European Tri Championships 11th August

 

Report from Martin man of steel Kerry

 

 

 

Well this was an experience. 30 years of racing and I get the chance to get to wear a GB jersey ( More of which later)

 

4 lads from Preston got in a people transporter and drove 800 mile to

Lusanne in Switzerland. Good trip no drams but arrived 9 am knackered.

We had to pick up the new GB kit. One thing we all know is kit is never

ready on time and this was no exception. As they rushed the die had not

taken and instead of blue and red it was lilac and brown. Didn't matter cos even the extra large was too small. In fact id swear they had boil washed the lot. Managed to find a last years 2 piece which mean racing in what looks like a trainer bra but hey ho.

 

Stayed in a Swiss youth hostel very nice. rested up Friday and tried to find the bike course on Saturday. Not much luck as too complicated. watched the elite race who had a nice course by the lake. Early to bed.

Woke at 7:30 when we should have been 6:45 cant figure out the time

difference. And we rode down to the start with the gear. Set out the bike in the transition area.

 

Got the wet suit on and waited while the other waves got started. Being 45 and over we were off last of men.

 

Now when I was 8 I won the cub scouts back stroke as I was to scared to dive in. I've not got better. You can imagine my panic when I found it was 1500 m 2 laps swim 750 get out run along a pier and dive in.

Swim went well and im in first 20 out at the end of lap ( about 100 in wave) im running down the pier thinking about that scene in Butch Cassidy where they are on the top of the cliff and the posy are coming. 'Don't worry if you cant swim the fall will kill you' So I got to the end and did a dive come Peter Kay bomb off John Smiths advert got round the second lap without loosing 2 much. Out of the water and a 800m bare foot run to the bike. Kit on and off we go.

 

It started next to lake Geneva where we swim then 2k of flat then it got

silly 1:10 up through a park on cycle path 1:10 down over cobles to a

hairpin 4 k drag round the down centre left into a cobbled 1:6 which they

must have imported from Belgium for the day. Climb to the top of a park at 9 miles then down hill. The hair pins had flashing warning arrows as you approached, then through cobbled market square over railway lines back to the lake 45 mile per hour with your eyes shut. 2 laps.

Made a few places on the bike but took a lot of effort. 18.5 mph average.

Back to transition and into the running shoes. 4 laps of 2.5k ( though it

turned out to be 1/2 mile long) first and second laps were ok but then a

blew big time. Should have had a gel on the bike. Breathing had gone and I was loosing places.

 

Last lap and I picked up my GB flag to cross the line so tired I didn't know what day it was. All the last lap I was saying never again.

Then waiting for the results. 13th in my age group happy with that. I'm

getting top 5 or 6 in British at these big events for my age so its going

ok.

Fastest in my age though beat me 16 minutes some Swiss guy see article on EPO im not a bad looser!!

Any way pasta party and 5 or 6 beers latter feeling much better and looking forward to the Worlds in Hawaii October 8th