Castle Howard - The Gauntlet (70.3)

This was my third season with a dual purpose; the first half having a duathlon focus (until May - GB age-group), with the second half focusing on racing over the half ironman distance. Having raced over this distance both here and in Richmond (North Yorkshire) I decided that I would go with racing at Castle Howard again. Its such and iconic backdrop and I feel that the somewhat hilly course suites me well. 

Having recently finished 5th at a local Olympic distance triathlon and also knocking 2 minutes off my half marathon PB the month earlier, I knew I was going into this race in great shape and full of confidence.  

I was up nice and early on race day to go through my usual pre-race breakfast ritual, before loading up the car and heading off, ensuring I arrived at Castle Howard an hour before the start of the race, giving me plenty of time to get sorted. After registering and picking up my race pack, I racked my bike, sorted out my trainers before having a couple of practice run through's, familiarising myself with both the bike and run exits. This was timed to perfection as the marshals were now calling us down for the pre-race briefing, lake-side. So I climbed waist high into my wetsuit, grabbed my goggles and swim cap before heading down.  

Once the pre-race brief was over we were then given time to get into the lake and warm up. We were able to get a good five minute warm-up done before the 2-minute warning. I positioned myself as close to the front as possible, with the aim of drafting some of the slightly faster swimmers. The horn went and we were off!! The first 200 m was a real bun fight, making it hard to settle into a rhythm, and even after the next buoy at about 400 m it was still rather congested, especially rounding the furthest buoy at 450 m (before heading back to the start/finish). After another 100 m I was able to settle into a nice swim rhythm and was well positioned in the second group of swimmers, getting a bit of a draft! Rounding the start/finish buoy the group was a little more spread. The second lap of the swim was pretty non-eventful so, I was able to keep focusing on my stroke and draft fellow athletes as best as possible. After exiting the water, I heard Sally shout my swim time of just over 30-minutes which I was super happy with. The run to transition was easily 500 m, with most of that uphill, I ran as quickly as possible without going to deep into the red, passing a few athletes en route. Entering T1 my wetsuit was down by my waist so I was all set for a swift transition. I quickly stepped out of my wetsuit and grabbed my bike, before making inroads into the 90 km bike.  

Exiting the water with my swim group 

The bike course can best be described as tough, with plenty of rolling hills. The course consisted of 2-laps of 45 km incorporating Castle Howard and the surrounding Howardian hills. I am a regular at my local tri club (Barracuda) duathlon series' and racing these served me well, as the bike course has a similar elevation profile, yet the distance is significantly shorter. I felt really strong on the bike and was able to stick to my plans for the first lap, progressing through the field nicely. The second lap things got a bit trickier as there were also athletes racing in the Olympic distance race were now also on the bike course and it was hard not to try and race them and just stick to my race plan. I kept on track of my hydration and nutrition and as I approached the aid station I discarded an empty bottle ready for a refuel. From then on in, it was time for me to resume the aero position, maintaining the threshold effort back to the castle grounds. I completed the bike course in just under 2:45 hrs. On the Castle approach road, I took my feet out of my tri-shoes, resting them on top, ready to jump of by the dismount line, all ready to enter T2. 

Getting ready to dismount for T2! 

The run course was two laps of a 10.5 km multi-terrain loop, consisting mainly of gravel and woodland paths. This made the going a harder than tarmac and was even more tricky as it was quite wet and slippery as a result of the rain in the week leading up to the race. The route had a similar elevation profile to the bike with a few long drags and short steep climbs. One of my main strengths is running off the bike, so I was quickly into my stride. I think it helped me coming into T2, with a fellow athlete (first lady and yes she beat me) so I was keen to keep with her to start with, however after ~3 km she pulled away from me. I stuck to my plan and pace, knowing that I would still make up some places. Just like the bike, the run course was pretty busy with athletes racing in the standard distance, which made it harder to identify if I were passing direct competition or not. During the first first lap I felt pretty good only slowing down to get some nutrition from the aid stations and when the route went uphill. Once on to the second lap, I started using the km markers to count down the distance to the finish. Through out this loop I started approaching fellow athletes and as I passed a quick glance at their race number told me they were competition. With about 4 km to go I could see a fellow athlete in the distance and had a feeling that he was racing in the half ironman. This was now my goal to catch him and pass him within the next km. This stretch was pretty flat and the surface was good, so I decided to up the pace slightly to reel him in, after about 500 m I passed him and kicked again to ensure if I were to slow slightly in the final few km's he wouldn't catch me. After coming through the final wooded section I could see Sally and she told me my time and at this point I knew I was going to smash my goal of finishing in under 5 hrs. This gave me a massive boost, so I decided to kick on to the finish. All that was left was the final assent and decent of the long, steep hill before the finish, this really sent me in the red but I knew I just had to hang on as it was mainly all downhill from then to the finish. As I descended I could see the finish line, so accelerated to my 5 km race pace. I completed the 21 km in just over 1:33 hrs.  

Final sprint to the finish 

I finished with an overall time of 4:55:16 hrs, which resulted in me coming 9th overall and 3rd in my age-group, my best 70.3 performance to date. I'm still over the moon now with this result. It has certainly cemented in my mind that I'm definitely suited to the 70.3 distance and am already hoping to knock another 10 minutes off my time for next season!!!  

What made this race even nicer was that the "in-laws" came to support me and keep Sally company, whist supporting me. Thanks to Dave for all the photos for this blog.  

Thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil.

Thanks to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears)

Lincolnshire Olympic Triathlon

My training and racing plans for 2017 mimicked 2016 where I would peak twice. Firstly I would peak in May for the ETU Duathlon Championships (see earlier blog), with the second at the end of July for Castle Howards mid-distance (70.3) triathlon in North Yorkshire. This resulting in me racing over the Olympic distance two-weeks prior to my 70.3. Knowing how well this worked last year I again entered The Lincolnshire Edge Triathlon, based at Cadney Reservoir, just outside Brigg.  

As in previous years the start time for this was 8 am, which meant I was getting up at 5 am for my pre-race breakfast. To help get me in the mood for racing, whist eating breakfast I caught up on the highlights of The Tour de France. After that it was time to give Sally a shout as we needed to make a move, so I would be at the race venue in good time. Typically, I like to arrive an hour before the race start so i'm not in a mad rush. Just like last year, on arrival I was please to see that it had still kept its nice low key vibe. After registering and racking my bike I still had plenty of time to chat and it was nice to see a few old faces that I hadn't seen in a while.  

With about 10 minutes to go before the race start after the briefing we were able to get into the water, get acclimatised and start warming up. We then got a 1 minute warning, so I ensured that I had got a good starting position, close to the front. The horn went and we were off!! It was a good 200 m to the first buoy, so after the initial sprint effort, I settled in to a rhythm. After rounding that buoy it was about 300 m to the next buoy, I kept concentrating on my arm pull as this was something that my swim coach pointed out needed improvement. After the second buoy I was still feeling good and was now into a nice comfortable rhythm with my pull feeling good. This was the longest stretch back to the start/finish buoy. The second lap was similar to the first although I had passed a few swimmers which really helped my confidence and ended up coming out the water in about 10th place. I quickly ran into T1, grabbed my bike and was quickly out on the bike course. 

The bike course consisted of an "out and back" with a loop in the middle to make up the 40 km distance. It was mainly flat, with a few gradual climbs but nothing of real note, which meant I was able to stay in the TT position for most of the race. The bike course had both standard and sprint competitors on so the first 10 km was pretty busy and took a bit of working out to gauge my position. However, I knew that if their race number was < 100 then they were direct competition. I felt really strong and continued to make headway into some of the quicker swimmers that beat me out of the water. The second loop wasn't as busy and I think I only passed one more athlete, so I know I must be going well. I approached T2, just after the hour, removed my feet from my tri-shoes all set to dismount before the dismount line. After a swift dismount I was quickly into transition, raced my bike, helmet off and slipped my racing trainers on. 

Out of T2 and onto the run firstly consisted of a loop around the reservoir, before two lap "out and back" section along the road to make up the full 10 km. The first part around the reservoir was on grass, so inevitably it wasn't the fastest, but I felt super strong off the bike and quickly settled into a comfortable rhythm. The beauty of a course like this is that you are able to work out your placing, by counting the athletes who have already got to the turn around point and on their way back onto the road section. Just before the turn point, along the reservoir I could see the race leader and then counted the other competitors. By the turn around point I knew that I was in 6th place and on my way back was able to gauge how close 5th I was. Once off the grass and on to the road I kicked on. I noticed that during the grass section I was slowing catching 5th, so I knew that I'd get him on the run. The run was pretty tough because it wasn't that visually stimulating which, sometimes can help take your mind off the pain. However, by the turn-a-round point I had caught 5th place, so that gave me a little boost! For the final lap I just dug in and kept running with "the fear" of being caught. At the final turn point with about 2 km to go I knew that I wouldn't be be caught nor able to to catch 4th. I just kept focused and was now racing to improve on my times from last years race. I kicked for the final time with about 300 m to the finish. Now approaching the finish I could see all the spectators and could see and hear Sally cheering me on to the finish. I crossed the line shattered by super happy with my race!! 

Motoring on the run to the finish

I finished 5th overall with a time of 2:18:47. This was a 3.5 minute PB from last year and again I finished 1st in my age-group, which I over the moon about and a massive confidence booster moving forward. Thanks to FastFWD Sports for organizing such a great, friendly event and I think its only fitting that I come back again next year to try and make it 3 in 3 age-group wins.

Super happy to get an age-group win!

However, the most important thanks has to go to my darling girlfriend, Sally closely followed by my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil. The final thanks has to go to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). 

Humber Bridge Half

This is probably one of my first seasons (in six years) where I hadn't raced as much, which is a shame as its always good to see the training paying off, especially when you set a new PB. Despite this, the plan for this season was to peak twice. I had already peaked for the European duathlon championships in Soria, Spain (end of April). Since then I've just been in the training grove to peak again for Castle Howard 70.3 (end of July). The Humber Bridge half marathon was my first of two races (running and triathlon) to build me up, to peak for my final "A" race of the season (Castle Howard). 

In the final week leading up to the half marathon training was going really well and I knew I was going well as a few weeks prior I was only 5-seconds away from a 10 km PB. Added to this on the Tuesday before Sundays race I had just set a new PB in one of my local TT's. All that was left was for me to tick over and taper down, to ensure I was super fresh for the race. 

So it was the morning of the race, I woke up feeling good and started my pre-race breakfast and hydration ritual. After about an hour of chilling it was time for me to head to the race, allowing plenty of time, as with over 2000 runners the car parking situation can get a bit crazy. Fortunately, I got there with plenty of time and took a gentle jog to the start/finish area before starting my tried and tested pre-race warm-up routine and all important final caffeine boost!!! With about 10-minutes to go the race organizers called us to the start line, I positioned myself close to the front, as I was confident of a really good race, so didn't want to get held up by the fun runners!   

The klaxon sounded and we where off! I was careful to pace the first few km's as I knew that could make or break my race, had a quick glimpse of my watch and noticed I was pacing it perfectly, hovering around 4:00 min/km. Once through Hessle, I turned to approach the bridge, which was into a head wind. This is where some slight tactics pay off, I was in a group of four runners, so just tucked in behind them, sheltering from the wind (hopefully saving a bit of energy). Once across the bridge the wind died down, so that was my cue to open up a bit and break free from the small group. Once passing the water station, the route then dropped into Barton and I was able to use the slight downhill to pick up the pace.  

The next main section of the race took me through Barton market place and out though the housing and industrial parts to Barton. This section which was was deadpan flat, so I was able to kick again and try and hold a fast, threshold pace. I felt really really strong and fit and when looking at my watch could see that I was going really well too (~3:50 min/km). After running on my own for a good few km's I now started catching some of the runners ahead of me, which really helped give me a confidence boost! 

The next stretch of road took us under the Humber bridge, so I knew that the infamous "Cardiac Hill" was fast approaching. A few weeks prior, in training I ran part of this route which incorporated this hill. This helped re-familiarise myself with the elevation profile so I knew exactly when and where to conserve my effort etc. The hill is in four distinct parts; a gradual rise, false flat, steep rise and the another false flat section before turning left back for the bridge. During the first section I knocked off the pace slightly but not too much as I knew I was on for a good time. Then I tried to accelerate slight during the next flatter section. The next section is where the hill really kicks up, so I made sure I knocked off the pace a little more as I didn't want to go too deep into the "red" as I knew this could ruin my race. There was some good support out during this section, which really helped give me an extra boost and to help put the pain out of my mind. During the final false flat section there was a small bit of respite along the slip road. Once I crested the climb I knew most of the final few km's were either downhill or flat before the bridge. I kept on pushing as was able to pass a few more runners. I still felt in pretty good shape at this point. 

Once on to the bridge I knew there was less than 3 km to go. I had one last glimpse at my watch and it was at this point I knew I was on for a PB!! The first half of the bridge was uphill but I could see a runner ahead of me and that was my goal, to pass him. We had the wind behind us so I was able to really give it everything knowing that I was getting pushed along. Once off the bridge, I was now running side-by-side to the runner I spotted and I started to feel confident I would beat him. The last  km was lined with supporters, so this gave me the final little boost I needed. This was my cue to give it everything and soon breezed past this runner. As I turned left for the final time before the finish line, I had a quick look over my shoulder and notice that I had put about 100 m into him so wouldn't be caught. I could now see the clock over the finish line and saw it was at 1h:24, which I couldn't believe!! 

The final kick to the finish (left him for dust 😉) 

I finished in 1:24:55, which I was buzzing about as I had smashed by PB by over 2-minutes. I came in the top 25 out of a field of ~2000 runners, so again buzzing with that!!  

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil and to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Picture courtesy of http://www.humber-half.org.uk/

2017 European Duathlon Championships

Around 6-weeks have now passed since I raced at the European Duathlon Championships in Soria, Spain. Now that I have been able to finish off my PhD and submit it, I can get back to updating my blog, reflecting on my performance and the overall Team GB experience.  

In the weeks leading up to this training had been going really well and I was feeling fit, strong and super confident. I placed highly in my warm up duathlon in Lincoln and had been PB’ing in the last three local TT’s so was heading to the Europeans full of confidence.

I was flying out late Tuesday evening, so worked until lunchtime before driving across to Manchester airport. Once at Manchester I checked in stress free, and then headed to the nearest café to do some work on my PhD. After about an hour or so, I looked at the departure board to see when the gate was scheduled to open. Unfortunately, the flight was delayed due to bad weather, I didn’t mind too much as that gave me a chance to do a bit more work. Another hour passed and the flight was still saying delayed! This was now getting frustrating as I was due to meet my Mum in Madrid airport and now she’d be waiting for me!! Finally we got called to the gate and started to board. Despite the delay the flight was good, the pilot was able to make up a bit of time, so mum wasn’t going to have to wait too long for me. Once through security I got my bag, before getting my bike and then meeting mum at arrivals. We planned to stay in Madrid that night, with us both getting in rather late and the race location being ~2 hours outside of Madrid. We picked up the hire car, drove to the hotel, checked in before having a relaxing beer before bed (just what we needed after long day).  

Wednesday – Before going to bed on Tuesday we agreed not to set an alarm so we could enjoy a bit of a lie-in. I gave mum a knock, before heading down to get some breakfast. After a nice breakfast, we checked out and then decided that as the weather was so nice in Madrid we would have the day doing the tourist thing, before driving the 2 hours to Soria, where the duathlon was based. Madrid was amazing such a beautiful city with plenty to see and do. After pretty much the whole day we got back in the car and drove to Soria. We were staying in a small town just outside Soria and made really good time getting there. Then it got stressful. The apartment we had booked had emailed proving a mobile number for us to phone when we arrived to get the key. So we did, however they only spoke Spanish and with us only speaking English we really struggled with communication. After numerous phone calls we decided to try and seek some assistance by the locals (who also only spoke Spanish). Then by sheer luck a lady walked out of the hairdressers with the key to the apartment. Finally we were in!

The infamous Bear and Strawberry tree. 

Thursday – Just like Wednesday we again agreed that we would have a lie-in as Wednesday was pretty tiring with all the sightseeing and driving. After a leisurely morning I decided to re-assemble my bike, so if there was anything wrong with it from the flight I gave me enough time to hopefully get it fixed. Fortunately it was all fine. We then decided to head into Soria to check out the Team hotel and race location. This was pretty non-eventful as nothing had really been done to the course and most of the GB team weren’t arriving until late Thursday evening, however I was able to make a note of all the important events happening in the build-up to the race on Sunday. After enjoying a nice coffee in the hotel bar (which had amazing views) we drove into the town to stock up on supplies, before heading back to the apartment.

Friday – I got up and decided to go for a short run just to loosen the legs off a bit after all the sitting around in the few days before. After that we had a bit of breakfast before mum went out for a little bit of an exploration mission which allowed me to do some more work on my PhD. After a few hours working mum returned and told me about a lovely café. So we decided to walk there to get some lunch. After lunch I returned to my laptop and the PhD writing! After a few more hours it was time for another break so we went out for another walk and enjoyed a coffee in the sun. We then drove back into Soria as it was the parade of nations. The parade was through the town centre, culminating in the president of the ETU opening the event. This was an amazing experience and was the first time I could see how many fellow athletes made the trip over to race. As always, we (GB) had far more athletes than any other nation even the hosts! We then drove back, chilled out playing cards, before bed.

Saturday – This was a busy day for us. After breakfast I took my bike out for a short spin, to serve as a gentle leg loosener and to double check everything on the bike was working as it should. We then drove back into Soria, as the remainder of Saturday consisted of the team briefing and registration. This year’s team briefing was exceptionally important as unfortunately course recces weren’t allowed as part of the course was on a motorway! After the extended team briefing, with the comprehensive bike course detail we then had the obligatory Age-Group team photos. I then headed to the main race HQ to register, get my goody bag and check all the final last minute race information. Next on the agenda was more food shopping, so I could get my new pre-race meal, pizza (the bigger the better). Once the shopping was done we then drove back to the apartment for dinner and an early night. Just before bed it was time for one final weather check. Over the last few days that was one of the main focal points on the team Facebook page. It was looking like we had brought the British weather with us (cold, wet and windy) for race day.

Sunday (race day) – I woke at around 7:00 am and grabbed the phone for another weather check. Fortunately it looked as if I’d be lucky as the forecast had changed slightly and it now wasn’t forecast to come in really bad until ~2:00 pm, which was a result as I knew I would be comfortably finished by then. I then started my pre-race breakfast routine, counting back three hours from the race start, so started to eat my breakfast at 8:20 am. After breakfast we started to pack the car up and headed back to Soria so that I could rack my bike etc in good time ahead of the race start. Once parked, we heading to transition and after a quick look around at all the other competitors, I was happy with my choice to wear a short-sleeve base layer under my GB tri suit, as it was pretty cold. With about 45 minutes to go before the race start I did the final transition check, making sure my kit was still all ok, checked tire pressure for one last time and had a final run though transition before the all-important caffeine gel. Now it was time for me to go through my pre-race warm-up routine. With 10-minutes to go we got called to the start/holding area, so gave mum my jacket, said goodbye and the joined all my fellow Age-Group athletes and nervously waited for 11:20 am and our official start time.  

With about 5-minutes to go we got called forward to the start line and I was able to get a good spot quite close to the front. The MC then started the race build-up, my heart rate started to increase and it was time for me to get my game face on! The 10 km run was four laps of a 2.5 km loop that snaked up and down the local town park, with about six 180 degree turns. The klaxon sounded and we were off! The pace was seriously fast but I tried my best to stick to my original plan of pacing it for at least the first km. At the first 180 degree turn it gave me a chance to get a rough idea of my position. I would say I was about middle of the pack and was really happy with that. The remainder of this lap I was running side-by-side with another GB athlete although he was in the age-group above. After snaking the park, we headed out to pass the start/finish line, before commencing the second lap. This was the main drag and probably the longest straight section, so I was able to settle into a bit of a rhythm now as all the turns were quite disruptive. I started to pull away from my fellow athlete and started running on my own. These next two laps were a bit of a mental battle as I was right on the edge of my threshold and all the 180 degree turn points kept putting me in the red! I continued to hang in there and on the fourth and final lap, started thinking about the bike coming up with deflected some of the pain! I entered T1, put my helmet on and was out of transition, jumping on to my bike after the mount line. This went super slick and was on to the bike where I hoped to move up the placings. 

One of the many turnarounds 

The bike course was three laps of a 13.6 km loop. The bike course was a bit of a beast, which was amplified by the really strong winds. Although there was plenty of straight non-technical parts there were a few round-a-bouts, a couple 180 degree turns and plenty of hills. Normally, I’m not too bothered by the wind living in Hull, because it’s always windy. However, on this occasion it seemed like every climb on the course was into a headwind! The only good part to that was some of the downhills were accompanied by a tailwind! After exiting T1 the first few km’s took us away from the town centre and onto the course proper. Although there were a few gentle rises I was able to keep it in the big ring and start my usual task of catching some of the faster runners on the bike. The course then turned left onto the motorway section, which was easily the toughest bit of the course it was probably 5 km uphill, most of the climb wasn’t too bad but there were some really steep sections making it really hard. It then levelled out and I could then see the 180 degree turn-a-round point. I got back on the tri-bars and pressed on. Once rounding this point the wind was behind me for most of the ride back to the start/finish line, so I kept aero, got in the biggest gear I could and smashed it all the way back. On the second lab the bike course got even tougher, the wind picked up and we were now greeted with sideways rain and hail. This made the going really hard and for parts of the climb I had to shift down into the smaller ring (on the front). Despite this, I continued to gain a few places, which boosted my confidence nicely. The plan was to gain places on the hills, where I was feeling the benefit of my strength training and then hammer the flats and the downhill. I kept on pushing as hard as I could for the remaining laps and stuck to my nutrition plan, making sure I kept fuelled for the latter stages of the race. After the turn around on the third and final lap it was a downhill smash back to T2. As I turned the final right hand turn (close to transition) I un-Velcro'd my tri-shoes, slipped my feet out and rested them on the top of my shoes ready for the dismount line. I jumped off my bike just before the line and raced into transition for T2 before starting the final 5 km run. 

Smashing the bike!! 

The final run was just two laps of a slightly modified 2.5 km loop, similar to the first run. I exited transition and was quickly into my side, running well considering the tough bike. I was feeling really good and was pushing hard to try and move up the field and/or hold off athletes behind me. The best part about the snaky course was there was plenty of opportunities to who was in front of you and who was chasing you. The only tricky bit was working out if they were in my age-group as the run course was now pretty busy. However, with all these competitors I was able to use them as carrots, thinking right catch them and onto the next one. I kept on pushing and quickly ticked off lap one. As I reached the final turn-a-round I was confident that I wouldn't get caught, but couldn’t see anyone ahead of me, but kicked on as hard as I could just in case there was someone just out of site. I didn’t catch anyone else but crossed the line buzzing as it I had put in the best performance I could have hoped for.

Final kick to the finish. 

I finished 12th in my age-group and 3rd Brit, in a time of 2:21:51. I was over the moon with this performance especially and felt that I couldn’t have given any more. Unfortunately, unlike in previous years as I finished just out of the top 10, which meant that I did gain automatic qualification for 2018’s ETU duathlon. However, I have already eye’d up the qualification race so I will be hoping for a successful race there, so I can wear my GB tri-suit for 2018. 

Cheers!! 

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, as well as my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). A special mention has to be made to the University of Hull who helped support me for this trip. Also thanks to all of my fellow GB athletes who helped cheer me on and make this an unforgettable experience. Lastly thanks has to go to my Mum, who was my number one fan in light of Sally not being able to make this race (first one she's ever missed!). 

RAF Scampton Duathlon

With 4-weeks to go before racing in Soria, Spain representing the GB Age-group team in the ETU standard distance duathlon I was looking for a race to enter to serve as a tester and initial tune up. After searching the BTF website I came across the RAF Scampton duathlon just across the Humber Bridge in Lincoln. I hadn't raced this one before but after a quick bit of research on the Lincoln tri club website it looked like a great race to do. Like the name said it was on the RAF base (home of the Red Arrows) so I would be racing on a lovely tarmacked airfield, which also meant closed roads. 

Unlike most races I do the start time wasn't until 12:30 pm, as there were loads of children's races on before hand, which was great, seeing some many children getting the multisport bug. The only downside was that it made the pre-race fuelling strategy a bit more tricky than usual, as I needed another snack after my pre-race breakfast. That wasnt an issue though as it meant I could enjoy a peanut and pumpkin Meridian nut bar!  

With about two hours before the start we drove to the race. We arrived at the base after going through all the security checks (with it being a military base) with about an hour before the race start. This gave me plenty of time to register, set my bike up in T1 and go through all my pre-race routines. With about 20 min to go I started my pretty standardised warm-up, which is now tried and tested. It was a gorgeous day and the sun was shining so I was conscious to ensure I kept hydrated whist warming up. With about 5 min to go we all got called to the start line so that the race organiser could deliver his final pre-race information. We then headed to the start line and awaited the start.  

The klaxon sounded and we were off! The 5km run was 2-laps of an out and back route running parallel to the bike course. The first section was all on a gradual incline until the turn around point. As that was the case I was careful not to go too deep into the red at the start as I know I would pay the price for that later on. The super quick guys formed the first group with me and a few others in the second group. The first lap was rather non-eventful, with the group staying as one. On the second lap, as the course started to rise to the turn-a-round point I slowly pulled away, which gave me a nice confidence boost. After holing my own for the second lap I was quickly into T1, in about 10th place. After a swift T1 including putting my tri-shoes on in T1 (as elastic bands were banned due to the possibility of them getting into place engines) I was soon out onto the bike course.  

 Breaking away on the run

The bike was three loops of 7 km around the airfield. From the start of the bike I was able to really get the hammer down and start picking off some of the quicker runners. The first few km were pretty flat and non-eventful, so I kept pushing on as hard as I could. After I rounded the bottom corner, the course began to rise gradually all the way to the furthest part away from transition. This wasn't too bad I was able to keep aero and in the big ring. I was slowly catching up with the field ahead as coupled with the rise there was also a strong headwind. I had been working on my strength in the gym over recent months so was happy to see this paying off and I began to make further inroads into the guys ahead of me. As I turned back along the home straight, the wind was behind me so I kept pushing on to try and make up a few more places. Lap two was pretty similar to lap one. The third and final lap of the course started to get pretty busy and it was hard for me to work out my position. As I was approaching T2 I could see someone ahead of me undoing their shoes so I knew he was a rival. I slipped my feet out and resting them on top, ready for a quick dismount.  

After another slick transition (T2) and a quick bike count, I knew I was in seventh and could see that sixth was just ahead of me. The final run was a single lap of 2.5 km. I knew this was likely to be flat out, but didn't want to go too mad until the turn-a-round point. I soon settled into my stride and on the gradual rise to the turn-a-round point I soon passed sixth place. At the turn around I could see that there was about a 10 sec gap between us. The rest of the run was slightly downhill, so I decided to kick again hoping to keep the distance. I kept pushing and after a quick glance over my shoulder with about 400 m to go I knew I had done enough to hold him off! I kept pushing, gritted my teeth and crossed the line spent (paced to perfection)!  

  

I finished 6th overall in a time of 1:04:34. I was super happy with this and put in a near PB 5 km time for the first run, so this gave me loads of confidence heading into the final build up into the European Duathlon Championships (30th April).

 Job well done!! 

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, as well as my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Also thanks to Lincoln tri club for organizing such a great event and i'll certainly be back. Finally thanks to Richard Howes photography.