Vachary Triathlon

Hi there,

has anybody done the Vachary middle distance triathlon before? How hard is it? I have done an Olympic size in Windsor and found that ok, not too exhausted at the end of it so thought this would be the next step. Now I am not sure if I'll manage the whole thing. And it's on 21st July - so not long - eeeeekkkkkk!!!!

Also when do you start to taper your training for the race? And should I be doing the bike distance on regular basis to get used to it? Sorry for all the question but this is all very new to me.

Thanks

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Comments

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    I don't think the middle is that hard but seeing as this is the 1st running of it - who knows??

    if you weren't exhausted after Windsor the you're ready to step up to the next level - or you weren't working hard enough at Windsor

    as for the bike - yes - you should be used to doing close to 90k rides otherwise it might hurt.  don't expect to do so well if all your bike rides have been less than, for example, 60K.

    as for taper - that's very individual. for me - a week; for others - longer.  but I've been around a while.

  • +1 to what FB says. Bike rides arent as hard on you as runs - so you can easily do the distance regularly in training.



    Will it be hot there in July ?
  • Thank you Fat Buddha and Cougie.  I better get riding than. I have not been doing big distance like that and it is a very hilly course (Leith Hill). Sorry it's Vachery not Vachary! in Surrey.

     

  • I will have to find a hill and practise that I think. How many triathlons have you done FB and Cougie and do you follow a specific training plan?

    I am scared!!!!

     

  • I've done 8 or 9 Ironman ones now. I still don't follow a plan - I just aim to get used to cycling the distance and being able to do the swim. The run at the end normally turns into a slow amble anyway for me.....



    Its just a nice swim followed by a gentle bike ride and a stroll at the end. How scary can that be ?



    Oh - I thought this would be in France ! I need to pay more attention to Geography ! It probably won't be that hot then.
  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    5 IM for me but plenty of 1/2s, standards and sprints

    my training plan is one that suits me and my experience and I don't follow prescribed plans at all

    the best bike training you can do is to find a route that imitates the race route and train on it regularly.  if it's a hilly course, train on hills; if it's a flat course train on the flat and get used to being on tribars for a long time.    same for the run.  if it's a sea swim; train in the sea.

    do what you can, get to the start line as fresh as possible and don't try to fight the course - let it come at you.

    and I'll see you there as I'm the BTF's Chief Official for this event - so don't get on the wrong side of me.... image

  • Wow guys!!!

    I'll do my best in training and see what happens on the day! I like the 'nice swim, followed by the gentle bike ride and a stroll' - made me smile image

    Thanks again image

    I will try not to get on your wrong side fb!

    Great advice, cheers x

     

  • The course is fine Katie, there's only the one hill of any note (which you do twice though) and it's not all that long or stupidly steep to be honest.  And of course you get the a nice downhill to compensate.  The rest of the bike course is pretty flat and nothing much to worry about.

    The only problem with the bike course I can see is that there are a bunch of right turns that would have been fine when it was on closed roads but don't look so clever on open roads.  People do strange things when they're racing that they wouldn't dream of doing on a regular ride.

    My only other concern is that after the organisers promised part refunds to anyone who entered before the reduction in entry fees they've avoided responding to emails.

  • I cycled most of the route on Saturday including Leith Hill, it's not that bad but agree with what CD says, the descents will be nasty if people are coming round those bends on the wrong side of the road. The lake is really pretty and clean, not sure on the run route, I think it will be off road same as last year. I've only done a couple of sprints before so this is my first long one before an IM in Oct, I hope I like it enough to think I want to go round again.

  • Thanks CD, I am not that good with bends some will probably have to slow down somewhat, better to slow down than end up injured from a fall - that is my motto!

    I have only entered last week so did not see anything about reduction in entry fees, perhaps you should keep on at them and you might get an answer. Good luck with that and hope you manage to get your refund.

    Kate F- I have done a few sprints and one Olympic size, so this is my first long one too. Good luck and all the best for the IM in October.

    Thanks for your help guys, feel a bit more reassured now. image

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    CD - are you doing Vachery??

    KH - if you only entered last week you would not have seen anything about a price reduction.  this only applied to those who entered when the organisers were promising fully closed roads, but a backlash from local residents stymied that idea, so the organisers offered a refund to already entered athletes because it is now on (mostly) open roads.

     

  • Certainly am FB.  If you could just see your way to DQing everyone in front of me, that'd be great thanks.

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    I'll see what I can do....where should I send the invoice??    image

    was talking to the RD earlier to intro myself - seems they have over 700 entries across all 3 events so far.  he has a plan to keep the locals happy next year so they can have road closures......image

  • I thought last year's Vachery event was well run. The lake water was 'fresh' as it is spring fed, and the run was lumpy, including stairs. Apparently this year the run will be flatter and less XC-like.

    I tried to T-bone CD at a roundabout but he was a little too fast for me. image

  • Just had a look at the video etc, this looks a cracking race. Bit of flat bike course if they could only find Leith Hill image but I could well see myself having a pop at this next year as my A race. Any distance, I'll take what I can get. Even if it does mean FB will throw rotten tomatoes at meimage

    Though why does the video keep alternating between MTB and road bike? Which is it? Hopefully road coz I am shite on an MTB. (Yes, I am shite on road as well, but not AS shite)

  • Dusty, the middle distance race is on road, but they do off-road tris from there as well, hence the video. 

    You're right, they could have found a much lumpier bike route if they'd put their mind to it.

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    Dusty - as CD says, they have off-road tris at Vachery as well but not until September when they are running the UK leg of the XTERRA series (off road equivalent to IM in some ways) with 40 slots for the world champs in Maui.

    I'm racing XTERRA.... image

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    for anyone doing this on Sunday - be warned - it's likely (probably definitely) going to be a non-wetsuit swim as the water was reading 24C yesterday.

    we will make a final decision on Sunday morning as the BTF rules state that the water temp is taken 1hr before the 1st wave as the final decision point, but if it's 24C now, I can't see it dropping by Sunday

    be prepared

  • Well, I'd prefer a wetsuit swim but it is what it is, just have to get on with it.

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    yep - it is what it is and it's the same for everyone

    be interesting to see how many DNS as it's non wetsuit - day down the beach instead!

     

  • I'm doing this (middle) Would prefer a wetsuit swim as I like the buoyancy - oh well! My swim time certainly won't be anything to write home about...

  • Are armbands allowed instead?

  • Slightly oddly, the organisers have posted on FB that at 24 degrees the decision on whether wetsuits are compulsory is down to the race referee.  I'm not sure that's true, other than in the generic sense that the BTA official can in theory override any rule if circumstances require it.  So if you get any irate competitors raging at your 'decision' FB, you'll know why.

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    yes - the FB comment is a bit misleading

    we can only override rules if there's a compulsive reason to do so and that override doesn't clash with another rule.

    the BTF rule on wetsuits is clear - above 22C for a 1500m swim (23C for a 1900m) they are "forbidden".   as in - no, you can't wear one.  and frankly, if the water is that warm, then wearing one is dangerous due to overheating - and we have to make safety our paramount concern.

    BTF officials do have the final call on this and we will decide on Sunday morning after we've taken the water temp.  

    but it's looking very much like a non-wetsuit swim

  • So if you measure it at 23 degrees on sunday morning you could end up with the situation that the middle distance competitors are allowed wetsuits while the Olympic distance (and sprint) ones aren't?  I can see that going down well!

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    yes - that thought has crossed my mind.....image

    I'm kind of keeping my fingers crossed it will stay above 24...

  • Just have a pee in the spot where you take the temp,  that'll keep it nearer to 24 degrees surely.image

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    sheesh - now Vachery have posted on their FB page suggesting people buy Zone 3 buoyancy shorts in case of wetsuit ban...

    errrm - they aren't allowed - the key word there is "buoyancy" and no aids are allowed outside full wetsuits which were originally intended to provide warmth in cool water and nothing more - buoyancy was the side effect of the allowing of wetsuits

    aaaaaaaaagggghhhh!!!!!!!!!

  • It'll be interesting to see if Zone 3 are pointing that out when they sell them tomorrow.

  • fat buddhafat buddha ✭✭✭

    are you racking tomorrow CD??

    we should be there by 2pm to deal with any rules issues and to check the lay of the land out so look out for us if you're about....otherwise bright and early Sunday am....

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