Local man devises Bernard triathlon

by Andy Campbell

Sep 14, 2007

SUNDRIDGE – What would possess someone to bike, run and swim around Lake Bernard?

For Clive Rennie, the answer is basically because it’s there.

“I’ve run five marathons,”he said. “I enjoy swimming and biking and running.”

Rennie completed what he calls the Lake Bernard Triathlon on Aug. 30. Setting out from the Lions Park area at 7 a.m., he cycled around the lake, covering the 24 km distance in just over an hour.

This was followed by a swim across the lake, from the public dock to Glen Bernard Camp. Neighbour Art Jefford went along by canoe.

Rennie said that the swim was the most demanding part, particularly because of the wind.

“It took almost two hours, and I used short fins,” he said. “For a good swimmer it would be no problem.”

The final leg of the triathlon was a 7 km run from the camp back to town, which Rennie completed in well under an hour. Altogether, the triathlon took just over four hours, including transitions.

Rennie noted that the Lake Bernard Triathlon is not too challenging as triathlons go, and it’s not as balanced as it probably should be.

“It’s a long swim for the short bike ride and short run,”he said. “But that’s the way Lake Bernard is configured.”

However, it would be a good training run for serious triathletes, and a lot of fun for others. Rennie has proposed the idea of organizing an event next summer, which could be very good for the town. If scheduled in August, it would also make a nice warm-up for competitors in the Huntsville half-ironman in September.
This would be similar to an annual mountain run Rennie started while living in British Columbia.

Overall, Rennie found the Lake Bernard Triathlon to be a throroughly satisfying four hours.

“I enjoyed it,” he said. “It felt good.”