WHEN: Starts 25th November 2024 until 23rd of February 2025
WHAT: Everyone needs a little motivation during the winter months and what better way to motivate yourself than compete against your fellow VTC club mates?
Swim, bike and run weekly challenges will be announced every Sunday and you have until the following Sunday to complete them, sometimes as a team and sometimes individually.
There’s no ‘i’ in Team 🙂
WHERE: Some challenges are done in specific locations, some you can do in the comfort of your own home (equipment permitting), and some on the roads/trails wherever you wish.
WHAT”S NEXT: Find a buddy* and send both your details and team name to 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛@𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦. Final date for team registration is the 23rd of November.
Be ready for some fun with friends…
PRIZES FOR THE TOP 3 TEAMS!
* If you’d like us to find a team mate for you, pop us an email and we’ll work our matching up magic!
Event: Vichy European Sprint Triathlon 2024 Date: 21st September 2024
What a difference a year makes!
Pontevedra September 2023 – Fractured Pelvis DNF
Vichy September 2024 – Finished!
The day started early just as the sun was rising over a calm flat Allier River. Bikes had been racked the night before, all that was required was to set out my transition space and then make our way to the start!
The swim was a deep water start with one hand on the pontoon, rhythm of heartbeats blaring over the speakers…. With only 3 mins between each wave, there was very little time to acclimatise, I was still swishing some water into my wetsuit when I heard – “On your marks, BANG!” and we were off into the river reflecting the golden sunrise.
The anticlockwise course was a massive help as I’m a left side breather. I have worked hard this year on technique and focusing on relaxing. Not only did I swim an efficient route, (usually I get my money’s worth on the swim visiting all sorts of attractions on route to the exit), it felt comfortable. Surprisingly I came out of the water further up than I could ever have hoped for.
The first 3 waves (F50, F55 & F60+) went off with nearly an hour gap before the next waves, which was perfect as we didn’t suffer the red mist fuelled younger men overtaking on bikes, as I had experienced at the 2023 Worlds.
T1: Not a lot to say, I knew exactly where my bike was and went straight to it – helmet, glasses and shoes on, run to find the mount line….did I say the mount lines were not in place before our wave!?
Cycle was 3 laps, despite this being a drafting race, I came out onto the course on my own working hard to catch and overtake cyclists. Eventually, I had another Brit for company, who initially took turns. It became apparent I was the strongest cyclist and on the final lap was left to lead (possibly they had a good race strategy, but annoying for me).
T2: I overshot the entrance to T2 and the two cyclists behind me entered transition first…doh!
I came out of transition on the run, chasing and overtaking, it felt relaxed and a good pace. This continued until I reached the river with 300m, and three right angle bends to go, when I discovered I had to find another gear in a sprint for the line. Dipping at the line but I wasn’t convinced it was enough. The official results were not published until the evening, so it was a long wait to discover my dip had done the trick!
9th at the Europeans – I’ll take that!
The very best thing about triathlons is the people and with multiple elements, you can usually find a positive… whether the run was good or even that your transition was faster than your competitors – and yes there is usually an element or two you think you could improve on. But I can honestly say this time I had an absolutely storming race, achieving way more than I thought could. One very happy Granny!
Worth noting, my planned pre-race fuel of fish pie and peas was a bit of a linguist disaster, for future I now know nothing complicated is required as all I need is a pile of mashed potato and peas!!!!
Special thanks to Rob the bike butler and my 87 year old Dad who walked many miles around Vichy to support his mad daughter. Thankfully this year didn’t include a visit to the local A&E!
When I booked in late summer, I thought Hever would make a nice finish to the UK race season, but torrential rain in the lead up to the event had me questioning the wisdom of my decision. Thankfully, the sun was forecast to return for the weekend of the races and, even though it was never likely to make a difference to the bracing 17 degrees water temperature, it was great to be racing in the dry especially as I’d recklessly signed up to the Olympic distance so was expecting to be out on the course for quite some time.
As it transpired, I needn’t have concerned myself with the water temperature as the wettest September on record at Hever resulted in the swim being cancelled. Disappointing, but the flip side was an extra hour in bed as my start time was also pushed back.
The event was well organised and, despite the still wet conditions underfoot and some changes to the race format and route, there was a fun and friendly atmosphere throughout. The course is very picturesque, meandering through the undulating Kent countryside and the beautiful grounds of Hever Castle. A bit over my target of 3 hours after my 11:00 start, I’d soon enough finished the 5km run/40km bike/10km run.
In all, a good day out but lesson learned that you’re taking a chance with the weather in late September. After the race, I didn’t hang around to check out the merch or food stands, but if they were anything on par with the photography (£15 for a single digital print) then it would have been pricey. And as a consequence, you and I will have to make do with this rather bad selfie.
How it started Whilst in the final weeks of preparation for my 100km Ultra I received a message from a friend asking if I was doing the UCI race the week after my run. My initial reaction was not printable but then after a few moments of thinking time, I agreed to go if he wanted to do it! So, a new challenge was born!
Clearly,
the aim was to get round this year rather than qualify for an AG World Champs
place. Would my body recover enough from the previous week’s Ultra to make this
possible? I wasn’t sure, but I was up for giving it a go!
The course The race begins around Brenig reservoir, where the initial ascent, a 1.2km climb at an average gradient of 4%, awaits after 6km on the reservoir’s north side. The initial climb is designed to fragment the peloton. Subsequently, at the 14km mark on each lap, riders encounter a second comparable ascent, stretching 1.3km with an average gradient of 6.2%. Nestled between these climbs is a brief 100m incline, boasting an average gradient of 28%. Throughout the course, elevation fluctuates between 300 and 470m above sea level and is never flat. With a cumulative elevation gain exceeding 2000m, this course presents a formidable challenge to all participants and at 112km, adds up to the official qualifier distance for the UCI Gravel World Championships.
The race The weekend before the race our campsite booking was cancelled due to a flood, this proved to be a sign of things to come! Luckily, we found alternative accommodation in an Airbnb in nearby Ruthin that wasn’t fully booked. After arriving on Saturday afternoon, we went for a walk to stretch our legs and found ourselves in a thunder and lightning storm. Everything was pointing towards a very wet race! The weather forecast for race day was rain, rain and more rain and led to many entrants not even making the start line.
6:00
– Time to get up, pack the van and sort the Airbnb out. No rain!
7:00
– 30-minute drive to the venue and then 30 minutes looking for a layby to park
in.
8:00
– Spin down to registration to sign on and check out the first few km of the
course, find the bag drop location and time for a coffee before cycling back to
the van to get kitted up.
10:00
– Final kit choices made. Is it going to rain, rain or rain? Then spin back
down to the start to get into our pens to await the start.
11:00
– Race starts with the usual frantic dash up a gravel hill before a 5km road
section where groups formed before we hit some single track and things spread
out a little. One ambulance with 2 crash victims already! Still no rain.
13:30
– After a steady 2.5 hours I’m feeling ok, fuelled with a 40g carb gel every 30
minutes washed down with a bottle of water, I get to the end of lap 1 and it’s
still mainly dry.
13:35
– RAIN!! Finally, the scheduled rain came just after I had passed the
start/finish area. I have never raced in rain this heavy before. It was
character building for sure and never stopped for the rest of the event!!
16:00
– Another 2.5 hours of grinding, sticking to the same fuelling strategy,
battling through the rain/mud and the end is in sight (kind of, as not much to
see through my muddy Oakley’s!) so I sit up and cruise whilst letting a rider
catch me up only to find he is in my category so I get to do a sprint (for a
lowly 37th) at the end. Just what I needed to bring an epic race to an end!!
17:00
– Back in the van for the long journey back.
22:30
– Home after a long, challenging, but enjoyable day out!
How it ended!! To summarize, I had a great weekend away with friends and even though I wasn’t in any fit state to perform, I really enjoyed the race from a slightly different viewpoint. It’s amazing what the body can do when you focus on getting something done!!
Fancy dress 10k with wine stops, live music, cheese and
biscuits along the route plus a hog roast and party at the end…? Sign me up!
The Bacchus Wine 10k/half marathon is THE place to have the
funniest day out wearing your best fancy dress outfit. A bunch of us decided to
sign up and make a day of it…I was due to go as Little Bo Peep but not only had
I lost my sheep, I had lost the outfit as well. So I ended up doing my best to
recreate an 80s fitness instructor with a few items I had lying around.
We made it to the start line just as the rain started (that didn’t help with my bright pink heart shaped glasses!). But we giggled and laughed as we made our way through the beautiful vineyards, rolling hills, and a bit of mud before we reached our first stop.
The rain had stopped and the sun shone brightly on us. A tipple of red or white wine, a selection of cheeses (including vegan) plus a handful of crackers were on offer so we tucked in! With a few sips whilst enjoying the view we then made our way once more. A few more (steep) hills later, we reached the second stop. More wine and snacks!
A few more even steeper hills and we had made it to the top only to find a wonderful sign saying… “all downhill from here.” We flew down those hills and made it in one piece to our third and final stop where we danced for a bit to the live music, having another tipple with some sweets, donuts and chocolate eclairs! Yummy.
With only 500m to go, we were cheered across the finish line, each with our name kindly read aloud by the MC. What a lovely finish to a fab “race.”
After collecting our medals and T-shirts we cheered on the
remaining group before heading to the party tent. We gobbled down our
complementary tipple of choice (wine or beer) with a hog roast burger then
raved our way around the party tent to the 90s old skool Ibiza classics! What a
bangin party!!
I can’t recommend this enough if you’re looking for a fun filled event with loads of dancing en route and at the end. Who’s joining me next year?!
Welcome to the Viceroys October Newsletter where we highlight all the main events, news and things you need to know! But as with every month, before we get into October, let’s take a look at the best bits from September.
Our VTC Fun Relay, as always, was a complete hit! Not competitive at all ;-). And a huge shout out goes to Marit for organising all the teams. We also had our end of season party at Nick’s beautiful house (thank you to Nick for hosting and Marit and Fi for organising), and it was lovely to see so many of you there enjoying the company and burgers.
Our Friday Track sessions were also given the go ahead to continue throughout the year and we’ve had a great turnout so far, despite the earlier start time of 18:00. To keep everyone injury free over the winter, Coach Ralph is alternating the sessions between a normal track session and a strength/conditioning session. As always, all levels are welcome and accommodated for. Remember to Sign Up in the VTC app.
And finally, we’ve had an amazing series of Race/Event Reports (catch up here) featuring the Thames Path 100km Ultra Run, The ROC England, VTC Club Relay, The Brutal Extreme Full Distance Triathlon, Ironman Copenhagen and the North Downs Ultra 50 Challenge. If you’ve done a race or event recently, we’d love to hear about it, so please get in touch with Sheena via the VTC app to share.
So let’s get to it then, here is EVERYTHING (well almost everything) you need to know…
ZWIFT TT SERIES Every Wednesday 18:00 Location: The comfort/discomfort of your bike seat
Currently a group ride or workout each week. When we have a good size group showing interest the race series will be set up again.
If you would like to take part and are not a member of the VTC Zwift club, please request it on the VTC app ‘Zwift TT Series’ chat and Carl will arrange access.
All levels are welcome and accommodated for. Sign Up in the VTC app.
🎃 HALLOWEEN FUN RIDE 🎃 Sunday 27th October Start Location: Cowey Sale Car Park Time: 8am
Get your spooky costume on and come join us for our inaugural Halloween ride.
Starting at 8am from the usual Cowey Sale meeting point, the plan is to have an easy ride around the nearest Surrey hills, taking in some local ghost stories at points along the route. Finishing in a pub in the Walton area.
If you can’t join us for the ride then swing by the pub after! Sign Up in the VTC app.
SANTACHARITY FUN RUN Sunday 8th December Location: Bushy Park
To kick us off in the Christmas spirit, we are entering the Princess Alice Hospice Santa Fun run at Bushy Park on Sunday 8th December.
Run, walk or even skip the 5km in your festive fancy dress with fellow VTC club members all whilst raising money for the local hospice.
Entry cost is £25 which includes a FREE SANTA OUTFIT – there is an Early Bird discount of 20% off right now so don’t delay! Fundraising or donation is requested in addition to the entry fee.
Bring the family, wheelchair and buggy friendly! And don’t forget to Sign Up in the VTC app.
NAUGHTY LITTLE ELF CHRISTMAS RIDE Sunday 15th December Start Location: Cowey Sale Car Park Time: 10am (although some groups may go earlier)
Another excuse to get dressed up, this time with a Christmas theme. This used to be simply a case of wrapping a bit of tinsel on your bike, but everyone has really stepped up with the level of wardrobe imagination in the last few years!
We normally roll out at a leisurely pace, taking in a fairly short route around Windsor Great Park and return to the Red Lion (Walton) for drinks at noon.
It’s one of the only group rides on which motorists beep us in a positive manner! So hopefully we can bring out some more festive cheers with a great turnout of sparkling costumes.
If you can’t join us for the ride then swing by the pub after! Sign Up in the VTC app.
VTC Naughty Elf Ride 2023
2025 EVENTS – LET US KNOW WHAT YOU’RE UP TO!
You look down at the blue carpet. Everything before this point in time seems insignificant, and everything after seems impossible. And then it’s over and you want to do it all again! So…
Where will you be at 7.15am on 1st June 2025? Maybe you are ready to jump the 3m above the cold turbulent water from the edge of the deck of the Hornblower San Francisco Belle. Into an abyss of shark folklore… Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon
Where will you be at 8.00am on 4th October 2025? Maybe you are in freezing black water of Loch Leven ready to finish the last of three ROC’s and over 4000ft of elevation. And get back. THE ROC TRILOGY
Where will you be at 7.00am on 31st August 2025? Maybe you’re alongside several super keen VTC friends on the edge of a lake full of drinking quality glacial water at the foot of the Austrian Alps. IRONMAN 70.3 Zell am See-Kaprun
Where will you be at 7.30am on 19th July 2025? Maybe you’re looking at the warm Dorney water wondering whether you can swim without the help of a wetsuit, whether trisuits are really flattering, whether you’ve remembered everything in transition… Eton Dorney Family Triathlon
Where will you be? Well now is the time to get your ass in gear and do something about it!
Similar to this year, we would like to add everyone’s 2025 events to the VTC app calendar, this allows others to see events that they may not have thought of doing or see that other VTC members are doing the same event. Plus it gives us the chance to cheer you on! So please let us know your event details in the ‘2025 Races’ chat room on the VTC app and we will add them to the calendar.
Sign up, plan, train. You CAN do it!
2025 CLUB EVENTS
We’d love to hear some suggestions from our members on events that we could do as a club in 2025. Of course, some of our favourites will still be running but we always like to hear your suggestions.
Examples and suggestions we’ve already received include: – Start of Season Ride – Fish & Chip Ride to Brighton – Bacchus Wine Half Marathon & 10km (Denbies Wine Estate) – Retro Jersey Ride – Club Championship Triathlon – Level Water 24hr Swim – Night of the 10,000m PB’s – Isle of Wight Ride – Club Relay – Halloween Ride – Naughty Elf Ride – End of Season Party – Boxing Day Swim
COMMITTEE 2025
Before the end of the year, we will be sending out committee nomination forms for VTC Club Members to vote on at the 2025 AGM. You can nominate yourself or talk to someone you think should be nominated.
If you want to get involved in the committee and running of the club, this is a surefire way to do it! We meet regularly, about every couple of months, and usually at a local pub!
Every committee position is up for re-election, no existing Committee Member takes for granted that they will be wanted year in, year out!
Then there’s the AGM. It’s a great place to share ideas, give feedback, meet fellow triathletes and cyclists. Also, usually at a local pub.
The Committee Members also catch up with each other at club events. There’s usually a gaggle of them downing cans in the car park after each Friday track.
Have you spotted at theme yet!?
So keep an eye on your inbox and the VTC app for the nomination forms.
Whilst doing a smaller challenge to run 5km a day for 50 days at the end of last year, I got inspired to step way out of my comfort zone and signed up for a 100km Ultra Marathon!! Apparently, you have to ‘run it’ rather than ‘jog it’ if you do it in less than 14-hours.
Having been a cyclist for many years, running is not something that my legs appreciate but I did manage a marathon at the end of my Ironman last year so how hard could it be, right?
Training diary as told by my social media posts!!
April 230km Safe to say that converting from a cyclist to a runner is not going to be an easy journey! 20 weeks to go…
May 240km The conversion from a cyclist to a runner seems to be getting harder as time goes by!! 16 weeks to go…
June 265km Injuries to back and both legs, another back injury from a running fall and wrecked toes. Hopefully, July will be smoother and get me back on track! 11 weeks to go…
July 240km Massive improvement to back and leg injuries by replacing some runs with walks. Catching Covid whilst finishing the 100 Cycling Climbs challenge didn’t hinder the plan too much! 6 weeks to go…
August 260km An injury free month so all set assuming that my back holds out on the big day!! 2 weeks to go…
September 14th 100.75km 11 hours 36 minutes 6:55 / km Challenge completed! That was one tough day out, but thanks to lots of support from friends I got it done. 49th Male solo runner from 709 starters so very pleased with that!!
Obviously, the challenge of running 5km a day continued up to the event and I ended up with a 319 day streak and over 2,000km of running in 2024!!
What’s next?! Ideas for next year’s challenge welcome!!
1.5km swim Lake Windermere > 46km cycle > 18km run/walk Scafell Pike > 46km cycle > 1km run
We knew exactly what was coming and mentally it made this race very difficult because after last year, we said we would not do it again but here we were, back in the Lake District ready to face up the mountain…again!
This time was a little different as we were missing 2 of our original ROC crew but Lara and I knew we just had to get it done. Game time!
Race morning wasn’t as smooth as one would have hoped with Lara’s cold not getting any better and instead of coffee she had to have Lemsip, and me panicking at the race start because I forgot my cycling sunglasses and had to borrow Chris’s (Thank you!) for the bike leg.
Swim started the same as last year, ouch ouch ouch over the stones but the water temp was good and we were pretty much high-fiving each other all the way to the second buoy when for whatever reason people decided breaststroke was a cool stroke to do during a race. Lara got bashed about a bit and we lost sight of each other but as I got into transition she was swiftly behind me and ready to hit the first bike leg. Quick fist pump and positive reassurance that we are in it together, off we went!
All was good until I dropped my chain on a climb, lost Lara, and wasn’t sure if I could continue because the chain was stuck. After a bit of bashing about, and a few swear words, I got back on the bike. Arriving at T2 and seeing Lara smile I knew she had a good bike leg and managed to avoid the discomfort and pain she was in last year.
Trainers and mountain bag on, off we went to summit Scafell Pike. It was hot, insanely hot in the valley, and as we started climbing Lara started to feel worse with her cold and my stomach felt like it was going to explode. One foot in front of the other and Lemsip washed down with electrolyte water (for Lara), we got to the first flat bit and thought we wouldn’t be too sad if we missed the 6km cutoff and couldn’t summit. That didn’t happen, we got to the checkpoint with 20 minutes to spare which meant it was time for Percy Pigs to help us power through what was to come.
The last 2km is HARD! but we got to the summit. A quick look up to take on the views, photo, smile, and off we went back down. This is where my mind struggled because I knew I could do the mountain and be okay but the 2nd bike leg broke me last time so instantly negative chat started in my head and the feelings I experienced last year rushed back. Powered by positive chats with Lara and a few other people who overtook us, we made it down. Got to T3 and I said, “Oh Lara look, there are other bikes here as well, we are not the last this time,” followed by a response from her, “Let’s go and catch the others, come on!”
On the bike, final push, and my goodness me what a push it was! Grateful for Lara’s power bum and legs, dragging me all the way from T3 to T4. It was hilarious, whenever she saw another competitor she just said “Let’s go, we can catch them, one more” and she would put her head down and I would try to hold on to her wheel as if my life depended on it. Even though there were times when Lara soft-pedalled (I know you did :D) we overtook so many people on our way back it was insane!
Utterly exhausted but empowered after getting to the end of the bike together we dismounted to the cheers from Chris and other people there. Last transition, trainers on and off we went for our 1km trail loop, chatting away and laughing at what a rollercoaster of a day we had had.
We started together and we finished together! It wasn’t the same with Laurence and Lance not being there but I was super chuffed with our performance (and for me not crying this time!)
Event: VTC Club Relay Woking Sprint Triathlon | Fullsteam Date: 15th September 2024 Team Members: Anna Bartholomew & Sarah Riches
Pre-Race
I was excited and a little nervous going into my first-ever
triathlon, particularly because I was part of a relay team and responsible for
the final leg—the 5km run. I knew the pressure would be on to finish strong
after my teammates swam and cycled, and I wanted to make sure I gave my best
effort for our team.
The morning of the race was a mix of adrenaline and nerves. We arrived at the race site early, Anna had already checked us in, so we were able to set up in the transition area and chat about our plan of action. Being new to the club and given that it was my first ever experience of a triathlon event, it was nice that it was as part of a larger organised club event and I was able to meet so many friendly faces from the club which calmed my nerves for sure!
Race Start: Swim and Bike Legs
As the race kicked off, I watched through the window into the swimming pool as Anna started our relay team off in the water. As swimmers started making their way to T1 the buzz and the cheering were electric. Anna swam a solid leg, and as she came running to us, I could feel my heart rate rising. The transition from swim to bike went smoothly, and soon, Sarah was off on the bike course. During this time, I tried to stay loose, stretched a bit, and made sure I had everything ready—running shoes tied, race bib in place. I had been pacing nervously, waiting for Sarah to come in from the bike leg. However, during this period I was able to observe all the solo triathletes setting up for their event, which made me realise all the planning and preparation needed to do so so that your transitions go as smoothly as possible.
The Run Leg (5km)
Finally, we saw Sarah approaching the transition area. Anna
removed the timing chip from Sarah’s ankle, transferred it to mine and I immediately
took off. The first few hundred meters my adrenaline had spiked from the
handoff and my legs seemed like they had forgotten how to run but once the
feeling wore off, I was able to find a sustainable pace.
The course was relatively flat, barring one slight incline
which became more prominent as the laps went on. I could feel my legs start to
settle into a rhythm around the 1km mark. The support from the club and
volunteers along the route was great—it really helped keep me motivated. At one
point, I passed a few other relay runners, which gave me a confidence boost.
By the halfway point, I was feeling strong but knew I needed to save something for the final push. My teammates were out there cheering me on, which made me dig even deeper. The last kilometre was tough, but I could hear everyone at the finish line, and it gave me that extra energy to push through.
Finish Line and Team Celebration
As I approached the finish line, I could see everyone from
the club there cheering loudly. I gave everything I had in the last stretch and
crossed the finish line with a huge sense of accomplishment, especially after
doing a PB. We had done it—completed our first triathlon as a team!
We gathered near the finish area, congratulating each other and sharing the excitement of what we’d just accomplished. It was an amazing feeling to be part of a relay team, knowing we each played a crucial role in our overall performance.
Post-Race Reflection
Looking back, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience
in my first triathlon relay. The camaraderie, the atmosphere, and the shared
goal of crossing that finish line together made the whole day unforgettable.
The run leg was tough but manageable, and I was proud of the effort I put in to
help our team finish strong.
Now that I’ve gotten a taste of triathlon, I can see why people get hooked! I think I’m now ready to experience my first solo triathlon!
The Brutal is an Ironman-distance triathlon with 3,700m of climbing in the rugged and beautiful Eryri/Snowdonia mountains. I signed up for this race with some friends from university about 8 months ago, excited to take on the challenge having never actually completed a triathlon longer than a sprint distance.
In May, I had a
bike crash at another race and tore my iliacus muscle in my hip in two places.
I had just under four months to go from being bed-bound to trying to complete
an Ironman. Luckily, I absolutely love procrastinating in all aspects of life
and with sport, so thoroughly enjoyed the training process.
On the 6th of September, I set out to travel there via train, cycling and carshares. Despite some traffic, all was fine and after the race briefing, we settled down around 23:00 for not-so-relaxing sleep. Race morning required a 04:15 wakeup and tasteless breakfast before heading through the dark streets towards Llanberis. Nerves were overtaken by time-pressured efficiency, and with just enough time for a group photo and some nervous jokes, we entered the 14°C water.
Failing to hear
the start gun and (stupidly) messing around with my watch, I had a messy
sub-optimal start. However, with about 200 competitors, the water wasn’t too
crowded and I gradually moved forward. My race plan was to take the swim a fair
bit harder than the bike or run, given it is much shorter. I let the
competitive impulsions motivate me to overtake others one at a time and
eventually was at the front of the chase pack. After 2 laps, we had to get out
(for a safety check) and run a short distance before re-entering Llyn Padarn. I
made the most of this and sprinted away to head off for the final half alone.
There were still quite a few swimmers ahead and I was tiring but managed to
hold a decent pace and admire the multicoloured sunrise appearing over the
mountains. Out of the water, I jogged to transition, accompanied by some
supporting friends who informed me I was the first woman out the water and
after a speedy transition, the first competitor overall starting the bike
course.
Alas, this was
short lived as other athletes whizzed past me like I was standing still during
the first lap of the 45km course. Two smaller climbs preceded the mega Nant
Gwynant (white brook) climb that finished at Pen-y-Pass (head of the pass). My
nutrition plan consisted of my mum’s flapjacks, bananas and peanuts from aid
stations and a maple syrup/salt energy drink. Questionable, I know, but it
worked for me.
It was strange
doing a race where I was trying to ensure I went slow enough, not as fast as I
could. Traffic lights and aid station stops provided quite a few interesting
chats with other competitors and volunteers. My favourite was a man called “Mr
Tumble” who had a 6-person support van driving ahead every 5km or so to
cheerlead like wild when he passed but ended up also cheering me on as I went
back-and-forth with Mr Tumble countless times.
After 2 laps
most of the half-distance triathletes had left the course and the roads became
much emptier. The electrifying mountain descents provided stimulation, but my
mind began to despair. How would I finish this? I had so long left. My knees
and head ached, I couldn’t expand my lungs fully to breathe and felt sick. Was
I even enjoying this? I forced myself to look at the mountains. To smile at the
other athletes and think of all the people who would love to be in my position
right now. I also reminded myself of the £335 race fee. Eventually, I rolled
down the mountain for a 4th time and into Llanberis for T2.
I set off for
the 3x 8km laps around the same lake we swam in at an easy pace, I looked down
at the 5:15/km pace on my watch and in elation bounced onwards. By the aid
station at the halfway point, this had dropped and then I was onto the
undulating trails with hills steep enough to reduce me to a defeated walk. By
lap 2, my pace had dropped down to 5:45/km and by lap 3 this was again down to
6:15/km. As I took some food and water from the ceaselessly cheerful volunteers
and ate/drank while walking up yet another hill, the sun began to set. My
friends had now all finished the half-distance race and had gone home to shower
and eat but would be coming back to see my finish. All that stood between me
and them was Snowdon.
A short medical
brief and check and I headed off with my mountain rucksack now on. The route
was up and down the tourist path, which begins with some cruel >20%
sections. Mind exhausted, I could just about smile and say nothing but ‘thank
you’ to the people descending the path who asked what race was going on or
moving to the side to let me stagger past. After the slowest 4km of my life,
the sun finally bade goodbye and left an auburn horizon to burn out as I
reached the first medic check. Headtorch on, I continued into the inky abyss
with only the 10m in front of me and distant lights on the mountain for
reference. The mist now obscured anything further than 10m from view, so it was
just me and the ground below. Eventually I saw another red light – the summit
was here! And then I was informed that this was actually the second medical
check. The eternal upward crawl continued. Finally, I did reach the summit,
although it had been moved 50m further down for visibility reasons.
I turned tale,
unable to enjoy the non-existent mountain top view and picked up a cautious jog
down the mountain. Weaving my way down the scree slopes, I stumbled a few times
and struggled to pick out the path. But I had a renewed vigour and was forced to
concentrate on my feet to avoid tumbling down the mountain. I walked when
terrain got technical, but apart from that, it was the thought of my friends in
the cold, waiting for me at the bottom and my family and friends at home, who
only had the race timings to know of my progress that kept me moving forward.
Slow, but enjoying the adrenaline rush of the isolation and challenge, I
finally made it back to tarmac and streetlights. I turned into the race area
where my friends shouted and jogged me into the finishing straight. In a time
of 15:59:56 and some incredible highs and lows, it was over. I came 2nd women
(out of 4) and 9th overall (out of 54) and enjoyed some time on the floor.
Sadly, this is the last ever year of the Brutal so there is no point in recommending it to friends/enemies. However, the Brutal are a super friendly and helpful community that organise other insane endurance challenges, so check them out if you are interested!
