Arctic One ParaTri 2019
There’s nothing quite like the Arctic One Paratri. Arctic One is a brilliant cause that works really hard to get both able and disabled people into sport. We wrote a two handed review of a Tri earlier this year, and it seemed to go well so we’ve done another one. This is a little different though.
Stu: Eton Dorney Lake, 27th May 2019 12:35
As I’d arrived for my second year competing as an able bodied athlete, I’d been able to cheer on the elite para athletes; it was breath-taking to see the visually impaired athletes running in perfect lockstep with their guides, both moving at a pace I couldn’t hope to match; there were riders flying into t2 in their handcycles grumbling about not quite managing to get in the zone and hit the speeds they knew they were capable of, and racers who had finished were nonchalantly wandering back to their cars with their carbon fibre bladed racing legs slung over their shoulders.
At one point I did a double take as I walked past ex world champion Tim Don wearing an improbable moustache and recounting what sounded like an equally improbable story. The atmosphere there is magic as everyone is there to do the same thing – test their limits; and we are all able to do it completely alongside each other.
I registered, racked and made my way to the start box where
the briefing was to take place. The only tiny thing that was unusual in the
briefing was when the organiser added ‘and there will be water handlers waiting
if you need assistance getting in or out’.
That was it.
Aside from that, absolutely no distinction was made between athletes, and everyone raced in exactly the same way. Dorney is a great location for a Tri – the lake always has great visibility, the four lap ride is mostly pancake flat (although on this version of the circuit a sharp bend at either end needs to be treated with respect) and the two lap run is also flat but scenic as you run along the lake. Two water/gel stations on the each lap of the run meant we were definitely covered for refreshments. I’d had an ok Sprint distance race, there was a brutal headwind that was not my friend and my ankle was still sore from a mishap training which didn’t stop me from running but did stop me from hitting the speeds I would have liked without pushing too hard.
At the end of the day this was about what was happening later, when I was racing alongside my twelve year old son in the ‘Super Duper Sprint’ distance race – 200m swim, 5km bike, 1.6km run). This shorter race is brilliant as it’s completely mixed ability, and also has a lot of mixed ability teams in it with plenty of youngsters also seizing the opportunity to experience a full blown Open Water tri. With an hour or so before Dom arrived I picked a comfy looking spot on the grass and relaxed with a book, hoping that the threatening clouds were as bad as it got and that the rain held off.
Dom (age 12): Eton Dorney Lake, 27th May 2019
I was really excited for the para tri. It is such an amazing feeling to be racing with such inspirational, incredible people. I had done the para tri with my Dad last year so i knew roughly what to expect. Dad had warned me that we didn’t have very long to adjust to the lake so i stuck my head in as soon as I was deep enough. I then started treading water and mapping out my route while looking at the competition. Before I knew it the start horn buzzed and there was a mad scramble from every one as we started the race…
Stu: Eton Dorney Lake, 27th May 2019 14:35
We were approaching the end of the swim. Dom was doing really well – there was a proper mass start and he’d dealt well with some initial jostling for position; there was a complete mix of abilities and ages and no one was taking any prisoners which was exactly how we wanted it. He’d put his head down and was pulling long strokes in the water; as we’d moved towards the second buoy he’d started lifting his head out of the water more to look where he was going and this was slowing him down, but this wasn’t the time to be coaching. I’d recognised one young wheelchair from last year – she’d told her companion swimmer that she was going to try as hard as she could to get through the swim; he told her he knew she would and he was so proud of her; I only just stopped myself from telling her I was proud of her too.
Eventually we reached the ramp and as Dom scrambled up it I chased him trying to help him by pulling down his wetsuit zip before he reached his bike. We’d agreed this before the start but he had no intention of making it easy for me by slowing down. We managed to strip off and slip on our shoes and bike helmets at the same sort of pace, so we found ourselves grabbing the bikes and running for the mount line together.
Dom (age 12): Eton Dorney Lake, 27th May 2019
I had done lots of lake swimming and i was very confident i could swim 200m at a reasonable pace. I got into a rhythm and really thought about my technique. Eventually I got out of the water. My dad unzipped the back of my wetsuit and I ran and quickly took the rest off. Remembering to put my helmet on first, I hauled my bike down from the rack and ran to the mount line. I did a normal mount as Dad caught up to me and I hammered on the pedals as we were off…
Stu: Eton Dorney Lake, 27th May 2019 14:55
Dom had started really well on the ride, hammering along at 25km/h. He’d caught and passed a couple of adults, and with only a couple of adults passing him he’d maintained his position. As we started the final lap, however he was starting to flag and the rider we’d set as a target to catch remained frustratingly the exact same difference away.
Once we rounded the bend at the far side of the lake, he gritted his teeth and started to pick up speed again. I needed to remember to ask him how that felt so he could do it again, and also made a note to work with him about the way he was weaving on the bike – at the speed we were going he was definitely wasting a lot of energy. I knew he was saving energy for the run, but I was trying to get him to burn more on the ride.
Dom (age 12): Eton Dorney Lake, 27th May 2019
The Bike ride gave me mixed feelings. If you are going to do a triathlon you should definitely go to Dorney lake. The lake itself is beautifully blue, but more importantly for the bike and run, it’s flat. As it was flat and made out of smooth concrete I was able to go very fast on my road bike. However about halfway through I began to get tired. I had been going too fast for a steady pace. i know dad thinks I was holding energy in but I was really tired. Dad used his motivational tricks to use more energy but the problem was I had none. I took it pedal by pedal and eventually arrived at T2…
Stu: Eton Dorney Lake, 27th May 2019 13:15
I had to change my cycling shoes to run trainers; Dom did not, and we’d agreed that he would run on and I’d catch him up. As he came into T2 I’d pulled ahead a little and racked my bike – I earned a yelling from a transition marshal as I helped him lift his bike onto the rack (it was very high, he’s very short and it would have taken ages for him to get it up there), but I then watched with sneaking admiration as he took some long pulls on his water bottle while I changed my shoes; he’d adjusted his plan without worrying about what I though and was doing what he thought would help him the most. He didn’t leave himself enough of a gap though, as even though he took off like a scalded cat I still pretty much caught him before he left transition.
The run was painful for both of us as I tried to pull him along at a steady pace I knew he was capable of – we were both realising he needed to do more regular running, but again, he dug deep and completed the run without walking. This year I was ready for his attempt to lunge over the line first and we both crossed together in what I think is my favourite event of the year. I can’t wait for next year’s Arctic One Paratri.
Dom (age 12): Eton Dorney Lake, 27th May 2019
The run was long and painful but I hauled through it. Me and Dad ran through the finish line together and I smiled. I had done it. Now I know where I need to improve and I can’t wait for more events.