well i managed to run all the way after finishing an Ironman Triathlon 3 weeks ago today. And in a fast(ish) time too. 2 Hrs 46 Mins 38 Secs........330 overall. Cant be bad, eh?
I went out for dinner with Daz and Anthea Sharpe last night and got back to the Easyjet hotel at Victoria with a painful tummy! Bless!
I was meant to meet Daz at Victoria Stn this morning but the gates to the Underground were locked and I missed the Tube having to make my way to Blackheath on my own. Waterloo was out of action. Good old London hosting the biggest race in the world decide to have line works on this weekend same as last year! Nice one Boris...numpty!
Chilled out in the AAA tent at Blackheath with RAF team. Caught up with old friends. Decided to warm up enroute...after all its a long way.
Set off easy so I thought but still went thru mile1 on 5:45ish. The plan was to run on feel and go steady to half about 1:20. I went thru on 1:19:30ish. not bad!
I started to miss the timings about 15-16 miles going thru in 6:50/mile when I was meant to be doing 6:15's hmmmm.
Mile 21 really suffering from quad cramp but trying hard not to think about it. We all know thought induced cramp brings it on more quick. At 22m I tried to quicken up, after some mental maths, to make 2:45.
The last 2.2 miles I felt like I was hammering along, despite the sore quads, but going no quicker.
With 800 metres to go I needed an olympic time to break 2:45 but still I tried. Better to try and fail than never try at all.
I did manage to catch a Navy runner about 10 metres from the line.
so positives....
I finished in the top 500
I was within a min of my pb depite doing an ironman 3 weeks ago
I tried a different running strategy that nearly paid off.
I had a massage after to help recovery
I'm in reasonably good shape and in for a good season
got to meet up with old friends
negatives..
it was too hot(and that's beyond my control)
I missed my pb(so what, there'll be other times)
had tummy problems before and after the race
here's looking forward to Cyprus training camp!
Sunday 26 April 2009
Thursday 23 April 2009
First 10TT for about 2yrs
I did my first 10 TT last night and OMG I forgot how much they can hurt. With only a few days to go to the London Marathon I thought I would deplete my carb reserves by doing the Bourne Wheelers 10 Mile Time trial. On a bike not on foot!
I had got home earlier in the day for parent's evening at my son's school and was still there at 1840hrs when the last appointment was at 1800hrs. A quick call to Paul Breeze to secure a starting number, I raced home, threw the bike in the car, changed into skinsuit and set off for the 15mile drive to the start. I arrived with number 17 on the start line and I was (last rider)number 21 off! As I pumped my tyres a friend attached my number to the race belt and I arrived on the line with 20secs to go.
I set off without a watch or HR monitor and basically just rode as hard as I could despite not having done any speed sessions. My lungs were burning! I caught number 20 fairly quickly on the hilly section but number 19 was a 16yr old lad with awesome power and potential for greater things. He finished in 23:05. I finished in 24:23 with an average speed of 24.61mph.
My legs feel OK today but my lungs are still burning a bit. Generally I was very pleased with the TT and realise that a little better prep and a warm up may make for faster times. A positive wind direction makes the Aslackby course one of the fastest Bourne Wheelers TT and I think my best on there was a long 22 a few years ago. Still early in the season!
Roll on Sunday afternoon!
I had got home earlier in the day for parent's evening at my son's school and was still there at 1840hrs when the last appointment was at 1800hrs. A quick call to Paul Breeze to secure a starting number, I raced home, threw the bike in the car, changed into skinsuit and set off for the 15mile drive to the start. I arrived with number 17 on the start line and I was (last rider)number 21 off! As I pumped my tyres a friend attached my number to the race belt and I arrived on the line with 20secs to go.
I set off without a watch or HR monitor and basically just rode as hard as I could despite not having done any speed sessions. My lungs were burning! I caught number 20 fairly quickly on the hilly section but number 19 was a 16yr old lad with awesome power and potential for greater things. He finished in 23:05. I finished in 24:23 with an average speed of 24.61mph.
My legs feel OK today but my lungs are still burning a bit. Generally I was very pleased with the TT and realise that a little better prep and a warm up may make for faster times. A positive wind direction makes the Aslackby course one of the fastest Bourne Wheelers TT and I think my best on there was a long 22 a few years ago. Still early in the season!
Roll on Sunday afternoon!
Tuesday 21 April 2009
nearly London Marathon time!
with only a few days to go to the London Marathon I am starting to wonder just how I will run the race, I want to run sub 2hr 45min. Do I run a 1:20 followed by another with a few mins of leeway or nail it and hang on....hmmmm. It would be easier to make the decision if I had 1000's of long training miles.
I have done a handful of runs since the Ironman two weeks ago. A 4km jog a few days after. A 5.5 mile steady the weekend after. A fast 6.25 last Wednesday and 10x1min hill efforts last Thursday with the appropriate warm up and down. Last night I trained with the BRAT guys doing just shy of 10miles in 1hr 18min. I had a slightly painful massage tonight with Hannah. She manages to find all the knots!
just a bit of hydration and carbo loading then roll on Sunday and hope the Ironman has left my body.
Results to follow.....race number 756
I have done a handful of runs since the Ironman two weeks ago. A 4km jog a few days after. A 5.5 mile steady the weekend after. A fast 6.25 last Wednesday and 10x1min hill efforts last Thursday with the appropriate warm up and down. Last night I trained with the BRAT guys doing just shy of 10miles in 1hr 18min. I had a slightly painful massage tonight with Hannah. She manages to find all the knots!
just a bit of hydration and carbo loading then roll on Sunday and hope the Ironman has left my body.
Results to follow.....race number 756
Sunday 12 April 2009
One week post-Ironman
What a difference a week makes. This time last Sunday i was cooking under the African sun wish away the miles to the end of the Ironman, this week I'm comtemplating how to run the London Marathon in 2 weeks.
Last weeks Ironman was my slowest from 4 races but I achieved the highest overall position(27th), a podium place (2nd) and had my 2nd fastest swim (57:43) thanks to a new Blueseventy Helix wetsuit.
So how was the race?
SWIM
Daz Sharpe knocked my goggles 50m into the swim(cheers Mate?), we had both decided to race tactically positioning ourselves way to the left of the pro's taking the straightest line to the first turn. We would swim further but hopefully lead the weaker swimmers. Hmmm me thinks some others had the same idea. The bun fight lasted a whole lap meaning my goggles got knocked a few more times. After the beach run half way (27 min something) I settled to my own pace in clear water. Result 57:43
T1
No help available in the tent. Dropped a few gels from the cycle jersey pockets and mixed the flavours up. Result 2:51
BIKE
The first lap was good. Settled riding, eating the gels and drinking mostly B.fuel by Be-Well. The second lap was ok and slight slower as I made use of the special needs bag to take on more B.fuel which was still cool having been frozen overnight. Lap three was getting tough in the heat and I got a little bilious and had to discipline myself to take the gels regardless of how I felt. The wind never seemed to be in one direction. Did my number 1 with 3km to go. Result 5:12:26
T2
Nice and steady. Lots of suncream on. feeling good. Result 2:25
Run
set of at HR160 as planned to run a 3:10. This lasted a couple of km as my bowels had other ideas. In desperate need of a toilet for 3km I found one in a field around the 5KM mark. One km later I needed the same but had to wait til 8km.Running again at HR148 was comfortable but I drank too many bags of water in the attempt to hydrate and cool but it sloshed in my stomach. I plodded to the 37 Km mark when I had stopped drinking and was using water to cool my arms legs and head. The last 5km was an all or nothing in an attempt to get on the podium. Unknown to me was that 3rd place was 20minutes behind me. I left Roger Canham with 3km to go and pushed as hard as I could. It felt like sprinting. !km to go and I unleashed the fury with all I had. A few high 5's down the shute and an eye on the clock spotted (9:48:54 and counting). I eventually crossed the line in my fourth Sub 10 Hour Ironman. Result 9:49:14
Last weeks Ironman was my slowest from 4 races but I achieved the highest overall position(27th), a podium place (2nd) and had my 2nd fastest swim (57:43) thanks to a new Blueseventy Helix wetsuit.
So how was the race?
SWIM
Daz Sharpe knocked my goggles 50m into the swim(cheers Mate?), we had both decided to race tactically positioning ourselves way to the left of the pro's taking the straightest line to the first turn. We would swim further but hopefully lead the weaker swimmers. Hmmm me thinks some others had the same idea. The bun fight lasted a whole lap meaning my goggles got knocked a few more times. After the beach run half way (27 min something) I settled to my own pace in clear water. Result 57:43
T1
No help available in the tent. Dropped a few gels from the cycle jersey pockets and mixed the flavours up. Result 2:51
BIKE
The first lap was good. Settled riding, eating the gels and drinking mostly B.fuel by Be-Well. The second lap was ok and slight slower as I made use of the special needs bag to take on more B.fuel which was still cool having been frozen overnight. Lap three was getting tough in the heat and I got a little bilious and had to discipline myself to take the gels regardless of how I felt. The wind never seemed to be in one direction. Did my number 1 with 3km to go. Result 5:12:26
T2
Nice and steady. Lots of suncream on. feeling good. Result 2:25
Run
set of at HR160 as planned to run a 3:10. This lasted a couple of km as my bowels had other ideas. In desperate need of a toilet for 3km I found one in a field around the 5KM mark. One km later I needed the same but had to wait til 8km.Running again at HR148 was comfortable but I drank too many bags of water in the attempt to hydrate and cool but it sloshed in my stomach. I plodded to the 37 Km mark when I had stopped drinking and was using water to cool my arms legs and head. The last 5km was an all or nothing in an attempt to get on the podium. Unknown to me was that 3rd place was 20minutes behind me. I left Roger Canham with 3km to go and pushed as hard as I could. It felt like sprinting. !km to go and I unleashed the fury with all I had. A few high 5's down the shute and an eye on the clock spotted (9:48:54 and counting). I eventually crossed the line in my fourth Sub 10 Hour Ironman. Result 9:49:14
Saturday 4 April 2009
transition done,ready to GO!
hi all readers
The pasta party was last night and the opportunity to fill our faces with pasta and cakes and enjoy a show by some Zulu dancing. The hype was building and the goose bumps starting.
Today we have just checked into transition and both have good spots for the bike exit. Daz has an awesome spot for his bags too. Mine are OK, halfway up the racks. Gave our best wishes to Stephen and Bella Bayliss. What other sport do the pro's chat to you as an equal!! Good luck to all UK athletes.
We went to the Seaview Lion Sanctuary/Park yesterday and had photos taken with the lion cubs and a safari tour in our hire car BUT today we went to Kragga Kamma park to see the cheetah's. What an experience! We both had our photo's taken with Duma the full grown male. I layed behind him and stroked his head and cheeks. Then if that wasn't good enough the ranger took us into the one year cubs. Again we had lots of photos with the fastest mammal on earth. The best!
Went to the race brief this afternoon. There are plenty of penalty opportunities including for littering. You get a 100m window around the feeds otherwise its a yellow card and a stop, sign in and go. Drafting is 4min penalty.
We eat our final meal in about an hour then its bed then breakfast and HAMMERTIME!!
Heres hoping for a fast time.
BFN
The pasta party was last night and the opportunity to fill our faces with pasta and cakes and enjoy a show by some Zulu dancing. The hype was building and the goose bumps starting.
Today we have just checked into transition and both have good spots for the bike exit. Daz has an awesome spot for his bags too. Mine are OK, halfway up the racks. Gave our best wishes to Stephen and Bella Bayliss. What other sport do the pro's chat to you as an equal!! Good luck to all UK athletes.
We went to the Seaview Lion Sanctuary/Park yesterday and had photos taken with the lion cubs and a safari tour in our hire car BUT today we went to Kragga Kamma park to see the cheetah's. What an experience! We both had our photo's taken with Duma the full grown male. I layed behind him and stroked his head and cheeks. Then if that wasn't good enough the ranger took us into the one year cubs. Again we had lots of photos with the fastest mammal on earth. The best!
Went to the race brief this afternoon. There are plenty of penalty opportunities including for littering. You get a 100m window around the feeds otherwise its a yellow card and a stop, sign in and go. Drafting is 4min penalty.
We eat our final meal in about an hour then its bed then breakfast and HAMMERTIME!!
Heres hoping for a fast time.
BFN
Thursday 2 April 2009
hi everyone from PE
a quick update
i've had 3 punctures in 4 rides, stung on the shin by something? and stung around the throat by a bluebottle jellyfish!!! It hurt like hell and the pain lasted all day.
Went for a run with Daz and Mark H last night. One 8.3 mile lap but at 7.4 mph...easy peasy!
Today had a great swim today with Daz, Roger, Haldane and the BRAT guys, Mark H and Mark A. One lap easy in 29 mins and NO sharks!
Also went for a ride easy around the course 60km. Good to see the locals creating lots of debris cutting the verges....aaaaahhhhh!!! saw some antelope and mongoose today whilst riding.
I have now checked in and registered. NUMBER 1076.
weather looks to be favourable for a sub 10hr but hoping for 9.30 hmmm we'll see!
bfn
a quick update
i've had 3 punctures in 4 rides, stung on the shin by something? and stung around the throat by a bluebottle jellyfish!!! It hurt like hell and the pain lasted all day.
Went for a run with Daz and Mark H last night. One 8.3 mile lap but at 7.4 mph...easy peasy!
Today had a great swim today with Daz, Roger, Haldane and the BRAT guys, Mark H and Mark A. One lap easy in 29 mins and NO sharks!
Also went for a ride easy around the course 60km. Good to see the locals creating lots of debris cutting the verges....aaaaahhhhh!!! saw some antelope and mongoose today whilst riding.
I have now checked in and registered. NUMBER 1076.
weather looks to be favourable for a sub 10hr but hoping for 9.30 hmmm we'll see!
bfn
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