Event Report - MK Cycle Sportive - 100km - 3.51.39

This morning saw an early drive down to Milton Keynes to try something a bit different !

It was a cycle sportive event, which takes in a pre-determined route, is timed, but is not a race, so really the only person that you are truly pacing against is yourself. You could enter two distances today - the standard 100km or if you fancied it, the much longer 100 miler. I picked the 100 km because that is further than I had ever ridden and would be a good test of my ability at this stage of my training for IM.

I set myself the test of averaging 16 mph which would see me finish in around 3 hours and 53 mins - I chose this because translated into Ironman terms this would be a 7 hr bike time which is my target. So, alarm set for 4.45, set off at 5.45, and arrive at Milton Keynes at 8.00 to receive my timing chip and race number, plus a really good free cycling shirt !

The organisers started people off in waves from 9 am which meant that at 9.07 my wave started out - and at 9.07 I also discovered that my bike computer was kaput which meant that I would have to play things by ear and hope that I'd worked hard enough by the end. By 9.08 I found that this probably was a race in all but name as people seemed to already putting the hammer down and I was being passed a lot - but all I wanted to do was keep a comfortable cadence because it was going to be a long day.

The first part of the race, er event sorry, was very hilly, none more so than Brickhill which went up, and up and when you thought you were at the top, it went up again and again ! Needless to say, it was a hard climb but totally satisfying when you reached the top. We also rode through Woburn Abbey which was a stunning setting, but also presented a tough climb ! I was particularly nervous going over the cattle grids in these grounds, even more so than when I go over railway crossings.

So, the middle part of the event was a little flatter, took in some stunning countryside, there were some more hills, some more descents, some people passed me and I started passing more an more people. I can tell you that images of groups of cyclists twisting and turning well into the distance among the fields was one of the finest sights I think I'll ever see !

I felt good on my diet of water and flapjack right up until the last feed station which was only 10 km from the finish - at this point my legs seemed to go, and I had less energy - still there was one particularly nasty climb to negotiate, but once through that we all of a sudden were back in Milton Keynes and I was going for a fast finish - and at 3.51.39 over a minute quicker than target time. That time was good enough for a silver standard, but probably meant that I had finished !

A grand day out and unlike Duathlons I can definately see me doing more of these !

Race Report - Lincoln 10k - 52.28

Two years ago I entered the Lincoln 10k to lose weight and get back in shape. I ran the course that day in a little over an hour and three minutes and from that moment I was hooked ! Last year, I completed the course in 57 minutes, which was an improvement over the first year effort, so this year I was looking for a little improvement to keep things going in the right direction.

Being my local city race, and also starting at the crazy good time of 11am, I was able to have a decent nights sleep without worrying about setting the usual early alarms. So, after downing some raceday porridge and an asda flapjack bar, we were on our way ! We parked on Lee Road, which was closed for through traffic, but open for access, so we just accessed our on road parking !

The organisers had made a real effort this year to fix that age old problem of people starting in the wrong box by providing coloured wristbands which corresponded with your starting pen. This seemed to work well because I could see no fat fairies or walk for lifers anywhere near me, so thumbs up for that one !

At about ten past eleven the wheelchair athletes were off, and less than twon minutes later than that we were also off ! For the first two years of this race I had started too quickly and paid for it later in the race, this year I vowed to finally change and start with a steady pace that I knew that I could sustain. This I did, and by the time I had finished the first part of the run which takes you towards our great Cathedral, I felt good where last year at the same stage I began to fade. The first couple of kilometres were covered in a little over 11 minutes. The support on the course was amazing today and is one of the things that sets Lincoln apart from other 10k races.

The race continued at a steady pace and I ran through the 5km marker at a shade under 27 minutes which meant that if I could replicate that in the second half of the race then my PB could be in danger of falling. I took some water at this point because it was a really warm day and most of it went over my head just to cool me down. The kilometres ticked by and if anything I was getting a little quicker and began overtaking people and doing my person to person bridging thing. At 8km the clock read 43 mins something and I then just gave it everything that I had left for the last two kilometres. I rounded the Cathedral and just went for it on the cobbled section knowing that I was well going to be well within my old PB time. One sprint finish later and I was over the line and had posted a new PB by over two minutes and finished in the top 40% of the field.

So in two years of running, I've improved down from 63 to 52 minutes over the six mile distance- and I know that I could go quicker ! I will be looking then to break 50 minutes at some point in the future and that has to be next years goal. For now I'm 16 weeks throuh the 30 week Ironman training plan and things are going well. Next week I'll be attempting my first 60 mile Sportive cycling event and will update the blog with what I find.

Race Report - East Leake Triathlon 1.19.22

Todays date was circled in big red pen on the calendar, and is one of the most important dates in my calendar. It is the first Triathlon of the 2011 season, and officially my Triathlon season kicks off here after waiting the best part of 8 months since my last one. The clocks went forward an hour overnight which meant that this mornings half five alarm, was in reality, a half four wake up call, but thankfully I managed an early night, so it wasn't too bad ! This time I packed the car the night before, and double checked it so I had more than enough time to get to East Leake in good time, which I did, again rocking up a good hour before my swim start time. East Leake is in Leicestershire, near to East Midlands airport and close to the village of Gotham - so - a Batman themed race report is in order !

Blam ! - Swim 10.56

As swims go, this was OK, the time includes a long run to transition so is there or thereabouts my best time for the 400m distance. I was started at around 9.09 with no delays, and immediately forgot all of my training and decided to thrash around uncontrollably and get my breathing all wrong. I was overtaken by two competitors and it felt really slow going, a ten minute swim time came as something of a surprise !

T1- Took my time, socks, cycle shoes, and full gloves because it was bloody cold !

Kapow ! - Cycle -41.18

Following the Duathlon, I was confident that I could go under last years cycle time of 48 mins, by how much though I wasn't sure. The cycle started with a slow spin out of East Leake where I was just trying to get some warmth back into my cold wet legs ! Within a mile I was warming up nicely though and managed to get down into the tri bars to get out of the wind. My legs felt good and I seemed to be making good time, passing a few people on the way to Kingston Upon Soar for the turnaround loop. On the way back to Gotham I started to get that treacle feeling again but this time dropped the gears and span it out. When I got to the Gotham bypass I knew that most of the hilly parts were done and that I had made very good progress. I arrived back into transition in 41 something and for the first time started harbouring thoughts for a sub 1.20 finish.

T2 - because I already had socks on this was quick and non fussy !

ZAP ! Run - 24.07

I couldn't set my garmin so therefore couldn't check my pace so decided to aim for 9 minutes laps which would see a run time of 27 mins which would be better than last years 28. I feel like I ran freely and within myself and as a result was able to finish strongly - 24.07 being my fastest split over a triathlon 5km.

In all, a good solid start to a season I am really looking forward to.

Race Report - Clumber Sprint Duathlon 1.23.50

A couple of weeks ago, I had a crack at doing a Duathlon for the first time in One Step Beyond’s Clumber Classic Sprint Duathlon held at Clumber Park near Worksop. It was a very cold morning, complete with that very fine drizzly rain that soaks you through (according to Peter Kay anyway !). This is how things went:

Run 5k – 26.12 (157th)

We were started in waves as there was also the Standard Distance race taking place at the same time, and I think that we were the third wave or so to go. I was in the Senior category and we were delayed by a good 15 minutes and had to try and keep warm and dry in the rain. At about 9.25 we were started and i decided to apply my 10k strategy – good steady starting pace for 2km – before speeding things up a little. Now, if like me , you thought that Clumber Park was flat, you will be surprised to learn that its a bit hilly !!! That being said, I’m starting to get used to ups and downs through various events and no longer find them overly tough. Once the initial couple of kilometres were over and we rounded for home, I did pick things up a bit and started overtaking a few people slowly but surely. At 26.12 not my fastest standalone 5km but not far off.

T1 – 1.21- Tried something new here – I put my bike shoes on in transition rather than leave them on the bike, and I think it was just as fast .

Bike – 20km – 41.43 (110th)

I raced my TT bike believing that the course was going to be flat and in the end this turned out to be the right choice. For the first 20 minutes of the bike I rode as fast as I think I ever had and was fluently overtaking many people whilst only really being overtaken by the fast boys in GB kit and the like. I was riding really quickly, thinking that I only had a 2.5k run afterward, so if I overcooked things I would manage. For the next ten minutes I continued to ride well, but once I was in the last five kilometres it was like riding with treacle on the tyres – I had completely wrecked my legs and slowed considerably allowing some competitors to retake their positions. I’m still happy with the bike time which is my best to date over the 20km distance and gives me some confidence that the coming season will see some further improvement.

T2 – 1.12 – Waddled around in my cycle shoes, legs like Jelly !

Run – 2.5k – 13.22
Legs wrecked, this was very hard work and I’m surprised that the time is close to the opening run pace. I just wanted this to end as quickly as possible for most of it, but as I got closer to the line my legs began to feel a little livelier, so maybe I just needed some distance to wake my legs a little.

End result 1.23.50 (128th out of 198) – My first Duathlon and although a enjoyable day out, I can’t see myself doing any more than one of these a year ! My next event is the first triathlon of the year at East Leake on 27th March.

Tired....but not from the training !

This week I am moving house and have spent what feels like every living minute painting and decorating the new house.

I have managed so far to keep going with the Don Fink plan on which I think I'm on week 13 or 14 at present and now in the build phase.

This weekend (after the move is completed I hope) I am looking forwards to pulling on the Lincoln Tri colours for the first time this year at the Clumber Sprint Duathlon - http://www.onestepbeyond.org.uk/clumber-park-duathlon.php - this will be my first Duathlon and I decided to do the shorter Sprint distance of 5k run - 20k bike - 3k run to see how I go. the club do a monthly Duathlon so if I like it , I might pop along for a couple later in the year.

One of the consequences of the move is that my broadband will be out of action until sometime late in March - but when I get back on I'll update with how the Duathlon went.

Ironman training in progress !

And so the knuckle down training has started for my Ironman adventure at the start of July, by following Don Fink's 'Be IronFit' book which has three plans in it all based on a 30 week training plan.

There's 'just get round', intermediate , and a faster one which I can't remember ( which is likely that I looked at the volumes and then sellotaped that section shut ! )

I'm loosely following a large proportion of 'just get round' and using some of the intermediate programme and so far its working reasonably well. I have just finished week 10 which means that the initial base phase is completed and that we have now moved on to the build phase.

To give some idea of the volumes so far, the longest swim has been 45 mins, longest bike 2hrs 30 mins and longest run 1 hr 30 mins. These volumes are now increasing slightly and I will be expected to regularly swim 1 hr slots and run to about 2 hours.

The good thing is that already I feel ready to race shorter tri's but have to wait until 27th March - still though, there is the Duathlon to look forward to in a couple of weeks and that should give me the fix that I think I need !

Race Report - No Walk In The Park 5k - 25.35

Over the past couple of days it has been bloody windy to the point where it wakes you up in the middle of the night. I could hear it again this morning as my alarm went off at 5 something and I was left with a choice - stay in bed or travel the forty miles or so to Chesterfield for a windswept and wet 5k.

N'ah, the bed was always gonna lose !

The No Walk in The Park 5k takes place around the grounds of the Chesterfield Cricket Club within Queens Park in the centre of Chesterfield. In fact to navigate all you have to do is head for the Crooked Spire and you'll stumble across the Cricket Club in no time !

I did this race in February last year and posted a personal best time of 27.08 and can remember that I found it very hard going as it was my first attempt at running without an ipod. today with the wind and rain I just wanted to hit 26 mins as I've also got one eye the standings of the UK Netrunner Grand prix which I'm currently top of league two. A good result today would give me some extra points and help me keep my place for a few more weeks before being inevitably replaced !

All the details of this race can be found here : http://northderbyshirerc.jimdo.com/our-races/no-walk-in-the-park-5k

So, down to race time ! For this race I had a new plan being run balls out for the first lap, and then keep going for as long as possible. At 9.30 a marshall sounded a klaxon and we were away, and Plan A was put into action and the first lap went by in a flash. This was good news because I didn't have a Plan B !!!!!

The rain was really winding me up, but on laps two and three around the park I just stuck at it and started overtaking the odd person here and there. By the last lap, I really was knackered and it was a case of bearing with it. There was one runner that I stayed about fifteen metres behind for the last two laps as I just could not catch her. All too quickly the finish line approached, and I was chuffed to get across in well under 26 minutes which meant further Grand Prix points for me !

I totally recommend the monthly No Walk 5k, because at £3 its an absolute bargain !

For me, that was my last run race for a while, as my next event will be the Clumber Park Duathlon at the start of next month, followed by the East Leake Triathlon at the end of it !