mouthfuls of mucky water when the swim leg of your triathlon takes place in a reservoir for drinking water.Athletes took advantage of the good weather conditions to make quick work of the two-lap 1.5K swim. The bike course was a scenic 40K trek through
. With the west Scotland coastline providing an idyllic backdrop, swimmers made quick work of the first leg, thanks to the calm, sheltered waters of the Kyles of Bute. Teenager Lewis Murchie, the only junior in the race, was first out of the water, in 9
unique selling points to bring athletes to their race. A purpose-built loch is going to take some beating.Organised by Fleet Feet triathlon club, this event gave athletes the choice of standard and sprint distances. The cloudy but warm conditions meant
, the Forestman - a full Iron-distance triathlon. This year, it was a standalone race and the relatively small field made for occasional lonely moments on the undulating but beautiful course.After two laps of Ellingham Lake, competitors set off on the bike
to competitors by the unseasonably atrocious conditions can be conveyed by one statistic: almost a quarter of the field failed to finish the race.In the men's race, a strong pack, led by Matthew Sharp and Richard Stannard, emerged from the river and set a hard
, old satan was in a very bad mood that day.This incredibly tough triathlon - which was moved from its September date to make way for the 2012 Olympics sailing test events - is one that earns you brownie points for life if you make it to the finish
you prepare for the perfect race day.Worried about swimming in a pack? Here are the answers to the triathlon questions you might be afraid to askDon't just plod your way through the last few training days before a race - these sessions are the ideal
Tired of runners giving you excuses and disclaimers about why they've missed their target time or haven't broken a PB? Stop reading now. I recently ran the Standard Chartered Great City Race. This 5K race was supposed to be my practice event
the way.Before I eulogise too much, it's time to get back to racing mode. This evening will be a quiet one for me spent swotting up the big no-no, drafting, and on triathlon's essential race day rules and etiquette.Good luck if you're racing in tomorrow
(over the course of about 6 months) to knock my 5K PB time down from around 24 minutes to 19:56!Admittedly, this time is not official. It was measured during one particular Thursday in April, at a 5K handicap race against the people at the Virgin London