Hever Castel Triathlon – Race report 2
29 September 2025
Last one of 2025 – Hever Castle Olympic Distance Triathlon Sunday 28th September.
Race report by Mary Cooper.
That was a tough race!! We stayed the night before in the field on the grounds of Hever Castle near registration so it was a normal wake up time! It was chilly on waking and we knew the lake was 13.6 degrees 😱but this is the last tri of the year (and Mike’s only standard due to injury and coffee selling) so we were going to enjoy it!
The weather was dry so all looked good.
We made our way through well organised registration (I wore Wellies as long wet grass – that’s a race first 🤣) and met with Adam, Megan and Andy before getting racked. The girls were a bit early for our wave (boys started 9.30, girls at 9.50) but it meant Megs and I got a prime end of row spot!
The setting for swim was stunning with out race briefing at “the loggia” beautiful Italian monument at edge of lake. We saw a couple of people shivering uncontrollable, dragged out from earlier waves and were a little more nervous as result. I was pleased I’d kept sea swimming in winter to be adjusted to cold, so 13 was not too bad for me.
Into the water and the mud kept our feet warm whilst waiting for the start. They didn’t hold us long and we were off. The usual melee ensued, but I managed to get ahead (to keep warm) and didn’t find it too bad. I got a bit of a drag with a couple of packs, and used single arm to get around huge well visible marker buoys. It was good to sight to the loggia on the return then out and up the grass hill to Transition.
Megan and I had both realised this course was going to be tough and one to be enjoyed rather than looking at times as so cold and undulating so I didn’t look at my watch, just pushed as hard as I could in each stage to get to end. This helped as there were tricky hits to come!
Onto bike swiftly and the mount line was in a gravel area before the road started followed by a wiggly undulating road out of the estate with speed bumps. I had decided not to mount at the line and attempt to ride on gravel on my TT bike, but ran the extra 50-100m to the more solid area and mounted there, overtaking 5 people on way.
The bike was 2 x20k loops starting with 3km uphill 😳 a bit like the climb to Harting Down car park from Upmarden turn. Good way to get the legs burning, passing other cyclist and a couple cars en route. Then onto lovely downs and up , repeat, repeat, no flat! But made the most of the downs. Technical with turns and bikes/cars – the return to the gravel near transition with fatigued legs, holding on for dear life to dismount and be pleased to see not many bikes in transition when I got back. Mike did not have such a great bike as he had got cold in the swim and shivered for over half the bike course, really affecting his coordination and power, but finally warmed up by second lap.
The run was like a typical trail up, mostly tracks/pathways, with multiple hills, one at start that locals call “sh*te hill” then one killer at 10km marker. We shared the path with marathon runners, half marathon runners, 10k and middle distance runners as well as duathlon runners – making it tough to pass at times on narrow paths. I thought “it’s the same for everyone” and when I tired “this is last race for 6 months – keep going!” I even passed an old friend from Medical School on route!
I was pleased to finish after what was a beautiful , if tough race , at the home of Anne Boleyn with water maze, lake, beautiful gardens and buildings. No rain made it better and hearing that everyone had found it tough, especially the hills, made me feel better too. Mike had completed his tri, but said never again so late in season and was shivering again at finish.
I finished with a second in my AG so over the moon with that (😁👊) and the others will wait and see if their efforts will be enough. Now to rest and enjoy a much needed off season…
See you all at the End of Year Bash (or swim/run/ bike sessions soon!)
To find out more about joining Chi Tri click here!