By Helene Mellor
Snowman Savage weekend a bit belated….
So Covid stops the Lanzerote dream for a second year! Slateman is postponed for another year !
What should I do? Enter the Snowman savage weekend of course….. supposedly one of the hardest triathlons in the uk- no problem ??♀️.
Unfortunately training wasn’t in the forefront of my mind due to life’s ups and downs, so I was a little apprehensive about the event… considering said training was minimal/ nonexistent, the sensible thing is to just do it… right?
As ever these events are well organised and low key friendly. Registered in no time & checked out the water… prep done!
DAY 1
Weather was a bit dull but not cold !!
With having done very little open water swimming this season I was pleased to manage the 750m swim in a good enough time to hop onto the 31k bike, which actually was ok. Cruising through the rolling Welsh hills, admiring the scenery, until suddenly a small road appears… and a near vertical hill to zig zag up was as good as it got… still proud I beat the masses and didn’t get off ???
Then came the rain…. Come on now, it is Wales ???????
Onto the run.. or more of a mountain goat walk? The best that can be said was the view was almost worth it… until the amusing “run” down hill on slippery stones… yet, undefeated so…
Medal 1??
DAY 2
A touch of pre-race anticipation today- the awareness of what I was going to face didn’t help… but thankfully the sun was shining!
Swim felt better today …. I wasn’t last, but a stylish slip out of the water on the mossy stones gave for excellent comic value!
Onto the bike… “what.have.I.done?” that’s all I could say ?
I was expecting some hills but this was a CLIMB! I’m sure the views were amazing…. Could have told you all about it if my glasses hadn’t of steamed up thanks to the immense effort!
Got to a fuel stop at last 20k & was told up a “small” hill then down into the village ???… clearly differing definitions of small…
Perhaps I should have taken my road bike for the job, TT may have not cut it… ??
Onto the “run”…. mountain goat walk, take 2… to the peak of this beast….
Clearer weather and higher up today meant the view from the top was incredible… cold and misty up there, but a welcome change from the warmth.
My knees didn’t like running down it- but that was nothing, compared to the sadistic flight of stairs they made us climb, seconds before….
…… glorious finish pic
Medal 2 ????
After a rest and some well earnt dinner-I wonder, would I do it again?? I won’t deny it was tough but it’s still my dream to do all 3 savages (Slateman, Snowman and Sandman) in one season, so who knows? I’ll probably have forgotten how horrendous it was in points, by 2022, so never say never!