A low-key, professionally delivered event, but too long to wait for the results

Date: 30 August 09

Location: Dorney Lake, near Windsor

Format: 1500m swim / 40km bike / 10km run

Organiser: F3 Events

 Website: www.f3events.co.uk

Triathletes are a strange bunch. Most people prefer warmer water, but triathletes (at least a significant portion of them) become anxious if the temperature approaches 22 degrees, the point at which wetsuits become illegal for Olympic distance events.

Earlier in the year, Human Race organised the Steelman Triathlon at Dorney Lake. A spell of hot weather meant a wetsuit free swim and slow swim times. Fortunately (for most), for the Orca Classic, the temperature had cooled sufficiently to make wetsuits optional. One brave soul was seen entering the water in just a tri suit, but the majority had no hesitation in squeezing back into neoprene.

The organisers chose to run only two waves: one for men and a second for women. This meant heavy congestion at the swim start and, as seems to be quite common, a large number of people trying to take advantage by sculling past the start line in the last few seconds before the signal. Cheating basically.

Date: 1^st and 2^nd August 2009

Location: ExCel Centre, London docklands

Format: team relays, super sprint, sprint and Olympic distance

Organiser: IMG

Website: www.thelondontriathlon.co.uk

To secure a place at the London Triathlon you need to apply shortly after Christmas. This year around 13,000 people took part in one (and sometimes more than one) of the various events over the weekend, despite the clash with Ironman UK. Competition ranges from complete beginners, through a fiercely contested sub 2 hours 30 minutes category to the frighteningly fast elites. London Triathlon is also well known for attracting a number of celebrity participants including this year Jenson Button, Rory Underwood and Alex Hyndman.

In some respects, the London Triathlon is a giant party, a festival of suffering followed by joyful celebration. For half the participants, London is their first and possibly only triathlon. The objective is simply to finish and to raise money for good causes.

Richard McChesney last entered a triathlon in 1995. After nearly 15 years away from the sport, he entered (and completed) Ironman UK and found the sport has changed considerably in his absence. He tells Tzero-tri how.

In 1995 Dave Scott had recently finished second at the Hawaii Ironman at the age of 40 and Spencer Smith was the world standard distance triathlon champion.  Both are now part of triathlon legend and most people now talk about Olympic rather than standard distance. But of course, triathlon didn’t become an Olympic discipline until Sydney in 2000.

These are not the only changes. People new to the sport might not be aware of how much triathlon has evolved in its relatively short history. Even those who have competed throughout might not appreciate how much is different; like the mythical frog in boiling water the changes may have passed unnoticed.

So, from someone who’s been away for 15 years, this is how it looks different.

Fast, flat and free from traffic, Dorney Lake is certainly a great triathlon venue, but does it justify the hefty price tag?

Date: 5 July 2009

Location: Dorney Lake, Eton

Format: 1500m swim / 40km bike / 10km run

Organiser: Human Race.

Website: www.humanrace.co.uk

The number 22 has just gained a new significance. It’s the water temperature at which wet suits are forbidden in a standard distance triathlon. As Dorney Lake hit a steamy 22.1 degrees this weekend, the race organiser duly implemented the wetsuit ban. Be assured, 22.1 feels decidedly chilly compared to the 29 degrees or so in most indoor swimming pools.

Still, rules are rules and they apply to everyone. And to be fair, after the initial shock wore off it was even quite pleasant. Swimming without a wetsuit certainly has some advantages, even if it’s considerably slower. One, there’s no need to smear your body in suit juice. Two, you don’t need to ask a fellow competitor to zip you up while holding in your stomach. Three, it feels amazingly unrestricted in the water. Four, you don’t trip over and get cramp while removing your wetsuit.

The Little Beaver World Championship qualifying race proved testing for the country’s top age-group triathletes.

Date: 23 May 2009                           

Location: Belvoir Castle, Belvoir, Leicestershire, UK

Format: 1500m swim / 40km bike / 10km run

Organiser: Just Racing UK Ltd.

Website: www.justracinguk.com

The organisers warned competitors this race had a couple of hills. They omitted to mention the only flat section on the run was the last 100m to the finish!

As for the bike course, this defied physical and geographical possibilities by being at least 90% uphill and continuously into a headwind.

But really we should start at the beginning.

If you ever plan to do this event, allow plenty of time to get to the venue. I struggled. It took almost as long to cover the last few miles of (delightfully scenic) country lanes as it did to reach the motorway exit from London. The way I came seemed to be devoid of signposts and the organisers might want to consider putting up more of their own.

You will also need to be prepared for a long hike from parking to event HQ and it’s well worth taking all your kit with you right from the beginning.

Early season World Championship qualifying sprint event, with a very cold water swim.

Date: 10 May 2009

Location: Grendon Lakes, Northamptonshire, UK

Format: 750m swim / 20km bike / 5km run

Organiser: Just Racing UK Ltd.

Website: www.justracinguk.com

As both a World Championship qualifying event and one of the first open water races of the year, the Grendon Sprint Triathlon drew a large and dedicated group of competitors. Overall, this is a great little race in a fantastic location, with just a couple of minor complaints.

A water temperature of 13.5^oC meant compulsory wet-suits and a head-numbing 750m swim. And why do wetsuits get tighter every year? But the route was clearly marked with large yellow buoys and there were plenty of helpers on hand to haul jelly-legged swimmers back onto dry land.

The swim exited onto a ramp and a lengthy run to transition. The organisers thoughtfully put down matting to protect frozen feet, a big improvement on previous years.