Tri Liverpool Standard Distance
British Championships Triathlon

10th August
2014

Home : Race Results : Runners Pages
 

 

Official Results

  1.5k Swim 40k Bike 10k Run Total
Nicholas Beardow 29.02 1.09.03 43.04 2.27.45
Nora Haggart 28.49 1.19.53 45.09 2.42.24


Yesterday I competed in the British National Triathlon Championships Standard Distance in Liverpool. My aim was to qualify for the ETU Standard Distance Championships in Geneva next July, though I don’t think I have been successful in view of the strength of the field. There were some incredibly fast times with people coming to Liverpool from all over the UK. I shall have to rain harder! But it was fun, nevertheless, despite the wind and the rain. Many people would be put off by the thought of swimming in the Mersey, but the Liverpool docks are actually very clean and you could see the bottom quite clearly, especially near the sides. What might put even more people off were the thousands of jellyfish. They were everywhere, some enormous, though fortunately they don’t seem to sting wet-suit clad swimmers. I even brushed a few with my hands, though tried not to hurt any. I wonder what the jellyfish thought of thousands of swimmers invading their space. Despite the high winds of Hurricane Bertha, the docks were well protected and the sea was calm. That could not be said of the bike…

The course was four laps of an out and back 10km loop with dead turns at each end. On closed roads it felt like a profession event – indeed there were male and female elite events to round off the day. Despite the weather – lashing rain and bike-wobbling gusts of wind – it was exhilarating with so many cyclists racing each other up and down the main streets of Liverpool. The run was similarly designed and for once I felt quite strong achieving a PB for a 10km run off the bike. Thanks go to my coaches Tony and Neil and Jen and Mark for this. I'm getting better slowly, but it is not yet good enough. Must work harder…!

Finally, I can recommend The Liverpool triathlon, as it was well organised, with a good fast course and in a great city full of friendly people. Triathletes are a friendly bunch but the people of Liverpool made it specially so. The presence of my daughter, Victoria, a triathlete herself now, made it a special weekend. To cap it off watching Gwen Jorgensen (ITU Triathlon Champion from the USA) making running look so easy (5km at 15.23) has inspired me for future events. Now why can't I run like that…?

Nick