A popular and well-run race, The Joey Hannon Memorial Triathlon is a credit to its organisers and Limerick Triathlon Club. The facilities available in the University of Limerick (50 meter pool especially) make for an ideal location for this first triathlon of the 2019 season. With a multitude of distances to choose from Joey Hannon caters for Novice Try a Tri, Sprint, Paratri and Olympic distances with age groups varying from junior to 60+ age categories.
Pic (back l-r Ann Payne, Trish Ormond, Bryce Whibley, Annemarie Power, Aine Cahill, Aideen Kehoe, Catherine Redmond, front l-r Roisin Burke, Kieran Kennedy)
Undertaking the sprint distance, I was allocated to Wave 5, which was due to begin at 11:15 a.m. but due to inevitable delays started at approx. 11:55 a.m. With transition closing at 8:15 a.m. there were some hours to kill, but luckily with the company of other CTC members and local knowledge from Rosin, we were well fueled and the hours passed quickly.
Having somewhat overestimated my swim time when entering the race and no option to swap lanes on the day, I was disappointed with my swim and would urge fellow members not to make the same mistake if you are considering this race in the future. Not having to remove a wetsuit though makes T1 much more efficient. The bike route was relatively flat and fast, despite Sunday’s headwind and train tracks well covered and manned. The run through the picturesque UL campus is also relatively flat, well signposted and again I found there were plenty of marshals on hand to direct, assist and encourage, especially on the home stretch!
Overall a very enjoyable race and one I would recommend as a nice first triathlon for anyone who might be considering it. Congratulations to all my fellow CTC members who participated, especially AnnMarie for winning overall first female for the Olympic distance, and Maria and Ryan who were undertaking their first triathlon on the day. A special Thanks to Catherine and Aideen also for their support and encouragement throughout!
Aine Cahill
May 2019
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