# First Tri done yesterday



## gambatte (23 Jul 2012)

Hathersage Hilly 'Sprint' Don't know the times, but I'm happy.
So for anyone that doesn't know it, its in the Peak District and not strictly to sprint distance.
420m swim in an old imperial sized pool (14 lengths)
20km bike ride, which includes the 3mile ascent of Froggat Edge.
About 6km run, incorporating damn silly runs up and down farmland that used to be Millstone working areas. I reckon part of it was a route where they used to have a cable car /winch type system for moving the millstones - B*****y steep!!
Just happened that on the day, the summer finally arrived!
I can say the event had great organisation, although I approached this with great trepidation, everything about the organisation felt smooth, no complaints.
10 days before, I'd realised how close the event was, and that I hadn't swum in knocking on 3 months.... I managed to get a swim in the local pool and then found a local aquathon last Thursday! Even so, I got to the race with low expectations and therefore little pressure.
The swim would have been OK, If my goggles hadn't decided to do something they've never done before. In the first length the right seal fail and it started to fill up. and every time I turned at the far end of the pool, it flipped up! I ended up thinking 'stuff it' and swam with my right eye closed.
T1 was steady, but I'd organised well and it was smooth enough
The bike. Loved it. Overall I overtook more than overtook me and we ended up with a (non drafting) bunch of 4 of us chasing to T2
T2, Slow. I necked a gel and washed it down quickly. I knew it was a muddy trail race and had brought the relevant shoes. Unfortunately they have laces and my fingers wouldn't work! Eventually set off with the waterbottle.
Run. This is where the race REALLY gets its name. There's a fair ascent and it's predominantly in a short section. Just as you're feeling good and started to get the bike out of your legs, it's there! I did the fell runners walk and worked my way up. At the top I could see another coupl of guys were behind me. The stronger one I held the gate open for and let him go. The other slowly caught me, with mutters of "This is harder than I thought it'd be" At which point the descent started and I kicked. I like descents and I managed to get a good few seconds between us, which I kept right over the last to the finish line.
Approaching the race I'd sort of decided that this would be my only tri. During the race I was thinking "I'll not find another sprint as hard as this one"
Right now I'm filling in the entry for Matlock......


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## fimm (23 Jul 2012)

Nice one, well done!


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## Berties (23 Jul 2012)

congratulations!!what a day for it as well,nice write up and very glad you enjoyed it


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## Arsen Gere (26 Jul 2012)

Well done, now your a triathlete you can pick and choose loads of events to participate in. 10k's, open water swims and cycle events.

There is a sprint in your neck of the woods at Rothervalley in September. http://www.onestepbeyond.org.uk/rother-valley-triathlon-festival.php . I've got my name down for it.
It's a European Champs qualifier so it should have a big turn out.


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## gambatte (26 Jul 2012)

Yeah, just down the road from me, I've swum in there and run round regularly. Think I'll save my £44 though. I've now got confirmation of Matlock tri entry (£10) and I reckon I'll look around for my 1st audax
Mind I have had humber mentioned....


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## gb901 (21 Sep 2012)

gambatte said:


> Hathersage Hilly 'Sprint' Don't know the times, but I'm happy.
> So for anyone that doesn't know it, its in the Peak District and not strictly to sprint distance.
> 420m swim in an old imperial sized pool (14 lengths)
> 20km bike ride, which includes the 3mile ascent of Froggat Edge.
> ...


well done - next up olympic distance!


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## Part time cyclist (4 Oct 2012)

Well done good write up, thinking about doing my first tri next year, I have declared an interest in the virgin London tri 2013 :/


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## xxmimixx (5 Oct 2012)

Well done gambatte


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## BigonaBianchi (9 Oct 2012)

Is a triathlon bike necessary for your first triathlons or can it be done on any bike?


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## gambatte (10 Oct 2012)

Not necessary. In my (limited) experience the majority will be road bikes, only the fast guys on Tri Bikes. There's then a number of mtbs hybrids and even shoppers. So long as YOU understand you'll not be doing the stage as fast as you could on a road or tri bike, you'll be fine. More kudos for getting out there and doing it. Everyone realises Tri is expensive, not many can get it all for the 1st race.


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## Arsen Gere (10 Oct 2012)

BigonaBianchi said:


> Is a triathlon bike necessary for your first triathlons or can it be done on any bike?


Gambatte is right.
IMHO it is more important to train and race on the same type of bike. I can't switch from training on road bike to racing on a tt bike. I am slower on the tt bike than a road bike if I do by about a 1 minute on 20k. The tt bike is more aero dynamic but the change in position alters the emphasis on which muscles I use.
So if you are about to do your first tri, train and race on the same style of bike, don't get hung up on the fact some guys have expensive carbon stuff. Triathlon is different to road racing, I'm from a road background and generally the tri environment has a very wide range of abilities and is a lot friendlier and supportive.


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