unpacked for use during the race). Most of us would
have experienced the help of a volunteer who tips
the contents onto the ground so that we can better
access our gear. However this is not great for a VI
triathlete who then can’t see (and therefore find) their
gear in the order required.
As well as communication, the other big concept
for a successful partnership is that of trust. John has
to have 100% trust in me, especially at 80km/hr on
the front of a tandem, but I also have to have that
same 100% trust in him that he is not going to move
on the back of the tandem at that same 80km/hr!
Let’s talk about the benefits of being a guide.
During training, the benefits are that you always have
someone to talk to during your long rides and runs.
And you know that while you are on the tandem, your
training buddy is never going to drop you on the next
hill. The absolute best benefit from my perspective
is the finish line. You thought that coming across the
finish line of a 70.3 or an Ironman was an incredible
experience; times that by 100 to come anywhere
near the exhilaration of finishing an event as a
partnership. I still find it remarkable that someone
PAUL'S PERSPECTIVE
FUNNIEST MOMENT AS A GUIDE
The first time that John and I travelled together was for IMWA in
Busselton in December 2016. During that time we stayed for a
week in a house together. With my ex-military background, I am
a very ‘tidy person’ with ‘a place for everything and everything in
its place’. After a couple of days together John said to me “mate
can you not f%#k with my gear”. What was happening is that for
example, when we came back from a training ride, John would
put his helmet and bike shoes in a particular place. I would
then come along and ‘tidy’ everything (helmets together, shoes
together etc). What I didn’t realise is that when I ‘tidied up’ John
couldn’t ‘find’ his gear.
SOME OF THE THINGS I HADN'T CONSIDERED IN THE FIRST FEW
RACES
The biggest thing that I hadn’t considered until we were into our
first Ironman race was that one of my main tasks in T1 and T2 is
to keep the very helpful volunteers away from John and his T1/
T2 Bags – as they have a tendency to be ‘helpful’ by tipping the
gear out of the bags onto the ground so people can see their
gear: not a great process for a blind athlete. The downhill speed
of the tandem!
HAVE YOU EVER HELD ANYTHING BACK FROM JOHN IN A RACE
THAT YOU LATER DIVULGED?
Not during a race, however I have after a race. In Roth this year,
after the race we went into the shower/change tent. It seems
the ‘norm’ in Europe for both sexes to be in the one area and to
be very comfortable to be nude in the shower/change tent: for
me it was certainly an ‘eye-opener’. I had to describe (in great
detail) the scene to John after we had had our showers and left
the change tent. But a good rule of thumb; what happens on the
tandem stays on the tandem!
DO YOU RACE INDIVIDUALLY AT TIMES AND HAS THAT
EXPERIENCE CHANGED BECAUSE OF YOUR GUIDE DUTIES?
I haven’t raced much ‘solo’ over the past two years, as I get an
enormous amount of satisfaction out of being John’s guide.
Having said that, I raced Ironman Australia solo this year in order
to get my 10 years legend status. I know that this will sound
selfish but I ‘enjoyed’ just looking after myself during the run leg
where I could just focus on the pain I was in. Also in the swim I
could draft off others which is very difficult to do as a ‘duo’. I did
find however, that I got very ‘lonely’ during the bike leg with not
having John to talk to.
can race an Ironman triathlon with next to no vision.
When people say to me that Ironman is difficult, I say
(flippantly) that “I’ve got a mate (John) who can do an
Ironman with his eyes closed!”
Although the benefits far exceed the minor
limitations, there are negatives to being a Guide.
The biggest issue for me is that in the run leg of an
Ironman I’m normally in that much pain that I don’t
have any ‘bandwidth’ for thinking about anything else,
but as a guide your main role in the run is concentrate
on helping your mate. Also, we all know that some
race days we just haven’t had a good day for some
reason; in this case you need to times that by two. As
a team, you have two chances of that happening each
race; and if you are the guide and not having a good
day, there is a lot of responsibility to perform in order
to support your mate.
So I will leave by saying that being a Guide is a
fantastic and rewarding way of gaining another
perspective on triathlons. If given a chance, do
yourself a favour and give it some consideration.
JOHN'S PERSPECTIVE
THERE'S OBVIOSLY BIG TITLES ON THE LINE AND BRAGGING
RIGHTS - HOW IS THE SUPPORT AND CAMERADERIE AMONGST
VI ATHLETES?
VI athletes are pretty much the same as everyone else, some
athletes will share everything and others keep everything to
themselves. At the recent World’s, we met 2 of the best blokes in
Triathlon, at the end of the race they were waiting for us with our
race gear bags and a beer, we sat and had the best yarn about
the day.
ARE THERE THINGS RACE ORGANISERS CAN DO TO ASSIST IN
CREATING COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VI ATHLETES?
Triathlon has come a long way for VI athletes and their guides
since I started over 30 years ago. It is a very inclusive sport, now
days race organisers are fantastic. Personally, I have campaigned
for a number of years to have guides race results recognised. In
the past race officials would not even give the guide a finishers
medal or towel, they were ignored at presentations and medal
ceremonies. This really upset me because the guide is the most
important part of the team. Ironman has now set the precedent
with guides receiving a complimentary entry with full athlete
status and their names being listed in the official race results.
They are also given AWA credited points when they race as a
guide. I would love to see the sport progress to the stage where
if two athletes are in the same age group category and they
podium or place they would be recognised in parallel with other
age groupers.
ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT PAUL OR ANY OF YOUR
GUIDES AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO BECOME A GUIDE?
Paul is an incredible person who has achieved so many things
in his sporting life, I can not express my gratitude enough how
much he has helped me achieved some of my sporting dreams,
Paul and guides like him and very special people and should
be recognised for their contribution to the sport. I have been
blessed over the years of meeting some of the best sporting
people in the World the have guided me in training and races.
My achievement is their achievement. Triathlon is an individual
sport and not everyone is cut out to be a guide. Being a guide
for a VI converts it to a team sport, you can be racing together
for up to 17hrs at arm's length, your personal space is shared
with your guide, there is a lot to think about, coordinating swim
strokes, getting changed in transition, getting on and off the
tandem, going to the toilet at the same time, running 50cm
apart for 42km, sharing thoughts, feelings and pain. Helping
each other with nutrition. It is a real team effort to make the
finish line.
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