G.R.C. Tri News: Aberfeldy Triathlon

Where do I start, yet another fantastic weekend of racing, weather and socialising for GRC Tri at Aberfeldy for the Scottish Middle Distance Championships (or half ironman distance)!!!!

I got the week-end off and had the pleasure of being a spectator this week-end following my exertions last week-end and I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the experience on what turned into a very hot day, most of you looked a tad warm coming over the finish line.

Anyway, back to race day and Ashleigh had booked accommodation for the team, I know 'Carlesberg' don't do race day accommodation but if they did they wouldn't have been able to get a better house than this one. Well done Ash.

GRC Tri had 4 individuals racing - Andy, Richard, Mandy & Heather, all virgins at this distance and three teams - A- Ashleigh, Carol and Jamie; B- Robert, James and Alex and C- Katrina, Steve and Africa. All of you did fantastically well, just how well a certain young man was going to do should have been noted as he was one of the first of the club members out of the water.

Yes Richard, so often 2nd behind Andy this year was first home for the club even quicker than any of the teams. His time was an amazing 5:31:36 and although he had a good swim and run his 2:55:48 for the bike was fantastic.

Next up came the A-team in a time of 5:34:17, Ashleigh's swim of 31:11 was the quickest of the day for GRC while both Carols 3;10:02 (fastest GRC female time) for the bike and Jamies 1:49:46 were great efforts.

Soon after the A-team was Team B, led in to a total time of 5:38:01 by Alex with a run time of 1:43:56. Rab had led the team off with a swim of 35:57, while James put in a superb cycle of 3:12:14… not bad considering he had been out at the Military Tattoo the previous night!

Andy was next across the line on 5:43:13- a tremendous individual effort.

Following Andy was Team C on 6:18:42- Africa running home in 2:06:17 (great preparation for her upcoming Marathon). Katrina had initially led the team out in 36: 42, followed by Steve on the bike with a time of 3:32:41- an excellent performance for a ‘stand in’ for the injured Darren.

Mandy and Heather then brought the club home with times of 6:24:55 and 6:32:46 respectively to cap off a great day of racing for GRC.

On behalf GRC Tri, a big congratulations to all competitors. A well deserved rest is on the cards now, but only for a day or two before coach starts to crack her whip again ahead of the next race. The markers have been set now though… no excuses for next year where we want to see even more competitors!