Spencer learns valuable lessons at sprint nationals
His biggest lesson from the SA sprint triathlon championships was to get used to the cold water.
Local triathlete Luke Spencer’s biggest lesson from the SA Sprint Triathlon Championships on March 16 at CR Swart Dam was to expose himself to cold water regularly and adopt a nutrition strategy that won’t cause a stitch mid-race.
Despite being part of the front bunch in the swim, Spencer battled in the cold and choppy water, which was worsened by low temperatures and intermittent drizzle, and got a side stitch, also known as exercise-related-abdominal-pain (ETAP), in the middle of the bike leg.
Racing in the 18 to 19 boys’ event, he exited the water in seventh position in 12:51.4 after a 750m loop.
After a quick transition, he followed the leading pair of Anton Clayton and Alessandro Fanicchi on the bike, until his struggles with abdominal pain slowed him down. He eventually completed the 20km cycle in 34:07.8, before fighting until the end of the run leg to complete the 5km course in 22:00.7.
Although he missed his target, the 18-year-old underlined his talent when he clocked a top-10 finish in his category and was 25th overall after completing the race in 01:10:24.9.
“The biggest lesson was to get used to the cold water because it uses up much more energy than you would expect. I must also change my nutrition strategy to avoid getting a stitch next time,” he said.
The Pinnacle College matriculant, coached by Richard O’Donoghue, said the national championships offered him an opportunity to gauge his progress against much stronger athletes.
“There’s more pressure at the SA champs. The guys are much stronger and there’s a lot more competition. But every race is a lesson,” said Spencer.
Spencer, from Lakefield, is a multisport enthusiast. He started swimming at a young age and would also join his cyclist father on his regular rides. He’s also a runner and finished the Benoni Northerns Night Race last year in second place in the junior men’s category.
“I’m much stronger in multiple disciplines than in single sports. I’ve always swam and my dad is a cyclist. So, I’ve been cycling since I was young and I also run.”
He wants to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Olympian and 2023 African champion, Jamie Riddle and hopefully compete internationally in future.
“Jamie is a real inspiration. I will take it further. I’m enjoying it. I would maybe study at the University of Stellenbosch and join the triathlon club there because they are really strong,” Spencer said.
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