Blackwater Triathlon training in a time of Covid
It has now been over a year since we were first forced into lockdown by the Covid-19 pandemic. The last twelve months have seen an unprecedented change in the way we all live our lives. This can be seen in the associated knock-on effects in many aspects of those lives, from work to education to maintaining human connections in a time of isolation.
For the members of Blackwater Triathlon Club, trying to stay fit and motivated for the eventual return of races has been very challenging. Most of last year’s races and mass participation events, such as Ironman Youghal, the Lee Swim or The Ring of Kerry charity cycle, were cancelled or postponed. Our own club race had to be called off after over a decade of uninterrupted races. Training plans were thrown into disarray by extended lockdowns. Motivation became harder to maintain and the joys of home-working, home-schooling and home-delivery made getting on the bike or out on the road increasingly difficult. Usually, at this time of year, our members are to be seen swimming countless laps in the nearest pool while waiting for outdoor temperatures to increase to the extent that a dip in the river, reservoir or sea doesn’t guarantee hypothermia. However, the pools are closed and for most of us the nearest we can get to swimming is to resort to lying on the kitchen table with some resistance bands trying to mimic the strokes we use in the water. (Apparently some even go to the extent of donning their hats, goggles and wetsuits for these sessions. Whether this is for added authenticity or as a result of an unusual relationship to neoprene is not for us to speculate upon?)
At this stage we must give credit to the brave souls from the club who have been swimming in the reservoir throughout the winter months, some even venturing in without a wetsuit! For most club members having to break the ice before getting into the water is just a step too far, but for those in training for an ice-mile attempt later in the year it was an ideal opportunity.
March is the month when some hardier souls can usually be seen venturing out on the roads on their bikes again as the days get longer and the weather improves and the turbo trainers lose their appeal. The prohibition on group rides and the 5km limit has curtailed that activity somewhat. Cycling around a 20km loop multiple times on your own lacks the allure of a group ride on a cold spring morning with the associated chat and promise of a coffee and a bun along the route.
Fortunately, for many of the club’s more ardent two-wheelers, technology has provided a replacement in the form of smart turbo-trainers and the joy of Zwift. Gone are the days when slogging out the kilometres on a turbo trainer was the cycling equivalent of watching paint dry. These days with a suitable smart trainer and an internet connection, cyclists can enjoy cycling around the cobbled streets of Paris or through the forests of California, all without leaving their own home. They can arrange to go on socially distanced group rides with fellow club members or even compete in virtual races! While providing an efficient and safe way to train alone, it also provides all the stats and information that even the greatest cycling nerd could wish for. Endless conversations about FTPs and watts per kilogram and the best cadence sensors help while away the hours until we can once again venture out in to the real world.
At least we can still run within our 5km limits, albeit mostly alone again. Most of us don’t have access to a treadmill at home, so it’s all about getting out there and pounding the roads, no matter what the weather brings. There is light at the end of the tunnel now though and many of us check the news every day to see how long it will be before the country will be opened up again and whether the events we’ve signed up for this year will go ahead or not.
For many, the main focus of attention is Ironman Youghal on August 14th/15th. Between the half-Ironman event on the Saturday and the Full Ironman race on the Sunday, the Blackwater Triathlon Club has 40 athletes hoping to compete that weekend. Following the postponement last year, some of the athletes have been training for this event for over 18 months and the thought of having to wait another year is not a pleasant one. It’s now a race between the vaccinations, the virus and the lockdown levels to see whether the races will go ahead.
In the meantime we have no choice but to continue training as if it’s on. So, while challenging, triathlon training doesn’t stop for a pandemic and hopefully we’ll all be racing again later this year.
A CHAT WITH BRYAN McCRYSTAL ON ZOOM
As part of the Blackwater Triathlon Club’s commitment to training and improvement of its athletes, we try to arrange events each year to allow our members to learn from top triathletes and various other specialists. Like everything else, these events have had to move online to cater for social distancing guidelines.
This year, the first event we had was a chat with Brian McCrystal over Zoom. Bryan is Ireland’s fastest Ironman and a multiple podium finisher in many races. Following a successful career playing football in Ireland and the UK, Bryan turned his attention to endurance events, initially excelling in cycling before coming to triathlon. He is now a coach and mentor to elite and novice cyclists and triathletes from around the world. Bryan is also working with Donnacha McCarthy, a blind paratriathlete from Drimoleague, in his quest to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. Last Thursday evening Bryan joined us on Zoom to chat about his career so far and answered various questions about his training regime, diet and how he manages his training in these difficult times. Ciara Crowley did her best Ryan Tubridy impersonation on the night, introducing Bryan and asking various questions that club members had sent in. Bryan proved to be very interesting, detailing his journey from a career as a professional footballer to becoming the elite endurance athlete he is today in his unique laconic style.
Unfortunately, the call was cut short on the night due to an unexpected event on Bryan’s side, but we are planning another chat with Bryan very soon. More than 40 of the club’s members joined the call that evening and are all eagerly awaiting part two.
MEMORIES OF TOMMY BAKER
The Blackwater Triathlon Club would like to extend its condolences to the family of Tommy Baker, a stalwart of the Fermoy swimming community, who passed away last week. Tommy was well known to most people from around Fermoy and especially to anyone who ever swam in the River Blackwater. He was also the uncle of one of our current members, Brian Baker, and the grandfather of one of our former members, Owen O’Keefe, another renowned swimmer.
For many club members, Tommy was the man who introduced them to the joy of swimming in the Blackwater River. Dave Mulcahy, one of the club’s most enthusiastic swimmers, remembers Tommy from when he first moved to Fermoy: “It was a lucky day back in the mid-1990s when I called in for a haircut on the Main Street in Fermoy. The barber was Tommy Baker and in the course of conversation he mentioned swimming in the River Blackwater. Within days I was introduced to the nearby river and, along with Leo Bartley, joined in the daily ritual each evening at 6 o’clock. Hail, rain or shine they would show up and swim for 20/30 minutes. Even if the river was in flood they would get in up river and shoot downstream. I will always remember Tommy’s routine after a swim was to squeeze out his togs and conceal them up on a wall behind the ivy for the next day.
“Following on from this a few casual swimming events started. At the time you could rock up, sign in and participate, but as time went on races became more formal and competitive. These events had a few different incarnations, one being the Martin Duggan Memorial Swim organised by Tommy’s grandson, Owen O’Keefe, and many triathlon events run by BTC including the annual races and The Great Blackwater Swim. Over the last twelve months of lockdowns open water swimming has thrived and as swimmers, we owe much to Tommy for his pioneering work and enduring influence. He will be greatly missed.”
NEW MEMBERS
We welcome new members at any time. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to take part in triathlons. While for some people it’s about the competition for others it’s just about taking part and having fun. It’s also a great way to meet people with similar interests and abilities. So if you’re feeling like a new challenge for 2021 contact us and before you know it, you’ll be able to call yourself a triathlete…
More advice and information on triathlons is freely available from your local club. For further information see our club website (http:// www.blackwatertriclub.com), or contact Stephen Dalton at stephen.dalton79@gmail.com