Tim Fowler: Tim.Fowler@justice.gov.uk
Fixtures for 2022 include:
Prison service Duathlon march 12th Newbold Revel
Army triathlon team relays, May 4th Mallory park
Inter-services triathlon July 28th Cotswold water park
National team relays August 27th Holme Pierrepoint
As a club, we had been invited by the Army triathlon association to race 2 of their events at Mallory Park. The first was the Duathlon. A team of 4 of us made the trip to Leicestershire. Bradley Cameron, Seb Parrish, Danny Glover, Tim Fowler, Nicola Clements and James Darkin took to the start line. Some fast racing as you would expect from the Army, and we did well to come away with several age group wins. Tim Fowler, Danny Glover and Nicola Clements all coming away with medals. Great results from our little club!!
The next event was the Army super sprints, a format whereby you has to race 3x super sprint triathlons. You had 1 hour to race, return to transition and get into the lake to go again. This time we had Tim Fowler, Danny Glover, Andy Dunkerley and Brad Cameron racing.
It was a hot day, and the format was great fun, and a logistical challenge to get back to put on a damp wetsuit to start the next race. Good fast racing ensued again. Although we didn’t get a medal haul like the previous race, we held our own against the much larger Army tri club. I’m hopeful we will be invited back next season.
Next up was the national team relays, a regular event for the club. 3 teams of 4 were entered. As is usual when trying to get teams to the event, injuries and incidents mean last minute alterations to the line-up were needed. Frantic phone calls, coercing and downright bullying were required to get the 3 teams up to strength!!
Some were doing their first open water triathlon, some, like the machine that Gary Craig is, were doing their second one of the day!!
Everyone raced well, and the day is an enjoyable one, colleagues from all over meeting up to enjoy triathlon and good company.
The inter-services triathlon was the next club race. This was held once more at the Cotswold water park. Due to being on nights, I wasn’t able to attend. We only had 1 member race this event, which should attract more of us as it’s such a good race. Byron Crook, racing his first ever triathlon, represented us well. Having a good swim, he set off on his bike with, as he described, motorcycle tyres on! Getting back to do the run, he finished well. We can confirm he now has the triathlon bug, and is looking to do more in 2022.
We look forward to 2022 with anticipation. With more invites to race from the Army tri club, the Gratitude games in the spring, The World Police and Fire games in the summer, and the National team relays in August, we could well have a very busy year.
Well done to everyone who raced and sent in reports. I’m aware many more of you have raced and kept it quiet! I bumped into one such person at the British duathlon championships at Oulton Park.
Thanks as ever to the PSSA, without whose support we wouldn’t exist, and get to race as a team together.
Here’s to a good winters training, and let’s make 2022 one to remember.
Fixtures for 2022 include:
Prison service Duathlon march 12th Newbold Revel
Army triathlon team relays, May 4th Mallory park
Inter-services triathlon July 28th Cotswold water park
National team relays August 27th Holme Pierrepoint
