Helvellyn 2007
Report by Chris Wright
I get the feeling that this event attracts more than just triathletles, it's more of a challenge or something people do as a one off not "lets cap off the season with a corker" like our Rob said. What were we thinking when we entered this event.
Leading up to the event my brother and I had tried the bike route twice and failed to make it up “the struggle” both times. Then you have the problem with the run, the first time Rob tried the run bad weather forced him back, he couldn't see Red Tarn and he was standing in front of it, never mind the summit of Helvellyn. The second time, I was with him and we stood arguing at the top because he thought we had come the wrong way up. The brief said the last bit was a bit of a scramble, a scramble I had to use my hands to drag myself up at one point because I didn't trust my footing and I think calling it a run is an overstatement, slow walk then shuffle followed by barely controlled falling is a better description. When I downloaded a map of the run the file was called “helrun”, yes, that's a good name for it.
Now that's out of my system onto more pleasant things a 09.00 start for a triathlon, we had registered the day before due to an expected field of 600. We made our way to the transition and chose a spot to set up, I was surprised that it wasn't numbered transitions with the number of people entered, but we chose our spot and settled in. The transition field could have done with a bit more mowing; I'll be pulling grass out of my kit for months.
This is the largest number of people I have had to contend with at the start, it was a deep-water mass start. The swim didn't feel as long as expected for a mile but I think it was the ‘voices’ telling me “this is a tough race and it will be a tough swim”. At the first turn I swam with my head completely out of the water but once past that it thinned out a bit and I settled into a reasonable pace. So I exited the water feeling good but about a minute behind my brother, luckily Rob’s transitions suck so I was only 20 seconds behind him going onto the bike. I had a food and drink plan to stick to so I had a drink as soon as I was on the main road.
With such a large field this is the first time I’ve done triathlon where I felt as if I was racing on my bike rather than just being overtaken. The whole course is a bit of a killer; it’s basically 38 miles of climbing. Once off the main road along Ulswater it’s basically a long slow climb up to the A66. Then a climb along some of A66 and then it’s down hill for a couple of miles (whilst stuffing my face with as many energy gels and bars I could stomach) before the turnoff toward Rydal Water. If I had time to look I’m sure the scenery was fantastic but all my focus was on the road and the person in front. I know I’m not great on the bike but someone passed me on a tourer with mudguards and saddlebag rack (we’ll see him again later). Once onto the A591 it was a small climb and I was just getting into the swing of things when Rob Bewick passed me like a man possessed. Wow! the decent into Rydal is fantastic and I managed a new record on my bike 48.5mph, if I could reach that speed what did Elliot max out at???
I’d planned my energy drinks and gels to give me as much power as possible going into Kirkstone Pass and there it was ascending steeply in front of me, this was going to be a big test. What can I say other than its hard - really hard. It's basically split into four stage; steep, very steep, almost vertical and you've got to be taking the proverbial, with little lulls in the middle to try and catch your breath. On the second part I passed the bloke on the tourer (ahh dignity now restored). I only got up “the struggle” with the encouragement from a large crowd gathered at the top, which were drowned out by Amanda and Kerry's screams of "come on twinny" mental note for Sun City supporters, red hat = Chris, Rob is the one behind Chris ha ha. The decent into Patterdale was a welcome rest for my legs but full-on concentration needed as you catch the cars very quickly and it’s stone walls either side.
Back into Glenridding for T2 and I spied Rob Bewick getting his run shoes on. So a quick change and I was almost ready to go when my brother came running into T2, again a 40 second free advantage to me in T2 (I’m sure my brother has a cup of tea and a scone in transitions, how very British of him).
For about half a mile it’s relatively flat allowing my legs to become accustomed to running again. Just before the start of the ascent I ran past Rob Bewick who at the time was carrying a calf injury and initially only planned to do the swim and ride – go on Rob. The first half of the run was more of a fast walk up the rock staircase running on every available flat(ish) section. Once up near the hole in the wall you can really stretch your legs out. It was then a sharp climb up to the scramble on Swirrel Edge and the top of Helvellyn in heavy cloud. I'd never thought it was possible to feel lonely on a triathlon but there I was just off the summit in the mist on my own and with cramp in my right hamstring. I hobbled it out and then it was time to disconnect the brain and head down hill as fast as possible, the decent was brilliant once out of the cloud line and it wasn’t long before I could see Glenridding and the finish. It was a real elation to cross the finish line with a total time of 04:39:45 which for me was not bad at all.
It’s a few weeks since the Helvellyn Triathlon and it’s surprising how many people actually think I’m either some sort of urban legend or just plain nuts when I’d mention what I have done, imagine what they’d be like if I told them I’d just done an ironman?
Sun City finished as follows
42nd Elliot Gowland 4:13:00
150th Chris Wright 4:39:45
193rd Rob Wright 4:48:36
245th Rob Bewick 5:00:50
427th Mark Robinson 6:00:41