it seems like only yesterday when I was saying goodbye to the 2018 race season, a season that surpassed my expectations given recent form with injuries. For two or three years I had been carrying niggles which prevented me from truly trying!
When I say truly trying, most of you know I give my racing my all but when you psychologically hold your body back to prevent from being hurt it can often cause more damage than good. Compensation injuries are real and swapping from one leg to another became the story of my life.
That was then, this is now! Reflecting on a 2018 season which only went and saw me collect the British Sprint Championships gold gong once again on a hot day in Northumberland, a bronze medal at the British Standard Duathlon Champs in Bedford and trips to Ibiza and Glasgow to wear the GB Age Group kit once again.
Success didn’t stop there, my goal was Qualification to wear the flag again across Europe. A goal which I achieved to race in Pontevedra, Spain at the World Sprint Duathlon Championships, another opportunity to take the road bike out draft legal. Weert in Holland for the European Standard Distance Triathlon Champs ending in Lausanne in Switzerland for the World Sprint and Standard Triathlon Champs.
Unfortunately I have had to stand down from the European Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon Champs in Kazan Russia and Targu Mures in Romania. Sometimes family must come first.
When I say truly trying, most of you know I give my racing my all but when you psychologically hold your body back to prevent from being hurt it can often cause more damage than good. Compensation injuries are real and swapping from one leg to another became the story of my life.
That was then, this is now! Reflecting on a 2018 season which only went and saw me collect the British Sprint Championships gold gong once again on a hot day in Northumberland, a bronze medal at the British Standard Duathlon Champs in Bedford and trips to Ibiza and Glasgow to wear the GB Age Group kit once again.
Success didn’t stop there, my goal was Qualification to wear the flag again across Europe. A goal which I achieved to race in Pontevedra, Spain at the World Sprint Duathlon Championships, another opportunity to take the road bike out draft legal. Weert in Holland for the European Standard Distance Triathlon Champs ending in Lausanne in Switzerland for the World Sprint and Standard Triathlon Champs.
Unfortunately I have had to stand down from the European Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon Champs in Kazan Russia and Targu Mures in Romania. Sometimes family must come first.
Winter for me has been and gone now. I’ve taken the opportunity to work hard on my fitness after a few weeks off recharging after the Euro Duathlon in Ibiza and I’ve worked on my weaknesses. I’ve sorted my head out and moved on after witnessing the most disgusting display of cheating I have ever seen from people you would have least expected it from! Collecting acclaim that is dirty and undeserving, said people need to ask questions of themselves and their integrity. All thanks to Elliot once again for keeping me in shape and ensuring I get through the sessions in the darkest of times. It gets quite lonely locked away in the garage on the turbo trainer, but once again for the second winter running, zwift has been a revelation, passing those hours and keeping the training consistent.
Another consistent, on last winter at least, is another solid winter break on two legs. Running is my love to get away and escape, with the added advantage that it helps regulate my weight.
Since my weight issues of yesteryear I really have to work hard on body composition. Something that is very difficult when you train hard and love food. Usually my discipline is extremely erratic, but since the new year I’ve knuckled down to be 3kg lighter than where I finished off the season. Only 3kg more until I’m back at my best. This will help my running and my running will help this. The treadmill has been great for this and probably, the single most valued purchase I’ve made. I think!!!
Another consistent, on last winter at least, is another solid winter break on two legs. Running is my love to get away and escape, with the added advantage that it helps regulate my weight.
Since my weight issues of yesteryear I really have to work hard on body composition. Something that is very difficult when you train hard and love food. Usually my discipline is extremely erratic, but since the new year I’ve knuckled down to be 3kg lighter than where I finished off the season. Only 3kg more until I’m back at my best. This will help my running and my running will help this. The treadmill has been great for this and probably, the single most valued purchase I’ve made. I think!!!
Having said all of this, it brings us up to today!
The all to familiar feeling of being packed up in the car travelling to my opening race of the season. A perennial favourite hosted by friend Keith Ritchie and his team at NiceTri. Once again the Anglian Water Duathlon at Graffam Water is a world championship Standard Distance Qualification event. Straight in at the deep end for the first race of the season. I know that I’ve trained hard. I know I have stayed consistent, and I know I have hit the numbers and hours that have been asked of me. It’s going to be a long season again leading up to my first A race in Pontevedra, everything between now and then is a bloody hard training session.
The all to familiar feeling of being packed up in the car travelling to my opening race of the season. A perennial favourite hosted by friend Keith Ritchie and his team at NiceTri. Once again the Anglian Water Duathlon at Graffam Water is a world championship Standard Distance Qualification event. Straight in at the deep end for the first race of the season. I know that I’ve trained hard. I know I have stayed consistent, and I know I have hit the numbers and hours that have been asked of me. It’s going to be a long season again leading up to my first A race in Pontevedra, everything between now and then is a bloody hard training session.
I love this part of the season, but I hate it just as much if that resonates? How do I know I’m going to be fit enough? How do I know I’m going to perform? All I can do is what I’ve done for the last 7 years. That is to trust your mate! Your coach! The slave driver! Consistency was the method he taught me and that is what he lives by! It’s worked so far (bar injuries) and I had got me where I wanted to go. So for now I can believe in myself now and believe in the magic he has worked. It won’t disappoint.
And if it does? We do what we do, we de brief, we reset, we have a good drink and we start again for the next target. So for now, I will leave you with this list of where I can be found and his season.
Keeping my fingers crossed for the strength of Thor tomorrow and the fight of my late dog Skye who closed her eyes two weeks ago never to open again!!!
I will see you again Skye, we will walk again. Charlotte has her medal Freya and Arlo both have theirs, but this year is yours my best friend.....
And if it does? We do what we do, we de brief, we reset, we have a good drink and we start again for the next target. So for now, I will leave you with this list of where I can be found and his season.
Keeping my fingers crossed for the strength of Thor tomorrow and the fight of my late dog Skye who closed her eyes two weeks ago never to open again!!!
I will see you again Skye, we will walk again. Charlotte has her medal Freya and Arlo both have theirs, but this year is yours my best friend.....
2019 Race Season
17/2 Anglian water Standard Duathlon ✅
10/3 Bedford Sprint Duathlon ✅
23/3 Clumber Park Standard Duathlon
7/4 Bedford Standard Duathlon brit Champs✅
14/4 Stockton-on-Tees Sprint Duathlon✅
21/4 Washington Sprint Duathlon ✅
27/4 Pontevedra World Sprint Du Champs✅
19/5 Eton Dornay Sprint Triathlon ✅
1/6 Weert Holland Euro Standard Tri Champs✅
9/6 Leeds ITU British Standard Champs✅
15/6 Nottingham ITU brit Sprint Champs✅
29-30/6 Ripon Tri ???
13/7 Woodhorn Standard Tri ✅
14/7 m3 Sprint Tri Monikie, Dundee
28/7 Redcar sprint draft legal???
18/8 Hertfordshire Sprint English Champ ✅
31/8 World Sprint Champs Lausanne, Swiss
22/9 Darley Moor Duathlon Sprint
13/10 Bedford Standard Du✅
Going to throw in some local races to get that speed back up again including the midweek super sprint series On -
26th June✅
24th July✅
17/2 Anglian water Standard Duathlon ✅
10/3 Bedford Sprint Duathlon ✅
23/3 Clumber Park Standard Duathlon
7/4 Bedford Standard Duathlon brit Champs✅
14/4 Stockton-on-Tees Sprint Duathlon✅
21/4 Washington Sprint Duathlon ✅
27/4 Pontevedra World Sprint Du Champs✅
19/5 Eton Dornay Sprint Triathlon ✅
1/6 Weert Holland Euro Standard Tri Champs✅
9/6 Leeds ITU British Standard Champs✅
15/6 Nottingham ITU brit Sprint Champs✅
29-30/6 Ripon Tri ???
13/7 Woodhorn Standard Tri ✅
14/7 m3 Sprint Tri Monikie, Dundee
28/7 Redcar sprint draft legal???
18/8 Hertfordshire Sprint English Champ ✅
31/8 World Sprint Champs Lausanne, Swiss
22/9 Darley Moor Duathlon Sprint
13/10 Bedford Standard Du✅
Going to throw in some local races to get that speed back up again including the midweek super sprint series On -
26th June✅
24th July✅
Thank you once again for all my support first of all from Charlotte Freya and Arlo for travelling the world with me.
To my amazing product and sponsorship support for without whom I wouldn’t be able to do this silly game of multisport.
ERDINGER Alkoholfrei my team my sponsors
RaceSkin for my kit
Elivar for all my nutrition
Fast Forward (FFWD) for my wheel support
Aquasphere for the best swim kit there is
And Coalfields Tri Club
To my amazing product and sponsorship support for without whom I wouldn’t be able to do this silly game of multisport.
ERDINGER Alkoholfrei my team my sponsors
RaceSkin for my kit
Elivar for all my nutrition
Fast Forward (FFWD) for my wheel support
Aquasphere for the best swim kit there is
And Coalfields Tri Club