Tri for Sarah : Mid Argyll Sprint 2011

The day really began the day before - as it always does on these occasions. The Saturday Mid Argyll Masters swim session focused on an easy, low-volume workout with short sprint intervals. The context of the swim in the overall triathlon was discussed. The shorter the triathlon the more important the swim in the overall result but... did you know that over-exertion on the swim can adversely impact your cycle and run ? If you didn’t know this then check it out here. The Masters practiced their quick turns, optimal glides and super-fast "power aways" after passing a competitor. They dominated their DoJo’s, found any missing MoJo’s and were ready for battle. The weather was great too. Sadly just a day too early.

The Marshalls - The guys that "make it happen"

The MacQueen Bros Mid Argyll Sprint was to be 10 events old this year and the volunteers set about their defined tasks with gusto. The Masters Swim now finished a veritable bee hive of tri-activity was unleashed : Kirsty (the dominant Queen) directed, the Hazels, Lorna, Richard, Rebecca and many others (formidable workers) hastened into action, while Matt droned on and on and on and on (but in a good way). The Lochgilphead CoOp, Argyll Forestry Commission, Glasgow’s Achilles Heel, Scottish Sea Farms and Crinan Cycles all gave donations ranging from mugs to bananas. Each competitor would also receive a high quality sports T-shirt thanks to the generosity of MacQueen Brothers. These were prepared and stuffed into 150 goodie bags. The non-alcoholic beer arrived safely, the Marquee was erected, signs prepared and transition scaffolding assembled. This done the hive dispersed and each of us made for home and final preparations.  

The rain probably stayed less intense than we expected but the wind was brisk from early Sunday morning and for most of us would kill off any possibility of a PB on the bike. But "Hey.. it’s the same for everyone". The impressive new Mid Argyll Tri & Cycle Club flag was bent double in the breeze but the temperature was pretty good for late September. Matt, Tim, Richard and the team did a great job mobilizing an infinity of cones and the signage was really clear – even if some of it was in Spanish. Chip timing mats were laid out and at 08.30am Nina Simone was belting out "Feeling Good" signaling 30m until Registration opened. I had time to make up the Marshall’s packed lunches, get the new transition layout in my head, tape up some cones, view the run crossing points and make the introductory announcements before heading off to collect Rachel and Jonathan – who were lap counting in the pool.

Rachel and Jonathan - Counting Laps

That done I’m changed, registered and body marked. Tyre pressures are checked, trial cycle has been completed, start-off gear selected and the beloved Specialized is racked. My poor old 2006 Transition Comp increasingly reminds me of the Eagles song "There’s a new kid in town." Once it turned heads but every year it gets overtaken by new arrivals – this year Matt and Stephen both upgraded and Stephen has posted stunning time-trial PB’s upon his new steed. Matt has put in untold hours on the bike and has extended his endurance out to Middle Distance – meaning he now joins John and Tim with Half-Iron experience. These guys will have fantastic bike fitness. That said the old Transition has had something of a makeover – Kevin at Crinan cycles replacing crank hubs and both chainrings – and of course there are those Planet-X wheels that dominated the Stirling Duathlon in March. In honesty the wheels don’t make much difference under about 33km/h and with this breeze that’s unlikely.

Kirsty was really keen this year to have a "clean" transition area – meaning no bags and no boxes – and therefore absolute minimal clutter. When you think about it she’s exactly right. You really only need the bike on the rack, bike helmet on the bike, race belt on the bike, bike shoes and run shoes on the ground. If you use socks these can be in the shoes and if you must have nutrition (you don’t need it : here) put that too on your bike. So there’s no need for boxes and bags. The oddest thing was that some people had bags preventing their saddle being wet ! This is the same people who have just come dripping from the pool and who are about to ride 20k in a monsoon. Go figure ! Anyway these are the folk new to our sport and we embrace them. The Marshalls that police transition need our love – they have a tough time. People are tense, anxious and somewhat uncertain of the layout. This year the poor lady in slot 106 had her place usurped and the offending bike had to be moved away - causing new anxiety to that competitor. If you find yourself confused in transition then over-communicate. Be polite and explain your problem – the Marshall’s will help you.

The race got underway with the teams & most striking of these were a male and female team from Glasgow's Fusion Tri Club. Themed as "Baywatch" and "Batman" respectively these guys brought colour and fun to the event – even completing the run leg with an inflatable swim-aid. Stylish or what ?

Teams are a major feature of this event as the Committee are focused on accessibility and for many people the thought of linking 3 sports is daunting. It's an excellent entry point to triathlon and is a defining feature of the Mid-Argyll Sprint. The lead team swimmers were the Fusion ladies who left the 500m swim in a stunning 7 minutes. I watched the teams start their bikes and retired to the car for some breathing and visualization exercises. Being in "Heat 7" meant a lengthy wait and a lot of visualization. I was to share a lane with Peter - with whom I have had a cat & mouse relationship the past 3 years - and with John and Matt. John was on his first event since being thrown from his handlebars and hospitalized during the Craggy Island Tri while Matt is probably in his best ever triathlon form - with appearances this year in all distances up to Half-Iron. Tim and Stephen were appearing in the elite "Heat 8" - which was a pity given the good-natured rivalry we enjoy- but it reflects the major swim progress of the pair this year. Truth be told I ate a banana and kept hydrated. If you need to know more about banana's in multisport (and who doesn't ?) you need this podcast : here. Post-banana I actually did some relaxation breathing to try and strip away some pre-race nerves. This worked really well until Simone's excellent briefing when I genuinely felt very anxious. Peter, Me, Matt, John was the start sequence and I felt sure I would not hold my own in a Peter-Matt sandwich. I did warn Matt that I'd be giving way to him very soon and would try not to hold him up. In my best version of this swim I'd cling onto Peter's toes for as long as possible and take the first 100m slower than "best" pace. This year we had a good 2m to warm up and the water felt good. The anxiety thankfully ebbing away. People reading this should not expect triathlon swims to be stressful - they aren't and especially not in a pool setting. This is something specific to me and I'm trying to work through it. Many people : Sharon, Sally & Hazel have been so helpful on this during the year.

Liz - fastest lady out of T2

Matt : approaching T2 and ready for action

Once started the swim actually turned out to be the least stressful I'd had in over a year now. I don't know if it was simply "having a plan",  keeping focused on the "now", the pre-start relaxation exercises or of taking that 1st 100m more calmly. Perhaps it was a combination of all of the above. I did manage to keep Peter's feet just within reach & I know I must have annoyed him 3 or 4 times by accidental impacts but he kept just ahead and perfect for the draft. Matt's expected grasp of my ankle never came and by halfway it was apparent he and John were losing time to Peter (and by default to me too). Maybe at around the 400m mark I lost touch with Peter and think he could have gained good time here - but I suspect he started to close down on Matt,  would have slowed a little and suddenly those miracle feet were back. With 4 lengths to go I think Peter finally lapped Matt enabling me to do the same 2 lengths later - something completely unexpected. Race day is so different from training - it's essential to keep in the moment. Peter left the pool 1st from our lane but in hot pursuit I left T1slightly ahead. Matt has always focused on speedy transitions and his example is making us all better triathletes. Here's the facts : Matt's T1 and T2 times combined are 58s. Stephen's are 1m 22s and Tim's are 1:46 - giving Matt a 24s advantage over Stephen and a whopping 48s over Tim. This means Matt can be almost 4s per km slower than Stephen on the run or 8s slower per km than Tim and turn in the same result. How much work do you need to put in to shave 8s off your km run splits compared to an efficient transition ? It's free time and Matt does well to focus on it. Check out his cycle photo in the Mid Argyll Gallery - note his foot position on his bike shoes as he approaches T2.

You want to know something amazing ? Liz Feeney took just 16s to negotiate T2 and Super-Vet Arthur Bolwell needed only 10s !  How cool were they ? Inspired by Liz and Arthur ? Want to know more .....

 

My bike was a largely lonely affair - me, the Specialized, the rain and my Garmin telling me to up my cadence and move those legs. I took off like a rocket. Honestly, for 2-3k my Planet-X wheels experienced what life would be like with a proper cyclist. Of course the southerly gale on my back probably had something to do with this and on a circular cycle route there would soon be a price to pay. Nonetheless 2 individual km splits were in excess of 40 kph. The heat leader from the swim was ahead and I caught him fairly early on & from then it was just me alone with the elements.

Always waiting for Matt and Peter but it was younger legs (without surgical stockings) that whizzed past just after the half-way. Try as I might I just couldn't stay with him and as I turned south at the 12k mark the wall of wind simply made it impossible to even pretend to stay in touch. As my cheeks rippled with the G-Force of the oncoming wind Graeme was getting smaller and smaller powering his way to the 5th fastest bike split of the day. Chapeau Graeme. So it was just a grafting slog all through the remaining 5k - some observers noting that athletes were pedalling just as hard down the hill as they had on the way up ! The improved road surface in parts did help though. Have to give major thanks to Matt for spray painting the worst of the potholes on the cycle route. He did a fantastic job and his alerts undoubtedly saved several punctures.

Arriving into T2 Graeme was well ahead but I clawed back nearly 40s in transition and embarked upon my 1st sockless Mid Argyll sprint run. A supportive cheer from the Armagh contingent shipped-in for the weekend was deeply appreciated. It was then I realized a deep flaw in my training. On bike-run bricks I had always taken a 15m cool down after the bike interval session - but today there was no cool-down. It was straight out there into anaerobic oblivion. The legs felt awful - heavy leaden things that probably should have belonged to someone else. I tried to stretch them with strides but it just felt grim. Graeme was my immediate target and I took my focus off the "legs-from-hell" and onto him. Crossing the road I noted my good friend Tom wrapped up against the rain and wind. What a great job these Marshalls do. Chapeau Tom & Stan and Caroline. Now the canal bank and the games begin. Michelle and Martin are on the return leg : High 5's and "looking Good".  Ahead Graeme is hurting and I'm gaining and it feels very primal. I want revenge for the bike. He dropped me and I had no answer. Now I sense it's different. I know I'm going to take him - it's just a matter of time. And when it happens it feels good. I want to say something like "that's why it's called triathlon" but instantly feel shallow (and 11 years old) and say nothing. Just focus. But I'm back on top - leading the heat. Feeling good and in control. But then - one year on and suddenly I'm Graeme. Peter ran me down in 2010 (see this blog) and I heard him advancing for the longest time. This is surreal - surely not again ! The "patter of talented feet" is gaining and the cadence is amazing - honestly it sounds almost musical. But with the inevitability of the Jaws theme competitor 51 gains, holds, passes and is gone - I know there is no way I can stay with him. The talent and form seems perfect to me and I'm lumbering while this guy dances his way to the turn-around. I have no idea who he was - I just know he wasn't Peter. But this Guy was "something else".

"51" - Danny : Grace Under pressure

It later turned out that 51 was Danny McLaughlin a Super-Vet from Greenock Harriers - he would complete the run in 25:45 almost a minute faster than anyone else that day. He was not from "Heat 7" but had punctured from "Heat 6" and nursed his bike round the course with 6 minute miles. Danny - you are an inspiration and so much embody what makes triathlon special. Your race was lost (he would have been top 5 easily without the puncture) but you didn't give up and ran a spectacular run. I will never forget your pace and the ego that escaped as I passed Graeme was boxed and bolted right there. Respect Danny - you ran a blinder ! Next year....

Reaching the half way was a great relief - I had held Peter, John and Matt this far at least. Hazel was marshaling the turn-around and we exchange greetings. So good to see her. Only 3.25k of the season is now left. Under 15m. Don't let yourself down. Throw in the surges and try to get at least 1km under 4m pace. I start to count the seconds until I reach Peter or John or Matt. It's Matt first, John's on his shoulder - then Peter. A few minutes later there's Stephen and Tim storming in from "Heat 8". I figure Matt, John & Peter will struggle to catch me - but I have no idea where I am compared to Heats 8 or 6 so I have to keep working - and anyway this Tri was part of the "Run for Sarah" fundraiser for NICHS. It needs to be as good as it can be. I am delighted to report that the 5th km split made 3:59 - a little close to the wire but under 4m all the same.        

                                                 

The crowd support on the last 500m was amazing. These people had been rained on for hours and still they stayed cheering and encouraging. Turning for the finish and giving all I can I see our family group waiting on the line - thanks so much to Pamela, Rachel, Jonathan, Tilly and Averil for the outstanding support. My overall time was well outside what I'd hoped and I blame the weather for a slower cycle. That said the overall winner (Torquil Clyde) improved his time by over a minute compared to last year and also improved his cycle time. Plenty of room for improvement then ? Absolutely. Despite Torquil's outstanding performance I think the weather prevented PB's for many on Sunday - especially for Stephen - which means there's a solid foundation for the 2012 season. Much to look forward to in a very special Olympic year.      

Torquil - going faster despite the conditions

So in this closing event of my 2011 season I have so very much to be grateful for - many thanks to all of the great folks at the Mid Argyll Tri & Cycle Club : Kirsty, Tim, Lorna, Julian, Stan, Sharon, Melanie, Matt, John, both the Hazels, Rebecca, Iona, Sally, Peter, Cliff, Arthur, Martin, Roz, Simone, Richard and so many more. You guys put on one hell of a good event and I hope you continue to do so for years to come. I met a load of great people on the way to Paris via Stirling and Balloch and the open swim groups have been especially important. This is a very special group of fantastic people. Special thanks to my partner in the PodCave - Stephen you were robbed by the conditions on Sunday but you will have your day. All of you take care through the off season - gain a little weight, get a little slower and bounce back stronger in 2012. Best of wishes to Leigh - you will be back next year.  

2011 Winners : Mid Argyll Sprint Triathlon.

 Very sad to say that during the writing of this Blogpost Sarah lost her battle and peacefully passed away on 27th Sept. Many thanks to all who supported the Run For Sarah and Tri For Sarah through JustGiving.Com. Live the Moment.