Cholmondeley Duathlon 2026

Cholmondeley Middle Distance Duathlon 3:23:47 1st

I had previously completed this race back in 2022. It was my first middle distance duathlon event and far as I can remember on that day it was a stacked field as it was an organised qualifier for the European Duathlon championships. 

However, this was a standalone event and the aim of the day was to finish within 115% of the event winner to aid my planned qualification for next year‘s European championship. It was a lovely day and I had camped over the night before and enjoyed a relaxing night sleep when I lined up. It was disappointed to see that there was maybe only 12 or 13 people in the event but you can only race against the people that enter turn upon the day and it was an opportunity to make sure that I was race ready for other longer distance events later in the year.

The course was a little bit kinder than the one that we ran in 2022 however the same climbs were there and the same grassy descent onto the first run then and I decided given my history of going off too quickly that I would run very conservatively and within myself and not worry about where I was in the field.  I could see that I was towards the front, with perhaps five or six people ahead of me, and not looking too far in the distance I concentrated on my own effort and kept an RPE of around seven.

I finished the first hilly 10k in 52 minutes 28 which included the transition onto the bike and I love it even though it was a little bit shorter and it was multiple laps and there was a hair raising crossover when you returned into the castle ground I made lots of places and came off the bike leading the event.

Onto the second run then and this was very strange. This was the first time that I had led an event in the 17 years that I’ve been competing and let me tell you the pressure is non-existent when you are on the front I just concentrated on keeping that level effort and as I had been conservative in the first run my second 10k was only less than a minute slower !

I crossed the line having won the event by some four minutes from the second place person I was then given a medal and asked to cross the line again so a photographer could capture the winning moment. It was all very embarrassing but unnecessary part of the sport. I will be submitting the results from this event for qualification but let’s see what happens given the number of entrance on the day.

Rauceby Ripper 2026

 This would be my tenth Ripper. This year would be different as I'd only had that three months or so of running last year after 10 months off, and again, had been solely bike training over winter so had not run really since October.  I had done a parkrun on Xmas Day cold, and had just done a few 4-12 minute treadmill runs at low intensity ( I have found that casting you tube run influencers is an ace 'Rouvy'
style experience for runners).

I lined up with the usual suspects, being Ian, Scrappy & Lauren on a really saturated Ripper course, Way back in 2013 at my first Ripper it had been a similar mud fest but hadn't hit those heights for the other 8.  This one came at the end of 36 days of continual rain, and there were parts of the course that were under water.

My plan was to start at a relaxed but pressing pace and see how long I could go for. Having managed three miles on Xmas Day I thought I'd at least be able to match that and then fall into a run walk strategy to get done. As it transpired, I soon settled into a good pace that didn't feel like it was stressing me, and then the miles seemed to tick over nicely, and to my surprise, got to 3,4,5 then 6 without any walking. I took the climbs steadily and watched my footing carefully. I could defenately feel it in my legs from that 6th mile onwards, and tried to just catch myself and ease off just a touch as the exertion late on was above where I would like it.. (i have a five hour ride in the morning).

The wettest part of the course was the woods as usual, and whilst I'd skilfully avoided wet feet for most of the course, there was no way I could avoid the lake at the exit from the woods, but that wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be , and navigated it OK.

I kept position until the last downhill and lost a place, but made the line in 64th, and without walking in the 8.99 miles. That was that - long course 8.99 miles, average pace 9:13 minute miles, 64/204. 

A welcome return to running and first medal of the year ! 

What's in store for 2026 ?

 Hopes and dreams and all that ! 

Last season was crazy - with racing twice a week and sometimes 3,4. It took loads of energy and having managed to finally get to the top of the Wheelers mountain after 14 seasons, I feel it's something I don't need to repeat.

So next year will be three simple aims 

1 - Complete a half distance Ironman in under 5 hours - this could be tricky, as I have come close before, being within half a minute, but that was 2019 me, not 53 year old me.

2- Qualify for the Middle & Long Distance Duathlon Championships for 2027 when I'll be the youngest in the 55-60 AG.

3- Do well in the Velo 99 road race series.

To achieve the above I've entered both the new Outlaw Middle event at the end of July, and Ironman Knokke -Heist 70.3 in September. Again over winter, I'll just ride my bike and make sure I'm tippy toppy on the bike, and then add in running when the TT season starts, and then swimming when it's warmer at the lake. 

As this is written, just 3 months until the start of the season !

Closing out the 2025 Cycling season !

This is a whistlestop tour of the end of the season. As I'm writing this in my two week down period in October I will forgotten a lot of the detail.... 

01.07.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 22.16

08.07.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 21.58

15.07.25 Wheelers 10 Champs 22.17

22.07.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 21.59

29.07.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 21.49

The last five weeks of the Lincoln Wheelers TT season. Each week saw a solid warm up in the car park on the stationary roller and then a ride up and down along the top.  Each of these nights I felt I rode well and have really studied and learnt the nuances of the course. The highlight being the 29th July which when coupled with good conditions produced my best ever time on there. 

26.07.25 Pendle Forest 10  21.15

Another trip up to the lake district and the second time on Levens. This performance saw a btter overall power than the visit in May but was 20 seconds slower - go figure ! 

10.08.25 Vive Le Velo 10   21.25

A return to the legendary V718. It has been a long 8 years since the course was decommissioned and we thought we had lost it forever. This was very much a test event and seemed to go off without a hitch. It was like an old glove and I loved every second of being back on it !  It is a slightly slower variation and although it was a great ride from me power wise, the day and the course didn't produce the flyer I wanted.

05.08.25 Torksey 5TT 11.18

12.08.25 Torksey 5TT   10.52

19.08.25 Torksey 5TT  11.01

The last of the Lincoln Wheelers Time Trial Calendar and a course I know well and have learnt over the years. All of these rides went as well as I could expect and again, the middle one stands out time wise.  They are not my favourite distance and I look forward next year to doing more 50 mile TTs . Job done though and the clubs rider of the season award was finally mine after years of trying.

27.09.25 Haus GP

Off to Darley Moor for the Haus GP.  Last year I rode one of their Cat 4 events and finished in the bunch, this year in August I repeated that trick and now this would be a three event day - a sprint race , a TT and an Endurance Race to finish it all off.  This is how I described the day to my coach :

1. Sprint Race - Started toward the rear of the field and quickly got dropped because of this. It was a large pack and filled with all Cats so when it surged, the concertina effect was too much. I rode strongly and picked up four of five more riders to sit in a little group, then, after getting annoyed with the constant inability to come through sensible, I just sat in,  with a plan to wait for the final couple of laps and just leave them. After 30 mins we came across a nasty accident at the chicane and stopped racing - the two lads were a mess.
2. TT -  I was OK with this one - not sure where my watts would be but I figured 270 ish, pushing harder into the headwind up the climb, and saving some in the shallow descent backwind - it felt like a competent effort for a long 24.  Looking at the one lap strava segment, my laps watts ranged in a tight window been 265 to 270W, and lap times within 6 seconds which given my cold legs I thought was consistent.
3. Endurance Race - Spat out early again, and I just wanted to put the 1hr 30 mins away. I think it was a tale of dimishing return and cadence as the cold really got in , and the people that jumped on did not really offer much help. I surfed a couple of groups as I got lapped, but put away the whole 90 minutes to round off 55 miles on the day, which is exactly the length of the bike leg of next years Knokke Ironman.

A return to running after 10 months away!

 This year was an experimental one, as at the end of October 2024, after the Yorkshire 10 mile event, I decided to hang up my running shoes for a year and concentrate on just cycling. Five times a week I trained on the bike throughout winter and by the time late March came around I could tell I was a stronger rider and a little faster than I had ever been.  To get my running fix I'd just watch you tube videos. By the time late August rolled around I'd met the majority of my ambitions for the season and the itch to start again was too much to bear...

30.09.25 Carsington Water 10k -  49:52

A nice day out with Scrappy and a big uplift in distance. Coupled with an undulating course & going too fast = a sore Achilles but a better than expected time !

13.09.25 Doddington Parkun - 23.05

I don't normally note Parkies but as this was my only 5k in anger, it slips in. Started strong, but just not fit enough to hold it into the wind in the last mile. A conservative start back in the field meant a slower first mile and missing a 22 !

21.09.25 ABP Humber Coastal 10k - 45.58

Quicker than anticipated, a very windy howler of a day in Cleethorpes. What I noticed was a good first half when I was ahead of the 45 pacers, and then a horrible return where my form was terrible !

05.10.25 Lincoln Half Marathon 2.08.40

My first and only pacing gig for NPV in 2025. It was a windy affair and really hard to judge. By halfway with the benefit of a cross backwind and a downhill we were 3 minutes up, and by the top of the hill, we were still ahead.  This meant my group had some good time to ebb away at as we had the fierce wind to contend with along the top. A good day out and glad to be back.

11.10.25 Thonock Farm Parkrun 24.31

Likely my best run of the year - nice and relaxed, good form all the way through and really enjoyed running entirely on grass.

Gainsborough 10k - 49:42

Outta nowhere and likely because it was my 53rd birthday the day after, it was time for Gainsborough 10k - no pressure , just ran at a pace that I hoped I could hold until the end - best conditions that I can remember for the event - steady 8:09/8:09/7:53/7:59/8:02/7:48 mile pace so consistent. A medal to sign off the season with..... can't be bad !

13

2025 TLI Races

2025 TLI Lincolnshire Road Race League

23.04.25 TLI Ashby

 First race of the season on my favourite course (only because it has a very short hill and long straights).  I would start the season again in group one which suits me just fine.  This was a great workout, taking my turns as usual, and then when the time came being strong enough to jump on the passing train.  At the top of the hill, there was still a kilometre to go, and as I battled other Wheelers I was able to launch a long kick for home and managed to just about crawl over the line for 21st place.

21.05.25 TLI Brattleby 

Group One which I was happy to see, but 8 laps which meant that I would be climbing Brattleby Hill 8 times (9 with the ride up to the start).  It was a pleasant evening and with last night's TT in the legs I wondered how I would go. All seemed well and on the first lap I found I was particularly strong on the sweeping descent down to Ingham - I also got a scalding for that.  I was better up the climb this year and by lap 3 I had broken away for a lap in a group of 5 only to be reeled in at the bottom of the climb. We stayed together for another 3 laps and then on the start finish straight the scr=tach group caught us. Some of my group got on and they carried us to the bottom of the climb. Regrouping as a smaller unit at the top, the next samll fast group came past and it was all I could muster to ride fast downhill and just get on - I hit 44.9mph doing so and the reward was again being carried along to the bottom of the climb. Comig up that on tired legs for a 20th place finish on the night. 

18.06.25 TLI Skillington

Best result ever - this was the Grantham road race course that I'd ridden around 2015/2016 so I knew it better than I thought I did. It was a crazy warm evening and in group 1 we were given 8 minutes over the 2nd group which was crazy and we took full advantage - the 7 of us working very well and then on the last climb to the finish I found myself toward the front and I managed to hold a good effort to the line and finish 3rd which was my best ever result.

16.07.25 TLI Great Limber

On the baclk of low numbers, and my result the previous race, I was given group 2 to go with (a promotion or demotion - the jury is out).  We worked well for the first lap, and then on the second time up the big long climb, we were caught by scratch and 3, and that was it, I battled back on ,. but another surge emptied the talent meter.  I solo rode for the final two laps making a couple of spots, but the main group was well gone !

13.08.25 Brattleby 2

The last one in the series , and again moved up to group 2 against my wishes and protestations at sign on. In actuality I likely am a group 2 rider as I stuck with the group , and then only got dropped when the faster groups caught us and the group 3 riders that had sandbagged their way into two rode off with them.  I'd say I finished around 20th and around halfway down my group.  In the overall competition, I finished 7th overall and bagged - £20 - maybe that now makes me a paid pro ! 

June 2025 - quieter than usual.... faster than usual too

 Just the four TTs this month as away on holiday in Spain during the first week and some last minute marshalling at the last TT. In between, there was a road race third place and a really fast C2C2C so all was not lost...

10.06.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 21.59 

Good start to the month and a win. Struggled with the wind direction on this one and seemed to be unhelpful both ways, I did judge the out and inward efforts badly and again left myself too much to chase on the return.

12.06.25 Wheelers 15 Champs 40.33

Not really a rec with the following 10 just two days later - this was a VO2 max affair, race done on road bike with 2 x 5 minute intervals thrown in.

14.06.25 Hemel Hempstead 10  20:20

My fastest 10 mile TT since 2017 and my second fastest of all time. I really paced this one the best I could and maturely rode the poor roads and pushed at the right times. Backwind to first turn, then headwind for next stretch with a nice backwind to finish. Road surface poor in places and cross wind down the hill - front wheel behaved perfectly. Another 30 seconds to find for the club record.

17.06.25 Wheelers Ingham TT  21.50

Fastest Ingham TT in god knows how many attempts over the years. Despite a windy night, I was able to find another 10W somehow and this translated into a better margin win. I still don't know where those watts came from or indeed how that night became so quick for me. Series win and maximum points in the season long competition.