The Couple Challenge 2010
Running purists beware, this article involves disciplines other than your usual past time!!
The Couple Challenge, is named after the ’Couple’ which was the creation of sculpture Sean Henry and stands on the breakwater looking out to Sea in Newbiggin bay, where the swim takes place. These sculptures are so life like that even I (hard to believe I know) the first time I trained at Newbiggin was fooled into thinking there was a real couple standing looking out to sea without moving (and standing at least 20 foot tall) whilst we swam for 30 minutes or so. Luckily I didn’t tell many people about my mistake.
The Couple Challenge is a middle distance triathlon and was advertised as a 1900m swim an 86k bike ride followed by a 21K run.
The swim was 2 loops within the bay, with a short run along the beach to mess things up a bit. The swim went fairly well for me and I came out unscathed and in about 34 minutes. Onto the bike with my target set at 2 hours 55 minutes, so I knew I had to average just under 30kph, and on the way out to Amble (the first part the 2 lap course) I was absolutely flying. It was fairly flat, but I knew I was well ahead of schedule. On turning around at Amble it became apparent why I was so ahead of myself, as I realised I was now going to have to cycle back into a head wind. I decided it wasn’t too bad as I finished the first lap in just under 1 hour 22 minutes. So looking forward to the easy bit back to Amble the second realisation hit me, just for a change I’d gone off too fast at the start and I started to get passed by far too many bloody cyclists. I finished the bike bit in my usual manner, glad to get off it and start running.
I must mention at this point, probably the best example of a race marshalling I’ve ever seen, the guidance, direction and expert handling by a safe pair of hands was invaluable to us all (cheques made payable to Mr D Moir, with thanks Mr Shotton of Woodhorn Church junction).
Anyhow, I knew I had about 90 minutes to run the 21k (4 and a bit laps) which was approximately 22 minutes a lap leaving 2 minutes for the bit. Off I went strongly, in fact very strongly (obviously learning from my earlier mistake of going off too hard) and I did the fist lap in 19 minutes. Hehe I thought, flying, feeling great and there is no stopping me. I started catching people (including some of the leading runners who were a lap ahead) and then it happened. Somehow someone stuck a knitting needle into my left quad which went into spasm causing me to say “ouch” “bother” or something similar. The dozen runners I had just passed all caught me as I had to stop to stretch it out, I think I was offered words of sympathy and no one sniggered at all (in my mind anyway). I tried to walk it off, tried stretching again, then I realised the best weapon in any runners armoury was probably the only option I had left open to me. OK then, last shot I’ll use the method that so many of us employ in dealing with injuries, as I didn’t think anything else would work. Yep you guessed it, I opted for complete and utter denial in the hope that it will get better for no apparent reason what so ever. (Disclaimer – Wallsend Harriers do not condone this method of dealing with injury, always consult either a Health Care professional or any member of the club who will start off by saying “when I had that”)
What happened next, even I couldn’t believe. By continuing to run (faster that I was already) and ignoring the cramp, it shifted itself and I felt absolutely fine ??? I think this is the one and only time this has ever worked for me, and I wasn’t troubled again for the rest of the run. I maintained a good speed through out and pushed very hard for the last half loop to finish the run in 1 hour 20 mins and 11 seconds according to my watch. That would have been a PB for a half marathon for me until one of the officials urinated on my barbecue and told me it was only 19.6k and not 21k. Despite that I was still very pleased with the run, and my overall time was 4 hours 50 mins which was well under my 5 hour target.
This was a completely new race (there being a shorter – Olympic distance held last year) for the organisers, and I can’t praise it highly enough. I was wary of the swim with a run in the middle, but that just added to the fun of it, the bike course was very flat and despite quite a few roundabouts, I didn’t get stopped once (very often due to excellent marshalling) and the run was flat and the 4 laps meant you went passed the main hub of activity twice per lap so the encouragement you got each time really helped.
Any takers for next year ?
Dave Moir
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