Clumber Sprint Duathlon

Before this event, I had only ever done two duathlons before - one in 2012, a Lincoln Tri training event, and this one back in 2011 where I came away with a hard earned time of 1.23.50.

Fast forward to 2014 them and all of a sudden I decide that my best option of qualifying at age group level is at sprint duathlon, so after a false start and DNS at Grafham in November - yesterday was my first real attempt - so here it is - attempt #1 !!  

This was a standard sprint duathlon so the distances are 5k run, 20k bike, and then a 2.5k run to finish off. The event is set in Clumber Park and is laid on by One Step Beyond. The standard distance qualifiers were going on at the same time so it was busy, busy,busy as 600 athletes descended upon Clumber Park ! It was a nice enough day though - chilly at 6 degrees - with a 14mph SW wind. 

I lined up in the 40-44 age group which went at 9.51 so I knew I had plenty of time to get ready, so much time in fact, that I was 15 minutes late racking which gave me my first bollocking from an official ever.

That being dealt with, I found my wave and got ready for the start... this is how things unfolded ...

1st run - 22.09

My parkrun PB is only 21.42 so you can see that I have to be chuffed with an honest run of just over 22 minutes on a course that has its ups and downs ! I did feel that with every step I was going backwards against what was a very fast field. When I hit the turn I could also see many behind me though which meant that I wasn't having the worst day in the world either. I ran hard but tried to control my breathing knowing that I still had the bike leg to contend with. Mile splits of a steady 6.58/6.59/7.00 achieved.

T1 - 1.07

Went OK, could have put the shoes on the bike however can't be too hard on myself ! 

Bike 32.39

Got on the bike and executed Plan A - smash it ! There was no Plan B ! 

Aimed for a 22mph average bike split and got it - overtook loads on the road and made up a load of places. Did get held up a little and had to be careful as the Bike Marshall was taking a real interest in me, but on the whole I rode it well ! 

T2 - 0.52

Couldn't have done it any quicker, although again had I left the shoes on the bike ....

2nd run : 11.19

Legs had gone but I knew it wasn't far ! Nearly died on the not so steep slope upwards to the turn point, saw my mile split as 7.17 , but was grateful to see the finish shute although had nothing left and had to do with ambling across the line in 1.08.03.

Nowhere near the pointy end, but within the 115% limit so pleased with my first effort overall.

LRRA Middlemarkers

This was the first event of the year for the Lincolnshire Road Riding Association (LRRA) and one that I had been looking forward to all winter.

Last year we had miserably cold conditions and I managed to post a time of 1.05.27 with an average seen of 22.9mph. This years course however would not be 25 miles as although the same course was used as last year, there were Anglian Water works in the village of Wigsley which meant that the course had to be shortened to 14.6 miles.

A big contributor to times on this course is the wind and whilst last year we had a 10mph Southerly, this year we had a 17mph North Westerly to contend with - more on that later !

The HQ was at Harby Village Hall and I arrived there nice and early -before spending far too long chatting with other Lincoln Wheelers and then realising that I only had half and hour to get ready and get to the start. I was off at 10.07 like last year and after a brief warm-up only just made it to the start line in time !

Before I knew it I was off and heading straight into a huge line of traffic of which I had to tentatively merge. Head down and into the big ring I went, turned a slight bend in the road to find horrible headwind and a really poor road surface :-(   The first 3/4 miles turned into a right old slog and I think my average of 20. something was not a fair reflection of the effort that I was putting in ! We turned left at Newton Crossroads and I thought I would improve, but no, it was a slow slog again until the top of the shallow rise.

Fortunes did improve after that as I found a little benefit from the crosswind and started to enjoy more normal speeds of 24/25 mph. I finally caught my minute man on this stretch and because I had spent so long concentrating on winding in this particular carrot the left hand turn to Besthorpe came quicker than anticipated. I was now on the final stretch and just kept trying to spin my way home and dropping gears to boost things when I saw I was losing speed.

At Wigsley there was a full wind assisted final kilometre and I absolutely nailed it as hard as I could to get under the 37 minute mark with a 36.51 on the day. Ave speed showed 23.6 mph so pleased with that given the conditions today and the headwind sections. Next up is the first Duathlon of the year next Saturday :-)

VTTA North Mids 18km TT

2nd time trial of the season and the first experience of racing on the A1 - gulp !!!!!

This event was a first experience of racing on the A1 - something that I feared and wanted to put to bed early in the year. This time trial is put on by VTTA North Midlands  which is handy, because as I'm 41 now, I'm classed as a veteran and can ride for their trophies.

The course is a rectangle which starts at Ranby just off the A1, heads out past the prison, north to and through Blyth, and then down the A1 for a few miles to the finish.

For some reason I was off at no.69, 2nd to last with only the Outlaw legend Kevin Dawson to chase me down - oh great !  At 2.09 I was set on my way and found myself riding into a slight headwind for the first couple of miles until we passed the prison.

A very tentative left hand turn followed and then BOOM ! 17mph backwind to assist me up this rolling road. At this point I felt alright and didn't feel that I was overdoing it like I normally do - and then I got passed by Mr Dawson who looked like he was on a gentle pedal around the countryside ! I rode on catching my minuteman not long after, and again feeling OK until I reached Blyth and then turned straight into a headwind and an uphill drag !! - it broke me to watch my speed drop to a measly 15mph at this point.

Thats OK though, cos' as soon as I got to the top of the climb I was straight onto the A1 for the scariest (and most exciting) riding of my life. OK, there were a few wobbles at the top of some of the rises as the wind gusted, and there was a real struggle with the wind - but for the second week in a row I managed and average of 23.9mph and finished in 26.57 (22nd/55).

I also took the VTTA North Mids Handicap as well which was a pleasant surprise at the end of a good ride
!

CC Breckland 10 TT

Todays the day, with my Bik-eh, that I went down to Norfolk !

Yep, 2nd time trial of the year technically, however, this ride really did mark the start of the season. I had chosen the Breckland event, which has an HQ at Scoulton in Norfolk as part of a two race warm up for the LRRA Middlemarkers on 16th March - with the next instalment next week at the 18km VTTA event.

It took me ages to get to the HQ, including a tricky 5 mile single track road which I didn't appreciate google maps sending me down, but I turned up in good time in any case. A helpful local described the course as out and back and a bit draggy !

I set off at 2.34 (no.34), and I could certainly see what he meant. I did feel good for the first part as it was not too windy maybe an 8mph side wind, but the road was indeed a bit draggy, not a quick surface coupled with some deceptive rises and dips. I managed to get to the turnaround with an average of 23.6 - not the 24 that I wanted but with a chance if I could improve in the 2nd half.

Try and try harder was the motto, and I gave it a good go - I got it to 23.9 but there was a incline bit in the last mile and I couldn't quite keep the push going.

So 25.06 and I think 30/54 on the day. I had a nice 2 hour journey back to Lincoln to reflect on proceedings and have put this performance in the good box as for a first proper go for the season I think I did OK.

Sleaford Half Marathon

Last Saturday, I had to abort parkrun #23 at Sheffield Hallam due to an injury that had been threatening to develop over the past couple of weeks. I had physio on Monday evening and run rested all week meaning I had no idea how I would get on in todays race. 

What I did know that there was a 25mph wind, and that some of the course was muddy, so it was going to be a difficult day ! 

I lined up with 500+ others at the Sports Pavilion at RAF Cranwell, just wondering if there would be a delay, when the front of the field started moving off and we were away. Now, the first mile was on grass and with a back wind I was absolutely flying along to record a 7.07. Then its was onto gravel track and eventually muddy farmtracks but with a strong wind still behind me and a clubmate to pace me through the puddles I felt OK. Got a shout out from a tri club mate and then another handed me a gel - top work lads !  

I was averaging something like 7.37 minute miles as I headed for the mile 6 marker but as I turned left at Wellingore into that headwind, I knew that I would have to work very hard not to let the race slip from me ! the wind was bad and halted me almost instantly, however, I luckily got onto the back of a small group that overtook me and I got some shelter for a mile or so. Those three miles were some of the longest of my life ! 

They did come to an end but not before the damage of an 8.29 & an 8.35 pair of miles - but as we turned left at mile 9 the worst of it was over and I could enjoy a respite from the wind and a nice downhill section to bring the mileing back to a more respectable 7.35! 

This was a stronger section of the race and I felt OK at the pace we were going at TBH.  This all changed towards the last couple of miles though as I began to run out of gas. We were back into a headwind and heading towards the Cranwell base again and there was a final rise toward the end of the 11th mile which damn near finished me off :-( 

Back on the base, and my legs had gone like a footballer who plays on too long at the end of his career ! I could see the finish and it was agonisingly slow getting there. I crossed the line done in, but ecstatic with a 6min PB at 1.42.04 and 161st of 567 - a much better performance than I could have imagined at the start of the day !

February Parkruns

08.02.14 Lincoln 21.42 PB !

I had some beer last night, not a lot, but at a pint and a half of lager, and that was enough for me to write off todays Parkrun as a turn up and jog effort.

By the time I'd gotten to the start line though, I think I'd decided to see how the first lap went and start from there.

I lined up not on the concrete, but stealthily on the grass believing that I would get a faster start, however it was soon apparent that there was just the same traffic on the grass with some barging going on and of course people dodging !

First lap then, felt OK, hard but not fast, however 6.58 showing on the Garmin for the first mile. 2nd lap, clung on to the back of two runners and was blowing a bit for a 6.50 second mile. Third lap, got detached from said two runners, but found a spurt around the finishing 'rectangle' to round off the 7.00 third mile for a 21.42 PB !

Surprised to get a new PB ;-)

The Rauceby Ripper 2014

Back for more !

That was the idea when I rocked up at yesterdays 2014 version of the Rauceby Ripper - a popular early season XC run put on by the Sleaford Town Runners. It would be the second year in a row that I would run this event and this year took note of last years conditions and decided to get hold of a pair of trail shoes !

the other special element to the day was that my first claim running club was officially switched to Lincoln & District Runners and I was able to wear the clubs green vest for the first time. ( I retain second claim membership to UK Netrunner of course ! ) This years course was the shorter 7.88m course used in 2011 & 2012 not last years much longer version.

Having trained so well this week and with a target in mind, I felt raring to go when we were set on our way at 10.30.   The first mile was slightly uphill and on Estate roads and the trail shoes felt hard going on such a flat surface. Once we had negotiated this though and had turned right onto our first farm track, the decision to wear trail shoes started to pay dividends as I had confidence to put my feet down as I jumped up and down the bank, ran on boggy ground and dodged puddles. I was pushing the pace and overtook my target runner for the day and stealthily pulled my hat down so that I didn't get recognised to spark a chase ! ( I'm a crafty bugger, me )!!!!

The first couple of miles showed something like 7.36 & 7.37 so I was steadily knocking off some good mileing - aware that I might be being chased down which kept me on it and unable to slack off ! Indeed, I worked very hard in the middle sections of the race into bad headwinds on on the muddy edges of fields. the slowest split would have been something like mile 4 at 8.09 minutes.  There were a couple of feed stations on the way and I chose to have a drink at the second one of these, which I managed to spill when I lost my footing looking over my shoulder !

There was the boggy wood at mile 6 which was even worse than last year, but the trail shoes ate it up and before I knew it I was out onto the road again chasing down what was the last mile. Down a farm lane and over a stile , one last look behind confirmed that I was home and clear from my target runner, and it was a case of running hard over a boggy field to finish what I think was 42nd place overall and a time of 1.01.25 for a good days running.