Tri-Adventure
A First Outing at Tri-Adventure
Brendon Leddy aka Lord Byron / 08.03.2010
Tri-Adventures first Sprint Race (February 21st), combining trail running, navigation and mountain biking over two hours was established by Samantha and Jonathan Mayne. It was pitched to all levels, from beginners to elite racers. The first event was hosted in the North Downs of Surrey at Albury Heath. It was a day of many firsts as it was also my first competitive event since I was a child (when I lost the 100 meter sprint and cried in my mothers’ arms) but it was also my first ever combo (where I wasn’t asked if I wanted to supervise it).
I was excited in the days leading up to the event, so excited that I splashed cash on the essentials – band aids, puncture repair kit, nutrition bars (all of which were left in the car because I had no way of carrying them). Amateur mistake number one!
The night before I went to a party in London and made a mental resolution to return home early and not drink alcohol. Abstinence not being my strong point I crawled into bed at 2am. Amateur mistake number two!
My alarm clock pummeled my head at 6am and I got up to the sounds of torrential rain. It frightened me if the truth be told. I set off early so that I could register and get a feel for the day that lay ahead. Luckily my wife remembered where the event was because I forgot the address and my compass - getting lost would become all too familiar to me as the day wore on.
I arrived at the Heath and was greeted and directed by marshals – there were banners and flags and a very impressive starting/finishing marquis. It was all very spectacular indeed! I must confess to being slightly nervous as anyone would be when they are swimming in unchartered waters. I met the organizers and creators of this new company and from that point on I really felt like I belonged there.
Everyone was helpful, friendly and encouraging (and it was raining and very early!). It dawned on me that someone should explain to me how to read a map so I got the five minute crash course and it served me well (‘ish). As more and more people arrived it was obvious who was elite and who was a beginner. The former carefully decked in their finest adventure clothing plotting their route and race tactics while the latter chatted about soccer shorts versus chamois padded cycling shorts. None of it mattered because everyone was clearly soaking up the atmosphere.
The course was well spaced out for the run and more so for the cycle. By the time I arrived in transition I was covered from top to toe in mud but I wore it like a badge of honour! There were plenty of supporters, including children, to cheer us on and for a moment, I wished I’d brought my children. I would have loved goggles of some description on the cycle but I eventually got use to the feeling of grit floating around in my eye sockets and between my teeth.
Many of the beginners teamed up which made my first experience a really good one. There were 20 checkpoints, each worth a hundred points and I managed to collect 700 points. The closest I came to the prize money was standing beside Patrick Meldrum when he pocketed the coveted prize (he collected 1700 points – clearly I have a long way to go).
This was an event that I was really proud to be involved in – so much so that I have signed up for all the Tri-Adventure races. And that’s a true testament of the success of this adventure race – I want to do it again and again. I want to get better and race better. I want my own bike and not one that I dragged out of a friends’ shed covered in cobwebs (it served me well despite the chain having a tendency to come off during rapid gear changing). I want a new bike that doesn’t weigh as much as a small tractor. And the next time I am bringing my children because this could easily have been a nice family day out.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first race and meeting the hosts - two people who obviously share a mutual love and passion for the sport. Naturally I will compete again and my immediate goal is to beat my current score of 700 (I hear Jonathan is a good racer so in time he needs to watch out). At the end of the day (and to quote another), Adventure racing, for me, is about ‘using your brain, not just your endurance’. My last and final amateur mistake – I didn’t tape my nipples!
Race results can be viewed on www.triadventure.co.ukSee All Event Posts
