Getting Back Into The Routine

After my last race of the season at Hever Castle I took a few weeks off to allow the body to fully recover and to rekindle motivation and drive for the 2016 season. It was great to chill out and somewhat novel to feel like a normal person if only for a short time. For example being able to walk up stairs without an ache in my legs was quite a nice feeling. But inevitably after some time I was itching to go again.

Ive been getting some good miles in on my Aske bike, fully kitted out with mudguards to keep me dry through out the winter months. The bike grows on me every time I ride it, from the styling and look to the handling and it's simplicity. It is nice to have a frame with classic tubing and geometry. The bike is lively and full of character, responding to your every acceleration and direction change. The road feels dampened out and smooth even when the going gets rough, which is fantastic for the long winter rides.

Some great news is that I've started working with Madison again. I rode for their professional cycling team in 2013. Madison are going to sponsor me through their brands Peal Izumi, Compressport and Lazer. I'm really excited to be working with them.

I've been working hard in the last few months to set up good relationships with companies that I value and really enjoy working with. I have been very lucky to build a great group of companies and people around me to ensure I can perform at my best next season. Race force, Pedal Potential, Cervelo, Pearl Izumi, Compressport, Lazer, High 5, HUUB, Lane 1 Sports Management have all agreed to support me in 2016.

Another addition is that I have decided to start working with Mark Pearce at Intelligent Triathlon Training. Ive recognised the need for a more professional and analytical approach to my coaching and training, also the need for a specific plan tailored around my focus, goals and races. Mark seemed like the perfect choice and I'm really looking forward to working with him for this season and into the future.

My race season is shaping up nicely with a number of Challenge and Castle Series races. Im also planning to tackle the Alpe D'huez long distance triathlon in late July. For now the winter base training has begun.

Bala Olympic and Hever 70.3

September, the last month of racing for me. I had two quality domestic british races planned: Bala Olympic on the 7th and Hever Castle 70.3 on the 27th.
My body had started to show signs of tiredness and end of season fatigue, after a packed schedule of over 15 triathlons including 4 70.3's and around 10 Olympic distance races.

My new race bike from Cervelo

Following the 70.3 Ironman World Championships in Austria I took a couple of days easy leading into Bala. Not knowing what to expect from my body I went there relaxed and with an open mind. Bala was going to be the perfect test of progress since last year when I did the same race.
The field at Bala was stacked. I just went out and raced hard, coming out of the water 5 mins down on the leaders. Over the duration of the bike, a fast out and back course, I closed down this gap and put a good 30-40 seconds into a few of the guys who were first out of the water. This put me in about 10th as some strong riders had held the advantage they'd gained out of the swim. I ran myself up to 7th over the 10km foot race. I was really pleased with the result and had completed the race in 6 mins 30 secs quicker than the previous year, showing good progression in the swim and on the bike.

The last few strides on the 2015 season at Hever Castle

Hever Castle, my last race and 4th 70.3. Hever was also the last race in the Caste Triathlon series. It had attracted some very good names including Darren Jenkins, Will Cowen and Matt Dewis. We started with a rather brisk 1.9km swim, followed by an undulating 90km on the bike and finished with an off-road, long half marathon.
After a tough swim I rode up though the field into 5th place, with 8mins to bridge to the leader. On the first lap I ran up into 2nd place and bought back 2mins of his lead. On the second lap I picked up the pace and bought the gap back down to 50 seconds at the finish line, I just needed a couple more kilometres and I would have had the win. I was really pleased to take 2nd though and get to stand on the podium again. The race will be shown on Channel 4 towards the end of October.

I've had a long tough season with up's and down's. Its been a huge learning experience and I've figured out exactly what I want to do and the direction I want to go in within triathlon. Next season I'll be racing in the long distance Pro field, with a number of 70.3's already targeted and in the plan. This year wouldn't have been possible without the huge amount of coaching and support I've had from Luke Watson, and my fantastic sponsors Aske Bikes, Pedal Potential, Le Col, Cervelo, HUUB, OTE, Lane 1 coaching, and the Jeremy Willson CT.

I'm going to take a couple of weeks off to recover from the season now, then I'll be getting back into winter training in preparation for next year. There's lots of exciting plans and sponsors that il keep you posted on in the next couple of months, but for now its feet up, and……..relax.

IronMan 70.3 World Championships Zell Am See

This race had been in the back of my mind since moving up to Loughborough in September. Luke mentioned it in our first meeting together and since then I wanted to be there, racing in Austria on the 30th August. I didn't really tell anyone about this dream, just buried it deep within, put aside for when the time was right.

After a great win on Exmoor I managed to qualify for the race. Mum surprised me after Exmoor saying she'd like to come out and help with the race and enjoy a well deserved mini holiday with my sister Elinor whilst I looked at the courses and sharpened up for the race.

We flew out to Austria landing in Vienna on the Tuesday. The plan was to drive down to Zell am See to enjoy the country we were visiting and get a good perspective on where we were travelling to. The drive was amazing, we followed the motorway for 400km winding though the lower slopes of the Mountains, with the high peaks cutting into the horizon. We arrived at our apartment in the pitch black and had a weird 30 minutes or so convincing the owner that we had booked a place to stay for the week.

Wednesday and Thursday were spent bringing the intensity back up in training. I swam in the lake in the mornings, was out on the bike course during the day and checked out the run route and some trails in the area in the evening. The mountains and scenery in the area were stunning, I've not been to a place this beautiful before. The lake was warm and crystal clear. On the bike the roads were smooth and the course features a long climb with very steep sections in it. A truly amazing place to be able to race.

Two days out from the race I stuck to my usual training plan, getting the swim, bike and runs ticked off before race day. I use these to replicate short durations of the race pace that I will use for Sunday. The rest of the time was spent getting everything ready, and putting my feet up. I had a good catch up with Luke Watson the night before to go though my race plan and tactics.

Race day came around very quickly. It was a relaxed start time of 11:15, not the usual 6am starts for the long distance races in the UK. I completed my pre race morning ritual, a mixture of activation and mobility with a small jog to loosen up. Walking to the start line was quite magical alongside the lake, the crowds swelled and grew by the second, with thousands of competitors and spectators making there way to the start line. The atmosphere was electric all day, the kind that gives you goosebumps and that rush of adrenaline, truly special.

I sorted my bike out in transition and made the way to the swim start for my wave, ages 18-24. We were started by a cannon and headed out for a 1.9km swim strait out and back. I got really stuck in during the swim drafting as much as possible and working with others to try and save as much time as possible. The lake was crystal clear and this was one of the most enjoyable swims open water that I've ever experienced. I exited the water and made my way though the long transition, featuring bags with all your kit in (not the normal kit by bike set up).

I settled into my rhythm quickly on the bike sitting to the numbers planned for each stage of the race. I spent the entire duration of the bike leg overtaking, all the way onto the run. The course featured a 13km climb in the middle which I got stuck into. The route wound its way up an alpine pass with a steady gradient for the first 10km. The climb really kicked up at the end hitting 15% over the top. It was then a really fast run back into Zell Am See where I was hitting 60kph in parts on the rolling roads. I pushed the bike quite hard and had moved up from 50th out of the water in my wave to 16th.

A 21km run alongside the lake to finish. I went out hard at my planned and target pace wanting to clock a 1:15 half. I felt good and started strong, but by the 5th KM my bodies core temperature went through the roof and I was struggling to concentrate let alone hold the 3:30 per Km I had targeted. The run turned into a phycological battle for me helped enormously by my mum's and sister's encouragements and spectators lining the course. At each aid station I had to down 2 cups of water and soak myself with at least 2-3 sponges of icy water. The finishing chute was incredible, a wall of noise and atmosphere. I crossed the line found the nearest spot of shade and lay down for a long time mentally and physically exhausted.

I was really happy with my performance and it sets me up for the next stage in my triathlon career which will be racing at professional level. The race highlighted where I need to be but most importantly that I can be competitive at this level. The result from the race would have put me in the top 35 of the 50 best male long distance pros in the world which is a good start in my first season. Next up I have Bala Olympic on 6th September. Hever Castle Series on the 27th September and Challenge Mallorca on the 17th October.

Thanks to everyone who sent message of support before and after the race and to my sponsors, Aske Bike, Pedal Potential, Le Col, Huub, OTE and JWCT for making it possible.

Aske Bikes

Aske is a new brand of frame, hand made at Colin Lewis Cycles in Devon by Simon Aske. Simon offers something very special, the frames are made to measure. Using the Bike Cad software the exact characteristics of the frame can be created, that will perfectly fit the rider. The software produces the manufacturing plan and frame geometry outline, created using Simon's knowledge of frame design and characteristics. What results is a stunning frame tailored to the individual, a once in a life time partnership between rider and bike.

The frames are made from Reynolds steel tubing. My frame was manufactured using Reynolds 853 steel. I asked for a bike that would be a good companion for long rides and one that would handle well when the roads got technical. Using an oversized down tube, thin seat stays, and adjusting the head tube angles and overall wheel base Simon was able to achieve this with my frame.

Simon hand cut the tubes, assembled the tubing in the jig and used some very neat Tig welding to bring the frame together. One very classy touch is the hidden seat clamp which is located between the rear seat stays. These processes take hours of craftsmanship and patient work, precise calculations and engineering to produce the finished product. The frames can be painted in any colour and design. I chose a dark red with silver detail inside the chain stays, seat stays and forks.

The finished bike was build up using Ultegra 6800 11spd, 3T finishing kit, and hand build wheels from Colin Lewis Cycles (Dura Ace hubs laced to Open Pro rims) 

The bike is stunning and rides exactly as I wanted it to, a new companion for those long training miles. 

Follow @AskeBikes on Twitter or Facebook Aske Bikes to find out more. 

Highs and Lows

This weekend was the end of a big block of racing that started three months ago. The last couple of weeks have been a bit up and down. I raced in Geneva two weeks ago, at the European AG Championships. I ended up having a rough time when the airline lost my bike and all my kit on the flights over. I spent every day leading up to the race chasing my bike around Geneva, racking up a huge phone bill and riding the bus to and from the airport instead of looking at the course and enjoying the city. I finally got everything the afternoon before the race. I had to get my race head on in a matter of hours, changing mindsets on the spot, which threw me a bit. I lined up on the start line a bit frazzled, not expecting a huge amount but was going to race as hard as I could and see what happened. I had a difficult swim, finding it hard to focus and concentrate. I had a solid bike and run. Disappointed with my result, I set off on the bike into the mountains around lake Geneva for a few hours. I flew back the next day ready to start afresh and put the race behind me, but use the experience to help me in the future.

Racing in Geneva. Thanks to Dan Guerrero for the Photo 

Castle Howard, thanks Colin Dilcock for the photo

My final race in July was Castle Howard 70.3, the third race in the six-race Castle Series. The Castle Series team hosted a fantastic race in a stunning location. I travelled up with Max Hazell on the Saturday, as he was to be racing the Olympic distance on the same day. The ground at Castle Howard features a large lake where we would complete the swim before heading out onto a hilly two-lap bike course, followed by an off road half marathon to finish.

We started just as the sun burnt off the morning mist. I had an ok swim but still lost 5mins to the first guy out of the water. After a trouble free T1 I was out on the bike and keen to regain my swim deficit. I set to work and passed a few guys in the first 10km working my way up to 5^th. The riders ahead were a bit more difficult to catch. In the last couple of kilometers of lap one I caught sight of Matt Dewis on the crest of a climb. I worked my way up to him and past but had a bit of a battle trying to get clear and out of sight. In doing so I worked my way up to 3^rd on the road. I passed the guy in second but never managed to get away from him, coming into T2 with only a few seconds advantage. Going hard out of T2 I managed to finally get away and didn’t see him again until the finish. All I had to do now was catch the present leader. After 3km I passed him and took the lead. I settled into a good pace completing the 21km run in 1hr18, winning the race with an 11min 55sec lead, one of my best performances yet.

Making the overtake on Dewis, thanks Colin Dilcock for the photo

Thanks to everyone at the Castle Series for putting on a brilliant race, a chilled atmosphere, tough course, slick organization.

Thanks to my sponsors Colin Lewis Cycles, Pedal Potential, Le Col, Huub, JWCT, Pulsin and new sponsors coming on board Cervelo and OTE. A huge thank you to Luke Watson for all the work he has put in so far.

Next up, Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Zell am See, Austria at the end of August.

Challenge Paguera-Mallorca 2015

The prefect race to end the triathlon racing season!

Challenge Paguera-Mallorca, A warm non wetsuit swim, rolling bike on beautiful roads and a stunning run to finish. 

Enter online at: www.challenge-mallorca.com

See you there!

IronMan 70.3 UK Race Report

Wimbleball was to be my first 70.3 race of the season and one I'd been looking forward too for a very long time, a local-ish race for me, hills and a tough run. I came down to Devon a few days before to catch up with everyone at home and to have a look at the bike course.

Race weekend came around quite quickly, I'd been feeling really quite tired in the lead up to the race and slept quite a lot in the days before. It was quite surreal really, I was just ticking off the last few race prep training sessions, getting kit ready and then suddenly it was Saturday and I was there getting registered and racking up the bike ready to go. I tried to be quite canny and get all my pre race meals ready in a cool box but the sweltering day on Saturday meant all this went off and I decided it would be a good idea to source something edible. After a couple of laps of Tiverton passing weird looking takeaway places I came across a quirky little cafe. I ended up having a rather posh solo meal of parma ham and watermelon salad with roast chicken.

On race morning I did my usual pre race warm up, a 10-15min run with mobility work, getting some weird looks from the other competitors as I ran around. We then assembled in transition and headed down to the swim start. This was to be the biggest mass start race I'd ever done. Having 800 swimmers around was quite claustrophobic but I got my head in the right place and pressed on. The field soon spread out and I came out of the water with a swim time that needs some work, but one I was pleased with on the day.

Swim Start. Photo curtsey of "Stephen Pond/ Getty Images" 

The rain started to come down really heavily and the wind was picking up, not ideal for what faced us all on the bike, but I got stuck in and worked my way up through the field making use of the steep climbs. The course was reasonably challenging requiring constant concentration. I came over the brow of one climb into a fast decent, to find someone had misjudged the bend at the bottom coming off quite badly, one of those moments your heart jumps into your mouth. I really enjoyed the bike leg, it was great to have something I could get into with no let up for the duration I was out there.

On the Run: Photo curtsey of "Stephen Pond/ Getty Images" 

Coming off the bike into T2 someone shouted "You're in 8th place!" which was encouraging but I was optimistic of my chances of bridging to the lead. T2 went very smoothly, opting for the no sock option, figuring every second would count now. I went off quickly, picking off a couple of guys in the first km…6 to catch. I set in my mind to run as fast as I could and to see what happened. Each turn bought the front runners closer, I passed a couple more at half way. A slight wrong turn set me back 30-40 seconds which I wasn't too happy with but back on track I managed to settle back into my rhythm again. The support from everyone throughout the race was phenomenal, every athlete I lapped shouted encouraging words, and coming though the crowds the noise was amazing, giving me goose bumps and a rush of adrenaline. On the last lap I finally caught a glimpse of the leader, marked by a mountain bike rider. Only now did I believe I could catch him, as a spectator shouted " The gap is 2 minutes". I put everything into bridging the gap and made it 2 thirds of the way through lap 3. I then pushed on again to put as much time between us as I could, racing against the lead mountain bike marker to the finish. Coming down that finishing tunnel was one of the most thrilling things I've every experienced. It was such a buzz of atmosphere and realisation of what had just happened.

Finish.  Photo curtsey of "Stephen Pond/ Getty Images"

I was incredibly happy with the result but couldn't have got there with out the fantastic amount of help from my coach Luke Watson and the set up at Loughborough, also the help and support from Aske Bikes, Pedal Potential, Le Col, HUUB, Jeremy Willson CT.

What's next?
In two weeks I'll be racing the AG Europeans in Geneva, and then the Gauntlet at Castle Howard at the end of July. As I qualified for the IM 70.3 Worlds I'll be heading off to Austria to race there at the end of August too.
I'm incredibly motivated to make the step up to Pro 70.3 racing in the near future and really hope that what happened at Wimbleball will prove to be a stepping stone to the next level.