EpicMan Windermere 2021

EpicMan was one of the few races that ran in 2020. Jacky enjoyed it last September so signed up again for the May 2021 edition. Because Volcano was postponed, I was looking for a warmup for Outlaw Half, so I signed up as well, our first time taking part in the same triathlon.

Almost time to go. (Thanks Hugh for the photo)

The main event is the middle-distance race with about 225 starters, including some very strong athletes, but with 110 starting the side event, a shorter, standard distance race comprising a 1500m swim, 40k bike and a 10k run.

We drove up on Friday afternoon and all the talk was how the weather was changing from the wettest May on record to what promised to be a scorchio bank holiday weekend. The forecast didn’t disappoint. Indeed, Sunday morning was perfect for racing; clear skies, temperatures rising, dry roads and no wind.

The swim course.

Due to Covid restrictions no mass start, rather athletes forming an orderly queue to get into the lake with your clock starting when you cross the timing mat just before the water’s edge. By getting in the queue early, I was in the first group to get in the water.

The swim was incredible. Out to the first rubber duckie buoy, turn left and make your way up the lake. Before long I was on the front. Swimming isn’t my forte so with mass starts I’m in the pack, fighting for space and sometimes it seems, survival. So to be leading out was an amazing experience. The water temperature was ‘unnoticeable’, 15 degrees or so, and with zero wind the surface was like glass. Swimming into unbroken water, with great views to each side as you breath was wonderful. This was one of my all-time favourite swims!

Turn left at the rubber duckie then straight on

The kayak marshal guided me around the top of the course – thank you. I was working hard but felt ok so just carried on. On the return section, I was overtaken by a female competitor. Thoughts of drafting her faded quickly as she opened up a gap. Someone else got close to catching me near the exit but I made a dash for it and think I was second out of the water.

Part 1 done and dusted

Supa-motivated I charged through T1. Out on the bike, the back roads down to Newby Bridge are twist-turny and undulating, there was bank holiday traffic plus I was catching up the tail end of the middle-distance race, so hard to find any ‘flow’. Once on the dual carriage way to Ulverston it was TT mode before heading North towards Coniston Water. The middle-distance course peeled left at Lowick Green, so it became quieter from then on and a marshal confirmed that I had regained the lead out on the course.

Hammer time

More twist-turny and undulating roads back to Lakeside, largely uneventful except at about kilometre 32 there is a nasty steep section up The Causeway. It’s only short but at 20% gradient it’s tough. But worse, my bike is geared for flat time trials, not hills, so no way I could ‘spin it out’ – killer! 150% power for a minute really sapped my legs, so the descent back to Newby Bridge was welcome.

First in T2

Even though the middle-distance race started earlier in the day, they were all still out on their longer bike course when I arrived at T2. Being the first back in off the bike was once again supa-motivating and I charged out of transition onto the run course.

In the moment

Coach’s instructions were to take the run easy; this was after all still a warmup race. This posed a real dilemma; I wasn’t just going to roll over. Due to the time trial start I wasn’t necessarily in the actual lead, but I was certainly at the pointy end of the race, and c’mon, it’s a race! In the end, the nature of the course came to my rescue. It’s all off road, through woods and across fields, undulating and twist-turny, so you can work hard without trashing the legs - 10k on tarmac would have been a different situation altogether.

About 3 km, ‘Callum’, the eventual winner overtook me. He looked strong, and I was working hard already so no way I could go with him. I never sensed anybody else behind me and felt I was keeping up a decent pace so wasn’t worried about more overtakes, but with the time trial start you never quite know where you are in the field, you can lose position without ever noticing.

Even though it was getting quite hot, the shade through the woods meant that we didn’t fry. Kept up an even effort, maybe a minute slower on the second lap and next thing you know, and it’s all done and I’m second ‘in the club house’, a position that I hold onto as the rest of the field finishes.

I see Jacky on her first run lap so know that she is safely off the bike. Cheered on a few club mates; Cathy and Jamie in the middle-distance, Hugh in the standard. Once we are both done it’s off for Sunday lunch and swapping our stories of the morning. Jacky had a good race, with good gains on the swim and bike compared to September.

Jacky out on the bike

Nutrition. 35g overnight oats and coffee for breakfast. For the bike, I’ve been experimenting with Ucan slow-release super starch. Drank about 350ml containing about 60g. Picked up an energy gel at the start of the second run lap.

Lots of road bikes and not many disc wheels out there; maybe a lighter aero set would have been a good choice but if I was to do it again, I’d make sure I had a few extra gears for The Causeway.

A word about the organisers. As always, Epic Events put on a great race, the bike and run courses were very well signposted plus plenty of marshals. An advantage of Covid-time is the move to online briefings, maybe we can keep it that way? Great pictures also from Mick Hall Photos.

Scores on the doors: 27:37 for the swim, 1:10:17 for the bike, and 45:04 for the run for a total of 2:25:49. Looking forward to Outlaw Half in a few weeks!

And finally, it's great to feel some form returning, so thanks to coach Nick Thomas for getting me back into shape.