Huge thanks to Martin Murdoch for sending us this report about his experience at the Alderford Lake Sprint Triathlon!
On Sunday, I completed the second stage of my fundraising for the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund. Having completed the London Marathon in April, my second event was a Triathlon Sprint at Alderford Lake. The event should have consisted of a 750m open water swim, followed by a 20km bike ride and a 5k run to complete. Unfortunately, due to excessive algae levels in the water, the swimming leg was cancelled and substituted with a 2.5km run.
Training for the event had been really non-existent, having only spent time in Newport pool preparing myself for the swim, this was to be my first run since London, so I hadn’t made it easy for myself. I made an early start with the bike pitched in the transition area at 7am. There were 51 participants in the sprint distance event with the first leg commencing at 7.50am, running a 2.5km lap of Alderford Lake, all of which was on grass, and completing in 15 minutes, 49 seconds, and 46th position at this stage.
Into transition, where I managed a (not so quick) change of top from NDRC to Lingen Davies; apparently nudity in transition is a two minute penalty, I was told after! The bike route was an anti-clockwise route from Alderford, south towards Press and back up the A41. It was a very flat route with only one gradual climb, although having to be alert to avoid pot holes was required on numerous points of the course.
In comparison to others, my bike was the strongest of three legs, finishing 36th fastest in 45:47, then back into transition and set off on 5K run which was two laps of the first leg, completing that in 36:46, once again 46th position, and a final event time of 1:42:06. Missing the swim was a bit of a disappointment, as I really wanted to have called myself a Triathlete, but it means now that I will have to find another one to do.
Both events were never going to be about times, the most important thing being that I enjoyed them both, which I really did, and raise funds for a great cause. Many thanks for all the well wishes and donations I received, which before Alderford stood at £3,339.35.
Until my next event – take care!
Newport & District Running Club 