You may have seen highlights of Lucy Charles-Barclay’s comeback win at Samorin, Slovakia in August. It was one of the world championship races, for both Elites and age groupers, planned around the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) events that week. The weather was mild but wet and windy for her long-distance race at the weekend. On the Thursday before, the day of the Aquathlon races, 35-degree temperatures were expected. Yes, it was hot, very hot!
Slovakia borders onto Ukraine. At the time the World Championship events were announced, Putin’s tanks were rolling into Ukraine which was not encouraging. However, everything went ahead as planned in true triathlon fashion! My warm up event was at the National Sprint triathlon championships at Mallory Park in Leicestershire. This was during a lull in the hot conditions in England, so not much of a help with heat preparation, but a 4th place in my oldies age-group was encouraging. Minus a bike, always good when travelling abroad, I headed to the race. On race day itself, I watched the aquathlon elites set off from an in water start in the Danube. The elite race has quite a history, with past male winners including Alistair Brownlee and Tim Don. Watching the elites exit the water and thunder over the temporary bridge towards transition was quite something.
For the age group race, wet suits were optional in my age group. Given the advantage it gives mere mortals, it was a no brainer to wear one but in the wait before the start, sweltering in 30 degrees plus in a layer of hot rubber didn’t seem such a great idea! The water felt great though. The start with around a hundred men in the wave was a true washing machine spin cycle experience. Fortunately, there was a long straight initial swim to get sorted (or distanced behind some great swimmers!). All went well until our group bumped into, literally, a para-athlete and guide midway round. I felt sorry for them and peeved with the organisation.
Exiting the water, I managed to grab a rail which was a lifesaver. It was dog eat dog up the steps and then a long barefoot run into transition. I had come into the event with a right heel injury and was panicking over getting through the transition.
Sure enough pain kicked in coming down the long steps but at least it was bearable. The run to transition was immense though. My transition took 3 minutes 29 seconds, which was 3 seconds off the age group best, helped by a lot of practice in the back garden at home (apologies to the neighbours!). Transition itself was in the grounds of the Slovak Olympic centre, a truly fantastic facility but one I was not really focused on at this point…
Coming out of transition, onto the run, I was hit by a wave of heat. The run was only 5k, but in those temperatures the organisers were taking no chances. There were two shower areas to run through and no less than four drinks stations on a one lap course heading back out to the Danube then returning to the complex. I grabbed a drink at the first water station and tipped it over my head. Sure enough it was a sticky electrolyte drink! As they say, do the same thing and get the same result and so it was each of the other water stations….
After half way I passed Mike, one of my team mates in my age group, an uber sea swimmer in the Mersey but struggling in the heat. Everybody tries to encourage anyone you know which is always great and it was much needed that day. The going was getting tougher and I never saw the 4k marker. The finish had to be getting nearer but took forever to come into view. The end was well thought out though, ending in the equestrian stadium (the giant silver horse sculpture was the setting for the team photo earlier) with a grandstand for spectators.
A helper shouted to someone that there were only 40 seconds left and he was right! I counted them all off and boy did it help.
Over the line I ran into Neil another team mate in my age group. A perennial world champion, he had got away from a German and the Italian runner up in the latter stages. The Italian had posted/boasted about his youthful 1-54 800 metre time in his profile, so it was good to beat his 5k run time. Thank goodness everyone slows down with age!
I finished 5th, and second Brit, with Mike 6th. The after-race chat is always great, provided you have done well. Then it was onto the recovery area and this one was superb with an array of sandwiches and cakes to follow the drinks. In my books providing post-race food and drink is always a big tick for the organisers. The shower facilities were less great though. I managed to get into the gym facility but it was anything to get the stickiness off by that stage!
The post-race events laid on in conjunction with the PTO were excellent including a parade of nations with flags and a pasta party. Even the PTO branded giveaways were good. However, after the euphoria came the bus ride back to Bratislava and the stiff and sore limp off the bus after sitting down for too long.
Still, it was an unforgettable event and even the negotiating the rail strikes to get back home could not dent the feeling!
