2016 European Duathlon Championship

Its now been two weeks since I raced at the European Duathlon Championships in Kalkar, Germany and I guess its time for me to reflect back on the build up, the race and the overall experience. 

In the weeks leading up to this training had been going well and I was feeling fit and strong. I placed highly in my warm up duathlon in Durham so was heading to the Europeans full of confidence. I had planned to race in one final TT on Tuesday (the day before I was due to travel down south), however unfortunately the race organisers had to reschedule, so I resulted to one last hard session on the turbo. This was a shame as I find it really hard to push myself as hard in training as I would with a number on my back. 

Wednesday - This started off as normal for me, up at 7 am, enjoying a coffee watching Sky Sports News before breakfast and getting ready for work. I worked until lunchtime, said my goodbyes and enjoyed all the words of good luck and support from my friends and colleagues. My plans were to travel down to Surrey and stay the night at Ian's (www.gearsandtears.com) house before travelling the rest of the way to Germany on Thursday. The drive down wasn't too bad considering I hit the M25 close to rush hour. After checking in to Chateau Mayhew, having a good catch up, we took a leisurely stroll to his local Italian restaurant. The food was awesome and I'm glad he advised me on ordering the calzone, I wasn't disappointed. We then wondered back continued chatting before turning in.

All packed and ready to rock. 

Thursday - I started the day off with a lie-in before heading out for a relaxed 30-min run in the Surrey countryside. Once back it was shower and breakfast time before making my way down to Folkestone. Before boarding the Channel Tunnel I took a slight de-tour to the station to pick up my mum, who was going to be my #1 fan for this race. Once greeting mum we then drove to the Channel Tunnel. Finding the tunnel and boarding the train was super easy and stress free. It was only a 35 minute crossing, so we got to France around lunchtime. We decided to crack on and start making headway into the 300 mile ish drive to Kalkar. We were going along really nicely and made good headway so we decided to stop off at the services for a spot of lunch and a coffee. Once through France we were then into Belgium, this is where we started to slow down. We were surprised to find out that the motorways take you really close to the city centres and as a result lots of traffic! This continued to be the theme of our journey through Belgium. Once through Belgium and into Holland and Germany we didn't get held up again and the rest of the journey remained stress free. We arrived at the team hotel and race venue Wunderland, Kalkar at around 9 pm. This was a good hour later than anticipated as the traffic in Belgium really slowed us down. We checked in and headed straight to the restaurant, fortunately they were still serving food. After food and a much needed drink we were both shattered. En route to bed I checked the team notice board to find out the final plans for the weekend, specifically the pre-race brief and the organised bike course recce. 

Friday - I chose not to set an alarm, as I was pretty tired after all the driving the day before. I was awake at 8 am, so gave mum a knock and as we were both awake we decided to head down to breakfast. Breakfast was nice and chilled and it was good to see so many fellow GB athletes. Over breakfast I was able to plan out the day. It went something like this; chill out after breakfast until 12 pm (midday). 
At 12 pm it was the Team GB organised bike recce. I arrived at the transition hall (meeting point for recce) and bumped straight into Matt Turnball (the guy who I met a few weeks before at the Durham duathlon) and starting chatting. We decided to ride out together, as there were so many athletes on the course the pace was pretty steady, but that didn't really bother me. As we pulled into Wunderland after the first lap we both decided that doing another lap with a few race pace efforts would be a wise move. 

After the second lap it was time for me to grab a shower and meet mum for lunch. After lunch it was time for me to give my bike a clean, polish and final tweak before heading over to transition to register and rack my bike. After this there was a little a bit more down time, so we sat in the hotel bar enjoying a coffee, chatting and making most of the hotel WiFi (unfortunately there's wasn't any in our room) as I was beginning to get Twitter withdrawal symptoms! At about 4 pm the whole team began to assemble outside one of the conference rooms ahead of the pre-race brief. The briefing lasted close to an hour before and helped to clear up a few issues people had. We then all may our way out to the front of Wunderland for the scheduled team photos. 

The GB standard distance team, can you find me? It's a bit like Where's Wally? 😜

After the team photos the whole team headed into the town of Kalkar for the parade of nations, which was held in the market square. This is where the town mayor along with the president of the ETU officially opened the European Duathlon Championships. We then headed back to the team hotel for the pasta party, time for us all to commit carbiside! This was a busy day, so no surprise I was pretty tired again so decided to get another reasonably early night before race day. 

Saturday (race day) - The night before a race I find it hard to sleep as I keep thinking about the race and likewise I also wake up much earlier that my alarm and this was no exception. I woke at around 6:30 am and chilled in my room before heading over for breakfast at 7:30 am. I was in the the first wave of Age-Group athletes to go off, starting at 10:30 am, just after all the elite Para athletes. I always start my tried and trusted pre-race nutrition strategy 3-hrs prior to my start time. After breakfast I gave my mum a knock (as 7:30 am is a bit too early for her) and then joined her for her breakfast. I found it hard to concentrate on the conversation as I was now in race mode and kept thinking about the task at hand. The big issue was the weather forecast, as it was highly changeable, so i didn't know if I would go for a base layer or not and would I wear gloves. I then decided that it would be double yes; base layer and gloves. With about 45 minutes to go before the race start I put all my race kit on and headed over to transition and start my final preparations; check tire pressure, talc my shoes and run though transition before the all important caffeine gel before commencing the warm-up. There was a bit of a chill in the air so I was glad with my choice of gloves and base layer. 

With about 5 minutes to go I said good bye to my mum (who wished me good luck) and headed to the start line, which was filling up with fellow athletes quickly. I was able to get a good spot quite close to the front. The MC then started the race build-up, my heart rate started to increase and it was time for me to get my game face on! The klaxon sounded and we were off! The 10 km run was 4 laps of a 2.5 km loop that weaved around the Wunderland grounds, with a stretch along the river before looping back and circling the conference centre (acting as the indoor transition area). We went off like a rocket, much quicker than I normally do for a race, but this is the Euro's so what do you expect! I was right in the mix after the first km and was buzzing, then all of a sudden my body was telling me that I'd gone out too fast! What didn't help, was that this coincided with the "out and back" section along the river, in to a tough headwind! This section started to string out the field with a front pack of 4 athletes pulling away from everyone else. I really had to dig in now and was certainly paying the price for the really fast start. The next two laps were a real battle for me, but I continued to hang in there and on the fourth and final lap, started to get back into my groove. I then entered T1, put my helmet on and and was out of transition, jumping on to my bike after the mount line. This went super slick and was on to the bike where I hoped to move up the placings. 

The bike course was also 4 laps but this time of a 10 km loop. The bike course was pure flat with a few 180 degree turns. Just like the run there was a tough section into a headwind, but aside from that the wind was kind with either a side or tail wind. The wind on the bike wasn't really an issue for me as I had been training a lot on my TT bike back home in Hull and it's always windy so I'm now used to it. I kept pushing as hard as I could keeping aero to minimize the drag effect from the wind and was slowly beginning to claw back some places. There were three different age-groups in my wave, so this made it hard to work out if I was moving up in my age-group or not. All the supporters from all countries (mainly GB) were positioned along the approach to transition before commencing the remaining laps, this just gave you an extra little boost hearing all the support. I kept on pushing as hard as I could for the remaining laps and stuck to my nutrition plan, to ensure i was fueled for the latter stages of the race. As the laps went by I gained an extra few places and could work out that if there were more laps I would gain a few more, but we were all pretty spread out now. I turned into Wunderland for the final time and started the approach to T2. I lent down un-Velcro'd my tri-shoes, slipped my feet out and rested them on the top of my shoes ready for the dismount line. I jumped off my bike just before the line and raced into transition for T2 before starting the final 5 km run. 

The final run was just two laps of the same 2.5 km loop. I exited transition and was quickly into my side, running well considering the earlier run and bike. I was feeling really good and was pushing hard to try and move up the field and/or hold off athletes behind me. The best part about the out and back section (although it was windy) was that it gave you a good chance to work out where you where, who was in front of you and who was chasing you. I kept on pushing and quickly ticked off lap one and now I only has 2.5 km left to race. As I reached the turn around I was confident that I wouldn't get caught and there was a slight chance I could gain another place, so this is where i kicked for the finish. I'm guessing the guy in front of me thought the same as I failed to catch him. I crossed the line and was over the moon as aside from going too deep into the red in the first part of the first run, everything else had gone according to plan and all my transitions were super slick! 

Something slightly different than banana's for post race re-fueling 

I finished 9th in my age-group and 3rd Brit, in a time of 2:05:35. I was over the moon with this performance especially as I over cooked it in the first part of the run and had to really dig in for the middle half of the first 10 km run. I have a feeling that this performance is good enough for me to gain automatic qualification for next years ETU duathlon championships. 

Over the moon with the race and I couldn't have given any more. 

Sunday - This was my epic travel day. I got up around 9 am gave my mum a knock before we headed down for breakfast. Fortunately I felt rather fresh as the post race celebrations weren't anywhere as big as I was expecting. This was certainly a blessing in disguise as driving 550 miles from Germany through Holland, Belgium and France before taking the Channel Tunnel back to Folkestone and then driving back up north to Hull was brutal! Mum and I had arranged that she would do the first stretch of the journey until we caught the train back to Blighty, this was a massive help as it was another four hours drive back home to Hull.

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, as well as my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Also thanks to all of my fellow GB athletes who helped cheer me on and make this an unforgettable experience. Lastly thanks has to go to my Mum, who was my number one fan in light of Sally not being able to make this race (first one she's ever missed!). 

City of Durham Duathlon

When initially planning my season out during Christmas, I had eye'd up racing at Clumber Park. Clumber would fit perfectly in my race prep ahead of the European Duathlon Championships - Kalkar, Germany (16th April). Generally speaking working at a University we don't have to do weekends, however that weekend I did. Therefore I had to change my plans slightly. After a bit of searching I found the City of Durham Duathlon, organised and ran by Durham Triathlon Club. Durham is a good 2-hr drive away so Sally and I drove up the day before and stayed in a local pub/B&B. As we pulled into the car park and started unpacking I bumped into a fellow competitor who was able to pass on some words of advice as he just just got back from a course recce (more on that later). 

As is the norm for multi-sport races it was an early start, so working backwards from the race start its pretty easy to plan your breakfast and fuelling strategy out. As the race started at 9am it meant a 6am wake up for breakfast, before ensuring I'm fully hydrated and getting that all important caffeine hit just before kick off! 

I like to get to races early so I'm not rushing to get ready, therefore we left the hotel just before 8am to ensure I got to the race HQ (a local leisure centre) with about an hour to spare, allowing me plenty of time to register and set my bike up in transition etc. I was a little taken back by the chilled out, clam nature of all the competitors, which makes a really nice change from the majority of races I do which are high profile and normally a qualifier of some sorts. After registering and racking my bike I still had plenty of time to chat to a few familiar faces and share stories of winter training and to find out what races they've got lined up.  

As it approached 8:30am we all made our way into the HQ for the pre-race briefing. This was rather important as the race organisers explained the rules regarding some of the road junctions and what would happen if we were to get caught up by temporary traffic lights. Once the brief was over I had ~15 minutes to start warming up, before heading to the start to wait the klaxon. 

The klaxon sounded and we were off! The 5km run was 3-laps of the 1.66km circuit, which looped around the leisure centre playing fields. The terrain was mainly grass with a few tarmac sections and was similar to a X-C route, with a few lumps in it. The pace was fast and I was able to hang in there for the first half a lap before settling into my own rhythm. After the first lap the field had began to string out. I think I ended up in the third group, which I was really happy with as I could feel that my run training over the winter was paying off. During the second and third lap the placings didn't really change that much so I knew that before entering T1 I would be there or there abouts. After the final lap I was quickly into T1, put my helmet on, kicked my trainers off (as neatly as possible as I would need them for the second run), un-racked my bike and headed out onto the bike course.  

My group for the first run. 

Quickly out of T1.

The bike was a single 25km loop of the local area. It was a little bit tricky in parts as there were a few serious road junctions to negotiate and a couple of temporary traffic lights, all were well marshalled though. Aside from these it was a really nice rolling course with one brutal hill about 15km into the route. From the start of the bike I was able to really get the hammer down and start picking off some of the quicker runners. I kept pushing on as hard as I could but couldn't help but think about what Matt Turnball said to me the night before (the guy I met in the hotel car park), "watch out for the climb its a beast!" The further I raced the more I kept thinking, "whats he on about??" and then probably about 10km from home, it popped up and he was right it was a beast! It was easily a mile long and was certainly steep! I sat up, found a comfortable climbing position on the TT bike and span up the climb passing a few other athletes. As soon as I crested it I was then straight back in the TT position and hammered the final few km's into T2. On the approach to T2 I got my feet out of my tri-shoes, rested them on top, all ready for a quick dismount.  

After another slick transition (T2) I was able to quickly settle into my stride for the same final 5km. I kept pushing as hard as I could but this time was beginning to struggle. I think its because I had only raced on water and didn't anticipate how much that climb sent me into the red! In hindsight I would definitely taken some sports drink or a gel on the bike. However, I continued to push as hard as I could. It was halfway through the second lap when I heard Paul Brown (race winner) coming up behind me, I tried to slip stream him when he passed me, but hes an awesome athlete and he was just too quick for me! He was the only athlete to pass me so I don't actually feel that bad! I kept pushing and once getting to the top of that little climb for the final time I knew it was all down hill, so I gritted my teeth and kicked for the final km to the finish! 

The final sprint for the finish!  

I finished 16th male and 9th in my age-group in a time of 1:28:45. I was super happy with this and will now be able to take a lot of confidence into the European Duathlon Championships (16th April). After the race I got chatting to Matt again and he told me that the top 15 were really strong athletes and I had done well to place where I did, so was buzzing for that. 

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, as well as my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Also thanks to Durham Tri club for organizing such a great event and i'll certainly be back and to Jason Allison for the photos. However, the most important thanks has to go to my darling girlfriend, Sally. 

Castle Howard Mid-Distance Triathlon

Ever since I started racing triathlons I have predominantly focused on racing over the sprint distance. However, this season I decided to up the distance and race over the half Ironman distance (1.9km swim, 90km cycle & 21km run). This was a well educated decision that I made in consultation with my coach Ian. I have achieved success in the shorter format, qualifying to represent and representing GB in my age-group. However we decided that if I played to my strengths then the 70.3 distance would be my distance. With that in mind at the start of the season I entered Castle Howard Mid-Distance triathlon. I'd raced at Castle Howard before albeit over a shorter distance however I did win my age-group, so this place holds some fond memories for me.

I was going into this race full of confidence as a few weeks prior I raced really well at the Humber Half Marathon, so knew I was in good shape. The race started at 8am, so this meant a nice and early 5am wake up call!! As Castle Howard isn't that far from my house I opted to drive to the race in the morning. As you can imagine driving at 6am on a Sunday the roads were free from traffic so we got to Castle Howard in plenty of time. 

Castle Howard looking stunning in the morning mist. 

Once I sorted and positioned my bike and trainers just how I like it in transition I then climbed waist high into my wetsuit before walking down the hill (which we have to run up for T1) to the lake for the pre-race briefing and swim start. Once the pre-race brief was over we were then given time to get into the lake and warm up. We were then given a 2 minute warning so I positioned myself close to the front giving be a good chance to draft some slightly faster swimmers than me a hopefully get into some clear water pretty early on. The horn went and we were off!! I was able to quickly settle into a nice swim rhythm which makes a nice change for me as during a sprint triathlon in carnage! The swim route was 2-laps of an out and back format with a dog leg at the end of the lap and exit of the swim. This made the most direct line rather congested for the first 400m but after that the field soon spread out. I felt like I paced the swim well went I came out of the water. After exiting the water, I ran as quickly as possible the 500m into T1, however this was easier said than done as approximately 400m of this was up hill so that got you grasping for oxygen! I then quickly removed my wetsuit and grabbed my bike, before making inroads into the 90km bike and picking off fellow athletes. 

The bike course can best be described as tough and I would go as far as to say the hardest bike course I have ridden!! The course consisted of 2-laps of 45km of Castle Howard and the surrounding Howardian hills. I've been regularly in my local tri club (Barracuda) duathlon series' where the bike course has a similar profile, however significantly shorter. In the build up to this I also trained over similar terrain so I was feeling confident that providing I kept to my nutrition plan I would be able to put in a solid and competitive bike leg. My T1 was quick and soon I was out of the castle grounds and onto the open roads. I had two things I had to keep in the back of my head; 1) maintain a sustainable effort and not to race full gas like I'd do in the shorter races and 2) try as best as possible to stick to my nutrition plan, which I hoped would keep fueled for the bike course and onto the run. I felt really strong on the bike and was able to stick to my plans for the first lap. The second lap things got a bit trickier as athletes racing in the Olympic distance race were now also on the bike course. I just kept saying to myself don't get too carried away chasing these athletes down as I still had a half marathon to go. There was only one bottle/feed station per lap and once I got onto the second lap this feed station couldn't come quick enough as I was getting significantly low on fluid. As I approached this section, I discarded one of my empty bottles, sat up and stuck my hand out to grab a new bottle, only to drop it, SHIT!! Fortunately, there was another opportunity to get another bottle and this time I held on to it. From then on it was time for me to resume the aero position on the tri-bars and continue to maintain that threshold effort back to the castle grounds. I completed the bike course in just over 2:45 hrs and as I approached T2 I took my feet out of my tri-shoes and rested them on top before dismounting and running into T2. 

The run course was a toughie and consisted two laps of just over 10km on a mixture of surfaces ranging from compacted gravel (farm track stylee) to through fields, footpaths and Tarmac. The route had a similar elevation profile to the bike with a few long drags and short steep climbs. Getting on the run after racing over 90km was a completely new experience for me so I aired on the side of caution for the first 5km or so, not that my legs could go that much faster to start with! Once I settled into the run I felt surprising good and was able to maintain a sustainable pace only slowing down to get some nutrition from the aid stations and when the route went uphill. Again the course was full of athletes racing in the shorted distance event, but this time I was without changing my speed and effort, overtaking these runners. Just before the loop to start the second lap there was a nasty climb and decent, which really took me into the red! My confidence was now beginning to grow as I recovered pretty quickly after this effort and felt rather strong so decided to kick on for the final lap. Throughout this lap the km markers were coming thick and fast and was soon approaching the final climb before the finish, so I upped the ante for the final km. This time the hill really sent me in the red but I knew I just had to hang on as it was all downhill from then to the finish. As I descended I could see the finish line fast approaching so kicked again to the finish. I completed the 21km in just over 1:37 hrs, which I was ecstatic about as it was only 10 mins slower that the 1/2 marathon time I did a few weeks earlier. 

Heading to the finish after the final decent (hill in background) 

I finished with an overall time of 5:09:41, which resulted in me coming 16th overall and 12th senior male. I'm still over the moon and buzzing with this result even now as I write this. It has certainly cemented in my mind that I'm definitely suited to the 70.3 distance. Moreover I can't wait for next season, when hopefully I will get my Saturdays back thus dedicating more time to train, hopefully resulting in some top 10's and higher. 

Being the social butterfly that Sally and I are with weddings and our holiday to Mexico coming up, late August, this meant that this was my last triathlon of the season. Fortunately being involved in my local cycling clubs TT series I'll still be able to get my racing fix until the end of September.

Thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil.

Thanks to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears)

Humber Half Marathon

After the last 3-4 seasons racing over the sprint distance, with the occasional Olympic distance triathlon in there for good measure I decided to have a crack at the half Ironman distance (70.3). Although I have been really successful at the shorter format and have qualified and raced for the GB Age-Group squad I think I will be just as good, if not better at the longer distance races. With this in mind I though I would enter the Humber Half marathon to test out the legs and fitness ahead of my first 70.3 triathlon at Castle Howard a month later. 

Although this summer I haven't been able to put in a big day of training on a Saturday (like previous seasons) as my PhD has limited this (short-term pain for long term gain) I have still maintained consistency in training. Building up to the half marathon my training has seen a slight shift from an even swim, bike, run split focusing on shorter sharper interval work, to more longer interval based work to get me ready for the increased demands of running 21km. In the final week leading up to the half marathon I was tapering down and felt fresh, so was hoping that this was going to reflect in my time. The Humber Half is quite a tough 1/2 marathon so with this in mind and speaking to a few people that have raced it before I set out with a time of sub 1:30hrs in mind, which isn't too shabby for that course. 

In the build up to race day, I checked out the route map so I could familiarise myself with the water and aid stations. This distance is right on the cusp of needing a top up of CHO. Fortunately there was an aid station (~mile 5) amongst the many water stations so I knew there would be an opportunity to keep up with the hydration and fuelling.    

The night before the race I prepped my race kit; pinned my number on my vest and put the timing chip on my trainer, so when I woke up I didn't have to worry about a thing! 
So it was the morning of the race, I woke up feeling good and started to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and ate my pre-race breakfast. We then (me and Sally) drove off to the race, what I really like about running races is how chilled they are in comparison to tri, we literally drove there, parked, chatted to a few people pre-race, paid the customary visit to the loo, warmed up and chatted to a few more runners and some work colleagues, who were also racing. Then it was race time, simples!! As everyone started heading toward the start I was keen to muscle myself to the front, so as not to get held up by the fun runners! 

 There I am, second row. Thanks for the pic (http://www.humber-half.org.uk) 

The race organisers held us at the start line before giving us a count down. The klaxon sounded and we where off! In the build up to the race I spoke to lots of athletes who have ran this race before to get some advice on pacing as this was new to me. I followed everyone's advice to the letter, so took the first 3-4 miles moderately steady. The first mile through Hessle, across the Humber bridge and along the slip road and into Barton was ran all within myself. The whole length of the bridge and the slip road to Barton was pretty tough as it was into a block headwind. I was fortune enough to be in a group of 6 runners so used my brain and just sat in behind a tall runner to shield myself as best as possible from the wind. 

Once I dropped into Barton I was then able to pick up the pace and really get into my running, this is also pretty much the advice given to me by people who have raced this before. I then ran through Barton market place, where I was able to get the little bit of sports drink that I needed, before heading out onto the only long stretch of flat road where I was able to up the ante just a little bit more, before the route took me under the Humber bridge. The course then took a left turn and onto the most feared and infamous part of the race the mile long stretch up "Cardiac Hill". I made sure I knocked off the pace a little for this section, careful not to go too deep into the "red" as I was warned this could make or break your race. I got to the top of the hill, feeling pretty good, had a quick look at my watch and realised I was on for my target time, so was mega happy. I then turned and started to make inroads into the final 3 miles of the race and headed back along the opposite slip road back toward the Humber Bridge. I think that Cardiac Hill, the slip-road back and the final stretch of the bridge was easily the hardest part of the race. You needed to be right on the limit but at the same time careful not go too deep, so you couldn't recover and kick for the final mile. Once over the mid-point of the bridge it was then all downhill!! It was full gas ahead I made sure I didn't leave anything left in the tank and this helped as in the final 1/2 mile the supporters were out in force along both sides of the course cheering us on! This was great and just what I needed. 

I was absolutely buzzing when I finished and was able to recover enough to see my time, I did it in 1:27.27 so smashed my goal by 2:30 mins. BUZZING!! I came 38th out of a field of ~2000 runners, so again buzzing with that!!  

My face hides the excitement of a good time!! 

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil and to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Picture courtesy of http://www.humber-half.org.uk/

Nottingham Sprint Triathlon

I entered Nottingham at the start of the season hoping to qualify for the European Sprint Distance Championships for 2016. However as i qualified earlier in the season for the European Duathlon championships also in 2016 I decided not to "opt-in" for selection as I think I'd struggle to fund both as well as my best friends wedding in Malta. Building up to Nottingham I was happy with how my training had gone, however I had only raced one pool based sprint so my race fitness especially in the swim was somewhat lacking. 

I travelled down to Nottingham (Holme Pierrepont) the night before, in an attempt to relive some of the stress of travelling on race day, especially as the M1 is a nightmare at the moment with all the road works. I made good time and after registration, I put on my cycling gear and headed out to recce the bike course as in previous years the bike course was laden with potholes. However this year I was pleasantly surprised as these had been filled in, which was wonderful. After the recce I headed to the hotel, checked in, dropped off my kit and then headed out for dinner, with the Mrs. 

It was the morning of the race and I did the standard pre-race ritual; 3-hr pre race breakfast and carb and caffeine-load. After chilling in the room and getting ready we then headed over to Holme Pierrepont. Just like in previous years this was a split transition, so I first made my way to T1 and started setting up my bike and laying out everything I needed for the swim and bike legs. I then headed over to T2 to put my trainers down. I was lucky with T2, in that I had an easily identifiable landmark so I knew where my trainers would be upon entering transition. After setting out all my kit in both transitions I started to put my wetsuit on, whilst listening to the pre-race brief.

Yet again this was a GB qualifier for both the Worlds and Europeans so we were set off in Age-Group waves (M 20-24, 30-34 & 35-39), which is great as you get a good idea of your direct competition. We were able to get into the water ~5 mins before the race start and I started to warm up and get acclimatised to the water temp which was a tad chilly. We then got a 1 minute warning and at that point it occurred to me that I had left it too late to get a good position in the water. The horn went and we were off!! It took me until the first buoy to get into my swim rhythm as it was a constant battle to find clear water. Unfortunately I didn't get into the swim group I wanted to be in, so couldn't take advantage of the better swimmers, but you live and learn. After exiting the water I quickly ran into T1 to grab my bike and start making up for the time I lost in the water.

Just like in previous seasons and has now become the norm, my training consisted of racing in the local TT league so i knew this would help me out on this course. The bike course was 4 laps of 5km (20km in total) and perfectly suited to the “TT’er” as it was dead pan flat, with four 90° bends per lap. The wind was also kind to us so I knew it was going to be a fast time. I felt really strong on the bike and as the laps ticked down I was constantly gaining and passing some of my fellow competitors. After four storming laps I approached T2, just after the 30 min mark, with my feet resting on my tri shoes and dismounted before the dismount line.  

The run was just a single 5km lap of the bike course with a few slight deviations. In a similar story to the bike I felt super strong and kept picking off competitors. I could see the finish line fast approaching so kicked for the final 1km. This last km was pretty tough as the wind had picked up from the bike leg and we were now running into a head wind!! The finish line was down the “blue” carpet in front on the grandstand and the crowds. This was a great way for finish the race. I completed the 5km in just over 19 minutes. 

I finished with an overall time of 1:05:49, which resulted in me coming 17th in my Age-Group, which was a improvement from last years placing, so I'm happy with that especially with my lack of racing and decreased time to train due to PhD commitments. 

The next race up for me is the Humber Half Marathon at the end of June. 

Thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil.

Thanks to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears)

New race kit looking great (shame about the silly face!!) 

Driffield Sprint Triathlon

I entered Driffield sprint triathlon a pool based sprint consisting of a; 400m swim, 18km bike and a 5km run to get me in the grove ahead of racing Nottingham sprint triathlon at the end of May. I wanted to have at least have one race under my belt, so this fitted in perfectly (2-weeks before). In-season I'm not a fan/believer of carrying a substantial amount of fatigue/training load into a race so tapered down and felt fairly fresh. I wanted to give it a real good smash, as unfortunately my PhD commitments now mean that I cant train on Saturdays. This was going to be a good test of my winter training and to see how I measure up with a good 3hrs taken out of my typical training week.  

Triathlon's are infamous for early starts, however as it was pool based and based on swim times I was actually in the penultimate wave, which was great as it meant I had time in the morning to chill and get in the grove. I set of with Sally ~90 minutes before the start of my wave and thank god we did as we got caught up with a Young Farmers tractor rally. This added over 20 minutes on to our journey time and believe me I was beginning to get stressed as we just sat in the car watching tractor after tractor go by!!! We finally got going again and I arrived at the race with 45 minutes to spare. This was enough time for me to set everything up in transition and get my game face on.   

The swim was very well organised with people counting lengths for you which was a total result as I struggle to count over 10 ha! I was the final of 4 athletes to go off in my lane which meant plenty of drafting ;-) . I had a really good swim and was quickly out of the pool and into T1. T1 was well drilled and I was soon out and onto the bike. 

Once onto the bike course this was time for me to put some serious power down and smash the course. I'd been racing a fair few local TT's so was sure this was going to have a positive impact on my race. I would describe the course as "rolling" with a few steady climbs and some nice descents coupled with a nice long stretch of "A road" so this was going to be a fast one. I was soon back jumping off my bike before the "dismount line" and heading into T2.  

After a good T2 I was quickly into the run and the first of three laps. It took me about half of a lap to settle into my running and then I was able to start winding up my pace over the remanding few laps.  

I finished 15th overall in a time of 1:01:22 and 3rd in my age-group, which was a nice confidence booster especially with my reduction in training. I was also really happy with all components of the race, especially as I was only overtaken on the run by the overall race winner. 

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, as well as my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Now on the Nottingham triathlon (30th May). 

Getting into my stride on the run. Thanks for the picture Freebird events. 

Buzzing with top 15 and 3rd in my age-group

Stockton-on-Tees Standard Distance Duathlon

My season ended early, in late August 2014 and after a 4-week holiday in Auz (see earlier blog for more info) I was keen to get back in the training groove. My trip to Auz was mega and i would do it again in a heartbeat, however 4-weeks of eating out and minimal training meant i was a long way off the condition i was used to. 

Once back and after recovering from the jet lag i was soon back putting in those winter miles and in the gym looking for those gainz!! It was a slow process and slowly but shortly i began looking like something that resembled an athlete. I love winter training and the opportunity it presents to get "off-road" on both foot and on the MTB. During the winter i still like to race as i feel that i need that "full gas" effort once in a while to remind me what its like to go at race pace. That's why The East Yorkshire XC league is perfect for me, as it gives me that monthly option to race in a quite and informal environment. 

From September to Christmas things were going really well with the training and and was feeling fitter by the week. Then out of nowhere on NYE it hit me, the nasty flu bug, that was doing the rounds. This knocked me out for two weeks and it was inevitable that this set me back as the thought of training made me feel worse!! 

Once i got over this i started training again but as a result missed a fair few XC races and one of my favourite 10-miler road races. This was frustrating as like i said earlier i really need that racing stimulus through out the winter and as it turns out i didn't race from early December until now, Stockton. 

In the build up to this my preparation had been good, but could have been better. I had originally planned to race Clumber Park standard distance duathlon a few weeks prior to Stockton. However, I had to change my plans because I was invited to present some of my PhD research at The World Congress of Science and Medicine in Cricket, in Sydney. It was a really tough decision............ Clumber or Sydney!! Anyway this meant that my training was a little interrupted and I only had one chance of earning a place to represent GB at the standard distance European duathlon champs 2016. So i placed all my eggs in this basket! 

The race started at 1pm, which was a really nice change to the norm of being up ready to race at the crack of dawn. This meant that Sally and I could drive up to Stockton in the morning instead of an overnight stopover. Racing at 1pm also posed a new challenge for me, what do it eat? Anyway i decided to work backwards and effectively had two pre-race breakfasts and my pre-race rituals just started from 10am.  

Once we got to Stockton we ended up driving around for a while as the closed roads (for the race) were causing havoc for the sat nav!! Once we finally found a place to park (close to the race HQ) i gathered up all my gear and headed over, registered and set up in transition. This was a quick and easy process which was nice so i just enjoyed chatting to a few "triathlon friends" and just chilled with the Mrs. 

As it approached 1pm the pre-race nerves were well and truly kicking in and the added pressure of racing to qualify for the Euros next year didn't help things! I headed over to the race started and commenced my warm-up and listened to the pre-race brief. After the pre-race brief we all got called forward and gathered on the start line to wait for the klaxon. 

The klaxon sounded and we were off! The first 10km run was 2-laps of the 5km circuit, which looped the river Tees. The pace was blistering as there were plenty of athletes just like me racing to qualify. The lead runners quickly shot off the front, which then left the rest of us to settle into the 2nd/3rd groups. After the first 2km these groups now had splintered and i settled in and was able to stick to a pace i was happy with, on the limit but manageable. i continued to maintain this effort for the remaining 7-8km and was now one-by-one picking runners off as i made my way through the field. 

Just crossing the Millennium Bridge

The run wasn't the easiest or simplest of runs, as it included a lot of changes in direction and a leg sapping run over the Millennium bridge just before the start/finish line. After a hard but solid run i was back into transition; trainers off, helmet on, unrack bike and now time to smash the bike. 

Just heading out to start the 40km bike leg 

Like the run, the bike was multiple laps of an 8km loop, so 5 laps. It was great to be able to race on closed roads which meant that you can smash it round corners and not have to worry, the only downside is that its you're not 100% sure on what position you are in. The bike course was also similar to the run in reference to the changes in direction with a fair few "out and back" branched sections. Once out of T1 and onto the bike leg i was quickly working hard to catch up to the super-fast runners who had put a fair bit of time into me. This bike course suited me, pretty flat but with a few gentle climbs so the strength i worked hard to build over the winter both on the bike and in the gym was paying off. Parts of this course were quite windy, which also played well to my strengths, being able to push a big gear into a strong headwind. The more laps i did the more confidence i had on the course and knew how fast i could take all the corners. I kept pushing as hard as i could and continued to overtake people, however by the 3rd lap onward i was clueless to my place within the field. I normally race the sorter distances so race nutrition isn't that important where as racing for longer nutrition becomes really important, therefore I had my race nutrition all planned out and knew exactly when to take the gels on the bike, which i was able to stick to. After an hour on the bike i was approaching T2 with me feet resting on the top of my shoes ready to dismount and to start the final 5km run. 

Both my transitions (T1 & T2) were pretty slick and i was quickly trying to settle into my stride. This was easier said than done as for the first km my calf's were cramping! once i overcame this cramp i was able to settle into my stride. It was about 2km in before i lost my head. i was running along and then out of the corner of my eye i spotted a dog running up toward me and i kept running thinking that it was going to turn back to its owner, but it didn't it just continued to run and then everything went "slow-mo" as the dog jumped into me!!! What a nightmare!!! i just hoped that i would stay on my feet and fortunately i did, however this really got to me and i found it hard to get back into my rhythm. fortunately i settled in and was able to keep pushing as hard as i could as i snaked my way round the course. All that was left was the leg sapping Millennium bridge, running up and over this well and truly took me into the red!! I knew it was less than a km to go so just dug in and gave it everything i had left. 

Fubar'd crossing the finish line! Definitely a hard day at the office and the lack of racing in the build up didn't help! 

I finished 25th male in a time of 2:05:01. Unfortunately the race results weren't displayed in age-groups, which is rather annoying especially when you are hoping to qualify for the GB Age-Group team. However a few weeks later I got the email from Triathlon England saying that I had qualified for the Euros in so I'm buzzing for that!!  

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, as well as my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Also thanks to Trihard and AWOL adventure for the photos.