PHOTOS

Just thought I would add some photos of  Race 36 the dualthon at Castle Coombe Race Circuit from July and Race 39 the off-road triathlon in Afan. Not that I look particularly photogenic in any of them (although the last two give a hint of why I'm doing what I'm doing - there's something about boys and mud!) just that they are the result of a really uplifting story.


I'd ordered these five photos soon after the respective races. Nothing (seemingly) doing. No response to emails and no photos. However I've just had delivered a CD with all the photos with a very nice accompanying letter explaining that they have problems with BTInternet accounts, backed up with copies of my emails and their many attempted responses. That is customer service way above and beyond .... so many thanks to Liz and Martin at Sporty Snaps (http://www.sportysnaps.com/) - you know where to go if you need any professional photography in the West Country and Wales!   

RACE 40 - LETTERKENNY TRIATHLON - 20 August

Well it all started by feeling old. Went for a meal with friends in Belfast (Catherine, Tom, Peter and Rosie) and saw their Monopoly game. Amazed that Brixton Hill is on the board I mean I live there! But where are the water works (now airports) and all the other favourites like Mayfair and Old Kent Road? Also you no longer build houses but apartment blocks and no paper money - it's all electronic credit! Also you no longer collect £200 when 'pass go' but £2,000,000! Oh well it's all progress of sorts I suppose?

Again got to the area the day before, that's the beauty of being on holiday, one of  beauties at any rate. Others obviously being not working, sleeping in, visiting new places, seeing old friends .... So acting both the tourist (Donegal is stunningly beautiful) and the seasoned athlete by having a look at the swim and bike courses, both of which unsurprisingly considering the location, were stunningly beautiful. 


The weather was grey low cloud, squally showers and strong winds. It was a fairly bleak landscape and there were some considerable hills (put it this way I had to change down even in the car - so a bit ominous for the bike) including one hill on the course called Church Hill which was the name of the village as well. It seemed to consist of a few scattered houses and three good looking traditional looking Irish pubs. 

Also near the start of the cycle route was a quarry, so you can imagine the state of the road - pretty potholed and a rough surface even in the car. When I got out to take a couple of photos the wind nearly lifted me off my feet. On the hills opposite (away from the national park) there was a large wind farm so the area must have reliable wind.


I began to have second thoughts about bringing the tri-bike because of the climbing needed and the effect of the cross winds on my deep profile rims. The course is probably one I thought best suited for a road bike.

There are some disadvantages in seeing the course before you do it, though normally the advantages out weight these. However this time it made me more nervous than I think I've ever been before this year. It's funny how the potential of road climbs made me worry considering how mountain biking didn't have the same effect. Possibly its because I've not really done them before though both Strathclyde (Race 23) and Blenheim (Race 26) were certainly "undulating". Or maybe it was reading Lance Armstrong's autobiography describing his experiences in the Alps and Pyrenees (which let's face it, this was no comparison). By the way if you haven't read his two books - they are an amazing - incredibly inspirational and personal. You don't need to be interested in cycling or the Tour d'France to be moved by his battle against cancer.


Well having now scared myself with the course it was back to Letterkenny for a bit of an explore and a pre-race meal. This consisted of liver and bacon - comfort food, possibly not the best but it did the trick (or maybe it was the pint - breaking my own rule of not drinking the night before).
An early (ish) night though lying in bed watching the TV did have a certain appeal. Then it was just a case of lying in the hotel bed hearing the wind howl and squally showers.


Up early but couldn't face breakfast - nerves again! Never mind had some bananas and sports drink so wouldn't swim/bike / run on empty. So those of you who have asked whether I still get butterflies? The answer is a definite yes.

Anyway enough of this introspection. I got to the event not ridiculously early by my standards at any rate. Parked up then had to help rescue a lady who'd managed to get her 4x4 stuck on a grassy field! It was then register and rack the bike. At this point I realised that it was local event as everyone knew each other (or that's the impression given) or that they were just so friendly. It became clear it was just a combination of both - both local and just amazingly friendly. I've never been at an event anywhere in which quite so many people just come over for a chat. I got talking to one guy about my worries about the hills and he soon put my fears at ease. If you can imagine a broad Irish accent (well it is to me at any rate) basically saying not to worry as it was only the first kilometre was uphill, everything else was down. I love the optimism - especially as its an out-and-back course. I also looked around the transition - I think it is the first race I've been in where I didn't see any MTB's, hybrids, sit-up-and-begs .... in fact they were all racers or tri-bikes! Daunting!

However the whole relaxed feel to the event soon banished the nerves. There were no bike numbers or helmet numbers, no security on transition, during the briefing the supporters were all invited to have something to eat (the spread they put on was impressive!) The warning signs on the cycle (coming up to a junction, steep bend, gravel surface or some other potential hazard) was a skull symbol - now where have I seen that before? That's right last week on some of the single tracks at Cymmer.  The carpet for the run from swim exit to transition was exactly that - carpet off-cuts. For all the relaxed atmosphere the whole event was very professionally organised.  All in all it was as they'd say 'good criac'.

So it was down the slipway at the boathouse into the mirror smooth lake to the starting buoys. It was a simple course - out to a big yellow buoy then turn left to another big yellow buoy which marked the exit ramp. As I said the lake was mirror smooth or it was until 100+ triathletes started thrashing around. It was an interesting brown colour and so murky that I couldn't see my hands in the water.  And the temperature? Freezing! Again starting from the back soon settled into my rhythm. On nearing the turn buoy, soon realised that we'd started in a bay which was why the water was so calm. We began to hit quite choppy water as the wind blew the length of the lake raising waves of about 8 inches. Fortunately breast stroking I managed to bob up over the waves (mostly) but I noticed that quite a few of the other swimmers were having problems so I actually managed to overtake people in the swim!


Finishing I then ran over the carpet remnants - to load cheers of the supporters. They really entered into it cheering everyone and seemed to have a great time - both the lovely weather and being fed obviously put everyone in a really good mood.


Then off on the bike. The first hill about 1km in length I didn't find too bad, just chose a low gear and spun at a high cadence (not unlike mountain biking). Overtook quite a number who were struggling in high gears. One thing I have on the tr-bike is two front rings (ratio's 53/39) and a 23/11 ten-speed rear cassette (Sram if you're interested) which does help considerably with climbing. Whereas most tri-bikes only have a single front ring to save weight. 

Having reached the top of Church Hill with greater ease than I'd been fearing, I did find one slight problem manifesting itself. It was quite windy but in seemingly direct contravention of cycling lore, it wasn't a head wind but a cross wind. As it was predominantly and out-and-back course, it would mean I'd have a cross wind for most of the route. Not usually much of a problem but with deep profile rims (50mm front and 80mm rear) it did mean the bike was caught by the wind a bit more than I'm used to, which was a little unsettling. It did tend to go sideways a bit across the road which made dodging the potholes a bit more 'interesting' especially at the quarry entrance. Also it meant I didn't spend quite so much time down on the tri-bars - however the benefit of this was I saw more of the beautiful scenery.


As it was an out-and-back course it meant that as I was on my outward leg, I saw the leaders coming back the other way. Really impressive, down on their bars - one guy even had a disc wheel so they didn't find the cross winds such a problem. The marshalling with the garda (Irish police) at the turn point was exemplary and even though it wasn't closed roads and just before mid-day the locals were out in force and all the traffic was really considerate (not that there was much).


After the turn it  back mainly uphill but seemed to go really well, made up quite a few places on this section but needless to say loosing some of them on the run. All in all it was a great cycle - fantastic scenery, a technical course, a 'variety' of road surfaces, hills, and great support. Even when dismounting the marshals were teasing that I could have cycled another six feet and maybe have beaten the girl in front to transition.

So quick change into running shoes and a couple of hundred metres along the lake shore.  At this point I have  a confession to make. Before the swim I needed the loo and I'm just unable to 'wee' in the wetsuit (which hardened triathletes swear by). I'd hydrated pretty well on the bike as well, so the thought of running 5km with a full bladder was inconceivable. Luckily by the boat house where we'd started the swim were a couple of portaloos. Unluckily they were in full view of quite a number of the supporters, a number or marshals and all those manning the water station. I got a pretty big cheer as I emerged from the loo pretty shame faced - after a rather public "pit-stop!" It was then out onto the run proper. The first 3/4 kilometre followed the bike course so was uphill, the next 3/4 was downhill, the next 3/4 was along the lakeside so was blissfully flat. Then repeated. During the first lap a number of those doing their second passed me at some speed as did some of those I'd passed on the bike. However again the scenery was such that the run bordered on the enjoyable.

At the finish they had kit-kats, bananas, water - while back at the boathouse they had a magnificent spread! It was so good that I stayed long enough to see the presentations as did a lot of the other competitors and supporters - it was that kind of event.


RESULT: 34th out of 110 (2nd in age group) in 1:16:27

Widely considered the birthplace of St. Columba, the area around Gartan Lough encompasses some of the most beautiful mountain country in Ireland. Just south of Glenveagh National Park, it is technically within the park but also connected to Church Hill village.

A large cross alongside the footpath that leads to Glenveagh National Park commemorates St. Columba’s birth in 521 A.D. Other powerful relics of the Saint include the Stone of Loneliness, where St.Columba is believed to have slept, and the Natal Stone, where he supposedly first opened his eyes and gazed upon the world. Some believed in the protective powers of these relics so much so that soil from the Gartan Lough shores was sent off to the trenches with area soldiers in World War I.

The Village nearby also hosts the Columcille Heritage Center, where interpretive exhibits featuring stained glass, manuscripts from the Middle Ages, and other items chronicling the Celtic and Irish Christian religious history take visitors on a journey through St Columba’s life and beyond. 


(From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columba) Saint Columba (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) - also known as Colum Cille (Old Irish, meaning "dove of the church"), was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts (his major shrine is Iona). Columba was born to Fedlimid and Eithne of the Cenel Conaill in Gartan, near Lough Gartan.On his father's side he was great-great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages, an Irish high king of the 5th century. He was baptised in Temple-Douglas, in the County Donegal parish of Conwal (mid-way between Gartan and Letterkenny), by his teacher and foster-uncle Saint Crunathan.

The remains of St. Columba's church, Gartan, Co. Donegal.

Columba became a pupil at the monastic school at Clonard Abbey, situated on the River Boyne in modern County Meath. During the sixth century, some of the most significant names in the history of Irish Christianity studied at the Clonard monastery. It is said that the average number of scholars under instruction at Clonard was 3,000. Twelve students who studied under St. Finian became known as the Twelve Apostles of Ireland; Columba was one. He became a monk and eventually ordained a priest. During this time he is said to have founded a number of monasteries, including ones at Kells, Derry, and Swords.

Tradition asserts that, sometime around 560, he became involved in a quarrel with Saint Finian of Movilla Abbey over a psalter. Columba copied the manuscript at the scriptorium under Saint Finian, intending to keep the copy. Saint Finian disputed his right to keep the copy. The dispute eventually led to the pitched Battle of Cúl Dreimhne in 561, during which many men were killed. A synod of clerics and scholars threatened to excommunicate him for these deaths, but St. Brendan of Birr spoke on his behalf with the result that he was allowed to go into exile instead. Columba suggested that he would work as a missionary in Scotland to help convert as many people as had been killed in the battle. He exiled himself from Ireland, to return only once, many years later.

Also nearby, Glebe House and Gallery sits on the shore of Gartan Lough, along with its 25 acres of beautifully tended grounds and gardens. Formerly the residence of artist Derek Hill, it contains a notable art collection, including pieces by Picasso, as well as paintings by Jack B. Yeats, such as Whippet Racing and The Ferry, Early Morning. The gallery also features the distinctive Irish folk art creations of Tory Island inhabitants of the Donegal area. The house is also furnished with some exquisite pieces. The entire Glebe House property, including collections, was given to the nation by Derek Hill in 1981.

RACE 39 - CYMMER AFAN OFF-ROAD TRIATHLON - 13 August

I approached South Wales with a certain amount of trepidation. It had been here that I recorded my first (and so far only) DNF in a race. It was a 50km mountain bike race over two laps of a gruelling course which included a river crossing in the first 500m. The start had been delayed by well over an hour as the driving rain/sleet and high winds almost resulted in its cancellation. However having eventually started what did I do? Promptly fell off into the river and got soaked to the skin. Managed to complete the first lap but with conditions worsening and uncontrollable shivering - gave up. my only consolation being that more than 50% failed to complete and the race hasn't been run again. You could say therefore I had unfinished business in South Wales.   


So all things considered, I was really looking forward to this mountain bike triathlon. It consisted of a pool swim of 600m, 20km of mountain biking and then a run up the valley (well up twice actually as it was two laps of 3km).  Went down a day early to have a sneaky try out of the mountain bike course. I've actually stayed in this area before doing some mountain biking so know what fantastic set up it is with a vast amount of single track (more detail about the MTB centre at the end). 


It was while I was getting my kit ready I realised that I'd managed to forget something again! This time it was socks! Not sure how I managed to forget them but if the worst came to the worst I could always do the events without them. In my defence I was doing a bit of a tour (South Wales; mid-Wales; across to Ireland via Holyhead; another triathlon in Donegal; on to Belfast; back to Dublin - Holyhead then home) so the amount of kit I needed was considerable. Both bikes, two sets of tri-gear, walking gear (I hoped to do some walking in Ireland) and some 'proper clothes'.

Choosing a casual pair of socks that might just conceivably be mistaken for a trendy pair of MTB's (no fashion disasters like David Cameron on holiday!) I set off. The weather was quite breezy with a mixture of fairly heavy rain showers interspersed with just drizzle. Fortunately the River Afan is crossed by a bridge - so no falling off and getting soaked this time. 


Then the long climb on mainly forest tracks up to the top of the other side of the valley. One dramatic event was that a bird of prey (no idea what species but was a good size) swooped down into the bank of the track to pounce on something - gave me a hard piercing stare then launched itself across track and down mountain side. 

Reaching the top of the track, the tops of the hills were in the clouds/ murk. Somehow I didn't think I'd be seeing the claimed long views to the south as far as the sea. The triathlon course is part of The Wall trail (or Wal-Y in welsh not to be confused with Wall-E the Pixar film about a waste disposal robot left alone on earth) - more detail at the end of the blog. The route shown for the triathlon didn't use all the single track sections especially the uphill ones as it would be impossible to overtake. 

However on my practice run decided to use all the single track sections to 'get my hand back in'. The main difference between the single track in somewhere like Afan and say Bedgebury (race 31) is the steepness of the slopes - not only for the route itself but the steep slopes (45 degrees) that plumet down from the narrow 12 inch wide paths. The photos don't really convey the anywhere from nervous to terror inducing reaction as you take the tracks as fast as possible. 


I particularly liked the warning signs at certain sections and the evocative names of some of the runs such as the Graveyard. When I stopped to take photos (another reason for going the day before as I somehow thought I wouldn't be stopping during the race) I was worried to see bits of bike down slope of some of the trickier sections! 


The other factor in this is you'd be haring along a smooth switchback splashing through puddles getting soaked in the process and then you'd suddenly plunge into the almost impenetrable gloom of the forest with only seconds for your eyes to adjust before hitting rock outcrops, slippery roots (my bet-noire) and mud. Having scared myself numerous times, fallen off three times (once while almost stationary going round a corner) I made it back to the valley floor more or less in one piece. I can't think of when I've enjoyed myself quite so much - certainly not with clothes on at any rate!

Then I cycled up the former railway to Cymmer to gauge how far / easy it would be. I liked the way they had converted the former station into a bar-b-q spot. The cycle was not too bad - an obvious gradient but not what you'd call a incline or even slope up the valley, and then the down gradient into the wind and the almost horizontal driving drizzle. In other word you had to pedal both ways. After a late lunch at an excellent forest visitor centre where I found the following snippets on the menu:

• The forest park covers 48 sq miles;
• Afan Valley is shortest valley in South Wales;
• I.K. Brunel built the railway in 1865; and
• Richard Burton was born in Pontryhydfen - a village at the southern end of the valley.

I went into the cycle hire place just to see if they had any socks. They did and they happened to be my favourite Endura Coolmax triple pack. I won't go into details but suffice to say they are good yet cheap.  Also had a bit of a chat with the guys there and we got chatting about the Cymmer Triathlon. I was told that they didn't use much of the single track sections due to the problems of overtaking and the wide variety of abilities let loose in the race! Also they argued that climbing was going to be key in the race as basically there was just one large climb from the valley floor all the way to the top. Somewhat relieved I headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up, tend my bruises, feed, and try and dry my kit. I managed to fashion something out of newspapers and the towel rail but wasn't sure whether it would manage to dry out the cycle shoes.

Following morning dawned rainy and overcast. Never mind I'm sure it would clear up. Also meant that I'd needn't worried quite so much about drying stuff out as with all the rain overnight the course was going to be even wetter (and so it proved). Drove up Afan Valley and parked near the Cymmer community swimming pool to register. It was a 25m pool so would take some 24 lengths to do the 600m. Checked out the route from pool to transition - it was all downhill which made a welcome change. Decided,as it was none too warm that I'd leave t-shirt and trainers up by the pool to put on after the swim.

First off racing were the Tri-Stars - the 8 year olds. They did two lengths, ran down to transition, jumped on their bikes and were off. As the drizzle was coming down pretty heavily everyone was pretty drenched but the enthusiasm and support was impressive. What was particularly memorable was that a lot of local children were taking part who the event compare knew by name. So he enjoyed himself comparing the athletic prowess of the children with the sometimes absent prowess from the parents. The 8 year olds were followed by the 9/10's who did slightly further - the 11/12's and finally the 12+ who did more than half the novice race. It was all very impressive the effort that all of them put in and the seriousness they took it.

Then it was the turn of the novices (300m, 10km and 3km run). They had their briefing then all traipsed up to the pool. As the drizzle was so persistent, a number of us followed them to a) watch them and b) huddle in the reception area in the dry. Then it was our turn. Briefing down in the transition (which because it was long grass meant your feet and shoes were already soaked, then the exchanges of banter on the way up to the swimming pool. We then waited our turn in order of swimming ability - the worst were first - I was pretty early on! They had three of us swimming per lane and fortunately the marshal counted the lengths which was lucky as I clean forgot how many I'd done. Did fairly well in the swim i.e. didn't hold the others up too much by breast stroking and I noticed I  wasn't the only one, but we were few and far between.

Then it was struggle to get on a wet t-shirt over wet me, and 'slip' on what were by now soaking trainers - well we'd had to leave them outside as there wasn't enough room pool side. Off down the hill - again well marshalled and a joy to actually be running downhill to a transition. Cheered on  by somewhat bemused supporters and marshals as I was still in my swimming goggles - not a great look and fortunately no photographers were on hand here to capture this strange apparition! 

Then to the bike. As the transition area was an area of longish grass and it was raining I managed to if anything get even wetter putting on wet socks, cycle shoes (but never mind they would get wetter still on the course) and a real struggle with the gloves - so much so a marshal inquired if I was having any problems. Then finally off on the bike. There was no way I wasn't going to enjoy this especially as someone zoomed past me! Keeping pace, we gave it everything into the teeth of a breeze and driving drizzle. Then it was onto a small and very slippery section of new single track - so new that it hadn't been open yesterday! Then over the river (as I've already mentioned fortunately by a bridge as I have a poor record of crossing by ford as I normally hit a rock and fall off) and the beginning of the leg-burning uphill. The first bit was on forest track and then a bit of single track. People were really good at letting you pass - in fact the whole race was very friendly with the minimum of alpha males with the win at all costs mentality. One of the reasons for this may have been because we all started our swims at different times (some were just starting their mountain biking section as I was finishing mine) meant you had no idea how you were doing against other competitors - it was much more of an individual time trial. Thoughts and effort tend to be internalised as you are racing yourself, deciding how much effort to put in, how much aching of limbs and muscle pain you can cope with.


Another thing about the single track sections was that they had narrow entry and exit points - usually between two posts. I'd found while practicing the quickest way was to get off the bike, put it on its back wheel then hop back on again. It was a long way up the mountain and almost unrelived uphill. Much of it was in the "granny" gear - the smallest gear ratio on the bike. One thing I'd noticed was that I had a triple on the front whereas most only had a double. Meant I had more gears to choose from and I think that's one of the reasons I managed to overtake a number of people on the long drag up. The other thing I had were of course my Rotor Rings (oval rings) which although probably don't make quite so much of a difference as they do on my tri-bike, certainly seem to help. 


Eventually reached the highest point, sweaty, muddy, legs aching but pretty pleased with my effort. Then it was onto a couple of sections of single track, the easier ones as I found from yesterday - the ones without the fear enducing buttock-clenching drops on one side - well mostly not at any rate.  So put the pedal to the metal (or some such) and bombed along. Didn't meet anyone and no one overtook. Great fun! However being on top of the valley side in a wet t-shirt and tri-shorts was a little chilly. A further incentive if one was needed to go as fast as possible and get back into the woods.

Then it was the downhill. They took us down another track though this one we had been warned about - it wasn't gravel or even stone, but made out of rocks! I'd never been down anything like it. Someone overtook and I just copied waht he did. Basically get out of the saddle, lean back over the back wheel and keep the front light and trust the forks. Oh, and leave the brakes alone! Well we made it to the bottom a lot faster than it taken to get up to the top! Found out later talking to one of the other competitors that he'd been passed by someone on a 'full-sus'  bike (both his and mine were hard-tails i.e. no rear suspension) going like a proverbial bat-out-of-hell. On reaching the bottom he then found the guy who'd passed him turning the air blue as hed managed to have front and rear punctures by going so fast!

It was then a long drag up the valley chatting to the guy who'd I'd copied going down hill, then again across the bridge, up a steep switchback and then the long (5km) incline back to Cymmer. Amazingly I found I still had something left in the tank and motored up (metorphorically as obvious actually haveing a motor would be 'bad').

Amazingly I'd managed to complete the the whole course without falling off once! So back to transition and onto the run. Egged on by a marshal - the wife of the guy who managed the security in the transition - who were the parents of the compere on the mike. See how cosy and local it all was? Anyway the lady offered me water at the beginning of the run, I pointed out I'd prefer a pint which she agreed to if I would get her a G+T. Then it was up a bit of a slope then along the aspphalt path up the valley. Then crossing the river it was back down a narrow, slightly muddy path lined with stinging nettles (again we'd been warned about this) across what I presume to be one of the Brunel bridge's and back towards "race central" to start the second lap. The supporters, marshals, children were all fantastic at cheering you on. A digression here. Where would all these events be without the volunteers, organisers etc. all doing it for nought? In this case the marshals were up a mountain - literally - in the cold and wet yet still managed to keep a smile on their faces and egg us on! Its a fantastic committment.

Anyway on my second lap round I asked the lady where my pint was - to which she (rightly) responded where was her G+T? The second lap felt easier than the first (although unlike Hyde Park I wasn't chasing someone more aesthetic) but it was a fantastic route through some lovely countryside, beside a beautiful river supported by some wonerfully friendly people - what's not to enjoy? On finishing it was back up to the swimming pool for a shower - great to get all the mud off.


A running thread through the whole day was the desire that everyone finish in time for the rugby (Wales v England) - especially as the bar (another former station) was right by the transition.



Result - 16th out of 64 in a time of 1:45:31








The information below is from Wikipedia and the Forestry Commission websites.


The Afan Forest Park (formally and locally known as Afan Argoed Country Park is a 48 square-mile (120 km²) forest park in Britain. It is set in the Afan Valley near Port Talbot, in south Wales. It is well-known for its mountain biking and hiking trails. It is situated seven miles (11 km) from Junction 40 of the M4. As the A4107 meanders through the steep sided valley it is easy to understand why this valley has been developed as a premier mountain bike riding venue. The forest park also has nine way-marked walking trails, ranging from a 30 minute amble to a 3-4 hour ramble. There are also miles of public rights of way to make up your own walks. As well as mountain biking, there is also a network of 25 miles (40 km) of disused railway lines which can be used for walking and cycling. These are called the Family Routes, or the Low Level Cycleway. These also form a link between the mountain bike trails.


The river Afan begins its journey at the village of Cymmer (meaning confluence) where the rivers Corrwg and Gwynfi join. The river runs in a more or less south-westerly direction parallel to the River Neath with which it shares its western watershed. It converges with the Afon Pelenna at Pontrhydyfen (where Richard Burton was born). From here it turns southward towards Port Talbot, where to aid the construction of the docks, the river was diverted. Before it reaches the sea, the river drops over a 12-foot high vertical weir called the Slaughterhouse Falls. The River passes through the Afan Argoed Country Park in its middle reaches. 


A motte and bailey castle stood on the banks of the river as it passed through Aberavon during the medieval period. No remains are now visible above ground, but the site of the castle is commemorated in local street names.



Industrial past - For much of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, the River Afan was severely polluted by the coal and iron industry. With the decline in the coal mining industry, the quality of the river improved in the 1960s and 1970s so that some salmon and sea-trout started to return to the river to spawn. A number of weirs on the river, built to sustain the industrial past, had to be made passable to allow fish to ascend the river. This required the creation of fish passes on some weirs such as on the Dock feeder weir and the demolition of others such as at Corlannau weir.



The Mountain Bike trials - Twisty, rooty, rocky and in places wildly exposed, the singletracks in Afan Forest Park are an enthusiasts dream. The trails here have been carved out of hillsides and has been  transformed into a bikers heaven. Afan Forest Park is home to five world class trails, the ‘Penhydd’, ‘Y Wâl’, ‘Skyline’, ‘White’s Level’ and 'W²', boasting over 100 km of singletrack trails. Afan Forest Park was the only UK trail destination to feature in the ‘What Mountain Bike Magazine’ as one of the ten best places to ride “before you die”. In 2008 it was also voted one of the top ten public forests in the UK by the Sunday Telegraph.


The Wall Trail (the one that the triathlon is based on). With the success of the Penhydd Trail, the Forestry Commission saw how popular mountain biking was becoming so the Wall trail was built. This is a 24 km mainly single-track loop. It is memorable for its cliff top views of the River Afan. The Graveyard section and the final descent of the Wall have been well reviewed.


The trail is classified as Red (Difficult). This is defined as:

• Suitable for: Proficient mountain bikers with good off-road riding skills. Suitable for better quality off-road mountain bikes. 
• Trail & surface type: Steeper and tougher, mostly singletrack with technical sections. Expect very variable surface types.
• Gradient & technical trail features (TTF's): A wide range of climbs and descents of a challenging nature will be present. Expect boardwalks, berms, large rocks, medium steps, drop-offs, cambers, water crossings.
• Suggested fitness level: Higher level of fitness and stamina.

RACE 38 - DEXTRO ENERGY TRIATHLON - 6 August

A piece of trivia from the London Triathlon spotted by my Uncle Bob a keen club cyclist ~which just goes to prove that some people actually read my blog! The person above me in the results table is a Rob Engers who is likely to be the son of Alfred 'Alf' Robert Engers (born 1 June 1940). He was an racing cyclist who set national records and won national individual time trial championships from 1959 to the late 1970s. He established a British 25-mile (40 km) record of 49 minutes and 24 seconds in 1978, averaging 30.364 mph (49.190km/h). To put that into perspective, I averaged 23mph (36km/hr) on the Castle Coombe racetrack in race 36.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Engers

Before getting into the event itself a bit of history of Hyde Park to get your teeth into, the source of which (as ever) is an edited version from Wikipedia (oh how I wish I had access to the internet when I was doing my degree. The hours spent in the library ....)

In 1536, Henry VIII acquired the manor of Hyde from Westminster Abbey, who had held it since before the Norman Conquest and he enclosed as a deer park. It remained a private hunting ground until James I permitted limited access to gentlefolk, appointing a ranger to take charge. Charles I created the Ring (north of the present Serpentine boathouses), and in 1637 he opened the park to the general public (presumably before he lost his head.

In 1689, William III moved to Kensington Palace on the far side of Hyde Park, he had a drive laid out across its south edge, formerly known as "The King's Private Road", which still exists as a wide straight carriage track leading west from Hyde Park Corner across the south boundary of Hyde Park towards Kensington Palace (which happens to be part of the cycle course and very bumpy it was too!). The drive is now known as Rotten Row, possibly a corruption of rotteran (to muster), Ratten Row (roundabout way), Route du roi or rotten (the soft material with which the road is covered). Public transport entering London from the west paralleled the King's private road along Kensington Gore, just outside the park. In the late 1800s, the row was used by the wealthy for horse riding.


The first coherent landscape plan was undertaken by Charles Bridgeman for Queen Caroline; under the supervision of Charles Withers, the Surveyor-General of Woods and Forests, who took some credit for it. It was completed in 1733 at a cost to the public purse of £20,000. Bridgeman's piece of water called The Serpentine, formed by damming the little Westbourne that flowed through the park was not truly in the Serpentine "line of beauty" that William Hogarth described, but merely irregular on a modest curve. The Serpentine is divided from the Long Water by a bridge designed by George Rennie (1826).

One of the most famous historic events to take place in the park was the Great Exhibition of 1851. The "Crystal Palace" was constructed on the south side of the park however, the general public did not want the building to remain in the park after the closure of the exhibition, so the architect, Joseph Paxton, raised funds and purchased it. He had it moved to what was part of Sydenham Hill - now called Crystal Palace.


Hyde Park covers 142 hectares (350 acres) and Kensington Gardens covers 111 hectares (275 acres), giving an overall area of 253 hectares (625 acres), making the combined area larger than the Principality of Monaco (196 ha/484 acres), though smaller than New York City's Central Park (341 ha/843 acres).


The park has become a traditional location for mass demonstrations. The Chartists, the Reform League, the Suffragettes and the Stop The War Coalition have all held protests in the park. Since 1996, the park has been the London venue for the Proms in the Park concerts (which I've been to twice), held on the last night of the BBC Proms. For the 2012 Summer Olympics, the park will host the triathlon and the 10 km open water swimming events. 

If you want to know more about the park along with groovy graphics and so forth try the park website http://www.royalparks.gov.uk/Hyde-Park.aspx 

This race is part of the ITU (International triathlon Union) world championships and is a a practice run for the 2012 Olympics. that's one of the reasons why so many elites were competing especially the British as his particular race counted towards Olympic qualification.  

One advantage of the Hyde Park race is that I can actually cycle there. Its a little 'interesting' riding through London traffic on a tri-bike though as its not really feasible to go down on your tri-bars to change gears as you the don't have ready access to your brakes - which believe you me you need with London drivers! So stuffing all my gear into a large rucksack I ventured through the streets of Brixton, over Vauxhall Bridge around the traffic chaos of Victoria and up towards the park. At Victoria I heard a voice beside me enquiring whether I knew the way? Beside me was a guy in full aero helmet, tri-suit, Specialized bike (the make not a type - which incidentally has just opened a brand only concept shop in Covent Garden which although is common with car dealerships is almost unheard of in the cycle world) and three spoke carbon aero wheels .... You get the picture? So we made our way up to the park together chatting when we had a chance. We did get a few odd looks to say the least!

We parted our ways as he'd registered the night before and I went off to find the swim exit. I'd arrived at Hyde Park around 1pm as Dan, Joe,Tim,  Si, - in fact pretty much everyone from the Blenheim crowd were all doing the Olympic distance race. Joe and Si for the first time ever and Dan and Si having spent the previous week cycling 500 + miles around the Highlands and Islands of Scotland (so it would be interesting to see whether their legs were up for a bit more cycling)! It's not a requirement to be mad to do triathlons but obviously it seems to help. 

Anyway I was there to shout encouragement/abuse - which ever best suited the occasion. I got to the swim exit just in time to see Tim exiting, followed by Joe, Si, Dan .... With my normal foresight and photographic skills I managed to only get a picture of Dan  - the rest were backs of heads, my finger, blurs and so on. by the way, he's the third one back - so even in this I wasn't great so you can imagine what my previous efforts were like! Knowing that they'd be on the bike now for over an hour, I went to register (very quick and efficient set up) and rack my bike and dump all my kit in transition. Walking back through the expo I saw Helen Jenkins,the winner of the women's elite race earlier that morning - start time 8:10am (professional athletes also miss out on lie-ins) and realised she was not some strapping Amazonian-type, but actually really slim and petite (and OK - yes, very pretty).

Deciding the best place to cheer the guys on was a wicked S-bend where I'd be able to see them going both ways on the bike and while doing their run laps (also in a bit of pre-race planning I wanted to see the best racing line for my race later and to be honest there is something inherently beautiful about a stream of cyclists heeling over into a corner). This proved to be fine in theory almost  impossible in practice. Most tri-suits are black or white or a combination, cycle helmets are compulsory, cycle glasses de-rigure so spotting individual riders was 'awkward' to say the least. More often than not I resorted to a "come on Dan/Joe/Tim/ [insert name here]" to a fast disappearing back. My lack of anything resembling timing means and the speed they were going (in spite or because some of them had just finished a 500 mile cycle ride) I have no photos of any of them on the bikes. Never mind I was enjoying myself - I even spotted the guy on the Specialized bike - though the aero helmet did make him easier to spot. I looked at his line through the S-bend as he obviously knew what he was doing. 


One other guy was worth a mention. A somewhat elderly gentleman, by that I mean even older than me was cycling around in what looked like a Pashley or some other upright retro bike with one of those old style big chrome bells (works on the clockwork principle) riding around at a very sedate pace ringing his bell and milking the applause. I saw him later on the run or should I say - stroll, drink in hand in what can only be described as a perambulation.

Then came the run - 4 laps so I'd have a chance to miss them 4 times though to be fair they would be going a bit slower so I should see them. I managed to cheer them on (this time) to such an extent that they knew where I was and were asking where the others were in relation to them. Having absolutely NO idea which lap everyone was on I'm sure I took Rosie's crown of master of mis-information! (See Race 26 - Blenheim). Purely by chance, I was stationed at one place, Rosie at another and Suzy at another so they had maximum coverage of support.

Towards the end of the 10k I heard a cheery 'hello' and by an amazing co-incidence it was the couple Alison and Andre Blincowe who had been volunteer marshals at Blenhiem! They were down to watch the elites and soak up the atmosphere. Had a good chat and then off to the finish to congratulate everyone. The finish order was the same as Blenheim with all three (Tim standing, Joe squatting, and Si kneeling) all doing sub-2:30's!

At the finish while they marshalled themselves for a well earned celebratory pint, I went back to the transition area to begin to get ready for my race. As per usual got talking to my fellow competitors especially Sean (he was up from Devon and had done London the weekend before) who racked adjacent to me and a tanned Aussie gent who'd be cycling around Europe for the last three months and had decided to do a triathlon as part of the tour. He had one of those Cannondale mountain bikes with the single front fork - looks very odd but seem very effective. He also knew what he was doing as had fitted slicks and also argued that the older we got the better we were suited for endurance events. Maybe I should step up a level?

Again true to form I had forgotten something (I thought I was getting better - obviously not) this time it was my transition towel. The towel (approx hand towel size but thinner in width so it fits between the bikes) might look like a bit of fanciful kit but it a) allows you to see where you've racked your bike more easily and believe you me with all the similar looking bikes you need all the help you can get; b)marks your 'territory'; c) allows you to set out your kit in a neat way and d) gives you something to stand on after the swim to at least partially dry the feet. The latter was probably the most crucial as it was a long post swim run to transition and transition was very dry and dusty with lots of small twigs and other of nature's debris.


It was then time to wander down to the swim holding area. They were running a bit behind but unlike London the previous week, the waves were every 10 minutes (rather than the 30-50 min) but there were far fewer of us per wave - probably only 50-60 which was far less daunting. Got talking to a lady - discussing our race tactics (or lack of them) when I very distinguished gentleman came up to me and asked "would I mind zipping him up" with such panache! We all collapsed in laughter to the bemusement of the wave co-ordinator as we all teased him (the guy we zipped up not the wave co-ordinator) at how natural he'd sounded - it was obviously a regular occurrence (Saturday nights perhaps?) Its what I like about the age group races especially the mixed ones - there's a lot more banter and joking around and far less tertesterone (from the men at any rate!)

Then it was line up along the pontoon for the start. Unlike the elites we didn't dive in " more a hanging onto the edge" start. Pre-race there had been quite a lot of concern regarding a blue green algeal bloom which we'd been assured wasn't dangerous though the advice did go on to mention if you felt nauseous, had diarrhoea etc. go and see a doctor immediately - so draw your own conclusions.


It was pretty green and murky with the odd floating bread crumbs - as obviously people do feed the ducks (there is a section on wildlife on the park website if you're interested). Otherwise apart from a couple of zigzagging freestylers who held me up a little I had a pretty good swim (for me at any rate) have a look at Tri viewer ( http://www.tri247.com/triviewer/triViewerLive.html#r=10315 or 
http://www.tri247.com/triviewer/triViewerLive.html#r=10315&r1=FF3020) to see how I did overall. It was then a long run along the asphalt carriage drive which they marked the route the swimmers would take with a thin blue mat - as the swim exit crossed over the run route. This running on a hard surface in bare feet made me realise that the Planar fasciitis hadn't been miraculously cured as the left foot was very painful. Running through transition was a bit 'oo and ow" stepping on twigs and the like and without the towel did mean a fair amount of mud made it into the socks. Then my favourite bit - out on the bike.


Its quite a technical course with 180 turn arounds a couple of 90 degree bends and of course the S-bend. It's virtually flat although the surface on the formerly known as the 'King's private drive' is a bit rough (so much so that Sean thought he had a puncture as he told be at our race dissection at the end). It was great fun though horror of horrors someone overtook me! Fair enough he had a rear disc and aero helmet, but even though! It was a 'long' 20k as it was three laps (the 40k had been five) but it was over all too quickly. There is something about cycling fast through the park, the supporting crowds, the rest of the park users going about their own business, being right in the centre of London - all adding up to make a unique and special event. I was pretty pleased at how the cycle went (subsequently found I'd come 13th in this section). Then it was off on the run with legs that felt not too much like jelly!


So it was off for two laps around the Serpentine - well as far as the bridge at any rate. It was during the first lap that a bunch of young guys literally sprinted past. Some of them even had coaches shouting instructions from the sidelines. These were the junior wave that had started 50 minutes after us. Well at least most of the people were from this wave though one or two were nearer my age ....


At the beginning of the second lap a well tanned woman overtook me and I thought enough was enough so I kept pace with her. Its amazing where you can find the extra motivation. I could keep up but couldn't overtake - I even attempted a sprint finish which she match stride for stride. The second lap I managed to do almost one minute faster - I really should learn to pace myself rather than relying on others!


I slowly made my way back to transition to see how the others had fared. The Aussie - naturally a better swimmer- was chuffed that it had taken 18 km before I'd managed to overtake him on his mountain bike. Sean had also enjoyed himself but had found the swim problematic (so much so I'd actually had reached transition before him).


Having valiantly resisted the temptation to buy some kit at the expo I made my way home somewhat slower than I'd normally of done it. However I couldn't dawdle as the light was fading and a tri-bike doesn't have anywhere to mount lights.


Feeling a little guilty for not going to see the womens' elite race (well I stayed in bed, got the Saturday paper, had a pot of coffee and leisurely breakfast...) I decided that I really ought to go and see the mens race on Sunday, especially as I hadn't managed to get any Olympic tickets, and anyway it was at a much more civilised hour! So cycled down to Buckingham Palace (as the Sunday race would use the Olympic course with more of London closed). 

The tourists looked very bemused as the first competitors started around the course in a tight peliton. To be fair though they soon got into it - especially the French and Italians who have cycling in their blood. I think they treated it just like a stage of the Tour de France - interesting calls and cheering!  The elites can draft so it tends to be a case of a strong swim to get into the first group, then make sure you stay in the first pelliton, then the fast runners battle it out in the final 10k. I personally prefer the non-drafting races as it is then just the individual against everyone else and is as a result less tactical. The Olympics are drafting races so its more  tactical. 

It was amazing seeing the pellitons rush by and as the section around Buckingham Palace/ The Mall has a lot of corners there was something almost balletic as they went around the corners. There were also a fair few number of crashes as it rained intermittently. Having seen them do their four laps, and with the rain pretty steady, I decided to go home and watch the remainder on i-player. Alistair Brownlee emphatically won with his younger brother Jonathan in third. What with Helen Jenkins also winning - its looking good for the Olympics!



Possibly the only thing that left a bad impression in what is one of my favourite races was the price of photos. They were charging £19.99 for each download! I thought that the London Triathlon was bad but this price is scandalous. You will be relieved to know you'll not be seeing any pictures of me at this price.


Result - 69th out of 377 (4th in age group) in a time of 1:24:32