Tamara the Triathlete!
August 2009
Having spent all year lazing on the sidelines, captain-come-coach Tamara Taylor decided to get out and do some exercise and raise money for some good causes. In keeping with her slight physique and light bodyweight she decided that an endurance event would be ideal for her, and entered a triathlon in Ponteland. So on 16th August at 5am her journey to the unknown of endurance sports began.
Here’s how she got on:
‘ “Beep Beep Beep Beeeeeeeep” 5am...why is my alarm going off? Who am I? Haven’t I done the triathlon already?!’
These were just some of the questions going through my head as I dragged my body out of bed and into my tracksuit. Having spent the evening before trotting up and down the back alley with Sam shouting at me to run faster in my ‘mock’ triathlon, I had spent all night dreaming about it!
I’m not going to lie to you, I was terrified.
Terrified that I was up at this time, that I would be swimming in a pair of cycling shorts and a sports bra, that I would fall off the bike, and that I would be overtaken by some small 9 year old boy.
I copied everyone else and ‘racked up’ my bike in the ‘transition area’ (common triathlon terms!) and found out my start time: 8.50am... just the 2hours 50 minutes to wait then...
The swim was ok, after I got over the fact that my sports bra was filling with water every stroke, I got on with the job and got the 16 lengths done. I clambered out first in my heat and before I knew it I was in the freezing cold putting on my vest top and running off down the road soaking wet dragging my bike with me. The cycle is 20km. A distance I have never cycled before, well, not knowingly anyway. I’d borrowed the bike (courtesy of Sue) the day before and had a vague idea that the left gears made it harder and the right easier, but that was about as far as I’d got, before the chain fell off down the road from my house! So I pedalled away, hoping the gale force wind that was coming off the fields might dry out my freezing cycling shorts, as I contemplated how far 20km actually was, I looked up to see a bike go sailing past me.
Who was this speedster who had managed to catch me up after such a quick swim and changeover? It must have been some young fit athlete...I was gutted to find that it was in fact an elderly man.
I kept him in my sights, convinced I would catch him on the down hills...only for a flying gear change to cause my chain to fall off! By the time I had it back on, it was game over-my old man had disappeared into the distance.
Getting off the bike and throwing on my trainers at T2 (transition two!) was simple in comparison to trying to get my legs to carry my bodyweight- my knees were knocking and my feet were dragging- just the 3miles to go...
I managed to find my way around the route, and came into the rugby club pitches relieved to see the end in sight. I crossed the line 1hour and 20minutes after stepping into the pool.
I was greeted at the finish line by some young ladies handing out goodie bags and sausage rolls- perfect post competition meal!
I really enjoyed my new sporting experience and would like to thank everyone who sponsored me.
Bring on the next challenge!
Tamara x