The family are going great guns.
My wife completed her first half-marathon this year at Reading. I'm really proud of her, and she's come along way since being last finisher at Margate parkrun on a windy June morning last year.
My daughter started in January at the local Tristars club. Her little legs wizzing round and round on her tiny 16" wheel bike around the Palmer Park track. Luckily it was her birthday recently so we took the opportunity to upgrade her to a 24" Islabike with gears. Well overdue. She can now accompany me on my runs.
She took part in her first triathlon; a practise one as part of the club. A single length in the pool followed by 2km on the bike then a 1km run. Good effort!
My son has been accompanying the family at the local parkrun where they've banged out a few 5kms over the past quarter. He has his eye on his 10 t-shirt!
It's really nice to see them get out and about and be active. I'm off work next week so we'll spend some more time on our bikes together :)
Showing posts with label Triathlon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Triathlon. Show all posts
Thursday, 10 April 2014
Sunday, 5 January 2014
2013 - what a year!
As I sit here in January I can reflect upon 2013, and what a year it was.
Some great sprint-distance duathlon racing at Dorney Lake in sunshine, a cold Althorp and a torrential Marlow. The season culminated in racing for the GB age-group team at the European sprint duathlon champs in the Netherlands. I came 13th in age-group.
A couple of days after I flew to San Francisco with work and got some good running R&R and some great cycling.
A running niggle escalated to an injury and I ignored it, racing the Shinfield 10km and then I continued until the Grendon sprint tri; my only triathlon outing of the year. Finally I saw sense and took some time off running, investing the time in upping my cycling volume.
The knock on effect was that I would be in no shape for the 2014 duathlon Euro qualifiers which had been moved to autumn. I would live to fight another day!
As the autumn season approached I entered the new Dinton duathlon where I placed the highest ever; 10th overall. My focus then moved to training for a February 14 half-marathon and the impending winter cross-country league. Oh, and another 5km PB early December.
So despite some negatives it has been a great year for me.
My race schedule page has been updated for 2014 and I look forward to starting this new year, racing hard and getting some great results!
Happy New Year!
Some great sprint-distance duathlon racing at Dorney Lake in sunshine, a cold Althorp and a torrential Marlow. The season culminated in racing for the GB age-group team at the European sprint duathlon champs in the Netherlands. I came 13th in age-group.
A couple of days after I flew to San Francisco with work and got some good running R&R and some great cycling.
A running niggle escalated to an injury and I ignored it, racing the Shinfield 10km and then I continued until the Grendon sprint tri; my only triathlon outing of the year. Finally I saw sense and took some time off running, investing the time in upping my cycling volume.
The knock on effect was that I would be in no shape for the 2014 duathlon Euro qualifiers which had been moved to autumn. I would live to fight another day!
As the autumn season approached I entered the new Dinton duathlon where I placed the highest ever; 10th overall. My focus then moved to training for a February 14 half-marathon and the impending winter cross-country league. Oh, and another 5km PB early December.
So despite some negatives it has been a great year for me.
My race schedule page has been updated for 2014 and I look forward to starting this new year, racing hard and getting some great results!
Happy New Year!
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Grendon tri - race report
As I mentioned before, I'd had a busy week. I'd not had time to get nervous about Grendon. Strange, as I had thrown my £10 in the BTF aiming to qualify for the 2014 European champs. Whilst I knew getting in the top 4 of my AG would be very tough, I was aiming for the sub 120% of AG winner time. This would put me in the rolldown list.
Kit was packed up the night before. I was picked up my some club members at 0530, and the journey up was uneventful. Registered, racked and ready to go. Last minute toilet stop, then wetsuit on.
Swim - 750 m
I was in the green-hat wave: M35-39 & M40-44. We got into the lake and had a few minutes warmup, then were called back to the start line. The water was very cold, but the warm up helped to control the breathing. Plenty of face splashes to get used to the cold!
Once the hooter went there was some biff, but not too bad. Managed to get on to some good feet and sighted towards a pylon in the distance. Got to the first buoy, assuming it to be about the 350m point. We had been instructed to turn 3/4 of the buoy then head towards the fallen-over orange buoy. It was hard to see and certainly not 3/4 of the way round the first buoy. At some point between the two buoys I was caught in a gap; the front swimmers had moved ahead and I'd pulled away from the group behind, but not as much as the people following. In short, no drafting! At the final turn buoy we went round and I picked up the exit arch in the distance, with the sun shining in to my eyes. Kept plugging away and the swim seemed to go on and on and on. Finally to the exit ramp and then out on to the matting. A long run of a couple of hundred meters to T1 followed. Including run 16:57 unsure what the actual swim time was.
T1
I knew with the long run that the water would drain from the wetsuit. This often gives the opportunity to get rid of the suit by the lake then run, rather than de-suiting in T1. I chose to go to T1. Of course, my suit got stuck (despite having removed inches of leg from the suit last year). Once I was out of my suit I put my helmet on, grabbed the bike and ran to the mount line. 1:30 shocking.
Bike - 23 km
Elastic band trick worked well.
The road out of Grendon lakes had many sharp speed bumps, so took it easy. On to the main road and up the first hill. Immediately I felt like I had nothing to give. My legs felt tired. I remained positive in my mind but was definitely struggling. A few downhill and downwind sections made me feel a bit better but ultimately I wasn't on form. It was also unusual to ride in sunny and warm conditions. I had pre-empted this and had a bottle on the bike. Not for drinking during the ride, but for the beginning and end, to save time drinking in T1 and T2. Average Power 245 W.
A depressing 42:33.
T2
LuckilyT2 was a bit swifter. My new ASICS race shoes came with their own elastic laces which I used in preference to the ones I had used many times before. I struggled to get my feet in to my trainers quickly, but got them in, grabbed pirate visor and off I went. A glacial 1:03.
Run - 5 km
The run course was a 2 lapper. Out from T2 past the lake to a pylon, then back diverting past another lake, then through the finish area to restart. The surface ranged from tarmac to gravel to stones to grass. Very interesting. The loop by the second lake also had a lump in it. After the usual jelly legs I got in to a good pace. Of course I knew that I wasn't going to qualify but still aimed to hit the 120% time. Even so, the body once again failed to react. I did manage a final sprint to the line. Run time a leisurely 22:47.
All in for 1:24:52. Was aiming for something a tad faster, Safe to say I missed the 120% time.
Reflection
The event, course and organisation were great. I cannot fault that at all, it was really good.
So was sitting in the car for 1000 miles the week before beneficial? We all have to work. Was I fully recovered from the 8 days in California challenge? Was running 3 times in the past 4 weeks ideal (one of which was a poor 10km race)? The lack of adrenaline and nervousness the week before and the day before are interesting.
So onwards and upwards. Swimming won't improve too much, but let's stay regular. Running off the bike must improve and I think some rest and easy cycling will solve the bike problems. Let's build towards Bristol tri in June, and then the duathlon qualifiers at the end of the year.
Think positive.
Kit was packed up the night before. I was picked up my some club members at 0530, and the journey up was uneventful. Registered, racked and ready to go. Last minute toilet stop, then wetsuit on.
Swim - 750 m
I was in the green-hat wave: M35-39 & M40-44. We got into the lake and had a few minutes warmup, then were called back to the start line. The water was very cold, but the warm up helped to control the breathing. Plenty of face splashes to get used to the cold!
Once the hooter went there was some biff, but not too bad. Managed to get on to some good feet and sighted towards a pylon in the distance. Got to the first buoy, assuming it to be about the 350m point. We had been instructed to turn 3/4 of the buoy then head towards the fallen-over orange buoy. It was hard to see and certainly not 3/4 of the way round the first buoy. At some point between the two buoys I was caught in a gap; the front swimmers had moved ahead and I'd pulled away from the group behind, but not as much as the people following. In short, no drafting! At the final turn buoy we went round and I picked up the exit arch in the distance, with the sun shining in to my eyes. Kept plugging away and the swim seemed to go on and on and on. Finally to the exit ramp and then out on to the matting. A long run of a couple of hundred meters to T1 followed. Including run 16:57 unsure what the actual swim time was.
T1
I knew with the long run that the water would drain from the wetsuit. This often gives the opportunity to get rid of the suit by the lake then run, rather than de-suiting in T1. I chose to go to T1. Of course, my suit got stuck (despite having removed inches of leg from the suit last year). Once I was out of my suit I put my helmet on, grabbed the bike and ran to the mount line. 1:30 shocking.
Bike - 23 km
Elastic band trick worked well.
The road out of Grendon lakes had many sharp speed bumps, so took it easy. On to the main road and up the first hill. Immediately I felt like I had nothing to give. My legs felt tired. I remained positive in my mind but was definitely struggling. A few downhill and downwind sections made me feel a bit better but ultimately I wasn't on form. It was also unusual to ride in sunny and warm conditions. I had pre-empted this and had a bottle on the bike. Not for drinking during the ride, but for the beginning and end, to save time drinking in T1 and T2. Average Power 245 W.
A depressing 42:33.
T2
LuckilyT2 was a bit swifter. My new ASICS race shoes came with their own elastic laces which I used in preference to the ones I had used many times before. I struggled to get my feet in to my trainers quickly, but got them in, grabbed pirate visor and off I went. A glacial 1:03.
Run - 5 km
The run course was a 2 lapper. Out from T2 past the lake to a pylon, then back diverting past another lake, then through the finish area to restart. The surface ranged from tarmac to gravel to stones to grass. Very interesting. The loop by the second lake also had a lump in it. After the usual jelly legs I got in to a good pace. Of course I knew that I wasn't going to qualify but still aimed to hit the 120% time. Even so, the body once again failed to react. I did manage a final sprint to the line. Run time a leisurely 22:47.
All in for 1:24:52. Was aiming for something a tad faster, Safe to say I missed the 120% time.
Reflection
The event, course and organisation were great. I cannot fault that at all, it was really good.
So was sitting in the car for 1000 miles the week before beneficial? We all have to work. Was I fully recovered from the 8 days in California challenge? Was running 3 times in the past 4 weeks ideal (one of which was a poor 10km race)? The lack of adrenaline and nervousness the week before and the day before are interesting.
So onwards and upwards. Swimming won't improve too much, but let's stay regular. Running off the bike must improve and I think some rest and easy cycling will solve the bike problems. Let's build towards Bristol tri in June, and then the duathlon qualifiers at the end of the year.
Think positive.
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Random Update
It's been another busy week for me. After flying out to Germany early Tuesday morning, then sitting in the back of a car for 1000 miles, I got home in to Heathrow Friday evening. Apparently I was lucky to get back home after the interesting day at Heathrow. Once through security in Frankfurt I wandered up to the earlier flight and managed to get on. Happy days.
So back to the 8 days in California
Day 5 was an early climb with flattish finish. 20 second and 30 second power record.
Day 6 was the Time Trial. Ouch. Scraped a 15 minute power record. I wasn't looking to set a 20 minute one, that's for sure!
Day 7 was the biggy, the Queen stage. over 1h30 long it took a lot of effort, and on one of the sunniest days for months! 30 second, 60 & 90 minute power bests.
Day 8 was the final day, circuits with sprint finished. A good effort but the legs were hurting so managed to finish, but with no panache or style. No bests either.
Back to last week:
I managed a 7km run in Austria along the river Inn, then Thursday night I did a few lengths in the hotel pool. It was a 15m pool but arm time is arm time. The run was strange. After 2 days sat in the car for 4-5 hours a piece my quads were sore, and both cramped on the run. So much so I had to walk for a bit. Then some unfamiliar geography caused me to do some XC running to get back over the river Inn to Austria.
My kit is packed up ready for tomorrow's triathlon. Qualifier for the 2014 European championships. Looking forward to it.
So back to the 8 days in California
Day 5 was an early climb with flattish finish. 20 second and 30 second power record.
Day 6 was the Time Trial. Ouch. Scraped a 15 minute power record. I wasn't looking to set a 20 minute one, that's for sure!
Day 7 was the biggy, the Queen stage. over 1h30 long it took a lot of effort, and on one of the sunniest days for months! 30 second, 60 & 90 minute power bests.
Day 8 was the final day, circuits with sprint finished. A good effort but the legs were hurting so managed to finish, but with no panache or style. No bests either.
Back to last week:
I managed a 7km run in Austria along the river Inn, then Thursday night I did a few lengths in the hotel pool. It was a 15m pool but arm time is arm time. The run was strange. After 2 days sat in the car for 4-5 hours a piece my quads were sore, and both cramped on the run. So much so I had to walk for a bit. Then some unfamiliar geography caused me to do some XC running to get back over the river Inn to Austria.
My kit is packed up ready for tomorrow's triathlon. Qualifier for the 2014 European championships. Looking forward to it.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
TrainerRoad's 8 Days in California
So TrainerRoad rolled out their 8 Days in California turbo trainer challenge last Sunday. To blatantly rob their spiel:
"8 Days in California simulates what an 8 day stage race might be like in California through TrainerRoad.com's software. Workouts will simulate a live race with a story overarching the entire event. Riders will be challenged to cover breaks, bring up water bottles and protect their team's GC contender.
The challenge will consist of 8 workouts over 8 days. Workouts will last between one and two hours. There will be flat stages, mountain climbs and even a time trial."
The opening ride on Sunday evening was tough - a mountain stage with an intermediate sprint and a final KOM. Earned a new 5 second power best.
Monday lunch was another Mountain stage with a short uphill finish. I hid in the pack today and ignored all sprints and KOMs. I still managed a new 15 minute power best. I swam in the evening with the tri club to ease the legs. After Friday's pool swim and Sunday morning's OW swim my arms were aching.
Late Tuesday evening I got on the TT bike again and rode day 3 - yet another mountain stage but with a downhill finish. On the climbs I made an effort to use big gears. I completed the sprints but ignored the KOMs. New 5 second & 10 second power bests!
Tonight (day 4) was a shorter stage with sprints and KOMs of which I did all. I was duly rewarded with 4 power bests! 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds and 2 minutes.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow's 'easy' day, and I have really enjoyed re-discovering my music collection. A good build up to Grendon tri in a few weeks (Euro 2014 qualifier).
"8 Days in California simulates what an 8 day stage race might be like in California through TrainerRoad.com's software. Workouts will simulate a live race with a story overarching the entire event. Riders will be challenged to cover breaks, bring up water bottles and protect their team's GC contender.
The challenge will consist of 8 workouts over 8 days. Workouts will last between one and two hours. There will be flat stages, mountain climbs and even a time trial."
The opening ride on Sunday evening was tough - a mountain stage with an intermediate sprint and a final KOM. Earned a new 5 second power best.
Monday lunch was another Mountain stage with a short uphill finish. I hid in the pack today and ignored all sprints and KOMs. I still managed a new 15 minute power best. I swam in the evening with the tri club to ease the legs. After Friday's pool swim and Sunday morning's OW swim my arms were aching.
Late Tuesday evening I got on the TT bike again and rode day 3 - yet another mountain stage but with a downhill finish. On the climbs I made an effort to use big gears. I completed the sprints but ignored the KOMs. New 5 second & 10 second power bests!
Tonight (day 4) was a shorter stage with sprints and KOMs of which I did all. I was duly rewarded with 4 power bests! 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds and 2 minutes.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow's 'easy' day, and I have really enjoyed re-discovering my music collection. A good build up to Grendon tri in a few weeks (Euro 2014 qualifier).
Monday, 11 March 2013
Still swimming...
I realise most of my posts this year have not mentioned swimming, and have been very duathlon-centric. After Saturday's bike ride and yesterday's long run I swam today with the club. A good session focussed on 200m intervals.
Swimming is still part of my training plan in preparation for a summer of triathlon, including the qualifiers for the Worlds in London!
Swimming is still part of my training plan in preparation for a summer of triathlon, including the qualifiers for the Worlds in London!
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Looking back; looking forward
In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and endings. He is typically portrayed as two faced, since he can see in to the future and the past. The month of January is named after him.
So with 2013 upon us, it is an opportunity to recap on the past year, and share some plans for the new year.
2012 was a landmark year for me both in running and triathlon.
January was the second month of training for the Outlaw long (Iron) distance triathlon. Run training was also focussed towards Wokingham half-marathon.
February brought at PB at half-marathon distance, taking 9 minutes of my 2011 result. Half term was spent in Devon where I got some good hill climbing in, and some trail runs around the rugged Devon coastline.
March saw a good performance at the Marlow Duathlon in Buckinghamshire. IM training allowed me to pick up 32 places.
April was the first OW swim of the year, bringing worry for May's first triathlon of 2012.
May was the Marshman middle (half-Iron) distance triathlon in Kent. A cold, wet and windy day, luckily the swim was cancelled and replaced with 5km run. Second duathlon of the season then! This was my first attempt at HIM distance, so I took it steady and paced well. 5:28:54.
June allowed another week away for half-term, this time in Yorkshire. I saw how the Brownlee's have become so superior when I saw the landscape. At last it was taper time too as Outlaw approached.
July - Outlaw Iron distance tri in Nottinghamshire on the 1st of the month. A very nervous couple of days at the end of June followed by a long day at the office. In one day I swam the furthest, set a 180km PB and ran my second marathon. All in for 12:52 and change. The rest of the month was spend enjoying some well earned time with my family.
August was also a great Olympic month! I cycled to and from the Road Time-Trial and saw Bradley Wiggins become victorious. I continued my good luck by going to see the men's triathlon in Hyde Park where I was privileged to see both the Brownlees podium, along with Javier Gomez. What a week!
August was also a return to tri, albeit with a different strategy. Going shorter! I'd entered the Vachery Sprint triathlon in Surrey. I'd felt the swim could have been better and rode well, sparring with some other riders for places. I felt I could have done better on the run, especially on the XC elements like the staircase! Reviewing the results showed that I'd got a 3rd in age-group, and had been 1st in AG on the swim and bike, losing 2 places on the run!
September delivered a sprained ankle courtesy of a rabbit hole whilst running in Austria. Cue a DNS at Cardiff half-marathon. The plus side was 4 weeks on the turbo trainer with TrainerRoad making my cycling stronger. My return to running was at the Dorney tri-relays with my tri club, Thames Valley Triathletes. Poor tidying after the Olympics meant the perimeter road was too muddy for the bike leg, so I raced my first Aquathlon.
October marked the start of my running campaign; 3 months to increase my speed over shorter distances. It also coincided with the start of the Thames valley XC league which was a great boost to the end of year motivation
November showed promising results at the XC leages and my 5km time was reducing. XC spikes made the season easier.
December, much like November was cold and wet. More XC racing and a final chance for a 5km PB at Frimley Lodge parkrun. Alas the course condition was awful. I managed to fall over before the start of the race, and even with spikes it was hard going. I did PB, by 1 second. The next day I finished first Finch Coaster at the Reading Roadrunners hosted XC at Bearwood College, Wokingham. Then a few days R&R with the family. Loads of gifts for the children, and a great Christmas day lunch at our house, with my parents.
2013 - so what will the new year bring?
As I write this I am reflecting upon a great new year's eve with some fantastic friends, followed by a good day's MTBing in the Alice Holt forest, and across Surrey with the same friends. It was nice to finally squeeze in a social bike ride followed by some pub grub and pints.
For me, 2013 is all about shorter, faster races. No Iron or half-iron distances, maybe a half-marathon at a push. It's about 5km and 10km road races, sprint distance duathlons and triathlons. The last quarter of 2012 showed great running improvement by following the Furman FIRST 5km plan. This first quarter is for improving my cycling in a similar, with TrainerRoad.
I plan to do a few parkruns early on to see where I am with my 5km time, and race a few sprint duathlons to get back up to racing shorter and faster. I've entered a few of the sprint triathlon qualifiers for the 2013 ITU World Championships in London and the ETU European Championships in 2014. Let's see how we get on!
So with 2013 upon us, it is an opportunity to recap on the past year, and share some plans for the new year.
2012 was a landmark year for me both in running and triathlon.
January was the second month of training for the Outlaw long (Iron) distance triathlon. Run training was also focussed towards Wokingham half-marathon.
February brought at PB at half-marathon distance, taking 9 minutes of my 2011 result. Half term was spent in Devon where I got some good hill climbing in, and some trail runs around the rugged Devon coastline.
March saw a good performance at the Marlow Duathlon in Buckinghamshire. IM training allowed me to pick up 32 places.
May was the Marshman middle (half-Iron) distance triathlon in Kent. A cold, wet and windy day, luckily the swim was cancelled and replaced with 5km run. Second duathlon of the season then! This was my first attempt at HIM distance, so I took it steady and paced well. 5:28:54.
June allowed another week away for half-term, this time in Yorkshire. I saw how the Brownlee's have become so superior when I saw the landscape. At last it was taper time too as Outlaw approached.
July - Outlaw Iron distance tri in Nottinghamshire on the 1st of the month. A very nervous couple of days at the end of June followed by a long day at the office. In one day I swam the furthest, set a 180km PB and ran my second marathon. All in for 12:52 and change. The rest of the month was spend enjoying some well earned time with my family.
August was also a great Olympic month! I cycled to and from the Road Time-Trial and saw Bradley Wiggins become victorious. I continued my good luck by going to see the men's triathlon in Hyde Park where I was privileged to see both the Brownlees podium, along with Javier Gomez. What a week!
August was also a return to tri, albeit with a different strategy. Going shorter! I'd entered the Vachery Sprint triathlon in Surrey. I'd felt the swim could have been better and rode well, sparring with some other riders for places. I felt I could have done better on the run, especially on the XC elements like the staircase! Reviewing the results showed that I'd got a 3rd in age-group, and had been 1st in AG on the swim and bike, losing 2 places on the run!
September delivered a sprained ankle courtesy of a rabbit hole whilst running in Austria. Cue a DNS at Cardiff half-marathon. The plus side was 4 weeks on the turbo trainer with TrainerRoad making my cycling stronger. My return to running was at the Dorney tri-relays with my tri club, Thames Valley Triathletes. Poor tidying after the Olympics meant the perimeter road was too muddy for the bike leg, so I raced my first Aquathlon.
October marked the start of my running campaign; 3 months to increase my speed over shorter distances. It also coincided with the start of the Thames valley XC league which was a great boost to the end of year motivation
November showed promising results at the XC leages and my 5km time was reducing. XC spikes made the season easier.
December, much like November was cold and wet. More XC racing and a final chance for a 5km PB at Frimley Lodge parkrun. Alas the course condition was awful. I managed to fall over before the start of the race, and even with spikes it was hard going. I did PB, by 1 second. The next day I finished first Finch Coaster at the Reading Roadrunners hosted XC at Bearwood College, Wokingham. Then a few days R&R with the family. Loads of gifts for the children, and a great Christmas day lunch at our house, with my parents.
2013 - so what will the new year bring?
As I write this I am reflecting upon a great new year's eve with some fantastic friends, followed by a good day's MTBing in the Alice Holt forest, and across Surrey with the same friends. It was nice to finally squeeze in a social bike ride followed by some pub grub and pints.
For me, 2013 is all about shorter, faster races. No Iron or half-iron distances, maybe a half-marathon at a push. It's about 5km and 10km road races, sprint distance duathlons and triathlons. The last quarter of 2012 showed great running improvement by following the Furman FIRST 5km plan. This first quarter is for improving my cycling in a similar, with TrainerRoad.
I plan to do a few parkruns early on to see where I am with my 5km time, and race a few sprint duathlons to get back up to racing shorter and faster. I've entered a few of the sprint triathlon qualifiers for the 2013 ITU World Championships in London and the ETU European Championships in 2014. Let's see how we get on!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)