2024 is a little bit of a step back year. Let's be honest, last year, as good as it was, well, it was frankly bonkers, and it took something out of me. 3 iron distance left me with lingering issues, and by the end of the year I was constantly running with pain. Just 4 TTs also shaded my bike ability which had always been my saving grace.
3.2.24 Rauceby Ripper 1:15:41
My annual foray into cross country racing. I had been injured, with a calf issue that I'd been working through since the week before Roth last year. I had rested in the week before this race and hoped that I'd be able to limit myself to a strong tempo run. I even started towards the back as I attempted to avoid getting into a bun fight with Ian Pike. Then, without reason, as soon as we were away, I can clearly be seen on a race video smashing myself up the outside of the runners and felt fantastic through the estate and then on the turn down the muddy lane. 100 metres later and in full flow, I could feel the leg injury again and that was that. I dialled down the effort and ran tempo as planned all the way to the finish which was another 8 miles. It was a dry day for the ripper, and very little mud really apart from two or three short sloppy bits. If its dry again next year maybe ill try some road shoes ?
After this race, I claimed on my medical cover from work, and was given 10 physio sessions - which I've been attending , with acupucture being the key to unlocking what was a tendon issue.
10.3.24 Nottingham Holme 10k 44:21
This was pain free ! A course that I knew from my Triathlon events around this venue - it was a miserable windy wet day, and the course had been altered to a two lap affair up and down one side of the lake, which would give me headwind, backwind, headwind, backwind. This worked out well and as such, I managed to put in a respectable time for the conditions and my lack of sharpness. The event itself was well attended i thought and well organised. It was a shame about the weather but you can't have everything can you ?
29.3.24 City Road Club Hull 10m TT 23:34
As season openers go, this was on a par with last seasons opening result. I only did four or five TTs all year last year and had the sense that I was slower than in previous years. This outing confirmed it, but with a season of TTs to come, the hope is that I'll find some race sharpness and start to close the 30 second gap to my peak years. This race was on the V714 and the HQ
was the Village Hall at Newport and it was nice to be back here for the first time in a fair few years having been a regular when the V718 was in action. It was a windy day with a southerly wind that whipped across the course. I was no. 56 ao was off just before 11am. Out on the road, it was a good start, and then settled into a watts target maybe 10 watts above my February CP20 test. I held that OK, but didn't achieve the cadence that I was looking for. On the return, it bit, and it bit earlier than I would have liked. Again, race sharpness will help, and if I can get on top of the gearing and get those legs going in that 85-90 rpm range, then I might be in better condition for the final quarter of the race. 28th place, similar start to last year, originally a bit deflated, but in hindsight I'm not too far adrift and there's plenty to work on !
Wheelers 5 mile road bike series 12:25, 12:33, 12:35
A series of five mile road bike TTs and a return to regular Tuesday night time trialling with the Wheelers for me. A complete unknown as I'd not done a road bike TT before, but out on the road in my ebay GB skinsuit I soon settled down and was pretty consistent on the three dry but very windy evenings. Good enough for 2nd in the series. Good start to the year.
Lincoln 10k - 49:43
For this event I would again be pacer and took the duties of the 50 minute target on another glorious Lincoln 10k day. Blue skies, sunshine, light winds - takes me back to my 2009 debut ! To finish in 49:40 I would need to average 8:00 minute mileing. On the day the mile splits were pretty even, adding a few seconds per mile - 7:53,7:56, 7:55, 7:58, 7:55, leaving a bit in the bag for the headwind drag up Nettleham road in lime 5/6 8:20 and then a last bit waving the runners . A good mornings work and I think my tenth finish.
Sherwood CC 10 on trike 24:50
First trike ride of the season and first trike TT for a couple of years. The course was the A10/3 on which I'd seen varied results over the years and today it would take me a good 45 seconds to settle the trike down and get used to the nuances of the barrow and the wobbly road surface. A good level effort with the power and I think I grew into this one.
Wheelers 5m TT Series = 11.51 & 11.03
2 weeks of these, on the third, I'd been to Alsdorf so volunteered as start timekeeper instead. Week one , it was a strong headwind out for first three miles which slowed everyone, 2nd week it was a fast as heck backwind and resulted in great times. Third in this series overall.
Wheelers Ingham 10's 23.09/23.01/23.16/22.38
First races not sure what was happening and looking for answers which eventually came when changed the chainset back to my legacy 175mm cranks. Same power, same cadence , free speed, 30 second bump !
19.05.24 Eyam Half Marathon - Scorching hot day , brilliant but hard course, tough but oddly enjoyable. I had ridden 75 miles to Peterborough the day before, and the exercise was to hold form and start running hills effectively. We will see over the next day or so, if my quads thanked me !
30.05.24 Circuit Racing
A better evening results wise but not weather wise - it was very windy and wet on the floor. In the first race I was a lonely 4th, and in the second, which was the handicap picked up maximum points after judging the sprint much better.
05.06.24 Wheelers 15 Champs
2nd, on a course that I really like.
06.06.24 Circuit Racing
Still improving week on week, this one was a decent result, good effort first race and then 3rd in the handicap.
18.06.24 Wheelers 20 Champs 46:47 (19.5)
My only win of the season so far. Couldn't use Di2 on the poles, but managed better than anticipated - in all, a good night's work.
19.06.24 Great Limber Road Race
Great fun, group one, massive group, strong up first climb to shed some, and then worked with the group to get around and up the climb for the third time to be in a position to jump on when the faster groups came by. I was just in the right place to make the bridge and then drafted the fast guys to the bottom of the last climb.
23.06.24 The Wales Half Marathon 1.40.20
Hot hot day, bus out to Pembroke, sit around for 2 hours and then a run back to Tenby , up and down hills on the way. Brutal HM, and a day after the 112 mile sportive !
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