Training Day Reports in Macclesfield 2016
5th Macclesfield Kayak Tri Training Day – Sunday 6th March. The forecast was for freezing so the canal may of been frozen, also roads likely to be icy early on so mountain bikes will be used on the Middlewood Way. However on Sunday there was no ice, although it was snowing very slightly. All four of us paddled and then rode on the Middlewood Way, no icy patches but lots of mud. Neil joined us on the run and made Ned work hard to be the first one back doing the full course. The sun was poking its nose out by then so we all had a good time!
4th Macclesfield Kayak Tri Training Day – Sunday 7th Februay. Five of us out for the February Tri, with a few more joining us for the kayak section. Neil did extra kayaking and running while Ned, Andrew, Lance and I did all three disciplines. Quite cold and windy but not raining. Although the roads were a bit greasy, as Lance found to his cost (twice!). Let hope the weather will be better for the next one on March 6th!
3rd Macclesfield Kayak Tri Training Day – Sunday 3rd January. 5 braved the wet, wild weather in Macclesfield for the 3rd training triathlon, the weather forecast was correct and it started drizzling soon after we started paddling, turning to solid rain by the time we were cycling. It didn’t give up during the run and it was windy too. Nevertheless we had a good time and blew away some cobwebs. Ned and I were together by the beginning of the run but then he went away from me easily. Neil missed out the cycle but did a triple kayak course and was just behind, closely followed by Andrew and then Mary.
Let hope for some blue skies for the next one on Sunday 7th February.
2nd Macclesfield Kayak Tri Training Day – Sunday 6th December. Eight quadrathletes turned out for the Training Day. The weather wasn’t too bad, although wet it was not cold. It had stopped raining just before we got on the water, but unfortunately it started again after we started cycling. John Kavanagh was 1st off the water, closely followed by Nigel Leeson. John waited for Lance Ball to show him the cycle route, so Andrew Gage, Ned Price and his daughter Vicky set of just behind Nigel, with Mary White and Margaret Huyton not far behind. John and Lance managed to pass the twin girls on the road, and Ned and Vicky in transition (as they were struggling to get two bikes back into the car). A great training session and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The Next one is Jan 3rd, what a great way to start the New Year!
A great off season training day, John Kavanagh will be organizing Sundays Session. These will be a 5km paddle, about 20km cycle and 6km run. Transitions will include the time it takes for him to put his kayak back on his car and get his bike out etc.
They will be starting at 9:00 – unless he hears from people that a later start would enable them to join me. PLEASE let him know if this would help.
Anyone is welcome to join in, but please note that this is an informal outing for individuals, not an event organised by any club or organisation.
People may also choose to do their own variation, e.g. Run, Cycle, Run. The intention is to have fun training with others rather than serious racing. Weather conditions might also force a change of plans, for one of the races last year the canal was frozen …. so they did a Duathlon!
No specific rules, no timekeeper or marshals, everyone is responsible for themselves, and their own equipment and its safety. John will be happy to cycle in a group with anyone unfamiliar with the bike route.
6th December – Meet at Adelphi Mill, Grimshaw Lane, Bollington, SK10 5JB, in time for a 9:00 start.
DATES – 1st November, 6th December 2015 – 3rd January, 7th February, 6th March 2016, any changes will be posted on our BQA facebook page.
The last major championships in the Quadrathlon World Cup Series took place in Lake Balaton in Hungary at the end of August 2015. The temperature soared into the 40°C mark giving organizer Adam Schmuck and his team lots of work to keep the competitors cool and the race as hot as is ever required for a sprint distance race. We certainly haven’t had any conditions as warm as that at any of our races this year ….. but you never know we still have 2 races left in our British Trophy Series!
On 1st August Phil Holden and Robert Jefferies raced in Samorín, at the World Sprint Quadrathlon Championships – 0,75 km swim – 20 km bike – 4 km kayak – 5 km run.
It’s the bike next, and we run up the steep grass embankment to the tarmac path along the Danube and mount up. I set to and go chasing, on the only leg where I have any real chance of gaining places. After a short section we turn back into the wind. Fortunately the torsos of these strong Czechs and Slovaks offer more windage than mine, so I creep up a dozen or so places. I count the people ahead as they go back the other way, I’ve got up to 34th. We turn again tightly by the ferry over to Hungary, and fly back with the following wind. Watch for the odd nasty hole and lumps in the tarmac, and overtaking cyclists coming the other way. I can’t catch any more.
Excited commentary on the PA momentarily exceeds the flow of pumping dance music. A young Hungarian woman seems to have a short time penalty in the box and then races up the bank and off, as I start to plod behind with legs feeling like lead. The run is an unforgiving out and back on the tarmac, it must be around 30 degrees now. Some cool water feels good on my head, but this is hard and I haven’t much left to give. A man flies past looking fresh, then we catch the Slovak second placed woman and make the turn, I stretch my longer legs and overtake the petite Hungarian, trying to nail the move with a sustained push. The next guys are quite far ahead. I gain on them as one overtakes the other but we’ve run out of road, it’s gasping down the bank, onto the mat and there’s the line!
