Windsor Tri 2004.... - Triathlon

fat buddha

29/10/2003 at 13:54

me and petal want to do this - any ideas what the bike and run courses are like?? flat or undulating??

Spans

29/10/2003 at 14:11

oooh I was only thinking about this one this morning! To add to fbf's question... if I was only going to do one tri, which would be better Windsor or London? and can you do Olympic distance at Windor?

RichardM

29/10/2003 at 14:15

Yep, Windsor is Sprint or Olympic distance.

Personally I thought Windsor was better than London, although it was my first ever tri so I am a bit biased.

The swim in the Thames is an acquired taste but actually quite fun once you get going. The bike course was great, one lap, rural, not any hills to speak of.

The run course through Eton high Street was three laps and included one big hill (3 times) up to the Castle.

The support is brilliant and it has a better atmosphere than London which is so big its a bit impersonal.

Expo was very good too.

fat buddha

29/10/2003 at 14:17

thanks rich - useful stuff

cougie

pirate

29/10/2003 at 14:26

Oooh - I think I'd prefer Windsor to London - much easier to drive to Windsor than the centre of London for me, and don't fancy taking my bike on the tube !

(oh, not allowed anyway !)

Spans

29/10/2003 at 14:31

thanks Richard - not sure whether I like the idea of the hill, but then the slope at London isn't great...

RichardM

29/10/2003 at 14:39

Spans, I probably exaggerated it a bit, its more of a short, steep sort of hill, about 250 metres long I suppose. After Tough Guy it will seem like a little bump.

Spans

29/10/2003 at 14:43

after Tough Guy according to you everything is going to feel like a little bump... not that I am worried or anything!!!!

Ann brennan

29/10/2003 at 15:21

I preferred London but I did take my bike on the Light Railway. They allow it for the weekend and it is easy.

As far as Windsor goes, it was my first one and I totally panicked in the Thames. I don't know whether it was swimming up stream or the crowd or the wetsuit but every other race went well and the good news was that I was loving the rest of the race because I was so damned glad to be out of the river. Also, small attack by swan didn't help matters.

Munro Bagger

29/10/2003 at 16:25

Windsor is AWESOME event(s)!!!

RichardM

29/10/2003 at 16:30

Paula, I thought it had the best atmosphere of any tri I was at last year. It may have been partly due to the beautiful weather and the euphoria of my first tri, but the finish straight on the run was as good as at any event I've been to. And being able to finish, get rehydrated and then watch the pros doing the same course was excellent (albeit they didn't swim the whole way!)

Spans

29/10/2003 at 16:34

is it an early start?

RichardM

29/10/2003 at 17:10

Very early. I think I was in the water about 7.20. First swimmers (sprint) were in at about 6.30.

You rack your bikes and register the day before.

Spans

29/10/2003 at 17:12

oooh not good! But I suppose that it gets it all out of the way quickly!!

fat buddha

29/10/2003 at 17:16

my sprint age group goes off at 6am!!! WHAT - I'll drown as I'll still be asleep

Spans

29/10/2003 at 17:19

yuck mine would be 6:35am!!!

RichardM

29/10/2003 at 17:23

It was such a beautiful day this year it didn't seem bad at all being up at that time. Amazing to do over 2 hours racing and it was still only 9.30am.

Big Bopper

29/10/2003 at 17:27

You'll have to do the Olympic distance if you want anything resembling a lie-in Spans. Even then, the race needs to be over quite quickly, as although the race has a good record with the town, us triathletes have to be out of the town centre (where the run is) sharpish to let the tourist do their thing.

Windsor is voted the best race in Britain year in, year out, with the exception of Llanberis' first year (2001). It's on my definite list, despite my nightmare this year. (Despite a headstart of an hour, I only beat Jodie Swallow by about 15 secs! The crowd gave me a right ovation. They must have thought I was one of the elites!)

BB

Spans

29/10/2003 at 17:29

that time is for the olympic distance... the sprint one is 20mins earlier... will have to give it some serious thought...

fat buddha

29/10/2003 at 17:33

looks like we'll be doing it

cheers for the input