Blacksod? I did a Moody!

Blacksod was the 7^th of the National Series Strategy races and the second Club Away Weekend. Could I have missed it?   Not really – as the strategy coordinator I thought it was important to be there.     Would I have missed it? Not in a million years – it was a fantastic weekend. Oh yes! …and I needed a second Olympic Race for my own National Series ranking.

As expected, the trip was long and tiring (that’s why it was an away weekend!). I had the pleasure of Freddie’s company.   We left Dublin at 5.00-pm, so had to fight our way through rush-hour traffic. However, as we are each facing new challenges (Switzerland for him, a life with no work for me!), the journey passed quickly as we contemplated the many twists and turns that could face us in the coming months.

After a quick bite in Ballina, we were in Belmullet by 9.50pm. Registration was open until 11.00pm so we dropped-in and we were sorted in minutes.   Freddie received the anti-doping lecture from Mary of Triathlon Ireland and was rewarded with a new TI tri-suit to parade around the transitions of Switzerland.

The Talbot Hotel was the meeting point for the merry band of 8 Piranha’s racing – supported by two loyal and inclusive partners (yes – we were all cheered on). The staff were particularly friendly and the rooms were clean and very well appointed. Petrina Mulroe had coordinated all logistics with the hotel – a big “thank you” to her.

The hotel opened for breakfast an hour earlier than usual to accommodate the triathletes.   Mr Declan Cunningham had his race-head on. He had breakfast on his own and was down in transition about 30 minutes ahead of the rest of us. As it was 20K from Belmullet to The Blacksod, we drove the entire cycle course on our way to transition. We had been told that there was a ‘hilly detour’ on the outward leg.   We did a reccie to discover a short but blisteringly steep hill to get the muscles warmed-up at the start of our 40K cycle.

Transition was on the harbour wall and it was well organized. Following Shannon’s advice I went out on a short warm-up cycle and racked my bike. I then did a short run warm-up. I tidied-up my spot, talc in the shoes and I was ready to go – nothing could go wrong!

The race had a single swim wave that was great.   They employed a two hat system – with faster swimmers forward in yellow hats, and slower swimmers back in green hats.   Except for one watery left goggle (I always seem to have this problem!), the swim went well. The course was very well marked over three legs. I swam close to the bouys on the first leg, but I swam wide of the bouys on legs 2 and 3 – probably adding 200M to my swim. Nothing unusual in that for me I am afraid.

In transition I changed into bike shoes, helmet on and un-racked the bike.   I didn’t remember pumping the front wheel so hard that it felt like metal on the ground :o((   I had a flat.   I ran for a track pump, pumped it up and could hear the hissing of an undeniable puncture. PANIC! The only other time I’d had a puncture (on the N2 in May) Anthony ‘snake bite’ Mulholland had come to my aide – not only supplying me with a new tube but also changing the tube for me (the privilege of age!).   Now I was on my own.  

My first problem was that I couldn’t get a purchase on the inside of the tire using the levers.   A relay athlete came over to give me some coaching in the art of removing the tyre that was helpful.   Then I went to replace the tube to discover that the valve on the new tube only came proud of the rim of the wheel by a quarter of an inch!   Don’t worry – I have a second replacement tube (how clever am I?).   Not very – as the second tube also had a short valve.

Moody!   Bloody Moody and his valve extender!   What the flip does one of those look like? A scream of desperation drew the attention of an official bike mechanic who asks “why didn’t you come looking for me earlier?”.   He grabbed the wheel off me and told me to get the bike frame ready. Within a minute he had me sorted. I was the last man to leave transition. I stop for a quick natter with the Piranha supports club (Norma and Mary), jump on my bike well before the mount line to the roars of the marshals, and set-off on my merry way.

One benefit of leaving the transition last, is that no-one is going to pass you on the bike, and maybe you can catch some other competitors. So I had gained a lot of ground by the time I came in off the bike. On two occasions people who I had passed had the audacity to pass me again. It felt good to have a bit of competition. I re-passed each of them within about half a Km and didn’t see them for the rest of the cycle.

The run was tough – as there were a few long hills to contend with. But, the sun was out and the scenery overlooking Achill Island was stunning.   In addition to the hills, we ran across deep sand on the beach and some rough ground above the sand-line. I slowly ticked-off competitors – one by one.   They all got a cheery ‘Well done’ as I passed them which they probably thought was very annoying.   At about 2.5Km I caught-up with Brendan Mohan who told me his ar$e was killing him from the cycle.   I kept pushing on.

At 8.5Km I heard footsteps on my heels – reminiscent of a certain Garreth Robinson at Hook or by Crook.   This time it was Brendan Mohan, who ar$e had obviously kicked into gear.   Without knowing it was him, I shouted back “I’d rather you passed me now than be shadowing me to the finish line”.   And so he did. With 500M to go, he went for the kill and took the legs out from under the auld fellah. I just didn’t have it in the legs for a final sprint.

The team was great. All the Piranha’s (including Mr. Cunningham who was now more sociable) were assembled together 100M from the finish, cheering on the rest of us on.   When we had all finished, we went for a long cool-down in the sea where we recounted the ebb and flow of each other’s race.

Scores on the Piranha doors:

36       Garreth Robinson         2.25.41
54       Declan Cunningham   2:31:29
71       Darragh Kitt                   2:36:09
77       Martin Dunne                2:37:48
95       Ciaran Kelly                  2:45:19
103     Brendan Mohan           2:48:02
105     Bernard Hanratty         2:48:09
119     Pat Lenihan                  2:53.37

I was very proud of the ice bath I took in the hotel to help alleviate the probable damage that I had done to an inflamed Achilles tendon. (As a post script, I’m glad to say that it held up well!).   We had a fine post-race lunch, a few pints to assist with the stress of the Leinister / Scarlets game on the telly and then a 3 hour recovery …….nap! The 10 of us had a very sociable dinner and short pub crawl around the streets of Belmullet that were thriving with hens, stags and locals.

In summary we were well fed and watered, we had a fantastic race in glorious sunshine and we had great craic. It had everything one could wish for in a club away weekend.

Bernard Hanratty