2025 Races

[jeffb]

Went to the audax today, forecast has been saying dry but windy all week, got there and there was a huge black cloud over most of the Pennines! About 10 minutes in it started spitting and drizzling and pretty much stayed that way for about 3.5 hours wasn’t that cold though despite the wind. For the last 45 minutes from Barnard Castle the sun came out and got quite warm

There was actually 4 of us and it was another steady pace, a lot of the first 60k was rolling\uphill until we got to Keld where there’s a longer climb with some pretty steep bits up to Tan Hill. I was generally going my own pace up the hills and waited at the top.

Another woman had started by herself just in front and we’d keep catching her when it went uphill and at the first cafe then she went a bit faster, but after about 40k she rode mostly with us as I think she was glad of the company. Her and one of the lads were on carbon wheels with rim brakes which were terrifying in the drizzle

There’s a fairly fast descent from the inn for about 12k before turning and heading up the stang which was a bit of a drag but other than a couple of steep bits wasn’t bad. And was helped by a tailwind!

After that it was quite a fast descent into Barnard Castle and rolling to the finish.

AP was fairly low, partly because of the freewheeling and time stopped, but NP was over 200W so a bit of a fartlek effort.

Managed a short swim later on, had planned a bit longer but lost interest after being stopped on the A1 for about 35 minutes because of an RTA on the other side!

Hopefully got something left for tomorrow but it’s going to be hard work

[APM]

Local 4 mile race this morning.

That said, have done zero speed work and haven’t actually ran over 4 miles since March.

Anyway…..

27:06. 91m elevation (mostly came in the middle 1.5 miles).

[jeffb]

Did the trail race this morning, was quite warm even at 8am but hardly any wind for a change! Not the biggest race going but started at front as it’s quite narrow, no TC for a change! One lad cleared off straight away with two others trying to keep up then myself and a young lad from our club, although one of them started coming back after about 1K.

About 3K there’s a couple of options up the hill, I decided to go a different way this time as I thought the shorter route was actually slower and it proved it again as we came out in front of the other lad. Was a bit tired at the start but still felt like I was going alright and reached the first peak, after that it’s a steady downhill across the moor, but I decided to stay to the track as it’s a lot more runnable and ended up taking about 30 seconds out of the young lad from the club.

It settled after that and two others went past and it was unlikely I’d catch them and I was going away from the chasers at the point where the race splits.

After that I was mostly on my own and got told I was about 2 minutes behind third at about 14K, I couldn’t see him so thought it was possibly further, but at the last checkpoint they also said about 3 minutes.

I started the descent to where I went badly wrong last time, but had studied strava and OS maps to avoid it again, or so I thought

The trail doglegged and I went down into what looked like a path, there was even two mountain bikers that I’d guessed had appeared from it obscuring the entrance! After about 50-100m it generally ended I thought it had probably just got a bit overgrown, but clearly not, I hunted round for what I thought could be the way down but to no avail, and to make things worse I couldn’t find the obvious way back out I was also getting scratched off all the trees and nettles etc., it was pretty much jungle

I eventually found my way back to the track, went about 30m further down and saw what would have been the proper path! I followed it down and it was narrow but very runnable.

When I got to the bottom the lad that I’d dropped after 4k was just in front, I started hammering it and caught him quickly, he said the lad from our club was a bit further up the road but wasn’t in sight.

I decided not to hang about, he looked like he was struggling and I didn’t want him trying to beat me in a sprint at the end.

Anyway, got back in fifth and about 90 seconds off fourth, and 5 minutes off third. I think third must have got lost somewhere as well or gone bang as he probably should have been quicker. Looking at Strava\Garmin I probably wasted 7-8 minutes and would have put me in front of him!

Anyway, it was a good training run and I deffo know where to go next time

Other than my hip being pretty sore and tight at the minute it feels like I’m not doing too bad, to run that after yesterday was quite pleasing but I need to let the hip settle down so could be limited running for a few day.

Final time was something like 2:04:50

[FatPom]

Nicely done Jeff

[Adam]

I did the Thorpe Park Sprint today.

Local, low key event with just under 300 people racing.

Split into three waves with under 35s going off in wave 1, over 35 wave 2 and women wave 3.

First time I’ve ever raced where wetsuits were banned, the water was only 23°, but the limit for sprints is 22!

Anyway, I was first out of the water from wave 2 after picking up the stragglers from wave 1, first out of T1 then out into the bike where I opted for a road bike, obviously giving up a bit of time here but I just haven’t ridden the TT much this year. Made my way through a good chunk of the first wave with no one else coming through. Into a pretty empty t2 and then the run around the theme park. Again, just picking up folks from wave 1 and seeing no one else.

Finished 1st vet but annoyingly 3rd overall with two lads up the road from the first wave - looking at the results they both ran quicker than me so I doubt whether I would have made the catch had we been together.

Super fun little race and I had a blast

Common theme with this weeks race pics is that I just seem to stare at the floor in my own thoughts

(No idea what the rollercoaster is but you get free entry to the park after)

[bbt67]

Did you rollercoaster dope, start the bike with with an elevation gain?

Great work… nice write up.

[Adam]

Na, nipped off home, had family round for lunch. I think my days of roller coasting are over. I just that uncomfortable feeling in my stomach now!

[buzz]

@Adam

limit for sprints is 22

What is the limit for a half?

[Adam]

24.6° I believe - @fatbuddha would know!

[jeffb]

Sounds about right, although I think Nice was about 24 and they were banned for the full. To stop dehydration.

[fatbuddha]

what @Adam says - 24.6C for all ages

[fatbuddha]

I used to be a TO at that event quite a few times when the previous organisers ran it. Was usually a good day out. How weedy was the swim? - that could always be a problem when it got warm.

[Adam]

It was totally fine, was a lovely swim. And yes, still a great little event.

[BadAsh]

I did that one back in 2014. The wife and I made use of the discounted entry tickets afterwards. I was a bit self conscious of stinking out the queues given there wasn’t a shower!

@fatbuddha would you have possibly done a short talk at the start?

[fatbuddha]

Probably - along with Matt one of the previous organisers. Usually stood on a pile of pallets!

[Doonhamer]

Your a big strong boy, well done.

Could you have worn that Zone3 swimskin, or do you think it would have been more of a hindrance?

[Adam]

Well technically that’s not a wetsuit but then isn’t there the argument that what you’re wearing in the swim has to be worn for the rest of the race?

It would have been a faff getting it off in T1 and despite my average swim I came out of the lake first anyway - the water wa s a lovely temp yesterday.

I’d love to go for a swim tonight but someone had a fatal heart attack in the water yesterday so understandably they’re closed today.

[fatbuddha]

@Adam

what you’re wearing in the swim has to be worn for the rest of the race?

That used to be the rule for sprint and standard distance. Rule has now changed and you must remove the skin after the swim across all distances. Skin material has to conform with regs though.

BTF rule 4.11.c

[Mungo2]

During the race ?
Duck me that’s shocking ?!?

[Adam]

No separate venue - it was someone having their swim induction at my local swim spot who then had a heart attack in the shallows who sadly couldn’t be resuscitated