Cockerham Triathlon (nr. Lancaster), Monday 27th August 2007

Report by Richard Hyder

350m open water swim, 15km off road bike, 5km shore based run

A novelty race, in many ways but not that this made it easy!

Firstly its held on bank holiday Monday with a very respectable start time of 4pm, allowing for full recovery of the bank holiday beer and BBQS.

On arrival it was pretty basic, a farmers field where we abandoned the car hoping it wouldn't be stuck when we returned. A marquee for registration at the bottom of the field which you had to approach carefully to avoid the cow sh*t left by the residents of the field from the day earlier.

After several trips back and forth between transition and the car for various things I'd forgotten the first time, including, helmet, trainers and number belt (so pretty much everything but my bike) still dodging the cow sh*t. I was finally ready to go

The swim is based in a small fishing lake in the middle of the field with high-banked sides. Due to the excessive recent rain I decided to wear a wetsuit as the temperature was a chilly 15 degrees, though in previous years I was told the locals to tend to brave it without as its only a short 350m swim. After a quick warm up, we were all told to get out of the water for the start. A new one for me, but I was quickly informed this race had a running start! (Novelty number 1)

I had a great swim been first out of the water and into transition first with 10-second lead.

The race information pack advised you use a mountain bike for the bike course, as it's a mixture of on and off road through farmer's fields and along the coast front.

I mounted my bike to see a quad bike with a man on the back waving for me to follow him (Novelty number 2) The idea of the quad is to guide you across the fields and out onto the main course, I think one for your safety and two for the safety of his cows.

The glory of first place didn't last long as those in the know started to slowly creep passed me. Most of those coming passed seem to have done the race before and new that despite it been slightly off road a mountain bike wasn't really the fastest option and flew passed as if I were standing still, using Cyclocross bikes, racers from the 60s they didn't mind damaging or Mountain bikes with slick tyres on and tri bars for the road section. Also as the race looped out onto the shorefront it was constantly windy, which as usual despite it been a loop was never behind and always in your face.

Back into transition in what was still for me a respectable 8th place. I quickly racked my bike and set off on the run. As with the bike a quad bike zooming back and forth to ensure you kept to the path to make sure no one fell in any of the ditches and yellow puddles!

Then out onto the shorefront, please note I say shore and sea. Its not a picturesque seafront, it's a boggy shore with the only view been the local power station and old tyres. I managed to catch the guy in front of me in the first couple of minutes and started to focus on catching 6th place. Running along the shore having to jump channels and ditches about every two hundred metres (novelty number 3) when all of a sudden I was up to my thigh in mud. In going to jump one of the ditches I hadn't noticed a smaller grass covered one and lost a leg. Fortunately I wasn't hurt just felt a little foolish.

Once the run is completed on the shore your directed onto the road. With no idea of the course and no watch I had no idea where the finish line was and how long I'd been running so decided to get my head down and run for home. I managed to catch 6th place approaching what I thought was the finish and over take, only to then see I had about another 400 metres to the end.

I crossed the line in 6th happy with my days effort, only to later discover that someone from a later wave had done the fastest time of the day to knock me back down to 7th.

My wife Helen also took part as part of a relay team, which helped as a great introduction to some friends that were also in the team who'd never seen or competed in a Triathlon before.

Overall a great and fun race, which for me came at just the right time of the year as its something a little different and exciting before the winter training starts. One I'd recommend for next year.

Results

Pos	Name	Time
1	Marc Laithwaite	57-02
7	Richard Hyder	1-06-06
32	Shandy Guzzlers (Relay team)	1-12-58

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