Just a quick note to express my thoughts on yesterday's event. Bala was by far the best organised and stage managed event I have entered, please pass on my thanks and congratulations to the army of helpers you must have assembled to make the day such a success from a competitor's point of view.
All of the marshals throughout the race were cheerful, supportive and helpful. The support offered from registering on Saturday, collection of numbers and marking of numbers, getting out of the lake to all of the junctions and the bottle swap on the bike and the junction and drink station marshals on the run, not to mention those patrolling transition helped me through my first middle distance tri in a time I didn't consider possible. It was without question a great day and I hope the other 660 competitors feel similarly to me!
I found the actual race, my first middle distant event, such a great challenge. The lake is lovely to swim in, the bike route is easy to follow yet tough to complete and the run is simply brutal. All in all, a great test and has left me with such a great feeling of achievement that 24 hours on I'm still buzzing from it!
So a big thank you for all of your time and attention to detail throughout the last 12 months in making the day so good, I think you and your team are a credit both to the sport of triathlon and to Wrecsam Tri Club. Good luck with 2011 and I hope those parking on the roadside haven't changed the views and support of the locals, to lose such a magnificent setting for such a great race would be a sad loss to the sport.
Best Regards
Ade Russel
Hi Julian,
thanks for putting on a fantastic race yesterday, I really enjoyed it! I'm just e-mailing firstly to ask you to pass on my thanks to all the marshalls who were kept out on the course way after they should have been, because I was very slow on the run, and kept them all back! I was number 322, and was last in. I really did appreciate the fact they all stayed out there until I got to the turnaround point on the run, and their support was very much appreciated.
I gave my chip to one of the marshalls that was still there, but obviously the chip timer mat and the rest of the crew were gone, which I expected to be honest! I think Carl Barlthorpe (Barley, the pirate) texted you to say that I had finished, and I was just wondering if i'm likely to get any time at all, or if i'll register as a DNF? I've love a time, but of course i understand if I can't get one. If anything, I'd love to know my swim & bike splits if they are available? I appreciate you might not have received the chip back yet (i'm not sure of the name of the man I handed it to, sorry), but if you can let me know any details when you get a chance, i'd be very grateful.
Many thanks,
Lee Waller (slowest Pirate ever!)
Julian,
Thank you, that was a superb event from an organisational point of view so I expect you and your team must be very happy. I tried to thank each of the marshalls as I ran/cycled past as it can be a thankless task but the route marking was very clear, the water stops were great and, as a novice competitor, I was never in any doubt about what I should be doing, where I should be going and when, in contrast to my only other triathlon.
Thanks again,
Best Regards
Dan Hasted
Dear Julian, I am 626 (John Rea) the person you met who retired from the swim. I'd like to thank you for the idea of doing the other 2 legs and "just getting on with it !" I have done Bala previously twice and even an Iron distance swim but this year I didn't have the confidence I should have. Anyway a learning curve. I note that I am within the main body of results - as if the swim time was just missing rather than not completed. For fair play and the sake of the other competitors I think I need to be transferred to the DNF group at the bottom of the table. I have the times noted now anyway.
May I thank-you again for your consideration in allowing my participation it was a very human thing to do am I much appreciate it.
John Rea
Thanks for a top notch event, great to see so many people finishing with a smile after such a tuff event!!!
Big thank you to Gill for having time to look after and find jobs for the kids, they loved every minute of it.
Cheers
The Willys
Hi Julian. I simply wanted to thank you for allowing me to race last minute. Today was my final Bala half IM. Work and family commitments are to great. I have a couple of races left and then full retirement. Thank you for the painful memories that I will never forget from racing both of your great Bala triathlons. Thank you once again and good luck in the future. Pass on my good wishes to Gill.
Kind regards.
Richard Jones Vet 40 14st 6lbs!
Julian,
Just a quick note to thank you and all the team for today. I have just got back to Sheffield after doing my first triathlon. Until then my only experience was duathlons and half marathons. The entire experience was first rate. Every member of staff was so friendly and helpful, from the first guy we met who directed us to registration. The event was run very professionally as well as friendly, with excellent support also. No wonder the event is so highly regarded.
Thanks again.
Brad Boulton
Hi Julian,
Many thanks again to you and the volunteers, was a great day. Always special coming to bala. For some reason I can't see the results properly on the internet, would it be possible please to send me the spreadsheet please?
All the best
John Carr
Hi Julian
Thanks for a great race, really professionally run and a great atmosphere, I really enjoyed it and luckily the weather was good- unlike driving back down the M6 where it was pelting it down and flash flooding on the motorway!
I am sorry I did not support the prize giving as I had to be back working in Essex Monday morning and so left pretty soon after I finished to try and get back before I fell alsleep, still abit jetlagged as only arrived on Wednesday from NZ! I asked a few marshalls where you were to say Hi and bye but was directed to your wife so I gave my apologies to her instead.
Anyway, I hope you get a wee rest after your endeavours! all the best and thanks again for a great race.
Ali Hollington
Julian,
Fabulous event.Well done!!!!
Is it please possible to order a medal or certificate to remember my pain by?
Thanks,
Dan Cuthbertson
Just a short note to thank you for a great race at Bala. I am not sure that enough of us competitors take the time to thank those who plan, organise and execute the races we compete in? Judging by some of your comments at the briefing, we are more likely to contact you with a complaint! So, thanks again to you and the team around you. Cheers.
David Winder
Hi Julian –
I just wanted to say a massive thank you to you as organizer of the race, and to the wonderful marshalls. You all did such a fantastic job in making this a fun and beautiful event: It was a privilege to be able to swim, bike and run through such fabulous scenery.
Cheers
Megan and Robin from the BRATs
Hi Julian,
Thanks for a great race yesterday, i really enjoyed the day and i thought everyone was really helpful and friendly.
Well done on a great day.
I seemed to have misplaced my race belt just wondering if anything got handed in?
Kind Regards
Alan Lewis
Julian,
I think I thanked you yesterday for allowing me to come up and help at your Event, but just in case, a very big thank you, I had a great day. You have a great team around you and that was clearly evident. It meant an early start for me, not so good journey back, problems at the junction M54 and M6 but after that it was ok. The experience gained will help me, I gained a lot by working with Dave and Michelle, thank you once again it was greatly appreciated.
Hope to see you again possibly in September.
All the very best, and if you get chance please thank key members of your team especially those around Transition for making it a great day also.
Richard
Richard Masling
Julian (and everyone involved in organising the Bala Middle)
Many thanks for a wonderful event. I've been racing Tri's for about 8 years and this event is right up there with the very best.
The organisation and marshaling were superb, hugely supportive and friendly. The course is tough (in a great challenging way) and so beautiful. Everyone I spoke to (and certainly everyone racing from our
club) had a fanastic day.
Please pass on thanks to everyone involved for a very special day that will always be remembered.
Yours
Robin Biles (BRAT Club - Birmingham)
Thank you and the rest of the Wrexham tri club (and its many helpers) for a cracking event yesterday Julian,
It was brilliantly organised (with marshals who really knew what they were doing) and was a truly stunning setting and route.
I shall be recommending it to anyone I know looking for a half Ironman Distance race next year.
Thanks again,
Rupert Biggin
Julian
Once again, thank you very much for hosting such a wonderful event. Well marshalled and very friendly- and I did park in the correct car park
I would like to ask a couple of favours:
I'm the one who had my helmet taken from transition. It was a white/pink specialized S Works( http://www.mailordercycles.com/products ... p304&i=362)
I would be exceedingly grateful if you could request those that were close to my racking space (3or 4 each way) whether they've pick it up accidentally. and if so could they please return it!
Also when I was registering I was handed the the wrong envelope (399- when in fact I was 339). Quite naturally, once I'd received my envelope I put my BTF card in it for safe keeping. I went on to, collect goodies etc, and it was only at the numbering point where the error was noticed. I went back and exchanged envelopes, thus handing in my BTF card. Can you please contact 399 to see whether they've found my card and if they can send it back to me.
Many thanks
Alison Leavens
Julian, I enjoyed the race yesterday even the hills and weather, the race was well marshalled as usual. The only issue was the amount of cars on the roads and not leaving enough space for cyclists and later on runners.
However I made a mistake in T2 when I took off the chip to change socks and forgot to put it back on and only realised when I got to the turn around point and it did not beep. They said they were manually taken down finishing times at the end, I returned to the chip back to the marshal collecting the race chips at the finish.
If you want to complete the results I should be able to provide you with my T2 and run times as I was using GPS devices?
Mark Sherwood
Hi Julian,
Many thanks to you and all of your team for putting on a super event for us all yesterday. Everything went like clockwork and you even fixed the weather for us. Thanks to for putting the results on line so quickly.
Best wishes,
Don Hutchinson
Wonderfully organised race as usual, Julian.
Thanks to you all.
Stuart Mcgowan
Hi Julian
Was just wondering when you'd get a chance to put up the final results from yesterday.
Due to a nutritional nightmare on the bike I finished very late down the field but still in time to cross the final timing mat but am not yet up there.
As a race organiser I do appreciate that today you'll be preferring to put your feet up (relatively speaking) but I'm champing at the bit to see just how badly my digestive system mucked me up overall!
Many thanks for a great event
Regards
Jackie Lee(race number 369)
Many thanks to you and everybody involved in organising and running the Bala middle-distance race yesterday. A truly brilliant day, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
And thanks too for the towel, a thoughtful and useful bit of kit!
Thanks again,
Pete Jones
Saw the race from a competitor’s point of view. Superb. Brilliant course, fantastic marshalling (could not believe the number of club members out on the course and in the transition area.), registration seemed very smooth with big turnout of members in the morning. Police presence very welcome and we may need to ‘support’ them somehow as I am sure they will continue to get stick for the traffic delays.
I will try and put together some words. Will also try and get a letter into the Bala Newspaper praising the town and its support.
Steve Smith
2010 Welsh Champion Vintage Vet (albeit only one in category?)
Julian
Excellent race - well organised and v.enjoyable - many thanks.
Sqn Ldr Anthony Downing
Hi Julian,
It looks like we won the relay but couldn't hang around as we had to get on the road........5 hour journey and all.
Great event enjoyed by all our members if there was any prize can you post it on.
Regards
Phil Elms
Dunmow Tri
Dear Julian
I wanted to say thank you for a very well organised race yesterday. I really enjoyed (despite taking forever at it!).
I'm a Bala born and bred girl, and I'm competing in ironamn Zurich in 5 weeks time. I'd like to wear a Welsh kit, and although I'm not a member of Wrecsam tri I wondered whether it would be ok for me top purchase your kit for the event? And if so, how do I go about ordering it?
I look forward to hearing from you, and thanks again for organising a great event to show Bala at its best!
Elin
Julian
Congratulations in organising such a successful event. This was my first middle distance event as part of my Ironman training and it lived up to it's reputation!
I know organising is a thankless task but can you please pass my thanks on to all the volunteers that made the day so successful. It was worth travelling down from Scotland. Bala is a beautiful town and the locals were so friendly.
Good luck for 2011.
Derek Stewart
Julian,
Per usual. you did a fantastic job. bala is such a nice event. i really had a good time again. i should have raced harder, maybe i would not have enjoyed it too much then. i think you should work for the welsh tourist board.
thanks for this event and all the hard work that you and your team have put in.
regards
Hans Paulich
Julian
I'd just like to say thank you to everyone involved with the Bala Middle this weekend. I have to say it was really well organised and the marshalls and everyone were fantastic.
Couple of things though. I was one of the last two athletes that came in off the run, a big thank you to the marshall and St Johns Ambulance crew who followed us in by the way, and as a result I still have my timing chip. I know that these are expensive so can you let me know who to return it to so that its available for future use.
Also I've been looking at the results for the race and I can't find my name anywhere. I was expecting to at least see it as a DNF because of the lack of a finishing time but with the swim, bike and transition splits. Would this be because of me still having the timing chip or have I just been missed off the results?
Regards,
Bill Powell
(Race number 565)
Julian
My sore legs are once again a testament to a challenging run. My aching shoulders are a reminder of the fabulous Lake Bala swim and my painful bottom is a lesson to us all not to celebrate the race with 9 pints of Guinness and a vindaloo.
Great day out yesterday and as always superbly organised and very professionally managed. Thanks for everything and see you next year hopefully
Terry Monkstone
Hi gill
Thanks for a great race realy well organised as allways.
Thanks again
Sam Heyward
Hi there,
Thank you for a lovely event on Sunday. It was my first Triathlon and I am looking forward to returning next year for another go! I am sorry to roll up with a problem though... I inadvertently picked up Alison Leavon's specialized helmet as I packed up from transition. She was number 339, next to me as 340. I expect you might have heard from her already as it looks like a very expensive helmet. If you would please pass my email or mobile number onto her I would be very greatful.
Thanks again to you and your excellent marshalls,
Maria Lawton
Thanks for a tremendous event on Sunday Julian. My first Middle race....all went very well.
A question for you.......there are a number of us in Bala who are training regularly now for triathlons. We cycle and swim together but lack any formal training/coaching. Do you think there is anyone who might be able to help us.....especially on the swimming side of things? We could get a group of perhaps 4 of 5 of us who would be interested in swimming coaching - we have the indoor pool.
Any help gratefully received.
Kind regards
Peter Cottee
Bryniau Golau
PS. I'm pleased to say that the Cake Stall organised by my partner Katrina Le Saux sold out of all cakes at the event with great feedback from participants and families.
Hi Julian,
Just wanted to thank you for the race this weekend. This was my first time in Bala despite having been in triathlon for quite a long time.
The race was excellent, great organisation, course and support. Nice to see that the local people were also very supportive.
It is definitely on par with race like the defunct Ironbridge and all for a very reasonable price.
Again thank you very much to you and all the people who helped to make this race such a success.
See you next year!
Vincent Malachanne
Hello Julian
Thanks for organising a great race. I just thought I'd write and offer some feedback on my experience of it. As a slow-ish cyclist and runner, I found that after the half way point of my run that the aid stations had been packed up, or were in the process of being packed up. This was only slightly irritating from a fuel point, but more so from a motivation point - it's discouraging to feel like you're sooo slow that everyone has packed up and gone home. Upon returning to the finish line, the prize giving was underway so there was obviously no announcement of my finish, as I understand my faster club mates received. Then the transition area was dismantled, which was disorientating until I finally found my bike lying on the grass.
I can understand the announcements need to give priority to the prize giving ceremony, although have experienced where this can be interrupted to acknowledge late comers arriving back, e.g. at The Vitruvian. I would suggest that aid stations should remain on the run course until all runners have finished. We might be slower, but we've paid our money just the same
My number was 321, Keavy McMinn, finished in 7hrs 1min.
Response
Keavy
This is the only negative feedback we have had to date, but still taken on board.
I was asked by club members, helpers, St Johns and the timers to put a cut off on the course. It was too late to implement this year.
The cut off will be on the bike finish when peoples chips will be removed but they will still allowed to continue at their own risk. This would avoid these issues as people would enter knowing exactly what was happening if they could not make the specified cut off times. As you must appreciate it is an extremely long day for the organisers and helpers. We were up at 05:00 and finished packing away the trailers at 22:00.
St John, Raynet, chip timers etc, were all out long hours and are all volunteers,
We have to hold the presentation early as a large number of the winner's live long distances away and leave if prize giving is late. It is pointless having a prize giving if no one is there. We do normally keep the commentary running during presentation but we had a failure on the second roaming microphone so I pinched the commentators for the presentation.
Regards
Julian Hunter
Hi Julian
Another great race on Sunday - many thanks to you and Wrexham Tri for organising and marshalling. If you could just flatten that hill at the mid point on the run it would be just great!!! Can you let me know if the results will be available for the age groups - on the web site they are currently only for 10 year age groups and with this being the National Champs I wasn't sure if they will get broken down further?
Many thanks
Jan Rodgers
Hi Gill,
Thanks to you both once again for hosting what turn out to be another fantastic weekend.
See you soon
Pete Ellis
Julian,
I wanted to write to thank you and your team for your efforts organising the Bala Middle Distance. Although I’ve been competing at international distance for 10 years, Bala was my first Middle distance and I’m sure I couldn’t have picked a better race. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole race and was very impressed with the logistics, everything worked exactly as you said it would. Please pass my thanks on to all the volunteers, I know these events take massive preparation and often the organisers efforts are taken for granted. Special thanks to the Rugby Club for the very welcome hot shower! Well done on a superb race. I’ll be there next year!
Alastair Brown
Hello Julian
First I would like to thank you and your club for a great race.
Well organised all round.
Everyone told me it was a tough race ...and they were right !
I lost a brand new pair of aquasphere clear goggles in transition. My number was 448. I have emailed the people either side of me to see if they had picked them up by mistake as well.
Just wondered if they have been handed in or not.
Thanks again.
Steve Tatem
Membership
Derby Triathlon Club
Hi Julian,
Hope you are well.
First of all thank-you for a very well organized event…I would say enjoyable, but I would be lying!
I have had a groin strain the past 2months so couldn’t train for Bala which made it very tough on Sunday. Add to this the fact that it’s my first half ironman gives you some idea of the hell I went thru!!
Anyway enough wingeing….When I was on the bike my seat came loose and it got to the point where I couldn’t ride. Thankfully 1 of my fellow competitors stopped for me and tightened my seat so I could carry on.
I would like to thank him if possible, so was wondering if you could give me his email address. His number was 268.
Kind Regards,
Dominic Orange (No: 202)
Hi Julian,
A big thank you for the organisation of the race at the weekend and what a great spot Bala was. I know my family really enjoyed the weekend and we now look forward to your September event.
I know organisers often like feedback so I have just one small suggestion for improvement. On the bike course you had marshalls using STOP/GO signs to handle the car traffic at the left/right junction. Could this technique also be employed on the run course. Many cars were using the road at the same time and where cars could not pass each other jams formed and the runners were forced to weave between the cars. It may have helped if the cars could have been held back in wider stretches and then pushed through rather like a traffic light system.
Jason Woodruff
Dear Wrecsam Tri
A big thank you for putting on a fantastic event, our first middle distance. The logistics were faultless, I'll be writing to the local constabulary thanking them as well.
We are staying local, llanuwchllyn next to the run course. Having listened to the plea for competitiors to dispose of gels with care we were saddened to witness many discarded gels near the half way point. In true 'Tri' spirit, we collected as many as we could find whilst taking a stroll Mon evening.
Thank you again, we would like to return again, hopefully fitter and faster!
Thank you
Dave Priest & Dave & families 'Tuff Fitty'
Hi, Julian,
Couple of quick points....
Lots of people seem to have no leg markings.
The run route really clogged up with vehicle traffic this year. Its such a good run course as well..
I saw huge litter problems, despite your warnings, but so many people were riding with number belts with the numbers folded over and obscured there was no way to take numbers to report back to you.
Its still just about my favourite race in the uk calendar!
Best of luck for the september race.
Cheers,
Stu Mcgowan
Hello Julian
Congratulations on another fabulous race on Sunday – extremely well organised and a pleasure to take part in.
Just wondered if the Chester Tri ladies had won a team prize? A few of us seemed to do quite well in the FV40 category.
Best wishes,
Andrea Mageean
Hi Julian
Great race enjoyed it lots despite the hills!!
Where else can you get a lakeside run with that profile??
Hope the car parking issues were all ok
Best wishes Gary Matthews
Hi Julian
Firstly thanks for putting on a great triathlon yet again. This was my 5th Bala Middle Distance. Also for the swift race results service - really nice to find out ones splits before leaving for home.
I'm just wondering if it's possible for the results info to show age categories in the 5 year bands that we race in. I'm in the 45-49 and would like to see how I stood up in this cat, as well as the larger Vet 40-50 category that the result presently shows. Is this possible?
Best regards
Pat Berkhold
Hi Julian
Thanks for organising such a great race - really well organised, great atmosphere and amazing scenery.
I came 2nd overall in the womens' race but unfortunately couldn't stay for the prize giving as I had a very long trip home to Bournemouth. Could you tell me if I won some prize money and if so could you send it to me?
Thanks Julian
Emma
Hi Julian,
I hope you have found time to relax after some busy time leading up to last Sunday, which was yet another very successful event.
As one blogger mentioned that it was quite and achievement for a club that Wrexham Tri Club are able to organise such a triathlon that is as good as any of the leading triathlon in the UK.
Congratulations to yourself and all the team.
The main reason why I was e-mailing you was to state that I have over 200 photos of the event on my website and by tomorrow morning I will have over 300 photos. I’m drip feeding these photos on to my site as I find time. I put the presentation photos on late on Sunday evening and people have been viewing them from Tri-talk as StuWeb wrote that both our photos were online, but the majority of those that are linked from Wrecsam Tri Site are looking at last year’s photos without realising that there are this year’s there also.
If you would put a link I would be truly grateful.
Many thanks,
EVAN
Morning Julian (and the rest of you!)
Thanks for another excellent race day experience on Sunday
As I arrived nice and early and was one of the first to register, I didn’t experience the 20 minute queue that some others did. Always good to get there early to relax I find
The car park worked very well, I used to park in the little car park used as the entrance to the field anyhow, for a quick getaway without annoying residents or driving on the course. Though the field was much, much better, thumbs up for that one!
I *think* the body marking could’ve been done by the same person? (not sure on BTF rules for that) Perhaps writing (or printing sticky labels) our names, number and Age Group category onto the envelope would’ve helped the body markers - making for a quick reference and negating their need to look it up. It worked well for me, though, as I said, I was there super early. Also, that rear fire door would’ve been a nice exit for people who’d finished, therefore getting us in one door and out of the other?
Breifing was excellent and thorough. Even though it was my third time at Bala Middle, I still listened intently for any last minute changes. I could hear clearly, event though I was right by the swim exit, too.
Bike course was A1 and the run course was brilliant. Both were well marshalled, especially on the LH turn to Dolgellau on the coast road.
Once again, thanks for a great race and I hope to see you again next year!
Hello Julian,
I just like to thank you and your team for hosting and marshalling another great event in the heart of Wales. I can't think how much time and effort is spent setting the whole race up. It is still one of the best run triathlons I have attended in the country.
On another matter I was wandering if you could help answer a question of mine.
I am trying to compare my times with the race I attended in 2008. From memory the 2008 race followed the same course i.e. out and back but I'm not sure if this years turning point was sightly further away. (My trip computer showed a total distance of about 8 kms more in this year)
Kind regards
Nick Vaughan (208)
