Over a glass or two of wine Jessica reluctantly entered her first triathlon. A local GO TRI was the perfect warm up race and gave her all the confidence she needed going into her standard distance event.
“Ever had one of those chats with a friend perhaps over a glass or two of something chilled which ends up with you signing up to something a bit crazy and will a tinge of regret? Well that was 9 months ago and it is now the morning after…completing my first triathlon!
I have run the odd half marathon in a fairly amateur fashion but nothing much else and would not describe myself as sporty or competitive. As a 47 year old mum of 4, I’m not what you would describe as your typical first time triathlete. But I do enjoy a challenge and trying to keep fit.
My friend Justine, a seasoned triathlete, recommended the St Neots’ Triathlon in September – registration was easy. One word of advice though is always to know what it is you’re signing up for – I was ignorant to the fact there were different distances and just signed up for the first tab I could select – “Standard” - as “Super Sprint” or “Sprint” just sounded too fast! As I proudly announced to a few friends and family I was actually doing what I now know is the full Olympic (or standard) distance (1500m swim, 40k cycle and 10k run) there were a few surprised/shocked faces from those in the know.
My kind friend also bought me membership of the Cambridge Tri Club as a birthday present and although I almost felt like a fraud this was one of the best presents I could have been given – lots of advice, sessions to join and a friendly community with social activities. From there my tentative, and at times, anxious journey began with my expert mentor and navigator, Justine. My first major fear was open water. One session at Milton Country Park on a Friday night soon sorted that. I squeezed into a second-hand wetsuit (I bought it for £25 but they are available to hire at the session for a few pounds), donned goggles and cap, took a deep breath and plunged in! The anticipation was so much worse than the reality and I actually found it quite liberating.
I decided, pessimistically at this stage, that as there was a fairly large chance that I either wouldn’t complete the event or ever do one again, I wouldn’t make a large investment in new gear. I inherited a 1970s racing bike with ten gears, very simple and easy to ride. I borrowed a tri-suit (it’s not the kind of thing people are often making frequent use of so ask around) and the only new kit I invested in were a pair of cycling glasses – good for keeping flies and sun out.
I started going on long pleasurable bike rides with cycling friends, had 6 confidence building swimming classes (well worth the investment) and enjoyed some shorter training runs of 3-4 miles, easy to complete on a Sunday morning before breakfast.
I continued to feel terrified however that I would never actually make the total event. So I printed off a ten week training programme – there are plenty available on-line, which I loosely followed around a busy work and home life and moved into doing ‘bricks’.
I also took advantage of Jesus Green pool, somehow 16 lengths of this lido seemed so much more achievable and pleasurable than 64 lengths of the local swimming pool. Having heard from a few other triathletes that they had swum breaststroke for their first tri I decided that I was way more confident breathing and ‘sighting’ (seeing ahead) with my reasonably paced breaststroke and so this is an option for those out there who struggle with front crawl.
The turning point of my training though was a GO TRI event hosted by the Cambridge Triathlon Club and run by Don Hutchinson, a very experienced triathlete with a career spanning 30 years and an excellent coach. The event was designed as a taster; a 100m swim, 3k bike ride and 1k run, all at Milton Country Park. I couldn’t recommend this more highly to anyone either considering a triathlon or just wanting to have a go. This was superb preparation in transitioning. Don taking us through each transition and walked us around the course prior to the ‘race’. 33 of us took part; age range 19-51 (including a mother and daughter and a husband a wife!), all shapes and sizes and levels of fitness experience but all with a good sense of camaraderie and cheering each other through the finish line. And all for £10!
I was racked with nerves for the week before the race but I kept reading that this is a natural response and the extra adrenaline will serve you well. On the morning of the race, setting my alarm for 5.20 I decided that I was mad and this was a really bad idea. But my driver and support was outside ready to pick me up and I had told quite a few friends and family my “secret” and could not face telling them I had pulled out. So off we went and arrived at the event. From then on I felt fully supported by all those around – everyone there has their own story and everyone there has had a first time.
It was a lovely day which helped and the river was almost inviting. I had a plan for times to manage my own expectations and kept remembering the advice of another friend who had undertaken a few triathlons – do it at your own pace – which I did. I knew I was towards the back of the field during the bike ride but had to laugh when a young woman cycled past and said “did you get lost too?” “No I’m just old and slow” I responded! The toughest part was the run (which I had complacently assumed would be the easy bit for me) but I focussed on the four laps by thinking of each of my children and what they might be saying to me at that moment. There was great support from other competitors, two particularly kind ‘back of the fielders’ who I even managed to share the odd joke with in our final tough laps.
Passing the finish line was just the most elating and emotional feeling. I didn’t quite come last but did come 5th out of 5 women in my age category. I congratulate each and every one of them! I achieved within 5 minutes of my three and a half hour goal and when my six year old daughter asked if “I had won the race” (she is used to the playground charge on sports day with 10 of her friends) I said “yes, Mummy won her own race” – and that is all that matters”
