Winter has not been the best of times for me over the past few years, struggling with injuries and trying to find some sort of honest consistency. You may have been there before. Just beginning to get yourself back together again and then bang!!! Not only does your fitness take a hit, but mentally, when you are used to regular physical activity, you struggle to cope with being sidelined and wondering when you may be ready to toe the start line again.
The past 2-3 years have seen the same story rear its ugly head and the ending has always been the same. Get fit (or think you are), train (playing catch up), realise it's to early and suffer a recurrence. It's difficult for anyone, but knowing what I know about the unhealthy side of an inactive life, I don't particularly want to return there again.
Having said that, 2016 was fairly successful. Fairly successful in that I managed to get through a full season, after only a few little niggles during the early months, without any major issues. 3rd place at the Bedford Autodrome Standard Duathlon, which was the British National Champs, was a completely unexpected outcome but a great start to the racing year.
The past 2-3 years have seen the same story rear its ugly head and the ending has always been the same. Get fit (or think you are), train (playing catch up), realise it's to early and suffer a recurrence. It's difficult for anyone, but knowing what I know about the unhealthy side of an inactive life, I don't particularly want to return there again.
Having said that, 2016 was fairly successful. Fairly successful in that I managed to get through a full season, after only a few little niggles during the early months, without any major issues. 3rd place at the Bedford Autodrome Standard Duathlon, which was the British National Champs, was a completely unexpected outcome but a great start to the racing year.
Aims of the season were largely unchanged. To qualify for major championship events again representing the GB age group team as they have over recent years. Luckily despite injuries, I have still managed to qualify year on year out right for both Duathlon and Triathlon at European and World events. 2017 was no different. I was already booked up to travel to Kitzbuhel for the European Standard Distance Triathlon Champs, followed by a day's drive up to Dusseldorf for the European Sprint Distance Champs only a week later. I had left some demons back in Kitzbuhel from the European Sprint a few years earlier after losing control on a descent and almost crashing out in atrocious conditions. This time around, the conditions couldn't have been more perfect. A beautiful day meant for great racing only to see my lack of fitness catching up on me at such a significant level of competition. 20th though was acceptable when I just wanted to ensure I finished this time around.
A week later, after the journey back up North, arriving in Dusseldorf for the Sprint Euro Champs, the story was a little different. A distance I have always loved the strongest, keeping it short but working hard and keeping it fast. The course, completely lacking in hills and being the straightest of lines out and back on the bike suited me down to the ground. It may not be for everyone but it's what I prefer, racing on the limit, fluttering around the red line for around an hour. 7th place was more than acceptable in my mind.
Ending the season with another trip to Europe for the World Triathlon Championships in Rotterdam, this was the first time I had had the opportunity to compete at the grand final event since bad times in London in 2013. I couldn't wait, but following some further calf niggles, I had been prevented from doing any running leading up to the event, just so I could get on the start line. A good swim and striping bike preceded a poor run through pain where the wheels just fell off. Nothing was preventing me from finishing this time though and it didn't. 36th.
An end to the season was welcomed. I had time to take some time off and resetting my body was my main goal. Time off running, looking after myself and starting to build myself up were on the menu for the winter. This worked a treat. Knowing that a successful 2017, in addition to the Duathlon medal, it had seen me qualify for the European Sprint Tri in Glasgow later in the year, and qualifying for both Sprint and Standard at the European Duathlon Champs in Ibiza to see the season come to a close. I fully intend to hit the ground running in 2018 with a solid winter of base fitness building. This is what has been seriously lacking in my schedule over the last few years.
So why the long and short of it? Well, some people say it's the longest and coldest season, partly because there are no events to break it up, and the short days make for dark depressing nights to cram the training into. Flip this on its head. This winter for me has been the shortest in recent times and the longest period, this time of year, that I've gone niggle free. I'm now starting to believe that those issues are completely behind me and gaining more and more confidence in my own abilities once again....
... fast forward to this weekend. Many miles on the bike, predominantly on the indoor trainer, and trail runs around the beautiful County Durham countryside. Taking in Regular loops of the city and back home. I found myself thrown straight into the deep end to measure my fitness at the Anglian Water Standard Duathlon. A race that saw itself certified as a 2018 world championship qualifying event, and a target of mine, the 2019 European Championship. I didn't know how I was feeling. I didn't know what to expect. Over the winter I'd also subscribed to Training Peaks for the first time, the graphs and the numbers were telling me I was in a good position. But I wanted proof, and I needed to convince myself that I could compete again.
So why the long and short of it? Well, some people say it's the longest and coldest season, partly because there are no events to break it up, and the short days make for dark depressing nights to cram the training into. Flip this on its head. This winter for me has been the shortest in recent times and the longest period, this time of year, that I've gone niggle free. I'm now starting to believe that those issues are completely behind me and gaining more and more confidence in my own abilities once again....
... fast forward to this weekend. Many miles on the bike, predominantly on the indoor trainer, and trail runs around the beautiful County Durham countryside. Taking in Regular loops of the city and back home. I found myself thrown straight into the deep end to measure my fitness at the Anglian Water Standard Duathlon. A race that saw itself certified as a 2018 world championship qualifying event, and a target of mine, the 2019 European Championship. I didn't know how I was feeling. I didn't know what to expect. Over the winter I'd also subscribed to Training Peaks for the first time, the graphs and the numbers were telling me I was in a good position. But I wanted proof, and I needed to convince myself that I could compete again.
I'd raced this event before and I knew the course. I chose not to revisit my previous result so that I was going in blind to just race my own race. As always, I tried to position myself on to the front line, but I knew this was a tight sprint down to the toe path around the reservoir. I managed to position just left of centre on the front line. Perfect for a good line down to the left turn around 3-400 m down the track. Settimg off like it was a 5km foot race, I kept the front runners in sight up to the turn point where I was sitting around 7/8th place. Fading slightly due to the high pace, I managed to return back to transition 9.3km later in 35 mins. I hadn't ran this fast I'm some time.
I was only seconds behind a small group ahead, wasting no time I was out of transition. Before you knew it, regaining 3 places so I could get to work on the bike. It was a misty morning and it was difficult to gauge how far ahead the riders were ahead so I just attempted to hurt myself like I hadn't for some time. I wanted to trust the numbers i'd achieved over the winter and set off strong, soon catching some of the faster runners. As I approached the turn point, I still had not passed any of the leaders coming back down the other side of the road. I was on to the roundabout with only two cyclists ahead. Stamping down on the pedals I found myself leading the race which I did all the way back to the start and into the start of the second lap. I was fading. I knew I was in the lead, but I'd worked so hard on the first lap that I struggled to pace myself and found my speed drifting. As I was passed, I was thankful for a rabbit to chase down and keep me in the race. This worked. As the lead changed hands in my favour once again before the final lap turn point, I settled down in preparation to tackle the final 5km foot race.
I was only seconds behind a small group ahead, wasting no time I was out of transition. Before you knew it, regaining 3 places so I could get to work on the bike. It was a misty morning and it was difficult to gauge how far ahead the riders were ahead so I just attempted to hurt myself like I hadn't for some time. I wanted to trust the numbers i'd achieved over the winter and set off strong, soon catching some of the faster runners. As I approached the turn point, I still had not passed any of the leaders coming back down the other side of the road. I was on to the roundabout with only two cyclists ahead. Stamping down on the pedals I found myself leading the race which I did all the way back to the start and into the start of the second lap. I was fading. I knew I was in the lead, but I'd worked so hard on the first lap that I struggled to pace myself and found my speed drifting. As I was passed, I was thankful for a rabbit to chase down and keep me in the race. This worked. As the lead changed hands in my favour once again before the final lap turn point, I settled down in preparation to tackle the final 5km foot race.
Leaving transition 2 in the lead, I was struggling to feel my feet. It had been a while, although I'm sure this was the same for everyone, but I once again had that feeling of running on bricks. Holding the lead for a mile and a half as I turned I was passed. Not by the same athlete that was battling on the bike, but by someone else. I had the distinct advantage of knowing I was on my way home now for the final 2.5km and still hadn't passed third place coming in the opposite direction. I just had to run for my life. I'd let first get to far ahead and was no way I could catch now but I could settle for a stron second place overall podium position. This I managed. Crossing the line to see Freya, Arlo and Charlotte was the best feeling I'd had in some time. Freya had seen a few podiums, Arlo not so many. This is his!!! Heartfelt ha is have to go to my family for sticking with me, especially this winter that has seen many long hours training to try and get me back to where I've been. To my sponsors ERDINGER Alkoholfrei for all their support over the last few years. And to Elivar sports nutrition for keeping me hydrated before, during and after my training and competition.
Next up...... Clumber Park Sprint Duathlon in March.
Next up...... Clumber Park Sprint Duathlon in March.