The Erias 703 'CHICKED'

A little late due to the amount of pain Mr Murphy is putting me through, but here is a brief blog on the Erias 70.3+

The Erias is an event I did last year and had so much fun that I promised to go back and race again. It is based in Colwyn Bay and involves a great sea swim (yes, I did say great), not something I usually say about swimming, a tough hilly and this year mega windy 67 mile bike, hence the +  and a flat, fast run along the sea front, again wind assisted one way and wind beaten on the way back. You can register on the Friday from 17:00 and the race is on the Saturday, making it a great chance to get the old caravan and the family away for a bit of a weekend break!!

The training since Ironman UK had gone really well and I was in a good frame of mind on the morning of the race. I had a good catch up with Pete Murray from the Endurance Store squad and chatted for a while with a friend from the Sweat Shop in Chorley Shelley, who's other half Doug was racing. The weather was nice, although the winds were definitely stirring, promising a choppy swim and a difficult bike. This might sound awful, but, those of you who know me personally will know what my view was. The sea swim and the bike in Kona will be rough and windy so bring it on!!

We jumped into the sea for the deep water start and swam to the start line to await the hooter. After about  5 minute of sculling, I noticed that all those around me seemed a lot better at sculling than me and though "jesu" these lot must be good. I sculled for another couple of minutes, then overheard someone mention how shallow it was. Cool I thought, I can stand up. So I did, but I didn't. It was deeper than 5'8''. So, after practically throwing my breakfast back up due to the half a litre of salt water I swallowed, I went back to sculling, oh the joys of being short!!

At exactly 08:00 the hooter sounded and we were off. the beauty of the Erias is that there is plenty of room in the swim, so, if like me, it isn't your best discipline, there is plenty of room for you to relax into your stroke and concentrate on the task in hand, which, in my case is usually not drowning, or, if swimming OK, drowning with style. On this day I'm glad to say it was the latter. The swim was going really well, lap one came and went without incident and so did half of lap two. That was when I saw the thing from the deep, or did I. There I was looking like Michael Phelps when I thought I saw a big pink thing. 'What the hell was that'. Then I saw another. Probably the biggest jelly fish I have ever seen. The rest of the swim saw me on jelly fish high alert. Thankfully, I got out sting-less, so there was no need for anyone to pee on me (apparently helps with the sting). I was 28th out of the water in a time of 38:46. Happy, happy, happy!!! 

             

 

On to the bike and one of the most interesting and funny parts of a bike course I've ever seen. The first 10 miles of the Erias bike is uphill and it hurts I can tell you. Call it sadism, call it keeping things interesting, call it what you will, the organizers had played on the ego's of every cyclist in the event and created a segment on Strava for the first five miles of the hills climb. Not only that, they were giving prizes to the fastest male and female. So, although I was 28th out of the water this soon went to about 38th as all the Strava nutters killed themselves trying to be the 'KOM's'. I had my fun though passing them after the climb as they went backwards. Of course, I had to comment to a few about how there was 57 miles left, Oh, and the strength of the wind. The first lap was steady enough and I was hoping to ride a negative split for the second lap. This didn't happen due to the ever reliable headset on the DA coming loose again!!! thankfully, as I write this, the headset is now solid thanks to my good mate Scotty getting his hands and technically brilliant mind on the job. Cheers matey!!. So with that in mind, I limped into T2 a little dejected thinking about the pace I would have to run at to get a good result. The Garmin read 3:26:49 for the bike, which, if truth be told wasn't great. I had a nice surprise from Johanna and the kids at this point when they informed me I was in 5th. A good place to be with my best discipline yet to come.

The run at the Erias as I said earlier is flat, but, with a wind it can be quite challenging. As I set off the wind was on my back. This made for a fast start and got the legs turning really well. I was probably about a mile and a half into the lap when I say a female athlete coming the other way at a good lick. I looked and she had a 70.3+ number on. My thoughts were simple and looking back a little dismissive/rude. 'Relay team"! and with that I dismissed her position in the race and got on with mine. At the first turn around I had moved up to forth and just before the six mile turn around point I saw my next target looking pretty sore to say the least. Mind games time.

With a big smile and a significant turn of pace as we got closer I did what any true sportsman would do "Keep going mate only 6 miles left". If looks could kill, job done. He was reeled in within the next 5 minutes. As I got to about nine miles there she was again, the relay runner. 'That's that sewn up' I thought. So there I was, safe in the knowledge that I had secured third unless something went really wrong in the last couple of miles, unlikely as I was running well and feeling even better. There was one thing really bugging me though. I had seen the guy in second and knew I wasn't catching him. Who was leading though and how had I missed him on an out and back course?

As I approached the finish feeling pretty good about my performance Lucy Loo ran along with me telling me all about how I was third. 'Guess what dad you've been beat by a girl'.

'Aw bless, she doesn't understand the relay concept of the race". and with that I crossed the line in a time of 5:31. I was quickly greeted by the guy who came second who quickly informed me that we had both been 'chicked'!!

The female relay runner, wasn't a relay runner at all. Her name was Carol Bridge, a Welsh international triathlete, fresh home from competing in the Commonwealth Games!! How much of a divvy did I feel!!

So that was that I finished third overall, I won the V40 catagory by over 15 minutes. I ran the fastest run of the day by over 5 minutes. Oh and I got well and truly CHICKED!!!!!!!!

The next blog will be about my adventure or as the case may be arse kicking after a 100 mile and a 25 mile time trial.

Till then hope you are all well and you are achieving your goals for the season.

Take care all

Joe D