Having played at charity walks, cycles, hikes and Tough Mudder over the last few years Alexa decided to sign up for something a little more hard core…….’investing in a racing bike in January  this year and signing up to my first triathlon in July has sealed my fate…..I grew up rowing for Weybridge Ladies and Men’s clubs in my teens and did trials for the British squad, eventually moving to skiffing when kids came along.
I’m just aiming to keep all round fitness , push myself and maybe have some fun along the way.’

Welcome to the club Alexa!

‘After 4 years of hard training, sacrifice and disappointments I finally qualified for my 2nd Kona World Championships held October 12th 2013. After the initial joy of finally getting that coveted Kona spot, reality set in that I would be faced with my 3rd IM this year and the BIG one would be roughly 8 weeks after UK IM where I qualified.

There’s absolutely no race like Kona though and this was a reward for me and my family who have suffered through all my races the last 4 years!!! I always describe Kona as a ‘moon’ landscape with its barren, desolate lava fields, active volcano, searing sun and ever present winds ( there’s a reason it’s a surfers paradise!!!). Then there are the athletes…..wow! 2,000 of the very best amateurs in the world plus 200 lottery athletes. Everyone here is VERY good. 622 athletes will go under 10 hours in this race!

Each day leading up to the race you can feel the energy building. Every hotel within a 15 mile radius has athletes and family staying and athletes are everywhere training. You feel so special to be part of this, which is probably one reason why everyone wants to go to Kona! Continue reading →

http://humanrace.co.uk/events/triathlon/dorney-supersprint/162-events/running/243-kingston-run-challenge
‘Myself, dad, brother and Joel Stainton took part in the Garmin Kingston 8 mile,’twas pretty grim out there..  I had a good start soon settling in with a group of six, chasing a front three. Around three miles the pack was thinning out and by the four mile marker it was just me and another guy.The pace was good but I felt I had the better of him judging by our little battles we were having over who was going to be just in front

.At around the old water works the pace picked up and we started to push for home, it was side by side as we got to the roundabout, but I managed to puff up my chest and go for it, the other guy tried but could not match it and I finished about 20m in front. We weren’t catching the lead group so it was nice to have a little battle of our own.
My Dad did well coming second in AG,50/54,also my brother coming 5th in AG,30/34.
I’m sure I will get them on the team next year!’

As raced and reported by Andrew Tugwell

‘I raced “The Big Race” at Hillingdon RaceWay (also known as a “Points Grabber” within the racing world where fast guys turn up don’t do any work and the win!)
 
Anyways, the race started a little later than usual due to a crash that had to be cleared up; the race was only 25 laps long (which would last about 55 mins!) there would be an intermittent sprint on lap 12 (this is what I wanted to win!) It was a steady first 6 laps with a couple of attempts at break always which I helped pull one back…. I sat in the lead bunch of 12 (45 starters) and when the board came out that the sprint would be in 4 laps I took that as my chance to try and break away on my own! Only one other rider came with me but after complaining that I was going too strong into the wind down the straight he tapered off and I was on my own for 2 laps and took the sprint by 1/2 a lap! Feeling the effects of my solo effort I dropped back to the bunch and settled down again taking the chance to refuel and catch my breath and sitting mid pack to save myself from the wind.
 
As the 5 lap board came out a group of 8 broke away and I didn’t catch the wheel in time so decided to wait for the next break away which came in the form of me and another rider we bossed the group and got them working hard… Too hard for some! Dropping a few and catching the lead group I was back in the hunt! I was sitting 5th wheel but my effort from the intermittent sprint win was taking its toll now and I admit I was flagging! With 2 laps to go I was pretty fried and hanging on to the last wheel in 19th (we’d broken the others and had a 45 second gap)
 
Going into the last 500 meters I had a little left in me and waited for the last 200 meters (much like my training rides with Mr Yeoman) to make my move coming from up from 19th and sitting on the lead out trains last wheel and jumping from 12th to 8th at the line! I was pretty happy with that! And even happier with the prize money for the sprint!’

As raced and reported by Kevin Argent

At first we thought Ian Talbot was avoiding us. Emails arranged a meeting at Thorpe 3 Triathlon – Ian’s name was on the list, but he did not make himself known to any of us. He then turned up to a Thursday night river run, but then the excuse of ‘work’ ensured he did not have to return on a weekly basis – but eventually Ian weakened and joined our pink ranks:

‘I’ve played sports of some sort as long as I can remember – football and badminton to county and country level respectively as a youngster before finally growing into my gangly 17 year old self and embracing rugby. 20 years later and I was in a brace due to rugby, having broken my neck playing in a match in Canada, all the while wondering if my travel insurance would cover this ! That put paid to that and my less than smooth transition to Triathlon began via a stint as a “runner” (a few 5ks, 10ks and 10 milers) – which I subsequently discovered does my knees in if I do it too often (I blame the badminton !) hence the inclusion of a bit of swimming and then cycling once a friend of mine coerced me into agreeing to do a tri.

The bug bit and I’m now well and truly hooked and joining the Viceroys makes me feel part of a team again – something I’d been really missing since the rugby days passed. I completed (note the absence of the word “competed “!!) 3 sprint tris this year – all at Thorpe/Thorpe Park and have plans to step up the distance and venue variety in 2014. Next year will surely be the year I can truly call myself a Triathlete !!’ Welcome to the club Ian.

Viceroys’ 2 nominees for ‘Most Mental Club Member’ (Carla and Anna) lived up to their accolades as they travelled down to Hever Castle with handicapped swim Club Championship winner Adel to tackle The Gauntlet (1/2 iron Man) and 2 Olympic Distance Triathlons respectively.  And according to our most mental, Hever is by far one of the most difficult events of the triathlon season, making other events feel like a walk in the park!

Speaking to mountain goat 1/2 Iron Man Anna first, who told us on Monday afternoon: ‘I can barely type … I am utterly exhausted .. What a tough race! It took me 6 hours and 13 minutes to finish – even the winning lady took 5 hours 15. The good bit was the end. The best bit was hearing Carla’s voice in T2…. Cheering me on and lifting my spirits. The worst bit was the start the middle and everything up until the end. Harder than Wimbleball half ironman although every bit as beautiful. Would I do it again? Only with a lot more training… Not a race for the faint hearted. ‘

Bouncing Carla loved her first ever Olympic Distance: ‘Fabulous! Water Temp 14, 2 caps and rash vest under the Tri Suit, the race captain on the mic to start with calmed my nerves but as soon as I entered the water I reverted back to my pre season nightmare and it was horrendous. The gun went off, I was in a strong pack, got kicked to buggery in muddy water and then had to lay on my back as the back of my knees locked up in the most painful cramp. I was joined at the kayak by another lady who was crying so my mind diverted to her instead of me, in doing so I managed to sort myself out and set back off on the swim – awful, awful experience!’ Continue reading →

‘I turned up at Stowe School to see some of the most amazing sights, stunning buildings, perfect playing fields and blue skies.

The swim was good but the water was so dark that drafting was incredibly hard, I struggled to see the person in front. However, the two laps soon passed, then it got hard as I cramped getting out of my wetsuit, before an 800m run uphill to to the bikes, whilst carrying my wet wetsuit.

The bike was a long 60k undulating course, however the wind and the road surface made it feel almost alpine. The two laps passed and heading towards transition I saw a red flag and several emergency vehicles. An accident had closed the road, this required a 2.5k diversion. However I was so tired it took me several minutes to understand the instructions. As this bike ride came to a finish there was one last surprise – an evil short sharp climb, pure evil.

Then the run, I expected it to be hilly, but hadn’t prepared to run down hill, it’s bloody hard, worse than uphill! Strangely I was told the standard tri was a 3 lap run so I eased off, until I learnt it was actually only 2 then I finished as hard as I could. I finished 4th in AG and 13th male. As tough as it was it was an incredibly picturesque and beautiful race, for my first Olympic distance race it was a tough introduction, but I didn’t show weakness.’

As raced and reported by Tim Ferguson

A merry band of Viceroys boys headed to Grafham Lake for the Anglian Water Olympic Triathlon hosting the final 2014 European qualifier: Clarkie, Mark Yeoman, Peter Bell and Matt Storr. All triathletes pushed themselves to their limits, lining up against some of the best age groupers in the country trying to achieve the qualifying standard for the GB team at the Europeans in 2014.

The approach of Viceroys to the race was mixed:  Clarkie had considered not racing as he was still not feeling on top form  from the race the previous weekend, but thought he’d give it one more blast before the end the season; Peter went there with the intention of testing myself against a quality field and seeing just how much he’d need to improve to get to the GB qualifying standard; having limped home last  Saturday, Mark was under no illusions that only having ran 3x 5km in 5 week, a tough 10km was going to be too much for even him.

And so the race began: ‘ The race ended up being a test of how much I didn’t want to have my first DNF rather than how fast can I go and could  I finish in the top 3 in the 45-49 AG,’ explained Clarkie. ‘My swim went well,  I got some good advice from Mr Yeoman about the charge to the first buoy and keeping right as the wind would take a lot of swimmers off course.  I swam well, got lost on the last bouy as full sun in your face meant no one could see where they were going! But I came out the water in second place which was great for me, a PB for the distance.’ Meanwhile Peter was certainly not so happy, claiming a ‘Shockingly bad swim, and worse, I have no idea why. I took Mark’s advice about where to line up at the start and went fast at the gun. However, for some reason I struggled sighting the buoys and I spent a lot of time zig-zagging across the course. I was devastated when I came out the water, only to find my bike being one of the last still on the rack!’ Mark the Shark had a good swim and lead the way but the final buoy eluded him in the sun and he went off course, frustratingly losing the chance of setting the fastest swim. Continue reading →