Got up in the middle of the night to drive Rhona to Stirling for the Stirling Kids duathlon. Well, it felt like the middle of the night as the clocks moved forward an hour so our bodies still felt like it was 5.30am even thought it was technically 6.30am.
Registration was between 7.30 am and 8.30am with the first kids heat starting just after that. The setting was the Stirling University campus, it was beautiful. When we got there we were just commenting on how the lake was frozen over and how the ducks were just walking about on the ice. The next minute there was a whole flock of swans trying to take off and their wings were battering on the ice - it was very impressive.
Rhona registered and then it was time for their briefing and warm up.
Then the kids all lined up for the start of their race. There were two lads in the front who, as you can see (picture below), have all the gear and look remarkably like two other brothers that the triathlon world are wowed by. You never know, they did look pretty handy, the next Brownlees?
Then they were off. Rhona and Hannah stayed at the back and worked well with each other, keeping each other going. They were the only two of their age and the kids at the front looked like they had been at it for years. Hats off to Rhona and Hannah who have only just come to the sport and are doing really well. There are some pretty hardcore kids out there!
One lap of the track and field and they were back into transition. Rhona had a bit of trouble getting her helmet off as it was cold but was soon executing a lovely flying mount and off she went. Again her and Hannah worked well together getting round the cycle route three times.
Once more around the track after the cycle route and as they were coming into the final straight the man on the mike shouted out "and here we have the terrible twosome, number 74 and 76" they had a grin on their faces as wide as a house and literally skipped over the line, Morecombe
and Wise style, much to the man's delight "look at how much they are enjoying themselves, that is what it is all about" he shouted.
Both of them did really well, the fields in these events are so small and some of the kids are really serious and for the two of them to have taken this all up in less than 6 months for their Duke of Edinburgh award has to be commended. You two are awesome.
They got a lovely bit of racing bling and an Easter Egg as of course it is Easter Sunday.
