Eton Sprints Qualifier May 16th 2021

 

 

 

Human Race Events,

The photos here are from a previous year because we were both racing and so neither could take photos and the event photos have not been sent as yet.

 

This was of course, a much looked forward to event after lockdown.

The first race since September 2019.

No need to explain the details for that big hole in our triathlon world and our sporting hearts.

This year, the event was allowed with strict rules about Covid restrictions.

 

The race venue is the Eton Dorney Lake that was the venue for the rowing events during the 2012 Olympic Games.

It is perfect in every way, since it has a traffic free private road for the bike course and the lake side paths for the run.

The first leg in the race was quite different from previous years in that there was not a race briefing shouted to the athletes in the water before the wave start.

The race briefing was a video sent by email.

 

The waves were held further apart and at each wave athletes were held in a long, long single file line.

Then they were released into the water at a few seconds intervals each person.

So strictly one swimmer at a time was sent into the water and that was their start, rather that the mass start for each wave that has been the pattern previously.

 

This meant that there was no chance of a short swim for the swimmers to get used to the water temperature.

This time; it was wait, then run in and start swimming; from warm and comfortable in your wetsuit, to ‘Ice Cream Head’ in the water in a few seconds.

Quite a change.

Actually, I liked it that way, not fighting for a piece a water in a threshing crowd.

This made a nice calm start heading for the first turn buoy.

Then we headed for the big orange buoy in the distance that was the first serious turn.

It is a lovely swim in smooth clean water where the route is clear.

Since it is a rowing lake you can find a rope line under the water to follow for the 750-metre swim.

 This was first open water swim since last summer but for a few sea swims.

For me that meant 8-9 months ago and all we have had before hit even was on month of pool swimming but in lanes.

No controlled swim sets at all. so this was in at the deep end for me. My husband/coach and I have had plenty of bike and run work though of course with Murpheys law ruling. we both felt quite lethargic after our second jab a month ago and were not feel at our sparkling best.

 

Still, we told each other many times in that month of feeling a bit off colour…. Its only a sprint! We can do that with our eyes closed.

Anyway we got through it and made it to the finish line and were so happy to have been able to race again even after a slow fashion.

 

The whole event was extremely well managed.

There were no spectators allowed according to the race info.

Masks were mandatory everywhere except when racing or in transition.

All very professional with separate entry and exit lines for everything.

Brilliant.

 

As soon as we had both finished our race we collected our kit from the transition and made our way out of this beautiful venue.

With the long breaks between race starts there would be new swimmers darting in and new bikers around the course most of the day.

That made it a very long day for the marshals though there were fewer athletes to control at any one time.

 

There were no shower facilities with the Covid regs, and so we changed when we got to our car, well van actually. VW Caddy.

We headed away but stopped for something to eat and drink and after that heading back to the van.

We spoke to a couple in the huge car park who were out with their dog.

Cutting the worst moment of the day, I patted the dog a couple of times then stooped over to pet it a bit more as we spoke to the couple.

Then without any warning jumped up and bit my face, right over my mouth and chin area.

It was such a shock and so hard that it felt like a hard punch on the chin.

Blood poured everywhere which was quite alarming.

The people were most apologetic as Steve moved me quickly away to start mopping up the blood that was everywhere.

My quilted puffer coat was ruined and I was glad that I had not worn my best one.

We did manage to get me packed in the van and we set off for home.

We were both more concerned about getting me home rather than taking details whilst I bled.

 

Steve drove home, fairly sedately actually, because he was so concerned about me.

I took a selfie and sent it to a friend who is a doctor and asked if she had any advice but she was out of contact and could not reply until later when she first saw the message.

He made stop for fuel and to get me a cold drink that I could have with a straw because of the damage.

An ambulance pulled in next to us and Steve and I got out to ask them please to take a look and tell me if I should go to A & E or not.

The young crew members did so without a second thought and told me to go straight to Worthing A & E.

He said that they would make sure it was cleaned properly and that they would give me an anti-Tetanus jab.

 

After filling in the computer questionnaire registration on the touch screen,

We were seen by a nurse quite quickly only about an hour wait.

Having taken a good look; she gave me a couple of Paracetamols before sending me into the main hospital to the Urgent Treatment clinic.

It was on the way to that department when our friend rang back and was happy that we had gone there already since that would have been her advice too.

We waited for another two hours.

It was 8pm when we were called into be seen.

I cannot praise the male specialist paramedic practitioner enough, and I hope that I have the written correctly.

He was simple marvellous, explaining everything he was doing, step by step during his examination and clean up and trimming of the wounds.

Then after a telephone call or two, he took photos of my injuries that were sent directly to the Maxilla Facial Unit with whom he had a discussion.

It was decided that it would be better to leave the cleaned and trimmed injuries open, in case of infection from the dog’s mouth.

I was given a tetanus jab and then given a course of antibiotics and a lot more advice before being sent home.

 

The ‘wide awakes’ held me until long after Steve had gone to bed, but in the end, I had a sound night’s sleep.

I feel a bit heavy today but that is not surprising and am having to eat and drink carefully.

The scabs will keep me out of the pool for a while though, annoyingly.