Lakesman 2017 a view from the other side

Last year I took part in the Lakesman having said never again to an iron distance tri. I'm so glad that I did do it as the event is a fantastic event in an amazing location and the fact I knocked half an hour off my best time.

This year I was back but this time as a volunteer, I wasn't sure what I would be doing but I wanted to give something back as a thank you to all that organised and volunteered last year.

I arrived at site around lunchtime on Saturday and was set to work giving out timing chips as competitors racked their bikes.

There were 3 of us there and we seemed to have a good system going, I would find the helmet chip sticker one of the ladies would find the ankle chip and we would both give them to the other lady who would attach the helmet chip and hand the ankle chip with strap to the athlete. Sorry I didn't get my colleagues names, I was a but late arriving and dived straight into dishing out chips.

Then the worst thing possible happened number 377 came in, I had found his helmet sticker but his ankle chip was not there. What would we do now someone had the wrong chip. Despite being horrified that she had given out the wrong chip the young lady had the presence of mind to realise that the wrong chip had been given to someone else with a 7 at the end of their number. Very quickly we had checked through the helmet stickers with the chips and realise that number 347 had the wrong chip. A phone call made and fortunately he was still on site and came back to swap his chip. Phew!!

As the athletes racked their bikes something seemed odd with the racks and they were bending more than expected. After transition was closed the race director, Phil, came in to see what could be done. The same number of bikes were on each rack and they were the same racks as last year so why were they bending. Quickly Phil saw the problem that some of the legs were in the wrong place.

An hour later we had managed to adjust the racks and all was good!

Now my shift had finished it was time to make my way back to Andy and Nicky's where I was staying for the weekend. Now where did I park? I had followed Andy and Nicky to the venue but they had left after Nicky had racked her bike and bags etc. Fortunately I did manage to retrace my steps to find my car.

Sunday morning arrived all too quickly and we were off to site about 4:15am!

On arrival I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be doing but was given a medium T-shirt and directed into transition chuffed that the shirt actually fitted!!

Once in place I was just doing what I could to help triathletes prepare for what they were about to take on, which for me was interesting having been through it the year before.

Then once they had all started it was down to the lake to see what else I could do and I was soon shoeless standing on the edge of the carpet on the exit to the lake ready to help any athlete exiting the lake on their way up to T1. It was here that the funniest moment of the weekend occurred with Andy King helping an athlete out and loosing balance completely and both of them ending up under the water, there is photo evidence somewhere but unfortunately I don't have access to the photos.

After everyone had left the lake I had some time as the next job I had was to marshal at the Bike In, ensuring that all riders dismounted before the line, a few came in a bit quick and ended up on the floor, fortunately no one badly hurt.

We did have a few offers to take their bikes off them as they never wanted to ride them again and a few comments that were too rude to publish online!

As the last few riders came in I was then free to go and support Nicky as she started her final lap of the run which she did as lead woman, then it was quite a nervous wait for her to come round again hoping that she had maintained her lead.

Then Docker on the mic pipped up that she was indeed heading to the finish to cross the line as first woman a fantastic achievement and great to be able to watch.

The Lakesman is a fantastic event with the Race Directors putting their all in to organising the best event that they can for the athletes, this was only the  2nd year of the event and it was clear that they had listened to the feedback from the athletes that competed last year and make some changes to the event and that is all you can ask. No one is going to get everything right first time or even 2nd time but as long as you listen and act on the comments coming through that is what will make the event even better than it already is.

I feel like I have unfinished business with the Lakesman as I didn't have the best preparation last year, so I will be back next year to take on the Half!! Entries open Monday 26th June at The Lakesman go on you know you want to!!

Now all that is left for me to do is check their online shop to see if I can buy a new Hoodie having foolishly left mine lying around on Saturday evening! Doh!!

London 2 Brighton Ultra Challenge

A while ago I phoned to have a chat with Dave and he mentioned that he and his brother James were taking on the London 2 Brighton Ultra Challenge, now this sounded like a great idea at the time and I jumped at the chance to join them!

As time passed and my friends and colleagues were asking me about what my next challenge was and I had to explain that my London to Brighton was not the famous bike ride but actually an Ultra Challenge by foot my great idea seemed to becoming less so!

I had entered and now I was stuck with it I had to do it, no pulling out! I had arranged with Dave that I would leave my car at Brighton Race Course on the Friday night so we had some way of getting away from the finish on the Sunday morning.

Getting my kit ready and making sure that I had all I needed I received a text from Dave, he had a bronchial infection and his Dr. had told him he would not be able to do the challenge, James was still doing it and Dave could still provide transport and support.

At about 4pm on the Friday Dave arrived at my house to follow me down to Brighton to drop my car off, not the best of time on a bank holiday weekend to be travelling through Brighton but we arrived at the racecourse and found the Ultra Challenge banners around and signs to indicate the field that was allocated for the Event parking. There was no one around to advise where we should park so I abandoned my car in what seemed like a suitable place.

4.30am on the Saturday Dave once again knocked on my door to collect me to drive to the start in Richmond, quickly back to his house to collect James and his family and we were on our way to London.

At the start I was quickly registered and make use of the breakfast provision and stocked up on some energy tabs and bars for the first leg of the challenge, a quick visit to the loo and all set for the off.

We watched as the runners in the 6.30 wave left wondering how anyone would be able to run a 100km! then all too soon it was our turn to be called to the start pen for the 7.00am start!

Setting off we decided that the best option was to start slow and get slower, so started off at walking pace along the park and up to the Thames. Walking along with James we chatted about a wide variety of topics including bizarrely the expense management employed by our respective companies, not sure how that subject arose, the other main topic that ran the length of the challenge was how Dave had pulled out!

We arrived at the first mid point rest stop and I realised that James had not been exaggerating when he said that there was loads of food provided on route. A banana, packet of crisps and a mars bar were consumed along with a cup of tea before we headed off to the first main checkpoint.

Arriving at the checkpoint again there was an amazing array of food on offer to keep energy levels and spirits up, more crisps and tea before heading off taking a couple of mars bars with us for the trek!

 The next stage took us to Tulleys Farm which was just over half way and where we would meet up with our families for some food. There was to be a mid point stop again for tea and snacks to keep us going. I think it was as we left this stop that we came across a field with a red phone box in all quite strange!

We headed on to Tulleys Farm and I was aware of time as Amanda had to be home for 7pm to pick William up from a party so we had to be there by about 5:45 to have any chance of spending any time together before moving on.

As we passed under the M25 there is a steep slope the other side, not very long but quite steep and i think this change in terrain did for my heel as I suddenly felt a blister on my left foot and had to stop to apply a blister plaster. We were not even half way yet and I was wondering if my feet would hold up.

The sign advising that rest stop is approaching is actually quite a distance from the actual stop which couldn't come quick enough for me! As we approached the stop Dave and Sam were there to welcome us in, as we turned the corner Amanda was there to give me a much needed boost!

We sat down and found some food to aid in our recovery, as we did a guy at the table gleefully announced that the 2nd half of the challenge was Brutal, nice to know as he wasn't going on any further as he had torn a calf muscle!

The time came and we had to leave to start on the next section, my feet and legs were really suffering now and I was starting to think that I wasn't going to get to the end.

The next stop was Ardingly College which is close to where Ed lives so Amanda had contacted him to see if he would be able to get there to meet us, he was waiting for an Asda delivery but said he would if he could.  As we were walking towards the stop Amanda text to find out where we were as Ed was at the stop.

If Ed had been in his car rather than on his motorbike I think that would have been the end of my challenge, I had already told James that if he wanted to press on not to let me slow him down.

After a few snacks and more tea we left on our way to the next stop, each section was getting harder and I could have done with them being a few KM's closer together.

We forced a Jacket potato and chilli down at the last main stop as we needed the energy, We were so close now that even though my knees, ankles and feet were immensely painful I was keen to not show this as we walked past marshals in case they pulled me out.

As we hit the last rest stop it was a bit disappointing that they had no tea making facilities but it was also getting a bit cold so we couldn't stay too long before making a move for the last 6K to the racecourse.

I was really struggling for the final few kilometres but James was always there encouraging me to get to the finish, this last few kilometres felt like much longer and as we hit the race course with just over a kilometre to go I was more shuffling than walking.

There really was no better sight than the finish line approaching:

So there it was 100km after leaving Richmond we had arrived at Brighton Racecourse 22.5 hours later!

It was definitely an experience and a challenge that I am proud to have achieved but not one that I intend to repeat ever!

Thanks to everyone involved in the organisation of the event, this really was a mammoth task to arrange everything and I could not fault any part of the organisation. Thanks to James for getting me through it, I really would not have made it otherwise.

Thanks to Dave for driving us around and the support during the event, even though he should have been walking with us!

Thanks to Amanda and Ed for their support on the route, especially thanks to Ed for going out on his bike rather than his car! 

Thanks to Anita and Sam for their support throughout the weekend, and Sam for the finish photo above!

Normally I listen to Heart Sunday Breakfast on my Sunday runs or when I am on my way to an event so it was quite strange listening to Jenni Falconer whilst driving home from an event for a change!