Welcome to ITCH - the Ipswich triathlon club hand-out - for March & April 2009...

You had to be there to understand - great support from the remote villages, a marshal from the Norfolk Mountain Rescue Service, and road signs in local dialect...

See www.wymondhamac.org.uk for full results.

It was a beautiful spring morning in Suffolk for the eagerly awaited Rendlesham Run/Bike event.  The event consists of two person teams completing a 20km(ish) course where the runner and cyclist cannot be more than 10m apart but can switch between the disciplines as often as they liked (although this reporter witnessed the some competitors stretching this rule by up to 100m!).  Ipswich Tri Club was well represented with about a dozen representatives competing in the event.  Strategy for the race ranged from swapping every 2 ½ minutes to ‘you’re going to run the whole thing’! 

There were some big decisions to be made before the start of the race; should Ross compete in his Speedo Briefs and would Bou allow dB to compete in his Lycra ‘hot pants’.  Fortunately for other competitors, organisers and spectators alike both wore sensible attire!  Preparation for the race by Team 118 (dB and Bou) were not solid by any means, both had been at a Charity Ball the evening before.  Despite plans to restrict themselves to 2 pints of beer, the wheels came off and both turned up slightly jaded.

Reports that entrance numbers of 105 teams cannot be confirmed by this reporter, however the start line was packed and 95 teams finished the race.  A short 1 km loop just for the runners ensured some sensibility rather than a mass start, which no doubt would have seen more carnage than the opening day of the Harrods January sale.  With the temperature rising the running was hard going for those out partying the night before.  However with the glorious day and lovely venue it was a great way to spend a Sunday.  The main bulk of the run consisted of two 10km laps, with one slight hill that saw most race goers ‘cough up a lung’ at the top.  The second lap, which seemed quicker to 100% of people interviewed post race (i.e. one other team), would mean shorter run stints for Team 118.  With tiredness in his legs Bou was not helped by DB shouting to a Police Dog Handler watching ‘can you get that big dog to chase him so he’ll speed up! cheers mate’. 

As usual with these events the organisation was excellent, with great post match refreshments and a beer for completing the event. As these quotes show:

‘Even despite the hangover I enjoyed the event immensely, it’s ideal for athletes of all abilities and a good fun race.’

‘Great event, you even get free soup.’

See below for results concerning ITC members (very sorry if anyone slipped under the radar!!);

Joe Cox bling...

... and a John Deere R5 series tractor

This was only the second running of the Joe Cox as a half-marathon, its previous incarnation having been as a ten miler.  Last year's inaugural run had coincided with some really bad weather but this year the weather looked pretty good - and there was a strong turn-out.

And this race deserves a strong turn-out:

• apart from a bit of an uphill toward the end, the course is only slightly undulating, and potentially very fast as well as being very picturesque;
• the water stations were equipped with individual bottles of mineral water - complete with the tops, so you could easily carry them around with you;
• the finishers' bling was really, really nice, and came in a goody bag which included various items of fodder and - fantastic for watchers of the "Discovery Shed" TV channel - a John Deere catalogue (sadly it was for the "walk behinds" but one can still dream of moving up to a tractor one day);
• and the support from people around the course and from the positive multitude of marshals was nothing short of brilliant.

I used it as yet another training opportunity - a "steady pace" run - in my build-up to London marathon so joined the other triathletes toward the back of the field. (This is a phenomenon which I've spotted a lot locally - people in shorts & vest up front who are racing for their local running club; people in tights, thermal tops, bladder packs, hats and gillets at the back who all seem to be members of triathlon clubs out for a training run.)

I also decided to go with a minimalist nutrition approach - 500ml of Powerbar drink before starting, and a single High 5 gell top-up "just in case" at about seven miles, but otherwise just a bottle of the water provided. I confess I did a particularly slow mile seven, and it wasn't just taking time out to look at the glider parked at the side of the road. A marshal commented how nice it was to see a competitor actually stopping to look for a litter sack into which to place their empty gell pouch.

So all in all I was quite surprised not just to finish reasonably fresh - but to finish in a time which we think is a personal best for me this century! Bring it on...

See www.stowmarketstriders.org.uk for full results.

This was still being finalised as ITCH goes to press but the proposal is to bring in Dan Bullock to run a coached session at the Woolverstone School pool. Dan Bullock runs Swim for Tri and is a highly regarded coach, winning awards as London Region Coach of the Year in 2005/6 and 220 Coach of the Year in 2005.

Dan's proposed session would run from 9:00-2:00 on Sunday 10th May, including swim and film (60mins), classroom review (60mins), introduce technique improvement drills (90mins), break (30mins -bring food!), swim & film again (60mins); review (60mins).  Dan would then take the film way, to edit and transfer to DVD for an individual disc of each swimmer.

To make this work we can only handle 12 participants, at a charge to the participant of £50, with places being offered on a "first-come, first-serve" basis.

If you want to book one of the places, please e-mail charlie@ipswich-tri.org (not Greg in this instance). Charlie will then hold a place for you for one week, by the end of which you must have sent him your cheque (payable to "Ipswich triathlon club"), otherwise the place will be released.

Ross is organising a social get together at the Greyhound (pub) in Ipswich. He has provisionally booked table space for 20 people, from 7:00pm.

The way this worked last time was that you ordered and paid for food at the bar which makes things very simple, but please contact Ross if you intend going so he can confirm the actual numbers.

e-mail ross@ipswich-tri.org or mobile 0773 6322 776.

If you want to be on a ring round list for notification of changes at short notice then let Greg Allen have your number. Greg is on 07501 464143 or e-mail greg.jamie@talktalk.net

Dear all
 
In April I'm taking one day off each week to ride the Hell of the East. With other commitments I'm struggling to get any 6+hr rides in at weekends, although have done 4x 100kms since Christmas plus several shorter rides and of course cycling to work daily (plus Exmoor Beast in November).
 
Anyway dates as follows:

Tuesday April 7th
Wednesday April 15th
Wednesday April 22nd
Thursday April 30th (depending how knackered I feel)

I'm planning to leave about 8:30 each day and will ride north out of Ipswich on the Westerfield Road. The ride is c. 120 miles so takes 6:30 ish.
 
Great route also known as the Tour of the Four Counties (the clue's in the name!!)
 
I've booked these days off and have a 'date' in Lanzarote on May 23rd, so I'll be riding these dates unless the weather is torrential.
 
If you'd like to come too then great, please let me know (spread the word).
 
Cheers
 
Nick Collinson
 

You can contact Nick by e-mail to nickcollinson@hotmail.co.uk or telephone 01473 620651.

To order kit, contact John Wankowski on club nights, by e-mailing him at kit@ipswich-tri.org, or phoning him on 01473-711592.

If you want advice on wetsuits, read on below!

Please let Ross know if you are interested at ross@ipswich-tri.org - you can see what we are talking about on the Spiuk website at http://www.spiuk.co.uk/custom.htm

So there we were - Greg and I - outside the ladies toilet at the Triathlon show waiting for Laura to appear in a wetsuit she was thinking of buying. Greg went to get the salesman and as Laura came out I stopped a certain young lady to get her advice, the salesman arrived with Greg and the five of us discussed whether or not it would be a good purchase.

After chatting for 10 minutes we decided Laura should part with her cash and buy that all important first wetsuit. We thanked the young lady who had by now become our new best friend and bid a fond farewell to her. Our street cred was intact until we produced the camera and got the photo - let’s face it, no-one would believe us if we hadn’t photographic proof...

(Oh did I mention the young lady in question was none other Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington).

Steve dB

Unfortunately half the committee are tied up with Ironmans and things that weekend but does anybody else want to coordinate a team entry? If so, please let Adam or me know by e-mailing itch@ipswich-tri.org .

Meanwhile, see https://www.entrycentral.com/index.php?raceID=100487 for further information.

The dates & locations:

As well as competing in the individual races, you can compete across the overall series.  Entry to the series competition is automatic but you do need to complete four out of the five races to qualify for  any "series" memento, with your best four results counting toward your placing in the series.

The Lotus Cars Cycle Race League 2009 season opens on 6 May. There will be ten nights racing over twelve weeks. This year the main event will be Regional C+ Scratch race under BC rules of one hour duration for seniors, E/1/2/3/4, juniors, women and vets.

There will also be a Go-Race event for non members and 4th cat riders of 30 minutes duration.

A feature of this years programme will be a Go-Ride series for 11 -16 year olds  - 40 minutes coaching followed by a 20 minute race.

FIZIK ARIONE Tri 2 Wingflex Saddle
Reputedly, one of the best saddles around...
Came with new bike, but doesn't suit my backside! Used four times (now replaced).
Colour = Cool White. For Sale at £60.
Contact Mike or Mary 01728 660034 or e-mail mfitness@btinternet.com

Quintana Roo Triathlon/Time trial bike. Ultegra chainset, cassette and brakes. Mavic CX 650 wheels. Airstrike 2000 aerobars. Suit someone up to around 170cm in height. Good condition £375
Tel Mary on 01728 660034

Massage - Jackie Chubb has a regular room at Rede near Bury St Edmunds, available any time.
Open to members & non-members but booking is essential on 01284-789576 or 07985-496918.
 

Wanted
 

Please sponsor Charlie Stannett & chum Ronel Van Der Merwe via their justgiving page - visit www.justgiving.com/crusaiders

Race reports - thanks to everybody who has written items. Please continue to send them in, to itch@ipswich-tri.org - thanks.