Carna Triathlon (Dermot O Leary)
Hi all,
This is a race report from the Carna Olympic distance tri, that took place on the 19th July 2008. It all started on friday afternoon by packing up the car and getting on the road, heading west to the small village of Carna in the heart of Connemara, where I stayed in the Carna Bay hotel.
It came to the morning of the race with the arlam sounding at 07.00 am. I have to say I was feeling a little nervous but made sure to eat as it was going to be a long day and as it was my first olympic race, one of my goals for this year. It was time to get into the car and drive the short distance across to Cill Chairan to register for the race. I headed to the local community hall and got my timing chip, race number and goodie bag. I headed back to the car and found parking outside the local shop where other triathletes were starting to gather. It wasn’t long till I saw some familiar faces with Trilogy colours in the car park. I spoke with Steve Irwin and we both headed to transition to set up the gear. When we came back up, Trish and Alison were after arriving. It came to the time for the race briefing, the nerves where really starting to set in at this stage. This is when I spoke to Steve O’ Toole, Kevin and Eimear.
Well it was time to enter the water I realised I was at the point of no return! The water was packed with competitors when the siren went off. The race had started and it was every person for themselves, away I went. It all started well getting into the swim heading for the marker but we were all still very crowded in the water looking up to see it was still in sight. As I was making the first turn and still going well, I felt this hand on my shoulder pushing me down under the water forcing me to have to settle myself and get back into my stride. I have to say after turning the first marker, striding for the second, it felt as if I was never going to get to it. Every few strokes I looked up to see if I was on course? Relieved to see that I was, I rounded the second and thought to myself I’m on the home straight. On looking up I caught sight of the transition area and with my final few strokes over I was at last able to stand. With the swim over and the first part of the race out of the way, I made my slippery way into transition. Quickly out of the wet suit and out of transition and onto the bike I was ‘delighted’ to meet a nice little hill up to the main road. With a right turn out on the bike route there was a nice head wind into the face. It was different this time because I have to say in a sprint race you are meeting people on the bike all the time, but in a forty km race and one lap circuit you’re not. It came to the six mile mark and it was a hard left up hill. A few people passed me but where there is an up hill this is a down hill and it helped me. It was the half way mark of the cycle and the marshal shouted “you are half way there now”, and you are thinking to yourself in your mind, I didn’t need to hear that but I suppose he is only giving you support. Well on hitting the last ten km of the cycle you know you are nearly there and when I saw another triathlete changing a puncture on his bike, I thought to myself, thank God that’s not me! At last, a right turn and back down the hill into transition. I made an emergancy stop on the bike (ON THE YELLOW LINE- as we were all reminded), back out of transition and up the hill for the last time. Reaching the 3km mark I met a helpful band of supporters, shouting on trilogy, with a quick look at the timing clock stating 02hr06mins I went running by it. I got to the water station, took a drink and started to meet the first of the trilogy gang heading back to the finish line. I made it to the half way mark and I was feeling quite good. Back up hill again to the 7km mark, another drink and fueled for the final few km, I hit the 8km and thanlfully it was down hill from there. Greatful to see the finish line in sight, I pushed on crossing over it with faces from the trilogy gang claping you over the line. Looking at the timing clock I se a time of 03hrs03mins on it. I had just achieved another goal of mine for this year.
I have to say it would have not of happened without the support of the club and their advice and without the support of my wife Ita in understanding the amount of training required. I know some of you took part kilkea early this year which is known as the ‘Hell of the West’, but I have to say this was my ‘Hell Of THE WEST’. So now with my first Olympic done I am looking froward to my next one. The last word of praise has to go to Niall Collins who came third in his category, well done Niall.
Dermot O’ Leary
This is a race report from the Carna Olympic distance tri, that took place on the 19th July 2008. It all started on friday afternoon by packing up the car and getting on the road, heading west to the small village of Carna in the heart of Connemara, where I stayed in the Carna Bay hotel.
It came to the morning of the race with the arlam sounding at 07.00 am. I have to say I was feeling a little nervous but made sure to eat as it was going to be a long day and as it was my first olympic race, one of my goals for this year. It was time to get into the car and drive the short distance across to Cill Chairan to register for the race. I headed to the local community hall and got my timing chip, race number and goodie bag. I headed back to the car and found parking outside the local shop where other triathletes were starting to gather. It wasn’t long till I saw some familiar faces with Trilogy colours in the car park. I spoke with Steve Irwin and we both headed to transition to set up the gear. When we came back up, Trish and Alison were after arriving. It came to the time for the race briefing, the nerves where really starting to set in at this stage. This is when I spoke to Steve O’ Toole, Kevin and Eimear.
Well it was time to enter the water I realised I was at the point of no return! The water was packed with competitors when the siren went off. The race had started and it was every person for themselves, away I went. It all started well getting into the swim heading for the marker but we were all still very crowded in the water looking up to see it was still in sight. As I was making the first turn and still going well, I felt this hand on my shoulder pushing me down under the water forcing me to have to settle myself and get back into my stride. I have to say after turning the first marker, striding for the second, it felt as if I was never going to get to it. Every few strokes I looked up to see if I was on course? Relieved to see that I was, I rounded the second and thought to myself I’m on the home straight. On looking up I caught sight of the transition area and with my final few strokes over I was at last able to stand. With the swim over and the first part of the race out of the way, I made my slippery way into transition. Quickly out of the wet suit and out of transition and onto the bike I was ‘delighted’ to meet a nice little hill up to the main road. With a right turn out on the bike route there was a nice head wind into the face. It was different this time because I have to say in a sprint race you are meeting people on the bike all the time, but in a forty km race and one lap circuit you’re not. It came to the six mile mark and it was a hard left up hill. A few people passed me but where there is an up hill this is a down hill and it helped me. It was the half way mark of the cycle and the marshal shouted “you are half way there now”, and you are thinking to yourself in your mind, I didn’t need to hear that but I suppose he is only giving you support. Well on hitting the last ten km of the cycle you know you are nearly there and when I saw another triathlete changing a puncture on his bike, I thought to myself, thank God that’s not me! At last, a right turn and back down the hill into transition. I made an emergancy stop on the bike (ON THE YELLOW LINE- as we were all reminded), back out of transition and up the hill for the last time. Reaching the 3km mark I met a helpful band of supporters, shouting on trilogy, with a quick look at the timing clock stating 02hr06mins I went running by it. I got to the water station, took a drink and started to meet the first of the trilogy gang heading back to the finish line. I made it to the half way mark and I was feeling quite good. Back up hill again to the 7km mark, another drink and fueled for the final few km, I hit the 8km and thanlfully it was down hill from there. Greatful to see the finish line in sight, I pushed on crossing over it with faces from the trilogy gang claping you over the line. Looking at the timing clock I se a time of 03hrs03mins on it. I had just achieved another goal of mine for this year.
I have to say it would have not of happened without the support of the club and their advice and without the support of my wife Ita in understanding the amount of training required. I know some of you took part kilkea early this year which is known as the ‘Hell of the West’, but I have to say this was my ‘Hell Of THE WEST’. So now with my first Olympic done I am looking froward to my next one. The last word of praise has to go to Niall Collins who came third in his category, well done Niall.
Dermot O’ Leary
posted by Michael Farrell at
14:13
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