A less than ordinary week in the life of an Age Grouper started pretty well at the North Easts first competitive Multisport event of the season on Sunday. Those of you who have read all of my blogs, will already know by now that for the third time, I will be starting my North East season with the Stokesley Spring Duathlon.
Spring!!! It had been touch and go all week as to whether or not the race was going to be going ahead in safe, dry conditions, considering the snow and seasonably/unseasonably (Delete as appropriate) weather we had experienced during the week leading up to the race.
Training has been going well, although I have been away with work a lot recently now that my territory sees me travelling around Scotland and Northern Ireland, and I was confident and in no doubt at all that everything was going to go to plan. However, as this was the first competitive race of the season, I bet that I was experiencing a feeling what many of you have had recently, or will be experiencing over the coming weeks. Nerves are something that are always difficult to understand. Certainly how they are going to affect you, I was not nervous in the slightest about whether I could do this. Remember, Ive just raced Dambuster and a recent short charity duathlon and had some great perforances, on this occasion its just the thought about how you are going to fair against the guys you know and the very same guys that I am sure I will be racing against week in and week out throughout the season.
Spring!!! It had been touch and go all week as to whether or not the race was going to be going ahead in safe, dry conditions, considering the snow and seasonably/unseasonably (Delete as appropriate) weather we had experienced during the week leading up to the race.
Training has been going well, although I have been away with work a lot recently now that my territory sees me travelling around Scotland and Northern Ireland, and I was confident and in no doubt at all that everything was going to go to plan. However, as this was the first competitive race of the season, I bet that I was experiencing a feeling what many of you have had recently, or will be experiencing over the coming weeks. Nerves are something that are always difficult to understand. Certainly how they are going to affect you, I was not nervous in the slightest about whether I could do this. Remember, Ive just raced Dambuster and a recent short charity duathlon and had some great perforances, on this occasion its just the thought about how you are going to fair against the guys you know and the very same guys that I am sure I will be racing against week in and week out throughout the season.
A benchmark was something I was looking for here. The mark I set myself last year was to place second overall around 10seconds down on the winner. This year 3rd place was the reward for a good consistent winter training regimen with a strong field turning out. The same guy who won last year placed second this year however I just fell short of catching him by 4 seconds. Better luck next year eh?
Strong early running on the first section saw me enter T1 in a group of 3 athletes battling for third place. A truely awful transition and I was fumbling with my helmet strap as I was wearing gloves for the first time, however I dont see this as a big issue further down the line as we wont be wearing gloves all season, especially in June when the races truely count. So leaving T1 down in around 5th or 6th place meant I had a chase on my hands. This I dont always mind. It gives you something to aim for, and before long I was approaching and taking second place. I held for a while before losing out on the hill towards the half way village on the first of two laps. I maintained my chase and distance which I thought may be difficult to maintain on run 2. Looking back at results, I knew I was chasing a strong runner, but if the race goes to form from last year, then a slower second run will see me gain here.
A quick T2 and a strung out field meant I was in constant eyesight of my nearest competitor in second place, this is what I was chasing. At the halfway turn, he could now see me chasing down and stepped the pace up to which I responded. I was now pushing as hard as I could and could not kick anymore. Maybe I was slightly complaicent because I had still not passed 4th place on the road in the opposite direction. It was not until we had around 2km left to run that I saw him, but I managed to maintain my pace and hold it through to the finish. Finishing only 4 seconds in third but 3 minutes before the next athlete.
This bodes well for Morpeth next week. Or does it?.....
I thought it would and there would be no reason why it shouldnt as long as I follow the programme and look after myself, but what I was about to experience was out of my hands. Freya hasn't been to well herself recently with a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea which kept her and Charlotte away from only their second race (the first being a time trial the weekend Freya was born). Poor thing mustn't have known what had hit her. Trust me, I did! Ive not had a sick day from work in as long as I can remember, but with a night of nursing the toilet bowl myself almost on the minute, every minute, I even considered sleeping in the bath. It started with a sharp chill through my entire body, and the rest, well lets just say I wouldn't wish on any of you!!! Happy Birthday Charlotte, I will make it up to you I promise.
I was back to work Wednesday for a trip over to Northern Ireland for two days, but still completely dehydrated and couldnt keep anything together. Maybe an extreme way to hit seasons race weight of 67KG but I wouldnt recommend it, as it wont stay there for long while I build my energy levels back up.
Good Friday became Great Friday and saw me introduce training back into my day. I had previously said to Charlotte that I was writing off Morpeth Duathlon if I was not feeling better by Saturday morning, but to my delight I had improved. Today, I was even better, banging out 3k in the pool sees a nice road bike spin for a couple of hours in the morning and we will be ready to go.
I cant say I am going to be fit to race, or have the strength to compete, but a good training session whatever the outcome it will be. This time, the whole family will be there. It will be nice to have my brother and his family there to as it always is. And as for Freya, she is back to her bubbly little self, laughing and smiling at everyone and eveything, even through the bout of Chicken Pox she managed to pick up in the week to.
Anyway I think I have managed to loose my nerves, as everything else now
This bodes well for Morpeth next week. Or does it?.....
I thought it would and there would be no reason why it shouldnt as long as I follow the programme and look after myself, but what I was about to experience was out of my hands. Freya hasn't been to well herself recently with a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea which kept her and Charlotte away from only their second race (the first being a time trial the weekend Freya was born). Poor thing mustn't have known what had hit her. Trust me, I did! Ive not had a sick day from work in as long as I can remember, but with a night of nursing the toilet bowl myself almost on the minute, every minute, I even considered sleeping in the bath. It started with a sharp chill through my entire body, and the rest, well lets just say I wouldn't wish on any of you!!! Happy Birthday Charlotte, I will make it up to you I promise.
I was back to work Wednesday for a trip over to Northern Ireland for two days, but still completely dehydrated and couldnt keep anything together. Maybe an extreme way to hit seasons race weight of 67KG but I wouldnt recommend it, as it wont stay there for long while I build my energy levels back up.
Good Friday became Great Friday and saw me introduce training back into my day. I had previously said to Charlotte that I was writing off Morpeth Duathlon if I was not feeling better by Saturday morning, but to my delight I had improved. Today, I was even better, banging out 3k in the pool sees a nice road bike spin for a couple of hours in the morning and we will be ready to go.
I cant say I am going to be fit to race, or have the strength to compete, but a good training session whatever the outcome it will be. This time, the whole family will be there. It will be nice to have my brother and his family there to as it always is. And as for Freya, she is back to her bubbly little self, laughing and smiling at everyone and eveything, even through the bout of Chicken Pox she managed to pick up in the week to.
Anyway I think I have managed to loose my nerves, as everything else now