obtained a trisuit with a more 'forgiving' cut, which I branded with the club logos.
 |
| Ange & I feign relaxation |
 |
| Jon, Bee and Flo demonstrate they know what they're doing, albeit not in the right order |
After quite possibly the most muffled race briefing I have ever heard, and wishing Ange good luck on her first ever Tri, we were on our way up the river to the start. I had strange aspirations of racing Jack today, stemming from some audacious claims at the Christmas do. I knew he'd be quicker on the swim, I knew I'd put a lot of work in on the bike this year (albeit i had lost a bit of bike confidence after another speed wobble a few weeks before), and as for the run, well it was a question of who would be less injured on the day! I didn't really know where I was on realistically meeting these goals, but at the very least, I wanted to be quicker than last year.
Into the dark mysterious waters of the river Shannon we dove, and swam to the start point, myself and Jack took up good positions at the front - I had no idea where Dan was. The first 400m of the Olympic swim would be against the river, then 100m across and 1000m back. The current was strong, and it was work holding ourselves in position, but myself and Jack did a much better job than most and had a good lead, before the race had even started. Off went the gun, and we went for it. Immediately I saw a flash of Jacks leg go by me and he was gone.
Shite. Guess I'm not racing him then. Swimming against the current required effort. Another person passed, and I made no effort to match pace. Then another, but I held pace this time then left that person behind. This current was definitely giving the swimmers an advantage! Minutes later and i was still battling the current. Jesus, this was hard - I wondered about the weaker swimmers taking on the Olympic distance today.
Finally around the 1st buoy and then the other. The temptation was to ease off and let the current take me, but I felt there were swimmers on the chase so I swam with tempo & urgency. There was supposed to be a buoy to sight off to keep us in the right line for the first part, but I couldn't see it at all. I picked out the biggest one and went for it. There then came a realisation that there was no one around me - what was going on? I swam and sighted, swam and sighted, urgently, urgently, urgently, couldn't see anyone ahead to follow, just this buoy. Then a kayak. Closer and closer. He was deliberately paddling to me. Uh oh. I stopped momentarily, he gesticulated with his paddle in a direction perpendicular to the direction I had been swimming. The buoy I had been sighting was the start buoy and i had been swimming across the river instead of down it - flipping hell, I'd gotten lost on a straight line swim!! I had to get back on track.
It was easier now though, the landmark bridge was in sight and I had something better to aim for. There was the guts of half the swim left now, I worked hard, but I could handle it. As i passed under the bridge, I could see someone on my left passing under the next arch. The current was definitely stronger there, and he/ she was breezing past. Shyster!
 |
| Jack, 2nd out in swim |
 |
| Graceful Swim Exit, not fucked at all |
Swim exit on the pontoon, and I realised i was utterly pooped. On my out way I heard the announcer say "3rd swimmer in".
Really? But, but, I got lost.... on a straight course!! The current had definitely given us swimmers the nod! And also not really... I was actually 3rd male out, 4th overall, I had been chicked by the current after the bridge! The wetsuit zip was down swiftly after exit but gravity was having its revenge and, now knackered, I plodded all the way to my bike on the long quayside transition area before I realised I had not pulled my wetsuit down to my waist. I then proceeded through the most long and drawn out swim transitions I've ever done. By the time I had lumbered out on the bike I reckon i was about 8th....
Note to self, practice transitions.
 |
| Ange, finishing the swim, no bother at all |
 |
| Dan, Alex, Goldie and Ange make their way through T1 |
 |
| Shane Storrow finishes the swim! Champion |
After a bit of a lumbering start i got into my stride on the bike - there a few harsh speed bumps in the first 1km that had me a bit cagey, but once I got past them I put the foot down (and then the other, then the other - that's how cycling works), to see if I could catch the next guy. The cycle course is a flat out and back, part of which the Olympic Heads do twice to get their distance, and on my first way out I passed one, and one passed me, so all evens there! I could also see the lead on the return, followed by Jack, which allowed me to count people ahead to find my place in the race. On the first turn around I was 8th, not bad going but had been about here last year and had completely boinked, but this time there wasn't a big line of people waiting to pass me on the return - the difficult swim had stretched the field and i felt confident this year that I was fit enough to hold my position. On the way back I passed 1 and got passed by 3, so 10th at halfway point. I'd clocked Dan's position a couple of minutes behind, and Jack on the start of his second lap. Was i gaining on jack? Was Dan gaining on me? Was a race on between us? It was hard to tell....
I also clocked Alex and Goldie giving it socks, and to my delight, Ange in her vibrant distinct trisuit. I was relieved to see she was out of the swim and comfortably on the bike, as she had had back issues in the run up. No Shane yet, but I was confident he was not far behind. It's the great thing about the out and back course - you can see how everyone is getting on! On the turnaround for the 2nd lap, I passed Flo, who had just joined the course. It was great to see her out on the bike in an event less than a year after her injury, plus it also meant Jon had survived the swim!!
The second lap was great fun! All the sprint distance were out on the course now, as well the relays, so plenty of people to chase down and pass which i happily did. Drafting rules were observed but I can't help but feel there was a draft benefit off the continuous line of cyclists there to pass. Again on turnarounds trying to assess my position in relation to Dan and Jack, it was hard to tell - I reckoned Jack was pulling away. I saw Shane on the return, and passed Ange just before the return leg back to town, shouting quick words of encouragement as I whizzed passed, shortly followed by trying to not crash on the roundabout after making too much of an effort to whizz past Ange!!
The last km was odd, I caught a guy that I was only slightly faster than, and made the decision to sit behind, with eyes on the run. This final stretch was a bit longer than i was expecting, so i felt in hindsight I could have passed him, but it was probably only 30 seconds or so at the end of the day. Only 2 people had passed me on the 2nd half of the bike, so I estimated 12th in after the bike on the Olympic.
Transition 2 was okay, but clip clopping in was a bit tedious. Note to self: work on transitions for next year!
And onto the run. I knew this was about as high up the field as I was going to be today - the run was not going to be good! I had had a number of niggles throughout the year right up to a week before the race, with a bruised heel that stopped me running for too long followed by unsettling ankle unreliability, so today i set the low bar to simply run the whole thing without injury - hence a steady plod from the get go. Still much better than my complete-lack-of-fitness-enforced plod I did the previous year! I looked out for Jack on the run. As I understood it, he was a bit of a crock too this year on the running so maybe still a chance I could catch him (not that I was wishing any misfortune on him, of course!). I saw him - he was running fine.
Shite. Guess I'm not racing him then. In the meantime, my brother Patrick passed me like I was standing still. Maybe I was, though my cadence and heartrate said otherwise... hard to tell....
Over the next few laps I just plodded along, keeping a steady jog, but not putting too much pressure on the ankles. The competitive edge was gone now, and I was just looking out for other people on the course at this stage. Our supporters group was out in force too, complete with new 'motivational sign' - a great staple of a now 2 year triathlon tradition!
It was a lovely day and nice to be out, and everyone else looked like they were having a good day. I could see Dan steadily (& significantly) gaining on me every time we passed on sections of the course - he started about 3/4 of a (2.5km) lap behind me but I knew he would comfortably pass me before the race was over. I was in race mode on the bike but at this stage, not one fuck was given!
Goldie was looking strong too on the sprint too, nonchalantly breezing passed everyone in sight, plus I had opportunities to shout motivational slogans at Alex and Ange too as I pottered around the course.
Onto the final lap, and my legs were burning, despite my very sustainable pace. I had put a lot of enthusiasm into the bike knowing the run was going to be a right off and was starting to feel it now. I pressed on, determined to keep my running plod going.
#notallheroeswearcapes
 |
| Alex Price - Finishing a triathlon, or hunting Sarah Conor? You decide. |
 |
| Dan Sheen, digging deep |
 |
| Ange, wondering how many laps she's done! |
 |
| Shane Storrow, owning the final straight |
 |
| Bee, enjoying every minute of it! |
Halfway around the final lap, and the inevitable happened, with Dan steadily pacing past me. I briefly thought about holding pace with him, to allow for a sprint finish, but 5 seconds later thought better of it. That being said, i maintained consistency and finished relatively strong, on 2 hours 37 minutes, all in all nearly 20 minutes faster than last year, 40th out of 93 (last year i think it was 80 out of 85!).
Everything was a bit fuzzy in the athlete's area, but met Ange who had just finished her first ever triathlon, delighted with herself altogether. I managed to see Alex finish - he had improved massively on last year, pretty impressive considering not an awful lot of training, and got to see the always inspiring Shane Storrow cross the finish line, his face as he finished his first ever sprint distance triathlon the epitome of joy.
And all in all the team had had a great day:
- Christopher Goldsmith finished 3rd in the Sprint Distance Triathlon
- Jack Rees finished 3rd in the Olympic Distance
- Team Jeff finished 2nd in the relay team (unfortunatley Brian Keane was not present to stand on the podium, but luckily there was another Brian Keane on stand by to fill in!)
- Dan Sheen had beaten me!
- Myself and Alex made whopping improvements on last year.
- Ange and Shane had finished their first ever sprint distance triathlons.
 |
| Shane Storrow - 1 of a kind! |
- Team Flo, a day after Jon found out her was swimming, 2 weeks after Bee had started training and 10 month after Flo had broken her ankle, had finished!!
 |
| Everyone - SMASHED IT. |
It was another great year, and another great showing from the club. Next year promises to be even better with pretty much everyone committed to going back, with a few new faces too.
