Salford Triathlon - Report of our success

Race report

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For most members of Team PCT the day started somewhat earlier than a normal Sunday. The captains had been instructed to make sure that all their team members were outside the Lowry for 8.30am. By this time the event was well underway with the earlier individual events. Once each team had its full compliment of athletes they made they took the short walk to the transition area. Where the sight of half naked men and women trying to squeeze into tight fitting neoprene wetsuits welcomed them.

 

Before long the swimmers were called to make their way down to the swim start, the talk along the way was of water temperatures and is it ok to warm your own wetsuit up prior to getting in the water (nerves clearly taking over)

Lining up along side our own gladiators were ex Olympic swimmers James Hickman and Steve Parry, a Granada news reporter and someone famous from Emmerdale!

At 9.30 exactly the hooter sounded and the swim commenced. With over 150 swimmers all trying to get a good start the first 50m of the swim was tough. Similar to being in a hugh washing machine!

 

 

A small breakaway group formed at the head of the field with our very own Gemma Sloan battling with the best! Shortly behind this group the PCT were packing well with some of our guest swimmers brought in at the last minute
Gemma exited the water in 12.16. Unfortunately for the specialist swimmers the event involves a 200 metre run from the swim exit to the transition area. This led to a change in positions with Garrie Prosser coming into the transition area ahead of a well beaten and shattered looking Gemma.
By this time the transition area was a hive of activity with bodies everywhere and people frantically trying swap their timing chips and exit the area to start the cycle section

Disaster struck for PCT Norfolk N Chance when Dave Wilkes bike got a puncture within the first mile. Undeterred he ran back to the transition area and proceeded to try and fix the problem.

Eventually the problem was fixed and the team were back up and running.

The cycle section saw each competitor complete 7 laps of a tight circuit, which tested both fitness and bike handling skills.

Meanwhile in the transition area the excitement was building the big question were would the PCT team 3 men and a babe return first into the area, would the cycle repair hold for the durations, would Shan need to stop at a corner shop to have something to eat and would Deb Collinson work out how the gears worked on her bike before the end.

The tension builds

After half an hour the first of the cyclists returned and sent their runner on his way followed by two other teams before Big Dazz flew into transition and handed over the timing chip to Garrie. With 3 places to catch up on the run he sprinted out onto the run course like a man possessed.
A further 4 minutes passed before new cycling convert Andrew Hardman appeared and handed over the chip to his offspring Tom

As the runners were sent on their way the crowds rushed over to the finish area to cheer on their colleagues.

Needing to overturn over a minute deficit Garrie was moving through the field and have moved into second place by the start of the second lap. The crowd held its collective breath and necks were strained looking over the barriers onto the magnificent Lowry bridge eventually garrie ran into view and crossed the line in first place followed a mere 10 seconds later by the second place team.
Back on the run course also running well were both young Tom Hardman and Shahan Lais. Slightly further back there was a battle going on between our team’s blood sweat and gears, the grumpy men and the omega threes. Running with the speed of a startled rabbit Rachel Burke managed to hold of the fast running Kevin Snee who passed the evergreen Mike Collinson in the final stretch. In the end 39 seconds separated the 3 teams.

 

Slightly further down the field there was a ferocious battle taking place for departmental honour within the Sport Health and Inclusion teams. A solid swim by Natalie Woodford saw her team “Creative Angels” exit onto the bike with over 3 minute and advantage on “Cheshire Girls and Vicky” however little did the angles know that one of the Cheshire girls Clair Beresford was tearing up the tarmac on her bike to over turn this deficit into a 3 minute advantage, The stage was set and the showdown between manager Rachel Swindells and her subordinate Sarah Arden commenced. Despite the best efforts of Rachel, Sarah managed to increase the lead and finish the run still looking fresh!!

Sarah looking fresh…

 

Sandwiched between the 2 local authority teams were the oddly named Bumkin Weirs. This team was a potent mix of experience and youthful enthusiasm. First off was swimmer Lesley Hardman who managed to overcome all the trials and tribulations of the previous 3 months to smash the 20-minute barrier by 4 seconds. Old timer Lesley Jones took up the chase on the bike to break her own record from last year and move the team up the field leaving new convert Ruth Molloy to demonstrate her as yet un tapped potential to finish with enough time to smile for her adoring fans.

Despite a nifty run Jan was not quite able to catch Amanda

A short distance behind Ruth another game of cat and mouse was unfolding between team First timers and the fund raising All Saints Three. Val Callaghan had set the First Timers off to a great start, swimming without the aid of a wetsuit Val blitzed the swim in 19.41, handing over the Kathryn Gee who managed to increase their teams lead. Leaving it to Amanda Williams to hold off fast running Jan Hutchinson and bring the team home a mere 16 seconds ahead of the All Saints.

Meanwhile, the transition area now resembled a school disco after the lights have come up i.e., a few tired people waiting around for a lift home. However team PCT still had 2 warriors out on their chariots, and both came into transition together. After a heroic ride Deb Collinson handed over to Veronica who set off with a determined expression, shortly followed by Mr David Holt who’s run for glory had been so cruelly robbed by the earlier mechanical failure. David clearly had decided to ditch his Mr nice guy persona and proceeded to run down and pass an injured veronica within sight of the finish to bring the team home in 1.41.48 A further minute passed before Veronica crossed the line after suffering with a stress fracture in her foot!
It was fitting that such a display of courage should round off what had been a quite remarkable day for all the members of team PCT

See you all in 2007

All Smiles over the post race meal