Race Report View

A year ago, September 2012, my supremely optimistic mentor, Val Place [a very accomplished triathlete] suggested I should enter the World Age group championships. You will qualify, she said,: are you sure? I replied. Well, it all came to pass and there I was in Hyde Park’s Serpentine hanging onto the pontoon waiting for the claxon to start the race.

The week before the event was very stressful; travelling up to London on the Tuesday to register and twice on Thursday, AM for a team meeting and photo, PM to rack my bike. At the team meeting we were battered with an array of penalties – hang onto the pontoon in the swim, do not impede anyone deliberately, keep moving when you come out of the water, only helmet, shoes, number and water in transition– no towel allowed! In fact when we were all setting up officials strode the lines of bikes – shouting `no towels’! It was very tiring on the Thursday the team meeting was at 10.30 and my time for bike racking was 6pm in the evening. The slot for setting up your transition was only between 6 – 7.30am so it was an early start. Par for the course for most triathlons but my start time was 11.50. It was a long morning waiting around in the GB tent [and getting changed in the toilet].

Eventually all 0/60 women were called into the holding area beside the Serpentine – looking sleek in our black wetsuits and green hats. Helen James and Les Humphries wished me luck and I spotted Richard and Robert [my son] high up in the stand. But also a mad, blond woman jumping up and down and waving her arms, eventually I realised it was Terry Shotton – thank you, Terry the display was much appreciated. The long line of swimmers were then seated on the edge of the jetty and told to drop into the water. It was freezing! 16C I believe. The swim was one lap of 750m out to a line of buoys, round and back. It was wonderful, exhilarating; I felt strong and was `in the mix’ as they say, swimming in a big group. As we approached the first buoy we all gravitated to a very close, big group of green hats pushing, shoving and almost drowning a red hat [Les and Helen know what it’s like]. The red hat was an old man, 85+,from the previous wave who had only just reached the first buoy. I saw him clinging onto a canoe and being shouted at `do you want to get out?’ – I don’t know what happened to him but was told when he started he was swimming side stroke. Very brave or foolish?

The swim was great, then out of the water and now running for 300m, unzipping my wet suit and uphill into the huge transition area. My wet suit came off perfectly and I thought my T1 time was ok but I was slow yet again! Onto the bike, running to the mount point and off round 3 laps of Hyde Park’s wet and slippery roads. There were several sharp bends and marshals waving red flags at us; very confusing, was I being given a penalty point? Several people did slide off their bikes and some quite badly injured. My bike section was ok but maybe a bit slow, later I found out the course may have been 22k not 20k. As I came into the finish I saw my family for the first time looking a bit bedraggled in the still pouring rain and shouting `come on Mum/Grandma’. There must have been a constant call from spectators of come on Grandma/Grandad as my wave sailed past. I think it was brilliant, all those oldies doing their bit.

Running again uphill with my bike into transition and negotiating a deep, wide puddle at the run exit where Anne and Tony Unseld were having great fun watching everyone either wading, jumping or tiptoeing round.
The run was 2 loops of a 5k course around the perimeter of the lake. Right from the start my legs were moving fluidly and I was passing people! A first in triathlon for me. I had a really fantastic run and as I came into the finish I remember thinking I could go on and do a bit more. My recent Park Run times were very similar. Personally I am very pleased with my performance. All the training, the long, tedious bus journeys to Tooting Bec Lido, the early morning bike rides to avoid the traffic and the constant struggle to keep race fit because of knee problems – all coalesced into a truly exciting two hours.

Thank you to everyone who sent cards, emails and messages of support it was much appreciated. I know not everyone could make it to Hyde Park [it was a work day after all] but a special thank you to Helen James, Les Humphries, Terri Shotton, Barbara Baker and Ann and Tony Unseld who braved the rain and were there to shout at me. There were hundreds of spectators and everyone who recognised the GB trisuit were urging me on. It was an honour to compete for GBR and I am very proud to have been a part of such a prestigious event.

Swim T1 Bike T2 Run Finish
750m 22K? 5K

18.25 7.43 1.09.22 6.21 36.06 2.17.56