2008 - The Blog

Boxing Day dullness

26th December. The annual GIAAC Boxing Day Full Course is an event that you always know you should do, but you also know that it is not going to be that pleasant.  A bit like going to the dentist!   I'd been feeling a bit lifeless over Christmas and Boxing Day was no different.  Weather was cold and windy, jogging to warm up seemed not to change my physical state, so I started off steadily hoping that an easy first mile or so would be a good strategy.  So whilst Steve Dawes pulled away comfortably it left a chasing pack of 4 or 5 of whom any one could emerge as a contender - for second place.  Mark Mercier was pushing it and my thoughts as we approached half way were along the lines of - "Is this the day I get beaten by him for the first time."  However half way across Pembroke, he slows, and I go past.

I wouldn't exactly say I tried to accelerate, the body was just feeling wasted but I ended up with a gap back to the exploding chase pack and managed to hang on the rest of the way round.  The finishing straight went on for an eternity and whilst second place was a relief, the time confirmed a probable personal worst for a Full Course.  What a way to finish the year.

Christmas Splash and Dash

21st December. The third annual Guernsey Tri Club aquathon is a useful test of just how well the swimming is coming on and times in training suggested nothing other than very ordinary was likely.  So it was a pleasant surprise that I clocked 5:13 for 400 (push off start) which counts as a PB! Comm Games swimmer Jon Le Noury took the swim out and had a good 40 seconds or so on me after transition and Martin Chapman was also in between.

Fortunately the running legs were in fine form and I soon passed Martin and caught Jon on the second lap of two.  So three wins in three attempts - how long can that winning streak last?

Goodbye my friend

6th September. Today I said goodbye to my trusty Principia Tri28. The opportunity to pass her on to another triathlete could not be missed as keeping her now is a luxury. It's hard to part company with a bike that took me to two  World Duathlon Champion titles and another podium place.  But there comes a time.... Here's a picture of her in her 2003 set-up.

31st August. With trepidation I entered the churning sea at Pembroke for my longest race to date - a half ironman. A near nauseous swim didn't leave me too far off the pace. I don't know whether it was the new Zipp disc wheel or just being on a good day, but I took back most of James Amy's lead on the bike and then after a few moments of cramp in the first 6km of the run, I caught him and moved clear.   The last 6km run loop was getting a bit grim with the return leg into the freshening breeze, but a great way to close the season.  1st place 4hr 10min 07secs. 27:49 / 2:19:31 / 1:22:47

Bon voyage Rachel

We waved goodbye to Rachel Eeles this month - off to warmer climes to pursue her aspirations. Enjoy yourself Rach, it's been great fun having you around and you will be missed by us all.

Jersey Tri / Inter Insular - team win with a sting in the tail leg

17th August. Refreshed from holidays in France, involving no building work my back, seems to have returned to near normal function. Daily "Yoga moments" were embarrassing for the children on the beach, but no doubt good for my posture! So after a grim pre-race course recce in howling winds and outbreaks of rain we were greeted by a pleasantly calm St Aubin's bay. With inter insular honours at stake, Jersey were in no doubt up for the fight to take back the trophy that we took off them last year. Nick Saunders duly cleaned up with an awesome race and with Nathan Woodland in third it looked good for them. But from there on in, it was Guernsey all the way. With an OK swim I managed to bike and run myself up to 4th - posting fastest run. (2hrs 02min 09secs 24:35 / 1:03:26 / 34:08)

With great support following up from Luke Watson, Ian Scholes & Tim Johns for the men and Gail Merrien and Shanine Johns for the Ladies we beat Jersey by quite a margin, and that was despite our catalogue of misfortunes:

1. Sam Herridge - DNS - missed flight to Jersey
2. Rachel Eeles - DNF - crashed on bike
3. Me - stung by a wasp where Rachel crashed

The pain in Feins / Un jour sans

20th July. Taking in another appearance at this Olympic Distance race near Rennes in France, which ws also the Brittany Championships for 2008, was a great way of starting off our family camping holiday. I was joined by club-mates Ian Scholes, Richard Stapeley and Jim Spellman. It's a great race, a nice lake venue, 4 lap undulating bike course on closed roads and a 4 lap run mostly on trail paths. The enthusiatsic French support is a norm and the weather was warm and sunny though quite breezy. My swim was OK but once on the bike I could feel the effects of the missed training and the building work I've been doing at home. My lower back was really tight and I could not really get any power out on the bike, especially on the climbs. I was able to move forward but could tell all was not well. I took the run steady and moved up to 10th place and first vet. My time of 2:01:29 (22:05 / 71 / 61:04 / 54 / 36:19) was a little under 2mins slower than last year and a fair reflection on the way I felt and the training I had not been doing!

Meanwhile my team mates all had great races slashing huge amounts of time off their PBs with Ian dipping under 2:05 and having the cheek to bike faster than me. That'll be the P3 factor then!

Sub 9:00min for 3km

Fortis Meeting 2 and I'm back up against Steve and Ronan knowing that Steve is after my scalp to get back on terms. Tonbridge's athletes help spice up the race but it comes down to me to make a race of it. Not surprisingly I can't shake off Steve but 8:51 was far faster than I'd expected. See Lee Garland's video here. To boot even Toastie manages to make me look young(er). I'm on his Flickr site here.

More life in the old legs

During May buidling work at home has curtailed my training, but, a few decent track sessions at the sharper end of the spectrum and things aren't looking too shabby. Roll on to the club 1500mtrs race and I'm thinking that a good target will be to hang on to Steve Dawes and Ronan Shally, 67 first lap - that's cool, I'm urging to go faster at 800 and as we're coming up to the bell I strike and sneak out through a gap between Steve & Ronan and make a long break for home. Legs seriously burning as I roundthe final turn but I've done enough to hang on for the win. 4min 11.0secs. Not quite as good as my vet best of 4:09, but think there is more in the tank.

Life in the old legs yet

Weather this Easter has been foul, two days of freezing gales and Easter Sunday brings moderating winds and the prospect of a more pleasant Cross Country Relay. Aldershot are going to be the boys to beat, though Notts Uni will be putting up a strong opening couple of legs, but the GIAAC team is at full strength with Super Mezz on last leg - so it can all be his fault if we don't win! The great Garlando is our first runner and does a solid job behind Aldershot and Notts Uni.  Steve D doesn't go quite as well as hoped and leaves me taking over in third place and I'm 20 secs down on AFD in the lead and Notts Uni are between us.  No time for an easy start as Joe Barton from Aldershot might be young but I can't let him get away, so it is hammer time.  Don't feel like I am getting anywhere by the halfway point going up to the top of the climb for the first time and with the twists and turns on the descent I feel  I have lost ground.  I really stick it in on the climb to the Millennium Stone and the gaps now seems to be coming down.  I'm getting great support from friends on the course and I start to throw everything in for the race back to handover.  The gaps is really closing now and it's down to less than 10mtrs at the end and handover to Mezz.  Lungs were burning but I really enjoyed that - reminds me of the old track 1500mtr days.  I'm rewarded with a 10:07 split, which improves on my M40 record from last year and sneaks me ahead of Steve. Steve is not happy - I'll be dining out on that one for a while yet!

Result !

Nipped down to Beausie for the evening session to pre-register and told I don't need to so back home for a little more time and then we all go up for my race. Warm up time is cancelled so a land based warm up is all I can do if you exclude putting in a few strokes in the 10mtr kiddies pool. Really nervous when we get called to the blocks, don't really bend down enough and leap is a bit weak, surface way too early but get into a good rhythm. Seeding is good as I can see people on either side, I'm feeling strong at halfway and realise it's time to push on. The guy to my left starts creeping away from me but I'm leaving the guy on my right in the wake. Hammer the last 100 and touch home in third place stopping the clock at 5:15.85 so quite a way inside my hopes and also the splits showed that excluding the first 100 the next three 100's get progressively faster. Think there is more to come.

In the final and fastest heat Dave (Scotland!) puts in a 4:54 and looked so relaxed to show me what it is all about, however he is eclipsed by the winner who went near 4:30, looking even more casual.  Note to self make it look easy and you seem to go really fast.

Putting it on the line

Having wanted some targets to aim for and as swimming was the only thing going really well I entered the Guernsey Swim Club's International Master Meet - 400mtrs free. First proper gala and first real taste of swim competition. Swimming has been going well and times in training are good, so I put my entry time in as 5:20, which is a bit of a stretch but why not. Biggest worry is the amount of time my googles roll of my face when diving in - and that's not even off blocks.

It started with a win

First race of the year was the first weekend of January and the Hampshire Cross Country Championships at Dibden Purlieu. A win is stretching the point slightly - I was actually 19th but I was 1st M40 so I won may category. GIAAC's Lee Merrien won the race and we finished second senior team. With "me mate Dave" second vet and Frankie in close attendance we nearly won the vet team but for 'kin Ingy being woefully out of shape. We tied on points with Portsmouth, but lost it on count back - a bit like loosing on penalties.