Bassetlaw triathletes travel to Geordieman event

Nestled amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Northumberland, this annual gathering attracted a diverse field, from seasoned triathletes chasing personal bests to first-timers eager to conquer their inner demons.

Local triathletes, Helen Humphries and John Ritchie from the Bassetlaw triathlon club travelled north to take on two different challenges of the weekend festival. For Helen it was the full distance triathlon whilst John tackled the half distance aquabike event

Geordieman promises an unforgettable experience, tackling the gruelling full-distance triathlon with its demanding 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and marathon run. Set in the stunning natural beauty of Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland. The swim set in the clean, calm waters of Ladyburn Lake, followed by the cycle route taking in the scenic coastal roads and finishing with a flat, picturesque running trail, this was a test of true grit. The half aquabike event comprising a 1.20-mile swim followed by a 56-mile cycle was all in the same area of Druridge Bay.

Helen, taking on and completing her first full distance event in a magnificent time of 13 hours and 10 minutes commented “This was my first long distance triathlon. I'm proud to have been one of the 47 people to finish this distance this year (out of 60 registered) and one of only 9 women to finish (out of 13). It was a unique course on beautiful Northumberland coastal roads and trails but extra hard work with it being a windy day and up to 32°C on the run.

There were also half distance triathlon, aquabike, swim and trail runs on the same day, which added to the atmosphere at the start but the end of the day was quieter with less athletes doing the long distance. The event was well organised, supported and really good value provided by Wild Deer events. I've really enjoyed training for it and am ready to start planning for the next challenge!”

John finished his event in another creditable time of 3 hours and 16 minutes