City of Lancaster Triathlon
"The only limits we have are those we set ourselves"
Committee
Richard Mason : Club Captain
Richard Mason is a loving husband and father to his wife Sarah & two grown-up daughters Hayley & Charlotte. He runs his own Personal Training Business Inspired Personal Training,but when not working spends most of his time training for Triathlon (ask his wife & children they will confirm this).
Since being at school Richard always played & competed in sports(the only double "A"s on his school report).Despite a wide range of sports he has only ever excelled in those where large lung capacity,small brain power ,& strong muscles were needed such as cross country running & skiing,800m athletics,indoor rowing and ultrafit gym decathlon. Oh, and he was pretty good at throwing himself around the assault course at Commando Training Centre Lympstone during his time as a Royal Marine.But it was really on the rugby pitch where he was most at home ,where his physical & destructive skills could be best employed.
As time ticked on he turned in 2003 to Triathlon for a new challenge ,firstly trying sprints & then Olympic distance events,but soon found these weren't enough & so in 2004 decided to enter his first Ironman in Frankfurt Germany.
He has competed in multiple full Ironman races with IM France & IM Lanzarote on his CV plus numerous 70.3 & middle distance events. He finished 3rd in his age group at Ironman UK with a splendid time of 9.59.05 and will represent COLT at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii in October 2011.
So why did I start a Triathlon Club ?
I had reasonable success at Triathlon when training on my own using my own ideas and methods .However it was when I began training with others & sharing their ideas,experiences & above all their friendship & support,that my Triathlon world became more successful beyond all my beliefs & much more fun.I shall forever be in the debt of those who helped me and it was thanks to all their encouragement that I decided and was able to start this club.So thanks to Andrew McCracken ,who showed me how hard you can ride a bike & has always been there on those long cold & wet training rides.To John Knapp who showed how hard you can race IM & is always there for advice on my training plans .To Steve Stretch who is the reason I started Triathlon after a conversation on the spin bike about swimming (Bloody Navy).To Chris Wild for his enthusiasm before & since getting the club started & making me believe Hippies can race IM Lanzarote .To Sarah Patterson (my Big Sister) who reigns me in & tells me off when I get carried away .And finally to Dan McParland (how could I forget) who thought up the name.
Spread the word THE MIGHTY COLT ARE COMING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Richard can be contacted via Richard@cityoflancastertriathlon.co.uk
Andrew McCracken : Vice Captain
Prior to triathlon the only sport that Andrew did competitively was eating. He peaked at 15 stone and with the waist that was still growing Andrew was challenged to enter and complete a sprint distance triathlon. He completed his first sprint distance event in 2003 and was instantly hooked.
The training and desire to race became more intense and before long (and after loosing weight) he was getting quicker and gradually increasing the distance of the races.
Andrew stuck at it an in 2006 qualified for and competed at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, representing GBR.
More recently Andrew has been competing at the full Ironman distance events having posted sub 11 hours for Ironman UK. Andrew admits (due to living in the real world of work and family) that he is not as quick as he once was but he can still give Captain Mason a run for his money!
Andrew can be contacted via Andrew@cityoflancastertriathlon.co.uk
Sarah Patterson : Secretary
Sarah decided she needed a challenge on reaching the age of 40 so she cycled from Coast to Coast and entered a Super Sprint Triathlon. She was hooked and began to compete regularly at Sprint Distance from 2003. In 2009, she finally managed to pluck up the courage to enter an Olympic distance race and wondered why she hadn’t done it years ago. Keeping it in the family, her son Sam also got the triathlon bug and has been competing with her for the past couple of years. The main man in the COLT support crew is husband David, who cooks meals for Sam and his two sisters whilst their mother is out on her bike, running around country lanes or swimming at South Lakes Leisure Village. He’s pretty good at bike maintenance too!
In 2011 Sarah made her debut at Half Ironman distance. She is currently being brainwashed by her fellow COLT members into thinking that completing a full Ironman is the sane and rational next step in her triathlon career. She is not yet convinced…….
Sarah doesn't have a typical sporting background, in fact her sixth form school reports usually had the comment "Rarely seen" in the PE Section. Sarah trained as a dancer until the age of 18 and is a qualified tap dancing teacher.
Sarah is the club secretary and if you have any queries or comments would lik to hear from you via Sarah@cityoflancastertriathlon.co.uk
John Knapp :
John started out as a backmarker runner in the 1980's but in 1991 came across triathlon while living in Sydney for a year. Teaching himself to swim freestyle, still evident in his swim splits, his first UK race was the Bath Olympic distance race in 1992 where he was pleased to break the 3hr barrier.
In 1997 he completed his first Ironman at the Longest day and triathlon has been a part of his life since. Having moved to Lancaster in 1999 it has been the friends that he has made through the sport that have helped to make it home. He provides living proof that you can get faster in your 40's and achieved an age group second at IM UK in 2008. In 2009 John represented COLT at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. He repeated this great achievement in 2010.
In 2011 John claimed a fabled 'black shirt' after completing the worlds hardest Ironman race, The Norseman.
Still a keen runner who enjoys the trails and fells and the odd mountain marathon he won the KIMM A class in 2005 with Valerie, his wife.
John has a fair degree of experience and like the rest of the committee is happy to offer guidance about training, kit and events to anyone in need of help.
John can be contacted via John@cityoflancastertriathlon.co.uk
Chris Wild :
Chris is not a ‘typical’ triathlete. His colleagues in archaeology, and friends in the love of heavy metal are more usually associated with drinking than sport.
Maybe it was the lycra that drew him into cycling? Having found that too elitist to accept a freak, he ended up trying triathlon at his spiritual home of Club La Santa, Lanzarote. Despite being a bad swimmer, and hating running, he was hooked.
Having played at sprint distance for a few years Chris joined Total Fitness, and things got serious (by his standards). Within 12 months the first daunting Olympic distance led to the terrifying half Ironman, and somehow standing on the start line of the worlds toughest Ironman in 45mph winds, in Lanzarote 2006. Ironman had always been a pipe-dream, but with the encouragement, support, and possibly more importantly the banter and humour, of Andy Mc, John, Richard and Steve, it turned into reality before there was any time to stop and think.
Chris’ aims in triathlon are not to conform to stereotypes, to compete to a sensible level whilst maintaining a good work/tri/life balance, keeping a sense of humour and perspective, showing that not all dirty vegetarians are completely feeble (except going up hill), and demonstrating that it can all be done on a minimal budget (outvoted on Aldi team kit, fortunately!).
Girly long hair, a ridiculous beard, Ebay race wheels, the support of his lovely wife, a PB of 10.10.50, and a Kona spot for the Ironman World Championships in 2011, suggests its still going to plan! We are often faced with difficult choices: race longer or eat less, turned out to be a great decision.
Chris can be contacted via Chris@cityoflancastertriathlon.co.uk
Daniel McParland : Treasurer
After so much banter/discussion on the Saturday early morning ‘rain or shine’ (or frost or hale or anything else for that matter) bike rides it is fantastic that such a thriving club has grown out of those early seeds and despite living in Manchester nowadays I know my roots and am proud to represent COLT in all my triathlon endeavours!
Triathlon came into my life in 2004 after the hardships (!) of student life had started to take their toll and I needed some way to gain a bit of fitness. I spent my youth in football and athletics specialising in 100m, Long Jump and Shot Putt and it was always clear my natural abilities were not suited to endurance sports! However, after purchasing a bike and joining the Loughborough Triathlon Club I gradually became more embroiled in the sport and my competitive nature had me training ever longer hours in search of improvement.
I have competed in all distances of triathlon except ‘the big one’, highlights include competing in the World Age Group Champs in Hamburg 2007, scraping under the 2hr barrier for Olympic distance in 2008 and winning my first attempt at Half Ironman distance.
Outside of triathlon I am a Chartered Accountant working in the Financial Services industry and live in Didsbury with my girlfriend Katie, 4 bikes, an abundance of lycra and 3 goldfish that die and get replaced every time we go on holiday.
After making his Ironman debut in 2010 in Lanzarote, Dan followed this up with a superb performance at Ironman Uk in 2011. Finishing 18th overall and third in his age group in a time of 9.29.49.
Kel Hirst :
Kel Hirst is 33, married to Matt and is mum to Amelia (7) and Alex (5). After serving in the Royal Navy for 7 years she had a career change and became a nurse and is currently working at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
Throughout her life Kel has been a keen sports woman. Running, swimming and hockey have been the main sports however she has turned my hand to most sports over the years, including volleyball, football and rugby. The first triathlon Kel took part in was an annual charity sprint tri organised by the navy. She took part every year for 3 years but could never progress to any others due to her ‘irrational’ fear of open water.
Last year Kel finally decided to conquer her fear, she purchased her first wetsuit, joined the COLT’s and turned up at the lake on a Monday night.
In her first season she took part in one of the Capenwray sprint tri’s and the club relays, both of which were a real experience. The beautiful clear waters of capenwray left Kel traumatised after face to face meetings with lots of large fish and the club relay swim was a crash course in bare knuckle fist fighting! Still onwards and upwards, Kel has been convinced by our illustrious captain that the way ahead is Ironman.!
Kel says, “With the added complication of Diabetes thrown into the mix the need to sort my nutritional requirements out and get the required training hours in, is going to be a real challenge for me. No doubt I’ll be picking the brains of the more experienced triathletes amongst you.”
Kel showed great determination and resolve to complete her first Ironman in Bolton in 2011. She finished in a very respectable 13.52.46 and is now looking forward to the challenge of Ironman Lanzarote in 2012.
Danny Rogerson : Forum Manager and Pool Training Liaison
Danny can’t thank his long suffering wife Hazel and offspring Lisa & Ben enough for their support over the years. They have endured many long hours around transition areas.
Coming from a background of rugby, with many happy seasons spent at the Vale of Lune RUFC, Danny’s first introduction to triathlon was in the late 1980’s when younger brother Phil suggested they give the Lancaster event a go.
After a bit of training the finish line was crossed and the seeds were sown. COLT club sponsor Graham Hodgson of Technology Farm was on the podium back in those early days. Saturday business commitments in the retail sports trade in Lancaster (Scott’s Sports 1970-2009) meant that the rugby career came to an end in the early 1990’s and triathlon well and truly filled the void.
Memorable Sporting moments:
1973 - 16-17. Vale of Lune RUFC 1st team debut v South Wales Police.
1980 –P 5, W 5. Vale of Lune RUFC 1st XV Florida tour.
1988 - 1:50:00. First ever triathlon – Lancaster – 400yds (p), 19m, 5m. Pool swim distance in yards! Oh dear. 1994 - 1:49:13. Trentham Gardens with our Captain (1:41:18) and being ahead going into the run thanks only to a marshal mis-directing RM on the bike leg!
1998 - 1:23:10. First sea swim tri – South Tyneside Sprint.
2002 - 3:00:02. Chester Deva, turning up with one wheel - you only ever do that once! Lisa had the ‘oversight’ sorted whilst Danny was still at ‘head in hands’ mode.
2004 - 07:51:45. Part of a 4 man team winning the Ford Ranger Great Lakeland Challenge.
2008 - 8:24:39. Fred Whitton Challenge with Ben - 8:24:46
So, how long will our Forum Administrator be able to fend off the other committee members urges to ‘go long’ before he really is too old? A 70.3 at Wimbleball in 2012 is on the cards as a starting point – the entry is in!
Danny can be contacted via danny@cityoflancastertriathlon.co.uk
Andy Holgate : Website Manager
Andy has been competing in Triathlons for 3 years, he came into the sport from a background in running, being a member of Barrow & Furness Striders for almost 30 years. Andy was a good footballer and rugby player but had to give both sports up when he had major surgery on both knees in his teens.
In his first season in the sport he went from a sprint triathlon ( Cockerham ) to an Ironman distance race ( The Big Woody ). He did the Ironman as part of his stag weekend and got married 6 days later to Em, thankfully in one piece. Andy was a complete newcomer who couldn't swim freestyle and didn't own a road bike, he's never looked back since and in 2009 completed Ironman Germany in under 13 hours.
2010 was an exciting year for Andy. He completed the London Marathon for the first time and in August took part in the inaugral Outlaw Ironman in Nottingham. He also recently started writing an online blog for Triathlete Europe Magazine, giving a 'normal blokes' insight into the world of triathlon.
The year ended amazingly when Andy became a dad for the first time to Charlotte.
2011 got off to a great start when his first book 'Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run.' about his life in triathlon was launched on New Years day. It has been the UK's number one selling triathlon book.
In 2012 Andy is keeping himself busy training for Ironman Lanzarote and The Outlaw.
Andy is responsible for maintaining and updating the COLT website, if you have any queries, suggestions or comments Andy would like to hear from you via Andy@cityoflancastertriathlon.co.uk