The Bikeless Beastie

Sandy was recruiting at Chaletherault one night. The Bikeless Beastie? What the heck’s that? OK, we’ll give it a go. It is basically a triathlon without a bike, i.e., an aquathon. So Andy and I signed up for a 750m swim in Loch Lomond followed by a 5k run. All that was needed now was a wetsuit, some open water practice and a pair of quick tying laces.
Here is the account of a couple of novices in their first aquathon.

Jim:-
“On Saturday morning in Balloch Castle grounds we collected our timing chips, numbers and sorted out our stuff in the transition area. I filled my trainers with talc and laid my harriers vest on top. I had a premonition of me here later on rolling about the ground in my wetsuit like Houdini trying to get out of a strait jacket.”
Andy:-
“After getting ready and the customary pre-race photos we headed down to the Loch and got a quick recki of the swim course. Jim and I looked at the course thinking it wasn't that far after all it was only a swim out and back of 750m not that far for a runner.”

Jim:-
“We headed down to the pier for a warm up. Never has a description been more wrong! I eased into the loch and floated on my back for a bit until my hyper-ventilating breathing calmed down, then splashed about in among the rescue boats, kayaks and a hundred other bobbing yellow swim caps. It was ten minutes until the start. I looked back at the pier and the experienced ones weren’t in yet. Lesson learned, don’t warm up too soon or you’ll freeze to death!”
Andy:-
“We made our way in to get a quick dip and warm up in the tropical 15 degree water. After a wee swim we were dually informed we had to get back out again, I was a little confused at this however it seemed that the reason for this was to allow the event organiser's to count us out and back in again.”

Jim:-
“They lined us up and a hooter sounded. We’re off. I had taken the pre-race briefing advice that if you are not trying to win and you go at the front you’ll get swum over. Russell be warned! The leaders went away like trains, I settled into a rhythm of my own with Sandy and Andy nowhere to be seen. It was an out and back course clockwise around four buoys. I kept plugging away. It must be about time to turn, I looked up, still miles to go.”
Andy:-
“So back in the water again I lined up next to Jim and behind Sandy in hope that I could keep up with either of them knowing that both would be in front of me. After a little reorganization of the start line due to most folk floating forward we were off.
Now trying to keep with Jim and Sandy was the idea, trying to identify them was a whole different matter. When registering we were all given yellow swim caps so trying to figure out who was who was like looking for a needle in a stack of needles, so I was on my own.”

Jim:-
“The waves got bigger and I took a few mouthfuls of Loch Lomond. It got quiet around me and I thought I might be last, I had a look behind me and thankfully there were still plenty there. Finally I turned at the buoy and headed back. The pier approached and I realised I was too far inshore so had to swim back out to get to the end of the pier. Another lesson learned, don’t make the course longer than it has to be!”
Andy:-
“I was swimming at a reasonably good pace however I soon found myself near the back. I got to the first buoy and had a glance forward to see were the next buoy and turn was, it was a lot further than Jim and I had thought!
Breaking through the water was completely different from some training in the pool and even a few open water sessions at the Heritage Loch and my arms were starting to feel heavy. Once around the turn at the second buoy there was a swimmer in a wetsuit with a red trim by my side so I decided I would stick with them to the end hoping them to drag me to more familiar ground of the run. The water started to get a little choppier going back to the shore however I made it back and a little worse for wear managed to climb on to the pier and head up to the transition area.”

Sandy first out of transition, Jim is still transitioning and Andy is a man on a mission!

Jim:-
“Then a three hundred meter bare foot run along the tarmac to the transition area, the whole time fighting with the zip on my wetsuit, finally getting the guy at the transition area to help me before that premonition came true. Sandy was already there and left for her run just as I arrived. She had a great swim, completing it in 13:51. My time was 15:00. I pulled on my shoes and vest and chased after her. It was exhausting running after the swim.”
Andy:-
“We had to run up the concrete pier and tarmac path to the transition area and I began to start to pick off some places I had lost in the swim. I got in transition and started to strip down to get in to my running gear looking round to see if I could still see Jim or Sandy's harrier vest still on the ground, however it seemed as predicted they both got out the water much quicker than me. After a not so quick change, I couldn't get my vest on, it took two attempts and I had to sit down to get the wetsuit off. (I'm pretty sure I could hear Lorraine and the kids shout hurry up!) I was off and running after a swim time of 15:55 and a transition time of 1:59.”

Andy is first Harrier home, Jim beats the "Wee Rab" lookalike and Sandy finishes a strong run.

Jim:-
“Andy sped by me. He was putting in a good run. I was going as fast as I could, picking runners off but getting lapped by some serious looking triathletes with GBR on their bums. This was a British Championship after all. Thankfully the finish line approached and Benny Rooney was there cheering us in. He was supporting his daughter in the race and was surprised to see Harriers vests. So I had finished my first aquathon. It was a great experience and I would like to try it again.”
Andy:-
“Sprinting out of transition I knew I had some ground to make up passing by a few athletes on the way out. The run was a 2 lap course making up a 5km run. Running along the shore line on a trail heading towards the play park I passed 3 maybe 4 runners I was back in my comfort zone. As I came out of the trail I could see the two harriers vests in my sight both side by side. I kept my pace hoping to catch both of them. We ran through the field past the play park and on to the entrance off Balloch Country Park and it was on this stretch of the course I managed to pass both Jim and Sandy. Now up a hill to a turn and back down the hill and into the trail for the end of the first lap.
My confidence was growing in the second lap however I was having to hold back a little know that I was just coming back from a calf strain and didn't want to jeopardise my participation at Islay next week. . I started to take more places on the second lap and finished on an overall place of 35th with a 5km time of 19:41 and a total time of 37:36. Overall it was a great experience especially to get out on the Loch and do the open water swimming and I will definitely be returning.”

Andy and I both agreed it was a great event and thanks to Sandy for suggesting it. The results were:-
Andy 37:36 (35th position, 12th M20-39), Jim 39:48 (47th position 7th M40-49) and Sandy 42:42 (58th position 13th F20-39).
And thanks to Lorraine, kids and dog for supporting us and for some great photos.

There was one final bit of hilarity when the ladies changing tent blew away with Sandy inside it, only just making herself decent moments before!