Now that the winter appears to be mostly behind us, the sun is out and the season is stretching before us, the truely hardened of triathletes are putting themselves through their paces. 

2011 has started off with a bang with our 25th Anniversary as one of the biggest and longest standing clubs in the Southeast, with Greenwich Tritons moving from strength to strength.  We've had a fantastic 2010 season where we had 14 Tritons compete in both European and World Championships over Sprint and Olympic Distance, plus 15 Ironmen and women and one Double Ironman.

Steve Walker is the first of the fearless tribe of Long Distance followers, to qualify for European Long Course Championships in Finland this 2011 season and just to sweeten the deal, has agreed to take up a place on the GB World Championship Team for the Long Course in USA as well!  A big congratulations on the hard work and two places on the GB team!  Sweeet!

In other news, Tritons are making PB's early on the season.  Coralie Glaunes ran in the Sidcup 10 Mile this past weekend, improving on her time from last year by over 3 minutes in 1:10:42!!  Racing on the opposite side of London, in the Saucony 10km at TCR, was Keith Sanders, sporting a season and all time best of 35:48!!  Whether near or far, these two fantastic results are ones to start the year right and are a testament to their hard work and dedication.  Well done mates!

Whether you walk, trot, gallop or slide, how you get there isn't as important as the fact that you made it.  Factor in the unseasonable weather conditions, freezing temperatures and snow flurries plus one crazy Irishman and you make a fabulous concoction for the annual Hereward Ultra Relay.

Deep in the heart of the Fens where only truely hardened athletes dare to attempt 38.4 miles of changing terrain, lies the start of our ultra event in the town of Peterborough.  As the winter well and truely closes in, Glenn Hatrick felt the need to finish off the season with an event that reflects his truely individual athletic prowess.  30 starters followed the path from Peterborough down Hereward Way to Ely Cathedral over bridleways, fields, bridges and tracks with only 19 athletes finishing, Glenn finishing a solid 12th!!

Following the thaw of his feet and camelback, Glenn was able to reflect on a race well done and I'm sure he has his entry already set for 2011.  Now time to get back to his carbo loading......... 

KCCL Race 3

The fabulous five were on form at the 3rd race of the Kent Cross Country League this past weekend at Danson Park in Bexleyheath.  It was a ladies only race this time and our Triton ladies certainly didn't let us down.

The conditions were fair, fall was definitely in the air with a hint of winter, but no rain!  The course was fairly flat and fast with only a few climbs and the Tritons took this in their stride and used it as an opportunity to trample the competition. 

Katie Sanders was leading the pack of Tritons looking strong early on in the race and was sitting comfortably in the top 20 ladies.  On lap two of the race course, Sarah Dowling gave Katie a challenge, racing with her neck in neck until 250m to go when Katie took the lead finishing in 16th position overall and one of the top ten senior ladies! 

Martine Neild was hot on Katie's heels chasing a PB, improving on her time from Tonbridge by over 3 min!  Determination was a strong factor in todays race and the steely grit of Louise Walker charging up and over the hills led her to a 22:42, less than a minute behind Martine.  Not to be outdone was Peppi Holder, pulling out all the stops to finish over 4 minutes faster than Race 2 in 23:35!  Rose Wilmot had an amazing finish, scraping the bottom of the barrel and giving everything to scream through the finish line in 26:12! 

All our ladies, with every race, are improving and taking places, so much so that our ladies squad has now moved from 12th to 7th position in the KCCL team standings!!  Absolutely stellar performances ladies.   Race 4 of the KCCL is just for the boys, December 4th at New Barn Park in Swanley.  See you there!

KCCL Race 2                                                             23-10-2010

Another big weekend of running with the second race of the Kent Cross Country League at Somerhill School in Tonbridge.  Our Tritons fared well in the face of sharp hills, long drags and cold wet weather over a course that was slightly overdistance.  Watching from under the dry overhang of the trees I witnessed the raw aggression and determination of all the athletes competing, but none so compelling as the dedication of the triathletes!

Keith Sanders had a fantastic run, holding his own in the top 20 of the lead group pipping Mark Penny to the finish in 21st position in 37:24, moving up to 14th place in the individual league tables. In his debut cross event of the season, following a 3rd place finish from the Fast and Furious duathlon, Dr. Malc Davies stepped up the pace to a 39:07 finish, in 37th place overall.  Glenn Hatrick and Jon Godsell raced and finished strongly, within a minute of eachother, Glenn building on his 3:11:45 Amsterdam marathon time, gaining 14 places and Jon 1 min 49 sec from race 1 at Sparrow's Den.  Simon Carter's first cross experience of 2010 was a great success, albeit a hard won one, finishing in 57th place in the Senior Men's category.  Carl Botten going from strength to strength, improved upon his time at Sparrow's Den despite having to finish amongst the throws of a rain storm!

The girls finished closely together with Martine Neild in the fore.  Martine held her position in the pack, and improved upon her placing from Sparrow's Den jumping over 10 places to finish in 32nd place overall and 12 in FV 35!!  Louise Walker and Peppi Holder finished in fine form, within a minute of eachother, Louise with a sprint kick and Peppi with a grimace of determination!  Rose Wilmot keeps moving on up, finishing in 20th place in Senior Women's category.  With 2 races under their belts, Martine and Louise are placed 28th and 32nd respectively, in the individual league tables.  The Tritons ladies team remains a solid 12th in the league tables, and the men moving up to 13th.  Congrats to you all, and see the ladies at the next girls only cross race at Danson Park on November 13th!! 

Fall brings the colder weather, but with that comes the start of the cross country season.  Many tritons have been taking up the challenge of pounding the paths or pavements, most recently with the start of the Kent Cross Country League series at Sparrow's Den in West Wickham this past weekend.

KCCL-Race 1

Greenwich Tritons did extremely well amoung the seasoned league racers with Keith Sanders coming in just 16 sec behind Matthew Winn-Smith. Steve Walker followed for the men in 18th place for MV 40, with their better halves, Katie Sanders and Louise Walker finishing one and two for Tritons ladies in 21:57 (26th overall) and 23:27 (17th in MV 35!)

Great results for the boys and the girls, with great numbers out. Tight fight for the finish between Martine Neild and Louise W., Madame Walker just edging out Martine by 3 seconds. Rose Wilmot stampeded the hills trampling the competition to a 27:48 in the Senior Women's category.  Louise Johnson was out on the maiden voyage of the Kilkennies and crusied to a 30:58 for FV 35's. The likes of the Hatrick, Driver, and Godsell all finished within a few minutes of eachother, Bruno Mahsoudi and Steve representing our MV 40's and our fearless organizer Carl Botten creaming a 54:38.

Currently the Greenwich Triton Ladies are sitting at 12th and Greenwich Triton Men at 14th in the league tables. By all accounts, Sparrows Den isn't the muddiest, but definitely not the easiest course!! Great race everyone, always insprired by your verve and dedication.

10km Road Stars

Following on a fantastic performance at the Club Championships at Hever Castle, Ed Simpson showed his running prowess at the Petts Wood 10km last weekend with a 7th place finish in MV 40!  Ed screamed over the course in 42:03, leaving the rest of the field in his wake with a 22nd overall place finish.    

Tritons en mass at the Dulwich 10km, with the trio of Keith Sanders, Steve Walker and Bruno Mahsoudi steaming over the course.  Keith cruised ever closer to the 35 minute threshold while Steve claimed 15th spot in AG, in just over 40 minutes.  Bruno topped off a fantastic season with a 45:29 10km time, finishing in the top quarter of the field.  Great run guys!

Diccon Driver definitley stood apart from the others at the Standalone 10km!  A 43:26 finish in preparation for the first of the KCCL races showing that Diccon is indeed in top form.  Well done!