Windsor Triathlon Weekend

 

It would be nice if the fine weather held over this weekend, it’s always good if its sunny on a weekend away. Windsor Triathlon is something of a tradition for Steve and I, we must have done it twenty three or four times. We did the very first Windsor event that there ever was, and it was very different to the route it has now. The run then went quietly through fields and paths on the north side of the River Thames in those days and poor Steve used to suffer with the dust and flying pollen. It did have a pre race party in the Leisure Centre in the early days and a really good, goodie bag.  

The swim route changed only last year making it a lot easier than it was on all the other occasions, when most of the swim section was a struggle against the current. From the start one had to cross the centre of the river and swim up to the second bridge for the turn buoy and then have a much easier swim from there to the finish.  Now there is a ten minute walk to the start from the transition and the swim starts at the leisure centre giving a far less arduous swim right up to the bridge over to Eton from Windsor, turning there and finishing where it always did before. 

The bike route is also changed and there is a very long run for the ‘Bike Out’ that goes back almost, to where the swim now starts. Once out on the roads it is pretty much the same as ever and it is a nice ride that goes out towards the motorway and then is a pretty country route all the way until you have returned through the marvellous Windsor Great Park and into the town.

For myself, I have to say the I much preferred the old run route that was three laps and after Windsor High Street and the turn at Queen Victoria’s Statue at the Castle entrance it made a sort of cross, the last leg of which took the athletes right up Eton High Street to the famous school where some of the pupils manned the water station.

Now I am sad that that quaint street has been taken out of the course and I can only think that it is because of complaints from the posh folk who live there. Now you have to run further along Datchet Road to the turn and that is not so attractive. 

However, it will be managed superbly as usual and a great fun day will be had by everybody, competitors and spectators alike. I simply love this race and have tried hard never to miss it. There have only been two occasions I think, that I have not been on the start line; the first time it was because the event clashed with a World Championships somewhere else in the world and the other time was because I had a leg and arm in plaster. Windsor Triathlon makes a great weekend destination. BRING IT ON!