The inaugural Rat Race City To Summit was an astounding success.
June 1 and 2 saw the first running of the Rat Race City to Summit Triathlon (and Duathlon) starting in Edinburgh, under the famous Forth Bridges of picturesque South Queensferry, and finishing at the foot of Ben Nevis. Though maybe a bit grandiose to say, when it had finished and all the kit was packed away, there was no doubting an iconic must-do event for endurance and adventure athletes had been born.
Uniquely, the long-distance triathlon (3.8km swim, 178.3km bike and 43.5 km run) and duathlon (bike/run legs with a Le Mans start) gives participants the choice of tackling the event as either a one-day expert triathlon race or a two-day challenge triathlon or duathlon with the swim and bike on day one, an evening camp and then the run on day two.
The two-day option, it should be noted, is not an easy out, or training weekend option, but reflective of the challenge the course presents beyond that of a normal long course event. With over 5,000 metres of climbing; cold water conditions in the Scottish sea with the Forth’s tidal estuary; a run leg referred to as a “run/trek” by organisers due to the terrain which includes the ascent and descent of Britain’s highest mountain peak; the event leaves one begging the question… is this really a triathlon or an adventure race?
A quick look at the kit list confirms it’s definitely a triathlon; swim, bike and run kit – check. But then the inclusion of running backpacks, waterproof kit, first aid kits, survival blankets and more make you realise the City to Summit is both – and with this alone the legend of the UK’s toughest triathlon starts to grow.
Cold hard racing through the heart of Scotland
This legend, in this inaugural year, grew further still even before starting gun was fired, when organisers announced that the water temperature was just 8.9°C. Even the famed Norseman in Norway usually enjoys water temperatures several degrees warmer, nearer to 15°C. The swim was shortened accordingly, down to one cold kilometre in the Firth of Forth.
All of this, combined with air temperatures ranging from 2°C to 14°C forecast for the weekend and snow on the summit of Ben Nevis, did little to discourage athletes, with 262 lining up on the start line.
When the gun sounded and the athletes headed out into the cold salt water (or onto their bikes for the duathletes) their one- and two-day adventures began and, for the 218 athletes that crossed the finish line over the next two days having survived the challenge, the legend was born. Finish times, as you would expect, were not blisteringly fast. The winners of the men’s and women’s expert triathlons came in at 11:27:43 and 14:16:50 respectively, but this is an event and course, where finish times are really immaterial and the shared goal for the athletes, bound by the cameraderie and support between them, was simply to reach the distant finish line.
For those that didn’t make it to the end, failure did not so much discourage but drive them to come back next year to succeed.
On this first year event, race director, Greg MacDonald said: “ It was a resounding success and we’re sure it’s set to be an iconic date in the tri calendar that will attract an international audience. We were blessed with stunning weather and the legendary Scottish scenery didn’t disappoint as almost 300 participants cycled through the highlands to tackle a relentless bike and hilly marathon to the summit of Ben Nevis and back down again.”
Athlete commentary from the race was uniform in praise for the challenge, the event and organisers. Anna Gilmore, who took second place in the women’s Expert event, said, “It was quite simply one of the best days of my life.”
Lucy Marshall, who completed the two-day duathlon agreed: “What an epic adventure! My friend had pulled out of the race at the last minute so I was slightly worried about doing this alone but I need not have been, as I met so many like-minded people along the way and the course was so well marked with friendly and encouraging marshals along route.”
And if you were in any doubt as to the difficulty of this event, let Andrew Ludiman, Expert category competitor, reassure you.
“I have climbed mountains in Nepal and been beasted at international rugby training sessions but the City to Summit event was by far and away the hardest, but strangely one of the most enjoyable, things I have ever done. Chapeau, Rat Race for a fantastic event!”
With the 2014 planned for 31 May to 1 June, you’ll need to start training now if you’re to take on the legend that is the UK’s toughest triathlon.
Visit www.ratracecitytosummit.com for more details and to enter for 2014.
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