Race report: Welland long course triathlon 2023

When Alasdair and I set out for Welland at 6 AM on Saturday for this year’s Welland long course triathlon, I had no idea Timbits would feature in my race! We arrived with lots of time to pick up our race bibs, t-shirts, swim caps and timing chips, set our things up in transition, and chat with other athletes. This race also marked the return of body marking for the first time since the 2019 season (due to the Covid 19 pandemic). Now we would know for certain when we were being passed on the bike or run by someone 20 years our senior! With rain in the forecast, and potential thunderstorms in the afternoon, I set my shoes, socks, etc. up within a bag so they were dry when I needed them.

Rainy day transition set-up.

Alasdair was set to start at 8:12 AM, and me at 8:15. We were seeded based on our predicted finishing times.

2k Swim

My goal for every race swim is to swim as straight as possible, and not have any breathing issues. At the Welland International Flatwater Centre, there are wires a couple of metres under the water anchoring the rowing/canoeing/kayaking buoys in place (there are several wires running parallel to shore). If you swim within sight of them, you can keep your head down and not have to look where you’re going very often. But if you’re super competitive, you’ll be fighting for a spot on the wire when the horn goes and the race starts.

I was in the white cap wave, with just the relay swimmers in the wave behind. I had a good start to the swim (not congested), but it took 600-700m before I spotted the wire (I hadn’t been actively looking for it). Oh what a difference it made from that point on! Next time I will look for it sooner for sure. It was amazing being able to just swim, knowing that I had a ways to go before I had to turn right and cross to the other side. Making the turn for the long back stretch I knew I could swim head down for a very long time! I did swim right over the wire for a while, but this meant I kept whacking the small buoys as I swam past them. Later I swam to the side so I could see the wire but not punch the buoys. Somehow I kind of got caught up in the last green turning buoy, and after I disentangled myself I was so focused on the yellow shirts of the volunteers that I nearly swam into the dock because I was heading straight for a volunteer standing on it. He was waving me away and I course corrected in time. Overall I was happy with my swim, which was a few minutes faster than last year.

In transition while getting ready to ride I ate a piece of homemade banana bread, chatted with others around me about their swims, and then headed with my bike to a portapotty on my way out to the mount line.

58k Bike

The Welland area can be super windy, but we got lucky this year. After a short out and back on the road, the course goes on a recreational trail for 100m or so (because a bridge is under repair – can’t wait until it’s done). Unfortunately I felt pressure from a rider close behind me, took the corner too tight, and brushed my upper arm on one of the three bollards at the entrance to the trail. Thankfully I stayed upright! I didn’t like the gravel at the end of the path as it joins the road, but again, I stayed upright. For the majority of the ride I played leapfrog with an athlete named Rob. And because this course has an out and back section that you ride twice, I got to see Alasdair multiple times. I couldn’t believe how close to him I was when I saw him the first time. Given that he started 3 min before me, I had essentially caught him. Later, as I got closer to the end of the ride, I realized there was no way we were riding only 56k as expected. It turned into 58k and I was not happy! The tender bits I was sitting on were pretty uncomfortable by the end of the ride, so I was very happy to get off my bike. While riding I had another piece of banana bread, some Endurance tap, and a bottle of Nuun. I was happy with my pace, which was faster than last year.

This year’s turtle count in the (very low) water along the road was 6, but I’m sure I missed many more. There were an incredible number of lily pads! I also counted too many dead animals, but there’s no need to upset anyone by reporting on those!

15k Run

I quickly got ready to run, made a pee stop in a portapotty, and headed for the run course. I very quickly realized that I wasn’t feeling great, that maybe I hadn’t fueled properly. I had no fuel on me, and wondered how I was going to make it through 15k, especially because the clouds had cleared and the sun had appeared in full force! I had in my head that there would be Endurance Tap at the aid stations, but at the first one right after the start of the run I realized that I was mistaken, that they must have said there was some at the one bike aid station.

To break this run into more manageable chunks, I focussed on running from one aid station to the next, where I would pour water on my head, and drink F2C (and sometimes water). I was very hot, and unfortunately ended up walking more than I would have liked. I think I first saw Alasdair when I had run between 2 and 3k. He was quite a bit ahead, as he loves running in the heat (and is much faster than me anyway)! At around the 3 1/2 k mark I spotted a family with a box of Timbits in their wagon just off the edge of the path, and I very briefly considered asking them for one. I hadn’t had a Timbit for years, but I looked at the box of sugar longingly. I decided not to ask for one, and kept running. Then at around the 4 1/2 k mark, I noticed that the volunteers at the aid station had a box of Timbits (clearly my Timbit radar was on high alert), and I so wanted to ask for one. But I didn’t. Then another 200m later I caught my bike leapfrogging friend Rob, and I mentioned to him that I felt like I hadn’t fueled properly and really needed something. He said, “What do you want?” I replied, “What do you have?” He handed me a package of maple honey stinger wafers and I was so grateful! I first made sure that he had enough nutrition for himself, and he assured me that he did. I paced myself with the honey stingers and they helped immensely! Thank you Rob!! He checked on me later and asked if they had helped.

On my second loop of the run course I was approaching the aid station just past the 2k mark (9k or so at this point) when an athlete who had just been there told me they had watermelon. “No!” I said. “Yes!” he replied. That watermelon was the best thing ever! I could have eaten the entire plate, but I took just one piece. I wasn’t the only one who could have eaten it all! When I left the aid station, I started passing on the good news, letting others know about the fruit, gummies and licorice coming up. Thank you for the completely unexpected sugar hit!

I saw Rob multiple times on the run, as we were both doing a run/walk combo. Thankfully, the clouds reappeared for the last 4k and I was able to run more than walk. I was pretty relieved to cross that finish line!

After the race Alasdair told me about an athlete (Ruthie) who he met in the last 2k of the run, a woman competing in her very first triathlon while also fighting cancer. Talk about inspiring. Then as I was packing up all my stuff, I met another athlete who is battling brain cancer. Check out Kieren’s webpage at https://morethanourstory.com.

Race stats:

• Time: 4:53:56 (6/7 women 45-49, 48/68 women, 189/243 all athletes)
• 2k swim: 52:09 (2:36 min/km)
• T1: 3:58 (pee stop)
• 58k bike: 2:02:37 (28.4 km/h)
• T2: 3:19 (pee stop)
• 14.5k run: 1:51:53 (7:48 min/km)

The next morning we were up at 4 AM so I could be at my volunteer post at 5:30 for the sprint triathlon registration. Alasdair was being his crazy self and doing both the sprint and give it a tri races. I handed out swim caps and answered random questions from athletes. Then for the give it a tri I volunteered at the aid station on the run, handing out water and F2C. All in all a great couple of days in Welland.

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