The Hathersage Hilly Triathlon!

I never imagined myself doing a triathlon, like ever.   I never thought I would have the time or dedication to achieve the skill or fitness levels required.  
But, after the brutal Macclesfield Forest Duathlon I managed to complete (#endure) in February, I decided to enter the Hathersage Hilly Triathlon, coerced once again by the hardcore (but lovely!) Amanda Skeldon! 

Ready for action!

On paper, the HH is a 420m pool swim in the Hathersage Lido, a 20 kilometre bike and a 7 kilometre run.  In reality it is indeed a 420m swim, but when the motto of the event is "It's not flat", you know its not going to be a straightforward road ride followed by a flat road run! Fortunately, as many of you will know by now, I much prefer hills to flat (#weirdo) so along with Amanda and our friend Jac, we entered and I thought, July - it's miles off, it will be FINE! 

Training

The girls - Reb, me, Amanda and Jac

So my training schedule included lots of hills which also fitted in well with my fell series races.  In April, I started to swim once a week in preparation for the swim phase.  I am naturally quite a strong swimmer but having never had lessons since school, I was completely hopeless at front crawl - I could go fast, but I was absolutely knackered after 2 lengths!  I decided to stop worrying about crawl and to focus on my breaststroke to get my swim fitness going and I started to swim around 1000m once a week.  

Amanda smiling as always!

After a few weeks I felt my breaststroke was getting stronger and improving my core strength, I was finding that after swimming, my lower stomach muscles would ache - this, I decided, was a great thing - I resolved to continue swimming after the triathlon.  But, even though I was improving in pace and hopefully strength, I really wanted to be able to do crawl like the "proper" triathletes! This was when I managed to persuade my friend Suzie - an amazing swimmer - to teach me how to crawl properly!

Suzie loves swimming and is a natural teacher.  Having learned to swim using the Total Immersion technique last June at New Mills Leisure Centre, it became apparent that she was a complete natural at it!  She regularly swims over 2k and is now a keen open water swimmer with her sights set on competing at some point in the future.  I am totally in awe of her - she is inspiring and I really looked forward to my "Suzie's Swim School" sessions!

cool, calm and collected...

We decided to start from the beginning with crawl using specific TI drills.  Progress was steady but after a few sessions I was loving the challenge and by my fourth or fifth session I was finally allowed on my front to try and master "full stroke".  Full stroke was really hard to master at first, with breathing being the main problem, but just before the triathlon I felt I was finally getting to a point where I could just get in and practice it, without having to do half an hour of drills to focus my legs (which don't quite understand how to slow down!).  For the HH I decided to stick to breaststroke, as I hadn't started to add any pace to my TI stroke and I was confident that I could complete the 420m distance in around 9 minutes and 30 seconds which sounded respectable for a first attempt.  

Amanda intimidating the competition in her Ironman hoody!

With swimming sorted, I tried to include a hilly road bike ride into my weekly routine, but if the weather was wet I went on my MTB instead and tackled more technical routes offroad.  Of the three phases I think the bike felt my least prepared, I wasn't worried about it, but I just had no idea how long it would take me.  I estimated, having recce'd the route with Amanda and Jac (see this blog post) that I would complete the bike phase in around an hour but I was hoping for more like 50 minutes in order to be competitive. The week before the event, Caz and I did a training ride of a similar length to the HH route and I really focused on being aerodynamic and pedaling as hard as I could on all the flat and downhill sections, which gave me a good confidence boost.

With the running I tried to do either an interval or hill session with Caz, Estelle, Helen and Sarah and/or a fell race each week.  As I was in the full swing of the Goyt Valley Striders Summer Fell Series, I found the running was being covered with that so I didn't overdo it and I felt my form was pretty good for the distance required.

As a total statistics geek, I looked at (read - pored over) previous years results and used this handy Race Calculator (thanks Amanda) to get an idea of my overall time.  But having never done a tri before - it was a lot of guesswork!  Basically I was hoping for a top 20 lady result at best.

Race Day

Not quite the first ones there!

As race day loomed I felt really nervous every time I thought about it!  Amanda, sent Jac and I her race plan and tri checklist to adapt and alter for our individual needs.  These were really useful as I am a total list maker - I love lists and feel far more prepared if I can write everything down and visualise from there.  

The HH has two transition areas, the first is at the swimming pool and the second is down the road near the start of the run route.  This required some military planning!  Basically Ladybird (my bike), my helmet and shoes were left at T1 and my running shoes were left at T2 (there were other things too (like towel, drink, arm warmers etc.) but I wont bother you with boring details!).  It is easy to know where to put your stuff once you have registered.  We went along the day before to register so we could have a little more time in the morning to prep our transition areas etc.  

T1 the day before

When you register you get a race number.  This number corresponds with everything you do in the race.  Without your number you cannot get your bike for example, out of the transition area.  You have a wristband, a race belt number, stickers for your bike and before the swim you are given a chip timer which you wear a bit like a prisoners tag on your left ankle and a coloured swim cap which dictates the time and wave you swim in.  

Lucky 104 ooh and jellybabies!

I felt prepared for the event but still really excited and nervous.  I opted to wear a Pearl Izumi triathlon suit which I got from The Bike Factory (I ordered it in), it wasn't the colour I wanted (I wanted red/black or black/black but pink/black had to do!) but it ticked all the other boxes and I felt comfortable and confident in it (well as confident you can feel in a skin tight garment) I did wear a padded sports bra underneath just to ensure I wasn't worrying about it being see through when wet!  

The Swim

Still talking even whilst swimming!

With the swim taking place in a pool, the whole process takes about 3 hours for all 300 odd competitors to complete the phase.  For this reason it is run like a well oiled machine.  My swim time was 8.26am and at 8.25am I was in the pool ready, I was in lane 4 which operated an anti-clockwise formation with around 4 swimmers at a time completing their lengths.  One thing which surprised me was that you have to count your own lengths! For this reason I literally chanted the length number in my head with every stroke "1, 1, 1, 1, turn 2, 2, 2" and so on!  I got a bit confused around length 8 (it doesn't take much) and had to think whether I was on an odd or even length which sorted me out!

Out of the pool and go go go!

One of my fears was getting held up in the pool, I did have a bit of a stressful start as I tried to overtake a man who was a similar pace to me and we ended up very close to each other for a few lengths.  If someone is slower than you, in theory you can tap their foot and they should wait and move over when they reach the end of the pool. I found that in practise this didn't really happen, so until the man got out I didn't enjoy the swim at all. Once I got rid of Mr splashy feet I was fine!

Looking very wet!

When the lengths were done I jumped out and ran to T1, during this short run I removed my swim cap and goggles and headed to find Ladybird.  I found my stuff quickly and thought I had done an average transition time although putting on my socks, shoes, watch, helmet etc. seemed to take a while!

The Bike 

Once on my bike I really went for it!  I found it really exhilarating flying down hills and passing other cyclists gave me a confidence boost.  Being in an early swim wave seemed to be a big advantage as there were hardly any cars on the roads.  Having recce'd the route I knew where I was going although it was really well signed and marshaled.  There is a section near Grindleford where you must stop and put your foot down before crossing onto a busier road.  This section was marshaled and anyone caught infringing this rule faced instant disqualification from the event. Fortunately I was well aware of this and duly unclipped my foot, placed it down then managed to cross quite easily.  

Jac heading out of T1 onto bike phase

Once I started climbing on the bike I overtook quite a few more cyclists.  I think I was running on pure adrenaline and by the time I had climbed Froggatt Edge I was well up on my estimated time. Unfortunately, after a particularly pot-holey section near Fox Houses, my watch had paused itself, and I only realised about five minutes later when I checked my time again! This meant I had no idea what time I had made!

The bit of the bike phase I wasn't really looking forward to was the moorland straight followed by the extremely windy descent into Hathersage.  I didn't need to worry as I was really brave and just went for it.  I got down on my drops and found myself in a group of motorbikes and literally stuck with them the whole way into the town (they weren't the speedy types!) in fact, I actually passed them at one point but once in the town we all had to stop for the pedestrian crossing - annoying!

After the town section I was nearly back and approached T2 carefully, making sure I could see the dismount line.

The Run

The slowest transition on record...

T2 was a disaster!  I couldn't find my bloody trainers!  I ran down the wrong row and (without my glasses) I couldn't see the numbers very clearly on the stickers marking each competitors place.  Eventually after wasting a minute or so, I found my stuff and changed shoes etc.  I remembered to turn my number round and off I went.

Jac heading out on the run phase

The run phase went by in a flash.   I was fine apart from forgetting to take off my cycling gloves which I managed to lob at my car on the way past!  I went off at quite a fast pace and kept it up until the hillier sections!  The hills were actually really steep and I employed my "fell walk", but some people were really struggling with the gradients! The rest of the run was uneventful (bar seeing an outdoor rave in the middle of the woods and noticing a lady finding my gloves next to my car on the way back past!) and I felt happy with my pace.  

The kids running in with me

By the time I got to the finish field I really went for it all the way to the line with my family cheering me on - which always helps!  It sounds cliched but I was so proud of myself, I felt like I had done my best in all three phases and, unlike the duathlon, it had felt comfortable and fun, the weather really helped too.  Judging by how I felt the race had gone and my performance on the day, I really hoped for a time of around 1 hour 45 minutes. 

Finishing line

I noticed a van next to the finish area and discovered you could key in your race number and receive an instant printout of your time and splits which was brilliant.  I was totally amazed I had managed to complete it in a time of 1 hour 38 minutes and 51 seconds! See my full results here.

Results

Amanda wishing she hadn't 
sprinted so soon! Looong run in

After I had got my printout I cheered in Amanda, Jac, James and Reb - fellow Goyt Valley Striders, we had all enjoyed it and I'm sure we will all enter again next year. 

James speeding to the finish

My overall result was 15th lady out of 103 and I was really pleased to have the 19th fastest cycle time and 10th fastest run time out of the ladies too.  My T1 and T2 times were terribly slow and definitely something to improve on in the future.  

Reb coming in to the finish

Jac was really pleased to just complete the event (having had set backs in training) let alone do it in under 2 hours 15 minutes with an overall time of 2:04:14 and Amanda was quite pleased (her own biggest critic) with her 24th lady position and overall time of 1:42:54. I am so proud of us all! 

Standard

The organisation of the event was managed by Sheffield Triathlon Club, and what amazing organisation it was!  Everyone was friendly and helpful and for a first timer like me, it was the perfect event to start with.  I cant wait to do it all again next year!

Jac nearly home! Looking good!

Thank you to Amanda and Jac for the general support and camaraderie, Amanda for all the tri preparation advice, the lads at The Bike Factory for preparing my bike which performed perfectly, Caz and Tony of a&c workwear for the loan of the bike carrier and Super Suzie for the swimming lessons!

I hope this blog inspires others to have a go, there are many fun triathlons with shorter distances which offer a taster of the real thing - have a go, I loved it and will definitely be doing more next year.

Been there done that.

On my hit list of potentials (apart from the HH which I am definitely doing again!) are -
The Craggy Island Triathlon 
The Tameside XL Triathlon 

And I may possibly do the Crazy Legs events Macclesfield Forest Duathlon again if Brian Holland twists my arm..

Until then, happy swimming, running, biking!

TLF x

My OMM Bike Peak District

The week before last saw the final preparations for my first ever orienteering style race, and my second bike event of the year (a Duathlon in February being my first).  As part of my OMM Ambassador role I get the fantastic opportunity to enter OMM events and write about them, so I decided to try the bike event rather than the "Lite" (running) event as it was something different and Caz could do it with me.  

Team GVS ready for action!

In the lead up to the event Caz (my teammate) and I got our kit together and put in quite a few miles on our bikes (road and MTB) and were pleased with our fitness.  Caz has had experience of navigational events before in both running and on bikes, whereas I have never had to use navigational skills before, so I was really excited to give it a go!

At the beginning of the week I had my bike mini-serviced at The Bike Factory - who kindly supplied us with gels, bars and hydration for the event, and, on Wednesday, I competed in my second fell race of the year - the Herod Farm Fell Race.

An array of nutritional goodies

Herod Farm Fell Race in Glossop, Derbyshire is a Category AS race covering 3 miles and 340 metres of climb. Having never done this race before I was quite keen to have a go, especially as I had heard it called "Horrid Farm" by other Goyt Valley Striders!  

Me with Estelle and Helen

I found the course suited me down to the ground as it started off with a proper hill right from the off, and it reminded me of a mini version of the Famous Grouse fell race, which I had done well in last year, managing to be first lady Strider home.   

"She's behind you!"

After the first hill came another hill, one which most of the field walked up due to its gradient, little did I know that the next hill would be a monster! I literally had to use my hands to help and not look down as we ascended the nab (slowly!).  

"Wheeee!"

It was with jelly legs that I reached the summit, and it took a bit of persuasion to get them running again!  I really enjoyed the fast downhill sections which followed, especially a lovely steep smooth grassy field where I managed to pass two runners!  I really went for it at the farm track we had started up, as I knew the finish was imminent.  

Again, I was really pleased to be first lady Strider home, 11th lady overall out of 36 and 3rd in my age category with a time of 34:48, full results can be found here. Definitely not horrid, definitely Herod.

OMM Bike Peak District

Map boards were a brilliant addition to our kit

I was really excited waking up on the Saturday morning, the sun was shining and I felt that I was as prepared as I would ever be, Caz and I looked the part in matching outfits to represent both of our clubs - on Saturday we opted for the Chinley Churners (our cycling club) in our "Beer, Cake, Bikes" tee shirts, buffs and hoodies (which were a good talking point and much admired), and on Sunday we opted for our Goyt Valley Striders kit.  

Caz owns a workwear embroidery and printing company and supplies both of the clubs with merchandise so we were kindly kitted out by a&c workwear for the weekend.  

Wearing my Rotor Vest

Obviously, I also wore my new OMM products which had arrived just in time!  - namely the OMM long sleeved tee which served as an excellent base layer, and I actually washed and dried it overnight and wore it both days.  My new Kamleika Jacket was absolutely brilliant, it is soft, doesn't rustle at all and fits perfectly.  I stayed warm and dry both days when wearing it.  

Team Churners!

The second day was much cooler with stronger winds so I wore my Rotor Vest as an insulation layer, which was really good as it is so thin but lovely and warm, in fact I had to remove my jacket after the first climb!  My trusty OMM Last Drop 10 backpack served me well yet again and fitted all the necessary kit in (just!).

Dexshell overshoes in action

I wore Dexshell overshoes on both days - I found they were quite hard to get on, and Caz had to help me with the zip, but once done up they fit really well and my feet stayed clean and warm both days - on the first day we encountered a calf-deep river crossing and it was a few seconds before the water seeped into my shoes.  They dried out over the course of the day so I was really glad of the neoprene keeping my feet snug.  I really gave them some hammer up the boulders of a green lane where we ended up pushing our bikes and the bottom of the overshoes stayed relatively in tact - a big ask!

So, we had all the gear, but did we have any idea what we were letting ourselves in for?! The answer is yes and no, we both anticipated that we would push ourselves and get as many checkpoints as possible, but on day 1 we managed to spend too long getting a 50 point control and it really set us back.  

Control 31 was our nemesis!

The map covering a wide area

We had decided to try to map a vaguely circular route taking in as many controls as possible.  This we did but the terrain was unknown and we found ourselves taking some paths which were slower than taking longer road options. We were also less confident at knowing whether we would be going up or downhill, it was tempting to think north is up and south is down!  We got quite adept at reading contours and meters by the end of the competition!

Eating my way to more space!

Our bike map boards were a Godsend, we could navigate on the move which was brilliant, and we managed to keep moving most of the time.  We had been really organised with food and made everything bitesize and mostly accessible - though at one point I literally had to eat a load of food to make room in my pack for my jacket!


We managed to get 12 controls on the first day, passing through Hurdlow, Glutton Bridge, Hollinsclough, Hardings Booth, Fawfieldhead, Hulme End and Biggin. We were pleased with our route and we ended up doing 27 miles which wasn't too bad considering some of the steep and technical terrain.  Going into day 2 we were well up for the challenge of another go!  In fact, we both said we would have liked 5 hours on both days rather than 5 on the first and 4 on the second!  

Caz with Parkhouse Hill in the background

On day 2 we changed tactics a little and decided to forget trying to get to tricky 50 pointers.  We headed north of the start at Parsley Hay crossing the A515 and heading to Alport.  We seemed to be picking up controls much more often and we were pacing ourselves well.  We saw some lovely places, the village of Alport was stunning and we loved the scenery around there.  After about 20 miles it started to rain slightly, and the wind seemed cooler.  We were crossing exposed arable moorland so we put our jackets back on and continued to our next control.  In the end we managed to get a couple of bonus controls - a total of 11, again covering around 26 miles.


The organisation of the event was excellent.  All of the OMM staff and volunteers went out of their way to accommodate everyone and it was really simple to know what to do - basically get your wrist SPORTident dibber at registration on day 1, have it cleared by "dibbing" it in the little box on both mornings, choose a start time for both days and off you go!  All really relaxed and fun.  The food provided was lovely, especially the cakes!

After the event - tired but happy!

Checking my compass!

I was relieved not to have to wear a competitor number as I didn't want to put holes in my new gear with safety pins!  All of our information was stored on our dibbers which was great!

Overall, our aim was to get as many controls as possible without getting lost, and without coming last! We really pushed ourselves and felt we couldn't have tried any harder. Out of 29 entries we were 21st overall, which for our first go wasn't a bad attempt and the main thing is we had fun!  

Since the event, we have printed out all of the splits to see what the more experienced competitors did differently, the main difference being that they went for as many 50 pointers as possible and travelled further than us. 

Our route planning however was good and we followed similar routes to others so that was reassuring.  On the whole we both really enjoyed the weekend and would definitely do it all again!  Thank you OMM!  

My next blog will cover tips for first-time fell runners, along with more race reports, until then, happy running!

TLF