Local bike race TOMORROW (Oct 1st)

The GOAL Cup hill-climb challenge will take place this Saturday 1st Otober. The GOAL cup has been organised since the early nineties by Seamus McGowan to raise funds for this great Third World charity organisation. This year the event will incorporate The County Sligo Hill-Climbing Championships 2011.

The event takes place in the form of a hill-climb over a distance of just 4km on Muragh Mountain near Manorhamilton Co Leitrim. Starting at Shanvas crossroads just about 3km the Sligo side of Manorhamilton, riders can sign on from 12 noon on Saturday and the first rider will get off at 12:30pm. The event is open to all riders of all standards and ability.

The event this year will not be held as a handicap - but to compensate for this there will be prizes in a wide number of categories:
1st three Junior Ladies : 1st three Junior men :
1st three Senior Men :
1st three Senior Ladies :
Age Categories for Ladies and Men : 1st over 40
1st over 50
1st over 55
1st over 60
1st over 65
1st over 70.

Blacksod Olympic Report, Part II

Thanks go to Dermot Cunningham for the following race report from Belmullet. This was his first attempt at the distance in one of the toughest races on the calendar. The report makes interesting reading for anyone looking to make the jump from up from Sprint distance racing:

"After completing and enjoying the Sprint in Rosses Point, it was suggested to me by Declan Conlon that I should consider doing the Olympic Distance in Blacksod. As it was a good few weeks away, I agreed, and entered.

Arranging the accommodation for the night before the Race is the next step, as Registration takes place on the eve of the Race. Mr Conlon came up trumps as he knew an excellent B&B that he had used the last time he did the event, and so another box was ticked.

It was Sean Flannery that had suggested giving Triathlons a go last year, and so I turned to him for some guidance. When he stopped laughing at the idea of me taking on what is regarded as the toughest Olympic Distance in Ireland, he realised I was serious and probably felt that I needed all the help I could get.

I knew the swim would be crucial, as if you don’t get through it, it doesn’t matter how good you are on the bike or on the run. Lynsey Dunn had helped me greatly to get over my anxiety of the sea for the Rosses Point Sprint, and without her help I wouldn’t have been able to complete it. Thankfully the trauma of working with me before hadn’t put her off, and so Lynsey again played a key role in getting me ready for the Event.

For a few weekends leading up to Blacksod, I trained with Timmy McCarthy doing the distances for the 3 elements, so I knew that if I paced myself right, I could complete it on the day. Timmy is a very experienced Triathlete, and was able to give me some good advice, the only trouble was trying to keep up with him on the bike and run to be able to hear the advice!
The Day before:
Having done a short brick session back in Drumcliffe that morning, I travelled down to Blacksod and checked into the B&B. It was my second time down there, as I had checked out the bike and run route in August. Registration was in Belmullet, which is 20k back the road and is on the bike route, without the big hill that I had heard so much about. At this stage the nerves were really kicking in!
I met with Declan and we continued our Carbo Loading. Gradually a few members of the Sligo Tri Club arrived, and the atmosphere was building. Everybody was in good form, and the ones who had done the Race previously were only too willing to share their experiences with those of us new to Blacksod.

A good night’s sleep?
Not one wink did I get that night! Thoughts were going through my head – “Are you mad?” What possessed you to think you could do this?” “The toughest Olympic Distance in Ireland and this is the one you pick for your first one!”
The Morning
Eventually the watched alarm clock went off, and so the day began! Our host, Hanna had prepared a massive saucepan of porridge, with raisins and honey, and we tucked in. We dropped our bikes to Transition, and learned that they weren’t allowing boxes this year – the Race organiser had been down in Galway for the Half Ironman, and had picked up a few ideas.

Thankfully the sun was out, the wind had dried the roads from the previous day’s torrential rain, and the sea looked relatively calm. Within a few minutes the pier was a hive of activity and the atmosphere was electric.
Ready for action
After the Race briefing we put on our wetsuits, and made our way to the start. We had only time for a short warm up and as usual the start was fairly hectic.
The Swim
The Course had us head out from a beach to a yellow buoy about 500m for the start, and take a sharp turn right and head back the 1000m to the Pier. Considering that the majority of competitors were wearing yellow hats, having the turning buoy the same colour maybe wasn’t the best idea. The size of the buoy wasn’t great either; they were the ones that are used for mooring boats in the bay. It made me realise just how lucky we are in Sligo with our very large buoys. There were only about 6 kayaks, and 2 safety boats, so it was obvious that Shane O’Doherty hadn’t been co-ordination the safety crews.

There was only 1 wave for the 200 competitors, so I stuck to my plan of staying at the back and avoiding the mayhem. We were meant to stand in knee deep water for the start, but obviously some people knees are a lot higher than others and after a few calls in vain from the Race Starter to get people to come back, the Race was on!

Before I knew it, I was out at the yellow buoy, and was turning for the Pier. My stroke was going fairly well, I was still relaxed and was actually enjoying the experience. The water then got fairly choppy, and it was difficult at times to see the red buoys on the route to the Pier, but we could see the Pier itself in the distance so it wasn’t that bad. I got a few shoulders and my legs were hit a few times, but thankfully my head and face remained clear and the goggles stayed secure. From once we started we couldn’t see the bottom, so it was great to finally see it as I came up onto the Pier.

My swim took over 38 minutes, but I was delighted to have made it safely back to dry land. After a bit of a wardrobe malfunction in Transition, it was up on the bike and away.

The Cycle
I had driven up the dreaded hill the previous evening, so I knew what was ahead of me. It was pretty steep, but it didn’t go on for too long, and I didn’t have to dismount thankfully! I meet a couple of competitors walking back with their bikes, for them the adventure was over.

Heading out for Belmullet I met the leaders on their way back, and I was delighted to see Neil Walton in about third place. Neil has been fantastic for advising me on training, diet, nutrition and on the mental side of Triathlon over the year, and he’s never left any of my questions unanswered.

Once I reached the turn, I had done about 23km wind assisted, but the 20km back to Transition felt like 40km, uphill! Cycling into a gale really takes it out of you, but I had been warned about this, and I did my best to pace myself throughout the 43k.

As I came towards Transition, I passed Jason McMorrow, obviously it’s not as impressive as it seems, as Jason was running towards the finishing line at the time. Jason is another great encourager of people new to the sport, and was one of the first to extend the hand of friendship when I went to my first Tri Club Meeting last year.

The Run
Coming out of the run, I saw Sean Flannery finishing and I knew that I had about 59 minutes to try and achieve my second goal – to finish within 1 hour of Sean. My first goal was obviously to finish, at my age and my level of fitness, for me finishing is winning.

The run was lovely –after about 500metres we turned left and went up hill for about 2km, and then downhill onto a short beach run, followed by running on grass to another road up another hill. After the turn around, we ran along another road and looped back to where we had ran down onto the beach earlier. Obviously we had the lovely 2km downhill at that stage which brought us back to the main road and the final 500 metres to the finish.

By the time I reached the final 500 metres, the rest of the Sligo lads had finished, done their cool downs, drank their recovery shakes, read the paper and planned next year’s events. But it was very nice of them to cheer me on to the finish line.

Thank you
I really appreciated the encouragement and the support I received on the day from our fellow Club members Declan Conlon, Neil Walton, Timmy McCarthy, Eamon McAndrew, Sean Flannery and Brian Sexton. Their words of wisdom helped to calm me down greatly, and it’s important to acknowledge the positive impact that they had on the day.

Over all, it was a great adventure, and I was delighted to have finished my first Olympic Distance Tri. It’s a great venue, and I would encourage everyone to put Blacksod in their diaries for next year."

More info on the race can be found on the Kilmore Tri Club website.

Belmullet race report

Thanks go to Neil Walton for the following report from last Saturdays action -for anyone that missed it, Neil took a well deserved third place in this National Series event. Overall it was a great day for the club, which had athletes finishing well in every division. Another race report will follow from Dermot Cunningham who picked probably the most difficult olympic in Ireland as his first attempt at the distance, and finished comfortably.



"The Vodafone National Series wrapped up in Blacksod today, with William McCormack and Marie Boland taking line honours.

The Mayo sunshine was out and shining for the nearly 300 strong field, but the wind was still gusting with great force. Competitors reported that the bike out to the turn around was swift with a handy tail wind, and "absolutely brutal" and " a real test of mental toughness" coming back. The run course is also famed as one of the toughest of the National Series, taking in a variety of terrain including several sandy sections.

First home for the Men was William McCormack of Belpark, from Colm Sheehan in second and Neil Walton of Sligo Tri Club in 3rd. Marie Boland was first home for the ladies, with Joanne Doran and Julie Anne Bowden second and third respectively.

This is a tough hard race, the swim is in Blacksod bay, it is a triangle shape 1500 meter swim which was choppy on the way back into transition. The bike course is nothing put painful, you have a long 1500m climb steeper in parts than the glen road, with a sharp dangerous steep descent back onto the Bellmullet Road. The course then goes straight out to Bellmullet, turning at the sea wall just before Bellmullent Town, and then straight back into a massive head wind to Blacksod Bay.

The run was beautiful, from transition there was a 1000m steep climb which lead down to a beach run and back onto to back roads, which was a tough but scenic road.
All in all the competition was well run, excellent post refreshments, however safety on the bike course will have to be addressed next year.

There was also a club section for the best overall club performance, and on paper Sligo Tri Club were the clear winners, unfortunately the club was not awarded with the prize to which not a clear answer was available from the race director after the event.

The prizes where extremely poor at the event, age groupers and 2nd and 3rd in both female and male overall only receive a small cheap medals, which is not good for a National Series Event.
The was great turn out of club members on the day. With great performances from all athletes. The club had five members in the top 20 which was very good considering the high standard at the event. Neil Walton managed to get 3rd overall, next was Eamon Mc Andrews in 6th, then Garry Higgins in 8th, Brian Sexton 17th, Colm Casey in 19th and Jason Mc Morrow 26th. Saoirse O Donoghue was the first Sligo female home, and 4th overall in the ladies category and first in her age group.

Also great performances from Sean Flannery, Trever Mc Sharry, Alan French, Any Hamilton,Tommy Sheridan, Conal Sexton, Greg Kelly, John Burrows, Martha Van Der Meulen (1st in her age group), Shelia Ryan, Timothy Mc Carthy (2nd in his age group), Dermot Cunningham, Rory Raftery , Jonathan Fahey, Enda Madden, Caroline Brennan, Carmel Regan and Michelle Henry."

Full results can be found here.

Discount for members

Just a quick reminder for newer members from one of our sponsors. Membership entitles you to a 10% discount in Chain Driven Cycles. Stephen noticed that some club members were unaware of this and has asked for the message to be passed on.

The Launch of the Curlieu Wheelers Cycling Club

Club member Carmel Regan has been busy over the summer and managed to fit in the preperations for a new bike club with recovery from her injuries in the Boyle duathlon. It is an indication of the growth in popularity of biking to see yet another club develop, we wish the Curlieu Wheelers all the best, no doubt many Sligo Tri members will be competing with, racing against and marshalling for their events in the future. With this in mind the first event they are running takes place in two weeks, all Sligo Tri members are invited -details can be found below or by visiting their website.


"We are delighted to announce the re-launch of the Curlieu Wheelers cycling club with a 50km Leisure Cycle and 10km Family fun cycle on the 9th of Oct at 11.00am in conjunction with the Roscommon Sports Partnership group. The route is planned along some local scenic areas. The start/finish is in Lough Key forest Park and will head out to Cootehall- Knockvicar-Keadue-Ballyfarnon-Corrigeenroe.
Registration will be on the day at 10.00am in Lough Key activity centre. Registration fee is €10per person this will include a refreshment stop and a Beanie hat. Cycle helmets are compulsory."
Any enquiries contact Carmel 0861598232 (curlieuwheelers.blogspot.com)

Congrats to Eve and Scot Reid....

.........on the birth of baby Sebastien last week.
If he takes after either of his parents he will be very quick in the water!

RNLI Seafood Night 23rd Sept

They've helped us with events and are good friends of the club, the RNLI are hosting a seafood fundraiser tomorrow night in the Strand Bar and have asked us to mention it.
More details below
http://www.sligotoday.ie/details.php?id=16528

POOL SWIMMING KICKS OFF TOMORROW

It's that time of year again, and the pool coaching is starting again with the 8am session tomorrow morning -more info. to follow.

Rookie Women Take up the Autumn Triathlon Challenge

The club's 'Women's Triathlon Training' was launched last week at The Raddisson Hotel. Thirty new recruits have taken on a six week training programme covering all they need to know about triathon. Some of our top coaches; Colm, Shane, Cecilia and Sheila will motivate and encourage the group and having assimilated it all, these women will put their new-found skills to the test on Sunday 6th November at the Women's Try-a-tri event.

Thanks go to Sligo Sport and Recreational Partnership for creating this opportunity with their funding support and the club's sub-committee working on this programme. For some of Sligo Triathlon Club's up-an-coming female talent...watch this space!

Weekend racing reminder...

The season may be drawing to a close but races are coming thick and fast, for those of you that have not got your weekend already planned here is what is on offer...

SUNDAY 18th -SLIGO BIKE HILL CLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP

3k hill climb.
Ballyfarnon, Co.Sligo -register at 9:30am, first rider off at 11am.
Cost of entry €10, all proceeds go to Sligo Hospital Oncology Unit Trust.
STC members welcome, contact Stephen 071 9129008

SATURDAY 17th -SLIGO AC 8k

8k road race.
Rosses Point, Co.Sligo -register via runireland, starts at 6pm

...and for anyone feeling really adventureous, recent world Ironman qualifier Eamonn 'mouse' McAndrew has sent on the following invite to a pre run workout (Note: This is an informal training session among members and not a coached club training)...

"A few club members are meeting at the yacht club on Saturday at 4.00pm for a training session involving the following. A swim at 4.15pm for 25minutes, followed by registration for the Rossespoint 8km, followed by a one hour turbo session in the car park at the side of the yacht club, followed by the Rosses point 8km road race. The intention is to finish the turbo session red hot at 5.55pm make our way to the start line and run the race at 6.00pm with whatever is left in the legs. This will be ideal training for anyone doing Blacksod next weekend. This is not a club coached event so please bring your own equipment, especially a pulse monitor if you have one".

Lough Key Race Report

If anyone who raced Loughrea yesterday has the chance to tap out a report, mail it onto pro@sligotriathlon.ie -good few Sligo athletes in the mix on what must have been seriously testing conditions.

Thanks go to Roy Kelly for the following report from Boyle on the Sunday before last. There was a good contingent form the club present and the race is highly recommended. If you missed it then one to keep in mind for 2012...

The Lough Key Sprint Triathlon took place on the 4th of September 2011. It was the fifth hosting of the event and the second time for it to be included as part of the national series. 231 competitors started the race and 224 finished. Although a number of Sligo Tri Clubs elite were in Galway to tackle the Galway 70.3 Ironman the club was well represented with 22 competitors across all levels.

Lough key forest park is a great place to have a triathlon in it’s proximity to Sligo, facilities and idyllic scenery. Registration on Saturday evening was welcoming and efficient and the goody bag included a good sports bag which was a nice change from the customary race t-shirt that every race seems to have.

The race had the usual build-up of registering, racking the bike, lining up all of the necessary gear, chatting to everyone about what they expected to do and how training was going. After the race briefing we were counted into the water. I was one of the first into the water and I’d say that it took about ten minutes for everybody to be counted in and lined up for the race start. For next year I think I’ll be later getting into the water as I was definitely feeling the cold before the race started. The start area was very wide which gave swimmers plenty of space but I still managed to crash into a few people at the start before settling into a rhythm. We were lucky that the lake was calm because at times there can be up to 2 feet waves in Lough key. I survived the swim and made it into transition, as usual I was well down the field but was happy with my time and to be back on solid ground.

On a dry day the bike course is a nice one, most of it is on quiet country roads and there is only one tester of a hill and a few drags. However, Sunday was a wet day and the rain meant that the roads were very greasy especially in the sheltered forest roads. A number of people came of there bikes, some were able to continue on but others had to retire for the day. At the finish line competitors could be seen comparing bruises and cuts. Every junction had marshals shouting instructions and support and even though the roads weren’t closed there was practically no traffic for the first 16k. At about 16k you turn back on to the main N4 and there is a nice down hill where i felt like i was flying along, unfortunately it is followed by a 1k drag of an uphill which always seemed flat when I was driving.

The second transition went smoothly (well as smoothly as it can go when you have that weird sensation where your legs feel like they’re asleep/numb – you can’t actually feel your legs but you can feel the pain they are in). The first 400m of the run to the top of the hill at the tower was very tough but then the legs began to loosen out. The lough key run is an enjoyable one as once you get past the 400m mark the rest of the course is flat.

Overall the event was well marshalled and supported and despite the wet weather the atmosphere was great and spirits were high. Lough key is so close to home and because it is such a nice course it is definitely a race that will be in most members calendar for next year.

Channel 4 Coverage of Galway 70.3

There will be channel 4 coverage (highlights) of the recent Galway 70.3 event Sun 18 Sep, 7.20AM.
See here for more details http://www.channel4.com/programmes/triathlon

Diary of an world c'ship qualifier

To help ease any post Irish match rainy day boredom Eamonn 'mouse' McAndrew has kindly submitted this excellent race report from last weeks Galway Ironman event -for anyone who missed it, he came fourth in his age group (racing against professionals) and got round in under 4.5 hrs:

Galway Ironman 70.3

I entered Galway ironman as soon as it opened last September, having set some of my season goals around it. The entry at that time was €190 but topped out at €250. Colm set the base training schedule in place in January with a target of completing the course sub 4.30. We trained hard regardless, so it was all about putting it together on the day.

I travelled to Galway with Skinny (face book) Mc Morrow. The weather was taking a turn for the worse but there was no going back. I consumed 4000 calories on Friday and another 4000 on Saturday along with 4 litres of water each day. I was fully loaded and raring to go.

The morning of the race I got up at 4.30am but I would have been as well not going to bed, for all the sleep I got. After a calorie feast for breakfast (4 snickers and a litre of beetroot juice), I met up with the lads in Salthill. We knew the sea would be challenging because the winds were forecast to be high, but on first light we got our first site of Galway Bay and it was a squally mess . The swim was shortened to 750m on the day which actually measured 1000m.

The swim was tough with a high chop and strong current. The waves seemed to hit from all sides, however we stuck to the task and got through it. My swim was weak as I was 21min in the water, and 2-3 min down on the lads, but the race was only starting. The run from the sea to the end of transition was at least 800m long, the majority of which had no carpet. My feet went numb at this stage.

On to the bike and I hit the gas. I battled Padraic Marry for most of the cycle so I knew I was going well. There was a strong cross wind and heavy rain for most of the cycle. I remember going through 40km in 1.01. I swallowed six gels in total on the bike and found every time I took one I put the power down so much so I dropped Padraic on the return leg. I finished the 90km in 2hrs 29min, so I knew I was going well. I had a pee on the bike at 70km which went down my legs and filled my shoes, at this stage my feet had frozen solid so I found it a real treat. However, I had still not caught Colm Casey or Gary Higgins but I felt very strong at the finish of the bike and was looking forward to the run.

At the start of the run I took two gels and set off. I was running off my Garmin which was brilliant. I ran the first 3 miles at 6.15 pace and the next 8 miles under 6.30 pace, whereas the last few miles were around the 7min mark. The run loop was a 3 lap course so you could see who you were chasing and who was chasing you. I made a mistake at the end of the third loop where I continued on a fourth loop instead of going up the promenade to the finish line, I eventually realised my mistake and headed for the finish. My 13mile run time off the Garmin was 1 hour 25 min and 36 sec. To run a 1hr 25min off the bike was one of my goals so needless to say I was delighted. The last mile of the run hurt so I knew I had left nothing out there.

The event was extremely well organised from start to finish. I felt it was very expensive considering Swinford was €70. Will I do it again next year? Definitely!!!!!. My goal for improvement in this race next year would be 5-6% across the board. Success for me this year has come from training hard and smart under the guidance of my coach Colm Casey who has helped me to realise my potential.

What’s next....? Blacksod triathlon and a sub three hour Dublin marathon (Fingers crossed ). Then a well deserved break after a very eventful season. Base training will start early in 2012 and will incorporate a weights programme. Triathlon for me is about competing and always trying to go faster. I am looking forward to next year’s racing already. I would like to thank my wife Clodagh, for all her support throughout this season.

Club training triathlon tomorrow...CANCELLED

The club training triathlon taking planned for tomorrow (Sunday 11th) morning in Hazelwood IS CANCELLED.

In what has to have been the wettest, windiest season in years another weekend of bad weather has conspired against racing. 33 knot southerly winds and rain in excess of 1mm per hour mean there is little point attempting a session. Don't forget the club meeting next Tuesday -at least we can run that indoors.

Set your PB for an 8k...

Next Saturday Sligo AC hold their annual Rosses Point 8k race; it is a fast course... just 4.6k to the turn just before Cregg, and give it welly all the way back to the finish opposite Austies!

Entry is online via the runireland website.

Sligo AC also need about 4 stewards to help out on the day (race is at 6pm); they have been long time supporters of the triathlon scene here and many of our races could not run without their help, so if you can spare the time to help out contact Tom Meehan on 0876731182.

Galway Ironman 2011

Last weekend was a busy weekend for the club and this is the first of a couple of reports from the action. While some of us were skidding (and crashing -with Dathai and others suffering during the outbreak of road rash!) our way around Lough Key a strong contingent from the club was posting seriously competitive times in the Galway Ironman. Congradulations go to Eamonn McAndrew (who has also agreed to post a race report) and Gary Higgins who both qualified for the world championships!

The first of the race reports comes from Alan French, who completed the storm battered route in under 5 and a half hours in his first attempt at the half-iron distance...

Hello Everyone,

For those of you who don’t know me my name is Alan French, I joined the Tri Club this year and it is my first year of triathlon racing. So it made perfect sense to sign up for a half ironman event having only done three sprint distance events before this!!!

I travelled up to Galway early on the Saturday to get registered and get all the admin stuff out of the way. For a massive event of nearly 2000 competitors it ran smoothly and got my chip/ swim cap etc in a matter of minutes. Then it was time to set up my bike and transition areas. Having not done an event like this before and being used to putting all my stuff beside my bike this was different. They used a bag transition system. Basically you had T1 where you exited the water it was a cloakroom tent affair with numbered bags, get your numbered bag and take out your bike gear and put in your wetsuit and a volunteers racks your bag for you, same in T2 which is the far end of transition. The scary part is you have to hand in these bags the day before and have no access to them after that point so if you forget something then it’s tough. The bike park was then just bike’s and oh my god for a bike geek like me it was class, could have spent hours in there looking at all carbon and the Pro’s bike’s. To give you a sense of scale the bike area was the distance between the hotel in Rosses Point to the entrance of the yacht club approximately with bikes either side of the road and in the middle. So after drooling over the bike candy it was time to get fed and watered before the big day and a surprising good night’s sleep.

Race morning:

Up at half four for a seven fifteen start and just wanted to check the bike and put my water bottles on and triple check everything you’d swear I had OCD. Then heard the swim was cut to 750M and delayed by fifteen minutes. Now for anyone thinking that this is now not a full half iron distance (more of an Ironman Ireland 69 and a bit) you’re wrong. I felt a bit cheated when heard swim was cut but after two minutes in the water it was the correct decision, I’m a good swimmer but I found the conditions tough and the distance was 1 KM. But the 500M+ run from T1 to get your bike and exit the bike park x 2 more than made up for the swim being reduced. Onto the bike and it was a good course not flat by any means but no huge climbs. I have to admit a certain sense of satisfaction passing guys on TT bike’s worth €5-10K. The conditions made this race tough, cold and extremely wet I saw a few bad crashes and injuries due to the wet roads plus a tail wind out and head/ cross wind back. Bike went well for me under 3 hours which I was happy with. The non drafting element of the bike was well marshalled in places and they had no issue in giving time penalties to competitors. So rolled into the bike park again and could not feel my feet as I hobbled/ ran to T2. After a little confusion got my bag and got changed. The run was a technical 3 lap windy course by the coast and down past the Spanish Arch, every lap you get a band to ensure you cover the required distance. I thought I may get away with a 1:45 half marathon but just got slower as it went on, felt comfortable just no speed in the legs but getting the third band I knew I was finished. On the last K you get re-directed and run past the bike park but them came out into Salthill where the roar of the crowds was class and up the finishing chute to complete my first half ironman in a time of 5:28.

Overall:

The race itself was expensive but I think you get a lot for your money. Along with the usual t-shirt and medal it was the support from the volunteers that was exceptional. The little things like helping your with your gear, especially in T2 where they were literally putting on runners for people. For the sheer scale on the event if felt very personal, little things like having your name on your race number helps, sound silly but getting your name shouted out and words of encouragement do help. Also it was great to see the lads from the club do so well, Casey, Skinny, McAndrew, Gary and Stew (hope I missed nobody out!!!) were all flying and it was good to see them on the course. When doing an Ironman branded event your paying for the brand but they make every effort to make the day memorable.. For the future, it’s official I’m addicted to this triathlon stuff. As the boys said in previous post’s it’s a lifestyle and it becomes part of you. I was happy with my time but I’m delighted to see there is lots of potential to go faster, my transitions were way too slow and I can improve on the run speed off the bike for the longer distances and that’s the great thing about this sport you can always see things you want to work on. While I’ve got this opportunity would like to thank the club too. This is my first year doing triathlon’s and I owe a lot to the club for running the training events throughout the year and they were great sessions to benchmark your fitness and to meet people in the sport and ask them lots of questions. From the Ironmen in the club to the people who competed their first Tri in Rosses Point this year everyone has been friendly and welcoming, especially Brian Sexton who brought me out for a 65 mile boxing match (aka cycle that felt like a stage of the Tour de France) and a five mile run three weeks before the event. Finally I just want to thank my wife Olive. She understood I needed to go out and get the miles in and we’ve just had a little boy Adam so without her it would have been torture trying to complete something like that.

Full results from the race can be found on the race website.