Clumber Duathlon 2020

When I entered this event it was to take place at the usual Clumber Park HQ , however as the weeks progressed it was moved to the nearby Thoresby Hall where the Outlaw X event had safely taken place a few weeks beforehand.  Originally it was a 5k, 20k, 2.5k affair, but with the change of venue this became 6.5k/18k/2.5k.

Myself and Duathlon have a history together. In 2014 I tried unsuccesfully to qualify for the Age Group euro champs. Whilst I wasn't a million miles away I wasn't good enough. At that time I fulfilled my Age Group ambition by qualifying for the 2015 long distance champs with a decent performance at the Outlaw Half. 

Five years later, and hopefully five years wiser, I'm coming around to the idea of giving qualification another shot with 2022 being the aim. This event would show me where I am and what I needed to work on. As background my prep had been a two month time trialling season where I'd put in some great results, and for running, a year of mostly long runs at low heart rate, but in the three weeks prior I had thrown in some interval sessions. 

On the day, it was windy but a nice enough October day - this is how it went 

Run 1 - Off road 6.5km 30.45

Time trial start, we were set off individually some 15 seconds adrift of each other. It worked very well, although I could see that strategically your rivals could keep an eye on you !  I had no such dangers as I wasn't on anyone's radar I'm sure and enjoyed getting away at a strong pace and judged it well I thought. It was almost entirely off road on trails etc and was certainly undulating - nice run, reall enjoyed it 90th/262.

Bike  18km  -  29.03 

Figured I'd set myself a power target around what I held at the National 25 and held that mostly, increasing the effort slightly on the ups, and working hard on the downs made harder by having removed the 58 ring, and swapped on the 55. I managed OK, but look forward to the days in the future that I go single ring 60 ! 

Nowt of interest , nicely paced,  some traffic hold up towards the end, otherwise pleased with a rapid split.  2nd / 262

Run 2 - Off Road 2.5km 10.39

The hard work done, this was short and sharp. No leg wobble which is a good sign, and felt like I was in control. Could I have done 6.5km ? That's what I'm wondering as the standard was just that and I'd have had two laps of the bike to go at.  80/262

So, 1.14.12 in total, 35th on the day and 9th in age group. A decent start.

   

The last month of the time trialling season

We are at the end of another season, albeit short, but packed with rides, and time trialling events that were covid secure and ran like clockwork once every one sussed out how to do it. My hope is that next year can continue in the same way.  This report starts with the National 25 on two wheels, and end with the Vets National 25 on tricycle - a nicely book ended update which will be appreciated by those with a touch of OCD.

27.09.20 National 25 -  56.51  91st

Happy to get in with a seasons best of 54.00, I was there purely to make up the numbers as the rockstars like Dowsett and Archibald fought it out for the title. There were two of us from Lincoln Wheelers and we were supported at the turn by the guys that had ridden over to make some noise. Even with a knackered chainring, and a strong horrible headwind out, I ground out my best ride of the year on metrics, to finish ahead of expectations. I was really happy with this ride ! 

10.10.20  Holme Wheelers Hillclimb (trike) 13.28.3

This was novel. Holme Moss hillclimb on a barrow. We had decided to have our own tit (tricycle incline trophy) competition and chose this event.  8 of us enetered, 7 rode the event, of which I managed second place in the TiT. To be honest, the nervy part was riding the trike down the hill from the car park. Riding back up was just hard work and I didn't have enough gears, really churning up in parts. It was fun though, and I might do some more HCs next year at the end of the season and see if I can't ride the National.

18.10.20  VTTA National 25 (trike)  59.46

The very last TT of the year and one that should have taken place two weeks before. It was now cold, and there were lots of DNSs. In a quiet race with no one to chase or chasing, I rode the barrow to power aiming for the 267 watts I got in August, and achieving 265 watts. Given the freewheeling on a trike in parts, I'd say this was well ridden and a nice end to the season. All good, and didn't ever think I'd get one in, so to get almost three months of racing was an excellent bonus !

Double Trouble !

Whooooo's these dubious looking blokes on a tandem trike ? It's Pike & Newham having a run out at the VTTA National Champs. That was the highlight of a very busy time trialling September, as the nights closed in and the number of time trialling weekends left in the season began to dwindle...

01.09.20  Wheelers 5m TT   11.02 A first run out at the Autumn club five mile series, and a second place finish. It had been a good few years since I'd had a go at it, having previously organised the series between 2013-2016. I set myself a target of achieving a 10 minute something time, and came very close, in fact, if not for an errant runner, I would have been a couple seconds within target. 

05.09.20  Icknield RC 10 (trike)   23.17  - The first of two ten mile trike record attempts and the second year in a row that I had failed to get the target time of 22.58. This was a better ride than the previous year's effort though and it was as good as I could manage on the day.

06.09.20 Stowmarket 10  (trike)  23.21 - The following morning and an even better ride than the day before. Not much more in the tank and a course I quite liked. 

08.09.20 Wheelers 5m TT  11.09  The second of the three weekly series of races. This time a win, but conditions not condusive to a fast time, not too shabby though, if anything maybe could have gone less hard first half, and then a bit harder into the wind - no chance of sub 11 in any case.

13.09.20 Cambridge CC 25   54.00  I got away with one here. Fastest 25 since 2017, and good placing overall. Nice fast course and one I intend to ride again. Two laps with the first being a reasonable power return and the second seeing the power grind to a standstill. Maybe doing running intervals two days before is not so clever !

15.09.20 Wheelers 5m TT   10.51  Ah-hah, finally, and despite getting held up by cars behind a slower rider, meaning that this could have been even better than it was. I felt magic, and my power seemed very easy to hold. A good hand full of seconds lost, I rode annoyed from half way in, and was so mad I continued to complete the 7.7 mile course taking the KOM.

20.09.20  VTTA National 15 (tandem trike)  35.04  A first experience of being a stoker and as you can see from the photo above , it was a tight fit. Stoking is very hard work and it is an unfamiliar position. We worked so hard to finish second tandem on the day.

August was mad busy !

So you go through the year with all events cancelled and future events such as three November marathons also hitting the skids (next November could be busy ! ) and then the time trialling season resumes and all of a sudden they are the only events that are available - well, I was like a kid in a sweet shop and could not enter enough. Like the title says, August was mad busy and this is how it unwound.... 

4.8.20 Wheelers 10m TT #1 - 22.36 

Back wind to the roundabout which produced a PB strava segment, and then a real slog on the way back. 285 watts overall, I was second on the night Wheelers wise, and probably the best Ingham ride to date where I usually massively cock up this course - a decent start and good return to club time trialling.

8.8.20 Tickhill Velo 10 (O10/1) 22.40 

A course that I rode last year and didn't enjoy. It was a viable reasonably local event this year, so I entered not expecting much, but really enjoyed it. It's a bit like watching a disappointing movie the second time around. The course was a straight-ish out and back to a roundabout with a crosswind both ways - there wasn't much speed difference in either direction. I rode it evenly and was pleased with the result. 

11.8.20 Wheelers 10m TT #2 - 22.03 

Winner winner chicken dinner. I reckon this might have been the first time I'd won a Wheelers club TT. More importantly, it was a massive course PB and that was off the back of slightly less power than the week before. A nice evening and ride, it helped to have a really good minute man which spaced the event perfectly. 

15.8.20 Sherwood 25 (A25/34) - 55.44 

Two wheels and back on the Bingham A46 course, this time there was the reverse direction strong wind and I knew I was in for a grovel. It was a first 25 for a couple of years and I was really looking forward to it. I started well, and once onto the 46, it was like pulling on an old jumper, immediately at home and happy with the power that I was pacing myself at. Fired into the turn, and then the 12.5 miles of headwind wasn't too bad. It was a case of holding power and trying to keep as controlled position as possible. The final rough leg through Farndon was just a case of emptying what was left. Supremely happy with a consistent, controlled time trial. 

18.8.20 Wheelers 10m TT - 22.14 

The last of the four race 10 season as it turns out due to a weather cancellation for the following week. Again, winner on the night when it wasn't as quick as the week before with power slightly up. Felt draggy both ways on this occasion. Still, take the positives, it's not often I win much and this ride cemented the series trophy and the handicap trophy. I'd say a good return to club racing overall. Next up is the series of 5's. 

22.8.20 East Anglian VTTA 10 (E2/10) Trike - 24.58 

My word, what a slow day for everybody concerned on what should be one of the fastest courses in the country. A first ride out back on the pink barrow and it was a windy howler to welcome me back. It was a block headwind to the turn and then not so pushed back as the banking sheltered the way back. Comp record attempt no.1 nowhere near as we all struggled to times within 20 seconds of each other. Two more attempts left this year.

31.08.20 Drighlington CC 25    54.20

Early morning start on this one as I was off at no.25 and an hour before Scrappy & Ian. We knew the course from previous variations but this was a first go at the 25 course that predominantly uses the Thirsk end of the course.  I set off to hold above 270 watts and managed that with an even ride all the way through. The turns are long, and the wind, although low, was mostly unhelpful cross wind. Still , with those excuses out of the way, it was an enjoyable ride, and I'm really enjoying 25's again after a couple of years of avoiding them !

A return to a time trialling season

Finally, after months of no events, the opportunity came to return to some dual carriageway dwelling and some actual CTT time trials.  In the first couple of weeks I filled my boots and took on a couple of 50's and also booked what looked like a fast 10 for the trike ....

19.06.20 Shaftesbury 50   1.53.32

What a way to start the season, throwing myself into the fastest 50 in the country, and to boot, straight into a 50 as well.  My start time would be 6.05am so I booked myself a cheap Travelodge at Haverhill and set the alarm for 3.45am.

I was awake before that time though as I was excited to be racing again. Signing on at Westley Waterless was an easily navigated social distancing affair, and then it was down to Turbo Alley for a final fettle and the mile ride to the start. It was of course raining and I could tell that the wind would be unhelpful in either direction.  I had a target power in mind and decided to ride with that. Given the conditions I rode with my selcof tri spoke along with the fat boy on the back.  I have to say, I felt fast and I had little problem keeping on top of my watts, maybe pushing a little more up the drags to compensate for the shallows and the inevitable slight drop in power that I'd see there as I couldn't spin enough to achieve the required wattage.

By the end of the first half, I had caught the only people in front of me and then it was a lonely experience for most of the second half with only the fast tail end of the field joining the fray for the last 10 miles as I passed the start ramp. A dig in from four went ways to the finish gave me a time of 1.53.32 which although two minutes off my PB represented a good return for the early start and worst of the rain.




26.07.20  VTTA National 50 -   1.58.09

The day before, I had driven down to Cambourne for the Chronos 10, which I made the decision to DNS when I got a soaking during the warm up and battered by a side wind - no thanks and all that !

So, you think I would be fresher for the mornings 50 on the well travelled A46 t'other side of Newark, but the truth was that I'd felt fatiqued by the previous weekends 50 all week and felt a shade off my best.  Still though, I was able to get a good nights sleep and my start time of 8.56am was more sensible.  We had a rising SW wind so I knew it was going to be a tough day. As it turned out, I kept to the same power as last week for the first 25 miles, coping with the headwind section nicely, but that was still a 58 something minute first 25 , and then on the second lap, the wind was a complete twat and it zapped everything. By Stragglethorpe turn I was toast, but had the 12.5 mile backwind to recover. This leg was a minute slower than my first effort and I just couldn't spin enough to get the watts.  1.58.09 on the day, 240 watts average versus 249 watts at the previous weeks Shaftesbury.  Mind you I was happy with the 808 that I used on the front and my orange no pinx skinsuit which stood out, so there were some positives.

Next event undecided,  I really should take stock and decide what I want from the rest of the season. Clearly I'm going OK, but not as well as I thought I was going to go.  Maybe the club 10's will offer up some variety !

2020 the year of virtual challenges and 2021 is the new 2020.

Just my luck !

I was up to about week 19 or 20 of the Don Fink plan in the lead up to Ironman Lanzarote when Covid-19 lockdown measures hit most of Europe and one by one events started to be either postponed or cancelled.

At least we were still able to go out and exercise within reason and that meant that I was able to keep things ticking over whilst I wait for the season to unlock itself !

08.03.20 Retford Half Marathon - 1.58.06
This was an opportunity to put away a 15 miler as part of my training plan and to get Scrappy his very own sub 2 hours Half Marathon. It was a nice day and a good event to be fair and I know that I enjoyed it immensely, pacing Scrappy round the course like a drill sergeant, getting him home with a couple of minutes to spare. I will do this event again.

10.05.20 Ironman VR6 - 2.08.09 
Well, this was something different - a virtual challenge - a duathlon made up of 3k run, 40km bike and then 10km to complete the Trilogy.  You could do them all together, or you could space them between 7pm Friday to midnight Sunday, It suits me me to spread them out and that's what I did - a quick run on Friday evening, a time trial done at tempo effort for a 1.07 on the Saturday and then a 10km run in a surprisingly quick for how I felt 46 minutes.  Overall  happy with how it went and although I was only racing myself, it was good to be doing an event again.  Result  13:51 / 1.07.43 / 46.35

13.06.20 Ironman VR11 - 59.54
This one was shorter than the previous one and consisted of 1.5k run, 20km bike, and then 5km run to finish.  I decided to do it all in one day so set about doing the first run on the new treadmill which was enjoyable running around Watopia in just 7.37, and then I rode out to do a 20km time trial which was an out and back which went well - I averaged 25mph which I felt was good going, and then really happy about the 5km run which I knocked off in 22.28. Coming in under the hour was pleasing. I'm already planning to see how much I might improve this. 

20.06.20 Lakesman In Lockdown - 4.02.16  (3rd of 90 in age group)
This was the big one or biggest one to date. A 56 mile bike and a half marathon. To do them ultimate justice I split them up over a weekend - the wind was nicest on the Saturday so I went out at 7am to ride two laps of a course I had devised that took in the A46 and A17, and then a lovely backwind from Brant Broughton. The end of each lap being messy to make up the distance. Both laps nice and evenly paced for 24mph and a 2.19 which is a good effort for a half iron bike. The Sunday morning was windier and had threatened rain. I again went out in the morning and chose a course to Witham St Hughs and back. I thought I could give it a good go, given my 8.5 mile training run on the Tuesday had averaged 7.55m/m. I set off at a pace ahead of that and tried to hang on best I could. I managed to keep ahead all the way round, but had to dig in for the last 5 miles even with a good backwind for that time. Really happy with a 1.42.38 which is in line with my recent road halfs.

Winter Catch Up

I am well into my 30 week training block for Ironman Lanzarote in May. As I write this I am just about to finish week 15 of the plan and it is good so far. I switched to a plant based diet at the end of November and my weight seems to have been easier to manager and I have more focus and energy to boot. I'm at about 10/11 miles long runs, up to a mile in the pool now, and the bike, is well, still the bike - Ruth has me at it four times a week in readiness for the start of the time trialling season next month....... eek !!

Over the past few months we've mixed in some events to keep things interesting, and these are some mini reports about how they went..... 

27th October - Harby Clockback 10k - 52.36
Three weeks after the marathon at Barcelona and I'd been running steady miles again. I saw this race and it looked more like the Ripper so I thought why not. The event takes place at a small village called Harby and is an around fields affair like the Ripper. However !!! we had experienced weeks of rain and the ground was entirely saturated which made this such a boggy affair. Harder than the Ripper, I was happy to get round the 10k course in less than an hour - good to be back, and a race I'll do again.

8th December - Keyworth Turkey Trot 1.42.28
This race is one that fills every year, so I'd entered it back in the summer. Whilst I had taken the distance seriously in training, I had also been ill with food poisoning over a ten day period and had been clear of that for only 5 days or so, so I wasn't at my peaky best. As it was, I did enjoy this one, lots of rolling stuff, all on country roads, my pacing not too bad, managing to keep a steady level of effort that resulted in 7.49 minute average miles which is about right for me. Never really felt in trouble, pushed a little hard on the climbs, and some of the windy sections were a grovel. No medal or t-shirt for the lad at the end, I'll maybe look at something else for next December.... mmm.... haven't competed for a Xmas pudding for a few years !!

1st January - Wheelers NYD TT  - 18.29
New Year.... New..... Scratch that, same old me !  It was the annual New Years Day near 8 mile TT, for which no one is prepared or really looks forward to ! I was very early in my training cycle, behind schedule due to running and illness according to Ruth, so I had only just started to knuckle down and pout in some consistent weeks. Nothing above threshold and new power pedals meant that this was an unknown. We had decided to use this as a CP20 and I guessed that it would produce c.280 watts. How wrong I was - I managed to get around OK, paced it best I could, and happy with a time of 18.29 for 2nd place on the day. I did an average of 264 watts so I suppose that's my benchmark set !

8th February - The Rauceby Ripper -  1.09.04
Again 30th !! That's 30th, 30th, 24th & 30th in the last four runnings of this ace event. In total it's been going 10 years, and I've completed 6 of them, and supported by running in between last year.  I felt good this year going into the event off running twice a week - one long heart rate managed run on Tuesdays and a shorter sharper free run on Fridays.  I started about 30th and it soon became apparent that it was about right as I only took a few places and only lost a few, I would guess I stayed in the same position all race. The ground whilst really boogy in the woods this year, was elsewhere better than usual as it had been dry. My guess is that if you wore road shoes this year you would have gotten away with it !
Nice consistent controlled effort just under my limit bought me home just over an hour and nine, with a bit of an over exerted last half mile to keep a place from a Boston runner, which resulted in a non attractive coughing fit afterward. Nice medal and also nice to be back doing an event with Bob & Scrappy AKA the Lanzarote crew.