We have been talking about doing this for a few years – and Glenda once again suggested we field a team (‘No Grey Hair Here’: Debbie Munton, Jane Wiley, Glenda Goscomb, Val Place) – especially as we now had 4 of us who could make up a Supervet team.

It is billed as triathlons answer to Glastonbury. Well – the numbers were there – it sold out quickly and so was the mud – as well as the organised chaos. It took place in the National Water Centre, Nottingham.

The way it works is that the first person does her swim; comes out, ‘tags’ the second; who then swims until each has done their 400m swim – and the same through to the end of the run. So – you get a rest in between ‘busting a gut’. The fun starts when you have to find the person tagging you – as coming out of the water is sea of black wetsuits and a crowd of the next swimmers frantically looking for their team mate – so you can start. You get the picture.

Debbie did a brilliant swim. We all did our transitions swiftly – and each of us had a  very respectable bike ride – with Val doing the fastest by some seconds. It was similar on the run – the distances for the Val and Debbie each being a bit longer or shorter as they were the starter and finisher. We finished 16 minutes faster than the winning team last year. We should have been an unbeatable team. Except – there was a team that was 6 minutes faster than us… including a former Olympic swimmer – from BRAT tri club. We were also one of the exclusive set of clubs that beat 4 hours – doing it in 3:54.55

We enjoyed going sharing the podium to get our BTA second place medals. Prizes (1-3) for  mixed team, female team, over 40 team (only 5 minutes faster than us!!) and of course over 50’s. The organisers observed that the male over 50’s group has become one of the most hotly contested races – and now shaping up the same for the women.

NEXT YEAR – a must do on the club calendar – whether you are a ‘long’ or ‘short’ triathlete this is a great club event. It was fun to work as a team – and personally it was good for me to try my hand again at something short and fast (respect for you lot that do this regularly!!). Most clubs had a canopy of sorts - some even had a team manager. Many athletes camped – and that may have been preferable to our hotel! Anyway  - yet another race that we could do.

Jane