If some of you Wee Tooners are wanting more sport not to far away why not have a go at a triathlon (swim,bike,run). Myself and two friends have been running one in Mid Argyll since 2002. Our first year saw 41 taking part and the last two years we have had a full house with 120 athletes and a reserve list. The event is classed as a sprint- 500m swim, 20km cycle and 6.5km run.
Our event is aimed at all abilities. Last year we had a young lass called Kirsty McWilliam(16) compete. She is now in the GB junior team, She had a swim time for 25 twenty metre lengths of 6min 8 secs and cycled and ran finishing in 3rd place overall with a time of 1h.06min.31sec. We have junior categories 14-16yrs, senior, veteran, super vet and vintage. Also extremely popular is the team event, 3 persons doing one of the seperate disciplines each. I competed for the first time this year, as a team. I did the cycling leg. Seriously good fun. I was trying to catch the person in front of me but watching behind to see if anyone was trying to overtake me. So I put myself at the other end of the scale from Kirsty.
There is no excuse for not having a go. I have started training to complete the whole event next year. It has always been my lack of swimming ability that has put me off 17min 14 sec for 25 lengths last thursday but with perserverance I will half that (maybe).
There are other fairly local triathlons, Islay, Helensburgh, Stirling.
Some of our Mid Argyll triathletes started in a team, enjoyed the event so much that they competed as individuals the following year and then went onto take part in several over the season. One has even gone onto have a go at half ironman 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile cycle, 13.1mile run. There are all sorts of extreme distances.
I post this now having had a look at the forum and seeing a need for somemore racing. You can get a team or two set up early and come and have a go. I recommend however that once the application forms are available for the 2008 MacQueen Bros. Mid Argyll Sprint Triathlon you get your entry in early.
Our website is at www.midargyllcycleclub.co.uk click on link for Mid Argyll Triathlon.
I will keep you posted.