Richard Berridge, Anthony Quin and Rob Bradburn were joined by Mike Williams of MRW Consultants to represent Residential Land in the annual King Sturge (now Jones Lang Lasalle) Property Triathlon on Friday 8th July 2011.
Below is a tongue in cheek account of the day’s event:
Despite the weather, it was no damp squib! And the boys did us proud! Swimming, biking and running their way around Dorney Lake in Windsor. Conditions were not ideal and it was one of those English summer days we’re all familiar with; cloudy, windy, rainy and the odd ray of sunshine from time to time just to remind us that we’re well into July and it ought to be baking hot!
Residential Land Property Triathletes
By their own admission, Richard and Rob swim like bricks weighted down with lead and this presented something of a challenge if they were to complete the three disciplines. But, despite bringing up the rear, they made it back to dry land in about 24 minutes. Anthony however, was fairly rapid in the water, Mike even more so clocking up a mere 14 minutes to complete the 750 metre course.
Ahead of them was the next leg: the 20k bike ride. All four had their problems, not least of which was a leg sapping head-wind on the return part of each loop. Anthony’s chain came off (allegedly) but this didn’t stop him being the fastest of the four, and Richard’s legs decided that this sort of punishment was simply not on and countered with a revolution reducing cramp! Just a 5k run to come and it would be all over….
Rob, whose leisurely swim had left him with a mountain to climb, and a bike ride which was a little slower than he had hoped (not helped by losing his timing chip in transition which he had to go back for!) decided that it was time to put on the after burners and his run was an incredible 22mins for the 5k. This may not sound as though he was nudging the sound barrier, but after an exhausting swim and a bike ride which had topped up his leg muscles with more lactic acid than he’d had in a lifetime, it’s a fantastic effort. Richard had also targeted the run as a discipline where he might make up some of the time he knew he was going to lose in the water. Unfortunately, the dreaded cramp had other ideas and he tottered off out of the transition area barely able to walk.
With a titanic effort, he made it to the refreshment zone, where runners were offered a truly revolting energy drink. A couple of sips later, coupled with a decision to gently try and run off the cramp, Richard gingerly made off up the course. Miraculously, after about 500meters, the cramp subsided and he went for it hell-for-leather and was rewarded with a time only 30 seconds slower than Rob. But it was not enough. Anthony claimed the Residential Land honours, followed by Mike, then Richard, with rocket runner Rob coming fourth. The highlight of the day? Well Richard said it was letting a very rapid Helen Jenkins, women’s World Champion triathlete, past on the run as he ‘didn’t want to embarrass her’.
Richard completed the Triathlon in aid of his chosen charity, Pancreatic Cancer Research. If you would like to support the guys for their terrific accomplishment, please make a contribution to this worthy cause: http://www.justgiving.com/richard-Berridge
