2009 The Blog

31st October

Set backs

Well the cold has nearly gone so I tried to race today to keep in with a chance in the Fusion GIAAC XC Series, but my troublesome Achilles started to give shooting pains after about 1km so I decided to call it a day. Best to let it recover than damage it further. A disappointing set back but at least I'll be able to get out on the bike and in the pool.

21st October

Welcome back Sam

I've agreed to assist Sam Herridge with her coaching set up so as to help her reach her triathlon ambitions in 2010. As a solid elite level, international performer Sam has been hindered by injuries over the last few seasons. Sam's page.

21st October

... and the lows

Well I suppose I had it coming, the sniffle I had over the weekend is now full on cold, bad throat, and worst of all my niggling achilles is now very sore - should not have attempted the 12 x 1km last night.

19th October

The Highs...

Delancey Park was the opener for the Fusion Systems GIAAC Winter XC Series and after having been beaten in a sprint finish with Steve Dawes last year I was determined that I would try a more aggressive race strategy this year. So my mind was made up, and I planned to make a significant move with about 1.25miles remaining on a short climb on the back of the course. I was well rested for the race which was partly due to it being easy week and also because my left achilles was niggling me so I had only jogged a little in the week.

So move time approached and I was in a group of three with Steve and Mark Mercier when I un-leashed a kick on the climb. It took me clear in no time and I hung on to win in a new course record, 10 seconds faster than last year. Mark Mercier picked up second place and Steve trailed in third. He did have a cold so no doubt I'll be getting a payback race just as soon as he's well....

4th October

Split nipples and the knock

Not the hunger knock, but a clunk most likely from the bottom bracket every pedal revolution accompanied me for most of my Sunday long ride. Added to that my Bontrager Race Lite's are coming apart with multiple split spoke nipples, so it looks like the bike maintenance bill is just going up...

28th September

Ton Up Club

Been away enjoying a cycling weekend in France and achieving a much wanted goal of a Century ride (100miles). Weather for the weekend was perfect with an exceptionally smooth ferry crossing on Friday night, a short drive down to Nev's place near Dinan and promptly to bed after tucking into pre-prepared Spag Bol and a glass or two of the old red vino.

Saturday morning arrived - misty but calm.  We headed out - Nev, Scholesie and I and primed our Garmin Edge705 GPS with a 100km route that Scholesie had prepared from mapmyride.com.   By the time we reached Combourg for coffee the sun was coming out and the temperature was climbing nicely.  After coffee  we headed north towards Dol de Bretagne and the coast and were surprised when a young deer ran across the road in front of us and sped across fields. Saturdays route is here.

Soon we were alongside the sea and then heading back towards home.  We picked up lunch at a boulangerie not far from home and finished the ride off and enjoyed our lunch. 

No trip to France is complete without a trip to Decathlon, so we visited the store near Betton which is about the size of two football fields - simply stunning in size.  I was picking up clothes for the children and a couple of odds and ends for me.  We swung past the new IKEA to pick up catalogues and secure the location into our GPS and then headed back to Dinan for supper.  Choosing a favourite restaurant we filled up on salad and pasta and then headed back for another early night.

Century Day also arrived misty and calm.  Filled up on porridge, banana and jam rolls and then set out pockets stuffed with food and essentials following another Scholesie special on the GPS.  First 20 miles seemed to take forever and we soon discovered a slight drawback to the route.  One of the classified road was not paved but firm packed gravel.  Initially we overshot it and then took a look and went for it - albeit slightly sceptically given we were on our road bikes with skinny tyres.  We arrived at the other end of Sector 1 - parcours gravillons - intact but wondering what more surprises lay ahead.

Mechanical !  Cruising through a a town (?) I'm eating an energy bar and looking at the GPS for the route and I hit the mother of all pot holes.  Miraculously, I stay upright but discover I can't change rear gear.  The three of us peering and prodding at levels, cables and mech eventually discover that the cable has pulled through the mech.  Some swift work with the multi tool and I'm back to10 speed ! Off we go.

Coffee & Cakes arrived next at St Cast at around 35miles, just as the sun is really making it's presence felt.  Lovely.  The ride continues on round the north Brittany coast and becomes quite hilly, after taking one long climb on my own, Scholesie sets a Postal Service tempo on the next climb that looks like a long and drawn out affair.  Watching my HR rise and legs start to complain I decide to lachez and cruise up the climb in economy mode.  Still over 50 mile to go after all.

The turn point at Val Andre was a welcome moment and then heading inland the roads became less rolling and before long we rolled into Plancoet and the second planned cafe stop. Nev however was fading not really having eaten enough on the ride. So a double coke and bars help Nev, I go for coke and coffee. I still have reserves of food and energy so the last 25 or so are quite enjoyable. Scholesie though gets cheeky and kicks off a few times, which I have to counter - but of course we always wait for Nev. The end draws close and whilst I'm glad to be getting off there is more left in the legs so perhaps the next target is a 200k ride.  Here is the ride map at Garmin Connect

This is what I ate / drank on my Century ride,

• a breakfast of Porridge, banana and bread & jam roll
• 2 x 750ml High5 Energy Source  4:1 protein
• 1 x PowerBar Ride Bar
• 1 x Power Bar coconut energy bar
• 1 x Banana
• 2 x PowerBar Gels
• 2 x small fruit bars
• 1 x Almond Croissant
• 1 x Grand Creme
• 1 x Expresso
• 1 x Coke
• 1 x 750ml refill of water
• 1/3rd of a chorizo & cheese breadstick ( yum!)

So, a 200k ride next - but when? Monday dawns a little overcast and Nev's not so good this morning - a cold and cough has come out overnight so Scholesie and I do a recovery ride of 35km before tidying up and having a super lunch at a Routier bar. Ferry back to Guernsey is full and is late leaving (ugh) and has to go via Jersey too! Still whilst it is nice to have been away, it is nice to get home.

12th September

2 x 2nd

Inter Insular weekend on the track in Jersey and I'm turning out over 1500mtrs, pairing up with Lee Merrien no less. So race plan worked out, which essentially involves Mez setting the pace and me sitting in behind the Jersey guys and Mez gradually winding it up. The Jersey guys's aren't quite playing it to plan and Toby Edwards tries a few surges, which is a bit surprising, but it seems he doesn't know me ( hee hee !) Anyway we really push on at about 950mtrs and I'm into full stride and the extra shadow disappears. 200mtrs to go Lee takes a glance back and I tell him "Job done!" Entering the home straight Lee asks if we should ease up but I say to keep it going so I post a respectable time. We cross the line side by side 4.10.7 and 4.10.8. Not fast for Lee of course, but I'm pleased with that in a tactical race on a windy day. Guernsey win the men's competition so that's good too!

Me stride for stride with the 'mazin' Mezza

Sunday morning dawns bright, warm and a little breezy. Ingy has signed me up for the Jersey Spring 10km - Gorey - St Catherine's - Gorey. I was more than a bit reluctant as I know I'm not really in shape for it, but with lift laid on by newly resident in Jersey Dave Holmes I had run out of excuses not to do it.  A gentle start and we are a pack of 5 or 6 until the turnabout and then the surging begins.  After an initial selection it's down to me and Tom Brown and on the first decent slope I accelerate, but he's still there and this is a pattern I repeat over the succession of climbs to no avail.  We drop down the last one into Gorey and at the 9km mark Tom surges away and I plod in, feeling very weary.  34:10 to 34:19.  Not bad all considered and two second places for the wekend.

6th September

Better than normal service resumed

I'm just doing the sprint at Granite Man as I've not been doing the training, so isn't it just typical that race day dawns absolutely perfect - warm and still, Pembroke looks like a swimming pool.
I swim really well, Martin Chapman and Matt Allen are still in transition when I get there and I have loads of power on the bike and then a comfortable run for a 5 minute+ win from Hubert followed by "Chunky".  Shame I had no-one to give me a race.  Katie Lowe takes the ladies race ahead of debutant Kim Goodall who expressed great delight with her race.  Have fun in SA Kim and get down to some serious tri training!  Tim Johns and Richard Stapley duelled the long race with Tim just prevailing on the run. Karina Bowie underlined her excellent progress by taking the women's. But where are all the visitors? It's a great race that deserves a much bigger field.

3rd September

Ups and downs of Time trials

I get under the hour for 25miles on a fairly sticky Sunday and then by Thursday I'm completely useless over 5, a shocking result. Oh dear.

23rd August

Long legs

A new course for the club's second OD tri of the year and a perfect day for it. A 2 lap swim in Ammareurs followed by a sporting bike course and a two lap run to Rousse and back. Added pressure today as big sis' is staying with us and is down to watch. As are CTV.

Swim turns out to be super long, a triangle course and the return to the beach is a leg that goes on for ever. I'm in in not much short of 30mins, Gail is over 2 mins up on me, but I know that won't last for long.  No one anywhere near when I make the turn at the  far point of the bike course so a steady state effort to finish the race off.  It's getting warm though.  Big sis is impressed that TV are down and I'm being interviewed by CTV's Tamara Timothy for Report Sport.   My long legs may be able to run, but they prefer a short swim.

16th August

Hang on Part 1 & 2

After clinging to Scholsie's back wheel for most of a Tuesday night 2 up 10mTT it's back for a bigger helping of pain as part of a three up with Scholsie and Mr Aaron Bailey. Aaron is simply awesome slicing through quite a sticky day. Ian did plenty of turns and I mostly hung on, coming through every now and then. 54:28 was the length of suffering.

Photo: Three up 25mTT L-R Me, Aaron Bailey and Scholsie

Photo : MTB crit at Belgrave Vinery  

7th August

Flailing around

Last beach Aquathon of the year and its a run - swim at Pembroke. Weather good and I comfortably lead the run, but too tight shoes signals the first phaff as I can't get them off with sweaty feet and shortie wetsuit doesn't fancy being done up as I plod across the beach. So by the time we get to the water I have no lead, but I do manage to pull away and think all is good until I pass the last marker buoy and Martin Chapman's wake blasts past me. Too late now and he deservingly takes the win with Gail having a phenomenal swim to pick up 3rd.

So another lesson learned - brave the water without a wetsuit - I should have lived to tell the tale.

2nd August

Brutal

8 laps of Talbot Valley course road race means lots of pain on the climbs. Came un-hitched from the leaders on the 6th climb and formed a vets trio with Scholsie and Paul Jackson aka Power House. Scholise and I didn't do enough to drop Paul on the last climb and he easily comes over us at the finish. Still we all finish inside the vets record for the course.

30th July

Criters

For fun did a MTB Criterium at Delancey Park. 25 mins of furious blasting, burning my lungs. I started steady and gradually wound it up picking off places as the race progressed.  Mis-timed my finish and couldn't get past two young'uns at the end. Lesson learned, when you make the catch, go past and don't wait to be out sprinted at the end!

26th July

Back on form

Today was supposed to be Inter Insular Triathlon day but no Crapaud's are coming so today's race turns into a time trial. A good swim, though well dropped by Gail's who is on fire today finishing the swim well clear, but out on the bike my legs are good and it's a straight forward win from there on in. Sub 2:02 so that gives me some satisfaction on a course I've done 1:58 on.

19th July

Coming apart #2

I've managed a week's normal training and now we're off to France for a week and time to take in the Feins Triathlon with a few club mates. It's a charming race that I've now done four times. A two lap lake swim with run out run in at end of the lap, a four lap undulating and twisting bike course and 4 lap rural path run.  

The bike course is varied and I opt for my Cervelo Soloist set up as a TT bike with some new clip on tri bars.  This way I have a road bike for the rest of my holidays. I swim fairly ok, not too far back but not long after I head out on the bike one of my tri bars starts coming loose. Before I know it it pops out as I come off the bars to accelerate out of the saddle. So I stop and pick it up and then try to figure out what to do next.  So end up riding steady trying not to loose the parts when not on the bars until I get fed up and stop next to the family and disassemble all of the bits and hand over to attentive wife.  So I ride the last lap on the drops and then head out on the run and start picking off the people who snuck  past one way or another.  I end up 9th overall and third vet less than 30 seconds behind the first vet. Still a lesson learned, don't leave anything to chance.

24th June

One up, one down and rattling around. Check your bolts before a race!

Coming apart #1

Just as you think you are getting some fitness to build on so something comes from the blindside to knock you back. Hip / lower back in spasm / agony and I'm creeping around like an old man. Hopefully a few days rest will cure it.

21st June

Champ !

A successful weekend spent in Jersey with the Velo Club boys, we went to ride the Inter Insular Road Race but first a really entertaining game of crazy golf at Living Legends that showed the competitive streak in , well, everyone! Exasperation for the pro's and novices alike. Given the amount of calories consumed at lunch and in the evening getting round the near 90km course - 7laps and 1 climb of the Watersplash circuit should not have been a challenge nutritionally.

The senior race started 5 mins before the combined vets / juniors / ladies fields and we were faced with a bleak scenario of 3 vs 30.  Tim Holmes started riding near the front as planned chasing down the early breaks with Ian Scholes and I trying to save the powder for later.  However the attacks were becoming relentless and on the third ascent of the climb Ian started the attack and I continued it and we pulled a group of about 8 off the front of the peloton. The group worked reasonably well but was a bit too big and after the fourth climb it was all back together.
Picture Courtesy Guernsey Press / Jersey Evening Post  

So fifth climb I start on the front at the bottom and then gradually turn up the wick all the way up with Scholsie glued to my wheel and this time we get a break of four. Game on! The two Jersey guys were willing to work but one of them had no idea how to ride through on off, I nearly got run off the road at one point, the other Jersey guy was effing and blinding at the other's riding and the intensity of the break really hurt the legs on the top section.
Picture Courtesy Guernsey Press / Jersey Evening Post

Come the last lap the Jersey guys had been missing some turns but we managed to manoeuvre them to the front and they had some speculative attacks which came to nothing and then it came to the hill top finish.  For the first time in the race my legs started cramping and I thought my chances of a maiden road race victory were vanishing.  However as it unfolded I initially followed the wheels and positioned myself for the final sprint and despite the cramping I managed to nip away for the win, sitting up and punching the air as I crossed the line. Scholsie followed me across the line for a 1 - 2 .  Result!  Tim Holmes had continued doing a great job in the peloton not letting anything too dangerous get away, he worked like a trooper. 

So if that is  my only ever road race victory then I can retire a happy man as it was a true race, that mattered, won by effective team work.

The pocket rocket Annie Bowditch was the only women to finish and hence took that title and we scored a 2 -3 with the juniors.  However it was the seniors who cleaned up, much like our running boys do.  James McGloughlin took the win and we filled 1, 3,4,5,6,8 & 9.  Jersey humiliated.   

The Vets / Juniors / Ladies Team
Tim Holmes, Ann Bowditch, Me, Graham le Maitre, Alex Wilson, Richard Setters & Ian Scholes

18th June

Good legs #2

Back to the track and 1500mtrs tonight with some of the Island Games boys looking for a tune up and the juniors eager to show their improving form.  Great weather - warm and a light wind, but my warm up is a bit curtailed as I'm delayed at work.  Lee Garland leads out quickly, Ronan Shally slots in behind and after Will Bodkin apologises for bumping me at the start (who said the young have no manners !)  I go onto the back of the group.  Feels fast - 66 first lap and Lee continues to plug away, 2-13 at 800 and I'm in new territory for the year, but not panicking I stay close to Will as Lee starts to surge stretching the elastic. I'm through the bell in around 3-05 and Lee's opening up some daylight on Ronan. 

At 300 to go I accelerate past Will and chase Ronan who is fading, Lee's got a good gap now, coming off the crown of the bend the legs aren't collapsing and I over take Ronan and race it down the home straight.  Can't get back to Lee who wins in 4-07.5 and I take second in 4-10.1  I'm very happy with that - it ranks #5 on the UK lists for M40 1500's and is faster than last year.  Hope I'll get to run another this season and see if I can go sub 4-10.

The other point of note is that was the first time where I raced my daughter Katie. This time I'm first in the family, but for how many more times?

14th June

Great swim

The second open water tri of the year was a sprint distance, swimming from Chouet to Ladies Bay, the water was crystal clear and pan flat smooth.  For once I felt good in the water and was able to follow Gail King's pace, I over took her in the run up to transition and wasn't challenged from there.  Sunny warm weather made for a pleasant race, but with Tim John and Richard Stapley both bettering my bike split, I can't rest on my laurels.

11th June

Great legs #1

Trained on the road bike tonight getting ready for the Inter Insular Road race in 10 days time. Did a route with loads of hills which were attacked with gusto and my legs felt super strong.  First time this year - a sign of good things to come ?  :-)

23rd May

A Suprise

I'm running in the MeesPierson Golden Series 3000mtrs at Footes Lane and after Steve Dawes leads out with a good pace, I just follow him and the RAF's Matt Blunden to see what is there.  Steve fades after about a 1700mtrs and Blunden surges.  I hang on the best I can and get rewarded with 2nd place and 8:51.62, a new M40 PB for me.

14th May

Spat Out !

Criterium time again, this time a smaller field, but the legs aren't so good on the opening laps, I'm lying second last in the front group when I hit a stone whilst cornering which throws the bike off line and heading towards the changing block, so a dab of the brakes and I get it back under control, but I'm 20mtrs off the last guy and he's 10mtrs off the pace. So I chase in earnest but the pack does not ease off and the gaps grows. After about 5 laps of chasing I can see the lost cause approaching to lap me, so I ease back for a couple of laps and let the lead group complete the catch before jumping on and sitting in for the rest of the race.  At least no crashes tonight!

10th May

Having a blast in Rennes

First Tri of the year and three of us have come over from Guernsey to Rennes, along with some of the Jersey boys tempted by the choice of a Sprint or Olympic Distance run at civilised times of the day (1:30pm & 3:30pm starts) and having closed roads, a nice round the lake run.... 276 people running into the lake always makes for an interesting start, but I survive that with a usual average swim for me and make up a bunch of places on the long run back up to transition.

Jumping on the bike in what has been a drafting race in previous years, I immediately sprinted off and jumped on a wheel and began to slip my feet into the shoes. Peep Peep! a motorcycle is alongside and the referee is waggling a finger and blowing the whistle - no drafting! Ooops! Two years ago it was a draft legal race, well it certainly explained why bike check in was a bit lax. Three frantic laps on the bike and I've moved up through the field, a cluster of four of us have been together for the most part, my attack on the fast straight was un-successful in breaking away so we all come back to T2 together.

Onto the run and I sense I'm in a duel, unusually someone is running at a similar pace to me, my legs are running well but lungs are burning, I close down the 20mtr gap on the first lap but get held up with lapped athletes at the junction with transition.  So I close down the gap again and realise I'm hanging on rather than planning a winning strategy.  Up the hill from lakeside to finish chute and we are sprinting, but it is in vain and I can't quite get past, the official time gap is .15 of a second.  I've finished 7th overall, first vet and fastest run split of the day.

Jon Greenfield comes in 54th after very respectable swim and bike sections, but he faded a little on the run.  Richard Stapley raced the Olympic Distance and produced a solid all round performance to smash his PB and record 2:10:59.  OK we know tri courses can vary inaccuracy but he's way inside his target for the year and I'm sure he'll clock more times sub 2:15 in races to come.  Photo album is here.

23rd April

Bump and Grind

Time for some top end action to help prepare for my first tri of the year - a sprint distance in Rennes - courtesy of the first GVC Criterium Race at Delancey Park. Criterium's are hard work, flat out riding, shoulder to shoulder, it sharpens your bike handling skills and your speed.  A bumper turnout meant that racing was going to be tight, I was unlucky to get to the start line as we finished warming up at the back of the field. From the gun the the attacks went in and being stuck near the back with no route through meant that as the pack split almost straight away, I ended up in the 'chase pack'  before you knew it!  Still it gave me the opportunity to grind away on the front and get a good workout.

Then came the bump. One of the riders in the lead pack grounded a pedal on a corner which flipped his bike up and sent another rider tumbling. Tony Bleasedale (lime green shorts) came off the worst, landing on his shoulder breaking his collarbone! So race abandoned - which was just as well as the strange feeling I was getting from my back wheel was the tyre detaching from the rim. A lucky escape for me, not so for Tony.  Get fixed soon Tone.

20th April

More Bike Races

Knowing I need to raise my bike game I used the L'Eree hill climb TT as a training session with a couple of hills as part of warm up and a second run just 6 seconds slower than my first after a short recovery. In awe of nipper James McLaughlin nearly 50 seconds faster than me in 4:33. Superb!
Good conditions on Saturday made for a good field for the next 10mTT and I was rewarded with a better performance, 30 secs faster than last week. Waiting to see the full results to see how much progress I am making against everyone else. Turned the TT into a brick and was pleased that the legs felt fluid after such an intense effort.

15th April

6 Races in 4 days - I must be barking

It must have been a rush of euphoria after exceeding my expectations over 10km on Friday and sneaking under 33mins, that lead me to think it was possible to complete all the Guernsey Easter Festival Runs ( 10k - Cross Country - Relay - Half Marathon) but also take in my original targets of the Tri Club's Easter Challenge of adding a 10mile Time Trial and a 1,000mtr swim. Well I did it, and a lot better than I would give myself credit for. More to follow.

5th April

Doing the Du

Turned out for the last Duathlon of the winter series and after a steady first run, I was somewhat surprised the Ian Scholes caught me the outward leg of the bike. I'd thought my speed was sufficiently high to hold him off at least until the turn. So chapeau mon deux, your biking is awesome! So being just a little canny I let him set the pace and I hung back outside the drafting box and waited. I attacked hard up the slope up to Albecq and got away, but it did for my legs, and a couple of glances back further up the coast road showed he was coming back. Roadworks then disrupted the pace and we came back to T2 together. Whilt I ran OK, Ian cracked and got caught, but still won the overall series. Well done.

30th March

Catching Up

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted anything but things have been hectic. Gradually I have been building up a reasonable block of training, but it seems that I am becoming increasingly immersed in the shadow of my daughters success.  Having  become county u13 girls cross country champion, she was called up to run at Nottingham in the Inter Counties.  Again we said that she was going for the experience, and as it was a longer distance than she is used to added to a fairly steep hill at the start, we suggested that she went off steadily.  Well she did that, but when she appeared about 1200mtrs later, she was leading the race!

When she re-appeared again at about 2,200mtrs of the 3,000, she was still leading, but the wheels were about to come off, as the eventual winner made her move.  My girl slipped back but finished a very impressive 17th, an amazing achievement for someone with two years to go in the age group!  Added to that was great coverage of the races on SkyTV, and a recording for the family to cherish.  Not to be out-shone Lee Merrien stormed to a 3rd place finish and a place on the GB World Cross Team - well done Lee! Inter Counties Photo Album

Two races, 2 second places!
I turned out for the Island at the Inter Insular Cross Country on March 15th and felt pretty good so being eager to put some distance between me and those who I though might be challenging me, I took the pace on from the second of 6 laps and lead Steve Dawes round at a good lick. By the time it started to hurt on the 4th lap we were well clear and I started to start to conserve some energy so not surprisingly Steve pulled away for his first Inter Insular win on home soil and I stayed not too far back in second. We finished seven athletes before Jersey got their first man in - so another great Sarnian result! Move on nearly two weeks and I joined Louise Perrio and Martine Scholes on a trip to London and the Serpentine AC Last Friday of the Month 5km race.  It was quite a blustery day and I probably did too much work on the front as by 2.5k I was puffing and Belgrave's Hassan Raidi eased away.

I hung on in the last 2k and I suppose I am OK about my 16:06 finishing time, but I suppose I was hoping for better. Still a good workout in preparation for a 10k at Easter.  Louise and Martine came first and second respectively - so a good club result and another step back towards form for both of them.

25th February

Getting back to where I was

It's taken a while to fully recover from the flu and after several weeks of gradually building up the training I took the plunge last Sunday with race 2 of the winter duathlon series. Another great turnout for our little island - 36 of us and this time we were racing the Super Duathlon Format : 1 mile run - 6 mile bike - 1mile run - 6 mile bike - 1 mile run.

With my Isaac back at Ian Brown's for a safety recall I set my Cervelo Soloist road bike with draft legal tri bars and full speed weaponry - i.e. my Zipps. However I decided that I'd risk switching shoes between each discipline as I do prefer cycling in bike shoes.  I attacked the first run across the beach at Ladies Bay with some gusto and got back to T1 about 20 secs clear and then pushing into the headwind down the west coast on the bike was a bit of a slog.  Paul Brehaut was moving though quickly on the bike and think he spurred on Ian Scholes and newbie Jon Greenfield. As  a quick glance behind during T2 showed me that my lead was slender.  

Second run didn't feel too bad and the gap seemed comfortable so I conserved a bit of energy for the second bike leg. I probably looked behind a fair few times on the bike as I expected the guys to be charging after me, but the threat didn't materialise letting me cruise the last run. Ian Scholes came through for second with Jon Greenfield third. Looking at the official splits showed that Ian's decision to use one pair of shoes throughout was a cunning move as his run splits which included transitions were right up with mine - where as I took 20 seconds out of him on the first run. So that probably shows that he saved 15 seconds or so on each transition. A sizeable gain.

So what did I learn - I need to do more biking and more brick work as I felt very rusty and perhaps next time dig out the old toe clip pedals and save a whack of transition time! Guernsey Press online coverage is here.

28th January

Sick !

Well it finally had to happen, with so much illness around it is not surprising that I have caught a dose of it. In fact 3/4 of the family have had it, with one person escaping. So Hampshire XC Champs has been scrubbed for me, no defence of my M40 title, though I was able to go over and watch my daughter pick up the u13 Girls title.  Not bad for a little 'un who at 11 was only going for the experience.  Now she has two more attempts to defend & retain.

So after more than a week with no training I try to ease back into it, the lungs feel useless, the legs even worse.  Three weeks pass before I swim again and now it feels just terrible.  Still experience tells me I just have to grin and bear it and after a few weeks it will click again.  I hope so. 

This coming weekend sees the new month in and the first of the club's winter duathlon series and I'm left in a pickle.  With my coach hat on I know what I need right now is to do the steady state training to build back the base that I have missed and lost through illness.  If I do the event then I can't really train too hard on Saturday as I'll be weakened for Sunday and I know that some of the guys are going well on the bike and in my weakened state I am definitely vulnerable to having defeat inflicted on me.  There is only one place I have finished in any local Tri Club Duathlon or Triathlon and that is first.  So if I race, I don't get the training I need, and I might get beaten.  If I don't race people will just say I'm afraid of being beaten. Hmmmm....