As I sit here looking out on to the North Sea, awaiting the call on whether today’s draft legal sprint distance race in Redcar will go ahead as the planned Swim, Bike and Run, I take a moment to reflect on recent performances leading up to the European Championships in Glasgow in a couple of weeks time.
Two weeks ago, was my next ‘A’ race. The British Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships. Held on local turf, at a venue I’ve raced on a number of times now and VO2 Max racing put on another great well organised event at the Woodhorn Colliery mining museum in Ashington, Northumberland.
Two weeks ago, was my next ‘A’ race. The British Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships. Held on local turf, at a venue I’ve raced on a number of times now and VO2 Max racing put on another great well organised event at the Woodhorn Colliery mining museum in Ashington, Northumberland.
Being fairly local to where I live, it gave me the opportunity to travel up on the day before the race to register, leaving race day to be all relaxed and think about what really matters. That is to go out and give it full beans until you cross that finish line. Woodhorn was no different. Packing the car the night before leaves us with only one thing to do, bundle the kids in, still in their pyjamas to arrive nice and early and remain as calm as possible.
We had still been experiencing beautiful weather, which is great for racing and spectating, but am I the only one who is finding it extremely tough going in training at the moment? That feeling of very little oxygen in the air and when I’m on the turbo in the garage, no amount of fans have been able to cool my body temperature down at all.
I certainly won’t complain about the weather though, however it has brought with it further complications of weed control. The regions lakes are blooming with pond weed at the moment and just like at Ripon a few weeks back, there were clumps of it in the lake for this event making it very tough swimming indeed. On this occasion we were back to wearing wetsuits, which is my choice every time if we have the option.
We had still been experiencing beautiful weather, which is great for racing and spectating, but am I the only one who is finding it extremely tough going in training at the moment? That feeling of very little oxygen in the air and when I’m on the turbo in the garage, no amount of fans have been able to cool my body temperature down at all.
I certainly won’t complain about the weather though, however it has brought with it further complications of weed control. The regions lakes are blooming with pond weed at the moment and just like at Ripon a few weeks back, there were clumps of it in the lake for this event making it very tough swimming indeed. On this occasion we were back to wearing wetsuits, which is my choice every time if we have the option.
Not wanting to make the same mistake as Leeds castle, I once again lined up away from the centre of the pack to ensure I had some clear water to swim in from the start before settling down on to feet I could really swim on. A classic triangular shaped swim stood between us and getting out on the bike. Having around 300m to swim up to the first buoy offered the opportunity for the pack to string out sufficiently so I didn’t encounter any issues at the turn. Heading up group two on good feet and 150m later safely around the second turn buoy, we found ourselves with a final straight for home, dodging the weeds as we reached the bank for the 500m or so run up into transition.
23rd out of the water left me once again with a lot of work to do on the bike if I was to rescue anything from the race. But I’ve been riding well of late and immediately set to work to claw back some places.
As it was one mass start in the swim and although I was aware of the position I was exiting the water, I had no idea where I was positioned in my age group British Champs race within the race. Every position I took back was potentially a position closer to the podium. I just had to ride as hard as I possibly could to stand myself with any chance. The weather was kind, blazing sun with a stiff breeze in the air. Not letting up from the start and 18 places reclaimed later with no one to come past me, left me arriving into T2 in 5th place after posting the 6th fastest bike split on the day. After seasons of feeling uncomfortable on the bike, I totally feel at home with this Argon 18 e-118 underneath me riding fast on a Fast Forward trispoke and disc wheel. After a slow motion tumble a few years back I feel in complete confidence once again.
As it was one mass start in the swim and although I was aware of the position I was exiting the water, I had no idea where I was positioned in my age group British Champs race within the race. Every position I took back was potentially a position closer to the podium. I just had to ride as hard as I possibly could to stand myself with any chance. The weather was kind, blazing sun with a stiff breeze in the air. Not letting up from the start and 18 places reclaimed later with no one to come past me, left me arriving into T2 in 5th place after posting the 6th fastest bike split on the day. After seasons of feeling uncomfortable on the bike, I totally feel at home with this Argon 18 e-118 underneath me riding fast on a Fast Forward trispoke and disc wheel. After a slow motion tumble a few years back I feel in complete confidence once again.
What I thought was a quick change left me fuming at the sight of two athletes leaving through transition ahead of me. I had no idea that they were so close on the bike and I was running in 7th Place.
A longer than usual 7.4km run due to the two lap perimeter of the lake, I knew it was going to be hard and all I could think of was the probability of the position I was in my age group. I had to be top four as I knew for sure that James Wilson (35-39), Daniel Jenkin and Edward Castro (30-34) were ahead of me. This was enough motivation in itself when I was going to let the podium slip away from me now. Even more motivation rushed through my body when I came alongside one of the athletes who left transition ahead of me. I was almost certain that Graham Crammond was not in my age group but in the group below. That left the possibility of a national medal almost certain but I couldn’t be sure. We ran together for a short while overtaking the other athlete who had left transition ahead of me with Graham and I was now effectively in 6th with a virtual guaranteed podium. Half a lap to go and I’d lost ground to Graham, I could hear steps behind me getting closer. I had nothing left to react. I don’t know for sure who it was he was much younger than me and a sigh of relief and a wake up call for a final push for home.
I was running fairly quick in a 3:40 min/km pace carrying me back to the event village and through to the finish line. I didn’t recognise anyone else ahead of me around the finish area as being in my age group. A quick visit to the timing van confirmed a solid win with 51 seconds clear of second and 75 seconds clear of third. Absolutely delighted is an understatement, regaining a medal I last won in 2013.
I was running fairly quick in a 3:40 min/km pace carrying me back to the event village and through to the finish line. I didn’t recognise anyone else ahead of me around the finish area as being in my age group. A quick visit to the timing van confirmed a solid win with 51 seconds clear of second and 75 seconds clear of third. Absolutely delighted is an understatement, regaining a medal I last won in 2013.
I’ve been racing well this season probably posting the best results I’ve had for a few years following inconsistencies through injuries in one leg or the other. I have already over exceeded in all my personal goals and expectations with the rest of the season racing every race as a bonus. So with this in mind I’d completely rearranged my race calendar and priorities. With two opportunities to race in the national flag at the European Sprint Triathlon in Glasgow in a couple of weeks time, and looking forward to October for the European Sprint Duathlon in Ibiza, I want to keep the main focus on speed and getting my run legs back to how they used to be.
A change in work plans allowed me the opportunity to race the second local mid week super-sprint event in Ellerton North Yorkshire just over a week later. A week that would see me racing twice in 4 days bringing me right up to date with where I am sitting right now. The super Sprint is a great race training session of 400m swim, 15km bike and a short fast 2.5km run. Further warm conditions had raised the water temperature to borderline levels on what was looking like a non wetsuit swim. I decided early that I wasn’t going to wear a wetsuit as I was taking this as a training session and wanted to get some practice of non wetsuit swimming incase it was required any more this season.
It turned out to be optional. I wasn’t changing my mind now. I will work on the short swim and faster transition to negate the use of the suit. It seemed to work, I was 12th out of the water behind a host of great young academy swimmers. Far to fast for me but a carrot to chase down on the bike. This was all I needed, immediately starting to claw back places of individuals along the route. Until......
Now I will be blunt here. I came across a group of around six or seven of the young academy riders blatantly working together drafting in a group. Now this is a non drafting event. You were informed of that at the start of the race at the briefing if you were listening. As were we all informed of the mandatory foot down at the top of the street joining the main road from transition. This went in one ear and out of the other. In your protected closed road events you may be allowed to draft, but it is cheating in a non drafting race. Don’t do it otherwise you will be found out and embarrassed when you receive your penalty at the end.
Fair play to the draft marshal on the motorcycle. He was doing his job at the sharp end of the race, but it didn’t prevent them from using me as bait as I caught and went straight past them with a couple of KM to go. I’d been flying. I’m not one for segment chasing on Strava but the KOM? It’s now mine (for now at least). I’d raced hard enough to haul myself into 2nd place coming into T2 only to be passed by the young kids I’d seen drafting only a few KMs before. Nothing like fuelling the fire eh!!!
Losing ground to them but staying in striking distance, I was fatigued. The bike really had taken it out of me this time, but once again, like Woodhorn before, I heard steps behind me. I thought it was Paul (Brown), who’d had the same idea as me to work some speed into the legs, but it wasn’t. Craig Boggon from Muckle was having a great run and honestly, passed me at just the right time. It spurred me on for the last mile of the run and chasing down a familiar kit not only to stay away from Browny but to pass the Juniors was all I needed. 3rd across the line ahead of the aforementioned and relegating them all to the minor places was justice in my eyes. Even more so when I saw the results that they had all been given penalties, makes you appreciate the work that that particular moto ref did on the day. This result was made even sweeter when I was promoted to second after the DQ of the first athlete across the line for not heeding the foot down ruling leaving T1.
A change in work plans allowed me the opportunity to race the second local mid week super-sprint event in Ellerton North Yorkshire just over a week later. A week that would see me racing twice in 4 days bringing me right up to date with where I am sitting right now. The super Sprint is a great race training session of 400m swim, 15km bike and a short fast 2.5km run. Further warm conditions had raised the water temperature to borderline levels on what was looking like a non wetsuit swim. I decided early that I wasn’t going to wear a wetsuit as I was taking this as a training session and wanted to get some practice of non wetsuit swimming incase it was required any more this season.
It turned out to be optional. I wasn’t changing my mind now. I will work on the short swim and faster transition to negate the use of the suit. It seemed to work, I was 12th out of the water behind a host of great young academy swimmers. Far to fast for me but a carrot to chase down on the bike. This was all I needed, immediately starting to claw back places of individuals along the route. Until......
Now I will be blunt here. I came across a group of around six or seven of the young academy riders blatantly working together drafting in a group. Now this is a non drafting event. You were informed of that at the start of the race at the briefing if you were listening. As were we all informed of the mandatory foot down at the top of the street joining the main road from transition. This went in one ear and out of the other. In your protected closed road events you may be allowed to draft, but it is cheating in a non drafting race. Don’t do it otherwise you will be found out and embarrassed when you receive your penalty at the end.
Fair play to the draft marshal on the motorcycle. He was doing his job at the sharp end of the race, but it didn’t prevent them from using me as bait as I caught and went straight past them with a couple of KM to go. I’d been flying. I’m not one for segment chasing on Strava but the KOM? It’s now mine (for now at least). I’d raced hard enough to haul myself into 2nd place coming into T2 only to be passed by the young kids I’d seen drafting only a few KMs before. Nothing like fuelling the fire eh!!!
Losing ground to them but staying in striking distance, I was fatigued. The bike really had taken it out of me this time, but once again, like Woodhorn before, I heard steps behind me. I thought it was Paul (Brown), who’d had the same idea as me to work some speed into the legs, but it wasn’t. Craig Boggon from Muckle was having a great run and honestly, passed me at just the right time. It spurred me on for the last mile of the run and chasing down a familiar kit not only to stay away from Browny but to pass the Juniors was all I needed. 3rd across the line ahead of the aforementioned and relegating them all to the minor places was justice in my eyes. Even more so when I saw the results that they had all been given penalties, makes you appreciate the work that that particular moto ref did on the day. This result was made even sweeter when I was promoted to second after the DQ of the first athlete across the line for not heeding the foot down ruling leaving T1.
That brings me right up to date and I’ve just got confirmation that today’s race is Go!!! We were threatened with the possibility of a Duathlon due to the weather conditions, which honestly would have suited me down to the ground in this draft legal race, but as a World Champ qualification event, it’s only right that the true format will decide the final places for Lausanne next September. ....
.... I had no pressures out there today, I had already qualified back at Eton a few races back and sealing this with the British Champs in Woodhorn two weeks ago. I was able to go out there and enjoy it. Although the weather gods were certainly not playing today to make it an enjoyable event, the race was certainly fast and furious. The swim was made even more difficult in that we had all of 40 to 50 meters before the right turn and a long 600m swim parallel to the beach to the final buoy and beach exit.
It was a mass start for all Male age groups under 44yrs and extremely competitive. I’ve seen Black Friday sales more well behaved. The turn was like a washing machine. I was on the inside but thankfully near the front, but it was still a fight. If I wasn’t swimming with my head out of the water, I was being held under with the volume of arms and legs swinging and kicking everywhere. Thankful to be through to the other side, I now had the opportunity to open up and try and get myself as far up the field as possible to set myself up in a good position to organise a working group on the bike.
Approaching the final buoy and turn to the swim exit on the beach, we had another long run from the sea up to the promenade and around into transition. I came into transition with Jason Cuttler, just as I did in Eton. We immediately set to work on the bike. With one other who also happened to be in our age group, we worked well together and immediately set about dragging back some of the faster swimmers. It didn’t take long and before the bottom turn on lap one, we had swallowed up a large group who had fallen away from the faster cyclists. The three of us were still working well but we had company. A group were not pulling their weight and making it difficult those that were working.
We did not want to be carrying passengers, passengers that ruined the dynamic of the group which had been flowing well. Into lap three, I had to start making my mouth go. Sitting up and allowing the gaps to form immediately whipped some of them into action, but not for long. A couple of turns and rotating out of sync, I’d had enough. I put the hammer down taking both Jason and our original group with us. Dropping the remainder of the group it was hurting. I couldn’t risk a faster runner being dragged round by us only to float by out of transition.
Lap four came to an end and we were almost home. Only three laps to run around a very spectator friendly course, Jason set off like a rocket. I was still finding my feet but closing in past other runners. Turning on lap two and I was shortly joined by Paul Brown. Both familiar faces of who I’ve been racing against recently made for some great regionally rivalry and hot racing. I was off the pace today, I worked very hard in the group on the bike to so maybe that had effected me. Either way, I crossed the line thinking I was third behind Jason and Paul, only to find out that first in our age group was in a faster bunch up the road a little. 21st overall and 4th out of 43 in my age group all within 44 seconds, would have been enough to qualify for the world championships had I not already done so.
Another solid race to set me up nicely for the Europeans in two weeks time. Races that have seen me pushing my limits to the maximum and coming out of the other side with no aggravation leaving me confident in my own body and being able to push on come race day.
All that’s left now is my final week of tough training leading up to race week and final preparations before I see you on the other side.
Thank you once again for all the help I have had in getting back to where I am from ERDINGER Alkoholfrei, RACESKIN, ELIVAR, FAST FORWARD WHEELS, AQUASPHERE and COALFIELDS TRI CLUB.
All that’s left now is my final week of tough training leading up to race week and final preparations before I see you on the other side.
Thank you once again for all the help I have had in getting back to where I am from ERDINGER Alkoholfrei, RACESKIN, ELIVAR, FAST FORWARD WHEELS, AQUASPHERE and COALFIELDS TRI CLUB.
As always I would be able to do this without the love and support from my nearest and dearest, Charlotte, Freya and Arlo for all your patience, and to Mam and Dad for always being there.