Cholmondeley Castle Middle Distance Duathlon race report

This race was a qualifier for the 2023 European Middle Distance Duathlon Champs for which I luckily pre- qualified for at this years event in Alsdorf. I had two mates, Dave & Ian at the event, DAve looking to qualify, and Ian testing himself at the distance for the first time. The weather was reasonable, no rain, and breezy I'd say.  After a pasta party at the oddly named pesto at Cabbage Hall the night before, we were to meet up bright and breezy ahead of a 9am start for the event. Castle Race Series operate differently to most other organisers, sign on was same morning and was a slick operation of moving the athletes through zones. At 9am we were ready ! 

Run 1 - 6.53 miles - 47.29 

I wore the Alphaflys as I plan to use them in Zofingen and I have been over thinking shoe choice for a while. This event simulates a lot of the climb and tracks that I'll run over there and today the Alphaflys performed well. The race started in grass, before heading onto concrete paths, before climbing up and around the picture perfect castle in Woodland, before heading back over the lawn and back around for another lap. In total 419 feet of climb in the 10k and I ran it to RPE, respecting the difficulty of the course. 

Bike - 39.19 - 1.52.46

New TT bike in it's first event, bought from Facebook Market place with a 53/39 option, which means my TT bike can remain single ring for super fast flat TT courses. The course for this Duathlon is held on quiet Cheshire roads and is a ride of two halves. It is also two laps and 39 miles in total.  The first half of each lap is relatively flat and fast whilst the second half has all of the climb, about three leg burners that are not overly long, but are to be paced, especially as they have to be tackled a second time and after that, you need to be in a condition to race. 1864 ft of climb in total. No idea of watts, so RPE again. All felt OK, I guessed the position and it wasn't uncomfortable. I encountered three horses and had to slow to 5mph, which is the right thing to do, and stopped at a right turn. There's work to do, but as a starter that was a competent first outing.

Run 2 - 6.43 miles - 49.28

Second run is fast becoming an obsession of finding a pace and effort that is as close to the first run as possible. After the climb on the bike there was always going to be some fatique in the legs but still, the aim was to get as close to the first run pace as possible. First lap OK, I had feared that the run up and around the Castle would be a step too far, but I held that together well (for me), and then knew that I had just a Parkrun left to complete.  At this point the overall winner came tearing past, underlining the gulf in class between the very top, and your average Duathlete.  Last lap, tried not to lose any positions which I didn't, and finished strongly for an 8th place on the day. Pleased with the two runs, and the performance of the shoe, and I suppose the bike leg, but like I said, it does need more work. 

What of Dave and Ian ? Ian smashed a great time for 14th on his debut, and Dave 24th and more importantly should at time of writing bagged a qualifying spot for next year.  The next qualifying race is Castle Howard Duathlon in late July.

Age Group Celebration Cup - Mallory Park Sprint Duathlon

This was an event that necessitated sleeping on the sofa the night before as the alarm needed to go off at 4 am so that I could be in the car packed and ready to go to Mallory Park to arrive at 6.30. It would be signing on the same day and we anticipated that there would be bike stickers and helmets to sort out, and a complicated transition set up to learn.  Fear not, I could have had another half hour in bed as got there super early, signing on was a doddle and transition was as simple as it gets. We had plenty of time to get set up, and go for a warm up, looking like we knew what we were doing - of course, we don't, bit no one else knows that do they. 

At a little over 8am, 16 of us were set off at the same time a triathlon and aqua
bike were starting in their parallel universe ! 

Run 1 - 19.24

First thing to mention is that it wasn't a full 5 km - I clocked that at 2.92 miles , still, it was a fast effort for me and bank on the 6.40 average pace that I wanted to achieve. I reckon I counted that I was 8th, and then 9th, and then by the end of the leg, back to 8th. It was a good consistent effort from the off , and I settled well, always thinking that I would been to bike next and the drag to the top of the hairpin was just in the corner of my eyeline.  Down through the pits and to the track, it felt windless until the lake was circled and the wind seemed stronger coupled with a slight rise in gradient. I'd call that disciplined as first runs go.

Bike - 31.40

Woohoo ! 60T engaged and a lap of two halves for sure - a drag uphill into the headwind each lap, coupled with a back wind assisted sweeping downhill past the pits to complete each lap. On the climb, I capped my watts, keeping them above my target average of 250, but going no more than 295, which worked well albeit seemed a little slow whilst doing it. Slowly, I started to take some places, and by the end of the bike had averaged 243 watts and moved to 4th.

Run 2 - 10.11 

... which is where I stayed. No pressure and with just two laps this time to complete, I felt I had more time than I probably did. Pleasingly, my pace for the second run was exactly the same as the first. 

Overall 4th of 16, 2nd of 3 in AG. 

Learnings - Sprint Du for the first time in a few years, Whilst only an hour I could have done with a little water on the bike. 

Next up - duathlon wise - the qualifier at Cholmondeley Castle on 19th June.

2022 Time Trial season

23.10.22 Matlock CC HC (trike) 4.12

... and like that the season was over. This was a trip over to Matlock for a 4 minute hillclimb on the trike. Held again on Bank Road, it was a climb I've done a couple of times. I was horrifically under geared on the barrow with a 56/44 chainset, and there is a video of me gurning the thing up the hill.  I somehow rounded off the season with the Tricycle Incline Trophy. I need a rest !

24.09.22 Kettering CC 2up 23.22

Ha Ha - great idea - let's do a 2up on a course I don't know with the Watt monster. Rode out of my skin, but couldn't manage equal turns. Came 2nd as a team by a few seconds- gutted ! We will go back I think - there's unfinished business there !

17.09.22 Sherwood CC 25  57.03

I did this one on the Cervelo that I had used for the World Long Distance Duathlon Champs a few weeks back. As I had been 15 minutes slower than a team mate on that day, I really wanted to find out how much if any that the Cervelo was slower than the Trinity. This course is one I've ridden a good few times, so perfect for a comparison. Reasonable day, a competent ride I thought and a good time of 57.03. Looking at the competition, I would say that I should have been around 55.30 on the Trinity, so decision made to retire the Cervelo to the Turbo and race the Trinity in next years Ironmans.

Lea Valley Tandem Trike 21.52

I didn't think I'd done many trike events this year and whilst on a solo there was only one late on, there had been this tandem effort on the mighty E2/10 course.  Myself & Dave found this hard going to be fair , hard out and then on the return , not enough gearing ! 21.53 good enough to lower the club record, but not as fast as we thought we could go.

Other weekday events (Wheelers & Clarion)

I managed just one club event on my home courses this year - the Wheelers Spring 10, held in June ! Strange night , felt I rode better than the time suggested - 23.29. Then in July & August a couple of goes at the Tuxford 11.3 course - an all out attack 26.23, and a playful intervals effort of 31.51. there was also the night I turned up, found out there was no event, and did my intervals on the course - that was a slow night ! 

Various Aegir efforts

On Wednesday evenings , I ventured over to Gainsborough for their Wednesday night TT events held on courses around Laughton Woods. The first 10 was a distaster, going wrong twice when leading and eventually cutting the course short. Then there was a fast five on my Cervelo at 11.48 in early June, followed by a couple of decent 15 mile efforts at 35.35 and 35.04 respectively, and strangely a third 15 resulted in a win, even though I blew up at mile 8 and limped back with a 36.49 time. A great off grid place to go and time trial , testing out new kit, and tweaks without club pressure.

LRRA 10  - 22.18

A ride of two halves and possibly hungover from a road race on Wednesday and a tough half marathon the Sunday before. A great first half of the ride, good watts and discipline. 280W, fast start and settled well. Got to the roundabout and then almost immediately, I could not get my watts out of the 250 zone, and seemed to be fading badly. Strong down hill and finish saw me at least rescue a half decent overall time and bag the county middlemarkers cup. 

Sheffrec CC 25  - 57.52

Trike Association 25 champs, but flat out didn't fancy the course on three wheels, and fancied a 25 on a course that I'd partially ridden a couple of times as the bottom half uses the O10/1. It was a small field, and after the trikes went off, I was a further 20 minutes before I was set away. The course works well with a dog leg set up of two out and back 10's. Good power out and back on the top half of the course and then faded on the bottom by going too hard on the way down to the roundabout and paying for it on the return. Maybe I'll have to return to see if I can pace it better next time around. Good time though and ahead of my spin data predicted one.

Sleaford Wheelers Charity 10 -  22.29

This represents the best TT result I have had on the C10/10 - a local course where I was shocked to find I hadn't raced on since 2017 when I posted a 22.58 in a season I felt I was tippy toppy for the last time. This ride saw sunny conditions and a 12mph SSE wind which would see me work hard to the turn maybe pushing c.20 watts more and then relying on a push to save me on the way back. A return of c.271 watts overall for CP20 purposes, and 13th place and best placed Wheeler on the day.

Coalville Wheelers 10 -  24.29

It's here finally ! 2022 arrives after what seemed like a winter eternity. I always start my season the weekend the clocks go back. This year I chose to go with Coalville Wheelers and their honest 10 mile TT run out of their HQ in Griffydam. 

I did a version of this event as my first ever open TT in 2013 in 25.53, and then 3 years later in 2016 , on this very course 25.34. Today, a lovely sunny day with not too much wind, I was up for ity and fired up to get things going. I had a nice new white skinsuit, and a more aero position that I was trading off against watts. It is always a big unknown coming out of winter, albeit I went well enough at last weekends Duathlon so I knew I wasn't going to be too off colour. 

All was well when I went off at 2.14pm, traffic was kind and I was able to keep to my lines well. In fact other than the watts not showing what I saw last year, I was consistent & composed as I navigated the first third of the course - then I made a rookie error and kept on the bars for a speed shelf at c.25mph, that shook me and I lost balance and had to veer off the course onto a side road. I composed and rejoined but lost a stack of time. Rather than sulk, I made a promise not to chase the deficit, and all too soon I was gurning my way up Vinegar Hill in my 60 ring, and attacking the last mile or so to the finish.  24.29 and 16th in spite of my unfortunate navigation. Welcome back Andy - ding ding round 10.

Kings Lynn 25   -  59.40

2nd time riding this event, last year I remembered having a good ride on what is an honest course so was eager with a week to go before Alsdorf to get a solid hour of TTing in. It would get me used to being in a disciplined tuck position. The wind direction was in exactly the same direction as last year but this year we had a variety of weather that accompanied the North North Easterly - periods of broken sunshine interspersed with showers of hale and sleet. The actual race itself went really well, on the way out I held back a fraction of power whilst maintaining a good consistent effort and position, maybe going a little over revved on the climbs, and at the turn, felt good for the chase back. Definately slower on the return due to some additional climb and more exposed headwind, but not once did I check the time or look backward to see if I was getting caught which is always worth a few seconds.  59.40, and 19 seconds quicker than last year. 11th on the day - a well paced effort I thought.

Eyam Half Marathon

This morning was a nice early drive over to Derbyshire to run the Eyam Half Marathon in the peak district. I knew the race would be a tough one but I'm starting to look at races like these as I have my eye on qualifying for a place at Zofingen in September and that course has climbing in it, albeit likely not as much as this morning but all the same, running up hills (like Kate Bush) is going to be good practice. 

The race itself was slightly delayed from its 10.30 start as the numbers hadn't arrived, a first, but not a huge delay and we were away at 10.45 in any case. I did my usual 10 minute easy run warm up with a couple of half arsed strides and lined up dead last, understanding that it was chip timed, and the road was nice and wide so I could wind my way through and not be swamped when the climbing started at about 600 metres. 

This worked well, and initially it was fast back through Eyam until a sharp right took us up a tester of an early climb just to turn back down and this made a little loop. Early thoughts... I was OK going up, but sketchy coming down especially in the alpha flys and I needed to be careful. 

We then began the longer climb up to the Glider Club at Great Hucklow Wood - a road I knew from the work Sportives albeit in reverse. I was steady for the long slow descent as on a couple of occasions a scuff would remind me that I had to have my wits about me with these shoes and take care I did. I lost the places that I had gained on the climb, but overall my pacing was good and the scenery was fantastic.  Not a PB effort by any means and running after climbing was hard work. 

At 9 miles we were at the bottom of a descent and had arrived at Leadmill, where we were abruptly guided right and up a frankly rude climb that went on and on for a good while, flattening out and dragging on sometimes only slightly. At 12 miles though, it was mostly down hill and fast, and again I was careful until I got back into Eyam centre and really opened up through the town and through to the finish. 

Beforehand I secretly hoped of sub 1.50, but climbing was better than expected and going downhill was tempered but not overly slow, so I finished with 1.43.33.

Happy with that !

Clumber Park Duathlon 2022 - Worlds Standard Distance Qualifier

This is a race I've completed at sprint distance on 3 different occasions, the last being 2020 when the covid restrictions in place at the time saw the HQ moved to Thoresby Hall, alkbeit the bike course was the same. 

This time around, I would be competing in the standard distance event along with my team mates from the Lincoln Wheelers Trike Tea - Ian & Dave - Ian doing his first proper event and Dave hobbling with a bad foot - they would battle each other through every leg. 

Once I had done a quick warm up and had a pee, I was ready to be set off in the 50-54 age group with the 45-49's going at the same time. Other age groups are available but these are where the action is ! 

Run 1 - 42.55

I held 6.52 average in Alsdorf so knew I would be around that mark. This course is different to Alsdorf though, with plenty of undulation in comparison. I put myself in the middle of the pack and away we went at 9.05am. First mile 6.54 which was sensible and included a climb, the next at 6.46 maybe too hard - these first two miles are the toughest on the course. I was going OK though, and had found my place in the field, no more was I being passed and did start to make some places. On the return, it was much easier and faster and I knew this was a tough pace but one I could keep up. Some abuse from a mate at the water station turn, and then a repeat of the toughest parts of lap 1. At the turn, I was in a good place, concentrating on breathing well, and completely missing my team mates on the other side of the road. Lee Barker from youtube came past and we exchanged some banter.  Into T1, good first run I thought..

Bike - 1.01.04

Woo hoo ! This is my leg, and this course again suits me, so does having to ride in cross winds (and headwinds for that matter). I loved this undulating course - I even didn't mind the two miles of lunar surface on Lime Tree Avenue - little traffic, and the waves and races within were seeded well enough that I was not held up.  22.8 average is a decent return for 230W on this course. Is there more I can do watts wise ? Possibly, but I knew I needed to do another run. Into transition, shoes on, got up to run, lost my balance, fell arse over tit, full forward roll, and up hoping no one saw it - they did, and made sure we all knew !!

Run 2 - 21.15

Out on the second run, composed now, and the first half a mile was difficult. The second run is 5km so the turnaround is only 2.5km, which felt like a lifetime. It did come though, and a sense of releif at the same time too, as the return again was easier and more downhill in profile. I kept going well and even managed to step it up for the last 300 metres or so, as I tried not to lose any places. 21.15 was better than expected, and heck, measures up well with my best parkruns. 

9th in age group, 2.07.37, job done in a stacked field. Not qualified, but a decent score well within 115%. I can take that. 

Enough time left to see the other lads finish in 2.19 & 2.20 - just 40 seconds apart - the whole team and family then smashed saturday lunch at the pub - recovery fuel at it's best.

Next up, Mallory Park and age group celebration on 29th May.

2022 ETU MIDDLE DISTANCE DUATHLON CHAMPS ALSDORF RACE REPORT

This weekend I took an overnight Ferry from Hull, and the drove with my mate Dave down to Alsdorf in Germany. We stayed close by, in Landgraaf, at a really nice chalet park. There was plenty of nice roads to practice on, and the trip to Alsdorf was left than half an hour from this base. We were both in good spirits on race day, knowing the distance was already done at Oulton Park three weeks ago, and we were as ready as we could be ....

Pre Race

Logistically it was really easy. Parking in the supermarket covered car park (free) we made our way to the transition and racked our bikes, in nifty wooden frames, however, not a lot of room for kit, with just my helmet and bike shoes allowed next to the bike. I stowed a small bottle of PH 1500 inside the frame for my second run.  After racking, as we could not leave any bags in transition, we made our way to City Hall to stow our kit in lockers (also free) and made our way back to the start via a 10 minute easy warm up. Now, we were ready !

1st Run - 6.03 miles - 41.26

We lined up with every man aged 20-54 and I put myself somewhere towards the rear figuring that I needed to calm down my first mile and starting where I did would help me achieve that which I suppose it did. Within a minute or so of the off, I could again see the leaders snaking off into the distance and then I found my place in the order and stayed in and around the same athletes. I did get a good draft behind an irish lad for a couple of laps, and his pacing was perfect for me. I lost this when grabbed some water on lap 3, but kept pace and then a slightly easier last lap as I mentally prepared to get on the bike. Job done at 6.52 average mile pace which was in the 6.50-7.00 range that I wanted.

Bike - 35.66 miles - 1.32.41

Get on it. Total TT course and a testers dream. It does undulate, but I ran a 60T single ring set up, and did not have to gurn up anything. Instead, I relied on my power meter to ensure matches were not needlessly burnt. The course itself is open to the elements and a windier day could catch you out, but we had light wind, although a bit cold. I wore gloves and it was the right decision, also, I was so glad that I did the Kings Lynn CC 25 last week as that was perfect prep for this course. There were some headwind grinds, some ups and downs, and enough to keep it interesting. 6 dead turns were served up, and quite a few tight turns. I lost my fig rolls, so it was just jelly babies for the ride, washed down with Ribena and SIS gels. First lap maybe a bit giddy with power as I was aiming for 220-230W and an average above the 209W seen at Oulton Park. On the second lap I rectified that, and was a little more conservative on the third - I did keep saying to myself ' make sure you can run' when tempted to put in an effort. I kept a good cadence as well which was great as I usually grind myself down a hole. 1.32, good job, and a smidge above 23mph - now could I run...

2nd Run - 42.51

First mile I found my legs and put in a 6.54, it didn't stay there but it didn't drift too badly, in fact it was steady around the 7's for the first 4 miles of the second run. The PH did the trick, and no cramps at all. I had to battle though for the last lap and a half and the pace averaged 7.20 for the last couple of miles but it was no worse, I dug in, and managed it one section at a time, once back up the slight grind for the last time, I knew I'd get there, and picked up a little on the main road to the finish.  Elated with 3.01.13 in what was my best middle distance effort to date. 8th in age group, 2nd brit which means I'll be going back next year.

Brilliant race - love it, can't recommend Alsdorf Duathlon enough.

Oulton Park Middle Distance Duathlon

Dress rehearsal opportunity for Alsdorf I said , take it easy I said, it's all about learning I said... oh forget all that, let's go as hard as possible !! 

Oulton Park Middle Distance Duathlon, on a really nice sunny day in March, the best weekend of the year so far. It was reasonably warm at c.10 degrees, with an easterly wind of