RACE 46 - CHILHAM CASTLE DUATHLON - 2 October

"The distance for the duathlon run by Tri Spirit Events will be a 10km off road run held within the picturesque grounds of Chilham Castle with views of the castle and Canterbury Cathedral.  This will be followed by a very fast but challenging cycle route partly ridden on a designated cycle time trial route then finishing off with a 5km run, again in the park." The deceptively pleasant low key description by the race organisers. 


We were finally having some hot weather ~ a very late reminder of what summer could have been. It was so hot that we received this email from the race organisers the day before along the lines of: "We have added a water station on the bike course due to the hot weather conditions. It will be located at the Wagon & Horses PH, on Faversham Road at about 13K on the route. This will be bottled water only with a sports cap, which will be open for you. If you are discarding your own bottle can you please discard it before the left hand turn at 14.5K. My marshals can then do a sweep of this area. Please do not use my marshals as target practise, as you might wobble and fall off your bike, thank you :-)
This is an additional supply of water and we still recommend that you take your own fluids with you on the bike."


My race preparation wasn't the most well thought out this weekend. Saturday, in which temperatures according to the news had reached 29C, consisted of playing two hockey matches. While loosing 3-0 (we've not had the most impressive start to the season: P2, W0, D0, L2, F0, A9, GD -9 = Points 0) I managed to pull off a pretty good save but for my pains (literally) took a ball on the top of my knee. So sweltering afternoon heat, dehydration, bruised knee and an incredibly 'moist' and smelly kit (it took the best part of a week to air and to largely get rid of the smell ~ a big disadvantage with GK kit is that you can't wash all the padding) meant an evening with the windows open (the flat was decidedly 'fragrant' as you can imagine), icing the knee and getting the kit ready for an early start. The race was starting at 8am so how hot could it get?

Up a the crack of dawn ~ well actually a bit before, and off down the A2. South London was buzzing even this early or rather late as most of those hadn't yet been to bed. Even had a minor traffic jam at New Cross as there were so many people up and around. 


Traffic was light once out beyond the M25 so made good time watching the sun peeping through and burning off the light mist. Arriving in good time ~ this was view that greeted you. Chilham Castle is on the edge of the North Downs so there were some lovely sweeping panoramas, hills, misty hollows, deep overhanging wooded sections - a fantastic driving experience. I found out later on the bike retracing  this route that the hills, panoramas, misty hollows etc. were slightly less appreciated.

Registered, collected the goody bag, set up the the bike and kit in transition and most importantly sourced a cuppa! 


While racking the bike I was chatting to some of the other racers and they were amazed that Halfords had produced a TT Carrera ~ thought I'd actually put the decals on myself! To be honest the bike did look a bit sad without the carbon back wheel as because of the puncture I'd been forced to put the original old wheel back on. This proved to be a bit of a faff as I had to remember to change the brakes over as well from the carbon pads back to the standard rubber. The other chat I had was while changing into my race gear in the 'changing tent' ~ bit of a luxury this, another competitor, a local chap, was explaining the cycle route to me. He was rather ominously doing the race as part of relay team as he claimed the run was a real b******d ~ very prophetic as it turned out! 


The bike course which he'd practised on the day before was a bit of a mix and the secret was not to start out too fast as the first 20-25km was quite hilly. None of the hills were particularly steep he explained, just deceptively long inclines that often steepened just as you made the ridge of the North Downs. It did make the descending fast and interesting though I should watch out for the bends and some dodgy bits of asphalt on the "racing line". The remaining part of the race was pretty much flat so should be pretty fast.  Not entirely sure whether he was just being friendly and helpful (I think on balance he was) or trying to psych me out as he also mentioned he'd done it the previous day in 1:07. Found out subsequently that they had won the team race. This course was described on the race website as being "The biting 13K uphill start to the bike section testing the riders' legs, but there is plenty of flat and fast downhill for the competitors in the remainder of the 40K." 

At 8am we all lined up for the start of what was described as  "a challenging 10K cross country run". Oh boy that's an understatement! The first 1km was uphill, no easing us in gently! While the hills weren't of the steepness of some of the other 10k's I've done, it was the constancy of seemingly always going upwards that draining. Obviously there were some downhill sections but they tended to be steeper and gave little opportunity to catch your breath. The other problem was we got lost! How could you get lost on a well marshalled and signed course? Quite easily as it turned out as one of the supporters left a gate open so about a dozen of us went through the gate and down the hill. Fortunately we were spotted and called back before we'd reached the bottom but it was a bit of a slog. The next time we came round - as it was a two lap circuit, they'd parked a car in front of the gate so there was no confusion. After a few more ups and downs it was a run along the 500 year old chestnut avenue towards the castle. At this point it was another run uphill towards the start/finish line to repeat the lap. 


It was stunning countryside, a mixture of woodlands and open estate, liberally dotting with cross-country horse jumps. The estate operates a livery stable and horse eventing being quite a feature of their diversification. Underfoot while one section was a bit muddy, the remainder was fine and in fact the majority of runners were in road shoes whereas I'd opted for trail shoes. 

Having almost staggered up the final hill to transition in a not very impressive 51 minute 10k time ~ it was time for the bike. So far the knee was bearing up pretty well, sore but by no means debilitating. The first section of the bike the organisers had suggested we might want to walk as it was a rough gravel track downhill towards the estate road. Having done what felt like 'off-roading' at Hever, I decided to risk it - albeit rather gingerly. Making the road, it was turn left out of the grounds to start the long climb. I took the advice and didn't start out too fast, slow enough to eat some jelly babies and have some drink. However seeing someone in the distance, decided enough was enough and picked up speed. Although it was uphill, in parts it was possible to go down on the tri-bars and pick up some speed. In one section - under trees that created a green tunnel over the road, the temperature dropped considerable, enough to make you shiver while the heavy dew still hadn't cleared from the road surface. 


I began to catch and overtake some of the faster runners or those who hadn't gone the wrong way. To be honest I was really enjoying myself, smooth asphalt which meant my jelly babies stayed put, fantastic North Downs scenery, warm sunshine and a few of my fellow competitors to catch and overtake. I had the audacity to overtake one guy in full aero-helmet while he was having a drink, next thing - whoosh. He stormed past, head down in full tuck. I managed to keep him sight downhill round the swooping bends but as soon as we got on the flat section he pulled away. Unfortunately I don't have the 'Sir Chris Hoy' thighs to push the top gear in anything less than perfect conditions on the flat. Something to work on over winter perhaps.


The first 20km were undulating as it was all up to and over the North Downs. The second 20 km was out and back along the valley which was almost flat, very fast but considerably less enjoyable as the scenery wasn't as attractive, the traffic was beginning to build and the road surface wasn't quite as good. Also by this time my knee was aching but more problematic was my kit selection. I'd decided not to wear my tri-gear, instead going for running kit. No tri-shorts meant no padding so a certain amount of "discomfort" and "chaffing" was occurring. 

As we turned into the estate again, it was quite a steep up hill section liberally dotted with tourists that a) didn't have quite the same urgency and b) seemed unaware of the fact that cyclists were whizzing passed them. The last bit up a very steep gravel section I just managed to make. Once in transition changing into my running shoes for the final 5km run, I heard cheers as the first person finished the race - a bit depressing! Staggering off, I realised I may, just may have overdone it a bit on the bike especially as you'll remember, the first 1km of the course was all uphill. Feeling rather light-headed as by now it was about 10:00am and warming up nicely (that is if you weren't running) I stumbled round what proved to be one of my slowest 5km's of the year. Fortunately someone had overtaken me in the transition and all I did was keep him in sight and plod on.


It was a great race, very tough, well organised and friendly. Yet it was tinged with sadness as it's the last opportunity to use the tri-bike for nearly six whole months - how will I survive?


RESULT:  24th out of 73 in time of 2:38:14 


I was 3rd in my age group but amazingly winner was also in my age group and was 30 mins quicker! I've obviously got a bit to go yet. To be fair I did check up on him and he is Nick Kinsey, an eight-time competitor at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii: one of the most consistent British competitors in Ironmen over the last 20 years: is a Tri UK sponsored athlete: and runs training camps in Mallorca (see http://www.mallorcaman.co.uk/) so I was "a bit" out-classed!


Now for some interesting trivia. The Chilham Castle website (http://www.chilham-castle.co.uk/) is one of the most comprehensive websites I've come across - just look at the history section! I've pulled out two of the more "interesting bits" ~ well unusual at any rate.


1.The Chilham Elephants
"At the foot of School Hill is a building which lies at the centre of some persistent village tales. It is now called “The Elephant House”, because reputedly it once housed elephants brought from India to clear timber in the estate woodlands and park.


When sold in the 1980s it was known as “Annagh House” (named after a village in Ireland) and, through most of the preceding decades of the 20th century, it was occupied by gardeners and game-keepers or members of the owners' family. The external appearance of the present building suggests a 19th century conversion of an 18th century structure. The pilaster on the front resembles closely the pillars flanking Colebrooke's claire-voie, but in 1741 the site was occupied by a gazebo in the form of a turret not unlike those on the castle to-day.


A recent occupier has told us of drainage channels beneath the floor and it is sometimes suggested that the large recessed arches on the park side of the building provided access for the animals, but such features are not uncommon in places where there is no talk of elephants – perhaps the nearest example is the stable at Syndale Park on the outskirts of Faversham,


Stories differ as to when the elephants were here and evidence is very patchy. In the 18th century, two generations of the Colebrooke family maintained strong connexions with the East India Company, which in their day, ruled India. The joints in the brickwork where the “Elephant House” adjusts to the slope of School Hill are regarded by some people as indicating that Robert Colebrooke converted the gazebo to house elephants. We are told that mahouts slept in the loft. In those days, any visitors from the next town would be viewed with circumspection, but we have no records of Indians in the village. One might wonder how well they (perhaps with their families) would have fitted into village life.


In his meticulous history of Chilham,Thomas Heron, the Colebrookes' successor, gives elephants no mention, but soon after his departure, we are told that Jane Austen wrote to her sister from their brother's home at Godmersham after “a walk to see Mr Wildman's elephants at Chilham”. Until we can track this letter down, the tale remains unsubstantiated.


After Jane Austen's death, Mr Wildman married the daughter of a former Governor of Madras, but this connexion with India takes us nowhere. From the memoirs of Matilda, their daughter, we learn of the wisteria brought from China but elephants from India are not mentioned. In the collection of paintings left for us by Matilda's sister Emily, we see horses, dogs and birds, but no elephants. The history of Chilham, by Emily's son, Arthur Bolton, written in 1911, is equally silent.


However, from now on we are on more solid ground. Relatives of the Hardy family have an old oil painting inscribed “The elephant brought from Ceylon by Mr Charles Hardy in 1875” This seems to be a copy of a photograph shown here which has been reproduced widely. In the records of the Chilham Society it appears with the caption "Tambo with the elephant brought from Ceylon by Charles S Hardy in 1875" The Hardy family also own a collar which, according to family tradition, the animal wore; its distinctive buckle can be recognised in the photograph. There are recollections in the village of about 100 years ago, when we are told, an elephant, (kept, according to one local resident, with the horses in the stables near the Keep) used to tow a mower over the castle lawns (presumably wearing the collar) and on special occasions such as Boxing Day, village children were allowed to ride on its back.


Thirty years ago, in open ground beside the Chestnut Avenue about 250 yards from the ha-ha, there used to be three large stones bearing names. A hundred years ago the estate plan showed a small clump of trees on the site, but the trees and the stones have now vanished. Word on the estate was that they marked the graves of elephants, but they might have been for dogs or horses. Excavation might provide an answer.
Meanwhile, the stories and the questions persist.


2. Australian cricket
In the National Library of Australia, Canberra, hangs a painting, said to show an Australian cricket team on their second test tour, playing at Chilham in August 1878 against “Mr Wilsher's Gentlemen”. Reputedly by William Andrews Nesfield 1793 - 1881 a famous landscape gardener &, in his early years, a competent water-colourist, the quality of its execution is remarkable for a man aged 85 &, and it should be noted, has been done in oil.

A copy can be found at the St Lawrence Cricket Ground in Canterbury, but anyone familiar with Chilham & its history can tell that this picture is not authentic.

Rather than showing the castle as it was in 1878, the painter copied an engraving by William Watts from “Seats of the Nobility & Gentry” showing the scene exactly as it had been in 1785 – including the trees growing beside the keep. However the painter failed to notice that mid-wicket in 1878 was a huge holm oak, which by then was already a couple of generations old.

Even the shadow across the windows of the house in the 1785 engraving is reproduced with absolute precision in the painting, but evidently the Victorian painter was unaware of big changes to the building during the intervening century. Instead of the long service wing added in 1863 the painter shows us a small pinnacled Jacobean orangery which, by 1878, had vanished.

In the foreground is a crenellated wall, upon which are inscribed the names of all the players & the scores achieved by each team. Like the match depicted, these battlements, though perhaps roughly in line with the sunk wall or ha-ha bordering the park, are pure artistic fancy.

The owner of Chilham in 1878 was not, as is sometimes stated, Lord Harris of Belmont, but another great enthusiast for the game, Col. Charles Stewart Hardy. Hardy's cricket ground was not where the painter imagines, on the sloping crown of the park just south of the house, but far away in the lower park on level ground, where the Colonel had adapted an old pavilion built into the park wall.

Derek Carlaw of Canterbury has proved conclusively that the match never took place; copies of his report are available on request. By the publication of these notes & the report of Mr Carlaw's thoroughgoing research, we aim to debunk this fantasy scene & the persistent legends to which it has given rise."