My pull buoy in the picture is a Huub Big Boy. I spray painted one corner red as there were 4 ways of positioning it between my legs & if I see that corner when I look down I know it’s correct.
I am going to get an even bigger one as I felt inadequate stood next to a lot of the competitors. Ark seem good & I spotted a whopping Orca one that someone had at the start.
I wear Injinji socks & haven’t blistered. I was a bit worried about sand ingress after doing a bit of practice on the beach in the picture but it’s an artificial beach & all the other running & entry/egress points were on forest trails & muddy banks.
@GeordieM the chap in the pitch next to us did the race 3yrs ago & there was a whopping hailstorm…but it may have been earlier in the year.
Never had a problem running in my SwimRun wetsuit in the cold of the UK.
First race of the year for with the club reverse aquathlon.
Swimming after running is horrendous!
Run was alright for current fitness level with a 19:42 for 5km. Transition was bang on with essentially binning your trainers off and finding your goggles. I’d already stripped my cap and running vest off but my swim was shite, 6:58 for 432 metres. Just too congested having entered the pool with around five or six other guys. Could never get into rhythm and was just in oxygen dept with a sky high heart rate.
Great fun though and nice to finally tick off a race on the year.
Finished 9th in what I’d say is a fairly stacked field for a club event with some strong swim/runners - just need a nice bike ride in the middle to sort them out
I used to do a multi round ‘Biathlon’* on Friday nights at Balmoral in Sydney.
Swim/run/swim/run. The distances were short IIRC, something like 700m/2.5km but bloody hell the heart rate was high and yes, sand management of the feet was tricky!
*This is what they were called before the blazer and clipboard crowd came knocking.
Before I go on my charm offensive with Mrs T to persuade her that it would make a lovely holiday at that time of year, anyone else fancy it? @jeffb@fruit_thief and @p00key all expressed an interest?
The TT crew stock is high at the moment following “that nice man” @funkin turning up at the Houghton Farm checkpoint on the SDW - any other participants might help on the persuasion front
I’d love to but it’s not realistic for me, certainly not for 2026. Would need to get back to UK and see if longer runs still work on my modified hip & then figure out how to get them UTMB points required to enter.
But so do it! Would love to hear all about it here
(As I say that just reminding myself of how it works on another screen )
Might be because on holiday next week but all of a sudden I feel like training for something again (havent felt like it really since the Marathon, just carried that into Outlaw half and have just ticked over since, I wouldnt call it training.)
The 410 Index is a suggestion of what is needed to finish as opposed to a requirement to enter. Mine is 433 so should just be able to scrape a finish (albeit that the last 2 qualifying races I have done I have done with friends so probably lower index than would have otherwise)
@gingerbongo you will have an index from the North Coast 110 last year
Tim (guy in third) looks like he’s having a cardiac arrest, he’s one of those runners that makes groaning noises when running too which I also find off putting.
I was actually dropped by these guys but smoked them all in transition…
I might understand incorrectly but I read to enter a World Series Event you have to have a UTMB index (score doesnt matter, I guess unless in the championship,) so yes what you said.
