With all the action going on at Hyde Park this weekend, I looked to get away from it all. However, after a calf injury four weeks ago and no running, I was apprehensive about whether I should race. I headed to Kent to do race 6 of the Ocean Lake Sprint.

Whilst racking I got some looks – well my bike did. Then I saw a Hyde Park wrist band – he had raced the day before: 17.50 5km split – one to watch I thought. Then I saw Dan Sim – Mr Rapid and frustrated that he’d got a flat the day before also – suddenly this was a race and not test.

I hit the swim hard and had a good gap by the first buoy. I can into T1 with about 30seconds lead and sub 10min splash. Out onto the two lap course I was settled in and soon noticed that Dan was close and 3 & 4 where back some way. This was extended further by the end of the second lap as Dan and myself came back in. I kept him close on the first 1km but then eased back to ensure that my calf didn’t go pop. On the second lap only 9 bikes had been racked so I thought I’d better lap a couple for fun 🙂

I came home 2nd overall. Fastest swim, 2nd fastest bike and 3rd fastest run – one more race before winter – hopefully I can get a couple more miles in before Sunday. Ideal race next season for anyone looking to get into sprint triathlon in a relaxed and cheap race’

As raced and reported by Mark Yeoman

“Where History is Made,” is how its website’s proclamation – and 5 Viceroys –  Colin Hinsley, Alex Rothwell, Alan Harris, Alan Clarke, Deon Coetzee sustained a gruelling training and racing schedule to qualify for the ITU World Championships Final at Hyde Park over the days of 13-15th September.

Colin is our first Viceroys to tell us about his sprint tri: ‘I  had a wonderful day….  very  anxious to start, then getting even more nervous (I had to go for a 2km run  before the start to burn off the nerves).  The swim was great, mixed it up  in the middle of the wave, drafting from start to finish – the nicest compliment  of the day was from my wife “I told my friends…. you’d come out in the  middle  – but you popped out towards the front”.

As the rain fell  down, I jumped onto my bike and was making good headway until my aero bar broke  off on a speed bump.  I then spent the next 2 laps gripping on for dear  life around every corner – with one hand holding the brake and the other holding  two aero bars.  After another lengthy run through transition, I thought I  had better make up for the easier than normal bike leg.  I kicked on into  the run, feeling better than usual and drilled the first km.  From that  point on, thankfully, I was spurred on by friends (and others) cheering – which  was a huge boost.  It was a special moment to cross the line and then enjoy  the banter with all the other athletes in the finishing pen – despite the  drizzle. Continue reading →

Lara and Colette headed to Dorney for the Diamond Triathlon – an Olympic Distance Race -and battled it out together. The race started with drama for Colette, as she was just minutes away from missing it, still struggling to get her wet suit on as everyone entered the water! So, blood pressure through the roof and adrenaline pumping the race began…

Lara remembers: ‘I managed to hold onto Colette’s toes on the swim (literally sometimes – sorry Colette!) We exited in the first group other than one girl who was way out in front. I had a super fast transition and exited T1 second, despite falling over taking my wetsuit off and crashing into the barrier trying to get on my bike with calf cramp!’ Colette’s transition was much more leisurely as she calmed down from her dramatic start and a wide swim which had added a few extra metres to her 1500m.

So, on to the bike and 8 laps of Dorney Lake. Colette ‘felt all was going well until the wind got up and then bang, like cycling though treacle. Continue reading →

Challenge Henley, Half Ironman distance was taken on by Yann and Peter this weekend… yes, Yann who reported his first triathlon at the beginning of this season!

Peter Bell begins the story of his challenge:

‘Last weekend saw my first venture into longer distance triathlons at the wonderful Challenge Henley event. I had hoped that my training this year (targeted at Olympic distance events) would see me through the event ok – how naive I was!

Race day started cold and misty – that was a surprise and shock to many of the competitors. In fact the starts were delayed about 15 minutes in the hope the mist would rise. But it was still pretty murky when I entered the Thames for the start of my wave. I’ve never seen so much bedlam at the start of a race – arms and legs flying everywhere for the first few hundred metres until the river widened out a bit. After that is was a fairly uneventful swim…and I just focussed on the technique we’d learned from Mark in the open water sessions. I got out in just over my target time of 36 minutes and into the change tent after I’d found my T1 transition bag.’ Continue reading →

Viceroys Kate, Jon, Nicola and Lisa travelled to Blenheim Palace to take part in the nationwide ‘Swim Britain’, a series of team relays to encourage the nation to get swimming. The target was 4000m per team, with each team member swimming 4x250m legs.

After losing their weakest member Kate to (ex) Wimbledon Ladies RFC team and picking up a ringer from the crowd who had just come to support (a bridesmaid that photographer Jon had met at a wedding a couple of months previously), Viceroys were feeling confident and the race was on. Viceroys’ opposition however, included a swim coach, an ex GBR age group triathlete and another third swimmer who could match either of her team mates (and Kate).

Jon ‘zig-zag’ Tennant swam hard, trying to keep a straight line and even managed to lose his swim hat on one leg; he was soon shown up though by the Viceroy ladies, as Lisa ‘whippet’ Yeoman (fastest 250m at 05:10 and fastest 1000m at 21:17) and Nicola ‘mysmartcoach prodigy’ Jordan swam the team to a 2 minute victory over the Wimbledon Ladies RFC team. Go Viceroys!

The conditions on the day Saturday’s Bushy Park run were perfect: warm, dry and still. The enormous field, over 1000 runners consisted of four Viceroys competing for the inaugural club 5k running championship. After a season of coached track sessions and lake side runs, our 4 fastest: Alex Rothwell, Andrew Tugwell, Peter Bell and Tim Ferguson, took advantage of the conditions to all set new personal bests. 

Pete Bell had awoken that morning knowing victory was well nigh impossible – he woke up with a sore throat and aching muscles on Thursday and was still suffering… even his attempts to sabotage the event for his competitors had failed. Pete’s ally Anna (at his suggestion) had told competitors that the dress code was tri suits, helmets and flip flops – but alas, no-one fell for this. Continue reading →

‘After starting my triathlon career with Ironman Wales last year, my aim for 2013 was to fill in the blanks with a super sprint and sprint at Dorney then this weekend’s Olympic at Reading. The day was well organised, the lake lovely and I’m happy with the result (10th in AG) BUT this isn’t one for a PB.  The bike is long (44k I think) and on open roads.  I got stuck behind a car a few times, there’s a full stop right turn on both laps and a couple of hairy hairpins (there was a pretty bad crash today) The run is great for spectators as its 6 laps off road round a lake but it does make it tough to spot someone to keep pace with as by lap 3 or 4 everyone racing is out there. If anyone knows a closed road Olympic for next year I’d love to hear (8 laps of Dorney is a boring prospect!)

Joel’s biggest lesson from this race?’ I made a BIG race mistake!  Taped one energy gel to the bike for lap two and stuck one in my running shoe to grab in T2.  Forgot about that one, remembered half way into lap one but had a bloke breathing down my neck so couldn’t stop.  Nice blisters on my toes after 10k with a gel stuck in my shoe; not to be recommended!’

As raced and reported by Joel Stainton

Saturday 31st saw our potential superstar Erica Hawley take part in the final BTF youth series race at Dorney Lake. The atmosphere was electric as the day was full of racing from Tri Star events in the morning up to U20 ÉTU continental cup race with all the best U20 athletes around the world doing their final preparation for the forthcoming worlds in Hyde Park. Erica has been working hard over the summer to increase her speed.

Going three minutes after the boys, the swim was fast and long and the series leaders where out in front from the go. Erica exited towards the back of the second group and a narrow T1 saw her lose touch with the key pack. She rallied hard and never gave up. –  she rode with a few weaker cyclist but intelligently she opened a gap into T2. Flying out like a rocket with one of the faster T2 times Erica looked to run harder than ever. She pulled back many places and set a course PB by around 1.30 and ran 10.30 for 2.5km and only 30seconds off the same time the winning girl did. An amazing performance and lessons continually learnt.

As reported by MySmartCoach Mark Yeoman