Loading ...Race Instructions: Braintree District Triathlon
Our sprint distance event is rapidly approaching so if you have entered you will be needing to read the race instructions which you can do so here
Notley Spring Duathlon: Race Results & Photo’s
We are pleased to announce the final results of the Notley Spring Duathlon held on 21st April.
Thank you to everyone who has given their feedback about the event, which has been universally positive and also a big thank you to everyone involved in organising, marshalling and running the event.
Friend of Born2Tri, Matthew Lynes, was taking photo’s of the event on Sunday and so if you would like to see them please click on this link.
Coaches Corner: December-Expert Bike Fitting
This month Head Coach Teresa Harman gives an insight on her experience of an expert bike fitting:
Cycling is a key part of all triathlon and duathlon events. Not only is the speed of the cycle leg itself important, the rider needs to be able to run effectively immediately afterwards.
Cycles and their associated equipment have dramatically changed in recent years, gone are the steel frames, drop handlebars and shallow rimmed spoked wheels, replaced by acres of expensive, aerodynamic, carbon. These bikes look fast just standing in transition.
It is not so simple though, a quick look at the Hawaii Ironman bike split times shows in 1986 Dave Scott covered the course on his steel framed road bike in 4hr 48m, yet twenty six years later the winners bike split on his state of the art carbon steed was 4hr 35m. The majority of this surprisingly small improvement has come from an improved understanding of the importance of body position on the bike, striking the balance between power, aerodynamics and the ability to run off the bike.
If like most age group triathletes you have a limited budget where should you spend your hard earned cash to race faster? If you already have a reliable road bike the data shows optimising the rider position is key, so why Continue Reading…
Coaches Corner: September 2012-Planning Your Next Season
Born2Tri Chairman & Coach, Eastern Region Coach of the Year and also seasoned Ironman explains all about planning the all important triathlon race season.
In the past it has been quite reasonable to plan your next year’s events during the closed season, spending your winter base training plotting the next summer’s activity. This is changing, driven to a large extent by the popularity of the sport and the fact many of the major high profile races fill their entry list within days of opening. Even the smaller novice friendly events fill up long before the closing dates, so now is when you need to plan for next year.
What to Consider?
Triathlon is a diverse sport, every race is different, some short, some long (some very long), some hot, some cold, some flat, some hilly, pool based, open water, home or abroad. Generally these events are open to you just by submitting an entry form, but some require qualification to get your place so this must be considered in your plan.
You must first review your sporting background, along with the results of this years training and races. Consider your strengths and weaknesses, for example if swimming is a challenge you may prefer to stay away from long sea swims until your skills and confidence improves. If you are a strong biker, consider races with tough bike courses so you can gain time on the other racers in the tough sections. What do you enjoy? If you like short fast events seek them out, if you fancy the challenge of longer distance and even ultra events you can consider those. How much training have you done this year? This will give you an indication of the time you will have next year, consider family and work commitments, a new baby or more stressful work will not fit well with a decision to train for a long distance event. What do you want from the sport, are you able to compete for wins and places or just to complete the event to the best of your ability? What are your longer term ambitions? It may be to keep fit, complete Continue Reading…
News: May 19th 2013
A big weekend this weekend with our racers in Lanzarote for the toughest Ironman of the year. Congratulations to Melissa, Brian and Coach Pete for outstanding performances on this brutal course. Particular mention for Melissa who came out of the water in 3rd overall, beating all but one of the pro’s then held her pace to a great second in her age group.
Well done to everyone who took part in our Open Water training weekend. We had a tremendous group who worked really hard in the pool then braved the rather chilly waters of early Sunday morning. Everyone swam well and I hope it has given the skills and confidence to do more open water swimming. A big thank you to our new assistant coaches Andy and Benjamin who helped Teresa and Mark out delivering the sessions.
Open Water Swim Coaching – remember we have three Level 3 coaches qualified to deliver one to one coaching in open water swimming. If you could not make the coaching weekend or would rather have some individual tuition it can be arranged for a modest fee. Drop Mark Harman an e-mail if this would help you (or contact us by the enquiry form on the ‘Join Us’ page.
Good news from Maurice Young who raced the European Duathlon Age Group Championships – Horst, Netherlands. He writes “Did this Race on Sunday 21st came 3rd out of 3 in 75+ age group but at least got round and picked up a medal for GB. Had only been allowed to start training again a few weeks ago, started training too enthusiastically and gave myself a chronic calf injury but enjoyed the Race. It was the same course as last year with a very technical and exciting fenced off section round the town and a section out into the neighbouring flat countryside. The distances were 5K run 20K bike and 2.8K run, time 1:40.21 my run was much slower than last year but the bike faster so my time was only 19 seconds slower”.
Maurice also raced in Clumber Park and writes “Did this one last Saturday, it was the sprint distance again – 5K, run 20K bike, 1.25 run and finished in 1hr 40min 54secs. within a few seconds the same time as the European Championships at Horst. The courses could not have been more different. Clumber Park is one of the vast parks in the Dukeries in NE Nottinghamshire, so called because of the number of Dukes that had estates in that area. This one was owned by the Dukes of Newcastle and the rolling landscape was covered by huge specimen trees. There is a local connection here because the famous Arboriculturist Samuel Curtis who lived at Glazenwood just outside Braintree was land agent at Clumber Park from 1816 – 1821 introduced rare and exotic trees he collected from all over Europe and North America and the ride finished along a 2k undulating avenue of lime trees.
The start, finish and transition were in the heart of the Park near where the Grand House once stood, the run taking you over the bridge by the lake and up into trees. The cycle was a single undulating circuit mostly around the outside of the Park, the pleasure of racing round such a pleasant course was rather offset by the strong and gusty wind. It was cheering to find my fitness coming back after such long lay offs”.
Maurice you are an inspiration to us all!
We also had racers at the Newmarket Sprint Triathlon where Hanif completed his first ever triathlon and also at the Bedford Sprint Triathlon. We have yet to find any results but hopefully we will get a race report to find out how everyone did.
Basildon Rotary Rides
Basildon Rotary Club is organising a series of rides each year and the next one is on 12th May 2013 comprising of a 70, 40 or 20 mile ride with an option to do just 35 miles of the 70 mile circuit.
You can find more details about this local charity event here
Born2Tri 2013 Races: Entries Now Open!
In 2013 we will be running three more races and you can enter simply and quickly via EntryCentral by following these links
Braintree District Triathlon on 9th June 2013, entries close on 1st June.
Gosfield Lake Standard Distance Triathlon on 14th July with entries closing on 5th July.
Great Notley Autumn Duathlon rounding off the season on 6th October and entries close on 27th September.
Whilst we have provided the closing date for each race, historically our events sell out well in advance of the published dates so if you’re thinking of entering our advice is, don’t delay!
If you have any enquiries about these races please use the ‘contact the organiser’ link on the EntryCentral page or use the ‘contact us’ form on the join us page.
Tri-Camp Mallorca 2013
When most of us were freezing and shivering in the snowy weather a group of club members set off the Mallorca for some warm climate training. For those of us who can’t remember temperatures in double digits this involved riding bikes in summer kit and swimming in the sea without catching hypothermia!
Club Chairman, Mark Harman, takes it from here…..
How can it still be snowing, early in the spring morning our Born2Tri team travelling out to our first Born2Tri Mallorca training camp gathered at StanstedAirport. The snow was falling steadily outside as we nervously Continue Reading…