After my early acclimatisation event at Salford Quays I embarked on the Capernwray Mid-Week Series. I’d done the final one of these in 2016 and planned on doing all 4 this year; surmising that it would be a useful way of gauging my progress monthly on a relatively fixed course/distance. Plus, being on a Wednesday night, I could fit them into our race calendar without too much potential clashing.

The Sprint Tri and Aquathon were cancelled in June meaning that everyone was doing the swim only. It was going to be busier, albeit less frantic, as most would be doing the 1.5k rather than their usual 500m sprint. Finding the feet of the leader, I settled in there – a pretty unusual spot for me as I can’t help feeling a wee bit guilty drafting but I thought I’d play the tactics game for a change! I bided my time until an opportunity arose at the start of the final lap; on catching some stragglers I used them as cover to make my bid for the front. Emerging ahead, I didn’t know by how far, I just had to make sure I stayed there for the last 500m. 1st female, 1st overall – a good start!

The rest of June was busy with holidays and Dave’s races so I didn’t manage to fit in another event before the next Capernwray at the beginning of July. With the water starting to warm up, this one would be hectic. It also saw EPIC Events take over the organisation from My Tri Events – a lot of companies have disappeared and events been cancelled this year; there appears to be bit of a monopoly emerging, seemingly leading to less opportunity and diversity unfortunately. Anyway, the triathletes were back with their usual argy-bargy gusto in the first few hundred metres. Getting caught up, I lost my nearest rival’s feet and spent the rest of the time playing catch up. In a last ditch effort for the line I nearly had them, neck & neck, just a few metres more would have done it. In the end, I stumbled from the shallows, crossing the timing mat seconds after them. Turned out it was a mate, Paul Julien – I swore I’d have him next time! 1st female, 4th overall if I recall; faster than last month.

Approaching the end of July I ventured to Wales for the Snowman Swim; a mile in the stunning Llynnau Mymbyr in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park. I expected it to be colder, what I didn’t bank on was the 25 knot wind howling through the valley! For safety, the course was changed to 2 smaller loops. The first leg was sheltered and I was doing OK, then we rounded the bend into the brunt of the waves – full force in the face, my lungs were flooded – gasping, coughing, breathing every stroke to clear them, fighting the urge to stop. It was lost already. My pool swimmer’s stroke – shallower breathing and arm recovery – doesn’t lend itself well to choppy waters. Even with the tailwind there was no respite, the waves washed over from behind, forcing you forward – no rhythm, no style. I struggled on, only to be smacked in the face by a wildly swinging buoy, digging my goggles painfully into my eye sockets. Then I lost a contact lens and the rest was a blur of continuous spray and fury – all composure gone! 3rd female, 4th overall.

A mere few days after Snowdonia, I was back at Capernwray for the August swim. Fairly uneventful in comparison; though I did gouge my numb foot trampling on the stones, not even noticing until blood poured out of my shoe whilst getting changed afterwards – ahh, the joys & pains of Raynaud’s mixed with embrocation and adrenaline! Fastest time there so far. 1st female, 4th overall (again).

My only Aquacycle of the year was cancelled in August. I was pretty gutted as had been doing early morning timetrial-esque bike loops, trying to garner some speed. I’d even bought a (slightly) sillier helmet and had plans to borrow TT bars. I had to find something else to replace it with but most weekends were already taken. The only option was a trip back to Fell Foot, Windermere for the SleekerSwim “wild swim”. I’d done, and won, this one twice last year and rocked up with a faint air of complacency. Bad idea! At the briefing they mentioned changing the finishing line due to the current force of the flow; having only paid the map a cursory glance, I assumed they were just slightly shortening the distance and the push back upstream. Once in the water I overheard the support kayakers, “green caps, 2 laps” …2?! Heck, where am I meant to be going? Like the Pied Piper I set off and took everybody way too far down the river – oops! Fortunately, it didn’t affect the result; 1st female, 2nd overall – only the guy who won did the correct course.

Returning to Capernwray in early September for the last of the series, I knew I was going to have my bottom handed to me on a plate before I even entered the water! The founder of the aforementioned SleekerSwim was there, who’d literally just returned from some amazing performances at the FINA World Masters [Pool] Championships in Budapest.

Unsurprisingly, no 1st place this time – 2nd female/overall. Irksomely, just 1 second slower than last month though, with some terrific triathlete tangles at the start, that’s pretty consistent and I couldn’t really expect more.

And so, on to the last event of the season. It seemed fitting to finish where I started, at Salford Quays, yet with something a little bit different – the Uswim Neon Night Swim. It’s not a race; there are no winners and no timing (though when has that stopped anybody?!) Cautionary advice: DO NOT go to watch “IT” just before plunging yourself into the murky depths of a pitch-black dock, surrounded by glowstick-filled balloons! Sinister thoughts of grey sewer water and partially submerged bodies are not conducive to performance or enjoyment! To be honest, it wasn’t for me, the darkness and disorientation added to the motion sickness I often get in open water (yup, weird, I know). Been there, done that, got the finishers medal …“next please”!

After winning my first Aquacycle at Ellerton Park, North Yorks, back in May I decided to give the Gr8events August short course a bash too. I knew it wouldn’t be my ideal distance; the long course had been my customary 1.5k swim but this was just 750m – I don’t really do faster so wouldn’t be able to eke out any advantage there and, with only 42k on the bike, I’m by no means a time trialist.

With the Aquacycle and Sprint Triathlon starting together it was busier than I’m accustomed to – on the feet of those who’d managed to nip in front, with those behind clawing right up my back. When the melee subsided I‘d already lost touch with a tiny lead group, though I had a similarly orange-capped Aquacyclist matching my every stroke. Rounding the penultimate buoy, finding the final one had vanished – obliterated by the early morning sun, we headed vaguely towards the shore together. Exiting the water moments before my shadow, I grabbed at my wetsuit strap – I don’t know if I didn’t give it a forceful enough pull or if it was the angle but, for the first time ever, it didn’t breakaway! I was left standing in transition in front of my bike fumbling to prise open the velcro and undo the zipper top; aware of everybody else scooting off as I still struggled with my suit and then footwear. At least I was faster in T1 than in May, when I stopped to put practically my whole wardrobe on!

With a fly in my ear from Dave about keeping my cadence up and not pushing big gears, I span off. A few minutes in a woman overtook me; I was fairly sure she was doing the Tri but not wanting to risk it (plus hating being passed) I flew back past her, trying to remain unphased by her GBR emblazoned rear. I had no idea where I was standings wise, though spent the first lap yo-yoing positions with a guy definitely in my event. I didn’t see another woman.

On the 2nd lap I didn’t feel comfortable; my stomach churning, I forced myself to have a gel but threw most of it down my face and arm. The loop was a lonely affair, gradually dropped by my lap 1 cohort and feeling the breeze pick up slightly at the back end of the course. I managed to keep my average speed a touch over 20mph, having hoped for faster. I had no one to chase down and certainly not the incentive of being overhauled and having to give everything to pull it back from the brink, like in the last 6 miles of the long course event!

I finished in a somewhat lacklustre way in a total time of 1:30:46 to find I’d come in 4th overall and 3rd female; women had taken the top 2 spots – my swim shadow the winner. Mere seconds had separated the 3 of us on exiting the water (me in 2nd); my awful transition saw them already gaining significant time on me however, to be fair, they were both faster riders anyway. Maybe it would have made a difference if I’d still been able to see them, who knows.

I can’t see me investing in an aero bike or even tri bars but maybe next time I’ll forego the funky socks!

Angela: “It was whilst supporting my other half, Dave Powell (TwinklyDave), at winter 24h MTB races (which nobody else wanted to do back then!) that I initially met some of the Team JMC crew. Obviously recognising the potential of my fastidious – no sleep – timing system(!), I was soon welcomed into the fold and, whiteboard in hand, became “unofficial” Pit Manager. After a particularly successful Strathpuffer back in 2011 I was inspired to challenge myself. As an ex-club swimmer, a return to my childhood sport seemed the obvious choice but thoughts of the pool did not enthuse me and so I turned to open water. Concentrating mainly on smaller, friendlier, sportive-type events I’ve had a surprising amount of success. The natural progression to triathlon thwarted by dodgy knees, I’ve recently discovered Aquacycles which also enable me to put into action the road riding ability I’ve developed whilst struggling to keep up with Dave for years!”