David Hepburn joined the club around 18 months ago as a way to improve his 10k PB. Since then he has found a passion for duathlons and recently competed in the Pontevedra ITU Age Group Sprint Duathlon World Championships.

David joins GTC

It was after a change of job in 2016 that David, a mechanical engineer within the wind renewables industry, found himself working away from home a lot. Spending a lot of time in hotels, he decided that running would be his best way to break the monotony this style of life.

He then entered the Glasgow 10k in 2017 and ran it in an impressive time of 40.41. David said: “My time was much better than I was expecting. After that I wanted to join a club to get some advice and coaching to achieve a sub 40-minute 10K and, being a cyclist already, GTC seemed the perfect choice.”

He added:“When I joined the club I used to just cycle and run as a way to keep fit and to enjoy the outdoors but since I’ve started racing I am really enjoying the competitive aspect of it all.”

Sport at school and uni

David’s sporting background includes playing football to what he calls a “reasonable level” at school. He said: “I played with Hamilton Accies and the Glasgow Schools team.

“Then, at university, I started mountain biking after being inspired by the first Danny MacAskill video. Although, it didn’t take me long to realise I was much better at going up hills than fast down, so decided to give road cycling a go.

“I also did a bit of running for general fitness and completed a few 10k adventure races but gave that up due to a knee injury.”

Hooked on duathlon

David, who competes in the senior (25 to 29) age category, is yet to do a triathlon although he is a keen duathlete.

He said: “I guess it’s a bit embarrassing that I’ve still not actually done a triathlon, however my first multisport event was the Peebles Duathlon in September 2018. That gave me a bug for duathlons and I have done about eight since then.

“I would never have imagined when I joined GTC that I would be possible to compete at world age group level but I did. The Pontevedra ITU Age Group Sprint Duathlon World Championships was an incredible experience.”

David was 17th in his age group.

Bike love

David also has a bit of an addiction for bikes. He said: “I own six bikes and on a sunny summer’s day there is nothing to beat a few hours on the bike. However, when the winter comes my running mileage definitely increases.”

Running and swimming

Having joined GTC to improve his running time, David also decided to give swimming a go.

He said: “I could barely swim a length of the pool at the start. However, a after a year of regularly attending the Sunday Western Bath sessions, thanks to Duggie Mac’s patience, I’ve learnt how to breathe and stop fighting the water. I just need to sort out my endurance and pace now…

“However, I would say that my biggest improvement has probably been my running. I have taken more than two minutes off my 5k time in the last year and that shows the benefits of the club Monday and Thursday night running sessions.”

David’s goals

David has a few goals in multi-sport. He said: “I would like to improve my swimming and do some open water swims and triathlons. I also hope to qualify for the 2020 ITU or ETU sprint duathlon.

“Maybe one day I will also complete an Ironman. It seems to be the ultimate challenge to do.”

A few tips

Go to the GTC sessions – I’ve seen such an improvement in both my running and swimming because of that.

Learn to understand pacing – This is the best way to achieve PBs and to a horrible final stage of a race.

Sign up to an event – This has kept me a lot more motivated for training over winter, so I would recommend that people enter a race if they are struggling for some training inspiration.

GTC athlete Arlene Lewis was delighted to take the silver medal in the 2019 Pontevedra World Age Group Aquathlon Championships (F45-49) earlier this month.

If you were not aware, to qualify for the ITU Aquathlon World Championships, applicants had to supply evidence of their best aquathlon or triathlon performance at an event achieved between July 2017 and the final registration deadline of 21st December 2018.

If an age group becomes oversubscribed with eligible athletes then results achieved in the previous 12 months will supersede older results.

To be eligible for a qualifying place all athletes will be required to have completed their nominated race within 115% of the winner of their age group, although this does not guarantee you a place.

With world and European triathlon championships, there are qualifying races for each country.

The 2019 Pontevedra World Age Group Aquathlon Championships comprised a 1km swim and a 5km run.

Arlene’s world aquathlon report

My first experience representing GB at Aquathlon was Ibiza 2018. I had raced age group triathlon for GB and I thought aquathlon could be fun – and a lot easier without the bike.

To be considered for qualification at the Pontevedra aquathlon, I submitted my Ibiza race time and my race at The Bikeless Beastie. I then received that fabulous email saying I was in.

My dad was in right from the start, with my husband needing some gentle coaxing to take time off for a wee trip to Spain. And from then it was a case of focusing on the hard work.

Pre-race nerves

In the lead up to the race I was super tense. I made numerous visits to Achilles Heel for massage and I was constantly bonding with my foam roller.

The day before the race we went to the Expo. I was struggling to let myself enjoy the experience and I was keen to get to the swim familiarisation, which I usually see as an excuse to get more open water swimming in.

There has been a lot of talk about water temperature (14C) and I struggle with the cold but the sun was out and air temperature was around 22C so I was optimistic. My husband Brendan and I had been in Loch Lomond the previous week at 9 degrees, from which I took comfort.

The swim familiarisation was fine and I wore a neoprene hat, but then I spent the next 24 hours wishing I had tested the water without it. I find that pre-race nerves play havoc with my mind!

Coming out the swim recce, my wetsuit got stuck on my watch, which prompted drastic action. I decided not to wear the watch for racing.

I found the 24 hours before the race was a state of limbo. I tried to behave normally and I looked for any distraction, but I kept slipping back into pre-race nerves mode. My poor support crew tried to please me and talked away about any subject they could think of.

The race was in the afternoon, which makes fuelling easier but also gives more time to go over anything and everything that could go wrong.

After a pre-race coffee and chocolate muffin, and a pep talk from my dad, my brain finally seemed to switch.

Set for racing

Aquathlon is my favourite thing. It’s just swimming and running. I kept telling myself: “It can’t be that hard. The sun’s out. Stop this stressing and just enjoy.”

The swim

In the water I saw a space and secured a good start position. From then on there was nothing else in my mind other than the race; no distractions.

Because of the current, the swim seemed a bit messy with a lot of cross crossing. I tried to hang on to a girl’s feet and ended up being kicked in the eye, but it was worth a shot.

It was so hard to tell how you were racing. The wave before us was five minutes ahead and it all became a big mixing pot once in the river. It was really a case of swimming hard and watching out for others.

From the turn, I kept thinking am I going hard enough? I pushed more and just I decided I would deal with the run when I got to it.

In and out of transition

Glad to get my wetsuit off, transition was a controlled affair. I was surprised to see my target competitor still in transition and I heard Brendan shout: “You’re smashing it.”  I left transition thinking: “It’s going ok.”

The run

On the run I soon caught up with my target and passed her. I thought: “That’s good but let’s keep chasing them down.”

I tried to pick up run speed while keeping my shoulders relaxed and I could hear my dad shouting: “Going well.”

Into the second lap it was warm and so I threw water over my head. Checking calves of the other competitors for their age groups, I become focused on ticking them off. I didn’t know who was in front of me but I thought: “Probably a few Americans!”

At the last turn it was only 3.55k to go. I focused on holding the effort until the blue carpet, then I just put it all out there.  With 300m to go, an F45-er danced past and I tried to go with her but I was trying to dodge two others and I was breaking.

As I reached the finish leg the announcer shouted a new world champ in F45 Richardson. She was 50m in front of me with two others who were not F45. Was it possible? I must be silver…

In the finish area I was waiting and wondering how do I find out? Why has he not announced? Is it possible? It must be, but is it?

Silver, or not?

I met Brendan, who had come to same conclusion. I must be second. But the results took ages and I started to doubt it.  Had I put my wetsuit in the box, was I due a penalty, why was there a delay with  results?

Dad and Brendan needed beer. I think they had raced every metre with me and I tried to cool down . I did anything to pass the time until we got results…

I tried to convince myself it didn’t matter. I was happy with my race. I had raced hard, given everything. But, oh, please let it be true.

I gave in and found dad and Brendan at the bar looking confused at the results on their phones.

They were looking in the wrong place. I scrolled further to my category age F45 to 49.

I had done it.

We had done it!

Dreams of a podium

Honestly, I had dreamed of a medal. I think you have to imagine yourself somewhere if you are going to get there. I think you have to believe.

I started to doubt in the two weeks leading up to the race and I let the dream slip away. But on race day, I thought: “Why not? I’ve done the solid winter training and I’m as good as anyone out there.”

Thoughts on GB racing

The more I race GB, the more I enjoy the level of completion, the standard of event, the friendliness and fun competition, the opportunity to race against different nationalities and, for anyone who knows me well, the opportunity to swim and race in the sun.

If you can take family with you it’s a fantastic experience and a great reward for hard training and long suffering support crews.

When I raced the European Championships in Ibiza in 2018 I spent ages analysing the results (as we do). I was amazed by how fast the girls swim. I said to Crawford, Project3, they were 2.30mins ahead of me and I need to change that. And he did.

At his suggestion, I joined GTC in November, slipping quietly into the Tuesday upper master lane. Thank you to the guys in that lane. You know who you are and I look forward to smashing out some more Tuesday swims through the year.

Thank you to Crawford P3 and all the P3ers who understatedly led me to this point, an age group medallist! Thank you for the opportunity. And to Brendan who has done everything to make this possible for me. He put up with training, screaming, stretching, crying and even joined me at Wednesday morning P3 circuits and Loch Lomond swims.

If you are thinking about age group, I’d say, get out there, do it and enjoy the journey.

Also read: Amy takes gold in aquathlon world champs.

GTC member Amy Ritchie (age group 20 to 24) triumphed in the 2019 Pontevedra ITU Aquathlon Age Group World Championships in Spain this month. Another club member Arlene Lewis (45 to 49) took silver.

Amy finished the 1km open water swim and 5km run in 37:14. She won gold more than than a minute and a half ahead of the second placed female.

Arlene was just 11 seconds behind the gold medal winner in her age category and finished in 39:18 to take silver.

The GB age group finished with a total of 25 medals, including 10 golds, in Pontevedra.

Both Amy and Arlene also competed in the 2018 Glasgow ETU Triathlon European Championships last year. Amy was 12^th in her age cat while Arlene was 24^th.

Last year, Arlene also qualified for the 2018 Ibiza ETU Aquathlon European Championships coming 5^th.  In 2017, she was 22^nd in the Düsseldorf ETU Sprint Triathlon European Champs.

Amy’s bid for qualification

Amy qualified to race at the world champs in February. She competed in Porto in Portugal as part of a holiday with her parents. Amy said: “I enticed my parents with  the idea of good food, wine and weather, rather than the racing. We ended having a week’s holiday and I qualified for the world champs, too.”

Racing in the world champs

The world champs race took place on May 3. Arriving in Spain on May 1 gave Amy enough time to recce the swim course, which was a 1km loop swimming against the current, turning around two buoys at the far end and swimming back down to transition with the current.

Amy said: “The water temperature was around 14C, which I felt was warm after the 6C of Neptune Steps in Glasgow in March. I don’t think the Australian competitors agreed with me though!”

Amy had been suffering with a cold the week before the event and had been unable to run for much of March so she said she wasn’t expecting to do too well.

The race start

Amy’s age category started the race with five other female age groups. She said: “This meant it was pretty choppy in the water with lots of accidental punching and kicking.

“My main aim in the swim was to find space, which I did by about the turn point, and then power it back to transition.”

She described the run course as “fairly crowded”. She said: “This meant I had very little idea where I was placed, but I felt strong and I was pleasantly surprised with my run time.”

Amy wins gold

Amy had no idea that she had won her age group until her boyfriend, who was checking the results at home, texted. He wrote: “DID YOU JUST WIN?! OH MY GOD, YOU’VE WON!”

Amy said: “Overall, it was a great experience of racing abroad, topped off with a World AG gold medal. It also happened on what would have been my gran’s 100th birthday, which made it even more special.

“All of the other athletes were incredibly friendly and supportive, and it was great to have my parents there to watch me win.

“This time last year having only done two triathlons, I definitely didn’t think I could even qualify for Age Group World and European events, so I can’t thank the GTC coaches and training pals enough for helping me to believe in myself. I couldn’t have done it without you all.”

Also read: Arlene wins silver at aquathlon world champs.

Fiona has been a regular at GTC since 2016 when she joined up with her daughter Lucy. However, she did come along to the club between 2010 and 2012, but found it difficult to make sessions because of childcare difficulties.

Her first triathlon was the Durty off-road, which at the time was held at St Mary’s Loch in the Scottish Borders. Fiona says: “In 2010, a judo friend suggested I give this race a try. I had done no open water swimming in cold water and virtually no mountain biking, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Fiona’s main sport from childhood until her 30s was judo. Unfortunately, she was abruptly forced to give this up after an injury in 2001.

She also started running in 1996 after a year working in Chicago “because I didn’t have a car”.

She says: “That year, I did my first women’s 10k at the beginning of the summer and the Glasgow Half Marathon at the end of the summer.

“I have done both every year since, apart from 2000 when I was pregnant and I missed one half marathon due to illness.

“I ran the last two 10ks with my daughter Lucy. They were her first two 10ks.

“I’m totally gutted the women’s 10km has been canned this year.”

I like two out of three sports

Fiona was initially attracted to triathlon because she likes swimming and running. She is still not sure about the cycling!

She says: “I really enjoy the swimming and running. I like them equally I think. I also like open water swimming and I did a Glencoe swim and a Corran Narrows swim with some old judo friends last year.

“The part of triathlon that I still struggle to like is cycling, which unfortunately, as I have now learned, is the key component.

“However, there is to it than that for me. I like training and racing – I prefer aquathlons for obvious reasons! – with a mixed group of ages. Other than moving between hospitals, my job as a histopathologist, is relatively sedentary so triathlon is a good way to keep moving.

“I am always happiest when I am exercising outdoors and I think the post training and race endorphins are highest when the weather is the most challenging.”

Since joining the club more recently, Fiona has seen an improvement in her  swimming. She says: “Last year, I knocked a minute off my 750m swim time, although then I added 30 seconds back on at the Glasgow University Aquathlon last month.

“It’s still a 30 second gain overall though and I do really enjoy the new swim squad sessions.

“My running has also improved, although perhaps not so much in speed but in strength and stamina.

“Last year, I did the Berlin Marathon and I was amazed that I was pretty much back to normal within a week. I feel like I push myself much harder at GTC sessions than I would if I went out for a run on my own.”

Fiona’s favourite GTC session is the winter rugged runs.  She says: “These are always worth getting up on a Saturday for – and they are even better since I have been bringing our dog Lilly. She seems to really enjoy them, too.”

Fiona assists with the guide running at the club. She says: “It is great that our visually impaired runners can join in with the group. It’s a new challenge for me because you have to be alert and pay constant attention to your surroundings.

“I would like to guide a full triathlon at some point but I will need to improve my cycling first.”

Sporting achievements and goals

Fiona reveals her best achievement in sport is representing Scotland in judo at the Commonwealth Tournament in 1994.

She was also ranked third by Triathlon Scotland for off road triathlon in 2012.

She says: “I was surprised and amused to be ranked third by Triathlon Scotland for off road triathlon that year. I entered three events and I think I was almost last in all of them.

“Anybody that has seen my mountain biking would find this hilarious. The message is clear – you’ve got to be in it to win it.”

She started this season with a podium, too. She was third vet in the GU Sprint Aquathlon.

Fiona’s main goal for the coming season is to improve her cycling. She says: “I have been going to a spin class and I do a longer outdoor cycle once a week, as well as commuter cycling. I am also looking forward to the track sessions starting. Now that’s in writing, I will have to go regularly!”

She plans to do the Five Ferries Cycle Route with her sister next month and a couple of sprint triathlons, one with Lucy, plus the Bikeless Beastie (an aquathlon).

She says: “In addition, I have entered some open water swims with my friends from judo and then I’ll do the Knockburn Standard Distance Triathlon in September. I haven’t done a standard distance for six years.”

When it comes to lifetime aspirations, Fiona says she is inspired by older people still taking part in sport. She says: “At one of my first duathlons, I was chatting to a lady beforehand. I thought that she might have been in her late 50s. She was 75!

“I also met an 89-year-old skier on holiday this year who was still taking black runs at speed. My lifetime aspiration is to enjoy sport and triathlon as long as I can.”

Fiona’s tips for triathlon

Add some strength training to your workouts. It will help to stop you getting injured, especially as you get older.

Never think you can’t do anything (within reason). Just work out how you can do it

Sign up for training sessions well in advance. That way, it’s part of a plan and you have to go. You will enjoy it when you get there and reap the benefits.

Club member Alastair Macnaughton has carried out an in-depth test to compare a TT bike against a road bike in a TT configuration.

While some people swear by the pure time trial (TT) bike for speed, others reckon you can gain as much advantage with a road bike set up like a TT bike. Alastair decided to put two bikes to the test.

He writes: In an attempt to shave a few seconds off the bike leg of my triathlon races, I decided to buy a full blown TT bike for season 2018. Up to this point I did what many other triathletes do, I “aero’d” my road bike as much as possible.

My initial hope was to save off around 40 seconds in a sprint triathlon and 60 to 80 seconds in a standard distance triathlon using a dedicated TT bike.

However, having bought the TT bike and taken part in club time trials and triathlons I had the distinct feeling I wasn’t any faster.

In fact, it appeared I was slightly lower.

I initially put this down to one, or a combination, of the following:

1. I was a year older (VO2 Max can drop circa  0.5-1% per annum)
2. My bike fit was poorer on the TT bike
3. I wasn’t technically capable of riding the TT bike and less confident.

As the season went on I was able to address all of the above and eliminate them as possibilities

1. My VO2 was very similar to the previous year and some of the TT times were around 4% slower. This accounted for higher then the typical degradation for age. My FTP had also improved by 5% from the previous year.
2. I had a professionally conducted bike fit on the new TT bike. In general, the TT bike position was more aero and felt more comfortable than my aero’d road bike that I’d set up myself.
3. It was true at the start of the season that I wasn’t technically capable on my new TT bike, but as I rode it more I was able to race at full gas, especially on straight flat courses

Many more variables

I was aware, too, that there were many more variables associated with comparing a new bike from its predecessor a year apart. Even on similar courses, weather conditions, training load etc play a big part.

So, I took the decision to try yo run a trial of one bike against the other on the same morning. What follows is an account of those findings, not scientific, but potentially enough to make an informed decision for my specific situation.

The test

The plan was to do a number of pieces (three or four) on a course that would hopefully reflect a typical “real- world” scenario. The plan would be for me to swap bikes between each piece and to record as much data as possible (Garmin 735XT plus Assiamo Power Pedal).

The plan was also for me to try to maintain a similar effort for each piece. I left it at three or four as I wasn’t sure if fatigue would start to play a significant part.

The Course

I used part of a locally recognised 10-mile TT course (along the A77) for the trial. It is undulating with slight bends and one U-turn at the halfway point. It is 5.4 miles (8.67km) in length with 33 metres of elevation. I thought this was enough variability to present a “real world” environment.

The cyclists

My daughter’s boyfriend, Frank Murray, joined me for the trial, in part to provide someone to chase and to also provide some invaluable input.

I’ve been taking part in triathlon for seven years and I could probably be best described as an aspiring age grouper.

Frank had just recently moved into cycling in the previous four months from performance rowing and he had never been on a TT bike before or tried a time trial.

We are also the same height and weight and so he could use my setup on both bikes.  

The following data was gathered from my rides on the different bikes.

My results

The road bike ride was the fastest overall with a slightly lower pulse, slightly higher power and slightly higher cadence, although all the results are probably within a margin error that would indicate little difference.

So, for me, it would indicate no significant difference between the two bikes and therefore no benefit for the expense of owning a TT bike.

As our initial plan was that Frank would be involved as a motivating factor, we only had limited recording of his data, namely the time taken, the average speed and heart rate. 

What was interesting, however, was that Frank was significantly faster (by more than 30 seconds) on the TT bike than the road bike.

Frank’s results

In trying to understand this, the only conclusion we could come up with was that Frank’s additional speed was having a bigger impact on the marginal aero advantages of the TT bike.

This was further confirmed when breaking down my own splits per km as shown below and looking at the gradient of each section.

This seemed to confirm our findings in that the downhill sections were faster on the TT bike, when the speed was higher and the aero effect maximised.

TT vs road bike: The conclusions

• The benefits that I had been looking for in a dedicated TT bike versus a TT’d up Road bike only occur if the rider is capable of speeds averaging between 40-50 KPH (or an FTP of 300W plus).
• I discounted any lack of flexibility on my part, in that the power output for both bikes were comparable and within the margin of error.
• I concluded that I was better off selling my TT bike and going back to the flexibility of my road bike that can be configured into a TT bike when needed.

And Frank? He is now the proud owner of shiny new TT bike.

Nineteen GTC athletes participated in an early season race this month. The  Glasgow University Aquathlon returned for the third year to Ballahouston Park with two events:

• Sprint Aquathlon: 750m pool swim and a 5k run.
• GoTri: 400m pool swim and 2.5k run

The weather was testing with cold temperatures, heavy rain and hailstones.

GU Sprint Aquathlon podiums

The club scored three podium places, two in the GU Sprint and one in the GoTri.

Amy is first female

Amy Ritchie was the first female and fifth overall in the GU Sprint in a time of 32:25. She races as a senior.

She said: “I was pleased to win and I’m hoping it’s a sign that I’m in good shape for my other upcoming races.

“I knew there were a few girls who had potentially faster swim times than me but I had a pretty solid swim and I was out of transition first, so knew I just needed to hold on for the run.

“The weather was pretty awful – character building? – and I’d also been struggling with a recurring Achilles problem the week before, so it wasn’t my best run but it was okay given the conditions.

“Having Brian and Craig B to give me a cheer at the lap mark and at the finish definitely helped. It’s always nice to race with other club members and to see them doing well.”

Next on Amy’s race schedule is Red Bull Neptune’s Steps, the Alloa Half Marathon and then the World AG Aquathlon champs in Spain in May.

Fiona’s is third vet

In third place in the female 40-plus age category in a time of 43.36 was Fiona Roberts. She says: “It was a nice surprise especially as it was an amalgamated category of 40s and 50s and I am over 50. Also, there were more than three people in our category!

“My expectations were low going into the race and I had a terrible swim with two young men who kept overtaking then pulling on the brakes instead of just doing the work for me. I am joking!

“The first lap of run went okay but during the second lap I felt like I had borderline hypothermia. I guess I should have run faster! The hailstones were sore, too.

“My times were slower than my last aquathlon but it’s the first of the year so there is room for improvement.”

Fiona was also pleased to see all the other GTC competitors and her daughter Lucy, who is now racing for Dundee Uni.

She says: “The Glasgow Uni team were great and stood out in that miserable weather for a long time but still cheered us on. It was a great event.”

Fiona’s next race is the Monikie Sprint Triathlon in July.

Lynda’s GoTri triumph

Lynda MacDonald made a return to a multi-sport racing for the first time since being 14. “That’s 34 years if you must know,” she says. She picked up first place in the GoTri event in a time of 22.26.

She says: “I’d entered the novice race because I felt that doing a multiple-sport event once every three decades didn’t qualify me as experienced.

“It is a long time since I swam competitively, too. I last swam at a decent level when I was 17.”

A fractured shin bone last summer saw Lynda return to the pool because she had a ban from all other sports.

Lynda took her transition preparation seriously. She said: “On arrival at Bellahouston, I carefully laid out my running shoes, with half a bottle of talc inside them, along with a big man’s fleece. This was the only top that went on easily when I’d practised wet out of the shower at home.

“I had my race number belt in a carrier bag to keep it dry and noted that the person next to me had a personalised towel and I immediately felt inadequate.”

Lynda says she does not have much recollection of the swim. “It was all a bit of a blur,” she says. “I’m guessing that my technique went to pot and that I used the turns as a chance to gulp in air instead of an efficient turnaround.

“I’m guessing this because my time for the 400m was a full minute and half slower than I’d done in a timed practice in the pool a week before.

“I came out the pool at the same time as ‘personalised towel Mary’ and we ran off together. At this point I realised I was still wearing my swimming cap and had a woolly bunnet over the top.”

The run was also a bit of a blur for Lynda. She says: “I’d been advised on good authority to just sprint it – so I did. To be fair, I didn’t notice the horizontal sleet or 1C wind – probably because of the rubber and wool hat combo – and it was quickly just me and the cyclist route guide.

“When we reached the hill I looked behind me and couldn’t see a soul so I decided to just walk for a bit. I’ve never done that in any running event but I was suddenly a bit spaced out and my breathing was erratic to say the least.

“Once we got to the top of the hill I ran the rest of the way and I was delighted to see a familiar face – Ray – at the finish line.

“I was pleased to win, of course, but it all happened so quickly and when I was asked at the time if I enjoyed it I wasn’t quite sure, but looking back now I think I did.”

Lynda’s next race is the club’s own Bishopbriggs Tri in May.

GTC race GUAquathlon

Congratulations to everyone from GTC who raced. Here are the results.

Scores in the GTC champs league

Although Lochlan has been with GTC for four years, he did not attend many training sessions until the start of 2018. Since then, there has been no looking back for the veteran age category athlete.

Lochlan has thrown himself into training and racing and he is an enthusiastic coach.

He says: “It took me a while to build enough courage to regularly come along to the club sessions. However, when I did I really saw the benefits.

“At last year’s winter training camp, I also recognised I wasn’t good at swimming and that performing well at cycling and running required a bit more investment than just turning up on the day and giving it a bash.”

Sporting background

Growing up, Lochlan played a variety of sports, including squash and tennis, and he ran cross country. He attended a rugby school and played to a high level until a nasty head injury ended his contact sport career.

Lochlan says: “At the time, I believed rugby, especially in my school and city, defined me socially and I felt very lost afterwards. Apart from occasional challenges, I drifted in terms of sport for 20 years before my first triathlon.”

It was the “joined-up nature of three very different sports in triathlon” that appealed to Lochlan. He says: “I also had a preconception that triathlon is a difficult sport. Like any sport, it’s only as difficult or challenging as you want to make it.

“I like the balance between pushing hard to maximise performance in your strongest discipline, while also trying to minimise losses in your weaker one.”

Lochlan now enjoys triathlon for several different reasons. He says: “Bizarrely, I enjoy the immediate demand on your body to adapt to differing physical requirements of each discipline.

“I really like transitions as well; the necessity of organisation, clarity of mind and speed.

“And while triathlon is principally an individual sport, there is great camaraderie, especially in GTC.

“I’m pretty sure I got a repetitive strain injury from all the high fives at the triathlons at Mid Argyll and Lochore Meadows. And being cheered on by the GTC juniors at Craggy 2017 when I really just wanted to quit after the bike was amazing.”

Cycling, running, swimming

By a process of elimination, Lochlan reveals that cycling is his favourite sport of the three, followed by running and then swimming.

He says: “While not much of a descender, or climber for that matter, I love the speed on the bike on the flat.”

Running has felt like a chore to Lochlan, although he has seen improvements. He says: “Running to me has often been laborious and more like a trudge than a flow. I have never understood – and still don’t – how some people can run with Zen.

“Yet my running has become much better thanks to regular training.”

It is in swimming that Lochlan has seen the most gains. In the beginning of his triathlon career, he describes his swimming as  “more akin to wrestling and I always lost”.

Thanks to GTC swim coaching he has seen some great improvements. He says: “Technical skills and fitness have made me a faster swimmer, yet while expending far less effort. However, I still have plenty to work on. In my head I swim like Michael Phelps, but video evidence sadly says otherwise!”

Going forwards, Lochlan is determined to train more. He says: “I want to mentally embrace training more and not to view it just as a ‘necessary evil’. Racing then becomes more of an opportunity to demonstrate the results of quality and regular training.”

Race highlights

Lochlan’s first two triathlon races were standards in 2012 and 2015, followed by a middle distance in 2016. It was only in 2017 that he really got into the competitions.

He says: “My average of three races every five years jumped after taking part in four sprint races in 2017 – and I haven’t looked back since.”

He reveals some of his proudest moments. He says: “It was 35C at the Budapest Half Ironman 2016. So, I was very pleased to finish in 5:28 and, in particular, I liked my bike split time.

“However, 2018 was my best and most consistent year. I made considerable improvements from all my 2017 race times and enjoyed a couple of podiums, although one was as part of a relay.”

Lochlan is undecided about his favourite race distance. He says: “I have done various distances but I think the sprint is the most fun. You can hammer the bike and the run isn’t too long, so that’s probably my favourite.

“Also, a sprint relay is flat out and the team nature makes it definitely worth trying.

“Later this year, I will do Ironman Wales. I’m extremely confident it will not become my preferred distance.”

Lochlan has a few goals for this season. He says: “There is room to improve again on all my times from last year.

“My goals are to continue to improve my swim times and technique; to be stronger and have better endurance on the bike; and to improve my 5km run from 19 minutes to closer to 18 minutes. All of the above will be fantastic if I achieve them.

“I’d also like a few more podiums this year and to perform well at the World Age Group Championships in the sprint distance and also at Ironman Wales.

“However, both are hilly courses so they are not best suited to my cycling and running.”

The rewards of coaching

Lochlan is a level two triathlon coach. He has found the process of coaching to be “immensely rewarding”. He adds: Coaching has also been very helpful to my own well-being. As well as the technical aspects, helping members with their confidence and self-belief is very satisfying.

“Coaching the juniors, a very different dynamic, and witnessing their growing aptitude and enjoyment for the sport is also fantastic.

“I would strongly recommend coaching to other people. For me, it has probably been the single best aspect to participation in triathlon.

“It has been a privilege and I want to continue to coach, both adults and juniors. “

Lochlan’s top tips for triathlon

Nothing beats attending the club’s sessions.  All three elements are technical in their own way and you will improve exponentially by going to regular sessions. Always train with focus and, importantly, fun.

When it gets tough, in training and races, break what’s ahead down into smaller chunks. For example, swim to the next buoy or lap, cycle or run to the next tree or lamp-post. The brain is a resilient beast and successfully pushing through will definitely add fortitude to your athletic arsenal.

Embrace your race nerves – they show you care. What percentage of the population get to the start line of any triathlon? Race nerves are a privilege, earned from all your training, belief, desire and perseverance.

Never think one element of your life defines you (be that your career, pastime or sport). We are all a lot more than just triathletes, though this sport does make us all an interesting, quirky bunch.

Cath Macneil was the GTC AGM 2019 raffle winner. She won a month of free training sessions.

The free training throughout February came at a great time for Cath. She says: “As it happens, my training plan for the Berlin half marathon on April 6 started on January 14, so free training meant I had no excuse for not trying. 

“In total, I attended four running sessions, three at Huntershill and one at Bellahouston, as well as four swimming sessions, one at Maryhill and the others at Scotstoun, in the first three weeks before jetting off to the club training week at Playitas.

“I also joined in the spin classes on a Wednesday at Glasgow Caledonian Uni.  These were the only sessions I paid for in February because the money goes directly to the uni. They are still very good value.”

Swim session benefits

Cath found she enjoyed the swimming sessions at Scotstoun. She says: “The time of the session meant my dinner could settled prior to the swim.

“I also discovered that even in the development lane the distance we cover in the pool is meaningful. 

“I believe we had a different coach each time but the sessions build on each other and each has a theme.  Dougie and Nial focused on sculling, which in turn allowed Lochlan to focus on the catch. 

“I think I learned a bit, although I think it’s difficult to teach an old dog! However, my right elbow was certainly higher on the final week than on the first. 

“I may have been faster too, however, everyone else in the lane is also getting faster, so the effort is neutralised.”

Running faster

Cath has seen a build-up of benefits thanks to GTC running sessions. She says: “The track sessions are great and I know I am getting faster as various sections are timed. The track is in good condition and puts an extra spring in your step. 

“Vicky usually takes this session and again there is a theme, building up, week-on-week to improve different aspects on the run. We all have things that need to improve, despite some being faster than others.

“The team spirit at the Monday night sessions is second to none and the fact that you can’t get lost or left behind is brilliant.”

Cath’s final free February session was at Bellahouston, coached by Sean. She says: “He was focusing on hills, which I had started practising on my own. 

“The difference between going to the sessions and running on your own is marked.  On my own, I ran up and down a fairly tall hill close to the house five times and within half an hour I was back home with my breath back.

“With the club, the session is an hour and you can stop if you want but you don’t want to. You want to prove you are as good as everyone else. 

“The hill was not as tall as the one at home, but I ran faster and for longer and I really felt it the next morning.  Typically, you don’t realise you are slacking when training on your own, but you do when you train with others and it is only by going hard that you get better.”

Cath concludes: “Stronger and tougher – that’s what winning the raffle has meant to me. I hope I can show at the Bishopbriggs triathlon that the club’s investment has been worthwhile.”

A few years ago, GTC member Alastair Young was trying to cope with a very tough period of his life. Faced with a redundancy, struggling with his mental health and overweight, he wondered if triathlon might be a way to “get back on an even keel”.

While the sport seemed like an impossible task – “I couldn’t swim front crawl, I hadn’t really ridden a bike since I was a kid and I didn’t like running,” he says – Alastair thought the shock-and-awe approach might be the perfect solution.

Alastair adds: “That essentially was the attraction of triathlon. If I could undertake something like this and get anywhere with it, even if I could just finish a race, I would take that.

“Amazingly, it has gone better than I could have possibly imagined.”

Joining the club

Alastair, who joined GTC two-and-a-half years ago, is married with twin boys, who are now in first year at university. He works as part of a management team for a post-production facility in the film and TV industry.

Sport has often been a part of his life but in the years leading up to becoming a member of GTC he was less focused than he would have liked to be.

He says: “I’ve always been an enthusiastic participant in team sports but I was nobody’s first pick.

“At school I was lucky enough to have had the chance to try lots of sports, including football, rugby, cricket and athletics. I also enjoyed racquet sports, particularly tennis.

“Oddly, although I was taught to swim at school, I don’t remember ever doing front crawl.

“I’m definitely not a runner and have tried to avoid doing it at all costs.”

It was through university and the start of his career that Alastair began to lose focus with sport. He says: “Apart from occasional gym sessions and playing five-a-side football fairly regularly the demands of my job and frequent travel with work, and then starting a family, made it difficult to fit much in.”

Then, three years ago, a friend who was already a member of GTC suggested triathlon to Alastair.

Over two years of training and two seasons of racing, he is delighted to have lost weight – two stones so far – and become much fitter than he could have hoped for.

He says: “I was very cautious when I first joined the club, partly because of my own self-doubt and I figured that it would full of super athletes.

“I very quickly discovered an amazing community of excellent coaches and supportive club mates, a fair few of whom where new to the sport and on the same pathway as me.

“It is entirely speculative, but I suspect that triathlon might extend my life. I’m not sure that I have ever been fitter and I have a much more positive outlook on life; essentially I am in a much better headspace.

“A big part of this has been GTC.”

Growing love for triathlon

Alastair says choosing a favourite triathlon discipline is like being asked to choose a favourite child. He says: “I feel like we should love and loathe the three sports in equal measure!”

Alastair believes he saw most progress in swimming in the first year with GTC. He says: “When I started, I could hardly swim the length of myself.

“Beginning in Duggie’s Sunday night ‘try not to drown’ session, I then got knocked into shape by Hannah, Rose and a few other coaches and eventually found myself in the quicker end of the masters squad.

“The second year I put more effort into running and by getting along to the GTC run sessions regularly – special mention to Craig Armour and the Thursday night crew – I saw a massive improvement through the year.

“I effectively took seven-plus minutes off my 5k time.

“I just need to sort the cycling out now.”

First years of racing

Cautious about racing too far too soon, Alastair took a methodical approach to competition. In his first year, he did a couple of novice races and a few sprints, then last year he did a few sprints and his first standard distance.

“This year I plan to do a few standards and a middle distance triathlon,” he says. “It seems like a logical approach. I have tried to mix it up with events, such as pool-based, loch and sea swims, road bike, MTB, trail runs and road runs.

“I can honestly say I have enjoyed them all, well, aside from Craggy Island Triathlon in the teeth of a hurricane with a cracked rib!”

Alastair, who is in the Vets category, has been thrilled with his achievements. He says: “I managed my first podium last year – over a sprint distance – which was a complete shock.

“But, really, the thing that I have taken the most pride in is seeing my consistent improvements across all the disciplines, from a complete novice to transforming my mental and physical health.

“As well as losing weight, I have I have regained a deal of confidence and well-being. I’m not quite there yet but I now have a better understanding of what I’m capable of and I keep finding new goals to aim for.”

Alastair also values the new friends he has made through the club. He says: “While triathlon is an individual sport, being part of GTC means there is a community of people who swim every stroke, pedal every turn and run every step with you.

“This is in combination with the excellent coaching we have at GTC, which means that you go into races and training session with the necessary skills and understanding of what is required to see it through to the end.

“And to be honest it is fun! It has to be fun because I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t.”

Alastair’s triathlon goals

Alastair has a few goals for this coming season. He says: “My aim is to keep improving and to keep enjoying it. I realise that I can’t sustain my current trajectory but small increments will suit me fine.

“I’m just about to make the leap from Vets to Super Vets, too, as I have my 50th birthday in June. Apparently the level of competition is just as intense but the bikes become more expensive.

“I want to put something back into the club, too, and to that aim I have just completed my Level 1 coaching course, so I hope to be poolside and track-side passing on my encouragement soon.

“And then there is that small matter of trying to get round a middle distance triathlon intact.”

As to the future in triathlon, Alastair is philosophical. He says: “I’ve no idea where the sport will take me. When I started I just wanted to make a positive change in my life – and so far so good.

“Now I have the triathlon bug and I have discovered myriad race options and opportunities associated with the sport, I’d like to keep trying new things. I’m curious to see if I can actually coach.

“Overall, hopefully my mind and body will hold out and the adventure will continue.”

Alastair’s tips for triathlon

Sign up for a race: Even if you have just started out, a race gives you something to aim for and the euphoric feeling of crossing the finish line on your first event will stay with you forever.

Volunteer:  Helping at club events is rewarding. The first thing I did before even going to a club training session was to turn up at the triathlon at Bishopbriggs, to try to get a sense of what the sport was all about. It was a great introduction to the sport.

Go to the club sessions: You will get the most return for your time (and money) by doing the coached club sessions, even it is just a couple a week. You get a great workout, learn loads and they are an absolute bargain.

Ask away: There is no such thing a daft question and with 500 members and some of the best coaches around there are so many people who can offer advice and support. Don’t be afraid to ask because people want to help.

Buy club kit: It could be one item and it doesn’t need to be anything expensive, maybe a hat, buff, vest or whatever. It is scientifically proven to make you 10% faster* and you get great support on the course from your club mates.

*this might not actually be scientifically proven…