Well, only one more week to go, and we all start thinking and hoping that we have done enough training, but still some small bits to complete to keep sharp for the big event, but some still decided to complete a bit more than others, with the Ironman World Championships taking place, the Reading Olympic Distance Triathlon, Llanelli Standard Distance Triathlon and the Pembrokeshire Velo’s Time Trial Weekend.

Ironman 70.3 World Championships

The Austrian alpine town of Zell Am See, Austria, was the first-ever European host for this marquee event.

The Ironman 70.3 World Championship was created in 2006 and held in Clearwater, Florida until 2011. It then moved to Henderson, Nevada, where athletes were treated to a much more challenging course. In 2013 and 2014, the event took place in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec - its first stop on the new ‘global rotation’ for the championship.

This year put the event on European soil for the first time ever, where Austria hosted this epic and memorable event. More than 1,800 athletes from around the world (who qualified at another Ironman 70.3 event) competed at this prestigious race.

More than 130,000 athletes participate in a season of qualifying races for the championship, a series which consists of over 85 events in locations such as Australia, Germany, South Africa and Switzerland. Participants in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship will range in age from 18 to 70-plus, and will represent over 50 countries. We were lucky enough to have our member Vicky Jones taking part in the event, keeping Wales in focus.

The course saw Vicky taking part in the 1.9km swim, followed by 90.1km on the bike and then finishing off with 21.1km on the run. Vicky performed excellently, with the swim in 31:08, followed by 3:15:40 on the bike and then finished off on the run with 2:11:48, giving her a total time of 6:12:46, and what must have been an incredible experience to take part in, especially being the first time it was held in Europe.

Reading Olympic Triathlon

We had two members who decided to take on the Olympic distance at Reading, these being Kyle Wheeler and Emil Chwistek. The organisers say it could be known as the 110 per cent triathlon, with the bike and run sections being 10 per cent over the standard distances, but they see it as getting more for your money.

The swim was two laps of a 750m in the lake, followed by the bike course, which started on a closed road from the hotel grounds, before heading out into some beautiful Berkshire countryside; it was a gently undulating course, but no more, with it being two laps of 22km. Then completing it with 10.8km in a six-lap run around the lakeside trail.

Kyle completed the swim in 23:52, with Emil just behind in 28:26. Then out onto the fast bike course, with Kyle taking 1:16:40 and Emil 1:18:14. Out then onto the trail run, with Kyle completing it in 58:01 and Emil in 54:52, with finish times of Kyle 2:42:41 and Emil just behind in 2:45:17.

A good warm up event for Emil, ready for Ironman.

Healthy Life Activities - Llanelli Standard Triathlon

Healthy Life Activities were again running the Llanelli Standard Triathlon which started back in 2012 and has quickly proved a very popular event. We had Gerald Brace competing in this, along with his partner Karen, who was competing in the Tenovus Women’s Only Triathlon.

The distance for Gerald should have been a 1500m swim, followed by 40km on the bike and then a 10km run. The swim course had to be cut short, though, due to the weather and was also moved, but at least they managed to have a back-up plan.

For Karen, the Tenovus Women’s Only distance was a 400m swim, 20km bike and a 5km run.

Gerald completed the swim in 26:45, the bike in 1:11:02 and then the run in a personal best of 40:49, giving a total time of 2:22:20, with Karen completing her swim in 9:20, the bike in 39:21 and then the run in 27:52, giving a finish time of 1:20:43 and second in her age category.

Pembrokshire Velo’s Time Trial Weekend

The weekend also saw the Pembrokeshire Velo’s holding the 10-mile time trial at Redberth, with a number of members taking part. And there were some great successes, with Sam Reakes getting first Junior. Also taking part were Shaun Griffiths, Rhianne Griffiths, Gareth Rees and Tanis Hand.

ACES Activities for the coming week

Monday, September 7 - Sea Swim, meet at North Beach at 6 pm.

Tuesday, September 8 - Club Ride, meet at Tenby Leisure Centre at 6 pm.

Wednesday, September 9 - Aled’s Run Session, meet at Tenby Leisure Centre at 6.30 pm.

Wednesday, September 9 - Beginners Ride, meet at Tenby Leisure Centre at 6 pm.

Thursday, September 10 – Club Ride, meet at Tenby Leisure Centre at 6 pm.

Sunday, September 13 - Ironman Wales.

Route for Tuesday, September 8: Route 2 - New Hedges, Devonshire Drive, Redberth, Sageston, Carew, Milton Hill, The Ridgeway, Lamphey, Hodgeston, Jameston, Lydstep, Tenby (approximately 23.5 miles) http://connect.garmin.com/activity/14212138

Sweepers - Pat Currie and Janina Louise Evans (Janina can’t make it so someone will step in).

Route for Thursday, September 10: Route 1 - Lydstep, Hodgeston, Lamphey, Lower Lamphey Road, Pembroke Castle, Upper Lamphey Road, Lamphey, Hodgeston, Jameston, Lydstep, Tenby (approx 21.5 miles) http://connect.garmin.com/activity/27197304

Sweepers - Ceire Merrison and Steve Davis.

Rides leave Tenby Leisure Centre at 6 pm and helmets must be worn on all club rides.