New Year's Day Edinburgh Bicycle Complainathon 1/01/07
Being the first day of January this one was never going to be lovely balmy weather. Luckily the storms of Hogmanay that cancelled street parties in Stirling, Glasgow and Edinburgh had subsided a bit, but it was still deeply unpleasant weather in which to be out. Never mind out with wet shorts and no socks trying to cycle up steep hills into the cold stiff wind.
The event entries open in October and sell out within days. After some open water swimming in the summer, Mary and I had thought it might be time to re-appraise the whole triathlon game. A previous NYD triathlon disaster for Mary back in 2002, when Hogmanay broken glass had forced a 30 min swim/bike/flat tyre transition, had put us off. However there aren't that many short triathlons in which to dip a toe, so we found ourselves entering this year's event.
I had also done the race in 2002 and had bad memories of racing the first 2 lengths of the pool only to find myself gasping, reduced to a slow breast stroke while failing to catch my breath. Only just able to exit the pool without help, I enjoyed a relaxed transition in the changing rooms taking a leisurely 8 mins to get to my bike. My thinking was that since I wasn't likely to win I may as well compete comfortably, removing wet clothing and drying between toes.
This year I thought I could improve both the swim and transition. Twice a week up to the pool took my time down to a minute faster. But more importantly I left the pool feeling strong for the rest of the event. Someone, James I think, had said practise your transitions. One Tuesday night halfway through December when I couldn't muster the willpower for the meadows intervals session I plea-bargained transition training. I stood in the hot shower in tri-shorts for a good fifteen minutes before working up the courage to exit without drying, into shoes, (no socks), top, gloves, hat then out the flat and round the block twice in the cold night air. It was damp and vaguely unpleasant but not impossibly cold and the no socks thing much faster over wet feet. I felt re-assured that I would be racing in the right gear. And if it snowed I could add an extra layer of tights and waterproof jacket.
On the day it didn't snow but did the next worst thing; rain and wind. Brighter earlier in the day we headed up to the pool for just after 11. We wouldn't get home till nearly 6. The poor juniors had lashing rain and filthy grey skies for their event. We heard Scott Balfour on the PA system giving them a cheery course description and run through, but it can't have been anything anywhere near pleasant or fun. We hid indoors (having left our bikes racked in the rainy Pool car-park.) We met Toby and James and the Porty tri-ladies; Karen, Lynn, Janis and Cath. It was cold upstairs but once down poolside it was nice and warm. The event was slow to get underway - about 25 mins late starting. Generally the organisation was superb given the difficulties of running effectively three races rolled into one (not counting the junior duathlon) at such a trying time of the year. Also while on good things, they gave out a quality medal to all finishers.
After the elites swam (including Kirsty Balfour, Olympian, and Commonwealth Games Medal holder - daughter of Scott), the rest of the heats were organised from slowest swimmer to fastest, and set off at intervals of a few seconds. The “course” was to swim up lane 1 then back lane 2 until you had snaked across the pool to the finish, lane 8, at the baby pool. Toby, James and I were all in the same group and all managed about the same time. I stopped my watch getting out the pool in 7.22, over a minute quicker than '02 and fit for the next part. You then exited out the door through the baby pool, up the stairs and into the car-park. Some chose to change in the car-park which meant leaving your kit in the rain. Others (myself incl.) left their stuff at the side of the baby pool and changed in dry conditions before heading out into the bike transition. Because the transition championchip mat was up in the carpark this gave a mixed and confusing set of results for swim times - it would have been better to have a timing mat immediately beside the pool but if you add the swim and 1st transition times together you get a better picture of how people were placed going into the bike section.
All the PRC girls started earlier and I wondered if I would see any en route. I saw Janis doing her run while I was on the bike and Mary's 3rd bike lap overlapped my second. Toby started just a couple of places ahead of me in the pool but he was in fine form and managed to stay ahead of me - and increase his lead - throughout the race. He had been sanguine and relaxed during the preamble and unfazed by the whole thing which seems almost designed to stir up nerves and jitters. I managed to avoid any sprinting in the pool and overtook several guys during the swim. James was behind me in the queue for the pool and appeared at the bike transition as I was heading off. I told him I would see him in a couple of minutes knowing that he is a top cyclist. He passed me on the hill down to Dynamic Earth going like Wile E. Coyote sitting atop an Acme rocket.
During the next 45 minutes or so I was to realise the bigger picture. Over 50% (time-wise) of this race is spent on the bike. The whole event is largely a bike ride with a dip in the water before and a dash to the line after. Forget shaving a minute off a swim. (Okay the five minutes off the transition were worth the rehearsal.) We should have been grinding out circuits of the Seat on bikes all Autumn instead of paddling in the pool. Somehow the bike stuff got put off till November then it was dark and cold and there just didn't seem to be the time and enthusiasm to spin. I know the ladies were out biking 3 times round the Seat at weekends and we should have been doing similar. Mary and I thought we might get away with the residual fitness from day to day cycling. And we put skinny slicks on our mountain bikes. While racing bikes would have been faster it was legs, I suspect, not bikes that were the weakest links. However there were loads a lot slower than myself, and many of them on “faster” bikes, which are always fun to overtake. But the wind on the hills was a killer. John Forker told me on the second lap that Mary was just ahead so I raced up the steep hills to Dunsapie but took all the way round to catch up with her just before the descent. Tinging my bell I went past but it took me such an effort she quickly caught up and had a laugh at how crap I looked. On one lap a crowd of dizzy girls blindly crossed the road directly in front of me and I hollered abuse at the top of my voice after their apology. Oops.
Several folk came out to spectate and hats off to them; Gerry and his sister, Chris, John and thanks Lucy C for cheering the Porties. If it was bad weather for competing it was surely less inviting to stand in or marshal for hours. Thanks for the support, it made the day sunnier.
Eventually after a long torture the bike leg finished - what a relief. (Actually slower than '02 - blame the wind.) Then dock the bike, off with the helmet and hat, keep the gloves on and into run mode swooping back into the park like a panther. Well no. Feet like blocks of wood tied onto pink sausage legs. And running like a gimp. Mentally I am telling myself I can do this part and slowly change up a gear overtaking a whole heap of folk also running with wooden feet. Some in proper tri-gear. It is poor sportsmanship but great fun enjoying passing professional looking folk who've bought the gear but not done enough training. I try to lift the pace but the cycle has dulled my legs. There are loads of people to pass and I say encouraging words to those who seem to be struggling. I almost enjoyed the run. My feet thawed out and I fell into a reasonable pace. About 3 runners went past but not very quickly. Then just as I got past the last up-hill and you descend to the roundabout I got a stitch. The front of me seized up - possibly chilled from the strong winds - and I had to take shallow breathes. I nearly came to a standstill just half a mile from the finish. I ploughed on but got caught by several of the folk I had overtaken on the up-hill. It was a pretty shoddy finish and I chugged over the line despondently. (Also slower on the run than last time which is illuminating given 5 years considerable running improvement. Overall time five mins faster this year - that transition training paid off.) Mary and Karen seemed much more lively and excited. I think Karen had managed a good time. James did a great time but I suspect was disappointed that conditions didn't allow him to match last years amazing performance.
I think I am more of a warm weather person, and while interested in doing more triathlons, they won't be on the first of January.
Report and photos pb
Also if anyone wants to submit a more positive report from this race or the Promathon, email the usual address. Happy New Year.results here
Just in, some photos from Chris Melville who braved the elements. Not the best weather for photos but they give an idea of the fun being had.....
