...and the weight drops off

Seeing Richard’s great report on the Birmingham Triathlon earlier in July spurred me on to write an update on my own progress this season, as I was also at the inaugural event at Sutton Park on Saturday 15th July. I’m in my fourth season of Tri and stepped up to the Olympic distance in 2011. So where Richard was doing a 750m swim, 20km cycle and a 5km run, I had to set the alarm a little earlier for the drive North to join a slightly bigger field doing a 1500m swim (4 laps), 40km cycle (7 laps) and ending with a 10km run (4 laps).  I clocked 02:46:24 overall, coming 57th in a field of 192 and 3rd in my age category (J; 50-54).

Surprisingly, the event wasn’t chip-timed which gives you split times on the different elements, transition times and allows you to compare across events. I have to agree with Richard the cycle course was “rough” and the speed bumps caused a few spills and mechanical failures.

Although already a member of Cambridge Triathlon Club, I joined St Neots CC last year because my cycle is my weakest element, I needed some additional help and I can’t really get into Cambridge for the training sessions after work. While out on a solitary training ride in the autumn of 2011, I tagged along with one of the club's Sunday groups through Gamlingay (Richard Ostler our Chairman was leading the group; the black, white and green kit is very distinctive!) and joined up the following week. The club has a great feel and everybody has been really friendly and welcoming. Although I haven’t able to make many of the Sunday rides so far, the club’s summer TT has been a great boost to the speed work (see below) and I’m already signed up for the Sportive in October together with a few colleagues from work.

Steve Pleasance

In addition to Birmingham this season, I’ve also competed in the Newmarket Sprint, the Dambuster Olympic (at Rutland Water and an ITU Qualifier for Auckland 2012) and then last weekend the Bedford Classic Olympic. This was an ETU Qualifier event for Turkey 2013 (see Richard’s report) and hence a bigger field (>550) of more serious club triathletes across all age groups. The 40km cycle route was a lovely single loop in the countryside south of Bedford and I posted a PB of 01:18:41 (somewhat slower than Richard's pace!), managed a SB of 02:38:47 overall and was placed 22nd in my age group.  I have also clocked up two longer distance swim events (3.8km) at Thurrock (in May) and Grafham (July), as I’m probably going to “go long” and attempt a middle distance (70.3 or half ironman) at the end of the season. I just need to up the distance on the bike, so you may be seeing more of me on the Sunday rides. I would certainly encourage anyone to have a go at a triathlon (or duathlon or aquathlon) - it certainly mixes the training up.

Pleasance weight

Having been a swimmer in my youth and turned to running to try and maintain the fitness, it was the addition of the cycle, and putting them all together that really saw the weight drop off in the first two years of competing (see attached graph).  The cycle element of triathlon is where you can really make a difference to your overall time.

Steve Pleasance, August 2012