Bath Amphibians Triathlon Club

The date:  14^th & 15^th August

The venue:  Swanage

The task:  Register, camp & race

The point of view:  Claire’s first froggy outing

(Reading guidance…a comfortable chair & a beverage would be wise)

I’d got there first.  About an hour first.  Did the registration thing and attempted to look perfectly comfortable with the fact that I was sat on my own eating lunch waiting for others to arrive.  Didn’t really succeed, but thankfully it wasn’t too long before a VW van made an appearance containing Phil & Kerry.  Not long after that came Team Morrison.  Registration done and thanks to my early arrival & lack of parking time I was off to the campsite with 2^nd task of day…find an appropriate spot for uncertain number of tents.  Spotted a shade-wearing Chair Dude cruising in to town as I was leaving.

Get to campsite.  In a lovely spot but somewhat unconventional landscape for a campsite as it resembles Tellytubby land.  After wandering the place I settle on a spot in the bottom corner of the field:

·          Near the toilet block, but not too near. 

·          On the edge so shouldn’t disturb too many with our early morning departure. 

·          Seems as flat as we’re likely to find. 

·          Two bikes chained to nearby railings, so the neighbours seem friendly! 

Get to work pitching my canvas hotel for one after informing those whose numbers I have my location.  Spot someone looking suspiciously like Kate leaving the toilets…a double take from us both.  It’s Kate :)  She’s set up home further up the field.  Team Morrison arrive, closely followed by Neil & Sue, Kerry and Dan.  A mix of sunbathing, tent erection, eating, random conversation “Which is the best/worst fruit in a fruit salad?”,  “How to cook Puffin for dinner”, “The activities included in a multi-location stag weekend”  fills the next hour until a spin on the bikes is proposed.  Lycra is applied.  Glen’s tyre bursts.  Kirstie, Neil and I set off.  5 mins in the black clouds that have been threatening overhead open.  Properly.  Gets to the point very quickly that hysterical giggling is the only way to deal with the situation (speaking for myself here, I’m sure Neil & Kirstie were much more professional).  Rain stops and sun comes out just as we finish.

I’m in the ‘cheating and eating’ crew that are off to Swanage for dinner.  A speedy shedding of soggy lycra & we’re off.  Swanage on a summer’s Sat evening is busy.  Neil has been mega organised and booked a table at Pizza/Pasta place.  We meet up with Phil and a few others and the food is good.  Conversation the usual mix of pre-race stuff along with the selection criteria that are important when internet dating.  So still an eclectic mix.  Phil is tackling his first Olympic.  Others are going for times/places.  I mention to Dan I’m just planning on enjoying it.  This is apparently an alien concept.  Why would I do any race without wanting to hurt myself, go hard from the start…?  A seed is sown…

Dessert is refused by all in favour of ice cream on the quay.  “What does the type of ice cream you choose say about you?”  Who knows!  But it was a good photo opportunity.  Looking at the pic my thought is “What does what you do with your ice cream say about you?!”  But that’s one probably best left unanswered.  The view has changed since we’ve been on the quay.  Bournemouth & the Isle of Wight seem to have disappeared.  A storm is coming in.  Will we be safe or drenched?  We leave the decision to move about 2 mins too long.  Drenched is the answer.

Back to the tents & Team Morrison have moved in to Hotel Spencer to shelter from the downpour.  Neil & Sue join us.  Kerry and Dan head for their own accommodation.  The world is put to rights in each tent.  A gerbil shaped cloud signposts the end of the storm.  Early to bed for all.  We’ve races to do.

I’m tucked up in my duvet.  Mulling over my plans for the race.  Listening to half murmured Amphib conversation, punctuated first by laughter, then by snoring.  It’s taking a while to get to sleep.  The race is not an important one for me.  Should I risk a change of strategy for once?  Go hard from the start and see what happens?

Race morning arrives.  Well, not really morning, it’s pitch black.  Seems dry.  I’m first up as I’m doing the sprint while others are in the later starting Olympic.  Apparently the sound of a car starting is an effective alarm!

Set up in transition.  Walk to the start at the quay where ice creams were eaten less than 12 hours ago.  Meet up with other Amphib sprinters.  Sue & Michael, Jo*, Annie, Kate (in a relay with Niall).  Nerves are fraying for some.  Have our race briefing, swim route is explained.  We’re all in wave 2.  Wave 1 set off…in the wrong direction to that described!  Lifeguards have decided the conditions have changed and the planned route needs to be shortened.  Happy news for some.  Not for the Phibs!  We’re in and we’re off.  Pushing on the swim is not something I’m used to, but I go for it.  Get in the thick of it.  Work hard.  It’s choppier than usual.  Soon on the beach & running up it, across the road and up to transition.  This feels hard already!  Out on the bike.  Breathing not in control.  Have to dismount to walk through some roadworks.  Breathing calms.  Back on the bike.  Pushing.  Pushing.  First climb I’m overtaken by some, including a woman that I decide I should be competing with, no 106.  Not happy about it, but resolve to see her on the run.  The views at the top of the climb are not as stunning as usual.  We’re in the middle of a cloud.  Get to the turnaround point and spot Michael pretty close behind me.  Gives me the kick I need to continue to push.  He’s a stronger cyclist than me, how long can I hold him off?  The return leg of the bike is hillier than I remember.  Still working.  Pass some people.  Enjoy the descent into Swanage.  I’m back to T2 and I’ve not seen Michael.  Just the run to go.

First mile is the usual feeling of running through treacle.  I keep working.  I can hear someone behind me.  I keep working.  Now I can see someone to chase.  I seem to be catching them on the hills & the heavy breather behind me has gone.  Give myself a strict talking to on the hills.  Keep pushing.  Have Doug’s words from a hill session in my head.  Shorter strides.  Head up.  Use those glutes!!  More hills than I expected.  I keep working.  It’s painful, I’m fighting my head that’s saying stop/slow down.  I win.  I’m gaining on someone.  As I close in it’s 106 from earlier!  I tell her to keep her head up and keep going as I go past.  Smiling to myself that I got her after all.  Last hill.  Sue S is there having already finished.  She shouts encouragement and says I’m nearly there.  It’s all I can do to nod my thanks.  Then I’m across the road and over the line.  Job done.  For the first time in 7 years of triathlon competition I’ve not been overtaken on the run.  So the strategy worked!  It hurt.  But it worked.

I’m still recovering my breathing when Sue Lewis catches up with me.  “Have I heard about Dan?”  No.  What’s happened?  Snapped his Achilles.  I’m shocked.  What to say.  I’m not exactly up on medical knowledge but I know that’s bad.  Worse than breaking a bone bad.  Then the questions.  When?  Where?  Where is he now?  Who else knows? 

Over the next hour the tale is pieced together.  The injury had happened right at the start of the swim.  Kerry had witnessed it, but thought Dan’s reaction seemed to be similar to the movement and expression someone has when they tread on something sharp.  She’d known something was wrong when the Amphibs flag didn’t appear later in her race.  Glen had been on his way to his race start when he recognised a voice saying, ‘nuts ive finally snapped it’ only to find out it was Dan.  Sue L had been the unofficial 3^rd team member in the Dan/Kirstie relay, beating back the highly helpful…mmmm…St johns Ambulance Crew…to get him a warm top and the timing chip and running the timing chip from the bus shelter Dan had ended up in to Kirstie in T1 as thee was no point her missing out..and she had a head start as the restof the wave were still out swimming ;).  Dan had been taken to Poole hospital & was requesting an iPhone charger and some massage girls!  Kate & Jo had headed straight there to offer what support they could.  Practical plans and offers of help came from all.  Eventually we get the news that an operation is not needed immediately & Dan can head back to Bath to see a prefered surgeon.  Relief and a thin silver lining.  It’s fortunate he has a nominated driver as Kerry takes the role of patient transport to get Dan and his car home.  And also fortunate Phil has room for the surfboards!

Back at the campsite and we’re packing tents.  Despite the attempts of Kerry, Glen & I reverse gear in Dan’s car evades capture (retards - dan wrote this bit! ;)).  So the ‘push the car in neutral’ option is taken resulting in Glen flat out face down in the grass.  Some much needed laughter.

There’s an emptiness after Kerry leaves.  We had an emergency to deal with & now all that can be done at this point has been.  I’m struck by the highs and lows of the weekend, but that’s what life being part of a team is about I guess.  When you have a good day someone else may not be so lucky.  But good or bad the team spirit will be there.  My first weekend as a tadpole turned frog is one I’m never likely to forget and the image that will bring it all back is of frogs eating ice cream.

The final race of the 2010 series is complete…a gloriously sunny evening up at Castle Combe

Results for the September race can be seen on our Castle Combe Results page and also click below for a direct link:

http://www.dbmax.co.uk/assets/results/304/original/race5.html?1283450782

THE SERIES

You have to do 3 of the 4 standard races to qualify for the series, and then prizes are in the same categories as they are on the night. Cool usable glass tankards scribed with your glory on it for all to see were handed out on the night…but if you were unable to attend and your a series winner please contact us with your address so we can arrange a pick up or send it out! Results will be added to the Castle Combe page on this website for you to check out where you stand…well done to all those who did the series, we love putting the races on and hope that you enjoyed racing  them too!

NEXT YEAR…….

As you all know we introduced chip timing this year which i think you will all agree has improved things. Watch out for next year as we introduce other new exciting ideas….cool MMMDS momentos for all competitors will be brought in, better relay options, series incentives, and maybe even an additional race on MONSTER night…keep you eyes on the website and get involved!!

Bath Amphibs Team

Six reasons why you need to do the durty off Road Triathlon next year…
1. The adventure begins long before the race

My GPS said it would take 6 hours. It took 9 hours 23minutes. I was completely exhausted
as I rolled into Moffat at 12:30am. Only 15 miles to the race campsite. With the petrol light
beaming scarlet, I decided to chance it. My GPs lead me into some deserted valley with
nothing but mist and heath. I slipped into neutral, dodged several foxes, and reflected that
this might still be a long night. After an anxious 40 minutes, my GPS announced “you have
reached your destination. Relived, I bounded from the vehicle and bellowed  “Where the
F*** am I?” This was no welcoming Scottish Inn. This was just an isolated valley on the
edge of a large body of cold water. Brilliant. Either I had the wrong post code or they post
things in fox holes up here. With no petrol, there were few option. With some difficulty, I
pitched my tent in the wind on the nearest patch of green, munched several cliff bars and
hoped the cold body of water was not the Irish Sea.

2. The race starts in the afternoon

I have never understood why race organises schedule pre-dawn start times. Thankfully
most bodies of water in Scotland only thaw  at noon so the race had a respectable  2:30pm
start.  On emerging from my well-hidden tent at around noon, I was relieved to see several
tents pitched on what was definitely a Scottish loch. I also saw plenty cars nip by at close
range, adorned with a range of bikes. Many of the Scottish participants hooted at the
cunning way that I had avoided the £5 camping fee.

3. Value for money

Yes, in true Scottish tradition this race is cheap. For £35 you get an entry, half a roasted pig
and, if you can find it, 1 night on a patch of grass next to a loch. And if you want to avoid the
extra £5 quid for 2 nights, you can camp on any random patch of green.  Plus the food at
the race is awesome. Having survived 24hours on nothing but bad coffee, cliff bars and
grapes, I was famished. I crawled into the race start area and ordered a very large
breakfast roll. I would have sold my bike for it but she was happy with £3.5

4. You’ll get on BBC
While I was facing my epic journey North, Doug and Nicole had been hanging out by the
loch, posing for the cameras and getting interviewed  by BBC. Yes, as it was British champs,
the BBC boys were there.  Apparently they also  had a few words with the plump pigs that
were the real champions of the weekend. The two little porkies were finally found just
behind the showers, eerily roasting over the fire.
5.  You might win some beer

Now given the quality of the amphib crew, there was no surprise that prizes were
distributed. Doug and I nabbed first place in our age groups with the amphib team of
Nicole, Glen and Kirstie grabbing the fasted mixed team with 2 chicks. Of course, some
awesome gear would have been a welcomed prize but you got to respect a race that hands
out beer instead.  Plus everyone gets some awesome pig roast. At one point Glen actually
offered to exchange Kirstie for a few extra helpings. After much negotiating, they settled
on the collective amphib medal take. However, even after several local ales no one dared
challenge the locals on the Céilidhs. Next year….
6. Its an awesome route

If all that is not enough….. It’s a great route. Now this is clearly a biased opinion and not
everyone was in agreement. I think Nicole will agree that they could have heated that loch
a bit more but I have no complaints about the ride over the hillock and down the steep
gorge. Although I do recall Glen having a few words to say about it. He is also still sporting
several macho bruises. Plus the run was steep enough to throw Doug into the heath with
leg cramp but not steep enough to slow Kirstie down. All good.

It’s a great race. Slot it into the calendar for next year and I can highly recommend a few
Scottish trail centres and fine little Inns if you want to make a long weekend of it.

Results: http://www.durtytriathlon.com/results.html
02:21:39 Doug Hall    8th male; 1st in age group
02:33:46 Aileen Anderson   2nd female; 1st in age group
02:59:16 Team: Nicole, Kirstie, Glen    Best looking team, first mixed
team with 2 chicks

Congratulations to the 160 odd that rolled up to the track to burn around via trainer/tyre/trainer…

Results canbe found here:

http://www.dbmax.co.uk/assets/results/271/original/manicaug.html?1280999579

Results will be added to our Duo homepage shortly, should you see any problems please let us know and we will amend.  Current series results will be calculated in the next week or so and posted so you can see who you will need to catch. Remember you need to do 3 of the 4 standard races to count.

We look forward to seeing you at the September race, get involved!

Photos from the race can be found on the link at the bottom of the front page or by clicking on the photo at the bottom

If your missing from the gallery, or you want a high res top quality emailed to you then contact doug_hall@hotmail.co.uk with a description of what you look like and what kind of confectionery you are going to send him, and he’ll do his best to find you a pic.

Wednesday night, 7pm start

Entries taken on the night upto 6:45pm

Closed roads, fast course, smiling marshalls….its ooooooon

See our Duo page for more details