Event 27 of 40

Date:23/07/2016

Event: Malvern Mad Hatter Sportive

Distance: 45 Miles

Time taken: 02:54

Memory of Event: Sunshine!

http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/cycling-weekly-malvern-mad-hatter-sportive

This event was a Cycling Sportive ran by Cycling Weekly. Setting off from the Three Counties Showground, the route takes you on relatively quiet roads, between the three counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Herefordshire.

It was rare, sunny Saturday morning, as I set off on the bike ride, and a real pleasure to be cycling along, and spinning my legs. The route was relatively flat for the first few miles, and the ride was really enjoyable. A few little climbs, kept riders entertained as he miles ticked by.

Passing a feed station, I wondered what was ahead, these are often just before a very hard section! Then I realised as we reached the Beast of the day! Around 35 miles, we reached Malvern Hill, where it started to ramp up, quite steeply! The climb is long, every corner I turned, it rose again! It became quite steep in sections, and many riders dismounted and started to walk! I kept going steadily up, and slowly but surely reached the top of the climb. Rewarded with a nice fast descent, back towards the finish. I was pleased to finish in less than 3 hours.

Thanks to Strava for the route Profile:

 

Event 26 of 40

Date: 21/07/2016

Run: Purdown Pursuit Run

Distance: 10K

Time taken: 1:03

Memory of Event: Unexpected Rain!

http://www.tach.org.uk

In the same run Series, as my Event Number 21, this is the final run in the series of summer runs, by the TACH Run Club. Just over 10K, this run was through fields and woodlands, with some juicy hills.

A long day at work, and it was difficult to get the running gear on, and head off for the Event. Alongside that, after days of glorious sunshine, it was raining, which I had not been prepared for, it was hard, mentally to get to the start line, when all I wanted to do was go home, and relax for the evening in the dry!

As the Race started we began to climb almost straight away, not feeling it that evening, I struggled up the first hill, feeling a bit empty in the legs. I am going to be here all night at this rate I thought! A mile or 2 in, and started to feel more into it, and gained speed and rhythm.

Unlike the previous event, of this series, that I had done, I was able to get other runners in my sight, and it wasn’t quite as isolating, or desolate as the previous one.  I finished in a slightly more respectable time, and it had even stopped raining! 🙂

 

 

 

Event 25 of 40

Date:16/07/2016

Run: Challenge Women, Roth Germany

Distance: 5K

Time taken: 25:22

Memory of Event: Supporters

My partner, Mike, and I had traveled to Roth, a small city in mid Germany for his Ironman Distance Triathlon: Challenge Roth. A very popular Triathlon for this distance, the town was busy with thousands of athletes, and their friends and families to support them on their Challenge. As we went to register Mike for the event, and collect information, I noticed a Challenge Women Section. Intrigued, I approached the tent to see what this was all about. Discovering that there was a 5K Women’s Only Run on, the day before the triathlon. Trying to ignore the underlying: “lets put a nice little run on for the women”, I felt was slightly underpinning this, I decided to seize my chance to hook in another little event and promptly entered.

I was surprised at the number of women that lined up on the Saturday morning to take part in this 5K, but it was nice to see. However this number did become a bit of a frustration on the run, as I was often stuck behind slower runners, before being able to get past. The run led us out of Roth, through a nice forested area and back into the town. As I ran back into the town, I was surprised by the level of support, and noise on the route. Well the Triathletes will be fine tomorrow, if this is the level of support just for the 5K Run!

The next day Mike completed his Ironman Distance Triathlon in just over 13 hours, running a marathon in a very hot, sweltering heat throughout the afternoon, after completing a 2.4mile swim, and 112 miles on the bike previously. Amazing!!

 

Event 24 of 40

Date: 10/07/016

Run: Wales 5k – Long Course Weekend

Distance: 5K

Time taken: 23:45

Memory of Event: Short and sharp!

http://www.longcourseweekend.com

I awoke to a lovely morning in Tenby, after yesterday’s grayness it was a pleasure to look at! In its final hooray the Long Course Weekend has several different runs on the Sunday morning, ranging from the full marathon, down to the 5K run. Due to the later start of the 10K, I decided to do the earlier 5K run.

There was only a few of us for the 5K, who they set off just in front of the marathon runners. In true Tenby style, they had the bands out, and the music on, even on a Sunday morning, the crowds were already lining up to support those setting off to complete their 26.2 miles.

The 5 K runners set off, and we ran through Tneby town, and out the other side, rounding on ourselves to head back, and back up the hill we had just come down. Finishing in Tenby, and along the red carpet. I set off a probably too high a pace, and then realised how tired I was after yesterdays bike ride! Backing off slightly I got round quickly and relatively easily – it felt very short, but I was pleased with my finish time.

So 3 events in 3 days, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed! A great weekend  🙂

 

 

 

Event 23 of 40.

Date: 9/7/2016

Event: The Wales Sportive. Long Course Weekend – Bike

Distance: 67 Miles

Time taken: 4:43

Memory of Event: Wind, fog, and soggy!

The Bike component of the Long Course Weekend, I had chosen to enter the 67 Miles Event, rather than the longer 112 mile. As I woke up to the wind howling round the hotel, and Tenby shrouded in a wet fog, I was glad. This is going to be a long day in these conditions I thought. Again, this follows the Course of the Ironman Wales, known for it hills, and toughness.

It wasn’t raining a lot, most of the time, but the strong wind drove the persistent drizzle straight on to us, as we cycled out of Tenby to head to the beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast line. After some hard climbs we reached the coast line, buffeted by the winds, it was still beautiful to see, even through the fog! We then headed back inland, and the real climbing began.

40 – 50 miles and I was starting to find it hard going, the relentless wind, and the constant drizzle became really hard work. I was saturated through, and all the wet spray off the roads had left us filthy, and it was hard going. I was starting to get cold, as I was so wet now. To do the 112 mile in these conditions demanded respect I thought, let alone to run a marathon after, if it was the day of the Ironman. – I wasn’t even doing the full bike distance!

There are two killer hills towards the end of the bike ride, out of 2 very beautiful little villages. They are steep, and hard climbs. The second one you can see veering in front of you, and the climb is timed, the supporters had lined this hill, and as I climbed up it, the support, was inspiring, giving me goosebumps all over.

Cycling back down into Tenby was a big relief, and in Tenby style, again supporters lined the route, and the support was again inspiring. I gladly took my medal, and headed back to peel off the saturated clothes, and have a hot shower!

Thanks to Strava for the route profile:

Event 22 of 40

Date: 8/7/2016

Event: The Wales Swim – Long Course Weekend

Distance: 3.8K / 2.4 Mile

Time taken: 1:19

Memory of Event: No Jellyfish! 🙂

I would of thought after 20 odd events I have lost the nerves, and to be honest recently I had. This, however was different, very different, and I hadn’t felt this in a while.

The Long Course Weekend, based in Tenby, in the same location as Ironman Wales. Over the course of 3 days there are all 3 disciplines: a swim, a bike, and a run, in varying lengths, that you can choose to enter. Event 22: I had entered the 2.4 mile Swim, the full Ironman Distance, and as I arrived in Tenby the nerves were kicking in! Not only was I doubtful, and unconfident in my ability to complete, (despite previously completing this distance),alongside the fear of the dreaded jellyfish, but the whole of Tenby, a normally quiet seaside town, in Pembrokeshire, comes alive, and the atmosphere is quite electric, as thousands of athletes descend upon the small town. As with the Ironman Event Tenby really embraces this event, the locals are welcoming, an the support for participants is large.This leads to increased nerves, and heightened excitement by myself! As I stared out from North Beach, at the relatively calm ocean, my stomach rolled a lot more than the ocean!

As I donned my wetsuit, and dropped my bag off, weirdly all the nerves seemed to abate. The build up to the swim was big, and crowds of people lined around North Beach to support the swimmers. Exploding fireworks, set of the large crowd of 2000 swimmers, as we all ran and plunged into the ocean. It was relatively warm, and I didn’t have the normal take  your breath away from the cold water, instead I fought to find some space to get into my swim. Open water swims, with mass starts such as these are often a bit of a fight, as everyone scrambles for space. I pulled out wide, and got away with a punch in the head, and a few kicks, before I was off.

The sea had looked relativity calm from the shore, but as we went further out the surge soon developed, but I felt strong in my swimming, if a little nauseous at times! The 2.4 mile swim is two laps of the course, so you come out onto the beach, run along the beach and head back into the water. The second lap round I was starting to get tired, and I was glad to see the final Bouy in sight. I was also elated, and very relieved, as I hadn’t spotted one jellyfish!! As I ran up the Beach to the finish line, I was pleased with my time of 01:19, and really pleased to have completed this tough event.

Event 21 of 40

 Date: 30/06/2016

Run: Dundry Thunder

Distance:10K

Time taken: 1:06

Memory of Event: Return of the Mud

http://www.tach.org.uk/tach-races

Dundry Hill is slightly infamous in Bristol, particularly among the cyclists of this city, in it steepness, and toughness of a hill. I was therefore not expecting an easy 10K, especially when it was named Dundry Thunder……. It takes more effort to leave from work to partake in an event. You are tired from the day, and would gratefully go home, especially when you know you are faced with a tough one. However, inspired by my halfway mark, I made it to the run.

This run is organised by the TACH running group, who are an off Road running group, and they do a series of running events over the  summer. The Dundry Thunder is about 10K of country lanes and fields;  with two climbs of 130 metres each.

There was only a small field of 100 or so runners as we gathered together, on this supposedly summer evening, as the drizzle started. We set off, and ran for the first mile or so downhill, this was worrying, as going down only means one thing! Not so good at going down hill, I watched the small field of runners disappear in front of me, with only a few of us left at the back. The inevitable climbing soon started, a long haul of a hill across fields. I was able to make some gains on the uphill sections, and passed a few runners. The rest had all but disappeared from sight.

By this time, the rain had really started to pour down, and sections of the run was very muddy.. High up on the hill looking across the countryside was enjoyable, and a shame not to have a nicer evening for this run. We ran through and round fields, down hills, and up hills. The field was very spread out, and I spent a lot of the run not seeing anyone else, which, in the pouring rain, and low cloud was a bit strange.

A long haul of a climb, that seemed to go on for a very long time at mile 5 drained my legs. But then finally the finish was in site, through some mud, and across a field to see a few people stood huddled against the rain for the finish. That was a tough one!

A rather bedraggled me for the finish!: