Dinners for ….

Winners?

Well what were the chances of that? I knew was in with a shout but that maybe added to the pressure.

After doing a rain dance all day Saturday, it was tipping it down when I arrived at Helwith Bridge Duathlon. Its a 4 mile hilly run, a 21 mile hilly bike (using some of the Circuit of Ingleborough TT course) then a repeat of the 4 mile run.

Run 1 – Very quick off the mark trying not to give too much time away

Bike – My top tip. If it’s raining, leave you visor at home. Alternatively spend a couple of miles trying to remove it (I can honestly say I made a good job of fixing it to my helmet) then try stuffing it down the front of your tri-suit. Then back to the racing. Catch a few and try and work out if you are actually at the front of the race. Are there any more athletes ahead or are they a relay team?

Time to hit the climbs and Mark (my favourite for the win) is starting to drop back a bit. Ever attacked up hill on a TT/Tri bike before? No me neither and I can honestly say it ain’t really the tool for the job. I then had to put the hammer down and get as much time as possible.

Running out of T2 and Mark is just coming into T2. I reckoned i needed 30 seconds advantage. this didn’t look good.

My mind started to wander. How much time would I really need. Was he gaining. No. I can’t actually see him. Followed by, where the hell did he com from? I thought I was going to get caught and couldn’t decide whether to just keep running or ease off hoping that I could then put the hammer down as I was about to be caught.

Thankfully it didn’t come down to that. I came in 48 seconds clear.

I learnt a few things on that final run.

To have more faith in my abilities – I expected to be caught

I should have gone sooner on the bike and attacked from further out expecting to maximise the damage.

Anyway, the 15 cans of Carlsberg will come in handy plus the vouchers for KuduBikes in Hawes.

All in all it was a very wet second “last ever duathlon”.

I never got chance to sit down on Arthurs Seat

So I've already established that I didn't rock up here in top form, so I won't dwell on that.

Thursday
Drive up to Edinburgh. Stop for lunch. Go register.
TeamHAMI had rocked up so it was time to go out for a meal with my folks down near Leith.

Friday
Up and out with Mrs H to do a recce of the run course. We struggled to make sense of the turn point until we stumbled across it on the way back. The course looked spectacular in Hollyrood Park. Having raced the Europeans on a similar course (same bike, different run) back in 2007, a quick bike refresher was called for later in the day.
Pre-Race meal was a trip to Pizza Express with Matt and Emma. the last time we met up like this was in Rimini for the 2009 World Duathlon Championships.

Satdi - Race Day 
Pre-race espresso in Hotel then time to get down to business.
Time to be alone and get my race head on. Mrs H's parting shot was "Just enjoy it"
Run 1 - 10 minutes into the run I told myself "This is my last ever Du". Just enjoy it.
Bike - Oh it's hilly. I'm no climber but this was where I had to get some time back...and then some.
Run 2 - I was feeling sick on on the run course and the downhill wasn't helping. It was a hot day and with every step i could feel the liquid in my stomach bottom out and slosh around. I still managed to give myself a quite swill of with a bottle of water so that I was in a reasonable state to stop and kiss Mrs H. A small way of saying thanks for her help and support.

 
Tom's tip was not to analyse the race until it was over and to keep pressing on. Whilst I didn't push run 2 particularly hard I knew I was getting passed by a couple of athletes who I'd normally beat. Plus holding off one athlete who seemed to take great delight in telling me that I had a shocking second run after the Rimini Worlds in 2009. I was good to see him engage reverse gear on the climb of Arthur's Seat. I thought he was going to get off and walk. It was even better to see him going backwards on the run..... on home turf.

So all things considered It was a credible performance considering the form i arrived with. More importantly it was a nice weekend away in the sun with Mrs H.

Sundi
Time to try and get out of bed and try walk. FAIL
Cocktails sir? Espresso Bongo for me please.

Monday
Everyone hates a tourist but it was time to see the sites and work on mobility. We went to the Oxford Bar, a favourite haunt of Inspector John Rebus. John wasn't in but I did meet Ian Rankin.
Mrs H teated us to afternoon tea at Hotel Misonni then it was time to go home.

So was this my last ever du? Well I have just entered Helwith Bridge Duathlon and If I have pre-qualified for the European Duathlon Champsionships in 2011 via the National Ranking, I may just be there.... depending on where it is to be held.

What's next?
2-up 10m TT with ABD
Wetherby 10k
Helwith Bridge Du
Race bike refurb..... coffee anyone ;-)

Thank you team

I forgot to mention my recent silver medal in the National Sprint Triathlon Relay Championships.

Leeds & Bradford Tri fielded a mixed team consisting of one European Champion (Jenny), one National Champion (Tim), one Elite athlete (Lois) and little old me.

Silver medal, in a National Championships, me, I know. Crazy.

I’d like to thank the other three though.

 

A bag of slugs

I normally sit down and write how well everything has gone and how ready I am. I remember writing this last year. Little did I know when I wrote that I would produce the best race of my life. I'd be very well prepared, have no bad luck and  really pull a good performance out of the bag. I look back at that race and think that's probably the best I will ever be.

Anyway, looking forward this time I can't talk about breakthrough sessions etc. I can talk about life, work, injury and a relaxed attitude to whatever happens. I describe my form as "I'm going like a bag of slugs" which is a bit melodramatic. things aren't that bad but I'm not exactly flying. Yes folks, it's time for the World Duathlon Championships. Not Rimini this time but Edinburgh.

Post European blues? Not really. I had a week off after the Euros with the intention to start building again for the World Du's. I caught a cold. No panic, still plenty of time. Then work got in the way. Frankfurt is a great place and I enjoyed running intervals up and down the banks of the Main river but it just didn't work out as consistent sessions. this is the first time I've hit my "A race" in this sort of condition over the past 3-4 years so I guess I was due one.

Even the bike hasn't really gone to plan. my bike form has been slipping over the weeks. I do feel like I have managed to turn the tide a bit and get some bike form back a couple of 10m TT PB's probably flatter as they are on faster courses than I usually ride. Run speed will be the worry as too will be the weather forecast. Never mind the spectators, I was hoping for strong winds and driving rain.

Having said all of that,  I am always a different person when I have a number on. Whilst I don't have my A-game ready, I'm certain I'll pull something out of the bag on Saturday. The aftermath might not be a pretty sight though.

It's been a long year but it's also a very long winter.

Everything’s not lost

I’ve had it five years. Dragging it around with me, always feeling a little bit embarrassed by it but never having time to really take care of it. I’m talking about my 10m TT PB.

An early start this morning and a trip up to Crathorne produced the goods. All this after suffering with a cold for 7 days. I suppose I was well rested then. The World Duathlon championships are approaching and I was starting to get concerned. It seems my bike form is hanging in there. I suspect that’s not the case for my run form but at least i only have one discipline to worry about then.

The Crathorne course isn’t super fast, a bit draggy but the wind was kind today.

She’s a perfect 10

It wasn’t all me, me, me either. Mrs H came up with the goods for a PB and FASTEST LADY. Sporting lucky number 10, Mrs H got her PB down to a mid-27. I’m married to a fast woman.

Feeling (too) Hot, Hot, Hot

In fact so hot, hot, hot that the wheels came off.
I now must stop playing the "Duathlete Card". Ladies and gentlemen, with a 24:01 swim time I finally consider myself a Triathlete. My previous best was a 26:46 swim at Ripon when the course was actually a bit short. 24 minutes and I'm sure I can still take up to 2 minutes off that.
Anyway, where's Tom? After the Allerthorpe Smackdown, this was the re-match. Out onto the bike course, hammer down. After a few miles I ended up in a group. drafting is not permitted so I keep to my speed and pass some riders. Who then pass me and slow down a bit. Not cos of the effort of pushing the wind but actually ease up a fraction. This went on for miles and ultimately resulted in me getting a drafting penalty  (notified after the race) which wasn't a total surprise based on how it had been out there. I did catch Tom and he informed me of the chaos in my wake when I went past so fingers crossed that the others around me got penalised too as it was a bit of a farce.
I was surprised how many placed I'd made up when I hit T2. Almost as surprised as I was to see Tim A in green Tri-Shorts. This was the Police Champs but it appears the Fashion Police took the day off. If you're reading this Tim, they clashed badly with your yellow/green/orange/blue shoes but you were going too fast to care.
I was more surprised when I spectacularly blew up on the run after 2km. At the 7Km point the wheels well and truly came off. I knew I needed to cool down very quickly but was trying to keep calm. Running in a straight line became a bit of a challenge too. The lights were going out. Tom passed me (it was his turn to run faster today) at the 7Km mark and showed me how to clear the style. by the finish I was seeing stars …….. and JC. So it wasn't all bad.

Tom – When I said “I’ll get you next time”, I lied.

ETU European Sprint Triathlon Championships

A little bit more GB action but this time Mrs H is in on the action too.

After qualifying at Grendon and a nervous wait to see it TeamMALLIE would be heading en masse to Ireland, we packed the car to head to Athlone.

Actually it wasn't quite that simple. It never is.  A chaotic week at work left me with a taper of one 35 minute run on Wednesday evening after a 13 hour day at work. A 13 hour day at work in Frankfurt, an old working 'haunt' for me but this time a different client. After taking the Manchester to Manchester flight on the Tuesday afternoon I finally managed to get on another flight that didn't have "technical issues" mid-flight and touchdown in the "land of the Rising Sausage" circa 11pm. Hotel bar for dinner. Hotel bar was an American themed diner. Do athletes eat burgers?
My 35 minute run enabled me to see how the city had changed. Staying at the Marriott (44+ floors) next door to the tallest skyscraper in town meant I was never going to get lost.... or would at least find my way back.

The flight back was uneventful which is exactly how I like my flights to be.
Get home unpack, re-pack, eat, go to bed Alarm at 5am. This sound like a taper to you?
Leave sunny Harrogate, Arrive in cold rainy Holyhead. Board the sea cat and watch plenty of fellow passengers throwing up. The crossing was a vom-fest.. Then arrive in Dublin in glorious sunshine.
It appears Ireland doesn't do signposts. We got lost in Dublin. To be fair, we were only looking for a motorway. Not a main route or anything like that.

Into Athlone itself and time to put up our tent and go register. Athlone is a very beautiful town. We should know cos we had to walk across town to complete the two stage registration process. Pick up the race stuff and goody bag and then head out for a meal. Italian tonight although a Spaniard was getting all the attention. Javier Gomez. He's nearly as good as Alistair Brownlee but not quite. 
 

Friday morning. the sun is shining so it was time to top up the taper by going to look at the bike and run courses.  . Then boy did it rain. I guess it wouldn't be the Emerald Isle if it didn't.

Race day 
Up at silly o'clock for some cereal and then head into town. the benefit of Sprint Triathlon. you don't need to eat too much which is just as well cos you might see it again. You're done in time for an early brunch too.
It was a shame that we didn't get to dive off the pontoon but then again it would have only filled my goggles. I was hoping for a better swim than at Allerthorpe a few weeks before but it was still chaos. Getting kicked in my right eye for a second time was a particular low point. I did wonder if I'd get my goggles off at swim exit or if the pressure would suck my eyeball out. Swim done, to the bike Batman. After a nice long run up-hill into transition.

The bike was out and back on a windy course. Ideal for me, even better when it started to absolutely throw it down. Flying back into town with the tailwind made me realise how windy it had been. Nice to know it still felt fast on the way out. I saw Mrs H on the way back  as I was still about 1.5Km from the turn. I never did catch her on the bike and I'll never hear the end of it. She did have a 10 minute head start but bragger rights go to Mrs H.

The uphill run into to transition was a killer the second time round. Shoes on and it's time to catch Mrs H. Who informs me that I might be in 4th place. AKA first non-medal winner. Time to dig deep and press on. I get caught by one runner and then catch another with 1.5Km to go. I have no sprint so decide to put the hammer down with 1Km to go and hope that's enough. It was and thankfully breakfast stayed down.

With  a number of age groups in each wave and several waves out on the course it was always going to be hard to tell. my 4th was actually 7th but I'll take that. Race over and cheer on Mrs H. Now it's time for a drop of the black stuff. time to meet the in-laws. Shame we couldn't find an Irish Theme Pub.

The £ Vs €

European Sprint Triathlon Championships
It rained and I came 7th. Happy days.
Time for a Guiness

Tri a bit harder - Grendon & Allerthorpe

Having spent all of 2009 tri-ing to be a triathlete, I qualified for the 70.3 world champs. Half Ironman distance was perhaps my forte. the swim is a bit longer than Olympic distance but the bike and run are about twice the distance of Olympic so there i plenty of time to get back what you've given away. With all of that in mind I decided that Sprint Distance triathlon was the thing for 2010. Alternatively this was my side project. Dave Grohl has them crooked vultures, Jack White has the Raconteurs. Sprint Triis 750m swim, 20Km bike and 5km run for those not in the know.

Grendon
Time to go and qualify for the Europeans. It was Mrs H's idea to qualify and I thought I'd join her. However, the plan was always for both of us to go. It was all (of TeamMALLIE) or nothing.
My race went well. I still had the bike and run form from the Du's and the swim didn't go too badly. Mrs H was still on the run after I'd crossed the line, done the maths and realised I'd got a qualifying spot. Out onto the course to cheer on the Gaffer. After a big cheer which was met with a "I can do it" as she tried to convince herself I took a short cut to the finish and tried to stifle my own tears whilst watching Mrs H in the hurtbox. She'd not really focused on something like this before and wasn't sure if it was a realistic ambition or not.
Meeting up at the finish line resulted in Mrs H expecting the worst. We knew an automatic qualification spot was unlikely and that the time she finished in would be essential. Maths was done on the fly but you never know for sure until you get confirmation.
Thankfully all of TeamMALLIE will be in Ireland, so they will.

QEII Sprint Tri
Not much to say other than provide this top tip. Don't ride the National 25 Mile Time Trial the day before driving all the way up north to do a Triathlon. Thankfully it was on too early for the local yoofs to start throwing half-charlies.

Allerthorpe
A pre-European warm up and a club smackdown.
Mrs H was full of cold so race duties were performed by moi.
the swim was a fist fight. I have never experienced such a crazy swim. I managed a maximum of 6 strokes before someone either swam over me or I ended up swimming over somebody else. Absolute chaos in human soup.
Out onto the bike and it's time to see what's WATT. The numbers weren't great but this was my third race of the week. Always nice to pass people but no time to say hello. I was out hunting for a blue tri top with a small St Georges flag on the back. After passing through T2 quicker than the previous nights curry through me I was out on the run chasing a small figure on the horizon in the blue kit. Even at the turn point when we passed each other in different directions, he didn't look any bigger . The final 2.5 Km saw me gaining ground on Tom throughout but not enough and he had 4 seconds to spare. I'll adopt a cartoon villains voice when I say "I'll get you next time"... but I probably wont. Tickets to watch the next smackdown at Ripon Tri are selling fast.

So it's been pretty hectic. I've been tweeting rather than blogging. I didn't realise anybody actually reads this rubbish.

Du, Tri & Keep up

Back by popular demand. Someone demanded an update at Otley Town Centre Races. So this ones for Mr T... not th eone on the Snickers ad.

So it's been a while

I've been working on swim, bike and run after the disappointment of Clumber. Clumber was one tough race too soon for me after my stress fracture. I'd had some encouraging results at Park Run 5Km races and a couple of time trials suggested that the bike form was coming along nicely. A new saddle was added so hopefully there'd be no mechanicals going forward.... at speed.

Stokesley Du
Having placed 3rd there last year and the athletes who beat me not showing up I was up for the chance of a win, right? Wrong. I'll take 4th then.
The run was ok the bike was good and the second run was a bit pony. Meeting up with an ex-colleague was the high-light.
Mrs H had a good race too so all in the garden was rosy.
The highlight for me was passing a team mate for the second year in a row..... in transition. He never saw me pass him, too busy looking for the change tent I guess.

I stilll need to spend my winnings.

Milton Keynes Du
Not the national Champs but always worthy of a good turn out. this year was no different and thankfully I rose to the occasion. Opening up with a 36:15 10Km whilst still feeling as if there was a little more in the tank was a good start. Often these courses are not measured that accurately but this is used for 10Km Amateur Athletic Association approved races so with a few tweaks for in and out of transition this was pretty much bang on 10km.
The bike wasn't great. I made good progress but never felt like I was really hitting the numbers.
Then onto the second run which wasn't the suffer-fest it normally is. Whilst the time wasn't fantastic (20:20 for 5.4Km) I didn't really get run down.
One duathlete passed me that did matter. He took the last qualifying slot available at Milton Keynes and beat me by 18 seconds. Always nice to be passed by someone in these circumstances. You're breathing out of your arse and all you want to do is shout "You've just knicked my ticket to Edinburgh" then smack them in the knackers.
Qualification is still looking like a strong possibility based on the maths but It would be nice to secure a slot based on a finish placing rather than down to time.
Roll on Cambridge then into the open water and then it's time for a quick rest. End of Act I.

Cambridge

We've been here before. If the big day out is in Edinburgh then I qualify at Cambridge. And I did just that after a fun day out in the rain and gales. The new deep section rim was a challenge to keep straight in the cross winds but a good bike and a solid second run got me the 3 qualification spot.

Down time? Dont you beleive it. A small matter of qualifying for the Sprint Triathlon European Champs is just around the corner.