British Triathlon National Team Relay Triathlon Championships
11th August 2007, Nottingham National Watersport Centre.
Never have I been both competitor and spectator to a single race.
Nor have I ever shouted myself horse during a race before.
But the British Triathlon National Team Relay Triathlon Championships, more simply called the ClubRelay, is not like any other race.
The ClubRelay involves a four man (or women) team covering a 1600m swim, 60km bike and 20k run. With each of the four team members taking it in turn to swim 400m, then bike 15k then run 5k. No individual transitions on this one just 11 hand overs instead.
It's also quite a large event. There were best part of four hundred teams entered, with the ladies and mixed teams racing in the morning and the male teams in the afternoon.
We had one team entered from Tri-Anglia. An all male team of Andy Walpole, Joe Skipper, Andy Bolden and myself, Rob Lines. Other clubs were out in force with as many as seven teams. With 1600 competitors, plus spectators, loud music, PA systems, good weather and BBQs there was a real party atmosphere.
I had the privilege of being our opening man. That meant that I got to start in the water against the other 200 teams. It was a fast and I think I was fairly well up there. It's all a little too chaotic to be able to tell for sure. I'd started on the front line, no-one swam over me, but come the first turn I definitely wasn't at the front. Oh and it was a sprint the whole way. Up onto the beach and then leg it to the hand over point. I thought to take off my red hat and goggles to give Andy B a bit of a chance to spot me as running towards 180 blokes all in black wetsuits, white hats and goggles I had no chance of picking him out and after a high five tag he was running into the water.
Whilst Andy B was in the water fighting with pain from a recurring shoulder injury I had time to spectate and get myself ready for my bike leg. It seemed to both take forever and also no time at all before I was standing in cycle gear shouting at Andy W for him to tag me at the end of his swim to get the bike leg started.
Three laps each of the regatta course on the bike. Fast and flat with four 90 degree bends. At least it would have been fast if there had not been a strong head wind on the back straight. The bends could be taken fast. 25mph on a couple if you were brave enough. Joe found out the hard way that 30mph wasn't realistic and his re-arrangement of the security barriers was his mark on the event - fortunately he landed on something soft - grass and was able to continue.
The run then had each of us completing yet another lap of the regatta course - this time in the opposite direction (clockwise). This lap involved a little bit of off road and a couple of little inclines. I'm sure that it was more than 5k. It certainly felt it. It's also one of the hardest 5k courses I've run. I'm going to be bold and say it's even harder than the Lord Mayors 5k course. Two long straight sides of a regatta course to run up is a bit soul destroying. It's really hard to feel like you are making progress. The second of the sides, the home straight was into the wind, you can see the finish (just) as you turn the corner but you're still a mile away from it. It was nice being the opening team member. As I was done now and could watch Andy B, Joe and Andy W complete their runs.
Andy W probably put in out best run. In fact our team captain was almost certainly our fastest runner but the only splits that are provided are for the whole swim, whole bike and whole run. It is a very much a team triathlon the individual splits just don't matter. Andy Walpole brought us home in a time of 3:34:43 in 87th place just 40minutes off the winning (all sponsored) team of 2XU TFN.
Yes there were some fast teams there. Yes it is hard work as you want to put in 100% to do the best for your team mates. But it is fun. There's great camaraderie and a great atmosphere with the usual triathlon attitude of doing your best by participating is more important than winning which makes this event great for all levels of competitor.
I had a great day out and will certainly be looking to attend again. Thank you Andy for suggesting it and organising it.
Perhaps next year Tri-Anglia will have more than 1 team entered and make it a big club day out.
Results
Article by Rob Lines
Page created: 12th August 2007.
