Photo Album
1 km swim + 10k run
Name Swim Run Total
Sarah Hobbs 16:49 49:41 1:06:30 - 2nd lady
Billy Dyer 19:28 48:04 1:07:32
Steve scammell 21:24 47:42 1:09:06
Phil Hobbs 18:00* 57:21 1:15:21 (* 42 lengths)
500 m swim + 5k run
Name Swim Run Total
Louise Painting 9:22 29:56 39:18 - 2nd lady vet
Just as you were tucking into the Sunday roast after a morning of soaking up the sun in the garden the last of us was starting their run along the beach at Burnham. In summary a friendly local event and a goody back with a council baseball cap in it. Steve liked the cap so much I bet he slept in it.
I was lucky enough to start in the first wave of the morning with a strong Mad-tri contingent hurling stroke correction from the gallery. I had two other guys in the lane and they smartly declined the offer to go off in front. I subsequently went out of the traps like a possessed eel. I even managing 5 tumble turns before they lost their appeal. The first 3 were flawless examples of the art. On the fourth only one leg hit the wall and I shot under the opposing lane rope. On the last I missed the wall completely and from there on resorted to gasping for air at each turn. 10 lengths in and I woke up to the realization that I had left the rest of my lane behind but my best lengths has come and gone. 15 lengths in and someone was close behind. At last on 20 lengths my pursuer tapped my ankles to take over the lead. Ahhh bliss! drafting with the only effort being to keep my hands so wide that I don't tap the guy ahead and be put back in front. oh no! 38 lengths and no '2 to go board' - I've been here before. 40 lengths and the '2 to go board' comes out. At this point you can stop and grumble or swim and grumble. I chose the latter and exited the water 17:4? something and clocked leaving the building at 18:00 - very happy with that considering the extra bit.
Transition took an age. I had opted to swim in trunks so I had a very clingy top to get on before wrestling with socks and shoes. Fortunately I had secreted my heart rate band in the very small amount of spare space within my trunks so I just had to carefully whip that out once I was on my way. From the pool the run goes down a residential road, cross a zebra and onto the beach. The warm sun and lack of wind was bliss compared to the howling gales that have greeted us on previous years. The only down side being the fluffy sand that had dried out. Rather than run directly up the beach I deduced from the tracks left by the remainder of my wave that heading for the hard sand out to sea was the smart tactic.
The only thing to be said about Burnham beach is long. It is almost a relief to divert over the sand dunes until the powder sand makes it feel like your legs have been cut off. If the sand on the hills is mobile you can put lots of effort into going backwards. Having watched the survival programs I am prepared to fall flat on my face and belly crawl my way through but someone behind would use me as a boardwalk. If there was anyone behind that is. Eventually the footpath and golf course appear and it all gets very civilize for a while before back over the dunes to the beach and a very long trek for home which can not quite be seen in the distance. The only problem bring that this is only half way and I have to go and do it all over again.
A quick spin around the water stop and off up the beach I go. At this point Billy hits the beach after a blistering swim. He cruises past uttering the usual, I’m thrashing you but lets pretend I’m not, pleasantries. Once he is 20 yards ahead I pretend to have a conversation with Steve Scammell and Billy does a massive double take looks like his head is on backwards – sorry Billy. And then as planned Steve Scammell cruises past and for some strange reason heads off toward the sea. As I cunningly plot my straight line route to the finish over various beach flotsam I am convinced that I am closing in on Steve but it is soon exposed as an illusion. The two bright spots being reaching the finish and the boys having another lap to go.
By this time Sarah is out on the course and we watch her completing her first lap in third position but with the unlucky second lady in her sights. I think the red mist had descended and you can only have pity for the prey. First place was taken by Helen Parkinson (GB something) and Sarah was clear in second. Shortly after Louise came striding in to take 2nd vet in the shorter event.
Too long later and following lots of issue in the timing and results the Mayor, and someone else with a chain, on presented Sarah with first place. Helen P was not amused and following a lengthy kafuffle managed to secure the glass plaque to leave Sarah with a slightly smaller one. Bottles of wine for the girls and a long drive home.
Photos are on the web site.
www.mad- tri.com/Photoalb um_contents. aspx?Albumid= 43
See you at swimming on Saturday.
Phil.