Winter & 2017 Plans

An update is probably about due! This winter I have been chipping away at all three disciplines; nothing spectacular or fancy just consistent work to get myself into the best shape I can be when the races start in April. A few of the times which stand out as being more interesting this winter:

Late October: Trip to Lake District

To get back into the swing of things, I joined the University tri club on the annual trip to the Lake district. This trip was characterised by hills, rain, wind and punctures.... lots and lots of punctures. On a ride out with my Friend James, not only did we start the day with a puncture at the bottom of the hill down from the hostel we were staying at, there then proceeded to be another two before the end of the ride. 3 punctures in a ride for 2 people was definitely a new record for me! Some good miles banked and a cracking pie on the last night rounded off what was a great trip to a part of the country I hadn't explored before.

December- January Taunton times

Being as the drive from Loughborough to Taunton is well over 3 hours, Kathryn and I both decided to stay in the south west for around 3 weeks over the Christmas period. Its great for me to go back and cycle all of the roads I used to cycle whilst at school, and just beginning my foray into the world of triathlon. The lanes of somerset are totally different to the roads of the midlands, and they do say a change is as good as a rest! With a great local pool and some fantastic runs using the countryside near Taunton as well as the canal towpath, it is an ideal place to train and really broke up the monotony and boredom that can seep in when riding and running the same routes in Loughborough over and over again.

A highlight of the training area is the way up to the Blackdown hills from Taunton, which to me offers some of the best training roads I've ridden on the bike. The slope to the top of the hills is scaled by 3 separate roads, all around 7-8km in length, with a road across the top of the hill which links the three summits together. If you ride from the town, it is easy to make use of the hills and a 20 minute effort can be fit onto the road, with no junctions or stops on the way up. Added to the fact that the roads are well surfaced and during the working hours of the day experience little traffic, makes them a great place to put some quality work in.

My love of cycling originally grew from mountain biking, so it was great to be able to borrow Kathryn's Dad's mountain bike and head up into some nearby hills for a couple of hours of fun in the mud. Another great way to spice up training through the winter months and offer a slightly different training stimulus. The stochastic nature of pedalling off road combined with the grip strength required on some of the longer descents, definitely made a few muscles ache that don't normally.

2017 Plans

Having gained my pro license for the 2017 season off of the results achieved last year, my season will be centred around racing a number of 70.3 events. I am hesitant to plan out my whole season, due to the unpredictable nature of this sport, but I have a few dates which I am currently working around being my plan for the while.

I will be racing the Milton Keynes half Marathon this weekend, as it should act as a great indicator of where my running is at currently after my most consistent winter of running to date. I expect the course to be flat, so it should also be a great race to see where I stand against competitors and where it might place me within a pro field at a 70.3 event.

After this I am looking to race at the Clumber Park Duathlon over the Olympic duathlon distance. With the swim being a strength of mine, duathlons haven't historically been to my liking. However it is important in my development as an athlete to put myself out of my comfort zone, as I'm sure there will be valuable lessons to learn. I'm also excited to get back into the multi-sport events- another reason I've decided to race this!

After this I'm off to Mallorca for two weeks with the Uni tri club, for sun, sea and cycling! Last year I went to Mallorca for the first time, and fell in love with its climate, cycling culture and scenery. It is a great place to train and it should be a great group of people to go with again. This warmer weather should hopefully give my body a chance to adapt to the similar conditions I imagine there will be in my firt two tris of the year:

Challenge Mogan 22nd April

My first race as a pro will be in Gran Canaria, on my Birthday of all days! Based off times from last year I'm expecting a tough bike and run, as well as sunny warm conditions.

Challenge Lisbon 7th May

This is only two weeks after Mogan, but I feel this should be more than enough time to recover. I am hoping that my fitness will hold from the training block I am planning to do in Mallorca before the race in Gran Canaria. It should also give me a chance to right any mistakes I might make in my first race, as I would be naive to think I will have a perfect race in Mogan!

I want to see how these two races go before making any further plans for this year. It is not only a big time commitment to compete as a pro, but it is also a large financial commitment. Luckily I have found a way to keep my living costs low this year in order to save up for these trips and races, but it is still a gamble as to whether or not I travel all the way out to these places with potentially nothing to show for it. I am confident that with the training I have done, I will be able to secure some results that keep the momentum moving in a positive direction. And if nothing else travelling to these places offers an opportunity to explore and see more of the world than I would ever imagine seeing if I weren't doing triathlon!

Thanks for reading!