Ironbridge Triathlon - July 2007
I'd been looking forward to this race with some trepidation for a number of reasons, something that wasn't at all helped by the weather conditions in the run up to the race weekend. I was nervous because it's a race that I hadn't done before, things always seem more daunting when you don't quite know what to expect. Especially when the event website calls it a 'testing' course! I was also wondering how I'd get on with a river swim, I'd never done one before. Would I be able to deal with the currents? How much difference would it make to my swim time and the amount of energy I had left for the rest of the race? Anyway, we went down to Ironbridge for the whole weekend, it's a great destination for a family weekend away. This meant I could go to registration on the Saturday and get an idea of what it would be like.
The swim was a 750m course in the River Severn. Due to the recent torrential rainfall, this was in serious doubt by Saturday afternoon. I will quite happily confess to standing looking at the brown, muddy, fast-flowing water and feeling no inclination to swim in it whatsoever. My daughter said it looked like the river of chocolate in Willie Wonka's factory; it did. I was hoping against hope that the swim would be cancelled. So, as rain continued to fall during the night and we awoke to rain on the morning of the race, my fervent wish was only strengthened. So, it was with great relief that I received the news that it had indeed been dropped in favour of a 1K run. Mind you, I'll have to enter next year now, this consitutes unfinished business! The 1K run merely ran from the start line, up to the entrance to rowing club and back down - this had to be completed twice. I expected to be last when I saw the tiny field. I was, but I can't say I was too bothered. I plodded along at my own pace in the rain and had peace in transition to sort myself out. My time for that first section was 06:35.
The cycle was a 25K slog up and down the hills of Ironbridge and the surrounding area - but then what else can you expect of a race beginning at the base of a gorge? I don't really mind hills, I might not be fast but I know I can grind them out and keep myself going no matter what. Basically, that's what I did. I even managed to overtake a few people going up hills. One poor lady totally lost momentum on the steepest part of the climb out of Ironbridge and simply keeled over sideways in slow motion! Thankfully she was fine. I must admit to wondering how I'd fare second time around once I'd hauled myself up there the first time, but it was okay. I even passed a few people who'd climed off their bikes and were wheeling them to the top. I was absolutely determined that wouldn't be me, I won't be beaten by a hill - and I wasn't. It is a hard bike corse, on a pleasant day it would probably be quite nice, but I enjoyed it anyway, hilly and very, very wet as it was. I'm glad I've been out training in all weathers, it enabled me to feel pretty confident in my bike's handling, even in very wet and slippery conditions. I completed this section of the race in 1:13:16. I was pretty pleased with that. My knees knew I'd done all that climbing!
The final run was 5K within the park, mostly flat, but decidedly wet and muddy and slippy. I went for caution on the grassy, muddy sections and tried to speed up a little whenever the footing was better. I felt pretty good, and was enjoying all the encouraging yells from my little boy each time I passed him. "Give it some welly, Mum" and "Get your fast legs on!" could probably have been heard in the next county - he's a cheering committee all on his own. Anyway, I completed the distance in 29:57. I was pleased with that in the circumstances.
This gave me an overall time of 1:49:48, a desire to come back for another go next year and the pleasure of discovering yet another well organised and cheerful fun2tri event. I would recommend this race so long as you have no great aversion to cycling on massive hills!
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