Saturday 30 April 2016

April....snow what! 25m tt PB!

Now as we all know April has been rather mixed, cold, snowy, wet, windy, sunny. I have no idea what to wear when training, when to go out or when to sit at home with a cuppa and look longingly out of the window. Okay the later isn't quite what I do ever, but you get the idea

April has been a month of running progress, cycling frustration and training insight. I have been listening to a podcast called cup of tri, it's amazing! The show is fantastic and some amazing insight. The interviews are so real and with a range of people to aspire to be like and look up to. I highly recommend it and will I am on tenterhooks every week waiting for the new editions to come out. 

Racing in April has been hard and but then when is a race not hard? 

I raced the Nationals at the 12 stages and man alive my running is far from where I want it to be, but after 3 months out what can you expect, so now we build to my first ever 70.3 in early June. I was able to knock 30 seconds off my time from two weeks prior, so I was happy. But it was a fast race. But the 12 stages are great races and fantastic fun days out! 

I have also competed in what has to be one of the Hardee's time trails in the country! The CCT little mountain 39.5. 




The race is crazy hilly and hard to get into a rhythm. But you just have to keep pushing. All the way! Now the race wasn't quite what I expected and actually went slower by 20seconds than last year, but my power avg was 20watts lower. So the silver lining is I'm much more aero than last year, but still frustrating to go slower. Just tired from a training week I guess and needed more rest before the event. 

25m Walsh championships

Now this was one heck of a wet race, it was cold, dark and gloomy. But felt fresh and determined before the race started. The drive to Wales was a little halted by some navigation problems, but still arrived with just enough time to pin up warm up and shape up! 

This course is designed for a PB. Although race conditions were not great due to the rain, the wind was okay and everything about my prep was good. Race started fast, watts were holding well, I was fulled up and felt good. I hit the strange and unfortunately confusing Turing point in good time (although lost about 20/25 seconds trying to figure out how to navigate the roundabouts...potential for time saving next time! 
I headed back on the limit and if I'm honest I should have saved a bit more, but hah Ho! I put everything in and was feeling a bit spent....but kept pushing! I hit the finish after a horrid last mile and hr a 25m PB of 57.17! Very happy but Defo room for improvement.

I really needed a result like this....winter has been good and I've now found out that when fresh there is no excuse! 

Thursday 14 April 2016

Date, nut and oat slices.

These bars have become a staple since i have changed my nutrition, they are easy to make and taste great. High gi, but with added protein and carbs. Perfect for fuel on a long ride, and for that instant hit after a session, to kick start recovery. 

They can take on any flavour you want to add, I like to add some high quality dark chocolate to mine for that bitter sweet kick. 

The base of the bars it dates and Brazil's. 



Ingredients 

100ml boiling water 
300g dates 
200g almonds 
200g oats 

Extras - 

Honey
Dark chocolate 
Coconut 
Cinnamon

  
Instructions-

Start by boiling the kettle, and turning the oven onto 170. Also line a baking tin with baking paper. Then place the Brazil's and dates into the food processor. Pour the boiling waster over and leave them for 2 mins to soak. 

Once they have had a little time to soak, whiz the dates and Brazil's together. Watch out because the water likes to escape. Once combined add the oats and the added extra ingredients if you want to. 

Whiz up again till all combined well. To look like this. 

Pour into the lined baking tray and smooth out. Then place in the oven and bake for 10-15mins until a little firm in the middle. Then the oven off and leave it in the oven for 5 mins. Take out and leave it in the baking tray until cool. Then remove, and place onto a cooling rackets the baking paper still on. Once completely cool remove the baking paper and cut into what ever shapes you like. 

Friday 8 April 2016

First tri of 2016....how not to race a tri! its been a while. Plus Road relays WAC


HALESOWEN SPRINT TRI 10/4/16


How not to race a triathlon....

Rather a long story....

Swim went okay, felt good. Time not quite there but paving was good and just need to work on my speed. 

Transition was so so so so slow, due to the 2 degree temperatures at 8am I had to put a jacket on....and that cost me a lot of time....90 seconds ish to be exact! 

Finally get Into the bike. Watts were good for me. Felt good, energy levels good. Caught only other man on the course after 10mins (who later beat me into transition). Hilly course and climbed well. And the plot thickens, got lost on the way back into town and if I'm honest it was due to poor marshalling and them not being ready for me as I was the first bike back.....cost me around 5/6 mins! Nightmare. Not good enough, but live and learn. 

Finally get back and run went well, felt good. Energy levels good. Speed not quite there as its only been 4 weeks of running, but still happy! 

All in all crap total time, but very happy with effort levels and how I felt....season looks promising.....if I can not get lost! 

However it was also amazing to see how my coach smashed it up and came 2nd! Well done Matt Bottrill! 




Road relay Worcester AC 2/4/16

Well this was actually my first real race of the year and man alive it was a strange experience trying to run fast again. Let's just say I didn't, although I did try! And I also ran 8 seconds fast than last year....but after 3 months out and 6 months of not running in the past year....what can I expect I guess. Although I wanted more that's for sure and I will be able to get a chance at this on the 16/4/16 on the same course in the national road relay championships. 

Friday 1 April 2016

France trip, perspective.

France for Easter was amazing. But tiring! I had a blast and saw loads, Paris is a wonderful place and how can Disneyland not be fun....





Two weeks on from my last post, and how times can change. I am tired from my France trip and need to make sure I don't over reach, especially as I have my first big race of the year in June. 

I find that in the world of endurance sports you find that one goal can be another mans breakfast! If you get what I mean. To someone a goal can be something that they have aimed for and built towards but this same goal can just be another day in the life of someone else. But you should make sure that you never compare goals with others. Make sure that goals are yours and no one can take them away....

My goals this year are to stay healthy, race consistently and race well. These are things I have not been able to do in the past 12 months. After having 6 months off running in the last 12 months this is now a place I can build from! 

I have my first race tomorrow at the road relays, this is the first running race of the year and literally my first competitive race in 2016, although it is part of a team. I also have my first triathlon of the year the next weekend, and if I'm honest I am scared and worried, but also excited. I also have a trip to the Lake District cycling which is an amazing place. 

I Do hi we're find that the world or multisport is cruel and unforgiving...so I am going to be ready this year!