Hot Turkey – The ETU 2013 European Age Group Championships.

This was written out in Turkey but without internet access where we stayed after the race I left it to post on return to the UK.

 

So the Result: 2:16:40 Sixth in age group in Europe, 2^nd Brit in age group and 144^th overall for the Olympic distance out of … I have no idea, but I would guess about 600, of which probably 400 were Brits.

And the Conclusion: Overall pretty happy with the result at my first GBR age group representation at an International event. I was second out of the 14 Brits who qualified in my age group and as I remember, with my roll down spot from the Bala triathlon of last year, I was actually the last but one qualifier who came out to Turkey. So I think that’s a good improvement on last year. Although it wasn’t all great as I didn’t really perform on the run which on reflection I could and should have done better, maybe even enough to not let that pesky GBR Mark Elliott pass me in the last sector of the last lap to take the first British guy home.

But hey, it was a fantastic experience. To be able to get involved with serious age group triathlon, watching (and mixing a bit) with the elite juniors and seniors of the sport, the paratriathletes and racing with the best of the age groupers was great. I had a fantastic time.

Once I found out I had qualified for these championships (see first ever blog) I had planned it all out. Upping the training was the easy bit; the hard bit was fitting everything around work and family. Luckily, as soon as I was advised I had a roll down spot, Alysia thought it would be a good idea to make a trip to Turkey as our summer family holiday. My in-laws are based in Germany and also thought it was also a great idea and joined in the party, making a bike touring holiday of Turkey based around Alanya. This was in training for their “family” bike tour around the Black Sea in August – crazy, yes. But this is the family group of 10 - 20 who have over the last few years cycled from Northern Germany to; Morocco, Moscow (via the Baltic countries), Prague, Poland and Splott (that’s in Cardiff, Wales if you didn’t know). We found a cheap house to rent via AirB&B in the area in Kargicak, about 17km east of Alanya and settled in for two weeks around the event.  By luck the house was just what we wanted. Alanya is a bit of a German/British/Russian tourist trap something akin to Benidorm or even Blackpool (not that many German/Russians holiday there). We ended up in this huge house, with a pool, lovely garden on a hill about 10 minutes’ walk from a really nice beach and, thankfully, well away from the touristy bits.

The swim start at Alanya looking from the Castle across the harbour

Arriving seven days ahead of my race day I had a bit of time to acclimatise and swim, cycle and even run the courses ahead of any official course familiarisation, so on that front I haven’t any complaints. In triathlon preparation is everything. The Olympic distance start was on the Friday, starting at 7am and my combined wave start for M50-54 & M55-59 was at 8am. So I had decided a long time previously that the house was too far out to travel in for the day of the race. I managed to book the Thursday and Friday nights in GB team hotel in Alanya (directly and cheaply with the hotel, rather than through the official travel agents). All the family came into Alanya during my hotel stay and availed themselves of the facilities, especially Scarlett & Gethyn who loved the kiddies paddling pools.

Thursday was registration followed by the GB race briefing and then down to the start for bike check-in and tri-suit check. I hope it wasn’t going to be an omen but my chain came off on my way down to transition for the first time since I’ve had this bike. In the evening there was the official Parade of Nations. This was actually a bit better than I thought it was going to be – led by the Officials in Suits followed by two men in Bananas (official emblem of Alanya), the Turks, the Swiss (I still don’t know why), a Turkish ethnic band and then everybody else in a procession through the streets of Alanya from the Culture Centre to the Harbour. Scarlett was fascinated, but also scared a bit, by the Bananas!  A good pasta based pre- race evening meal with the family followed and then early to bed.

The Parade of Nations at the ETU European Triathlon Championships

 

A good night’s sleep then up early for a muesli and banana breakfast (what else) and onto the bus to take us down to the start. I’m normally the perfection of organisation and awareness. However on this day I had a total fail. I had decided to take all the gear I needed plus my track pump in a mesh bag and the goodie bag that the organisers had given us at registration, containing the timing chip, swim cap etc. I don’t know how but I managed to leave the goodie bag on the bus. I was only made aware of it when the team manager, Ian Kitchen, came through transition asking who had left it on the bus. My first thought was who could be that stupid. Then realisation set in that, in fact, that idiot was me. In the end no harm done but if some kind person had not seen it on the bus and given it to Ian it would probably have meant no race start for me.

I’d noticed from the earlier waves that there was a bit of a bun fight in the wave assembly area (the “competitors lounge” as the organisers had called it). Athletes mulled around only to be then told to line up in single file against a low wall. What happened then was something similar to musical chairs with guys trying to find a gap in the line, or having to go to the back of the line. This was quite important as you got to choose your starting position on the pontoon for the swim from your position in this line. As there was a definite distance advantage to the first buoy from starting on the right of the pontoon and I breathe to my left I wanted to start as far to the right as I could. So I was already there waiting in the reception area for the wave in front to move off. As soon as they did I moved against the wall, second in line. The photo below taken by Alysia shows the line-up. Remember there were over 50 in this wave. I don’t think it is any coincidence that the first 6 out of the water (and four of the medallists) are in this picture at the front of the queue and all of us lined up to the far right on the pontoon in the same order. My swim was ok. As I mentioned the leaders of the swim all started in an area together and soon pulled away after the start. I drafted for a bit but was soon left by a group of four (3 Swiss and a Greek) who pulled away. I was left swimming with a fellow Brit from the other age group (Stuart Robinson I later found out, who came 3^rd in his age). I drafted off him most of the way out, and then he off me after the turn buoy until about the last 400m when we swam parallel. It would have been nice to been in that first group but on reflection they were faster than me and I would not have made it. They ended up 80secs ahead of us. It should really have been at least another 20secs but they screwed up on their direction and went way right off the course line.

Swim line up for men's 50-54 and 55-59 age groups

 

T1 was ok for my standards, but in the scheme of things of an ETU championship it should have been better. I again did not attempt a flying start with my bike shoes clipped into the bike. And again I lost about 40secs in T1 to the leaders. That is the last time I will do that. From now on I’d rather crash & burn putting my shoes on the bike rather than get such a crap T1 time recorded. After that the bike leg went well being 3^rd fastest with only about a minute or so behind the two best. T2, due to not getting out of my bike shoes before transition was also slow compared to the leaders.

Then the run. Oh the run. Oh, how I hate it. I’m now thinking it’s psychological. I really can see no reason or have no excuses as to why I’m so slow. If I can do a 21mins 5km why can’t I do at least a 45mins 10k? Why do I do a near 50mins 10km when the first three do a 40min 10km. I feel pain on the run. I feel it very hard. I feel if I try and go any faster I am going to die. Then it is over, and hey, it’s fine. I have no pain, I didn’t die and immediately I wonder why I didn’t run any faster. OK it was hot and I had pushed the bike leg hard but still no reason why I was so slow. Anyway what happened happened. I can’t change it now. I just must work much harder on my running, and running off the bike if I’m going to improve. For the record from timing splits around the run course I was in third place up to the second of four laps. Then a Russian passed me, followed by a Swiss who went on to take 3^rd. Then finally the first Brit, who passed me in the last 400m.

Feeling the heat on the run

 

I’ve got lots of thinking now to do before the London World champs in September. At the moment I’ve qualified for the aquathlon on the Wednesday and the sprint on the Friday. Should I do both? I’m racing the Liverpool tri Olympic distance qualifier 13^th July so I might be able to qualify for that, which is on the Sunday in London. That would give me a couple more days after the aquathlon. I also really have to think about my training and especially the running bit.

Again I will say it was a great experience and well worth it. I can admit that I had a few (all inclusive in the hotel package) beers in the afternoon following the race. I then went to the awards ceremony as I was quite intrigued to see the guys who won and the guys who won the age group below. Then a few more beers before tiredness took over. I was up early the next day to see the sprint races. I met up with the other two Cardiff Tri guys who raced on the Friday and we watched and supported the three from the club who were racing the sprint. I hypothesised that if I had entered the sprint in my age group with my current times and comparing it to other GBR triathletes I probably would have been in contention for 3^rd, but then there were three triathletes with very close times and no doubt they would have all run me down in a sprint finish before the end!

Here are my splits for the Olympic distance race.

 

 

The Morning After…

So Nottingham went well; British AG sprint champion etc. etc, but there was no time to bask in any glory as I had to get to Chester for the Deva Olympic distance triathlon the next day. I had entered five of the six qualifying events for the sprint and OD ITU champs in London. This was basically because I was out working in Australia last November when I found out that the Dambuster qualifier had already sold out. I went straight on line and saw there were only about 20 places for Deva left so I registered there and then. The next day I looked at the other qualifiers and saw they were also just about sold out so in a fit of panic I registered also for Nottingham, Bristol and Llandudno. The 3^rd OD qualifier had yet to be announced so I thought best to get into the Sprints to at least give myself a chance. Also Bristol is just about a local tri and I’ve lived many years in Llandudno so that also would be like a home tri. The outshot of all this internet activity from down under was that I didn’t realise that Nottingham and Chester were on consecutive days. Oh well, I just thought I would see how well I could do at Notts and treat the Deva tri as a block session! I managed to get a good post-race massage in Nottingham.

I went straight to register for Deva on the Saturday afternoon and then went to stay with a friend in North Wales. I’d arranged another massage there with John Clayton who came highly recommended in North Wales. He was excellent and not only gave me the massage I needed, also offered heaps of good physio advice for my various ailments. After Notts a bit of a celebration was called for so out we went for an Italian and carbo loading, some beers and a nice bottle(s) of red. I was in the final wave on the Sunday so luckily no need for too earlier a start. However, as always; I was awake early, so set off for Chester so I could see some of the earlier waves start. My Cardiff Tri buddy, Sam Webster, has already written a far better descriptive blog of his race at Chester (here) http://www.dontbeasalmon.net/archives/2013/06/deva-triathlon.html.

Based right in the centre of a city, on the river, space was always going to be tight. So getting from the car parks to transition and then onto the swim start was a bit convoluted but I have to say the organisation, marshalling and assistance was excellent throughout the event in what I could see was quite a difficult location (Chester Sunday tourists all over the place).

I guess due to focusing of Notts for the first time in a triathlon I hadn’t even looked at the cycle and run courses. I obviously knew the 1500m swim was in the river but that was about it. I racked my bike, worked out the in’s and out’s of transition and went down to the swim finish to see how that worked. As the swim course went first up river around the bend and then back down stream, with no footpath on this side of the river what was around the bend was a bit of a mystery.

Start time came. By now I’d worked out my race strategy. I’d already qualified for London and raced the previous day so just go nice and easy and see how it pans out. Although as my best event is swimming and our last wave was only males my age and older I thought I would see if I could do a good swim. Well I did. The actually time for the 1500m (actually over 1700m by all Garmin gps accounts) on such a upstream/downstream river swim is irrelevant but I managed to draft just about the whole way. At the swim start three of us went clear very quickly I just tucked in behind the third and away we went. The first guy was a bit ahead and in retrospect a good sighter and perhaps I should have tried to get on his heels. The guy I was following was zig sagging a bit but I think was slightly faster than me and so was pulling me along nicely. I haven’t checked specifically but I think we ended up about 3 or so minutes ahead of the pack. I managed to overtake the 2^nd guy before getting to T1 and then the first guy before the exit on the bike (later he past me on the run). So once again I was in the lead on the bike in my age group and thinking this tri lark was easy. That was to about the 20k marker when someone in my wave past me. I don’t know whether it was being passed or if I had just reached my limit but that’s where I bonked. I had no energy left. I was also cramping in my arms and elbows in the aero position. I was passed a few more times before T2. I think I was in survival mode on the run and just really jogging around. Lots in my age group with red numbers passed and my aim was just to finish. I had no motivation whatsoever to give myself pain. Although I realised there were two guys coming up behind me as I went over the bridge towards the finish I really could do nothing about it. That was it. The cold fact was that in the end I finished 15^th in my Age Group.

It’s taken me a few days to recover but thinking about things I’m now pretty happy with the race. There is no way I could expect to perform well on two consecutive days. I think I had the best swim leg I’ve ever had and practised my swim drafting to perfection. Although I bonked on the bike and then had someone take over 13 minutes off me on the run I know I can do better. In the end it was a good training race for me.

The one gripe I have about Deva – It took me days to scrub off the tattooed race numbers and lettering from my arm and leg! After trying every industrial solvent (from work) I have to no effect it was just hard scrubbing that got them off and left me a bit raw. I guess not the worst triathlon complaint you could have.

British Age Group Sprint Triathlon Champion

Well. I wasn’t expecting that!  On Saturday, 1^st June 2013 I became the Male 55-59 British sprint triathlon champion at Nottingham. It has certainly mixed things up for me in respect as what I’m now going to do, what are my targets, how I’m going to train, work/family priorities etc.  Oh god, there is just so much to taking in.

I’d looked at the start lists for Nottingham and with my vastly improved performance at Llanelli two weeks ago I’d realised that for the first time in triathlon I would really be in with a shot in my age group. However, as just about anyone who was at Nottingham will tell you, it was very competitive with just about everyone attempting to qualify for the London world champs in September. In fact of the over 1000 or so entries I think there were very few there just for the fun of it.

So how did the day go for me?  Well first I made a good decision the day before. I was planning to travel up on my own very early (3am!) on the morning of the race. In the end I decided that was a bit much, especially having entered the Deva tri in Chester the following day. So instead I bought a cheap but good small tent (our family tent is massive and takes hours to put up) and camped the Friday night. The campsite next to the Nottingham National Water Sports Centre is great and the weather was perfect. So I had an enjoyable evening planning things, doing a course recce, getting well fed (and a few beers) and a good night’s sleep.

The race was split into 5 waves with 2hrs 15 between waves so it lasted the whole day with the last wave off at 4.30pm. I was in the 2^nd wave starting at 9.45 so I got there early to see the start of the first wave and pick some tips up. It was the first time I’ve raced where there was a split T1 & T2 transitions, but it was quite straight forward. I met up with some Cardiff tri who had done it before and got a few more tips. Luckily I’m a strong and confident swimmer (it was the water polo) as us oldies (55-59) were lumped in the same wave with the testosterone of males 20 to 34 and the swim start was as brutal as I can remember. I’ve got a good sprint so cleared out pretty quickly and then largely had clear water to settle into my rhythm. A few passed but I don’t think I touched anyone all around the course.

Getting out of the wetsuit (All photos courtesy of David Gunthorpe, Cardiff Tri)

Good in T1. I had decided again not to do a flying start but put my bike shoes on in T1. So my T1 time (69secs, 317/893) looks worse than it probably should, however once I was on the bike I passed many in the first 200m going slow still trying to get their feet in the shoes on the bike whilst I was already in aero. I guess if you can get your feet in quickly and go, it’s faster.

Bike was 4 times around the outside of the rowing course anticlockwise. The course is essentially a rectangle with the ends slightly rounded. I was already warned by one of the guys that the second corner curves more and comes back on you and that he went on the grass in wave 1. So what did I do on the first lap? The same! I only just made it inside the post of the gate. Apart from that I flew around. The new Trek Concept TT bike is magic.  Being a single track road around the lake the course was narrow. I could see many groups bunching up. I guess it is so difficult not to draft in these situations. Luckily (or unluckily if you look at it that way) I was just about always on my own so no problems. I see in the whole event they only busted a few drafters. But as I said, it’s difficult on that type of course. I had the fastest bike time in my AG.

On the bike exiting transition and looking good

T2 was also OK. I had thought of getting out of my bike shoes on the bike but with the final two corners coming quickly and tight I decided to err on the side of caution. I managed to get my run shoes on without the hint of cramp which normally occurs when I do this in races. The run was back the other way clockwise around the cycle course with a couple of diversions. Apart from the first 500m is was flat. Due to managing my Achilles issues I’ve not really done proper run training in the last couple of months but it felt alright and as I was going so well I decided I might as well push it for all my worth. It was a flat course after all! My run ended up at 21.58 which I’m pretty happy with although there were six or so in my AG with around 20mins or under run times.

So coming into the last 400m to the finish I knew that I would qualify in the top 7 for the worlds but I also thought I was probably 1^st or 2^nd so I gave it all. One guy sprinted past me but he was just a kid! Coming over the line I could hear the announcer say “here’s the first 55-59” and then my name and club and then some very complimentary things. It actually took me a little while to realise that I had, provisionally anyway, won my age group. I waited to see who would come in and it turns out 2^nd & 3^rd had a huge sprint finish. One second difference and some guts left on the finish line. That’s how good the racing was. Although I was  2 minutes ahead of them. My time for the 750m/20k/5k was 1.05.41

It was still a provisional result so I went back to the camp site, showered and had some food. When I came back I went to the computer to get a print out of my result. It said 1^st in age group. I happened to ask the official if I got anything for it and he said the presentations were already going on outside. I quickly walked outside just as my age group presentation was about to start. Thirty seconds  later I was up getting my trophy and medal, standing on the podium with the 2^nd and 3^rd and getting our photos done. So that was it – confirmed British age group sprint triathlon champion!

A good day out as they say.

I didn’t hang around as I had to drive to Chester to register for the Deva Olympic distance triathlon the next day, which stupidly, but due to circumstances at the time, I had also entered. That wasn’t as good day and I’ll tell why in the next blog.

So here I am qualified for the first home World Triathlon Championships in London in September and qualified as British AG champion. No pressure then!  Oh and I already qualified for the World Aquathlon Championships earlier in that week in September. The good thing is that on reviewing both my races this weekend I don’t think I’ve yet reached my full potential. I know I can go faster in the swim. I’m only just learning how to get the best on the TT bike (I still couldn’t hold the aero position for the whole race) and, if my Achilles allows me full training, I think I can run a bit faster.
Next up, next week, is the ETU European Championships in Alanya, Turkey. This is becoming fun!