Attitude is Everything
Two weeks ago on Sunday 6th July Sheddie, Emily Campbell, lined up at the swim start of Ironman Frankfurt. Her first triathlon, her first Ironman…she only began learning to swim in January of this year. So, following 7 months of training she got kicked and swam over in the early stages of the swim. Vurst, a german kayaker, came to her side and paddled with her for the remainder of the way. They had a swim / paddle / natter and it transpires that ironically Vurst had camped at Billing, Northampton! At the end of the 4.1 km swim (a buoy had been blown off course incurring a longer swim), Emily and Vurst parted with a snog and it was off to T1 to saddle up for the 112 mile bike ride in 35 degrees of summer sun.
Not long into the bike she suffered two punctures. Repaired and re-saddled she carried on. Riding through one of the villages, a toddler ran out from the crowd and Emily had to swerve to miss him…she came off, cycled on for another 20 km before she stopped and got checked over by the medical team. She was 140 km into the bike ride and had a suspected crack to her collar bone.
Emily DNF’d that day. I forgot to mention that the week before she travelled to Frankfurt she had a check up at her GP’s and discovered she was 24 weeks pregnant!! She has re-entered Ironman Frankfurt 2015. To help get over her disappointment she came home, entered and competed in an Olympic Distance triathlon at Pitsford last Sunday!!
Three weeks ago Sheddie, Mark Sutton, travelled 12 hours in the car up to the Highlands of Scotland to compete in his first triathlon The Celtman – extreme triathlon. A 3.8 km sea loch swim, 202 km highland road ride & a 26.2 mile fell run over 2 munroes (a mountain in Scotland with a height of over 3000 ft).
Up at 1 am the morning of the race, registration at 3 am loch-side…5 am race start. Due to ‘unseasonal temperatures’ the swim was shortened to 3 km as the water was registering 9 degrees.
Mark was pulled out of the loch swim after 2km having been sick and cramping up…and having swam through 2 km of frog spawn-like jelly fish. Out of 175 competitors the events team pulled out 7 swimmers that morning. They were all given the option to carry on with the 202 km bike ride once the last swimmer was out. Mark, plus 3 others made the decision to continue.
Recovering from sickness, cramp and heading towards hypothermia, we dried and dressed Mark quickly (whilst he was being bitten all over by the midges!), got him on his bike and out of T1.
One by one the other 3 riders stopped and pulled out. Mark carried on. He didn’t see another cyclist all day, all 202 km, just us – his support crew. Tired and bitten to bits, he didn’t make the cut off at T2, instead he decided we should drive to the finish and cheer in the other competitors.
Mark DNF’d that day. Mark is re-entering The Celtman 2015 (it’s a ballot) as he says he has unfinished business!
I go goose bumpy typing their stories. They are the epitome of ‘attitude is everything‘. Like Cavendish and Froome, for Emily and Mark that day wasn’t their day to finish.
I have a proposal for all race events organisers / governing bodies…please change your DNF to DNFTT.
Did Not Finish THIS TIME !! We applaud you Emily and Mark x x
Congratulations to Rich Ashton for coming second at the National Standard Distance Championship at Rutland Water. To Ali, Ali’s-Rob, Rob, Kevin and Joanne(she came 3rd overall in the ladies!) racing in the triathlon at Box End on June 6th.
Massive, grateful thanks to the Hanson’s for a wonderful countryside group ride last Sunday!
For the cycling enthusiasts amongst you, here’s a special something you may want to take advantage of. Our good friend Andy Styles bid and won this prize at an auction. Sadly Andy cannot go and has offered it out to The Shed community, he doesn’t want any money for it and it’d be a shame to waste the wonderful opportunity.
Lot 6: Haute Route Compact: 24th – 25th August 2014
OC Sport, creators of the world’s highest and toughest Cyclosportives, is proud to present The Haute Route Compact, a two-day event from Geneva to Courchevel with riders taking on the mythical ascents of the French Alps: Colombière, Croix Fry, Aravis, Saisies, Cormet de Roselend and Courchevel. Prize includes entry in to the Haute Route stage, with jersey and travel bag, all food and drink, a personalised frame plate and a race number. Please note this package does not include flights and accommodation.
Kindly donated by Harry Turpin – OC Sport
Please get back to me if you are interested and want more info. Thanks Andy x
Another dear friend of ours Fran Newman, who is a yoga teacher, is running a summer programme of drop in yoga classes and 1:1 private sessions too. Fran says that “it maybe a good time for any of those ‘sporty people’ to try yoga as a way of balancing their athletic activities, as each class is run as a drop in / pay as you go session”. I urge you to take a look at http://www.francesnewmanyoga.co.uk .
Lots of love, luck and energy go out to Jan Strachan this Sunday as she joins 3,500 other hopefuls and 650 relay teams taking on the ‘bucket-list-race’ that is Challenge Roth! Racing alongside a pro field which includes Mirinda Carfrae, Rachel Joyce, Pete Jacobs, Anja Beranek and Timo Bracht…this is Jan’s first iron distance triathlon! The most well supported sports event on the World calendar. Check it out at http://www.challenge-roth.com.
Right, that’s all for now. Enjoy this perfect swim, bike, run weather!
See you at the lake!
Jane x
