promathon and nyd triathlon

photo Syd Woods

I was not looking forward to this annual hurt circus. One of the unnecessary evils of the racing calendar (next up Carnethy5) it is bad enough when you are fully fit. When less than fit it is just a lesson in pain, sucking it up and damage limitation. 

thanks Bob for doing the business as ever!

Mary signed me up for this a few weeks ago and I nearly got up to speed for it. From about halfway through December I downed tools and ran every day. Much easier when not working. However 8 weeks of missing hard training had taken its toll. A couple of good hard runs recently and I was feeling a bit fitter. Still a lot of work to be done. Mary tells me we have done this race 8 times or more and frankly I have no more love left for it and it's box of orange box of raisin charms. Strangely the dip in the sea after was good though, unexpectedly. But that had to be the weather. And getting in before cooling down. And it was the only time that day I got the benefit of the extra layer of insulation.

Men of the match were David Limmer who ran both parkruns and probably all through the night before the race then nearly won it. And Willie Jarvie, second v50 (from the hard end of the fifties!) and suddenly back in the game after too long an absence. Let's hope this marks the beginning of a huge comeback for 2017 and the step up to the next age cat. I haven't been so pleased to be beaten by someone (in my age group) in a long time.

However with the horrible four miles of heavy breathing over (probably a pw but I'm not bothering to look and don't give a monkeys) it was time for a quick dook in the turquoise waters of Playa de Portobello. Ok brown murky filth. But at least the sun was shining; hell it was amazing if you ignored the temperature. Look at those keen young men dashing into the water like it was mid summer. And you feel exhilarated afterwards. Especially as the hot showers were on in Tumbles. 

Porty lead the way on their home turf.

Some threw themselves into it more than others. (smiley winky face)
Congrats Stewy on another great run and trophy for 1st 50.

Dr Neil in his pants in the sea. Superb!

Hands in the air a good tactic as it keeps your tummy off your waistband.

Glad to have that behind us, we drove home had a quick lunch then headed to where even braver (or more foolish folk) were doing the New Year's Day Triathlon at Holyrood. Sort of the same as we did but instead of a quick immersion then shower they were having a warm swim then long cool down in the baltic air of the Queen's Park, 3 laps on a bike while your hair frosts up then 1 lap on foot. And for the price of all 8 promathons or thereabouts. I'm told by folk who do this that that is good value. In fact you could see the good value on their faces as they rode past, some still glistening wet from the chlorinated waters of the Commie pool. Mary and I did this event a couple of times and I wrote a blog about it on the PRC webpage titled complainathon. Maybe because the weather was absolutely fiendish. Maybe because there is no good reason to hold a swimmy bikey runny race on Jan1 unless you live in California. Anyway we took photos for about 40 mins until we were hypothermic and had to go home. Wanted to stay for the run but just couldn't. It was baltic. Of course it was, it was Jan 1st. D'oh.

lot of folk going up the escalator

A good thing was the very broad range of competitors from boys in bikinis on carbon aero bikes to old ladies on boneshakers freewheeling the downhills. Some jumped out the pool and cycled in their swimsuits, some put on loads of layers and overshoes and spent time at the roadside making it just so.

Now, we knew a few of the folk taking part. But standing where we were (Mary's choice) just below the Salisbury roundabout we had only a very short space of time to recognise folk as they sped past. Click too soon and they would be dots in the distance, leave it too long and they would be a blur whizzing by. Allegedly 3 shots to get each cyclist although Seona B went past 3 times without me seeing her once. (Must've been going too fast.)

over her over here over he... too late

Bitch and Merit I mean Mitch and Berit are regulars.

Mike was another going too fast.
Excellent time and pb.

zoom

Jenni second lap

Only saw Berit once.

lap 3

Sorry to all those we missed or didn't recognise in their helmets and buffs etc.
Bob Marshal was also covering it (he gets about) so check out his photos.