Round Up 28th July – 10th August 2025
Thank you as ever to all the contributors to this round up, which again is a real treat with a wide range of events for you to read about and be inspired by. Congratulations to everyone who has competed over the last 2 weeks! Remember, that if it is not in the round up, it didn’t happen!
Cowman Triathlon – Milton Keynes – Sunday 3rd August 2025
Many thanks to Jenny Oliver for sending in this report of the Cowman event:
The 2025 Cowman Triathlon, set in Emberton Country Park on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, was the chosen event for the Middle Distance Club Championship.
The Cowman is a real multi-sport fest offering multiple triathlon distances: Cowman (70.3), Calfman (Standard), Stampede (Sprint), including Aquabike, Bike-Run and Team options.
Olly Sampson was the only Tuff to brave the Middle Distance! Jodi Barter entered the Sprint Tri, Adrian the Standard Tri and Jenny (myself) the Standard Aquabike.
Adrian and I decided to camp in the grounds of the lovely Emberton Country Park putting us on site for an early start.
A huge shout out goes to our valiant Captain, Mark Sole, who drove up at the crack of dawn to see Olly off on his Middle Distance swim. Mark stayed to the end cheering us on at every opportunity!
This was a great opportunity for Adrian and me to practise our respective events prior to Wollongong Australia in October. This included wearing in our expensive GB trisuits, and for me, it was my first time racing with tribars, tri shoes, road cleats and no socks!
The swim was just the second outing for my new Zone3 Aspire wetsuit. I’ve recently been having issues with chaffing on the neck and so decided to slap on some KT tape as protection. That did the job. There were a lot of people in the water and I was encountering arms and legs for most of the swim. Managed to get round in reasonable time, then into transition.
Not too much faffing. Got the shoes onto my wet feet. Running on the grass in road cleats was OK. I had to make some adjustments to my mount and dismount with the road cleats which feel less stable if you don’t manage to clip in straight away, so a bit more practice needed there. But I felt comfortable with no socks.
The tribars had only been on for a couple of weeks and I was amazed and pleased that it had already begun to feel like the norm to get down and aero. I recorded a top speed of 52km/hr which I doubt I would have been possible without the bars. It was a pretty and enjoyable ride through local countryside.
Back at base as an Aquabike finisher, I was still able to run through the finish shoot for a photo and collect an attractive medal. The local sea cadets served up post-race snacks including cold alcohol-free beer, cinnamon rolls and other sweet treats, jelly sweets, bananas, crisps and pretzels and they kept encouraging us to take more “for the way home”!
We cheered Jodi in to finish her Sprint race and saw Olly come in from his bike leg. We then nipped off to decamp before the weather changed just in time to miss a shower.
Then back to join Mark and watch Olly complete his final run laps to finish the Middle Distance as Club Champion!
I don’t have much capacity to shout and cheer with only one working vocal cord, so made full use of a large cow bell that Adrian’s family had brought back from Switzerland. Olly got the full benefit of that bell. The commentator mentioned it, and the fact that the club members were sprinting across the spectator area to take every opportunity to support our guy! We made sure it was known that we were Tuff Fitty Triathlon Club and that Olly was our Chairman. Olly was asked to say a few words about the club at the finish.
It didn’t quite turn out to be the Tuff camping and multi-sport weekend that we’d envisaged, but shall we say that there was still quality, if not quantity of Tuff presence!
Harting Multi-Terrain 10 Miler – Sunday 3rd August 2025
I think that Stu is our most prolific contributor (well trained by his dad and very conscientious!) and as well as being extremely grateful, I am always interested to read about his events, as he competes in such a range. Thanks so much, Stu! Here is his latest report:
Organised by Liss Runners, the event is a low key but very well organised event that for an entry fee of £17, includes a well signed course and the all important finishers medal, not to mention an incredible selection of cheap cakes at the finish!
The conditions for this year’s event were ideal and as the name suggests the course is multi terrain with a range of tarmac lanes, bridleways, woodland stretches and chalky tracks. It’s also pretty hilly too with a total elevation gain throughout the 10 mile route topping out at around 1100ft.
With all three of us taking part in the 2024 running, along with a fourth Harvey, Paul, we were all keen to best our times from last year.
Starting at the Cricket Club in South Harting it was a short walk to the start line before heading out on to the 10 mile loop which would lead out to the top of the South Downs and provide fantastic views of the surrounding area.
The first part of the race was pretty undulating but it wasn’t until half way in the race that most of the elevation comes with a fairly steep incline strung out over two miles before levelling out at Ditcham Park School.
Once on more level ground it was a case of digging in for the final 5k which followed a chunk of the South Downs Way before ticking off the final mile back to the finish line over a fast and smooth tarmac descent before a quick lap of the cricket ground to cross the finish line.
Doing the race last year I knew what to expect and I feel I paced it much better and the result was managing to snip 4 and half minutes off my 2024 time which I was very happy with and it was also great to do the event with Trev and Dad.
Highdown Hike – Angmering – Wednesday 6th August 2025
More Harvey thanks are due, this time to Clive for providing the following write up of the Highdown Hike:
Whilst 21 Tuffs were running at our popular track night, several were lined up on a start line just four miles away at the West Sussex Fun Run League fixture staged by Worthing Striders. As ‘other running clubs are available’ some were scoring points for their teams, marked *.
There was strong running, round and over, Highdown Hill from Oliver Thomas as first Tuff home, then Dan Lawrence and Steve Feest* separated by just 4 seconds. Zeina Clare* was next across the line with Karl Halom, Glenn Parisi & Clive Harvey following just 24 seconds apart. The roll call continues as Kate Cooper* ran with daughter Polly, Jenny Coombes, Adam Stringer, Debbie Birch* and Chris Evans.
As well as 12 runners, there were more Tuffs behind the scenes, with thanks to Sheila Bailey, Benita Fryer, & Kayleigh Hudson. Particular kudos to Dan Barnett as race director. Sue Pinky was up on Highdown taking photos. Finally, a big shout out to a person who is always giving ‘shouts out’ to members – Mark Sole came along to cheer. A successful event where many of the Tuffs queued for the barbecue and bar afterwards to round off a great evening – well done all 18!
Dorney Lake Triathlon – Saturday 9th August 2025
Thanks very much – and congratulations – to Katie Harmer for sending in the following report of a great performance at her first Olympic distance triathlon.
I competed in the Dorney Lake standard distance tri on Saturday: my first Olympic distance. I came 1st in my age group (35-39) and 15th overall female. Even managed a 10km PB, so am very happy with how it went!
Beautiful setting (as you’d expect being affiliated with Eton college), pretty chaotic swim with lots of bumping throughout, ideal weather with the heat and wind only picking up significantly in the last 20 mins or so. I would definitely recommend Dorney to others as it’s closed road and flat. Well organised event. The photo shows me with my support team (in as much as they supported me by eating all my finish line food handouts!).
REP 5km Adur River Swim – Shoreham – Saturday 9th August 2025
Huge thanks to Leah Simms for taking time out of her holiday to send me this report on the REP 5km River Swim:
I saw some fellow Tuffs swim this race last year and thought I’d sign up for my longest open water distance.
It’s been a while since I’ve swam in a river and the weeks leading up to it, I had excited nerves and did some last-minute swim training in Arundel Lido.
The swim started great, getting in at the back and finding some space as the fear of getting swam over or dunked made me quite anxious.
I got into a good swim rhythm until the wind picked up and the river started to get choppy. It felt like swimming in the sea, it was bumpy at times and every time you tried to catch a breath you got a face or mouth full of sea water. What didn’t help was the two speed boats coming down the river in the middle of the race. Then the leg cramping started, I tried to shake it off and stretch the calves whilst treading water which wasn’t easy.
Onto the final stretch of the swim, the wind had settled and the leg cramp had gone so I could get back into a comfortable swimming rhythm again. Headed towards the finish line and tried to not get pulled the other way by the current. Overall, I loved it and survived!
A great local race by Raw Energy Pursuits, well organised with fantastic safety crew and not forgetting the lovely Tuffs who also help out at these.
T100 – London – Sunday 10th August 2025
Many thanks to our ladies captain, Clare Worgan, for sending in this report of the T100:
The T100 is a new distance for me, Mark and Dom so entering London felt like a new adventure and it didn’t disappoint.
The pro races on the Saturday were awesome, watching British women Lucy and Kate get 1st and 2nd was all the inspiration I needed!
On Sunday, it was our turn to tackle the 100km course. 2km swim in the docks, my first Aussie exit, I thought I dove in like a pro, but the video evidence shows a gentle tiptoe and what can only be described as an “old lady dive”!
The 80km bike took in the sights of London, but the best part was speeding through the tunnels like we were in a movie car chase. Mark was unlucky and got a puncture but fixed it expertly and zipped past me with a quick hello.
The 18km run was tough in the heat on tired legs. The looped course meant I got to see Dom & Mark a couple of times and the cheering squad Charlotte and Garth. The finish line was fab! I channelled my inner Lucy Charles-Barclay and sprinted down the blue carpet for a hard-earned medal and some fancy swag.
A wonderful triathlon weekend with inspiration from the professionals and some of my favourite Tuffs.
parkrun Round Up
Saturday 2nd August 2025
Despite it being August, Tuffs were out in force at parkrun on Saturday 2nd August. As is customary, Littlehampton took top spot with Ed Lay, Stephen Feest, Oliver Thomas, Kayleigh Hudson, Colin Simpson, Emma Hinton, Benita Fryer, Chris Evans, Sue Simpson and Janet Shepherd all taking part. Congratulations to Stephen on his 100th parkrun! Richard Hobbs, Clive Harvey and Jay McCardle all ran at Lancing Beach Green with Clive picking up a course PB. Al Evans also picked up a course PB, this time at Chichester. Sheila Bailey took a trip to Southampton, Paul Fielder was at Bevendean and Nathan Bilham ran at Ifield Mill Pond. Meanwhile Trevor Harvey ran at Upton Court, Katie Young in Hereford and Kate Evans at Wakehurst.
Saturday 9th August 2025
On Saturday 9th August Worthing narrowly took top spot with Paul Barnard, Danny Cunnett, Ed Lay, Kate Cooper, Paul Fielder, Colin Simpson, Les Pearce and Sue Simpson all running. Congratulations to Paul Barnard on his PB! There was a strong Tuff presence at Littlehampton as usual: Steve Fryer, Simon Grundy, Adrian Oliver, Emma Hinton, Oliver Thomas, Katherine Yates-Hill and Chris Evans all took part, with Chris also picking up a volunteering credit, while Katherine got a course PB. Nathan Bilham and Tim Kenny were at Bognor, Daniel Barnett ran at Lancing Beach Green and Al Evans went on tour to Chipping Sodbury. Well done everyone!
