On May 2nd, our  New to Tri group completed eight weeks of tough training with a super sprint triathlon, held at the Shoreline Leisure Centre in Greystones. Ciara Spain, who is one of the group, has sent in this report on her experiences throughout the program.

BELPARK New to Tri

On the 2^nd of May I found myself in my hallway, bike in one hand, goggles in the other and a luminous pair of Brooks on my feet. I almost looked like I knew what I’m doing as I headed to my first ever triathlon. I didn’t.

8 weeks previously and after some running events in the Phoenix Park I decided that I needed to tap into that kind of energy more frequently. I had a thesis to be doing so naturally I took every opportunity not to do it and instead I googled “Beginners Triathlon.” The result was perfect. Belpark triathlon club was running a course for people who fit my description exactly; clueless but enthusiastic. I really hesitated but kept going back to the site every time I was supposed to be working. I wrote and deleted and rewrote an email to the organisers, Deirdre & Conal, basically hoping for them to send back courage so I would sign up. Deirdre emailed back in 7 minutes, courage attached. I signed up on Friday. The email said to bring running gear for a few drills during the intro session in Base2Race.

We weren’t 5 minutes into the running session before we were disclosing our weakest event to each other. Swimming was mine. On the side-line Gary from Triathlon Ireland delivered instruction. I didn’t know I had a second gear. Run or don’t run, that was my idea of pace. Apparently we had more in us.

The swim came on Wednesday night. I was petrified, knowing I could barely do a single length. I hopped in the water, lucky to be sharing a lane with a girl with the same concerns. There were certainly different abilities but Eleanor juggled us in such a way that every time I left the pool I felt relieved I was improving, even just a little.

Saturdays and Wednesdays rolled by with my own swimming, running and cycling sessions in between, as scheduled on the Belpark plan which I pinned above my desk. After each session I filled in the reflection. The swimming comments were colourful.

On race day we laid our bikes out on the tarmac, pulled on our swim caps and lined up like ducks in the pool. Conal called our names and so it began. I swallowed an unsafe amount of chlorine, got kicked in the head, slapped in the ankles and stumbled to the bike, never so happy to see it. The cycle was more like flying and by the time the run came I was ecstatic. The marshals from Belpark cheered every time we lapped them. I couldn’t believe it when Deirdre handed me a banana and asked if I enjoy it. I couldn’t believe it because it wasn’t over. This was the beginning for most of us.