Sri Chinmoy Running and Fitness Festival, Williamstown 2011 – Results

Please select the link below for results for each race of the 2011 Sri Chinmoy Running and Fitness Festival staged from the Newport Athletics Track, Williamstown on Sunday 29 May 2011.

Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team articles - more articles

I love living in Canberra. There are not many places in Australia that I have been that offer more to people who enjoy the outdoors and endurance sport. The facilities, surrounding green space and calibre of athletic community here means you are never short of opportunities or motivation to explore somewhere new and train hard.

The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in 1995 created a multisport event showing off the spectacular landscape of Canberra, and pushing the limits of endurance in a single day event. Each year since then (with the exception of 2 years due to weather) the Triple-Triathlon has tested athletes either solo or in teams to swim 6.2 km, ride 100 km and run 45 km in an enduro triathlon format taking in the lakes, mountains, and meadows that envelop our bush capital.

It is not your typical triathlon! It is not a race where you can sit on your pre-determined power output on the bike and then sit back into your marathon pace running. On the bike you will be doing gate vaults in the bush, and pushing your bike up crazy steep loose fire roads, then soaking in a view before an awesome descent. On the runs you will be running along trails mainly used by kangaroos and wombats, scrambling up Canberra’s biggest peaks, and dropping through beautiful single track. It is a race that forces you to go off feel and immerse yourself in the amazing trails. Which is why I love it so much.

I first raced this event as part of a team in 2008 with my now wife Amy and friend Scott. I was racing standard distance triathlon but was mainly training on trails and the event really appealed. We had a ball and the next year raced again. In 2011 I decided to push my limits and go solo for the first time. After a great day I finished first solo in just under twelve hours. After moving around Australia as an Air Force Pilot, I was itching to do it again in 2015 when as a family we moved back to Canberra. I had another great experience winning and setting a half hour PB.

My 2017 has been pretty up and down with injury but about September I started getting excited to aim for this event as it was the twentieth anniversary of the race and the field was looking bigger and deeper than it ever had been. My build for the race involved a lot of strength work in the gym along with hills riding and running. I am a full time dad and luckily my daughter loves going for adventures on the back of my bike or in the chariot!

Having done the race previously is a huge advantage – the stress of not knowing what to expect has passed and you have nutted out the logistics to make it run as smooth as possible. Over the last couple of weeks the training wound down but visualisation of the course and how I would feel throughout ramped up. The week of the race I was full of nerves, not knowing how the day would come together given my preparation, and nervous about the competition I would face with 8 previous winners of the event lining up with me.

Race morning was early! A 5:30 race start meant getting the family up at 4 to get ready for the day. Amy and my friend Marty were my support crew for the day along with my three and half year old daughter Imogen. Arriving at the shores of Lake Ginninderra to the west of Canberra the weather was beautifully mild, around 15 degrees, and there was this calm enthusiasm and anticipation from the 22 other solo competitors and their helpers (the 70 odd teams started half an hour later).

In the soft dawn light after a moment's silence we dove into the first 1.5 km swim of the event. My plan was to try and jump on the feet of Michael Brennan, but after about 50m he left me behind and I settled into my own rhythm. It pays not to blow up in the first swim of an 11-hour race!

The first transition went smoothly and I was happy to be on the mountain bike, where my plan was to push a solid pace and see if anyone went with me. I met up with Michael about 5 km into this leg and we rode together for the next 8 km, through some fast flowing fire roads, which were perfectly grippy from the rain of the past week. Then we reached the first of the big hills – affectionately known as ‘push bike hill’ on the side of Black Mountain. The 800m rocky Fire Trail sits between 25 and 35 per cent gradient for its length and is the first of many opportunities to get off your bike and push.

After a short stint walking at the steepest pinch I got riding again to put some distance between Michael and me. The rest of the first ride went well, some more punchy climbs and flowing descents and a great single track section through Bruce Ridge which led us towards the transition to the first run of the day starting at the base of Mt Majura. The atmosphere in transition was awesome, many of the teams were eagerly waiting for their riders to come in with the warm morning sun and barely any wind. I sat down for a moment to get my socks, runners, and hydration pack on before taking off for the 250m climb of Majura.

After setting a quick pace for the first ride I eased into a more relaxed rhythm running, following the rocky single track that weaved up the western side of Majura. It’s a special track especially in the early morning sun as you get glimpses of the city and Brindabella Mountains glowing in the distance. After reaching the summit the next section was a rollercoaster descent through the single track in the Majura Pines mountain bike park. Traversing the ridgeline between Majura and Ainslie I checked in with the body, which was feeling great. More importantly my mind was really calm, I was taking the chance to soak in the surroundings and not over thinking what I needed to do or concerning myself with pace.

The expansive view of Mt Ainslie is iconic, and against the blue sky and having 2 of the 3 biggest hills of the running course out of the way was an awesome moment! Coming off the mountain and onto the flat bike path leading to the next swim my calves were starting to tighten up, but luckily I had a 3.5 km swim ahead to get off my feet and let the legs recover.

Getting into a wetsuit mid race is an experience! I bought a sleeveless wetsuit in order to expedite this process. After having half a bottle of my Infinit electrolyte drink and the 3 of us working as a team I was in the wetsuit and off on the next swim. That feeling of being off my feet and just rolling the arms over was sublime. I had a gentle tail wind, which meant the chop was giving me a slight push. I pulled alongside a jetty mid swim to get some more calories in – the best part of an hour mid-race swimming means it’s really easy to hunger flat going into the next ride (a lesson learnt from previous years!).

After a quick bite of sushi and some beetroot juice in the next transition it was off for the longest ride of the day – around 38 km of flowing fire roads to the southwest of the city. It turns out I exited the swim at the perfect time as friend and veteran of the Triple-Tri, Dave Osmond came past me about a kilometre in as part of a team. I was feeling great at this point so jumped on his wheel and spent the next 10 km riding and chatting with him. This ride is where the day can start to get pretty warm – as it is predominantly open and it's late morning or early afternoon at this point of the race. Despite only having a top of 25, I was feeling the heat. The climb up Mt Stromlo went well, just slow and steady, before another fun descent along some weaving fire roads.

Another friend, Michelle Cooper, came flying past about 5 km from the end on her way to taking the bike course record. Again surging to stay with her was a great boost both to my speed and mind as things were starting to tire. Staying close to her for the rest of the ride I came into the crunch point of the race tired but feeling strong.

A quick reapplication of sunscreen, body glide and some no dose and I was off onto the 11 km run which has you summit Mt Taylor, a short and sharp peak in Canberra’s south. In the heat of the day it will definitely let you know if you have gone too hard early in the race. As soon as I hit the 25 per cent fire road climb I was down to a walk. But that was hurting my quads too much so I started walking backwards, and then discovered shuffling backwards felt great. The 1 km of climbing felt like an eternity but after reaching the top the view of the Brindabella Mountains and knowledge that the rest of the run is downhill was a huge boost to morale.

Nearing the end of the run my legs were shattered, but mentally I was still calm, happy and very much looking forward to the last 1.2 km swim. The swim was slow as I really focused on recovering, cooling down and preparing mentally to push through to the finish. Getting onto the bike for the final time with a solid dose of caffeine I tucked in for the coming 10km of flat bike path into a head wind. Klayten Smith the winner from 2016 was about 20 minutes behind in second place at this point so I focused on opening that gap so that we wouldn’t be running together at the end.

The short steep hills on this leg passed quickly and before I knew it I was approaching my last transition through the infamous storm water pipes of Hindmarsh Drive. Being 6’5” and having raced for over 9 hours already, riding a bike through a drainpipe for about 80 metres is somewhat of a challenge. I got into the tunnel just ahead of one of the team riders and completely messed it up! I tried to slide down and lie on my top tube as I had done in practice but instead just lay on top of my seat and had my back wedged against the tunnel roof, paying my blood sacrifice to the race.

After some frantic stuffing around I exited the tunnel, had some more water, caffeine and a bottle of Infinit and took off on my last run. I settled into a rhythm through the climb over Red Hill, enjoying the final view of the city. The legs were in pretty good shape compared to previous years, and I focused my mind on keeping my running form as light and smooth as possible. The smiles of the teams as they come past and words of encouragement from the helpers at aid stations are one of the things that make this event so special.

Coming onto the bike path and past the second last of these aid stations I glanced at my watch to see what the time was. I saw that it was 3:18 and I had 7 km to run, which meant that if I was able to hold my current pace of just over 5 min per km that I could surpass the solo course record set by off-road legend Jason Chalker in 2002.

The remaining distance was gently undulating and shaded along the south side of Lake Burley Griffin. There was plenty to lose myself in and appreciate as the final kilometres ticked down. Rounding the corner to the finish the joy of having completed this course quicker than anyone had in its 20 year history was overwhelmingly emotional. A week later it is still sinking in: I like many others thought that record would never be broken. Overall it was an awesome day.

Endurance sport is such an amazing experience – the emotional highs and lows, the hundreds of small decisions we make leading into and during a race, the weather, the mechanicals, the other unforeseen challenges we have to adapt to make it truly special when it does all come together in our favour.

If you are looking for a different challenge, atmosphere and experience this race will provide it. I love the diversity that exists within the sport of triathlon, and this race truly is one of those hidden gems. I am already getting excited to toe the line and see what the day brings next November!

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"I'm not a quitter" I told my wife, during a conversation earlier in the week. It's easy to say, hard to do and even harder to hold consistently as a principle. "I'm not a quitter, so I'm going to need your help on this one".

This year was the 20th edition of the Sri Chinmoy Triple Triathlon, a scenic route around Canberra involving 6.2k of swimming, 96k of mountain biking and 43k of trail running. It is an event I have competed in during 2007, 2009 & 2011. This year, the push was on to field the largest solo field possible for the anniversary event. I knew it would attract the best. How could I turn down the opportunity to toe the start line with triple-tri greats like David Baldwin, Julie Quinn, Rowan Beggs-French, Trevor Fairhurst, Klayten Smith and Alina McMaster? So myself and a few mates agreed, it was April. Plenty of time to prepare...

In 2011 I trained upwards of 25hrs a week and achieved a 2nd place finish just 15 minutes behind Rowan. This year with a few exceptions, my training was limited to my daily commute. I was under no illusion that I was honing my competitive edge nor that I'd be rubbing shoulders on the podium. So then why? Why take on an event so physically and mentally taxing you know your whole self will be pushed to the limit? Why take on an event that will bring the hurt, perhaps like it has not been brought before? Why take on an event that has the capacity to chew you up, spit you out and leave you lying on the side of some trail, somewhere? Maybe by the end of this story you'll know. Maybe you'll just have to sign yourself up next year. to find out... I hear the 21st anniversary is going to be pretty special.

The Lead Up

Two young boys to juggle, full time work, a daily cycle commute, 5 pool sessions (total) and 3 short "swim/bike/run" days is the training summary. An ear and sinus infection 48hrs out and a visit to the GP for antibiotics on Saturday morning capped off my less than ideal preparation. The fact that my mates were unable to race solo as well was another hit to the psyche. As a result the last minute go decision, frantic packing and 3.5hrs drive left me somewhere other than the zen-like state which would help me through race day.

Race Day

Thanks to the enduring support of my wife Julie, I got to the start line and donned the swimming wetsuit for the second time in 6 years. I then contemplated the day ahead with a group of like-minded people in the frigid waters of Lake Ginenderra. Where would I rather be? Nowhere.

Leg 1 – 1.5km Swim Time: 0:31:18

The start was called and off we went. A large lead group formed and wow, they could swim. I'd love to say I held on and cruised through 1.5k of easy swimming, though it is not the case. My limited swim training shone through from the get-go and I struggled through half and hour of mild discomfort. Not a good omen for the remaining 4.7 kilometers in the water.

Leg 2 – 36km Mountain Bike Time: 2:58:43

Most of my preparation for this event involved commuting to work and as such I was very glad to be out of the water and onto the bike. Julie executed a flawless transition and soon I was peddling lakeside knowing that my icy bones would warm up in the hills around Black Mountain. 'Push Bike Hill' lived up to it's name. A steep, stony ascent towards Telstra Tower. Switch off the mind, point the bike upwards and keep on trucking. I reached the summit and bombing down the other side was in order. I was warm, riding well and picking off solo competitors one by one… Them BAM! my pedals locked up with a horrible metal crunching sound. Not ideal.

A brief visual inspection clearly showed that my rear derailleur and chain were mangled with no hope of recovery. Bugga! Time to call the cavalry... Though I have no phone... Bugga! Luckily the next solo competitor, Josh, did. A call to Julie, a hike out to the road and the expectation that if I can find another bike before the next leg I race unranked.

Julie had other ideas. An early morning call to a mate Hov and next thing I know I'm back in the game, albeit an hour behind the rest of the solo field.

I coursed through the final 18 kms and into TA.

Leg 3 – 18k Run Time: 1:56:43

Stoked to be back in the race I swapped bike for trail shoes and headed off up Mt Majura, then up Hackett Hill, then up Mt Ainslie with a few more ups in between.

Finally a long down took me past the War Memorial and to Lake Burley Griffen and the run along the foreshore into TA. By this stage I'm feeling pretty good, 1 tri down, longest run done and as I enter TA another solo is leaving! It’s all about to change.

Leg 4 – 3.5km Swim Time: 1:29:56

The first swim leg hurt me a little and safe to say I was really looking forward to being on the other side of this expanse of water.

I could wax lyrical for hours about the discomfort I endured throughout this swim. About how my legs cramped from the start and how I was fairly certain I was going to drown at some stage during the last kilometre. Or, I could describe the lovey first aid officer who met me coming out of the water, saw my blue face and hands then stated "You'd better come with me mate. You dont look so good." To which I responded “Thanks mate, I don't feel so good, but Ive been here before and just need to get on my bike to warm up."

It was ugly, I'm glad it's done, we shall never speak of it again.

Leg 5 – 36km Mountain Bike Time: 2:24:02

I headed out for the second bike leg, suffering though knowing there would be plenty of hills just around the corner to warm me up. Soon the rhythm settled in. Pedal the flats, bomb the downs and get off and push anything over a few degrees off horizontal. It was so great to see Andrew Graham (Graz) out along this leg as the sun was baking, most of this leg is exposed, so when the breeze dropped away it was brutal. Soon enough though I wound my way down to TA.

Leg 6 – 12km Run Time: 1:26:49

Mt Taylor. A sufferfest. Every time.

Out of TA, up and up and up. A small respite down the backside then into the oven. Fire trail and bike paths through the backstreets of Canberra. Towards the end of this leg I was really coming unstuck. The body had had enough. I made it into TA and this is how it went.

Graz: "Mate, you dont look so good."
Me: "I feel like death. I just need to lie down for a few minutes."
Julie: "That's no good. Now get your wetsuit on and get in the water.”
Me: "Just two minutes."
Julie: "You've already been here two minutes. Get off the chair, get your wetsuit on and get in the water."

So I did.

While this may seem harsh, the primary role of a support person is to keep you moving. Often this involves making decisions that are in the best interest of the racer. Julie has seen me suffer plenty, she knows my limits and more importantly, my capabilities. I'm forever grateful to have her on my side.

Leg 7 – 1.2km Swim Time: 0:39:43

The water was blessedly cool and while it was not exactly pleasurable I was stoked to be on my way for the third triathlon. The leg finishes with a short climb up a ladder out of the water. You can imagine my limited appreciation for the ingenuity of such a device at this stage of the game.

Two to go.

Leg 8 – 24km Mountain Bike Time: 1:58:27

The final bike leg is the shortest of the three and Julie was right. I felt much better for my leisurely splash and I was elated to be still moving forward given the day so far.

Shortest doesn’t mean easiest and the ever present steepness plus the cumulative stress on my weary bones certainly made for a challenging ride. Luckily the day was cooling, the sun getting lower in the sky. The light that had been so harsh a couple of hours ago turned magic, filtering through the trees. Smashing down the final single-track and through the storm-water pipe I emerged into the final TA. Just one challenge left and this day would be done.

Leg 9 – 13km Run Time: 1:28:31

One leg to go and I could hardly believe it. 36 hrs earlier I was at the GP, questioning if I would even get to the start line. Now just one more mountain to climb.

Up I went. Near to the top Sean, Kim, Hugo and Oscar came out to see me. It was wonderful to see their smiling faces and hear their cheers. "This is the last mountain Andrew. Almost home!"

Down I went, then through the flatland towards Lake Burley Griffen and the finish line. The sun was going down and the sky turned a delicious shade of red. It was amazing. After 14 hours I was on the final stretch, there was no one around and I was truly grateful for my place in this very moment of time. There was nowhere I would rather be. My mind was a fire with wonder and awe. Strava tells me that at this point I was running between 6:30 and 7:00 minutes per kilometre. Not that flash, though truth be told while my head was clear my body certainly didn't feel that flash either.

2.5km out from the finish I see Sean's clan once again.
Sean: "Mate, there is another solo just 50 seconds in front of you!"
Me: "But I've got nothing left..."
Sean: "I know you've got something... "

My body wept as I forced it to move, doing the math in my head. "50 seconds over 2.5km...." I had no idea, nor the capacity to figure this out. Faster, that's all there is. Faster.

So that's what I did. Go faster. 4:30, 4:45 maybe. Whatever it was it hurt like hell. But I caught the guy and the team runner in front too. I didn't slow until the finish and Julie's waiting arms.

I crossed the finish line in 14:54:12, almost 3hrs longer than my 2nd place finish in 2011. I was ecstatic. The cards had been stacked against me, yet my strength and the support of Julie, Graz, my friends who came to cheer me on and the Sri Chinmoy community got me through another Triple Triathlon.

The end of a Journey

My day was only made possible through the support of my family and friends and I am so very grateful to the following people: My wife Julie, my support crew in life, I hope I give as good as I get. Graz, your support for both Julie and I across the day was phenomenal. Thank you for giving up your time to join me in Canberra. My Mum, Dad, brother and sister in law, thank you for looking after our boys all weekend. They had a great time hanging out. Prachar and the Sri Chinmoy team, thanks for another year of an awesome event. Josh, for stopping and lending my your phone. Dan Hovenden for dragging yourself out of bed and lending me your new steed. Lastly, thank you to all my fellow solo competitors. Events like this only exist when people are willing to take them on. Huge congratulations to Rowan Beggs-French, David Baldwin and Julie Quinn. Amazing athletes who each broke their category's respective course record. What an achievement!

So there you have it, another race, another story. Perseverance and pain. Elation and endurance. A story I write for myself to help me understand my journey of discovery. A story perhaps, that I’ll share with my children as I watch them overcome challenges of their own. Take from it what you will and perhaps one day we will toe a start-line together.

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