Social news & dates
Please keep your eyes peeled for the full details for the Halloween relays on Wednesday 1st November. This will be a rare opportunity to bring the whole club (juniors and seniors) together.
Next, we have a couple of round birthdays to celebrate, which coincide neatly with planned club socials. This Saturday 7th (the first Saturday of the month Bushy Parkrun and Coffee), Angelo will be supplying cake to celebrate his 40th.
And in keeping, I’m choosing alcoholic beverages to mark mine at the club AGM at the Anglers Pub, on Monday 13th November 19:30. There are potentially a number of key roles to fill, after those who have given long service to the club are deciding to step back a little – hence we’ll be looking for a few to step up to ensure the club’s ongoing smooth running. We’ve also got a great deal of successes to celebrate, so please make an effort to attend.
Saturday 18th November – Parkrun tourism to Dulwich – a fabulous course for PB opportunities. Hopefully this will kick start more frequent Turbo runs (a handicap Tamsin Trail loop has been mooted) and regular Parkrun tourism. But please get involved with our regular socials like the thirsty third Thursday at the Beech House (19th Oct being the next) or coffee after Bushy Parkrun on the first Saturday of the month.
Saturday 9th December – the double header of the annual mob match vs Ful-on-Tri and Xmas party (the Adelaide as last year).
And also I’d encourage you all to suggest other activities you’d like to do as a group.
Performances & races
As per Phil’s email yesterday, huge congratulations to Alice Bloch, Tom Mythen & Charlie Brook on winning their respective categories in the Junior London League and to Danielle McGlashan, Henry Mythen, Rachel Riedlinger & Camilla Baluch on reaching their podiums.
On top on the London League success, Danielle won the Tristar 2 Triathlon at Hever Castle outright (beating all the boys, including Sam Wright who was 12th home). It shows our junior section continues to thrive.
Last weekend also saw the World Championships in Pontevedra. Lauren showed how competitive she is likely to be in Paris next summer, leading Claire and Grace on the final lap of the bike, until stomach cramps (following a week of illness) derailed her charge on the final lap of the run. As she explained on the WhatsApp chat, was still delighted with her bronze. Sadly, a disrupted season of injuries caught up with David Barker in the Aquabike and he was unable to repeat his heroics of Abu Dhabi.
Last week saw Gail Edmans, who never fails to inspire, taking on the relentless, ahem, challenge (iyky) that is Mont Ventoux, not once but twice on a cycling holiday with Anne, whilst Oli Hamann completed the Castle to Castle (Buckingham to Windsor via the Surrey Hills) ride in aid of the Prince’s Trust.
Finally, Ryan and I took to Calella for the Barcelona Ironman. It was an unexpectedly, brutally hot day out – with October temperature records being recorded all across Spain – over 30 degrees in the shade. Only there was no shade.
Ryan has the satisfaction of setting the fastest Ironman bike split of any Turbo this year (and probably for many years) averaging a staggering 37.5kmpm over the 184km course. Although the heat took its toll and he faded on the run, he still recorded a very fine Ironman debut time of 10:36. Everyone knows there’s more to come.
I had a proper emotional rollercoaster of a weekend. I had managed to hold off Ryan on the bike until 160km & although the power started draining from my legs, I still averaged 36.5 for a 5 hour split. Unusually for me, despite every effort to hydrate, the heat really got to me and had to stop for long periods to let the dizziness pass. I’d passed up my Pontevedra places for two goals - to break 10 hours & to get to Kona. I thought I was comfortably on course for the former, until I realised from a marker sign that the run course was 42.8km (just rude after the long bike) – and needed to get a wiggle on for the final 3.8km. I needed the sprint finish and my relief was palpable when I turned & saw the finisher screen matched my watch -09:59:55. However my joy was short-lived, when I saw from the results that I was down in 9th, with only three spots available. From chatting to the top 2, knew they were taking their places.
So Monday arrived and was in serious need of some divine intervention. But you always turn up to the presentation and hope. I really did think I was toast when the 3rd place finisher duly arrived to collect his trophy and that I was spending 2.5 hours in a stinky hot tent without refreshments for nothing. When you’ve dreamed & wished on something for so long, I can scarcely explain what I was going through, as one by one, Paul Kaye read out the names of the other 6 finishers ahead of me. There weren’t 6 refusals in ALL the other age categories combined & I’m absolutely stoked to be joining James Drake and Ian Shaw at Kona next year.
With Turbo friend, Chloe Dooley taking over Megan’s 70.3 outright crown, friends Essie & Sammie (part of the 60-strong 10IronWomen crew) finishing 4th & 6th overall and former (and hopefully future) Turbo, Laura Thomson finishing her debut Ironman in a brilliant 12:00 (she’d earned her place for Nice, but couldn’t immediately face committing to another Ironman), it ended up as a hugely successful trip.
Just Lauren heading to Malaga (a Paratri test event ahead of next year’s World Championships there) and Bonnie & Clyde taking to Cascais 70.3 left of the competitive season, both on Oct 21st.
All race results that I know of have been added to the https://thamesturbo.co.uk/club-champs/ and with the standings reflecting these. But as always, please let me know of events you’ve signed up to (thamesturboresults@gmail.com) so I can look for results and put you in touch with others.
Also as always, please can you share your photos from events or socials so we can post to social media to showcase the club to anyone looking in?
Spond, Strava & Whatsapp reminders
You will have seen that we are trialling Spond as a new booking app for Monday’s Turbo sessions (please download it), allowing you to book on at the last minute, but until this goes live for other sessions, please can you sign on in advance via https://thamesturbo.co.uk/booking-management/. It becomes hugely disappointing & awkward for coach and athlete, should anyone have to be turned away.
If not already, please get involved with our club WhatsApp groups:
“TTTC Social & General Chat” & “TTTC Everything Bike”. There is also now a specific women’s only group – for which you’ll need to ask another member for an invite. Also Strava invites & routes are downloadable from our Strava club page.
I’d welcome you to get involved in what we’re trying to do to bring people together socially & not just at training.