Race Build Up: I left the corporate world towards the end of 2015 knowing it was essential to maintain a ‘life purpose’ during this career break. Having swam and ran as a youngster (I’m now 49) and enjoyed some road cycling since 2014 I signed up for the Thorpe Park Standard triathlon.

Fortunate to be off work, in January I decided to enrol some help. I found the Viceroys website and contacted Mark who soon put together my first training plan. 6 month’s hard training followed with, naturally, highs and lows. The swimming came back fairly quickly and the bike improved steadily including the tough Dragon Ride in Wales.  However, it took until April to overcome a calf injury and run properly. 

Race Day: My training downfall had been to start time trials too quickly then fade. It was essential I pace myself correctly. Target times were: swim 23:45, bike 1:10:00 (ambitious) and run 42:00. Given I’d never put all three together I set myself an overall goal of 2 hours 30 mins.

Early in the swim I had a ‘what have you taken on here you idiot’ feeling  Soon after I laughed, held back a bit and finished strong in 23:50. So far so good. I stuck to Mark’s advice on the bike and never strayed beyond 7 out of 10 effort for the most part. However, I was having so much ‘fun’ I put a little too much into the last 10km and smashed my target with 1:08:47. 

When I started running there was doubt in my mind as to whether I’d even finish. The first 3km were weird, I felt I was hardly moving but the Garmin confirmed I was doing ok. I entered a deep dark place from km 6 to 9 being very careful not to let a few muscle twinges turn into cramp. It was clear I was going to finish now, just not clear when. Thankfully I did with 44:40 for the run giving an unbelievable (for me) total of 2:19:21 and 5th in Age Group. 

Incredibly happy I realised how important it is to make a plan based on current performance and stick to it…well almost…especially early on when you feel strong. I sense this is just the beginning of a new adventure in life…’

As raced and reported by Sandy Whisker

‘Yesterday I ventured to Dorney lake to take part in a competitive race held by VOTWO –  they use a clockwise bike coming down the middle section which adds a nice twist to the otherwise dull venue. Wave 1 had all the guys sub 39yrs & it was clear to see that some had come too fast in the windy but hot & humid conditions. An hour between waves I had time to clock their swim and bike splits before starting at mid day – yes mid day… Far too late for a race. I knew it was going to be close but the lead guy ran out dirty fast. Oh okay, that’s that then

In the 40+ a more relaxed attitude was taken, the water was murky and I some got into a good rhythm & exited in first (2nd fastest split behind the young gun winner). Soon onto the bike I knew that going fast was going to be hard, the head wind was tough and the only rest bite was the return leg back each lap. On the 3rd lap I was caught but looked to start close as I was hoping to save my legs for the run. He put a big push on the final lap and I entered T2 in 2nd but after 100m I knew this wasn’t going to be a day to burn up the run course, more burned by the sun.

Running into the headwind is no joy but I dug in and on the turn looked to keep my legs ticking over. Dehydrated and lacking food due to the late start I was relieved to cross the line and be 3rd overall and back on the podium.

Time to rest and recover ahead of another race in 2weeks time. ‘

As raced and reported by Mark Yeoman.

Marty and I (the beardy one and the little one) thought some of the Viceroys cyclists might like a quick ride report on La Marmotte. 

It’s been our target ride for the year – I think we are both okay cyclists and hold our own in the fast group. Training has, as ever, been hit by life! But we have both worked several other big rides in and a training camp in Spain.

We both stayed at the top of Alpe D’Huez, where the ride ends and the event village is. We went with different companies (happy to discuss if interested) who provided transfers, accommodation, support during the ride and entry (it sells out within hours!)

From 7am, 7,000 riders start at the bottom of the Alpe, meaning a chilly 20 min fast descent. Organisation is very good, and three waves are stacked in the side streets of Bourg D’Oisans.

A quick valley ride leads you straight into the first of the HC climbs – this is not called the hardest sportive in Europe for nothing. The Glandon is over 25km long averaging at 4.5% – and the average includes a couple of down hill bits – it was closer to the steeper bits on Newlands Corner probably nearer 6+%. It’s a nice climb – consistent, but very long!

The back is not timed – it’s a fab descent but on very tight mountain roads with no barriers!

The only long valley section beckons – find a big Dutch Yeoman and hide! I lost time here as my large group didn’t want to work (believe me my 64kg ain’t going to give much draft to anyone, eh Kevin ) and my pulling big turns was not helpful for me. The Sigma boys passed in a flying group but nothing to jump onto!

This gently rises into the Telegraph/Galibier – two hills connected by a 4-5km descent but effectively one long climb of 35km over 5.5% average (inc the mid descent) nearer 6-8% with some ramps up to 15%. In many places this feels like the steep bits of Newlands crossed with the Whitedown ramps (taking out the steep corner). Telegraph is switchbacks through trees (apart from km markers you don’t know where you are). Galibier is a steep valley ride into a series of exposed switchbacks into the permafrost zone. It is absolutely relentless – we both hit the wall physically and mentally. It hurt – a lot! (Ok maybe not as much as childbirth Lucy, but it did hurt!)

Last year it hit 42 degrees; this year we topped 30 degrees. But what you don’t need when you get to the top of Galibier at 2500m is for a storm to come in. A 40km descent in driving wind and rain/sleet in just a wind jacket (touching on 70km/h) left us both with no feeling in fingers or feet. I only knew I was braking by the sound (and the zipps were fine braking in the wet)! The tunnels were no respite as they were like fridges!

This rolls you into the Alp – 13km, 21 famous corners. Each corner is flat, the ramps are steep. They say the first 5 corners are the worst; I couldn’t tell any of them apart. Each ramp looks like a wall, 6-8%+. It’s a good climb, but after 155km it’s an absolute b***h. Riders start falling at the wayside with this strange dazed look!

It took Marty 30 mins longer to get up than riding the Alp fresh. I had a big mechanical at the bottom which blew my times out of the water. Small groups cheer you on at the corners (or helpfully ask if there is something wrong with your bike when you are moving the chain back onto the top cog by hand!) Big crowds greet you at the top – but I can only remember the pain! Free pasta and a big medal await…..Marty managed an excellent 8.11 hrs official time; I ended up just over 9 hrs.

I think we both underestimated how hard this ride is; Surrey Hills cannot really prepare you for it! We had both ridden 25km long Box Hill style ascents in Spain but this was in a different league.

We will both be back – knowing the course and what is needed will make the next attempt better and quicker. Some of it is feeding strategy; some training (working on consistent power over long periods); most importantly what is mentally required – we both agree you have got to ride long hills in preparation.

If anyone is considering this one come and have a chat!

As raced and reported by Nick Collins

‘La Maratona dles Dolomites is a Granfondo that any cycling fan will want to ride. Well it certainly seemed so towards the back of 11,000 riders in a crowded start pen called ‘Pinarello’ with only two portaloos!

At the front were various pros and semi pros as the event is televised in Italy, with the winner getting €60,000!

Ladies note – you start behind the pros, a nice touch.

La Maratona has seven listed ‘Passos’ (climbs), but there are lots more ‘rollers’ all being longer and steeper than Leith or Box Hill!

The main climb, that featured in the 2016 Giro, is Passo Giau – 9.9km at an average of 9.3%. Giau comes late in the 138 km route and is tough enough to make even the strongest riders hold something in reserve. All in all 4,230 metres of climbing. The good news if you are not a mountain goat is that means lots of descending on closed roads, with great rod surfaces, having just had the Giro pass through.

I had a target of 6 – 6:30 hrs with  a detailed race plan from my coach Jay McStay. He had worked out from my FTP what ‘numbers’ to hold on the climbs and what was possible on the descents assuming no drama or mechanicals. (My mechanical skills are best described as ‘limited’ hence no Di2 or anything else that might go tech).

The race gets going at 06:30 but us Pinarellos rolled across the line at 6:41. As you might imagine the first climb up the 5.8 km Campolongo is very busy, and slow at times, but not as bad as I thought it might be.

There is then a short fast descent before a 9.2 km climb up Pordio.
On the descent I could smell burning, at first I thought that was someone else’s problem, one of those guys with flashy carbon rims that melt, but no matter who we passed (I rode with my friend Andy Moore, a triathlete from Essex) that burning smell was getting worse.

We rode up Pordio and then descended towards Sella, but I had to let Andy ride on as I stopped to fix my front pads, hoping to catch back up. (My skill as a mechanic would prove sub-optimal a few km later).  It seemed like the left one was the issue, so I moved that and sped off, but not for long! Coming round a fast right hander the front tyre deflated faster than I good say poobumwillee, with the tyre coming off the rim. I scrambled towards  a gravel driveway where two policeman looked up from their donuts and coffees to see the shambles that was fast approaching and out of control shouting ‘got no brakes’. Not sure why I shouted that as ‘got no tyre’ would have been more accurate, but I somehow stayed upright as I wore down my cleats and locked up the back wheel.

A quick inspection showed the damage to the front tyre sidewall, but hasty panic set in, and logic was nowhere to be seen. I removed the tube and fitted another, without thinking to use my €50 note or clif bar wrapper to seal the hole that the new tube now poked thru, but at least this time I moved both pads down further before setting off with my saddlebag open and various tools stuffed in pockets.

Descending took on a very Italian style and the next two climbs were at near to FTP as I set about trying to catch up with Andy, who was going ‘easy’ (or at least his version of easy). The strategy was now looking a bit dodgy as I risked this hard effort causing a bonk late on.  Soon I was past the 5.5 km Sella climb, down and then and at the top of the 5.8 km Gardena climb. I was babbling incoherently at Andy, who I had now caught, and we then descended through the mist and cloud towards Corvara – our first fuel stop. Then it was Camparello again before a long ultra-fast descent with various ‘rollers’. The gods seemed to be with us as we got into a good group of fast riders, and made up time before Giau.

Giau is a beast of a climb, relentless and steep at 9.9 km and 9.3%. Everyone at the event talks about it as being the undoing of many a rider, and in my opinion Giau is as hard, or harder, than even La Marmotte’s Alp d’Huez. We chugged away to the top, holding steady watts, before refuelling and descending towards Valparola which is 11.7 km long and 6.7%. By know I had taken on a bottle of Coke and had my Clif double espresso gel so I was flying, and we romped up knowing that after Valparola it was all downhill.

The 22k descent from Valparola is awesome, super-fast flowing turns and average speeds well over 50 kph. You then have a short blast up Mur de Giat (19%) which was a comedy, as many were stopping and clipping out. We weaved through the carnage and then rode the final few km uphill to the finish in Corvara.

In the end we rode it in 6:26 which was on target, just. 119th in AG is ok and top 700 from 11,000 is too, especially after losing 7-8 minutes playing at being a mechanic.

In summary, La Maratona is one event that should be on any cyclist’s bucket list. I preferred it to La Marmotte, as it is far more scenic, proper closed roads and overall a friendly and well-run event. La Fuga did a great job organising the trip, with no stone left unturned, including ample beer and food at the finish. (ample beer for me is three, but some of their guests were less snake-like, and could clearly party harder). As ever, Jay my cycle coach got me in great shape for the event, and his detailed race plan helped Andy and I avoid blowing up. If possible I recommend riding a Gran Fondo with a friend, it is far more fun than a long solo push, and Sunday goes down as one of my favourite ever rides.’

As raced and reported by Pete Kelsey

Early start Saturday morning for the trip up to north Norfolk and got there just in time for the race briefing.  Met up with Viceroys Rachel & Lance and registered and racked, checked out a few bits at the venue and then we went off to lunch followed by beautiful home-made ice-cream for dessert (an important part of the carb loading process!).  Got over to my accommodation and sorted kit out for the morning & got the feet up.

Typical pre-race evening of not much sleep, up at 4.30am and back to the venue to setup.  Saw Rach & Jen (Isaac) when I got there but we all got on with setting up.  I wasn’t feeling quite right though & felt really disorganised & kept feeling like I was forgetting something (which turned out to be the case!), and just couldn’t get my wetsuit on properly etc but eventually got myself sorted (poor Jen turned up to a flat tyre so her morning was even more manic than mine!) and over to the swim start we went.

Right from the start I felt sluggish & just couldn’t find a rhythm & as it wasn’t particularly wide was getting caught up a lot (I started on the right side which was meant to be for the slow folks but somehow found myself at the front of the slow section but was even a bit slow for the slow section!), but just carried on as best I could, but was really struggling with energy the last 500-750m so wasn’t surprising that my time was slower than the Outlaw Nottingham half but still disappointing nevertheless as I’d been getting some good times at the lake.

Onto the bike I went but only after standing in transition for a minute feeling lost / that something was missing / not right.  Straight onto an up section which on sluggish energy levels wasn’t too fun, and the first 30 or so miles were undulating (nothing steep but just constant up and down so was hard to get a rhythm), but my system finally woke up at about mile 15 and got myself going a bit more.  From mile 30 – 52 it was then either mostly flat or slightly downhill so lovely & fast and the smile was definitely back on my face.  The last 3-4miles were back in on the same road we came out of, but initially the road was a slight up into a headwind which was a rude shock after the lovely fast section, but tried to back off those last few miles to get the legs eased off for the run.

Back into transition and realised that yep I had in fact actually forgotten to put my ITB strap out, and Outlaw from this year have a no bag in transition rule (they all have to go to a central storage area)!  I was certain that I’d laid it out with my hat last night so made my way over to bag storage area and ripped everything out of my bag, and sure enough there it was at the very bottom (black bag + black strap means I’d missed it putting kit out), so on it went & off I went having re-packed everything into my bag & making a right meal of T2 (and therefore T1 as I had that bad feeling which was making me check everything).

Onto the run and looking at the time wondered if I could beat my Nottingham time, but quickly put that thought out of my head and just concentrated on the job at hand and what I could do at that moment.  The run was 3 laps around the estate and was quite beautiful, but the initial section goes out the same way as the bike, so yep, straight onto a climb!  The legs weren’t so happy with that, but once it flattened off again they came back and I got into a good rhythm.  Jen came flying past me looking super strong and with only 1 lap left I knew she’d rocked it as suspected.

Just kept the head down and kept going, but knowing the stomach issues I’d had at Nottingham and as it was quite warm I was sweating an awful lot, so decided to go lots of fluids & had a cup of coke and cup of electrolyte drink at each station.  Bit of a risk as I’d never fuelled with only coke / fluids before, but it seemed to be working & the stomach was ok!  Had a bit of a low point about mile 7.5-8, but knowing I was near the end of lap 2 and there was only 1 left kept me going and a feed station shortly after got me back on track again, until about 1mi out when the legs started to wobble but there was no chance on the planet I was stopping then!!

Not long before the finish went past Rach & Lance, which to know they were on the run gave me such a huge boost & the energy to get to the finish!  Turned the 90 degree corner for the red carpet & the legs didn’t like the sudden change of direction so nearly fell over, but got myself back upright & high-5’d everyone up the finish straight which is always fun and for the first time I got to hold a finishing banner (not because I’d won anything but they held it there for everyone to hold up which I thought was fantastic), and then the legs did promptly give way!!

After a few minutes managed to stand (well, hold onto the fence!), and convince the medical folks I was ok, just had jelly legs & that the tears were really of joy / being overwhelmed so thankfully they let me go & once I’d had a proper sit & some food was all good.  Hung around for a bit but had to leave, but just as I’d packed up & went to sit in my car to go heard Rach & Lance being announced over the finish line so was really chuffed to bits for them!!

Was the first time they’d run Outlaw at Holkham Hall and I think it’s safe to say it was a big hit so hopefully they will run it there again.  Having done the outlaw half double this year I really can’t praise the One Step Beyond team / Outlaw events enough; really well run, really friendly and you are really looked after as an athlete (there’s not many half’s where you get a lovely hot cooked meal & massage after!).  Oh and I did beat my time from Nottingham, which given this was a much tougher run course and the fact my knee had held up again, was well happy 🙂

As raced and reported by Andrea Whelband.