YES!! At last - 1st..

The cycle of 2nd's  has been broken and thankfully the right way.  Knowing that my running had been suffering all year since my ankle problems I've been trying hard recently to make some improvements here and although it's work in progress things are starting to look up!
I thought entering a duathlon should be good for training and as my cycling has been going fine it shouldn't be too bad. The Great Notley event is only a short drive away and a 4K - 20K - 4K sounded like something I could use as proper speed training. 

It was a bit of a shock when the race started and I had to run hard - but on the nasty climb up to the top of the 'Kestrel hill' not far from the end of the first 4K I went past a girl ( much younger than me) and managed to keep her there for the rest of the race. I didn't know she had been in the lead at that point.
Transition  went fine and determined to take the right bike route this time I set off to try and catch any females I could who were in front of me!!!  I didn't know there weren't any, probably a good job because the shock might have caused a fatal reaction.. Anyway the bike section was good, I worked hard and overtook a few blokes which always lifts the spirits.
Back into transition with no problems and then the shock hit me as there were no other bikes on the racks where the girls bikes had all been racked earlier. Crumbs! This was very positive but unfortunately the second 4K run still hurt SO much, it was a struggle, especially as apart from 2 men I caught about a third of the way round there was no one else around to aim for or run with. I'm really not complaining though because I WON . 

Just the job.

What a great feeling after not quite getting there all year.
It may have been a small race but it's the winning that counts - and the fun!!

The lengths I go to.....

After a fantastic holiday in Italy where plenty of cycling was order of the week I haven't got back into the swing of competing so a local low key sprint tri in Ely last weekend was the first for  a while. Because of the summer holidays and children being around training has been squeezed in where possible but all in all I feel quite fit and healthy for once!

looking down to lake Como

All went reasonable in the 400m swim and T1 but out on the bike course I managed a first and at an unmarshalled and unmarked roundabout took the wrong direction and added an extra 2.5km onto the 21km route- disaster in a sprint race. I knew then I'd blown my first 1st for the year but decided to plug on and finish. The cycle route was pretty awful with a stretch of road surface that the council had long ago forgotten about , openness that meant the wind was a major factor and two busy roads with plenty of fast moving traffic and, as others agreed, a lack of race directions . Back to T2 in one piece and and straight forward transition meant I could go out and enjoy the run. This was a great two lap rough course which was fun and because of the rest of the good organization of the event it is one to consider again as a nice, small, local Triathlon.

With prizes just for the first two males and females I was surprised to pick up a trophy for  - 2nd!

fun run!

A year of 2nd's but this time more surprised than ever - I must try and memorize routes better and not do that again as it could have been a 1st - maybe next time!!! 

Common place - position NO. 2

This is not to be sniffed at but no.1 would be nice at least once this year!
Maybe the others are just getting better or maybe i'm going a tad slower but its still good fun and i haven't left a race empty handed - in fact i've hauled in some nice little momento's.

DORNEY LAKE.
Last weekend at the 3/4 distance Human Race womens only tri I did go a little faster than last year, my swim was one to be proud of but the National Champion in my age group was also there and I just haven't got the run legs at the moment to keep up with the better runners. So 2nd place in the over 40's was where I finished and I felt pretty pleased with my efforts - the bike leg this time being a good one too and what a great place to race!! I love this place..

EASTERN REGION RELAYS.
A really good day in both -  performances and weather!    In the H.P.U female team I was concerned about letting others down but new I could only do my best and hope I would hold my own. Jade was first off and as expected had a great swim followed by Melissa  who was fantastic and almost caught me unawares as she excited the water a smidge  quicker than I was expecting!! A calm and quick change of timing chip and maximum effort in the swim meant we were neck and neck with the eventually winning ladies team and this was how it stayed on the bike section.

Thanks to Jade and Mel having great rides I left transition at the same time as Lucy Gossage and expected she wouldn't be with me for long, but we played 'cat and mouse' all the way round and I found I had enough to get ahead for the fifth time and stay there just a couple of miles from the centre, coming home just a little way in front. We were all worried about the run though and despite trying to get a better time ( and convinced I had ) than last year I still seem to lacking any great speed . We worked hard to hold on to a convincing 2nd place ( AGAIN ) and all had a good day at the lake.

The Dambuster - National Championships - June18th.

Well its been and gone and I survived after putting in a decent effort on the infamous Rutland course.
I was determined to have a solid swim after having a few hick-ups in previous open water swims where i've gone off too fast and then had that horrible panic a few 100m's in! Not this time though as all went well and my swim was about as good as I could have hoped for and I actually enjoyed it! 25.23mins - happy.

Transition OK then onto the bike with no problems - a couple of hold-ups with traffic but I was being on my very best behaviour and not risking any potential penalties after my learning curve from Bala!! Definitely not pushing as hard as I could have gone but I had concerns about my running legs as Im still not up to full fitness here and this would be my longest road run for some time. 1.21.28hrs - happy'ish.

Onto the run and i felt one-paced from the start but this was expected after my lack of training here and the problems I've been having with my Asthma.Based on how fast I've been managing lately this effort was pretty ok so I shouldn't be too disappointed and the cross wind didn't help much either.. 43.41mins - would liked to have gone faster.


2.34.23hrs in all and with that wind that was blowing that was quite enough for one day!
All worth it though as I came third in my Age Group and received a nice shiny plate and medal to show my children - if they were even slightly interested!!!  Looks like I've qualified for the European championships next year too- A shame it clashes with the Marathon....Decisions Decisions.

Windy Wattisham - Progressing nicely.

Another warm and sunny day in Suffolk although as expected plenty of wind at the Airbase in R.A.F Wattisham for another attempt at winning this enjoyable sprint Tri.  For the third year running I couldn't quite get there but I was still very pleased with 2nd Lady overall - maybe next year!!

With times for myself and the winner almost identical to last years and the stronger wind to contend with I was not disappointed by my overall performance but will know more when the splits come out as I did not record my own. I do need however to look at my pre-race fluid/fuel intake as once again I got horrible cramp in my quads trying to put on my running shoes and felt sick during the run - maybe it was the effort!!!

Next race Braintree sprint (5th June). I hope things will continue to improve as I head towards the Dambuster Standard Tri on June 18th.

Life in the old Dog!

With more illness and injury last winter than i've ever had it all seemed like a hopeless uphill struggle trying to get fit and healthy again to be able to challange the ever increasing enthusiastic female tri-athletes that seem to be appearing at every race.

Waveney Valley sprint Tri was my first race for 6 months since the Ballbuster last November and things hadn't been great since then so my expectations were not as high as they would normally have been. So with a few less nerves but plenty of determination ( most of the time) to do well, I completed the short race with a final, gritted teeth effort which was enough to get me 2nd Female place overall only to be beaten by the spectacular performance by ( in my opinion ) a junior star - Alex!! 
I was not in the least disappointed with my performance considering my setbacks and now have a little more confidence that all is not lost and retirement can be put on hold - for a while!!

Now that I can include running in my training again I need to work on this area both in stamina and speed. Swimming too has not been indulged in very often although I did get wet Easter Sunday when the Lake at Gosfield re-opened and my wetsuit and I had an outing which we both enjoyed...
The club where I work ( occasionally ) has a lovely 20m outside pool, so although I would like it to be 30m longer there is no excuse not to swim now.
My next race is the Sprint Tri at Wattisham attracting more people than ever and plenty of competition, I know this as I have trolled through the start list a few times - Does anyone else do this or do I have a strange addiction to start lists??  That's it for now,  back to the recovery cookies - my treat for getting a trophy :)

A Perfect start to the new season - Not Quite!

Joining the HPU triathlon team was great motivation to begin my training to my first target of 2011 - The London marathon. Having a "Good for Age" place thanks to a successful first Marathon in Paris in 2010 I was looking forward to running in London,  but a Chest infection over the Christmas period and beyond somewhat hindered training.   Just as I was getting back to fitness I took part in a cross country race and aggravated my right ankle which has refused to get better with reduced training and, after a long run last week which left me unable to run at all, I have been told that I have achilles Tendonitus and the marathon should be put on hold till next year!!    Not what I wanted to hear at all but what I expected.  Add to that a Full on Cold and Asthmatic cough training had once again diminished to very little - things were not looking good !!     But every cloud has a silver lining , I woke up Monday feeling much brighter and the sun was shining! An extra bonus to go with that was the fact there was very little wind! BIKE!!
My neglected road bike and I headed out into the Spring like day and despite  everything it went well.    It was a start. Today I did the same and added a few minutes in the gym to my training.  If i'm still awake later i shall have a swim too,   if not an early start to the day tomorrow will see me down the pool for a few lengths.   Motivation still there and even more determined now to make 2011 another good year - in fact better - I hope! Fingers crossed X