The Gullane Beach Triathlon

After a comfy night in a camping pod in Aberlady, Rosemary an I headed off to Gullane with the aim of getting to race registration at 7:15am. What a stunning cycle. A mist shrouded the base of Berwick Law, with the peak exposed and a golden sun was starting to rise in the east. Mist was also rising off the links at Kilspinie....a stunning morning view.

Gullane triathlon was my 1st ever Olympic distance race, so many years ago that I couldn't find my original result online. I suspect it must have been 1998 and I know I did it in 2hrs 20 mins . Around 15 years later, I was waiting nervously to hear if my 'entry on the line' was confirmed. I bumped into Stevie Andrews, an old fried looking fast as ever, also waiting on a late entry.

We were both lucky! I set about getting my transition area set up and then got changed quickly into my tri suit in the open air. Seconds later, Rosemary overheard Gav Calder and the race referee discussing how someone had previously been dq'd for being naked in this area. A lucky escape. After a quick 'warm-up' swim, I came back to the beach, had a little jog and then went to mingle with the 2nd wave athletes which I was in. 9 minutes to go and time to get focused! Suddenly, a marshall came running up to me saying 'you're off in the 1st wave', you've got a blue hat on. I ignored her until another marshall came up saying the same thing and telling me to get on the start line. I assumed because I was a late entry that they had put me in a wave out with my category and made a snap decision to run down the beach. The starting whistle went and we were off for the 1500m swim.

The water was pancake flat and pristinely clear, a rarity in the area. I was hoping for more choppy seas as I somehow become calm when others get intimidated in such an environment. I wasn't complaining though; even at race pace, I could see crabs, jelly fish and even a quite large sea slug! Such experience bring joy to my world!

Some triathlon swims can be hectic but this was a respectful one. Only a wee bit contact at the 1st turning buoy. The typical convention, indeed what is coached, is to smash it at the start and slow into race pace. I'm of the view that such a strategy is only appropriate for those looking for victory. After a steady start, I began to pass quite a lot of people, until I found myself in a group of three. There was a wee bit of contact, but nothing inappropriate. Well, that was until I heard a scream as I collided with the swimmer next to me, poked my head up to see that I had knocked her goggles off. I dunno who swam into who, but it's part of racing and I don't think there could be any attribution of blame.

At the 750m mark I ran up the beach, round the saltire, heard Rosemary calling 'come on Andy' and then I plunged back into the sea for a 2nd and relatively uneventful lap. Subsequently, R said that I had been in the top 15-20 for my wave which represents a good swim for me. The run to T1 is a longish one, on a paved path through the sand dunes. I avoided the foot wash, a couple of paddling pools, fearing a slip was possible.

Into transition and I went through what I practiced....helmet on, glasses on, wetsuit stepped out of and off. Wow....it felt quick, which it was. 45 seconds had me up in the top 15 which I was delighted with. It was also the 1st time I'd put my shoes in the pedals, keeping them level with elastic bands, and putting them on whilst moving like the pros do. It worked a treat apart from the elastic band not pinging! I had to reach down and snap it. Another tip I'd followed was to run beyond the mount line, hence avoiding getting tangled up with other riders....That worked too!

Out of Gullane to Aberlady and up to Athelstaneford I headed. The plan was to keep it steady, never hard for the first 30km and then up the pace when others started to fatigue. It required discipline to ride within myself and let people pass but I knew it would work. Many years before, I had done a race in prep' for Iron Man using the same strategy gone faster than if I'd red-lined it all the way. The climb to Kingston was easier than expected, despite me knowing the hill well. I turned at the top, changed into the big ring and started riding hard on the descent at over 50km.h. I was loving it.

Then disaster struck. Coming into a right hand turn, I pulled on the brakes and.....not much happened. "Fuuuuuuuckkkk....." I squeeled as I overshot the corner. No front brake. I slowed using the rear and a marshall came running up as I looked at my bike in disbelief! The brake cable had pulled right through the engagement hole....and there was no way to fix it without a few tools which I didn't have. "I'll be fine" I said, "I'll just take it easy on the corners". The marshall replied " no you don't, two brakes are required to race". "You must have a rear brake but a front one isn't essential" I said, slightly unconvincingly but I knew the game was over when he went for his walkie talkie. My race was over.

Pedalling back to transition with my number off, number 62 wearing full aero-kit, a disc wheel etc went gunning aggressively into a right hander. "Ohhhh no" I though, he'll never get round on that line. He skidded, the rear wheel jumping everywhere and he nearly crashed into a female racer on his left. Up until this stage, I'd seen nothing but safe, respectful riding with minimal drafting going on. However, this chap endangered others by riding like a royal male chicken, with all surrounding riders agreeing this was the case. What's more, I was still riding at a similar speed to him when I wasn't even trying because of me now being out the race.

Coming back to Gullane, a marshall was gesticulating crazily for me to turn left but I was taking the short cut back to transition. He relaxed when I told him 'I'm out'. In T2 I asked the race official if I could do the run and he said yes as long as I gave him my timing chip. I was now in '3rd place' and decided to race my guts out over the 10km. Surprisingly, I was keeping the 2nd placed runner in sight, that was until the big steep hill at the side of the golf course. Only 2 people passed me on the 1st lap and there were a few surprised faces seeing me so close to the front.

The 2nd lap was harder and I was now mixed up with those doing the first 5km. I was running really well, apart from on the steep hills, and loving it. My time was only a few seconds off what Rosemary did last year and she had won her race. The brake cable thing was something I couldn't have predicted and I honestly believe doing the full bike course (10km more) wouldn't have changed how I ran! I had a really fun day and a beer on the finishing line was great. The experience wasn't ruined.

Edinburgh Triathletes had organised an impeccable race in a beautiful location. What marks it out for me was the fair play from the other competitors, a respect for the sport, minimal drafting and a friendly atmosphere. Such an atmosphere rarely happens in the big races down South...but I'll not get on my soap box about that today. It was great seeing old friends, Stevie, Scott, John, Mandy, Gav et al... who I started off in the sport with many years ago.

Eek...written far too much....will keep the rest short. Rosemary suggested a trip to Steam Punk in North Berwick for lunch....they do great coffee so I was happy to oblige. Then we wandered round the harbour, bringing back many childhood memories, then to the Edinburgh train, the BikesWorks to get my steed repaired (2 min job....the mechanic couldn't believe the cable had come out) and a pedal back to Rosemary's where she cooked a lovely dinner.