A welcoming club on the North West of Edinburgh
ETU age-group championships Valencia
By CoachKev | Published | No Comments
My triathalon journey started around five years ago after a new years resolution to get a fitter, and a family member suggesting a triathlon might be a new challenge. I was fortunate to be introduced to the E #3 Triathalon Club by a friend (you know who you are 😉) and the journey started there.
I entered a “come and tri” short fun event in my first year, move to Sprint distance in year two and standard/ Olympic distance in year three, and surprisingly managed to pick up a couple of age group podiums. Inspired by some other E#3 ers and their GB kit, I found out about the GB age group team events at European and international level , which seemed a good (if rather daunting) next challenge. To qualify for GB team you need to enter specific UK qualifying events and finish with a qualifying position/time; usually there are two or three qualification events each year. I entered the 2019 UK championship standard distance triathlon in Southport knowing that it was a GB team qualifier and came 10th in age group which may have been enough to qualify, but after the event realised that it’s not enough just to enter the races; there is a whole admin process that you have to do in advance of the race on the GB age group website if you want your time is taken into consideration.
Tip number one: do the research and the admin! (Louise Minchans book explains it well)
The next opportunity came with a a local Sprint distance event at Monikie (just a few miles away) which happened to be a European qualifier. I was going to enter the race anyway , so I thought no harm in paying the £10 admin fee and filling in the form this time! just in case . The race itself wasn’t great for me; I han’t done enough training and was coming straight off the back of a family holiday. I didn’t think I done enough, so forgot about the opportunity. It was only when checking junk email several months later that I realised I had a roll down place and with 3 months before the European race in Sweden sent out a panic email to E#3 and was reassured that there was still enough time to train up for a Sprint event.
Tip 2: Check your Spam folder
Unfortunately the world was about to change; The Covid-19 pandemic hit. The UK went into a hard lockdown. I was still trying to train as it was uncertain as to whether the event would go ahead, and even resorted to a large paddling pool in the back garden with a bungee rope attached to my back tied to a table tennis table to try to keep the swimming going when the swimming pools closed. It was a bit of a relief when they cancelled the event.
Roll on one year and COVID restrictions were easing. The GB team were hoping to take a team to the European Championships in Valencia and places from the previous year were rolledover. With travel restrictions changing all the time it was still unclear how easy travel was going to be, but with six weeks to go, I made a firm commitment. I’d maintained some base fitness level but it was time to ramp up. I quickly engaged the help of coach Kev for some one-to-one support as I knew I had a lot to achieve in a very short time. This introduced me to a new world of data. apps and training schedules!! I got my Apple Watch out of a drawer (which I hadn’t worn for 2 years), downloaded “Training Peaks” App and forced myself into an unnatural (for me) world of data monitoring, and schedule following. Despite my initial resistance- there is no doubt this approach transformed my training trajectory.
Tip 3: data, a structured schedule, expert support (and someone looking over your shoulder!) really helps
My training commitment, focus and hours all ramped up. I enjoyed some lovely cycles and open water swim sessions around ship wrecks in beautiful bays on a holiday in Orkney and all was going well, Until I came down with a bad flu-like illness (fortunately not COVID). I had take a week off of training and with only 2-3 weeks to go before the event, I couldn’t climb a flight of stairs without being extremely breathless. I was on the verge of pulling out; but got some coaching reassurances not panic, and to rest. By this point the stress and admin burden of trying to travel and race with Covid restrictions had kicked in. Our flights were cancelled 4 times and needed rearranged; Including logistics of re-booking bikes, and the COVID regulations for travelling and racing kept changing. Covid rates were rising again threatening the chances of leaving the country with a negative COVID test. The GB team age face book group was a good source of sharing the admin confusion and stress.. at least it diverted from race nerves. Fortunately I was well enough to manage a good solid two weeks training before the race and by the time I’ve got to Valencia actually felt reasonably healthy and prepared. Travel went smoothly, the kit arrived and the day before allowed a good opportunity to do a bit of swimming and diving practice in the harbour. By this point it was 95% going to be wetsuit illegal.. (I was worried about not practicing sea swims without a wetsuit.. but actually the sea temperature was warmer than a swimming pool! ) and did a good course recce, and final bit of pre-race training.
The course itself was a fairly straightforward harbour swim fortunately protected by a brick wall; the other side of which had 3 meter waves. the cycle was a very flat but highly technical 10km route with four out and back dog legs repeated twice with really acute turns; fife cycle park had given me a little practice for this at least. It was only decided late in the day that it was draft illegal for age group.. challenging on such a tight short looped course with so many athletes. And the run was a straightforward 2x 2.5 K loop along the harbour path. Race briefing was on-line and no opening ceremony due to COVID , but lots of social media buzz and plenty identifiable GB team people kicking around to chat to.
Race Day was a 6 am start (5amUKtime!) with a disturbed nights sleep. Transition – set up (good position at end of a row- easy to spot) . great atmosphere already with 100s of athletes getting ready, and support contingents lining the streets. Warm up done. Swim started.. with release in waves and staggered starts with athletes in one long line starting individually 3 secs after each other in time to the loud pounding beeper heartbeat and to the background of ‘Sweet Caroline’ and other classics on the loud speakers.. Masks discarded at last minute. Start was a podium dive or jump in (I think a first for age- group events.. normally group start in water.). I enjoyed the dive and staggered starts- I hope they keep them post COVID – mass water starts are stressful, whereas this allowed an easily line of people to follow/ draft without overcrowding. Swim felt more comfortable than normal (normally not my strength) .. pool sessions and my weekly swims at Wardie Bay had obviously helped.
Transition went ok. My mount was good (maybe due to recent Saturday club transition practice 😉). Cycle was lots of braking and speeding up due to the technical course- had 1 scary moment where I skimmed the barrier on a turn.. judging by the full medical tent at the end, others hadn’t been so lucky. Having practice dismounting, I hit the dismount line very fast (cutting past a number of people phaffing at the line) but was moving so fast that as I jumped off, the back of my bike wheelied up in the air …which was a crowdpleaser resulting in a big cheer. Unfortunately it meant my brakes jammed making pushing the bike through transition tough!! Saying that, Later I found that both my transition times were both some of fastest in the whole completion (shame no medal for that!😂) Transition is an ‘easy way to make up vital seconds/minutes.. and E#3 do some great practice sessions!).
Tip 4: practice transitions ++ but sometimes a little bit of sense over speed is needed!
Into the run … my legs felt solid and energy low. Despite lot of brick practice and getting back to my park run PB of late…. the run was much harder than expected and really painful. Slower than I hoped (although not as slow as it had felt), but then the swim and cycle were good. Should I have paced the cycle more?? Who knows?? .
Reaching the finish was sheer relief.. there were so many things that could have gone wrong in the last few weeks, just to be here and finish felt epic!!! The event and the atmosphere were amazing ! On checking results it was the fastest Sprint I’d ever done! and I came in 9th place out of 25 in my age group.
I’d set out to make it to the event and hopefully not come last, so I could justify my right to be here. Job done! Time to relax.. Valencia is an amazing city.. 2 days in the sun (with no kids :-)!) was very welcome.
Tip 5: Enjoy the experience!!
Would I do it again? Nope …been there.. done it ..and got the T-shirt … ok only joking! .. the afterglow is quite addictive. Yes I would love too…but I definitely need some time to recover and catch up with life and family, (who have all been an amazing support.. couldn’t do it without them). And will wait until the world is back to normal.. if we ever get there.
If you’ve not had enough of the rambling… here is a video diary to get a feel for what the event was really like
