Woohoo or Daewoo?
Skoda doesn’t rhyme 
So yesterday I passed my A Test certificate to be able to fly models on my own. This is ridiculous, but it was the first time I had done any form of test since I got my motorbike license in the 90s, so I was really nervous. Also a bit of added pressure being the first time I was flying without an instructor on a buddy-box and with my summer holiday ending and the weather looking like turning, if I didn’t pass then it was probably going to be a few weeks before I’d be able to have another go. I did a mock-test beforehand which I comprehensively failed and then had a couple more practice flights which were not good. It was actually quite thermic and windy and I was struggling to fly even the basic rectangular circuit which I’ve been doing for weeks and I kept straying into the multiple no fly zones around the club field which is a big no-no. Anyway after four poor flights, my instructor asked me what I wanted to do, so I said to him I might as well have a go at a test but fully expecting to fail, but as he was there, I was there and my model was still in one piece I thought I might as well give it a go. Thankfully I managed to string together all the manoeuvres together to the required standard and answer the mandatory safety questions. Yay!
I also realised that this week I did my 10th volunteer ParkRun role, which I’ve really enjoyed and was another target. I’m going to do a couple more weeks of this as my local event struggles to fill the roles over the summer break and then I’ll start to tick off the runs I need to do to get to my 50.
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There’s usually a few roles you can do and run like course check, first time briefing, and pacer if they have them. Pacing is quite stressful on the off chance someone is looking for a PB or something and you get it completely wrong 
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Business end of the season! Feel like I’m getting a bit fitter but also walking the tightrope of injury.
Two flat fast 70.3’s next month then that’ll be it for the season I think. Haven’t been to the fast parkrun for a few weeks to see how far behind I am, I’d guess I’m around 20:30 atm, maybe quicker if I got the Alpha’s out.
Got a 10K next week, and will probably enter Leeds 10k.
Got a couple of trail races and planning to enter one in 5 weeks around Otley, but that’s mostly for training and a bit of fun.
Sub 90 feels like the most difficult, entered a half in Peterborough that is fast but don’t think I’m going to find 3 minutes or so in that time with the triathlons.
Awaiting Tokyo ballot.
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Yes, I was a tailwalker, but I seem to have adopted the position of ‘bagdrop guy’.
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Nice one mate 
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Knock them all off in one hit.
- 35 min swim … 35 mins
- 2 min T1 … 37 mins
- nice easy 2h 51 bike … 3h 28 mins
- 2 min T2 … 3h 30 mins
- out the gate like a whippet … 5km in 19m59s … 3h 49m 59s
- through 10km in 41m59 … 4h 11m 59s
- 21.1km in 1h29m59 … 4h 59m 59s job done
disclaimer check my maths obv 
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Haha, maybe 10 years or so ago for the run!
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Well done @wheezy 
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Time for some to start remembering what you were interested in or thought realistic this year. Although I’ll finally set some goals.
Hopefully still time for a years best 5k <18:40. Probably dream land to think 17:59 is possible but might be somewhere near if actually targeted a dry course in VFs.
And hopeful for a lifetime PB 5min bike power after I was surprisingly close at baseline test last month.
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2025 evaluation:
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As I don’t really GAF and that extends to England as well, is there a tournament on next year?
If so, where, not sure I want to search as google will think I like football again and spam with cretinous footballers 
Ideally it will be in a decent time zone as that keeps the morons off the roads on an evening 
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World Cup in Trump’s welcoming US of A.
Although venues have been arranged a while back he’s obviously trying to take matches from Dem/Commie cities to good ole Rep stadiums.
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Well 2025 has been a complete disaster and all my own fault.
So in September 2024 I did the Erkner IM70.3 and had a good race. At the time I had an iffy knee and post race I really suffered. It was a good 2 days before I stopped hobbling. So at that point I should have done something about it: but did I? No of course I didn’t, I knew best, and believed that some rest would sort. It didn’t; so by May I was seeing a surgeon who diagnosed a major tear in the right meniscus which I then had an operation on in September. So here we are in late November with no races done and I’m in my 7th week of rehab, which is going well.
So the lesson here is don’t be Sparky, don’t procrastinate and whatever it is; get it sorted. Running is what I love and to have not done any for such a long time has been really difficult.
Looking forward to 2026 and have already entered a couple of races. One is a IM70.3 next August so lots of time to get the fitness back. I’m actually looking forward to it
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Doesn’t look like i set any, that’s probably a good thing. Particularly from a sporting perspective!
Will wait until Dec to look back on the year from a more holistic context.
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I set many, but forgot it doesnt matter how determined you are, an aging 50s plus body will disagree at some point with the mind of a twenty year old, (plus small adjustment factor, yeah I’m old but I’ll just add a very small factor for that)
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I didn’t have many goals. I didn’t really achieve them but was happy with them.
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My season pretty much ended 6 weeks ago today when the groin went twang 
been a case of nearly\what might have been though.
Technically I did the Sub 5 but I’m still not claiming it, despite the run being a slow trail it was 2K short. Was close on a couple others but stupid decisions like breakfast cost me in Belgrade as I’m sure that’s what made me throw up. Cots113 was a terrible bike and the non-wetsuit swim. Haven’t strung a race together.
Was very close on the 5K and I think the week I did a short 20 if I’d paced it better or done a proper 5K race I’d have managed, but still not sub 20. Only did one 10K and that was a bit of a nightmare and ended up ~40 seconds over.
Failed to get into Tokyo, and deferred Barcelona. I did the travelling and also got Italy but no more capitals. I’ve already got some planned for next year if nothing happens.
Work - a few reasons I didn’t request to reduce my hours, things have been better in the new role bust still had frustrations, VS hasn’t reappeared and I doubt it will for 2+ years now on a wide scale.
Car - woohoo, finally a success and got rid of the Mondeo, not loving the Superb but it’ll do for now. This is almost like Fruity’s roof!
But…
It wasn’t a complete disaster, despite it being a tough day 3rd in M55 at Canyons was pleasing in the conditions, I had a couple of other decent trail races including the one about 8 weeks ago where I was first M50 and apparently got the M50 course record! The 70.3 at StG was acceptable given the conditions at that time of year. And the half in Copenhagen wasn’t the time I was looking for but the placing on an arduous day was pleasing.
I thought I might get close to a couple more in these last few weeks as my running was improving, but onwards and upwards.
Overall I’ll say C+
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