Page 166 - RAPTC Year of 2019

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practiced several times in preparation for race day.
Day 1 commenced with a bike ride out to a sea swim, with Sgt (SI) Sam Littlewood demonstrating how to repair the first (and not last) puncture on route to Curium beach. The sea swim was rougher than many had swam in before and it was with relief that Sgt (SI) Webby Webster’s tiny bright blue budgie-smugglers stayed in place!
Day 2 included a coaching session on the Happy Valley loop on the bike which is a stunning but a hilly route; the ride covered 35 plus miles in distance with over 2260 ft elevation gained. The steeper, more uneven, ‘twitchy’ stages of the course were demonstrated by the coach and then practiced, with video analysis and feedback on bike handling techniques during the fast descents.
It was here we were all put back in our boxes, as the old boy, Capt Willie Wilson proved he still had an engine on the bike with his approachtosocalled‘racetaper’!
Day 3 provided an opportunity
for a recce of the tough trails of
the K1 Man run route; 1st lap was
as a group at Z2 heart rate (but felt quicker!) followed by race pace individual effort to see what effect the heat would have on our bodies and most importantly how we held up in the 27 degree heat; an eye opener to say the least!
To cope with the intense sessions, Coach provided much needed and appreciated pre-breakfast mobility sessions to tie the team in knots with some warrior exercises and yoga; “Namaste”.
Day 4 As race day was fast approaching the team conducted T1 (swim to bike) training and T2 (bike to run) transition training in full race kit to simulate race day. Another invaluable training session which everyone in the team agreed is rarely practiced; especially useful for Sgt (SI) Nezza Jones who left her helmet in T1! Unfortunately, for SSgt (SSI) Matty Hanson he had to practice how to fix a puncture; not once... but twice in a 9km trip.
A rest day of sorts followed with only a few days until the big race, this included a much-appreciated mobility session, a session of
Top 10 receive medals
SSgt (SSI) Hanson repairing his 2nd puncture of the day
bike maintenance; an easy pool swim; and then an evening at the cinema, with vast amounts of popcorn to help
with carb loading!
Pre-race day consisted of short sharp sessions of swim, bike and run to prepare the body for the race and to
get the athletes “heads in the game” and prepare to welcome the pain of race day!
Race day: An early & chilly start to the race day welcomed the Cypriot and military athletes. With a rush into the choppy but clear 2 lap sea swim with Australian exit (exiting the sea, run around a marker and back into the sea for a 2nd lap); this was followed by the 90km of hard hilly cycle route and a tough 21kms over mixed terrain to finish in sweltering 27 degree heat; The team demonstrated that their preparation had been faultless, they all raced with commitment and fierce pride while representing the RAPTC. Given the arduous conditions and only a week of acclimatisation, the team had fantastic performances and almost completed a clean sweep of trophies;
Sgt (SI) Jones took 1st position in the Females 35+ category and 1st Female overall.
Sgt (SI) Littlewood: 2nd in the Male 18-39 category and 2nd overall.
SSgt (SSI) Hanson: 3rd in the Male 18 -39 category and 3rd overall.
Capt (MAA) Wilson: 1st for Male masters 40+, 4th overall.
SSgt (SSI) Woolridge: 4th in the Male 18-39 and 6th overall.
Sgt (SI) Webster: 8th in the Male 18-39 and 7th overall.
An outstanding achievement all in the top 10 and something the Super Six can be proud of.
After many of the team spent time on the podium and took advantage of the free sport massages, we finished with a team dinner to celebrate the success of the race and the OSV.
All agreed it was a fantastic way to end an OUTSTANDING year for RAPTC Triathlon and an OSV that Capt (MAA) Willie Wilson and especially Sgt (SI) Nezza Jones could be proud of organising!