Harlech Triathlon . . . and my 35th birthday

So, Sunday May 9th and challenge number 4 and what's more me celebrating 35 years on Planet Earth.

The household woke early after much preparation the night before; bike oiled and tyres pumped to 110psi, nutritionally balanced dinner, clothing checked to ensure it meets regulations and a cheeky can of Stella - just to steady the nerves. I religiously ate my porridge before sliding awkwardly into my lycra and figuring out if i could swim 400 metres, bike 30km and run 6.5 km whilst constantly breathing in.

We left Prestatyn at 7am with blue skies and a promising forecast and drove the 60 or so miles to Harlech which is a stunning drive skirting round Betws y Coed before climbing over the Snowdonia range to Blaenau Ffestiniog and on to Harlech.

On arriving in Harlech some racers were already out on the bike leg or inside the leisure centre taking part in the swim. Due to the fact the pool will only hold 15 swimmers (5 lanes, 3 per lane) at any one time the starts are staggered with the slowest racers going first from about 8am who take 2.5 hours+ on to the elite athletes who start at 11 and then whizz round in about an hour and a quarter. I checked in at registration while Sally took Ozzy and Molly to play on the conveniently located swings and then racked my bike in transition (just saying the words "racked my bike in transition" makes me feel like a triathlete!).

There is definitely a geeky side to triathlete's as they furtively compare bikes, methods for changing (to talc or not to talc), shaving techniques and nutritional supplements. For me i'd chosen not to shave my legs as i already do quite enough shaving, decided to talc and following my healthy breakfast and banana in the car, opted for old skool Jelly Babies for a quick sugar rush on the bike. My new road bike may be a secondhand steed but it still looked super sweet in my eyes racked up next to the uber-bikes ridden by some of the competitors.

First port of call was the race briefing so i double checked my kit, kissed my family and headed for the pool. The man took us through the logistics of the race, where to push your bike over the railway, where to hand in your velcro timing tabs and which direction to enter and leave transition. When you're nervous for your first race this information makes your head spin but it's also good to be able to ask questions and at least have something of an idea of what the hell you're doing.

As we waited nervously for our time to enter the water i chatted to other competitors from Stoke, Wrexham and Aberystwyth and was pleased to meet other first timers as well as more experienced triathletes. The atmosphere was great and, contrary to the glossy magazines, not every triathlete has a 6-pack and long limbs - there was a great cross section of people in it for the experience and my, albeit diminishing, beer belly fitted in just fine.

Having donned my sexy red swimming cap i entered the water to start the first of my 16 lengths. Unfortunately, in my over-excitement i went out too fast and after the first 100 metres had to resort to breast stroke for a few lengths to get my breath back. Even so, i exited the pool in 10'01 only 30 seconds longer than i'd anticipated. I ran out to the transition area in my trunks before having a trauma getting my top on with a wet upper body, popping the safety pins holding my number in place in the process. Once i'd got over that minor issue i was glad i'd talc-ed my socks, put on my helmet and shades (style is everything) and ran out of the transition area to the bike mount area.

The first leg of the 30 km is a steep uphill climb out of Harlech and it was here i really found my rhythm. The bike is without a doubt my strongest discipline and, even on the climb, I overtook one of the guys from Stoke who'd beat me out of the pool. From the top of this climb the ride levelled out into a constantly undulating but pretty quick course. The blue sky turned the sea azure blue and amazing views south down the coastline made the ride a feast for the eyes. I passed several other riders who i'd started with in the pool and made it to the turn around point in just under 30 minutes. I was seriously chuffed with this because the course literature had said anyone who completes the ride in an hour or less were doing really well - i'd planned on 1:15' because they'd said it was a tough ride. The return journey was tougher with a slight head wind but no less beautiful looking across the sea towards the Llyn Pensinsula. The final hill coming back down was blisteringly fast on the descent but we had been warned not to exceed the speed limit (30mph) or we may face penalty points. Sure enough the police were there checking.

As i finished the ride my watch was saying 1:10 and i realised that i would probably finish in under two hours which was far better than i'd expected. As i ran with my bike in to transition once again Sal and the kids were there with our good friend Alwyn (Bungee companion and Golfy-Marti-thon superstar) and Callum to cheer me on. As i changed into my running shoes and stuffed a mouthful of jelly babies in, Molly was shouting at me "have you won yet Daddy?" Again I felt like a proper triathlete as marshalls shouted 'BIKE!!!' and 'RUNNER!!!' each time you move around in transition to get other people to get out of your way.

I left the transition area waved off by the family to complete the 6.5km run and heard a shout of 'Go Martin' which came from Rocky and Rhian from the Carneddau Tri Club and whom i'd met at Christmas when i joined them for the Club ride.

Again the run was a stunning course setting off through the sand dunes and quickly reaching the beach where we ran on (thankfully) hard packed sand. My legs coped well with the transition and i was glad i'd done several 'brick' sessions in training going from bike to run. It was here i realised what a levelling race a triathlon is. In a running race such as the half-marathon's i've done, unless somebody's hurt themselves or really gone out too fast you don't tend to see them again once they've passed you. But in a triathlon everyone has stronger and weaker disciplines. Sure enough the guy from Stoke i passed on the bike caught up with me and we ended up finishing within seconds of each other. Similarly, i passed 'tree trunk leg man', who'd rocketed past me on the bike leg, with ease on the run. I really liked this element because ultimately you're racing the clock and have to focus on your weakest disciplines in order to get better competitively.

The final push was the 1:4 climb to the finish line at Harlech Castle. With legs and lungs burning i ran all the way to the top passing relieved looking finishers coming back down the other way, all shouting encouragement and 'nearly there'. I crossed the line in 1:46'31 way better than i'd anticipated to receive my winners medal made from genuine Snowdonia slate - a nice touch i reckon.

Unfortunately, because i'd finished a good 15 minutes quicker than anticipated, Sal, Alwyn and kids were still playing on the park as i nonchalantly returned to hugs and the promise of birthday beers.
Having returned to Presatyn there was no respite for this budding triathlete as i settling into a cold beer and stoked up the BBQ for the warmest day of the year so far and a bunch of great chums around to celebrate my birthday in style.

Next stop is York for the Lymphoma Association York to Derby bike ride, approximately 150 miles over two days and i'm really looking forward to meeting all my riding buddies and hearing their stories. What's more we get to meet Duncan Preston from Emmerdale, celebrity supporter of the Lymphoma Association, who's joining us for the start of the race.

Meanwhile, my good friend Alwyn is preparing for the Golfy-Marti-thon, where he will be completing 3 rounds of Golf in 3 Countries in 24 hours. He has a small team who will be starting at their home club in Denbigh, North Wales before, heading to Wigan, England and finishing in Dumfries, Scotland. All proceeds go to the Marti-thon pot and the Lymphoma Association overall. Massive thanks to Alwyn, Alwyn and Dilwyn for doing this you are superstars!!! You can donate by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/Marti-golfi-thon