Llanberis Slateman Triathlon

I was looking forward to competing in Snowdonia Slateman Triathlon for some time. I was supposed to do the British Triathlon Super Series in Strathclyde, a part of the Welsh team, but with three races needed to count, I could afford to do my local triathlon. By local, I mean local, not getting up at 4.30 in the morning and travelling or staying the night before. I had to travel 4 miles to get to the Slateman, so a bit of a lie in for a change.

I actually did the race as part of a team, me swimming, local and one of the best cyclists, Gareth McGuiness on the bike leg, and former Welsh International runner Alun Vaughan on the run. We'd been billed as the dream team prior to the race, and confidence was high.

I registered the day before, and the weather was atrocious. Gale force winds and horizontal rain!! I met Gareth at registration, and talked through our upcoming race. Alun couldnt make it and we'd arranged to meet him early the next day. The buzz, even the day before at registration was good, catching up with friends and fellow triathletes, and helping the organisers set up the trade stands, Revolution Bikes, Zoggs and Surf Lines.

We stayed a bit longer than we'd planned at registration, because of the weather, and it wasn’t getting any better! A quick phone call to my personal taxi, and we had a ride home. The VW T5 arrived, and we quickly put the bikes in the back, and off home we went, dropping Gareth off on the way.

The next day arrived soon enough, and thankfully the rain had stopped. The wind was slightly better, but still very strong. I arrived at race at 8am to meet Gareth, and Alun arrived soon after. We talked about how long our part of the race would take, so the others has a chance to warm up properly and have plenty of time to get back to transition to do the handover. I estimated my swim would take about 10 minutes for the 750m open water swim in Llyn Padarn. The triathlon bike course is part of a local TT race, and Gareth holds the record of 1:15, so in this weather he thought he could do it in about 1:20. Gareth was using his Specialized time trial bike with a disk wheel. As you can imagine this prompted plenty of comments from the other triathletes, as I don’t think I saw anyone else using one. Gareth’s only reply to them was, "Just see who comes back first" This left plenty of time for Alun to do his usual warm up. He thought he'd do the run in about 42 minutes.

Next on the agenda was the safety briefing, deliverd by Tim Lloyd.

So, all too soon, it was time for swim. I knew the lake had been cold for some time, partly due to all the rain we've been having in this part of the world. I wasn't disappointed as I stepped into Llyn Padarn! The Llyn was down to less than 11 degrees!! I had time for a warm up before the start, well that's what it should have been anyway, but the temperature ensured that everyone stayed cold. Nearly time for the off, so I went to the front with the faster swimmers, in order to get clear water and try and get to the front. Treading water for a bit, and then it was time for the countdown, I think they started from 10, and then off we went. The usual mayhem ensued, as everyone vied for position. On reaching the first buoy, I found myself in 4th position, but was then promoted to 3rd as the swimmer in front of me slowed. I soon reached the shore, and was out in a time of 10:09, but the run to transition meant that an official time of 10:46 was posted. The two in front of me were Jonathan Pryke and Hamish Shaw.

A quick handover to Gareth, and off he went running out of transition. It was now time to warm up, as I could hardly speak due to the cold!


By the time Gareth had reached the Victoria Hotel about 250 meters away, he was in the lead. Being first, Gareth had a clear ride up to Pen y Pass, well clear of cyclists at least!! No rain, just strong wind and gusts. The wind was ok up to Capel Curig, when he turned left for Dyffryn Ogwen. This is where the wind was really in your face, and in all other directions as well!! Gareth was used to the weather and the route, so he battled on, with the high peaks of the Glyderau looking down on the lone rider, hurtling down the pass.


Commentary at the field was by the double act of Matt Ward and Stephen Edwards.

After about 65 minutes, it was announced that number 412 was approaching the bends leading into Llanberis, a groan of disbelief spread across the field. How could one man and his machine be back so quickly? 412.....that number rang a bell, it was mine, and the rider was Gareth McGuiness!! As he approached the last 100m into transition, the spectators started to cheer and clap. Gareth dismounted his bike, and pushed his bike to the handover point with Alun Vaughan.

Alun, and ex International Welsh athlete stormed off towards the quarry, with no one else in sight.

Through the Dinorwic Power Station, before running up the endless road that snaked its way to the top of the quarry. A slight rest bite after reaching the top, making his way to bus stop quarry, before dropping down to the forest of Coed Dinorwic and the slippery bits. One more road uphill climb, before dropping down again down the steep road at Fachwen, before re entering the forest. Over the small river and up the last incline. As he reached the top, he could see the crowds in the field below. He then headed towards the quarry hospital, and as he did so, we could see him from the field. Along the road to pass the bottom of Vivien Quarry. Aluns last race of the day was against the steam train, which travels from Llanberis to the quarry museum. As the train hadn’t had to run up the quarry and down through the woods, it was the train that one! A few seconds wait for the train to pass, before heading over the bridge and into the field. As Alun came into the finishing straight, the crowds cheered and clapped, what a great atmosphere. Before Alun reached the tape, he stopped and asked Gareth an myself to join him, and we all went over the finishing line as a team.

An interview followed my Matt Ward, and at last I could relax and enjoy the rest of the day.

The presentations were at 3pm in the community centre, a great ending to a great triathlon. The Slateman was well organised, great saftey cover by Surf Lines in Llyn Padarn, great marshalls and a great crowd.

Looking forwrad already to next year, and also to the Sandman in September....see you there??

Great pictures can be seen at SportpicturesCymru.

Chirk Triathlon

A recent injury to my back and calf forced me not to compete in the Chirk triathlon. I went to have a look though, good day and well organised by the Wrecsam Triathlon Club.

Pictures of the day can be see on SportpicturesCymru.

3rd place Andrew Campbell of Wrecsam Tri

Ribby Hall Triathlon

Another weekend, another triathlon. This time in Ribby Hall, near Blackpool. I travelled up on the Saturday afternoon, after dropping my brother and sister off at Parc Menai. They were going to the Welsh Road Relays at Llandow with Menai Track and Field. The three hours trip to Ribby Hall was uneventful, and I arrived at 4.30 in order to register and recce the run and bike route. Nice route and very flat for a change, should make for some fast racing. We were staying at the Holiday Inn at Burnley, which my father admitted to be a mistake as it was about 40 minutes drive away! Nice Hotel though, and the food was nice, which is always a bonus. 6.30am wake up call in the morning, in order to get up for breakfast, and make the trip to the race in plenty of time for me to set up my transition, warm up, stretch and do some drills. Soon it was time for the briefing and the start of the swim. There were 15 of us down to swim at our allotted time of 10.20, which meant 3 swimmers per lane, but luckily this was staggered, and I went by myself. A good 400m swim saw me out of the pool in an unofficial 4.30. I found myself running out of the pool and along the path to transition with eventual winner Beau Smith. Our transition was also quick and again we found ourselves leaving for the bike leg together. This is where the split was taken at 5:15.

As I entered the road I found to my disbelief that my chain had come off! That was the last I saw of Beau, as I came off my bike and got my chain back on. Eventually I started the bike leg, which was a flat course, with some traffic lights after the first corner. I managed to get through the lights without a problem, with the next possible problem being at the level crossing at 13km.

No problem here either, as the trains were late, so only about 4kM time trial to transition. Feet out of the bike shoes and off the bike, as I came to the dismount line in a time of 30:20. I pushed the bike to transition, and quickly got my Inov 8 F Lite shoes on for the run. The 5kM 2 lap run winded its way along the roads in Ribby Hall. As I turned the corner to the finish line, I came home in a 5kM time of 17:52 and a total time of 53:27.

About an hours wait for the results, before I was confirmed as 1st Junior and 8th overall. Great race, well organised and well worth the trip over the border. Results can be seen here, with some pictures here.

Pwllheli Triathlon

It was the second Pwllheli Triathlon yesterday, and like last year, was held on a glorious sunny but cold day, in the sea side town.

Luckily, I'd remembered to turn the clocks forward the night before for a 6.30 start. The 40 minutes that it took to Pwllheli was a nice change to the hours of driving that I do usually, and I arrived in plenty of time to register, sort out my transition and get warmed up for the event.

As I had the fastest swim time of the day, I wore the coveted No 1, and was first to go in the pool. There are some different rules in this triathlon, where no one is allowed to do tumble turns, and after 4 lengths everyone has to move to the next lane by going under the lane ropes! One of the other problems I saw was the 20 seconds intervals between swimmers. This I felt would allow too many swimmers into the lanes at any one time, bu I was fortunate as I was the first to go, and had more or less clear lanes all the way.

I was wearing my new Wales tri suit, made by Speedo, which has a water repellent material, which allows the suit to quickly dry once out of the pool. This certainly was the case, as when I started the bike leg, the suit was dry.

Another different rule in this triathlon, was no running in transition, and as I had a long way to go to my bike, I was forced to power walk all the way, which I'm sure looked hilarious to the onlookers!

No drafting in this race, so it was a 20k time trial from the leisure centre at Pwllheli, to Y Ffor, Chwilog and back to the leisure centre. I was using my new Kuota K Factor triathlon bike supplied by Revolution Bikes, it was only my second outing on it, the first being only last week. A flat start to the bike leg, before a 31/4 km, 80m climb to Bryn y Neuadd Hospital. It was then through the first village of Y Ffor, with a sharp right hand turn along another 1.5km climb to Chwilog.

After 16km, I was caught up by two others, but got stuck in, and didn't let them have too much of a lead. By the time I reached transition, I was only a few seconds behind the first two riders. Bike racked, helmet off and shoes on. They say that transition is the fourth discipline, and although I was in after the first two, I was out before them, and by the first corner on the run route I has a lead of about 20 seconds.

A 5k technical run followed, as I had to follow the pavements along the sea front, which snaked it's way around parked cars and through sand that had been deposited by the strong winds that come off Cardigan Bay. From here, and into Pwllheli and around the marina before turning back to the finish. Not only did I get he fastest 5k run time of the day of 20:33, but also got the fastest swim time of the day, 4:48. Together with my bike time of 37:54, gave me a total time of 1:03:15. This gave me 1st junior and 3rd overall in the race.

A great triathlon, great racing, really friendly atmosphere, good company and food at the Pwllheli Rugby Club made the trip to Pwllheli worthwhile.

Some pictures can be seen on SportpicturesCymru, with results soon, to be seen here.

Develpment Squad Call Up

Following my Welsh vest with Welsh Triathlon during the summer, I've now been invited to attend a four day Christmas Training Camp at the Welsh Institue of Sport at Cardiff.

The development squad has been formed to provide the necessary knowledge and support to allow the most talented young athletes to develop and progress on to the Great Britain performance pathway. This is being delivered through training camps in the school holiday periods and Academy training days. The squad is being supported by services at the Welsh Institute of Sport. Currently 6 athletes (3yth, 3jnr) are part of the squad. Selection is based on performances at National Series Triathlon events and individual sports.

Llanrwst Sprint Triathlon

It was the Llanrwst Sprint Triathlon yesterday, with 168 triathletes competing for the honours on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park..
The race consisted of a 400m swim, 30k bike and a 5km run.
The swim took place in the local Llanrwst swimming pool, with a 500m run to transition. I was last to go, as I had the fastest swim time on paper. A good swim and a personal best saw me running to T2 in a time of 4:44, and the fastest time of the day.
A new bike course greeted the next leg of the race, which consisted of a 30kM time trial along the twisty and hilly roads of North Wales, and west of the beautiful Afon Conwy. A fast and steep decent to the turnaround point had its advantages, but the disadvantage was that I had to ride back up, before tackling the head on wind and 15kM to the finish. Back to transition for the run, which had a sting at the start, consisting of a 500m steep ascent to a forest track, where I battled for honours along 4kM forest trails, watched by the mountain bikers tackling the Marin Trail. Back down the steep decent to finish the 5kM run time in 18:40, which gave me 2nd fastest run time of the day, and a total triathlon race time of 1:22:05.
Good day’s work, which gave me 11th overall and 1st U20.

More pictures on sportpicturescymru.

Welsh Triathlon Vest

I travelled to Parc Bryn Bach in Tredegar on Sunday in order to take part in the Welsh Triathlon IRC qualifier. An early registration at 6am, saw the best triathletes from Wales, and many from England who wanted to take part in the race prior to the Inter Regional Championship in September.

I was racing at 9am, which included a 600m open water swim, 12kM draft legal technical bike course, followed by a flat 3km run. 18 athletes walked into the cold lake at Parc Bryn Bach at 9am. I took and early lead, taking full advantage of my swim speed, before I was passed with 50m to go. A 100m run followed to the transition from swim to bike, which saw me re take the lead with an excellent transition.

A 12km cycle ride followed, which saw the eventual winner, Liam Lloyd from Llanelli, take the lead. The bike ride included 3 laps of two hills, a flat section and technical turns, which saw myself and two others competing for 2nd place.

Back to transition for the 3kM run saw me fighting for 2nd place and a possible Welsh Triathlon vest. At the half way point, I made my move and stormed ahead into second place, coming home in overall 2nd position in a excellent 3kM run of 9.09min.

Automatic selection was not an eventuality, as previous form was taken into account from all previous races. I've had a busy year, taking part and doing very well in a number of senior triathlons. I've also won the Salford Aquathlon series at Manchester, and was 13th in the British Aquathlon Championships at Hyde Park, London. With the Welsh Triathlon selectors watching closely, it was a long 24 hours before I was confirmed as a Welsh Triathlete. I'll return to Parc Bryn Bach on the 19 September to compete against my fellow Welsh, and also Scottish and English Regional triathletes.

Pictures can be seen on the sportpicturescymru website.

Cerist Triathlon

I took part in the Cerist senior triathlon on Sunday, with an early 6am start to Machynlleth. I was competing following my success at the Northwich triathlon the week before, where I was 1st junior and 13th overall, and also the Salford Aquathlon series in Manchester, where I came home with the spoils.

I set a blistering rate, coming out of the pool in the fastest time of the day, to complete my 400m swim in sub 5 minutes, and a PB. The bike leg involved an out an back course to Corris. A steady uphill climb was followed by a fast decent, which brought me back to transition in 34 minutes, shaving 5 minutes of the same distance in the Northwich triathlon the week before. Finally a 5kM run complemented an excellent triathlon. I was back from the run in 20:33, and fastest runner of the day.

I won the junior category and was 8th overall.

Harlech Triathlon

Early rise for some of the triathletes at Harlech yesterday before the start of the 400m (16 lengths) swim, 30k scenic route, out and back along the Cambrian Coast and finishing with the UK's most spectacular triathlon run route. 6.5k mixed terrain including Harlech Beach and the 1:4 climb to the Castle.

376 competitors arrived on a glorious sunny day, including myself, competing in my second senior race.

Saw Matthew Gilbert at transition, great to see him again!

I was one of the last to go, as I had one of the fastest swim times. Came out of the pool after a swim of 5 minutes 27 seconds, 3 seconds behind GB triathlete Rhian Roxborough!

400m swim and the run to transition. Next, after a quick transition the 30kM bike. Undulating, with two big hills to cope with as well. On the way back, my chain came off, so lost between 30 seconds and a minute, to comeback in a time of 55min 27 seconds.

Last was the run, along strength sapping dunes, along the beach, before finishing with 1 in 4 climb to the castle!

I won the U20 men, and 35th overall, out of 376 triathletes. Really good race, which I enjoyed very much.

Pwllheli Triathlon

Pwllheli Triathlon.

During the 20km bike leg. Finishing my 5km run to come in second in my first senior triathlon.

Triathlete Owain Llyr James was in action again last weekend, competing in his first senior triathlon. Owain is currently sponsored by Revolution Bikes of Bangor and Team Inov 8, and competed in the Pwllheli triathlon on a cold sunny morning, with 71 athletes taking part.

This race came on the back of Owain’s aquathlon win at Aberystwyth in February.

No 1 and first to go in the pool was Owain, with a 30 second break before the next athlete started. A good swim by Owain saw him having the best swim time of the day by a margin of 43 seconds in a 400m swim time of 5 minutes 18 seconds. Next discipline was a 12 mile time trial, before returning to the leisure centre at Pwllheli for the start of the 5km run around the harbour in Pwllheli. With about 300 meters to go on the run stage Owain was passed to come in second.