Time of my life
Brian Adcock, MD of the Markel Castle Triathlon Series, talks about his time in the Marines, and what led him to create a unique triathlon franchise.
Why did you choose the Marines as your first career?
A school hero of mine joined up when I was in the third form (year nine in today's currency) and at about
the same time there was a documentary on the BBC called 'Behind The Lines', focusing on the Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre in the Royal Marines. I think that being aware of the Falkland Islands and the role of the Corps probably made an impression too. My father was in the RAF, and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) was keenly supported at school so I knew the selection processes. Before I knew it, I was on a Sixth Form Scholarship and then a University Cadetship where I was sent to Loughborough University to read Physical Education, Sports Science and Mathematics.
What was your biggest challenge as a Marine?
On leaving basic training, all Royal Marines officers become troop commanders with one of the commando
units based around the UK. I went to 5 Troop, C Company, 42 Commando based down in Plymouth. For 18 months I lived with and led, cheek by jowl, 30 lads from a wide variety of backgrounds to literally all corners of the world. Learning my trade as a field commander together with the nuances of leading some vastly more experienced men was without doubt the biggest challenge of my career. Latterly I became a helicopter pilot and, although we received additional "trade" pay, we earned it in spades when flying off the back of ships at night in some pretty atrocious conditions.
Did you adjust easily to civilian life?
Most of my contemporaries in the Royal Marines would argue that I never adjusted to military life so the transition for me, after only seven years served, was relatively straightforward. I did miss the simplicity of life at sea and Wednesday
afternoon sports (a regular feature of life back in camp), but on the whole I was ready for another challenge. My first job outside was for the London Events Agency, organising the world's largest youth sports event. Called 'Millennium Youth Games' and held in Southampton, it was an enormous challenge in its own right.
What gave you the idea for castle triathlons?
I was a triathlete and water polo player at university (and lucky enough to represent Great Britain at water polo) and have always been a massive sports fan. I set up Matrix, our event management company, in 2001 and have organised numerous sports events for other people over the years. We work and live in Kent, only a couple of miles from Hever Castle, and heard in 2009 that the castle's new estate
manager was keen to open up the estate to more sporting events. We went to market in July 2009 and sold all 1,000 places for the first Hever event in under four weeks! Triathlon is the fastest-growing sport in the world and we recognised the opportunity that a unique Castle Triathlon Series would
offer a growing UK market hungry for well-organised races in stunning venues. Three new venues – Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire, Castle Howard in Yorkshire and Chateau de Chantilly in France – were added in 2010 and our new Irish venue at Lough Cutra Castle in Galway is part of the 2012
Markel Castle Triathlon Series.
Left to right: Brian Adcock with Markel's Julian Brown and Duncan Leslie, chief executive of Hever Castle.
What's been the highpoint so far in the series?
We added children's races in 2010 and they have been a huge success. It's very inspiring to see children as young as eight swimming in open lakes without a fuss and completing a full triathlon for the first time. At the other end of the spectrum it's great to see the likes of Mark Threlfall, our 2011 series winner and a European bronze medallist, competing in our events.
What's your ambition for the series? Where would you like to be in five years' time?
We want to become the most talked about and competed-in race series in the world. Each year we add another world class venue to our portfolio of castles and we're aiming to have a high profile and full race in every month of the year. The triathlon wave is only just building and we intend to ride it all the way in!
If you weren't a triathlon organiser what would you be doing?
I'd probably be a fulltime expedition leader, although I'm not sure the wife would be so keen...
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