Sri Chinmoy Triple-Tri 2005: Julie Quinn's Report

Result: 12:15:11 1st Solo Female (only female) and 2nd Solo! Overall course record for solo female (previous 12:46), and records for 1st run, 2nd bike, 3rd bike, 3rd run.

I had previously competed solo in this race in 2001 after being taken by the whole concept of the race even before I started doing triathlons. This year I was looking forward to competing with Alina McMaster who raced it last year and Kate Roper who is similarly inspired and had been planning for a while to do it. Unfortunately both of them have been injured so could not race. While disappointed not to have any competition in my category it did not bother me too much as I knew I could set my own goals and would have other competitors around me all day.

I calculated my times for each leg before the race and had summed them up to 13:20, about an hour faster than my previous attempt. I am a much better runner than then so I was fairly confident of going much faster but thought around 13 hours was a pretty solid target for me to aim for. It wasn't until after a good friend had made a comment about the record the day before that I thought I should just check out what the record was to have it in my head.

After a 4 am rise, we (my partner David who was also racing solo) and myself arrived at the start area just before our support crews. The usual pre-dawn last minute instructions, struggle into the wetsuit, registration and a quick dip in the lake and we were lining up for a start. I'm not a great swimmer and it seemed to me like everyone took off like a rocket at the start but after 500 m or so people settled down and I actually caught a couple of them. It took me ages to spot the turn buoy into the bay where the swim finishes and I had just put it down to my fogged goggles but apparently they only just laid the buoy before I got there - the early swimmers had to go around a canoe. Out of the swim right on the estimated 30 minutes to a salubrious transition with everything laid out beautifully.

I spotted David on the side of the bike path about 600 m from the transition - he had cramped. We had discussed the possibility prior to the race as he had been having trouble but it was very sad to see him in difficulty so early on. I knew there was not a lot that I could do so kept on going. I set off at a solid pace but one I thought I could keep up all day. The other couple of solo males close to me pulled away up Aranda Hill leaving me in one of the quiet moments of the day. By the time I had pushed my bike most of the way up push-bike hill the teams supporters were out and I was able to have a few words with friends. Up the road to the top of Black Mountain and my first hill felt good. A bit of a shock as I came down and saw Davo and Adrian coming up the road already, having started their race 1/2 hr behind me. I felt a bit better when they didn't actually catch me until the saddle on Black Mountain but they were going like something very scary was chasing them. Through the single track of Bruce Ridge and to more supporters at the O'Connor gate. I was able to quickly tell Brendan, David's support crew, that he was having problems and would be a while as I headed down the road. Onto Lyneham ridge and past another solo competitor already cramping. It is fairly flat from there to the end of the leg so I just kept things ticking over, exchanging encouragement with the team riders passing me.

The bike/run transition is always busy and I got a big cheer as I came in. Felicity (my helper) was there and directed me over to my mat where I changed camel baks and shoes and took off up the hill. The start to this run is hard as it heads directly up Mt Majura and made it difficult to eat at the same time. I walked a few of the steeper bits of the fire trail up to the top in order to conserve some energy and then stretched it out down the road. I had not checked where the course went through the pines and vaguely remembered from last time that it went along the top fire trail so was pretty surprised to see it head into a single track. Knowing the track and how windy it was I had a sinking feeling of my run time for this leg blowing out but was pleasantly surprised when we cut back to the flat main trail and followed this out of the pines. I felt strong and ran over Hackett hill well and up lots of the climb onto Ainslie. Emma passed me just before the top and was running really well. Once again lots of supporters gave me encouragement over the trig and I was encouraged to see Brendan waiting for David (this meant he was well into the run leg). I looked at my watch as I ran down Anzac parade and thought I'd be fairly close to the run record. As I came into transition, I made sure I ran past my support crew and that the timers had seen me before going to my towels and wetsuit.

Fiona had joined Felicity as support crew here and with their help and Naomi's I was into my wetsuit before I knew it and heading out into the lake. It was a beautiful day with no wind so I was determined to enjoy the swim. I concentrated on all of the techniques Fiona had been teaching me over the winter and felt relaxed. The calves were a bit tight and felt like they had a chance of cramping but if I kicked right with the whole leg this wasn't a problem. A quick stop at the national library jetty to down my gel and get some water from the aid station and I cruised on into the Ferry Terminal feeling really good.

The second bike leg start is very familiar to me as it is part of my daily commute so I cruised on out stuffing down lots of food and chatting to friends who passed by. Around over Dairy Farmers hill and I was thinking that the day couldn't be much nicer apart from the flies in my ears and eyes (I must try some corks on the helmet...). I think it was here that I passed Pete, another solo who I had done Trailwalker with earlier in the year. A brief relief stop on pipe flat and I was caught by a team girl. We ended up riding most of the leg pretty close so were able to chat about nasty magpies and her excessive training earlier in the day. The top of Stromlo came easily and the descent was good. I felt a bit flat heading towards Narrabundah hill and seeing my support crew giving me a cheer there made a big difference. This turned out to be my low point of the day. Up Narrabundah hill my quads started screaming at me as they were to do on each of the small climbs at the last part of the leg. I started to wonder how things were going to go and tucked into some more food (if in doubt eat and drink some more was the philosophy I was trying). The team girl gave me a draft along the bike path and into the maze that was the flags for transition trying to force people to slow down before tagging. My transition was set up in the shade under a tree and once again the slick crew of Felicity and Fiona had me out of there before I knew it complete with dribbles of sunscreen on the arms to rub in once I'd finished eating.

I knew this leg was going to be hot and sure enough it felt hot as I walked up the steep parts to the top of Mt Taylor. The last time I'd been up there was a CORC race when I rode the whole thing so I kept this positive thought in my head and strode on. A cheery hello to the girl on the trig and downhill to the lake (almost). This run leg was fairly uneventful with me catching a few solos and then a workmate who was suffering from the heat. I managed to convince him to run in the last kilometre with me which helped him a lot. But it was nice to see the lake and know I'd have a few minutes to cool down again.

This time it was only Fiona helping me into my wetsuit with Felicity having taken off with my bike to the end of the transition. I was a bit nervous about this swim having had a terrible time the last time I'd gone solo so headed out into the lake with that and Amalendu's words about being careful of cramps ringing in my ears. It turned out to be a great swim. I felt relaxed and let the wetsuit do the floating for me and just concentrated on ticking the arms over. Around the first buoy and I had a tail wind down the lake which was also very pleasant. I was pleased to see I was keeping up with the team swimmers around me. To the ladder at the end and I took my time getting out to ensure my legs and feet didn't cramp.

Felicity had my bike leaning against the wall and quickly I got ready to head off with a banana in a bun to munch on the first long section of bike path. I took the bike path at a steady but not fast rate as I wanted to save my legs for the Mt Wanniassa climb. I was a bit worried that my quads would start screaming at me like they did on the last bike leg. Henry came past me like a steam train at one point and offered me a 'tow' which I politely declined with some mumbled excuse like saving my legs and didn't point out that he was going WAY too fast for me! As I reached the gate at the bottom of the climb there was a boy of about 10 years there who was giving lots of people encouragement. After saying I looked great and I was the first girl he'd seen I lifted my bike over the gate to a "Wow, look at those muscles". Anyone else and I would have been very embarrassed but that's kids. I was pleasantly surprised to find my legs were good and strong and I rode well up the hill passing a few guys. Down the descent off the trig, around the dam and through the tunnel where Felicity was waiting with my sunnies having retrieved them from the swim start. Told her I was feeling good and headed off around Farrer Ridge.

Sometime around here I started to do the mental gymnastics about how long it would take me to finish this leg and to do the next. This is something I'm not great at towards the end of a race or when I'm going hard but I thought if I could get up Isaacs in a good time I would be looking good for the record. At the bottom of Isaacs I passed another workmate looking rather hot and ill. I asked if she was ok and thought I ought to stop but she said she was fine and I saw that she also had a mobile on her so I left her to it and headed up the hill. I was grateful again for my very light race wheels as I pushed/carried my bike up the un-rideable part of Isaacs. Over the top and I was still feeling strong and was even riding the other uphills in my middle ring! Around the bottom of the hill and onto Prachar's taped route which had a good wheel line in the grass by then, nearly came unstuck in the muddy gully and into the pipe. I gave the guy in front of me some cheeky advice about how to ride the pipe as he bounced off the sides and then popped out the end and, like everyone else, nearly came unstuck in the sand.

Saw Felicity and Fiona ready with the laid out rug. I was in a hurry though. I think I muttered something about being on a mission, asked for a bun with chippies and took off up the hill. Well, a slow jog anyway. The bread and chippies were a bit dry to be eating while running uphill so I kept taking mouthfuls of water to try to wash it down. I gave up just before Davidson Trig and the ants got half of the bun. Through the saddle and a brief walk up to the restaurant. As I ran along the road I passed a couple of other girls and wondered what they would think of me as a solo on my last leg passing them. I think I passed a solo guy on the way down the hill. The road at the telephone exchange was deserted which was a bit odd as normally there is someone there but I downed a gel and prepared for the slog along the bike path. I think I caught another solo under the bridge at the drinks station which I just ignored with a camel bak on my back. The path seemed to roll on well but I didn't feel like I could push super hard along here as my stomach was complaining. In no time though I hit the governor-general's hill and ran up it like I normally do in a lap of the lake - I was on fire! 3 km to go and I picked up another guy (team?) and told him to jump on my feet as it would make it easier. He hung on until the nursery hill and then fell away. I wondered where David was and if he would catch me as his transition looked very ready for him at the start of the run but I needn't have worried as he was still a little way back. As I hit the road and the last stretch around to the Yacht Club I started to get excited - I was really going to do it. Around the corner and down the hill to the finish chute and everyone was making so much noise - and for me!! All very exciting and I was stoked at what I had managed to do.

Afterwards I felt good - I was able to stand around and chat, had a brief leg cool-off in the lake and waited for David as I was told he was only 10-15 minutes away. He turned up, almost catching the 2nd male, and we had a good couple of hours exchanging stories with the teams. It is such a good race because of a challenging and interesting course and a real sense of friendly rivalry while wanting everyone to achieve their best. I think that can be summed up well by the top two male teams of three who are also best friends being so excited to race each other closely all day. It's also what makes a Sri Chinmoy race so good too.

I was also pleased to find the next day that I wasn't sore at all (apart from some chafing) and felt flat but fine riding into work. Obviously the training had worked!