After 10 years, I’ve stepping down as race director, but stepping up in triathlon in other ways
The Nancy Pelosi race. That’s how I’ll remember the 2024 edition of the Phoenix Park Duathlon. Nancy sounds strong enough, tough as teak I’d say, so cycling around the Phoenix Park while on an unannounced visit wouldn’t surprise me. Didn’t Leo take Justin Trudeau out for a run in the park? Another year then Vice President Joe Biden was due a visit, but luckily didn’t clash.
Let me explain. All was going swimmingly on race morning. Belpark Triathlon Club was hosting the Duathlon National Championships 2024, for the 3rd consecutive year. We had 275 competitors all warming up, 50 marshals out on the course, a noisy start/finish area and the sun was peeking over the trees tops, to flood us with warm sunshine.
Nancy
My phone rings. It’s the Garda traffic sergeant. All was on track when he checked in with me a while ago.
“Life is never dull” he muses. No sign of panic in his voice, he proceeds…
“Nancy Pelosi is coming to the Park. She’ll be entering the US Ambassadors Residence at 11.15am”
“Okay”, I scramble to think in 5 seconds what that means for our race. Will our race be cancelled? Will I we have to stop bikes mid race while Nancy arrives for coffee and bagels? Who’s going to tell the deer? Will the ambassador take out the Ferrero Roche?
“Right, so what does that mean?” I ask, hoping there’s a solution.
“We’ll get her in.”
It’s amazing how fast the brain can process thoughts when under pressure. I’m guessing she doesn’t arrive in a Fiat Punto or a Mini. Think of blue lights (motorbikes), black SUVs, blackened out windows, secret service agents with shades and neat suits. Surely that’s how she’d arrive?
She was 3rd most powerful person in the USA up to recently, having stepped down as Speaker of the House on Capitol Hill. She might be in her 80s, but she’s still big cheese. Thus, the reason for late notice – her travel arrangements would not be announced in advance, for security reasons.
Anyway, we discuss how to “get her in.” It’s a short stretch of road from the roundabout, so by then only the stragglers should be left out there. They won’t mind a break if asked to stop. The adrenaline fuelled front-runners will be already off the road.
Roll with it
Amazing how that didn’t feel like a big deal. Just something we dealt with. That feeling of experience – I’ve been to a few race rodeos. Crashes, bad weather, complaints and the ultimate low of getting a dress down from another Garda sergeant years ago. So you roll with it.
Back to the race, Nancy or no Nancy. Well, it would be nice if she came down to present the prizes. Maybe next year, with Michael D.
A new chapter
I decided last weekend that this race was my last as race director in the Park. I’ve done it for nearly 10 years now, putting on over 20 events here and also in Blessington. I’m proud to have developed the race from a local midweek summer series (which I inherited from previous race directors), to a flagship national event for our sport.
We’ve gone through big changes of attracting various sponsors, changing to a weekend date and expanding to a larger bike course. Along with that, the event planning has expanded, with a sub-committee really taking ownership for multiple areas.
I learnt so much
Looking back, I don’t know how I did it in the early years. Probably taking on too much myself, not asking for assistance, or not delegating. God, filling up my shed and small car with so signs, poles, numbers, bottles, tables. Now we have a trailer and rent a van.
We’re more professional now – as are many clubs and events. We’re all volunteers, stepping on unchartered territory when untangling how to organise a sports event. There’s registration, marketing, safety, safeguarding for juniors, anti-doping, recruiting volunteer marshals, getting sponsorship, sourcing prizes, food and freebies, music, timing, toilets, barriers, cones, signage.
The portaloo algorithm
Recently the social media algorithm suggested a video to me of “how to calculate the number of portaloos you need for your event.” God has it really come to this, instead of funny Tiktoks, I get a woman explaining how many portaloos the Boston Marathon needs along the course. Start is busy, then you have to factor in men and women, the temperatures, is there alcohol (at the finish), is there food, etc. I couldn’t watch til the end (although I was curious).
A magical day
Back to race day – I left home in pre-dawn darkness at 5.30am and got home by 4.30pm. An 11-hour shift, for me and others who put their hearts and minds into making it a success for others. That’s what I love most about all of this – serving others. Doing things for others, not for yourself. I’m not great at it in many other aspects of my life, but sport gives me that outlet.
The clock doesn’t stop once you arrive. Time passes without you every thinking “I’m bored now.” The magic of arriving into the park at dawn, with a layer of fog hiding the Papal Cross. Deer herds everywhere, on the road, up by the cross. It’s chilly, but oh so still. We are the privileged few to experience that.
The setup was largely done – barriers, cones and some signage – the day before, so we just have to erect tents, more signage and get ready to welcome everyone. Suppliers’ vans arrive – timing, ambulance, DJ, coffee van, bike shop. The atmosphere is great – familiar faces from all over the country. We start in gloves and jackets and end hours later sunburnt in shorts and t-shirts.
The race starts at 9.30am – bang on schedule for everything. A quick race briefing. I ask the latter wave “Is anyone doing their first duathlon?” Some hands go up – great, they are the next generation and I hope they have a great time. The park is safe and scenic – closed roads for cycling and a spectator friendly course. You can see the cross, the city skyline and the mountains are silhouetted beautifully to the south.
The lead guys and girls are fast on the run. Off they go on the bike, I watch a bit of the action up at the busy dismount line. Time to munch on a crepe and a coffee – already on the go for 4 hours. Chatting to marshals and officials, always curious to find out “how’s it going for you?”
They are my eyes and ears on the course – what’s working, what should we change. I’ve just designed it on a computer screen with maps and timings and text, but when a race comes alive and flows, you see it differently. Pinch points, confusing directions, Joe public going for a stroll on the course.
The A and B samples
I don’t care for the winners – never get to see them cross the line. It’s the last finisher we’re interested in, as well as hoping there are no crashes. Happily, Nancy didn’t crash our party, so everyone got off the bike course by 11.25am as planned.
Our prize giving is adjusted due to drug testing – the anti-doping officials show up and select some of the top finishers for a random test. This is clean sport in action. The problem for us is a urine sample can take a long time if you ask a dehydrated athlete at the finish line, so if we lose them to that, we can’t present the prizes.
So we adjust and present the main podiums and then keep the bulk of the age group prizes to later on. Everyone seems happy, swapping stories on the grass under the bright sunshine. All we needed was an ice cream van and a mariachi band.
It takes a village
I’m glad we got a group photo of Belpark’s marshals at the end. It takes a village, and we really had a great team this year. It gets better each year – the high standards and professionalism and willingness to get things done and learn.
Site clean-up goes well – I don’t have to tell anyone, people just get on with things. The last slog is never seen – some of the team going home to sort lost and found, or dispose of rubbish, or share 100s of photos, results and social media posts. Others return equipment and unload a van. We all want to be done with it today. Everyone sacrificed something – time with family, friends, training, the chance to race ourselves and dare I say it, work.
The reason I’m stepping down from race director, is that it’s evident to me the club has the experience, people and collective will to keep the race in the park going. I trust they will do an even better job, as every gig runs its course and new ideas will freshen things up.
My parting challenge to the club is “when will Belpark host an international level event?” I believe that could happen within 3 years, with the right vision and support. We have the most valuable thing of all – intangible assets such as collective knowledge, access to an iconic city venue and a reputation to deliver races.
I will remain involved in club races, organisation and officiating. I’m going to officiate at an international level event in Poland in June, as well as competing during the year. I also know where I’ll be next April 2025 – at the start line of the race, ready to run.
Nancy Pelosi did have tea with the ambassador – and picked up an award
David Power Blog - Silence is the Question 