A fry in a shoal of Piranhas – Racing solo, but not alone. By Gaia Scalabrino

As a New-to-Tri joining a triathlon club during lockdown, one could feel as an outsider. However, despite the circumstances, Piranha’s activities have kept us all engaged and positive. We might not know many faces yet, have not had a drink together in a pub, but we feel part of the team.

At the start of 2021, the itch to compete started. When the intra-club race was announced, I was thrilled. I convinced few newbies to join the race, seeking companionship in uncharted waters. Nevertheless, the support from the club has been inspirational and the encouragement from established members has been key for who is new to it all.
Thus, with the goal of undertaking my first race set, I ramped up the training. I missed the face-to-face sessions around Dublin with other members, as we briefly managed last Autumn. Luckily, virtual weekly schedules, packed with daily zoom training, motivated regular engagement and kept steady focus. The club has been energetic!

I also continued my outdoor winter solo training around Dublin. Starting from the swimming, every time I enter the cold sea and the first lash of water finds its way into the wetsuit from my neck, I shiver. I swim hoping to get warmer and I ask myself ‘Why?’. I grew up taking strokes in the warm Indian ocean off the coast of Kenya and diving in the crystalline Mediterranean around Italy. ‘Why am I swimming at 53°N 6°W looking as a seal stuffed in dark neoprene from top to bottom?’ But then a ray of light eventually shines on me and I get in the zone. When I rise out of the water, I know why. It is the buzz – I am high on dopamine and endorphins! Moving to cycling, my guilty pleasure is cycling up hills. I have now mastered a variety of alternatives routes to Howth summit that I even named them after ski winter races – although I tackled them from bottom up! In particular, the ‘Super G’ with several wider curves and the ‘Slalom’, sharp and technical, which fires up my thighs! Finally, the running, pacing myself to Maria’s challenging training instructions that she diligently post on the website every Sunday for us.

Coming up to the race, the club continued to surprise us with web-events with key speakers, from Olympians to expert nutritionists. Claire, Enda and Sinead have been amazing organisers, as the race series team, driving the virtual event and motivating us all. The weekend before the race, I went out for a bike spin and crossed a few fellow Piranhas on the road – there was cheering and salutes.  I did not really know them, but I felt great camaraderie and I was not alone. The day before the race, the club organised an instrumental webinar run by a top nutritionist and this helped setting up the scene. Actually, setting up the food feast of best practices pre-, during and post-race that I was going to have.

Of course, on the 28^th March 2021, the D-day, I had to wake up to a windy day that was opposite to ideal for my first ever race. I panicked a little trying to re-adjust my route, while shuffling food into my dormient body. Once I worn the Piranha’s gear, I was suddenly awake and in the race zone – it felt competitive, as well as it gave me a sense of belonging. A zoom race brief started at 8.45am. Great to see other faces on the screen before the virtual starting line. Spirit was high. Ready, steady, go!

During the cycle I met a few Piranhas, including my New-to-Tri buddy Joelle. ‘Go girl!’ I shouted. Knowing that someone else, wearing the same colours, was pushing through the wind, was a relief. Fast forwarding forty minutes or so, I was running my 5 km, when I spotted a fit young man wearing Piranha’s gear. He was chatting with friends and he looked fresh as a daisy. He had obviously finished the race ages ago and he did not even break a sweat, while I was panting. ‘Pole pole’ I told myself in Swahili, which was the motto when I climbed Kilimanjaro (actually, yes – this is how tough it felt running 5 km after my windy 20 km cycle!). I continued slow and steady since I wanted to make it to the end of the race. What an amateur! But I did it. A lonely finish line awaited for me, but I was escorted by proudness for having finished my first race and my happy thoughts went to the other New-to-Try members competing on the day. ‘Evviva!’ I shouted in Italian. Then the watch beeped ‘Congratulation, this is your fastest 5 km!’ This did it for me – after all I am my fiercest competitor! It felt great to beat my previous personal best.

When I got home, a jolly feeling continued when I reached my phone and found chats of support and praise from fellow racers and photos documenting their races.  A sense that we were in it together. Then the results were posted. The winners’ timing was inspirational. Something to look up to and proud to be surrounded by champs! Then I smiled to myself. There was a New-to-Tri category and I was the female winner. Of course, I had not won the race, but I was a winner. We all were for putting ourselves out there and achieve our best.

‘Bravi’. Onwards…and upwards!