Adrian’s Calfman Standard Triathlon (With Camping)

Emberton Country Park in Milton Keynes was the setting for The Cowman, Calfman, and Stampede Triathlon plus Aquabike. For the Calfman Standard distance we had Jon Cassell & Adrian Oliver on the start line. Out of 203 starters, Jon finished 4th in his age group 18th overall. This was attained with a rapid swim (1st in age group ) and a spritely 42 minute 10k – excellent. Adrian takes up the story:-

‘With Jenny having qualified with Sue Simpson for the 2025 Standard Distance Aquabike World Championships in Wollongong, I was delighted with my role as chief bag carrier and supporter.  Colin and Sue have since been dropping hints that I should consider upgrading my role to be a fellow competitor – and that the Milton Keynes’ “Calfman” Standard Distance triathlon, the final BFT qualifying event, was coming up soon!  Plus it also had a middle-distance “Cowman” Aquabike, which suited Jenny’s LeJog training’.

‘While researching accommodation, we noticed the event was in the beautiful Emberton Country Park, which included camping facilities—time to dust off our tent! We’re going camping (by car)!’

‘On arriving the day before, a large sign advertised the water temperature as 25’C – NO WETSUITS!  More importantly, the water was clear, sewage and algae-free’.

‘With an unseasonal cold night (yes we noticed it in our tent!), the early start meant the water temperature had dropped to 23’C – BTF rules state that swims greater than 1500m are wetsuit optional – under 1500m, wetsuits are not allowed unless you are over 60…  So Jenny’s Cowman Middle-Distance Aquabike was optional wetsuits, while my standard triathlon was no wetsuit (not old enough yet…)’

‘Having met up with Jon and Michelle Cassell (Jon was also competing in the triathlon with the aim to qualify), Jenny was off first at 7 am, followed by Jon and myself.  With some 200 swimmers in our standard distance event, the swim start was “interesting”, especially as without wetsuits, there was some direct bodily contact… After two swim laps, out of the water straight into the nearby transition, onto the 40km 2 lap undulating bike (with some lovely extended and very fast downhills), back into transition to start the two-lap gently undulating run through the sleepy village and surrounding farmland before looping back into the park’s perimeter road’.

‘Needless to say, the countryside on both bike and run routes was varied and lovely.  The event was well organised and reasonably priced, the location in Emberton Country Park was beautiful – I would thoroughly recommend it’

‘Did I qualify?  Maybe.  After digesting and analysing the results, I was within the required 115% of the winner in my age group.  However, five others in my age group also vying to qualify were ahead of me, so I will have to wait to see (I did manage to be 1st out of the water in my age-group – all credit to our excellent coaches!).  Either way, it was a very enjoyable learning exercise – I now know what I need to do to improve my chances of qualifying next year – but whatever the result, Wollongong, here we come!