Dublin City Triathlon

The Road to the European Championships 2010

Its been a long season and I have felt my enthusiasm wane in my last few outings however Kay planted a seed in my head and let it germinate - 'wouldn't it be good if we both qualified to represent Ireland at the European Championships in Athlone next year'. That was enough - I had been thinking of my winter training but suddenly there was to be an indian summer to my current season. We both entered Dublin City Triathlon as it was to be the last qualifier for the European Championships to be hosted in Athlone in 2010. The top 5 age groupers in each category would be eligible for selection. I was not at all confident about finishing in the top 5 in my age group and was hoping that most guys would have qualified at earlier events and would have already submitted a claim for selection on that basis (i.e. what counted was the top 5 guys in my age group who would put in a claim based on the Dublin event. Guys could finish ahead of me if they were not intending to use Dublin to claim their European spot). Kay was confident about finishing in the top 5 in her agegroup - no gambling for her, excepting for her claim to be Irish!!

We stayed in Dublin on the Saturday night, I had been alocated a start in wave 2 which started at 8:15 am the following morning and Kay was in wave 3 which started some 15 minutes later.

The swim was in the Liffey and as we entered the river at UCD boat club I was reminded that the last time I had been on the river was when I had rowed there some 25 years ago. Given the time that elapsed and the amount we drank in celebration after we won it was all definitely a blurred memory. The atheletes in my wave were asked to get into the river for the start and I duly lowered myself into the water. It was a lot colder that I expected and unfortunatley I let my mind think 'Gary, what the hell are you doing in the Liffey at 8 am on a Sunday morning'. It was a perfectly sane thought but one that I should not have let in, because I could not get it out again. Most of my wave stood on the pontoon and did not get in. The problem was that there was not enough room in the river to warm up. By the time the race officials had herded all the competitors into the river I was freezing. That thought (what the hell are you doing Gary)resonated loudly in my head as I swam up river on the outward leg. I just couldn't get my race head on and only started to warm to the task when I got half way down the homeward leg. I was hauled out of the water and staggered off in the general direction of transition. As I fumbled about in transition I heard one of my competitors bemoan '29 fekking minutes' Don't the Dubliners have a way with words, all I could think of in response was 'fecking european, fecking championships, my fecking arse' - not a good frame of mind I concede.
Onto the bike, not in any hope for speed, more in hope to get warmed up a bit, but bear in mind that it was still only 8:45 and drizzling in Dublin! The cycle was 5 laps of Phoenix Park. Kay and I had not had the chance to check out the course so the first lap had to be a bit cautious. I finished the first lap still feeling chilly but at the start of the second lap there was a drag up a hill that finished in an out and back flat section. I had just got onto the flat section when it finally happened: warmth, regular breathing, power, afterburner on, systems are go ... and I went slightly faster. At least I finally felt as though I was racing.

The course was quite technical and I was able to pick up positions just by keeping the gas on longer than most into corners and by taking a decent line through the corners. It was only in the second half of the cycle, when other waves joined the circuit, that I had to be more cautious to avoid other competitors. I was trying not to push it on the bike as my run off the bike has been so poor.

When I got off the bike my legs were unresponsive. I had only myself to blame as I went to the Springwell Running Club Family Fun Evening on Friday. Unfortunately I ended up running against my eldest son in a relay race. Obviously I should have let him win and took things easy citing the Dublin City Triathlon as an excuse - but you can guess what I did. My hamstrings were screaming at me when I got off the bike: no sprinting for 20 years and then resuming 2 days before a triathlon - duh! The run course was over 2 laps and a mixture of road and cross country. The cross country section of the first lap was tough, particularly as the guys from the first wave were on their second lap and seemed to be coming past like trains. I tried to gather resolve and focus on a rythym. I started to overtake some guys from my wave. By the time I got to 4k I was actually running in a reasonably fluid way for me. Off onto the second lap and I just tried to keep it going. usually it is at about 4 miles that I start to fade but I didn't have to dig too hard to find the necessary resolve and kept it going to the line.

I stood watching for Kay to finish. She was 5th woman overall and second in her agegroup - surely selection assured. Given that we started in waves I didn't have a clue what position I finished in.

Because of all the waves of competitors (I think there was 7) we were not allowed back into transition to get our kit for ages but that is my only complaint about the race. It was extremely well run and marshalled and the course was technical but first class for a city based event.

Once we finally got our car packed up we journeyed up to Groomsport to watch and help marshall at the Ireman. To be honest I was tired and didn't feel like going near the event but was glad I did. The event looked absolutely superb - a credit to Conal and the club. It was great to see the performance of club members who showed the club colours with distinction: Alison, Julian, Rodney, Ronnie, Anthony and of course William. There may have been others from the club competing who I didn't recognise or don't know but all the competitors seemed to be relishing the event and I found their spirit and efforts inspirational.

We eventually got home and after catching up with the kids and emptying the car it was straight onto the provisional results website for Dublin. Kay completed the course in 2:24:42 to come 91 overall, 5th woman overall and second in her age group. I completd the course in 2:26:34 to come 95 overall and second in my age group. So, despite my misgivings, it looks like we may both be heading for the European Championships to represent Ireland next year - now that will be one for the family album!