Mary Puts Her Foot in It...

...but more of that later.

Slight disappointment at the meagre gathering for the inaugural Tri Winter Hill, in that there was only Mary W, with her better half Andy in support, and YJ to support me:-

The contenders.

At just past 9:00, Mary and I set off for the res and she soon opened up a fine lead. However, on reaching res-side I was met by the disturbing spectacle of two middle aged men wrestling with a lady triathlete. It transpired that said lady triathlete had, in attempting to don her wetsuit, put her leg in an arm hole and having recognised her mistake, was having difficulty in extracating it. Disappointed that my second had joined the opposition, and not being able to afford a wetsuit, I plunged into the water and took the lead.

Mary, with her wetsuit suitably adjusted, soon passed me and subsequently emerged from the water well ahead:-

Anyone seen my contact lens?

By the time I was out of the water Mary was away, and was out of transition before I had arrived. When I did arrive my earlier disappointment at the lack of support evaporated as I was met by TF, Watters, my eldest daughter and her friend Zoe, all with bikes in the transition area.

(That's my stomach under Watters' right armpit)

We all set off for the anti-clockwise tour of the eponymous hill (look it up, Rachel) and I was soon at the back of the field again.

TF buzzed backwards and forwards with the camera:-

We had earlier passed YJ near Hordern Stoops, he having crossed the hill to intercept the 'event'.

Then it was off the bike and up to the trig on foot, to be met first by Mary:-

in full flight!

Then the youngsters:-

...on their way back from the trig.

Mary claims to have finished the route in about 2:40, but I have asked for a steward's enquiry. I finished in an undisputed 3:45!  Post Script:- Mary admits to a timing error (she blames Andy) and her time has been adjusted to 2:47.

Thank you to everyone who turned out, on what seemed to be a fun morning out, and congratulations to Mary who set a time which may never be beaten.

It wasn't until later that day that I was told that Mrs Watters had completed the bike circuit ahead of most of the field.

On Sunday morning I met Christa below the Pike and she aked what I had done on Saturday. On hearing my story she asked 'Was it a proper event, or one of your made-up ones?'!!!