Triathlon

Triathlon

I originally got into cycling when I became interested in the sport of triathlon. It was the mid 1980's and the triathlon was still a relatively new sport. There was this thing called the Iron Man that I had read about and it just seemed to me to be impossibly tough. Why would you want to do it? But then I read more about the all round fitness benefits of combining the disciplines and just decided that I was going to give it a go. The great thing about being a teenager, certainly for me, was that I had this wonderful belief that I could do anything; if I just put my mind to it. So the fact that I didn't have a bike and hadn't cycled probably more than a mile or two in my whole life didn't deter me. Nor did my lack of endurance in swimming worry me.

I bought myself a Peugeot road bike. I think it had ten gears. I then learned the dangerous art of strapping your feet in. I fell off on my first ride, having reached a junction and suddenly finding that I couldn't put my foot down. I fell into the road and was lucky not to be hit by a car. But apart from a bruised hip I was okay and so I carried on having learnt the important lesson of loosening the straps before stopping!

I found that doing a circuit on the roads either side of the River Thames between Hampton Court and Walton Bridges was about ten miles. This was a very flat course and gave me the opportunity to just keep trying to build up both my speed and stamina. Looking back it is sad that I didn't use my bike much for commuting to work at that time. I do remember trying it once whilst I was working up in Tottenham Court Road and though the distance from Sunbury was not a problem the sheer nightmare of London traffic was. In a day before Google Maps, bike navs and cycle lanes I had followed the main route in to the capital and ended up going round Trafalgar Square where every vehicle seemed to have a personal vandetta against me. A memorable moment was having a black taxi driving straight at me as if I didn't exist. How it didn't hit me I don't know but it was many years later before I ventured back into the city on my bike.

My running was my strongest discipline at the time. I had done a lot of cross-country running at school and still maintained my fitness through the occasional run around the block. I also started running a couple of kilometres to Hampton Station in the morning to catch the train to London. Running up the Underground escalators and on to the office helped with my running fitness. I also began, at weekends, using a multi-story car park to run up the stairs. Again this was something I had read about for improving cardio fitness.

Swimming required some additional coaching. Though I could swim and had even competed over short distances in inter-school competitions I lacked any stamina for distance. I enrolled in a 'masters' class at Sunbury Lido and relearnt my front crawl stroke. The instructor taught me how to breathe to the side so I didn't raise my head. I learnt to open my fingers and develop an s-shaped stroke. After that it was just a matter of practice to build up stamina.

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British and European Triathlon Championship

The triathlon was such a new sport in UK that when I joined the British Triathlon Association my membership number was just 45! I then looked around for an event and got to compete in the British and European Sprint Triathlon Championship in 1986. Sounds really impressive, doesn't it? But back then it was an open event and you didn't need to qualify to enter. Just apply and turn up. Of course that hasn't stopped my ego casually dropping it into conversation; 'Yes, well you know I did compete in the British and European Championship!' I should really take this opportunity to apologise to all the real athletes for this shameful behaviour. However, it is true fact. Also the triathlon is a tough event and I can now look back and say 'Well you know, I got out, I pushed myself and I did it.'

The event took place in Milton Keynes in June though I remember the water still being cold at 13 degrees celsius. I had to register there the previous day and got talking to some German athletes who were very friendly and full of helpful advice.

The swimming leg took place in Willen Lake. Apart from swimming across the Thames this was the first time I had done any real open water swimming. At the time competitors were allowed to swim over the person in front of them if they were in their way. So it was a bit of a mad free for all at the start until everyone was sorted into their swimming speeds. Of course there are no bottom of the swimming pool lines to follow so I had to keep checking that I was going the right way. Hoping that the swimmers in front of me had got the direction right. Anyway eventually I was round the course and stumbling out of the cold water.

And off to the transition station to find my bike.

In these early days of triathlons the transitions were not the swift efficient changes that they quite quickly became. Drying off and fumbling with changing clothes and shoes wasted lots of time for me. This was a time before the triathlon was catered for by sports manufacturers.

Once on the bike I quickly warmed up and began to catch and overtake a few of the faster swimmers. There were strict rules about not drafting so you had to overtake wide and quickly. The circuit involved some major road closures and I remember cycling down this wide dual carraigeway feeling the joy of having a car free road. I think it was a 40k circuit that returned me back to Willen Lake. Then another unrushed transition into running gear.

Running was my strength but after the cycle ride I found it hard to get going. It probably took me about a kilometre or two before I really got into my stride. Then I could begin to close up on those who had overtaken me since the transition. Soon the finish line was in sight and I felt quite strong at the end.

I think I was 299th overall. Not bad out of 300 competitiors. Actually, there was well over 500 so I was comfortably in the middle. I do remember going through the published lists later on and was able to conclude that I was in fact the third 19 year old to finish. Now surely that deserves a medal!

The sad fact is that because back and family problems I only ever competed in one event. But if you are only going to do just one; the British and European Championship is probably a good one to do!