Weekend Round Up 10th 11th July
The big event of the weekend was The Cotswold Classic Middle Distance event with a huge Tuff turnout. As there was a phenomenal performance it justifies a separate report. This didn’t stop other news filtering through as follows:-
CENTURION – WENDOVER WOODS 100
The running machine that is Jay McCardle has been at it again. This time he tackled a100 mile course at Wendover Woods in the Chilterns. Many of us would flinch at running 100 miles, but psychologically this was made all the more challenging as the course required competitors to complete 10 laps of 10 miles – each covering 2000ft of climbing. The good news was at the end of each lap there was a welcome marquee filled with food and drink, but wouldn’t this just make it harder to leave and take on another lap? Unfortunately it was a race of attrition with most encountering difficulties with just 18 runners completing the full distance. Jay completed Lap seven but decided to save it for another day –70 miles is still one heck of an achievement – congratulations Jay.
SOGGY BOTTOM TRIATHLON
A different Triathlon event is reported on by Mike Barrett below with his photo of transition being this weeks banner shot:-
I somehow saw this event (https://fitprorob.enthuse.com/ps/event/SoggyBottomTriathlonSeries2021) pop up on a media feed and thought it’d be funky, I shared on Spond and I think, Debbie replied saying she had done the previous event earlier in the year and that it was good fun.
I know we are all hell bent on Swim, Bike, Run… and, I did feel guilty having spent this season working really hard on my swim to join an event which didn’t include swimming. But, the definition of Multisport and Triathlon is that it comprises of three sports. Soooo, I did the race and here is my race report.
In summary as there is some waffle below so I’ve put it at the top. If you are new to triathlon (and want to experience an event, a transition, a race (without the worry of a swim) to see what it is all about) or you just want a breather from the competitive nature of our triathlon world then this is a must do event, there is another in July. The, mainly novice, competitors were made up of all shapes, sizes and ages, with commuter bikes to MTB and a splattering of road bikes ( no tri bikes! ); and with runners who ran, jogged, plodded, walked or did all 4. This was a mixed, organised, disorganised, crazy but super fun event! That left me feeling great!
6am and tuned to “the Monkeys” my 6 o’clock alarm rings! The race info email said I should arrive an hour before my wave, so that means arrive 07:55 – (time to Southsea is 36 minutes) … I’m aiming to leave just after 7 to allow for any incidents.
Normally excited at the prospect of competing, I’ve a strange feeling today … how do you even pace yourself to paddle 1500m in the sea on a kayak, what about sea sickness! Is the sea rough, the wind strong! How is this even going to work? Am I going to make a complete ass of myself.
On arriving … my initial thoughts began to vanish; I thought wow! This, really is, a low key event. As I ask a marshal if they have any details for the cycle and run route… they replied “erm, not sure, I know this is transition and the kayaking is down there… but the cycle route is that way and the run is that way! To be honest I’ve forgotten what he told me, it was about an hour ago”;
Eventually transition fills with other multisport enthusiasts and the first wave are given a briefing and off they went. As time ticks by the wind blowing from the East is becoming very very strong, it was going make the cycle route a challenge, the out route was going to be super quick but a the return leg (done twice) a nightmare!
My wave is called and we huddle together, I feel overdressed in my Tuff Tri Suit… the organiser shouts…. “so here are the kayaks, (20 kayaks are lined up on the beach) and here are your buoyancy aids, make sure you’ve got one on, head out into the water to the buoy over there, (points East) make sure you go round it, then, [pause] it is along to the buoy over there (pointing West), and repeat this (twice). Then head in shore and bring your kayak up on to the beach, drop your jacket off, head up to transition, jump on your bike. If you’re racing you might like to stay in the road, if you’re slow choose the cycle path… head to the Ben Ainslie centre, pick up a band, there are pink arrows at the main junctions that you’ll need them, two laps; back here and turn just round the corner (pointing wildly in the direction of the start) and repeat … and so we really did get the “BRIEF” in Race Briefing… As soon as the run brief, briefer than the cycle brief of briefings was over… the organiser just said… with no emotion… “GO!” … we all looked at each other in shock horror, grabbed the nearest kayak for a Le Mans start and we were off … bodies falling everywhere and getting soaked.
Kayaking
This was easy, heading East… yeah no problem! Easy! Easy, wahooo – then turn at the buoy, heading West… boom… blimey…dig in … noooo, steering was a nightmare, I’m now heading North, nope, I’m of to the Isle of Wight as the current, then the undercurrent took you one way and then the other, and the wind blowing you in a completely opposite direction. After the two laps I was second out of the water. It was a 100m dash up the steep pebbled bank back to transition. But this was sooo much fun, the difference from swimming was being able to laugh and giggle at our own incompetence to steer a kayak with other competitors on the water. One guy in my wave led by about 25 meters while the rest of us (boys and girls) splashed and crashed about trying to get our kayaks to point in the right direction.
Cycling
OMG – pushing you away from Southsea in a westerly direction was the strongest of winds, the ride hampered by dodging day visitors choosing to manoeuvre their cars into diagonal parking slots along the route AND a bus driver who decided to take a slow approach to a junction preventing an overtake followed by a no-signal manoeuvre and as I passed he looked and sniggered at me… thanks!
At the turn, a hair band greeted me and it meant it was into that head wind back to the start … no matter how low I could get low it wasn’t low enough, that was tough… and to the turn point which was round the corner from the start! What turn point? There was no turn point… the previous wave just had people turning around in the road, they literally meant once you’ve gone round the corner turn round where it was safe to do so …
And repeat, more cars, another bus, this time random pedestrians just walking across the road, a different coloured hair band and then back into that head wind.
Run
This was pretty un-eventful, it was along the coast line heading east and was an enjoyable push for the advertised, no wait… it can’t be 3.4k as… it’s out and back and we’ve just passed 2k out… so it turns out to be just over 5k for the run… filled with runners nodding, walking, huffing and puffing but all of us waving at each other.
Finish
“The Finish”, that’s what I asked as I approached the transition area … “where is the Finish? (I can see the start flag!)” and, as I stood next to a marshal asking, he looked at me, then my number, then at the other marshal standing next to him who had a clipboard and said “10:26 and 270 (my number) at which point he looked back at me and said … “oh well done… you’re first in your wave” handing me said 1st prize! Box above.
Prizes
For event participation I received a bottle of water (always welcome), and a medal (Portsmouth Triathlon 2019!) and 1 packet of Mini Cheddars … … … Branston Pickle flavour!!)
And as the winner of my wave!
I received a cardboard box, with the following contents: 1 x Mug – Duathlon Series 2020, filled with three medals from the Duathlon 2020 series. One, yes ONE tea bag and one, yes ONE sachet of coffee! Oh and a thank you card!
I must be in for a Tuff Fitty award at the end of the season for most bizarre prize won at an event!
But all that aside, what a fun and funky event… might be worth a mass Tuff approach!
Mike
NUCLEAR3 RACE
Last week’s round up included Kev Pearson’s team at a Nuclear3 event. He strongly recommends this as a Tuff team day out – website here:- https://nuclear-races.co.uk/ OK- but why repeat here?. It is simply that event photos took time to get posted onto their website and we are sure you will agree the above is worth sharing 🙂 Shown here with Kev’s permission.
UK ATHLETICS/BRIGHTON MARATHON
One of Tuff Fitty’s affiliation is to UK Athletics via England & Sussex County Athletics. As a result our club benefited from a guaranteed place at this years Virgin London Marathon race on the 3rd October. Unsurprisingly several were interested in this, so a draw was made and Pete Littleboy was selected. As a swift runner he will no doubt do us proud, but it was pleasing to learn Pete has had this as a lifelong dream and was the reason he got into running.
Secondly Tuff Fitty are eligible for a reduced entry scheme into next years Brighton Marathon (many Tuffs already in for this year – being held on 12th September). We already have 5 who have pledged to enter for 2022, which is halfway in two days towards earning a free place for our club. Anyone else interested? please see the Spond post under Running or let Clive Harvey know.
PARKRUN
Every week there used to be a round up of Tuffs in action at parkrun events. Unfortunately the last of these was back on 14th March 2020 just before the Covid restrictions were announced. However as this is being written parkrun are on course to re-open many of their courses on Saturday 24th July. Do please check before heading out but our local favourites such as Worthing, Littlehampton, Bognor and Lancing are all confirmed amongst the 536 event teams who are gearing up for the much longed for return in England. If club members are signing up for the first time, please do ensure Tuff Fitty is shown as club name as it is far easier for admin to collate all the Tuffs who ran for this Round Up.
