UK Triathletes are very hardy individuals
On Sunday, Jet-lagged and sluggish, I was taken on a leisurely drive through the countryside to Farleigh School in Hampshire, United Kingdom where the annual Andover Triathlon was taking place.
In the morning the weather had been wet and windy during the adults sprint distance races. I missed out on that, it was early and it was cold and very wet.
I see a summer weather pattern starting to repeat during my stay here in the UK.
It goes something like wet, windy, dry, wet, windy dry…so on and so forth. I am hoping it starts to buck up and change soon and now understand why the weather is the topic of conversation between so many Brits, that and how to spend the Euro Millions when they win!
I had arranged to meet Jason Briley, a member of the Andover tri club and organiser of their annual event. The kids race was on in the afternoon starting at a very sensible hour of 2pm.
The swim was in an indoor pool – I can only imagine (from past memory, when I was a kid) how warm and lovely that would be. But then the shocker…the kids had to run outside into transition and get on their bikes and ride around the grounds.
Some were in swimmers, some had tri suits. These kids are VERY hardy individuals.
Pedaling around like maniacs, rosy cheeks, it was a great sight to see. The finishline particularly was the focus of many sprint finishes between the boys and girls.
The chicking starts young over here! My guess is a lot of wanna be Chrissie’s out there!!
I was helping mark the kids with their race numbers and asked each one which their favourite discipline was.
EVERYONE said the swim!
Now is that becasue it was in a nice warm pool OR the fact that kids over here are now embracing swimming. The UK has a pretty good swim team currently and it is amazing how the sucess of representing and winning medals for your country filters down to inspire the little ones – Love it!
Well done Andover Tri Club and fingers crossed for some dry weather this Sunday for our bike ride!
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