Page 65 - Light Dragoons 2023 CREST
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                                On the 27 September 2022 The Light Dragoons Triathlon Team, consist- ing of WO1 Fyfe, WO2 Bowman, SSgt Robinson, and Capt Innes headed out to Calella in Northern Spain, on Ex RAC IRONMAN. As the race took place right at the end of the season it positioned well in the calendar for us, particularly in terms of being race fit and giving it the best possi- ble effort we could on the day. The first few days were spent acclimatising to the very hot Spanish weather, practising our sea swimming, sighting of sea buoys, organis- ing our kit and, crucially, our pre-race and race day nutrition.
When the day came, the team were up at the crack of dawn to walk down to the start line. Despite all the hundreds of peo- ple walking the same way the whole town had a quietness to it that it had not had throughout the week prior, as everyone mentally prepared themselves for what lay ahead. Indeed, what lay ahead was 3.8km of swimming, 180km of cycling and a mar- athon to finish – those distances we had prepared ourselves for, the conditions we faced however, we could not have done.
As we were set off in twos into the sea, there was a wind in the air that everyone had been fearing slightly. The sea was not as flat as we would have liked to begin with and only seemed to be getting worse by the minute. As the last of the swimmers set off the conditions had really turned and strong winds made for strong currents and large waves. 1200 competitors out of 3000 did not finish the race, for the majority of these it was the difficulty of the swim that sealed their fate on the day.
On the bike the wind continued to torment the team. Over 100KMs of the 180K route was into strong headwinds that began to dash the team’s hopes of a desired finish- ing time of around the 10-hour mark. The heat really began to take its toll too, with
Ex RAC Ironman
Team finishers, with a fellow ATA athlete
temperatures reaching into the high thir- ties in the early afternoon. On the run the temperature and the conditions we had faced up until this point turned it into a survival mission, stopping at every aid sta- tion along the way to desperately try and get on top of salt, water and carbohydrates.
WO2 Bowman crossed the line first, Capt Innes second and WO1 Fyfe third. The race was by far the hardest any of us had ever done and pushed us up right to our physical limits. The exercise was an
WO2 Bowman, “You are an Ironman... again”
First in line for registration, some would say too keen
incredible opportunity to get away and really test ourselves as athletes and the team would like to thank all those who made it possible.
Triathlon continues to be a very popular sport within the Regiment, and It is hoped that a larger team will be able to compete in a half distance Ironman event over the next couple of seasons.
GSAI
The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
        WO1 Fyfe, big talk of post- race beers soon fell apart
    Bike course recce complete. Now time for a sea swim.
(L to R WO1 Fyfe, WO2 Bowman, Capt Innes, SSgt Robinson)
 Capt Innes – Pain is temporary, Strava is forever
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