Monster Middle 21/08/2016.

Well... What a race that was!...

Been a week since the race, and I'm just finished with pulling it to pieces and separating the good and bad.
Saturday and we went over to Ely, to register for the race, have a mooch about and grab my race pack. It was a beautiful day, but I really wasn't feeling too good. I had an upset stomach and just hoped that I'd be ok for Sunday.
This race has to have one of the earliest transition closing times I know, so it's a very early start!
Luckily, it's a local venue.
Having racked my bike, I filled the Speedfil bottle with approx 1.5 litres  of Tailwind.
I was still unsure how the race would unfold, as I felt quite rough.
A couple of visits to the Portaloo and it was time to suit up and head for the start.
It was quite difficult to predict how the weather was going to pan out... It was fairly windy and quite a cloudy sky. Light rain was forecast for around the last hour of the bike, but you never know... One thing was for sure, it was nowhere near as good as last years weather.
As I completed the suiting up, with the help of Sharon, I spotted a few of my club mates getting ready and had a quick catch up, prior to the briefing.
I was off in the first wave. We got a 5 minute warning of the race start and were allowed in the water for a warm up.
Soon enough, it was 'time'... A brief few words and we were off!
I hung back, to allow the faster simmers to get away and thus avoid the biff, and my plan was to then see how many I could pick off during the swim.
As I got into my rhythm, I decided that I would change my technique slightly and reach further each stroke.
 There was a bit of clear water between me and the front bunch, and I could still make out the pink hats of the Elite athletes. As I got into the 'new' stroke technique I was quite surprised at how much distance I had made up on those ahead. The pink hats were gone, but I was now having to weave through some swimmers. I was made up with the result of my change, and concentrated on maintaining my form.
Soon enough I was being helped out of the river, I glanced at my Garmin as I hit the lap button... 36:XX! 6 minutes faster than last year, I was well impressed and headed off along the blue carpet, towards T1, as I tried to remove the upper half of my Vanquish wetsuit.
Swim time: 40:03 (including run to T1).

In T1 I sat and gave my feet quick towelling, before pulling on socks and my bike shoes. Stepped into my number belt and donned my helmet. I grabbed my bike and headed for the mount line...

As I exited T1 I suddenly needed to visit the toilet again! I dropped the bike and headed to my right, to the bank of loos.

I emerged a few minutes later, and did wonder whether I should continue, or sack it off!

I wasn't sure when that would strike again, but decided to continue with the ride and see what happened. Maybe do the first lap, and then come in... 

I continued.

It was very windy out on the course, and I questioned my sanity on choosing an 808/ Disc wheel set up. The wind and the many rough road sections meant that it was very difficult to build any rhythm into the bike leg.

I remained aero as much as possible, but was still arguing with myself over what to do... I could stick out the 1st lap, then turn right (Transition), at the end of the first lap, or left, and continue...

A few miles before the turn, I passed John Lee (club mate). This gave me a boost, as he had left T1 as I arrived and was of similar speed to myself. 

I got to the turn, and just couldn't go 'right'!... Mentally, I couldn't quit!

So, that was it, I settled down for the 2nd lap. Now I was cursing myself for wasting so much energy on the first lap, deliberating where best to quit!... I continued to argue with the Chimp!

Soon enough, I was back at the turn, and this time it was a right turn and a quick blast (with the wind), down to T2. My bottle had just emptied as I reached town, so I was quite happy with that. The Tailwind fluid really does work well with me.

An extra loop had been added to the bike lap this year, increasing the ride by about 10k, to satisfy regs for using your result for Qualifying for European Champs.

Taking into account the extra distance, plus the headwinds I hadn't expected much from the bike...

Bike time: 2:58:10.

T2 was 02:14.
Out on the run and I finally felt okay!... It was the first race in my On Cgloudsurfers, and I ws keen to see how they shaped up. It's a bugger of a run, with 4 laps of the town centre, taking in the Cathedral hill on each lap.
The rain hadn't shown on the bike leg, and it looked highly unlikely to appear now, as the Sun had finally broken through and temperatures began to rise...
Again, thanks to Tailwind, I experienced no cramps at all during the run.

I was a little disappointed with my run pace, as it's generally my best discipline.
I finally ran up the finish chute after 1:47:11.
Total time 5:32:39.

Unfortunately, I couldn't hang around at the end, as per my normal habit, to chat with friends, eyeball new kit at the stalls, and watch the awards, as I had to quickly head home and change bags, before heading off to Aberdeen on a work course.

My time hadn't been great, but I accepted that, bearing in mind how I felt, I thought it had gone alright.

Imagine my reaction, when up in Aberdeen on Monday, I read on FB that I had won the Eastern Region Middle Distance Champs 2016 (Male Super Vet)!

As they say, 'Every cloud...'

Once again, big thanks to Zone 3, for supplying the Vanquish wetsuit, which is finally proving it's worth in getting my speed up.
Thanks to Jason Battle (Performance Coaching.Me), for keeping me on the right track.
Tri Harder, for their continued help, advice and assistance.
Tailwind products.
Simon Brierley for advice on the On's shoes.

Next stop, IM Wales!

The Outlaw 24/07/2016.

What an event!...

We arrived on the Friday and, after checking into the hotel, made our way to HPP for registration.

Parking was well signposted and easy to find.

Registration marquee was well laid out, with easily identifiable sections (by numbers), plenty of tables to get your race pack from. The marshalls took a few minutes to explain everything and we were off. Just outside the marquee were big maps of each discipline and also T1/ T2.

Back again on Saturday, I racked my bike at the allotted place in the spacious racking. I hung my bags on the easy to find, numbered hooks. Again, marshalls all over the place, only to happy to give directions, or answer any queries.

I also took the oppportunity to peruse all the stalls at the expo and sit in the Sun, enjoying a pre race coffee and slice of cake.

Back to the hotel, for the last sleep!

Sunday morning, I was late! Leaving the hotel in a hurry and speeding through to HPP, fighting against the 05:45 transition close time, and needing to get fuel on the bike, and my wetsuit on! 

I got into the water, ready for the 'deep start' and all too quickly, the start of the race was announced by the sound of a klaxon. At least the rush had meant that I didn't feel any of the usual last minute nerves.

After the usual melee of the first few minutes, the swim settled nicely. Water was great, clear and pleasantly warm. The swim course couldn't have been any easier, pretty much a straight out and back route.

Arriving at the swim exit, there were plenty of hands to assist you out of the water (not pulling) and quide you to the 'strippers'! Wetsuits were pulled off your arms, then you were seated on the floor, before having the suit fully removed. What a bonus that was. 

I was out of the water after 1:24:06, which was a tad quicker than expected, and no doubt down to the efficiency of my Vanquish wetsuit, provided by Zone 3.

The transition tent was easy to negotiate and I was out on the bike after 9:06.

The bike route was well marked, with plenty of marshalls along the way and traffic controls where needed. A nice rolling course with just the one hiccup on the 2nd loop being Oxton Bank. 

My glutes grumbled right through the race! Not sure why, but it made the TT position a little uncomfortable.

I had opted to use Tailwind Nutrition for the bike leg, so had a premixed bottle between my arms, and another bottle on the downtube prepared with a concentrated mix and the bottle marked into 4, so as to replenish the BTA every hour. Was a little messy, but worked quite well on the whole, and I felt good throughout.

On the 1st/ 3rd loop, you encounter Car Colston, as sleepy little village which certainly comes alive for the race, and I really did appreciate all the encouragement through there.

At about 80 miles my right foot started to ache along the outer edge. My foot had swollen in the heat and my shoes are a snug fit! At about 95 miles I was passing the OSB mechanic van when a rider called out to me, to see if I had an angled inflator, for a disc wheel... His lucky day... I did. Sod the time, I decided to stop and help. I was only there a couple of minutes, but, when I set off again, it had eased the pain in my foot ;) Karma.

Arriving back at T2 was something else. The commentator announcing your arrival, the crowd responding to it, another helper takes your bike, you just need to get to the tent... Again. 

My bike had been a disappointing 6:19:03.

A (not so) quick change (7:48) and I'm out running. 

A simple course, meaning you have nothing to worry about, but to finish your race. It's a well thought out course, taking you out along a popular section of embankment and back, meaning there is plenty of encouragement every step of the way. There is also a feed station inside of every 2 miles. Well stocked, they even have a bank of portaloos at each and every one!

The run started well, too well. I was having difficulty reigning in my pace, my legs just wanted to run, but I knew it was a long way to the finish, so kept a good eye on the pace.

The main concern was the pain in my right foot from the cycling 'hot spot'... It was like running with rocks in my shoe! I tried to run through it, but eventually I had to ease up and walk briskly a few times, just to soften the bows to my foot

Finally, I arrived at the finish chute, and what an atmosphere that had.

I managed to motor down the last few hundred metres at a good fast pace, almost catching Ian Robinson out, as he didn't see me till the last seconds, before blurting out that I was now an Outlaw... Music to my ears.

Run time: 4:14:20.
TOTAL Time - 12:14:23.

Straight into the Massage tent, I was keen to avoid as much DOMS as possible!...

After that, I was pleasantly surprised to find 2 starter options,about 7 choices of main course and an array of cakes in the food hall... All very well cooked and hot.

I gathered all my kit, then managed to get a shower in the venue changing rooms.

Big thanks to: 

Jason (Performance Coaching.Me), for delivering me to the Outlaw in top shape. Train smart, not long ;)

Zone 3, for providing me with the slippery Vanquish wetsuit.

Tri Harder, for help and advice.

Tailwind Nutrition.

And my club, Tri-Anglia, for the boundless enthusiasm, endless support and answers to everything!

I am generally a little critical of my races, seeings as they now cost so much money to enter. Not so with The Outlaw... Besides being a very competitively priced event, there was not one thing that I encountered, or saw all weekend that could be criticised... The best race ever!

One Step Beyond really do take that one step beyond any of their competitiors and deliver an event worthy of all the effort that you, the competitor, have put in to get there.

Yes, I will be there, next year...

Now, for some wider shoes before Wales!