TEAM DOE do The Clacton Triathlon

Dress rehearsal

8th September 2013.

This year saw the start of a new career for me.  I said good bye to the busy day to day running of an accountancy practice and headed off to Ernest Doe & Sons Limited, the largest agricultural supplier in the UK.

I also landed myself the role of PA to the Managing Director, Mr Colin Doe.  So, if any of my usual gang need a tractor or combine, you know where to come for discount!  http://www.ernestdoe.com

It wasn't long before I learnt that I had something in common with my new boss.  Sport.  He is a competitive cyclist, and with me being a swimmer, our daily routine soon included chit chat about the past weekends training regime.

It certainly broke the ice in those first few weeks when everything and everybody is so new.  It's nice to have some common ground somewhere.

Almost ready

It was during one of these conversations that Colin jokingly said, "if we had a runner, would that make us good for a triathlon".

He really did say it as a joke, because he never realised at the time that team triathlons do exist.

A few days later, Kerry Marsh from accounts popped in to our office and our previous team triathlon conversation resurfaced.  "So we now have a triathlon team, what a shame we are three people instead of one".

I explained that Team Triathlons really do exist and how about we enter one.  It was said a bit 'tongue in cheek' as I never thought for one minute that both of them would be interested.  Surprisingly they were, so that was it, I was now on the case to find a team triathlon that the three of us could compete in.


I'm second in from the right of the picture

Before they could catch their breath, TEAM DOE was entered into The Clacton Triathlon. 

The only problem was the date.  8th September 2013. Colin and Janet's wedding anniversary!  How could we get Janet to agree to spending her wedding anniversary watching a triathlon!   "Well, it is Clacton.  Tell her your taking her to the beach for the day" I said.  OK maybe that won't work".

So, I spent a few weeks advising my new boss how to stack up brownie points at home.  "You need to do the ironing this weekend, mow the grass and cook the dinner".  Basically, keep in her good books and stack up your points.  You then need to get the timing just right before you play your trump card.   The second she smiles and says thank you, -- PLAY YOUR CARDS, cash in those brownie points along the lines of "You deserve something really special for our anniversary darling, leave it to me.  I'm going to treat you to golden sands and sunshine" !!!!




Kerry coming into the finishing line

And I'll be blowed but it worked.  He had his play pass and was now ready to take on the spirit of TEAM DOE.  He even organised team t'shirts.  Amemo was issued to all employee's to see if anyone else would like to put a team together.  Amongst 500+ employees, we must have other cyclists, swimmers and runners out there.  Before long DO-NUTS (from the Dartford Branch), were also keen.

Sadly they had to withdraw at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances, but what a great name eh, The DO-NUTS, hilarious.

We each took our gruelling training regime seriously as not wanting the let the team down.  I even managed to get Colin to take his nutrition seriously too by selling him, what he refers to as his chocolate muck!   As a Herbalife Distributor, I never miss an opportunity to sell 'muck' to anyone. http://www.slimmerswimmer.co.uk

Our heavy work schedule soon had to be adjusted to allow time for 'team pep talks', tactics and rules. We even had job roles.  Colin was Team Treasurer, Kerry was Coach and Mentor and I was Team Manager and Nutritionist!  God, we were serious.

We studied last years results to see how we each compared in each of our disciplines and the scary thing was, we were good.  We realised we were in with a chance to win this. :)

What a great 'ice-breaker' for my new career.  I was now part of a team triathlon with my boss doing the cycle bit and a lovely lady in accounts being our runner.

Race Day.

5am Sunday 8th September, and Team Manager sends the first text of the day.  "Good Morning Team Doe, the sun is shining and are we all fighting fit".

Janet and Chris were there to support us and thank god the sun was shining and the beach looked lovely, so at least Janet wasn't disappointed with her anniversary treat!

Our respective spouses wore the team t'shirts too and we really looked the part.

The swim was exhausting for me.  One of those really breezy days that create a lot of small choppy waves.  It was a complete battle to hold my stroke together.  What was worse though was that, having had both knees operated on, I am unable to run, but the swimmer had to run up the beach and up a hill, along the road before tagging the cyclist.  I think that bit hurt more than the swim.

I was third out of the water in my heat, and think the 7th fastest swimmer overall.   Colin did a fabulous cycle section with an overal result of 13th and Kerry did a very respectable 48mins for her 10k.  She looked absolutely exhausted at the end as the weather was so hot.


TEAM DOE came 4th out of 13 teams and our time would have won the event the previous year.

Lets hope that this was the first one of many as I would definately like to be part of TEAM DOE in 2014.