Some of you may remember, but last year, I did the UK & Ireland Corporate Games Triathlon Relay in Newcastle, for Team BUPA.
One colleague did the 750m swim, I did the 20km ride, and another colleague did the 5km run. We got Bronze.
This year, the event was held, as last year, in South Shields, over the same, tortuous course.
We had a different runner this time, Phil, who is a swimmer really, but just runs to work the Guinness off. Last year we had a fine, calm, midsummer’s day morning. This year we had a 20mph southerly, which meant I had a 1.5-mile drag up that bloody hill into the teeth of it.
When we arrived, we found out a couple of, not so much problems, as obstacles. The first was that we were the only all male (some digression, I hear!!) team to enter, so we were guaranteed Gold if we competed. Hurrah!! But nay, they had cancelled the swim, due to high surf and rip tides. So, Kevin, our 14 stone swimmer, had to run 5km, which he hadn’t trained or psyched himself up for. He bleated and whinnied, but I bleated and whinnied better than him to do it, so he did, on the premise that I bought him a big fat Geordie cake for dinner.
Needless to say, Kevin finished next to last in the run, so I had some catching up to do (even though I had no competition). I was fourth fastest overall, doing the 12.5 miles in 35.27, 33 secs up on last year, on a full-on hard day. Phil then did his trot, and we were content that, even though we were the only ones, we had won Gold, and by doing the thing against Kevin’s better judgment. (He booked in a massage at work on the Monday).
Hopefully, this will get us into the World Corporate Games next year in Zagreb, Croatia. Oh aye!
Any road up, I had been seconded into the BUPA team for the Salford ITU World Cup event on Sunday, 25th July (it rained, didn’t it, my little possums! Did diddums get wet going to Hopley Farm?). This was a proper event; leave your bike and helmet overnight outside (next year take bin liners); wristbands, chips on your ankles, the works. There were several waves going before us, age groups and the like, but our wave was due to hit the Quay next to The Lowry at 8.40 am.
Kevin was the swimmer again. No run for him this time, just a 750m swim in his Speedo’s (he was the ONLY one without a wetsuit). He came out 4th (there were 27 teams this time).
The leading cyclist, a fellow from Milton Keynes, was three minutes up on me by the time Kevin got to me. I caught him just under a mile to go…and on the left-hand (blind) side. Sweet! Oh, and I was the fastest overall, but the time they gave me of 37+ mins includes Kevin running to me, and Paul running to the pad, plus I had to negotiate 29 corners going to Albert Square and back, twice, in the wet. But at least I had closed roads.
Anyway, after a dodgy transition, being I couldn’t get the chip onto Paul, our runner’s ankle, he went off second. Anyway, no worries, he did 6.6km in 19 mins 59 secs, the fastest overall…out of over 200 competitors.
So, GOLD again.
This time, a proper one, with a podium presentation of a real gold medal, Timex watch, and a trophy.
These events are great. If anyone ever gets asked, try it. The camaraderie is great, plus you get to see some top kit (you know what I mean, Chris!!!).
Ta ta, I’m off to bask in self-reflective glory…again!

Brendan