Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Navy Tridents Triathlon

Firstly, please accept an apology from us at the TurnAround. A Bluenose report will come! In the meantime, highlights include Laura Keefe's win in the half (not to mention a wildly inaccurate report in the "newspaper" afterward, they got her name right, anything after that is open to interpretation) and Mark Campbell's run. The day after running 106 km/12hr on a dreadmill, he clocked a 4hr full and was still smiling at the finish-line. There were PBs galore and you couldn't throw a Gu without hitting someone from TNS (especially at the pointy ends of the races). As we said, we'll bring you more soon. In the meantime, if you have any photos or a story, let us know.

This weekend sees the first Triathlon of the season, the Navy Tridents event. We remember going to the first one but it is such a staple of the early season, can any of us really imagine the season without it now? For those of you who didn't do DIFS because "it was only a duathlon", well this is a triathlon, we've seen the water and can attest that is is real, so you're essentially out of excuses.

The action kicks off at 07:00 Sunday morning. The reason for the early start is because the swim is in the pool at CFB Shearwater, and there is a max limit on the number of people in the pool. The are waves all morning. If you've already registered you'll get a start-time by email. As there are waves, there is NO race-day registration, it closes on Atlantic Chip at 18:00 hrs this Friday. So if you want to do this one you can't wait for the final weather forecast before deciding to go; you have to sign up now. It's not so bad if it is raining, besides, it's raining on everyone, not just you!

After you finish the swim, it's a short jog to TZ just outside the pool. Watch your step on the tiled floor, it can get slippery. Once you get your bike (don't forget to buckle y our helmet, it's been a while) it's only a short run to the mount line.

The bike-course is quite easy and no chance to get lost. You go straight up the only hill on the course. At the top, you'll be taking a left turn somewhere along the road, through a gate onto the runway. Yup, you read that right, runway. Wide. Straight. Flat. No traffic, no cars or even even an astray Aurora! There'll be a couple of left/rights as you ride across the apron and taxiways until you get to the runway proper. Once on the runway, you go up side and down the other. It's about a 4km round trip to do once circuit. Listen to the race briefing carefully, there you will hear how many laps you have to do. You are responsible to count your own laps; it's too confusing on the runway for the marshals to know who is doing what distance. As always in the briefing, if you have any questions, just ask the briefers, it's why they are there. Besides, if you are unsure, there is bound to be someone else who is also thinking "did they say three or four laps?".

It does sound a tad confusing but the RD can't post maps because this is an operational CF base and there are security concerns. It is, however, an easy course to navigate. We've gone up with our race-head on and not gone astray, so we can attest to this personally!

After you have done your required number of laps, reverse the way you came and go back to TZ. It's only a couple of kilometers back, so don't forget to spin your legs out on the way back. Rack your bike (then take off your helmet!), do the shoe thing and head out on the run. The course is around the houses at the back of the pool. If memory serves, there's a bit of a hill buried in there somewhere, so be warned. Again, it's multiple laps with the number of laps depending on which race you're doing, so don't forget to check how many you have to do and don't forget to count!

There's a duathlon as well, same course but with two runs and the only water is in cups at the turnaround, which is just the way some of you like it!

A quick look at the registrations and it's hard to pick a winner right now. Greenwood RD, Denis Choquette (have you registered for his race yet?), may be a good candidate, or will one of the Juniors take it, or perhaps (as we learned at Bluenose) perhaps some dude just moved into town and is ready to kick all our arses?

Don't forget, while you're at Atlantic Chip signing up, you can sigh up for other upcoming events such as Cyclesmith and Greenwood! See you at the races

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