Stubbington Green Runners

Richard Thomas and Mike White both represented Great Britain in their respective age group categories at the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Budapest, 13th September 2010.

Nearly 1000 athletes representing the best amateurs from their respective countries participated. It was always going to be a hard day! The GB team was the single largest but there were large teams from far away: USA, Canada, NZ, Australia, Mexico and Republic of South Africa as well as closer to home: France, Germany, Ireland, Spain and of course the hosts; Hungary. Most nations had someone there; I even saw a couple from the Cook Islands.

Qualifying for the GB triathlon team requires an individual to attend one of 3 qualifying races and to finish in the top 4 for his/her age group and to be within 115% of the winning time for that age group. Richard had qualified at the Little Beaver triathlon in May and Mike met this requirement at Shropshire in June but had also pre-qualified by winning the National Championship race for his AG 50-54 in 2009.

Arriving on the Thursday night we enjoyed the last evening of summer before 2 days of constant rain and drizzle came in on the Friday. All the roads were flooded and the grassy transition area was a quagmire. It was all looking pretty grim but on race day (Sunday) the triathlon gods were kind and granted us a day of sunshine!

The swim (1500m) was cold and a complex W shaped course in a lake just off the Danube (not obviously blue.. more a dirty grey really). As a good number of the competitors were fairly evenly matched and the field quite tight, it seemed like a constant battering from start to finish! Never mind, a longish mud-run up a steepish hill soon took ones mind off the beating before slopping through the mud to find ones bike in a huge transition area.

The bike (should have been 40km… but it was definitely a bit short) was a flat 3 loop affair on closed roads. Road surfaces were pretty dodgy in places and there were 3 “dead ends” which did reduce the speed somewhat. There were a few unfortunates fixing punctures and at least one of the GB team did an extra lap by mistake (I bet he’ll attend the race briefing next time!).

Bike to run involved a really long run all around the side of transition so another chance to really get to know that mud again.

Run (10k… but might have been a bit longer) was the best bit by far. 5kms running up by the side of the River Danube and then over the historic “chain bridge” 3 times including loops of the beautiful and historic downtown area.

Once in the downtown area, the crowd was excellent with loads of support for the GB athletes. It helps that you have your name emblazoned on the GB trisuit but I did feel rather like I was still at school hearing the shouts of “come on Thomas!”.

The finish was on the same blue carpet as used by the elites, and to mark the occasion we were all provided with a union jack flag by the team GB staff to wave like mad as we came across the line.

It was a wonderful experience and a great honour and privilege to race for ones country. Overall the GB team dominated the event as well as taking most of the medals in the World Aquathon and World Sprint Triathlon Championships which had been held in Budapest earlier in the week.

Richard finished in 1:58:36; 189th overall, 27th in the M40-44 and he won the gold medal as World Medical Champion.

Mike finished in 2:02:04; 305th overall and 15th in the M50-54.

A great end to the season for both stubbie triathletes who also did well in the 2010 UK Taut National Rankings: Richard was ranked 20th overall (6th in the M40-44) and Mike 32nd overall (2nd in the M50-54). These National Rankings represented the best of three performances at selected races during the 2010 season.

Other 2010 results for Richard were:

(OD = Olympic distance: 1500m open water swim, 40km bike & 10k run).

Richard has also managed to qualify for the GB age group team for the European Championships in June 2011. 

Mike had a quieter triathlon schedule this year as follows:

1. Shorpshire Triathlon (OD); 27th June; 2nd M50-54

2. Bournemouth International Triathlon (OD); 1st in M50-54

3. Worthing Triathlon (OD); 18th July; 2nd M50-54

4. Bedford Triathlon (UK OD National Championships); 15th Aug; 5th in M50-54, (suffering from a throat infection and on anti-biotics – nearly cried off).

5. Budapest (World AG OD Championships); 12th Sept ; 15th in M50-54

Mike has pre-qualified for the Europeans next year too by coming 2nd in National Rankings but unfortunately the event clashes with Ironman NICE which he’s already entered along with Euan Magrath of SGRAC and this will be the rather scary focus for next year’s season!