‘This is an epic race – a true pre-season sharpener and great to kick start the season.  It also uses the 8 mile Olympic cycling route round Box Hill – the same loop we often use on our Surrey Hills club rides.  It was my second time racing the Spring version (for those with slightly more sanity – there is also an option to do it in November!). 

Simon Tack has unfortunately had a winter plagued by injury – after a meniscus tear in his left knee on the 13^th October at the end of the first week of Base 1, sustained on a relaxing walking holiday, has now been restarting Base 1 in January with a new improved plan from ‘Mark the Merciless’: ‘Three months behind and somewhat tentative about how much my recovered joint can take there is a great deal of training needed to get Ironman ready.’

Ironman ready???

Yes, Simon has Ironman and more booked for this year!  ‘My targets have now been revised to sub 14 (satisfied) for Ironman. Sub 13 hours (very happy) and sub 12 hours (in my dreams).Eton 10k swim – sub 3 hours 45. 70.3 – sub 7 hours.’

Good luck Simon, we look forward to an update.

‘I race in the 3rd CATS which is …. Yeah you guessed right!…. 3rd Category Cyclists (next is 2nd…. 1st then the elites!) you gain your 3rd CAT license by racing 4th and scoring  (when I started racing road bikes after retiring from MX in 2012) 10 points. Points are awarded: 1st = 10 ; 2nd = 9; 3rd = 8; 4th = 7…  Down to 1 point for 10^th, so you get the idea? After my first race I was hooked! With a 9th place finish I was off the mark! A few false starts later I managed to score a further 8 points and another 3rd place a week later! 3rd CATS here I come! 

Last season was totally wrecked with a back operation in February (6 screws and 2 rods in my spine racing Moto-X bikes for 15 years will do that to you!), so this season I have returned back to where it all started, The Hillingdon Winter Champs! After a great winter training indoors and outdoors (With Mr Yeoman and my Specialized Team Mates Luke Wallis and Alex Jones) I was back up to speed! I’ve had a mixed bag of results but now in the second half of the championships I’ve scored a 2nd, 9th and a 4th so I’m “Happy” but that first win is still not there yet!  

My favourite way to train is miles on the bike. It’s a given! Weather it be in the sunshine and hills or the wind and rain and flat! Trainings training! And I love my bike… Second to that is core work, DeadLifts, squats, burpees, Snatch and PowerCleans! All great fun!’ ‘

Good luck with your racing and training Kevin, but seriously, buy some Viceroys kit 😉

Viceroys Treasurer Anna Gilmore’s events for this year are focused towards her big event of the year, which is the Celtman at the end of June.  The Celtman is part of a trio of extreme iron-distance events and it is held in the northern highlands of Scotland.  The Norseman is held in Norway and the Swissman in Switzerland and they all take the same format – i.e. if you can finish it within the day you are doing well – expect it to take nearer 20 hours than the typical 11 for an Ironman.  So it is long-endurance style training that I need to get involved with this year.  

Anna continues: ‘I won’t lie – winter has been tough – with all our “inclement” weather – getting out there has been motivationally difficult and at times, just too dangerous to bother.  I’ve become re-acquainted with the turbo trainer as I wait for the stormy skies to clear.

So far this year, I’ve run in the Knacker Cracker on New Years’ day, which is a fantastic 10k trail race up and around Box Hill.  It was bitterly cold and wet but the hot soup at the end makes it worth hauling yourself out of bed for.  And it serves be right for entering a race on New Year’s day.  I’ll be out doing the Winter Tanners in a week, which is a 20 mile trail “plod” around  Leatherhead/Dorking/Box Hill area and then the final cross-country match is at the beginning of February.  I’ve signed up to several of F3’s events – two of the longer sportives (Big Dipper and Longest Day sportive) and the Windsor river swim.  Other events include the Ballbuster on 1 March and a nice wee trip back to Club La Santa for some warm weather training.

 Ah – warm weather – hurry back to us!  Happy training all and here’s to a great 2014. ‘

Good luck with your extreme training and competing Anna,

As we all know, the winter months can be a tough time to get through until the warmer weather arrives – meaning a brand new season. So to keep you motivated we are asking members to let us know what they’ve been doing during the winter months in an aid to keep you motivated ahead of the forthcoming season. First off is our chairman and coach Mark Yeoman: 

What was your highlight from last season?

Without doubt it was winning the famous Windsor Olympic triathlon. Thought I’d missed my shot back in 2009 when I came 2nd overall. I had a killer swim – setting the fastest swim split of the day and backed it up with a monster bike. Although it was unbelievably humid, a solid run saw me win my dream race and no one will ever take that away. Kept my sponsors happy. 

So what have you been doing this winter?

Well like most, I’ve gone back to basics and looked to build a strong bass ahead of adding speed. I do this by holding a set pace whilst running up hills or sticking to a certain amount of watts on the bike to build that strength. I can be tough at times, so I chase songs on the bike or zone out whilst running. I also looked at areas which need improving and for me this is my running off the bike. So I’m looking to improve my turn over whilst staying within myself. 

What are your plans for the season?
The world champions for the past three years have clashed with going back to school, but this season The Worlds are taking place at the end of August in Canada so I’ve decided to hit the first couple of qualifying races in May to secure a place before racing locally as preparation for The Worlds at the end of season. I’m hoping to be joined by a number of club members to share the experience.  

What’s your favourite training session?

You can’t beat 30x 100m in the pool to really push both mentally and physically. This is my key session throughout the year. I just adjust the goal times according to what time of the year it is. Now is all about consistent pace, come February/March I up the pace and reduce the rest to get race ready.

So, last year we were mildly confused as Simon Tack (dog Simon), Simon Colvan, Simon Pratt (Simon & Suze) all joined Viceroys together and now we have a new Simon – Simon Clark. So how can we distinguish ‘New Simon ‘  (‘Bike Crash Simon’?)from the others?

‘I moved to Walton from Battersea 9 months ago, shortly before running the London Marathon for the third time with the goal of breaking 4 hours.  Unfortunately I got an injury at mile 11, so walked the second half. Needless to say it wasnt the PB l was looking for.  I haven’t really run since, instead concentrating on my cycling which had taken a back seat for a few years.  Living so much closer to the hills I am enjoying how much easier it is to escape the traffic on the bike, although I am not so keen on the 35km it now takes to ride to work.  

Saturday was the 3^rd cross-country race of the season, which saw Viceroys Anna, Carla and Debbie  running for their affiliated running clubs that are part of the Surrey Ladies Cross-Country League Division 2. 

The hosts for the 3^rd race were the running club Thames Hares and Hounds, and the race was in Putney Vale/Wimbledon Common.  It was a 2-lap 8k run, and the course was cracking with two steep hills, large wooded sections and lots of trees and branches to jump over.  The biggest natural obstacle was the MUD after all the heavy rain and it was tough-going – even with spikes.  Anna nearly lost a shoe and runners had to jump a brook about 3 quarters of the way through each lap and Carla proclaimed: ‘ Anna has put it mildly, it was a BOG, GRIM conditions – excellent fun though the calf muscles were feeling it the morning after.’ Continue reading →

Viceroys cyclist Kevin Argent, sprint cyclist, has been racing the Imperial Winter Championships in Hayes – the Hillingdon Circuit in West London. He tells of his road to victory this weekend:

‘I’ve put the work in over the summer and took a week of easy riding going into the first round where there was no less than 6 crashes in the first 2.5 laps! Taking out half the field in the second one (and me!), I had to  limp home 17th (60 starters) . 

Round 2 : This time I was off to a better start and pulling at the front of the group in the 3rds before my seat came loose and I had to take a lap out and change a wheel too! The sprint came round and I was forced a little wide and hit the grass, this time I had to yield and roll over the line in 12th  

Round 3 : DNF due to illness 

Round 4 : 12th just had a tough time and couldn’t sling shot out properly!  

Round 5 : Race ABANDONED due a crash and they had to stop the race 

Round 6 : Ready……. 2nd! (In the 3rd CATS!) For once most things went my way! I managed to keep it tight at the front and chased down a few breaks before sitting up and resting in the middle of the peloton before moving up with 6 laps to go…. 3 laps to go I made a move towards the front and sat on 7th / 9th wheel (there was already a break away of 2 riders so 3rd was up for grabs! (And top 3rd CAT) with 3 corners to go I got on the drops and with out Bernie there (Mark Yeoman) telling me to wait I had to use my brains for once and waited and waited and waited then BANG! Off I went and hit the front! Holding onto 5th at the line and 2nd 3rd CAT by a tyres width! Happy Days! ‘

Awesome work Kevin, but maybe a bit of translation is needed for us non cyclist… what exactly are 2^nd and 3^rd CATS?