This was my fourth time racing in Mallorca, having already completed the 70.3 twice and the full distance once. So,  I was planning for a great race full of confidence.

Everything was going according to plan pre-race, apart from damaging my power meter in the commute, so no power for the race. That’s ok, I am confident I can just use my experience, how wrong was I! Swim went well, no jellyfish this year, the bike was sunny, fast and dry (apart from an annoying Dutch cheat drafting behind me for 30km, arrgh, so annoying), transition was faster too and then the run, my favourite discipline… legs were tired but that’s pretty normal, until I hit km 2 when both the interior quad muscles seized and I had to stop running. After few stretches, I managed to find a strange way of running (not pretty) that took me all the way to the finishing line, not to say that I was head down, in pain, I did not looked at my watch once and I tried to ignore everyone else overtaking me.

I was on course for a PB after T2 and ended up finishing with my worse half and 70.3 time ever!! Strava estimated my power to be 18 watts above what my target power should have been. There is no secret in racing, just don’t overdo it on the bike. I still got the medal, the T-Shirt and made it to the IM official video in my bright shiny VTC kit! Not all bad after all!!

Eton Super Sprint 750/21/5. 2nd overall

What a couple of weeks makes with the weather. One day you are racing in freezing conditions and two weeks later it’s virtually tropical. I opted out of doing the drafting race in the morning at Dorney lake for the reason that I’m not looking to head off to the Worlds in September. So instead I chose the classic sprint. But the issue is that the race was at 12.50pm and I have always found eating and mid day races hard to figure out, so who knows how the body would respond.

There were three main waves, women, men 42+ and then men under 42. Off in the middle wave I knew that the sharper athletes would be starting off in the final wave so it was going to be a matter of racing to feel rather than chasing people or looking to get a gap.

After 100m in the swim I was clear and followed the guide ropes on the bottom of the lake. I exited clear in first and looked to get out sharp to open up a gap ahead of the run. Solid and comfortable time in just a shade over 10mins swimming. 2nd fastest all weekend for the non draft racing.

Dorney Lake is always windy and today was no exception. On the turn at the far end a wall of resistance hit & I did all the best I could to keep the bike stable. Over taking the women kept me focused and I felt good besides my power metre not pairing with my garmin so I had to rely on feeling –  so I’m unsure if I was under or over powering.

Coming into T2 I was hoping to have some legs but I suspected the final bike lap where I pushed hard might play it’s part.

I’ve been working hard on my running so I wanted to get to half way point feeling comfortable only to forget about the head wind. I could see the next guy and he was about 2mins back so I was comfortable for the wave win but unsure if it would be good enough to take the day. A solid 20mins which felt controlled, knowing that the high 18s are a matter of focus and not running comfortable

I crossed the line and waited. As it is turns out I was 2nd overall for Sunday and 3rd overall for the weekend which is good. Two weeks until the English Champs so more run focus

Mark

The Saturday start was nauseously early with a registration at 6:00 in Ponders End somewhere north of Tottenham.  Andy T and I Rolled out at 7:00 in the first wave, where the drizzle started damping our initial caffeine based enthusiasm.  David resplendent in borderline world championship striped Dulux Colours was on corporate propaganda duty escorting an ice cream truck across Tower Bridge.  A dreary drag through North London gradually gave way to Shoreditch, then Tower Bridge, and then the first climb, College Hill in Dulwich to the Crystal Palace. This warmed up the legs nicely for what was to come.  A steady grind up to the North Downs in a seemingly endless barrage of false flats. Then the ride opened up into rolling countryside as we passed Oxted and fought through the headwind, past Gatwick to a well earned lunch in Ewhurst.  Sandwiches and coffee dispatched the climbs started in earnest with Pitch rolling into Combe Lane, with a nervy rain soaked descent of Staples.  Then rolling into the overnight stop in Windsor Race Course.

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This year’s 19th May Flyer Sportive sold out quickly, and as usual was a lovely lumpy course, well signed & very well-marshalled by SWRC. Two distances are available, 90k and 153k with many initially opting for the longer tougher route. Luckily that included all the young talented ones, even if several cut short at the moment of choice (and then in classic Sportive style didn’t tell the organisers that their unbelievable time was, er well, unbelievable). I had to be back home before I started, or I would be in trouble, again. I therefore sensibly entered the 90k ‘short’ route, but it is still no easy ‘Windsor’ ride. Continue reading →