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Athletes await the start of the 2018 CXTRI on a day that had 9-12 C degrees air temperatures and water temps around 11 C degrees.
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Harry Wiltshire was first out of the water of Loch Shieldaig and he was fully prepared for the cold temperatures. This lake is apparently 400 meters deep.
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Not all athletes opted to wear booties and gloves, but this athletes seems content that swim is done. Sadly the air temps were not much cozier.
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There was plenty of support at the swim exit and that included musical entertainment by Clann an Drumma a popular tribal band from Scotland.
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Cruising through the beautiful landscape in Scotland on this 202km course with 2,000 meters of elevation gain.
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Wind and rain and cold temperatures made the event harder but most athletes hung in tough. David Fraser from Edinburgh on the way to 10th place in 14:04:20
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Alone with nature.
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A smile for the photographer from Orla Nielsen. As you can see there is very little car traffic on the course and massive drafting packs are not happening here either.
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The conditions were very tough as Cornelis Erstad can likely attest. Erstad however managed a 14:06:52 and 12th place overall.
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Full focus for James Gregory.
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But no one was able to catch Harry Wiltshire on this day.
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Thankfully there was some relatively flat terrain to run on too.
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The run course is a mix of gravel and asphalt.
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It is not apparent if the support crew or the athlete is having more fun on this course.
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Run, run, run and do not look behind.
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Up, and up we go and it was cold up high, very cold.
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When you finally get above the clouds.