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Know the course

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:55:06 GMT

Knowing the course could be your secret weapon

Why practising the route is a game changer in triathlon and cycling TT’s

Practising the race route is one of the most underrated performance boosters in triathlon cycling. It sharpens your pacing, builds confidence, and gives you an edge that pure fitness alone can’t match.

Triathletes obsess over watts, gear ratios, and training blocks — but one of the smartest performance strategies is also the simplest: get to know the course. Whether you’re racing a local TT, sprint or a full Ironman, practising the route transforms how you ride on race day.

1. Course familiarity leads to smarter pacing

Knowing where the climbs, descents, and flats are allows you to pace with intention rather than guesswork.

Climb awareness helps you avoid burning matches too early.
Descent planning lets you stay aero and safe.
Wind exposure becomes predictable instead of surprising.

When you’ve ridden the course, you can distribute your effort like a strategy, not a gamble.

2. Mental confidence reduces race day stress

Uncertainty drains energy, familiarity restores it. Riding (or driving) the route beforehand means:

You know exactly what’s coming.
You’ve already handled the tricky bits.
You can visualise the race with accuracy, not imagination.

This mental rehearsal is powerful. It turns the unknown into the expected, and the expected into the manageable.

3. You learn where to push — and where to hold back

Every course has “free speed” sections and “danger zones.”
Fast sections where you can stay aero and gain time.

Hedgerow gaps where side wind can suddenly appear
Technical corners that require caution, speed reduction
Rough surfaces where you protect your tyres, bike and your body.

Practising the route helps you build a personalised race plan that plays to your strengths.

4. You can test your equipment in real conditions

A turbo session can’t tell you how your setup behaves on this course. Riding the route lets you test:

Tyre choice for grip and rolling resistance
Gearing for climbs and accelerations
Hydration setup for bumps, reach, and stability
When to be aero and when to be more upright

You’re not just training your body - you’re tuning your machine.

5 . Nutrition and hydration become more precise

Practising the route helps you understand:

Where you can safely eat or drink
How long between aid stations
How your body responds to the course’s rhythm

This turns your nutrition plan from theoretical to practical.

6. You build muscle memory for transitions and key sections

If the bike mount line is uphill, you’ll know. If the first kilometre is chaotic, you’ll expect it. If the final stretch is fast, you’ll prepare to spin out your legs for the run.

Muscle memory reduces hesitation - and hesitation costs time.

7. You experience the course in real weather

Wind direction, temperature, and road conditions can change how a course feels.

Practising the route helps you adapt your:

Clothing choices
Hydration strategy
Pacing plan

You’re not just training for the course — you’re training for the environment.

Final thoughts

Fitness gets you to the start line, familiarity gets you to the finish faster. Practising the route is a simple, powerful way to turn preparation into performance. It gives you the knowledge and confidence to be able to be at your best and perform to your maximum whether its your A race or not, having this in your pocket is huge benefit.

Consistency is key

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:21:35 GMT

The power of consistency in Triathlon training

Triathlon rewards the athletes who show up, not just on race day, but on the hundreds of ordinary days leading up to it. While, lightweight, flashy carbon bling, intensity, gadgets, and perfect plans get a lot of attention, consistency is the single most influential factor in long term progress. It’s what transforms a busy life into a sustainable training regime and turns small daily efforts into lifelong health, fitness and results.

Why consistency matters more than perfection?

Steady training builds durable fitness

Triathlon fitness develops through repeated, manageable stress that your body can absorb and adapt to, culminating in sustainable fitness. Consistent training strengthens aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and technique across all three disciplines without overwhelming your system.

It reduces injury risk

Irregular training such as big weeks followed by long breaks is one of the fastest routes to injury. Consistency keeps your load predictable, your body conditioned, and your recovery aligned with your effort – it is the way human body was designed.

It reinforces skill and efficiency

Skills such as bike handling, run form and swim technique all improve through repetition. Frequent, shorter sessions often outperform occasional long ones, they give your brain and body more chances to refine movement patterns reinforcing good form and efficiency thus reducing the likelihood of injury.

It builds mental resilience

Consistency trains more than just your muscles. It strengthens discipline, confidence, and the ability to handle stress and discomfort, qualities that matter just as much as physical fitness on race day. Mental resilience should not be underestimated in endurance sport such as triathlon.

What is consistency?

Consistency isn’t about training every day or hitting every session perfectly. It’s about maintaining a sustainable regime that fits around you and your life.

Regular weekly structure - even if the volume is modest
Prioritising key sessions - (long endurance, threshold work, brick sessions)
Avoiding big swings in training load
Choosing to do something over nothing when time limited or you lack motivation something is always better than nothing.
Keeping easy days truly easy - think zone 1 or zone 2 training, giving your body time to recover for hitting those hard threshold or VO2 sets when needed.

A consistent athlete with a realistic plan will almost always outperform a highly motivated athlete with an unsustainable one.

Strategies to Stay Consistent

Be realistic and build a routine that fits your real life

Your training plan should merge seamlessly with your life schedule, not your idealised version of it. Schedule in your sessions when you feel you can manage them best, mornings, lunch or evenings depending on availability and energy levels.

Set clear, achievable goals

Short-term goals are great such as “I am going to fit in 3 x swims this week” help build momentum. Long-term goals such as “Complete an Ironman in x years” give longer term direction and help shape the training plan.

When time limited or you lack motivation

Remember the phrase “consistency is key” …. Get up and go do a shorter session, reduce the intensity, switch a hard run session for a Z2 run or go out on the bike or do a swim session - something is better than nothing.

It is about progress not perfection

If you haven’t hit the target sessions or you feel you are not exactly where you are, check your training log, look at your fitness, look at where you were and where you are now, if your fitness is heading in the right direction then great this is progress, you don’t have to hit every session every time, you can deviate from the goal plan.

Consistency in recovery

Consistency includes rest, sleep, nutrition and hydration, training adaptions are made on the easy days with reduced stress , training load and when you are sleeping, these can not happen if you are always full on. Have a sleep plan and try to stick to it, factor in recovery days.

Compound gains

Consistency is compounding like depositing money in a savings account, regular deposits of training grow exponentially over time just like your savings. A single missed session means little in the long term, showing up consistently means everything. The athlete who trains 4–5 days a week for months or years will always outperform the athlete who trains 7 days a week for two weeks and then blows up or bows out with an injury.

Consistency is Key

Consistency is the foundation of triathlon success, it’s not sexy and it doesn’t require superhuman discipline or strength, it’s built through small, repeatable actions that align with your life and goals. When you have a training schedule that is consistent and manageable you build fitness that lasts and gain confidence that carries you through the tough moments, it is a mindset that thrives on progress rather than perfection.

Getting Z2 training right

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:00:22 GMT

Getting Zone 2 Training Right – The Foundation of Polarised Training

Run Slow to Run Fast

For the last 5 years or so I have been using low HR training methods to form a solid endurance base for myself and for my athletes – The results have been fantastic, though the initial switch was hard to master. It is never easy changing your running style to accommodate a new training regime and keeping your HR in check on a group ride can be frustrating when you reach the hills. Initially for me my 30 to 60 min runs were almost a minute slower per kilometer than what I was used to, I also had to walk to keep the HR down on the inclines but after around three months I was almost back to my running speed but with a HR of around 15 beats lower - 18 months down the line I was running as fast as I was previously, if not faster, but can keep the HR down whilst doing so, even on runs of over 2 hours. Over long runs or rides with a constant effort you will see heart rate raise (cardiac drift) the challenge here is to accept it and slow down to keep your heart rate under control, given time this naturally improves through polarised training. Cycling efficiency has also improved, especially on the inclines, it is all about building the engine, refining it and enabling it to be as efficient as possible.

Heart rate training incorporating polarised training methods of 80% relatively easy effort and maximum 20% hard efforts is not followed as much as it should be. This is due to most athletes wanting to or having the mental need to push too hard on the easier sessions to feel they have benefited form the training. This then leads to the athletes not recovering from the easier sessions and not able to push hard enough on the hard sessions. You can still utilise power meters and pace, but over time if you follow HR method then the power number will go up for the given heart rate rather than heart rate becoming lower for given power as you get fitter meaning the strain on the body is less and the training stagnates rather than improves.

In recent years HRM’s (Heart Rate Monitors) appear to be much more reliable and with the rise in smart watches they have become a daily monitoring system for many more people, with most smart watches having an optical HRM built in. Optical HRM’s are great for monitoring sleep, and daily use but if you want to monitor heart rate in real time whilst running or cycling then a chest HRM is the way to go, these are much more accurate and generally show actual HR rather than jumps in HR that the Optical sensors can.

The benefits of polarised training or low Heart rate training

Increased endurance, higher fat burning capability, reduced recovery time, limits the risk of injury, increased efficiency, increase aerobic capacity, go faster for longer, fewer GI issues, training to run at your HIM or IM distance pace. Many do not appreciate that the best way to improve VO2 is in fact a lot of Zone 2 work.

You may ask what are the downsides of low HR/zone 2 training? Well, apart from struggle with keeping the HR down there are very few, your max HR may reduce, but this is no bad thing, you still complete hard efforts to compliment the training.

So why not just run or cycle to feel? I have found that a comfortable run speed and even cycle speed was generally in the Zone 3 of a 5 heart rate zone – Zone 3 is neither a high/hard effort or an endurance based effort therefore its somewhere in between, working in this zone doesn’t make huge improvements, but does feel comfortable. A lower heart rate, around zone 2, aids endurance, this increases fat burning capabilities and less reliance on carbs for fueling, it builds aerobic base capabilities and allows you to be active for longer without “blowing up”. Working the top end of Zone 4 works the body hard and helps to increase speed endurance and improve your lactic threshold, this coupled with Zone 5 work can improve overall speed but should only be done for limited periods.

The 80/20 rule

If you want to improve to be faster or run longer then you need to improve the engine and your heart is where it starts, get the heart working in the right zone and reap the rewards, generally look at working in Zone 2 for at least 80% of the time then leave the hard work in Zone 4/5 for less than 20% - staying away from the comfortable Zone 3 when using a 5 zone HR model for all but race prep sessions if you race is performed at zone 3 (Ironman to 70.3 race prep sessions)

Keeping the majority of your runs and cycles under 75% max HR or around 85% of your threshold HR, depending on your overall endurance fitness, means you have to slow down on inclines to keep the HR in check. On days where you complete intervals or “efforts” these are generally minimal but are hard efforts above 85% max HR or higher than 95% of threshold for the duration of the interval with recovery back to lower HR - By working the majority of the training at a lower heart the body becomes better at burning fat for fuel as apposed to carbs, this means you can train longer without the necessity to fuel on carbs as much, however when the heart rate is elevated and in race situation the body will still require additional carbohydrates as fuel to maintain this. The ability to utilise Carbs is still important and should be trained within the correct sessions.

The Power of HRV for triathletes

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:37:15 GMT

The Power of HRV for Triathletes: What it really tells you

Heart rate variability (HRV) has become one of the most useful metrics in endurance sport, but it’s especially valuable in triathlon. With three disciplines, frequent double sessions, and a constant balance between volume and recovery, triathletes face a more complex training load than single sport athletes. HRV offers a way to understand how your body is coping with that load before fatigue shows up in your pace or power.

HRV looks at the tiny differences in timing between each heartbeat and reflects the balance between the sympathetic system (stress, intensity, activation) and the parasympathetic system (recovery, rest, adaptation). Higher HRV usually means your body is ready to take on stress; lower HRV suggests you may need to back off or adjust.

Why HRV matters in triathlon training

Triathlon training creates a unique mix of stressors. You’re not just dealing with mileage you’re dealing with different kinds of mileage.

Swimming challenges breath control and upper body neuromuscular coordination.
Cycling adds long hours of low impact load that can mask fatigue.
Running brings the highest mechanical stress and the greatest risk of injury.

HRV helps you see how all of this adds up with a single signal that reflects the total stress your body is under, not just what you felt in your last session.

How HRV can help you tarin smarter

1. Planning Key Sessions

When HRV is at or above your normal baseline, your body is primed and ready for the tasks ahead - These are the days to schedule:

Harder sessions like threshold or VO₂ intervals
Longer aerobic runs or endurance rides
Technical sets that require more mental awareness

You’re more likely to hit your targets and recover well afterward.

2. Avoiding overreaching

Triathletes often push too far without realising, a downward HRV trend over several days can be an early sign of:

Accumulated fatigue without enough recovery
Poor sleep / nutrition or higher alcohol intake
High life stress, home or work related
Illness brewing in the background
Too many hard sessions stacked back to back

Knowing this early helps you adjust before performance dips, illness or injury risk rises.

3. Balancing the three disciplines

One of the biggest advantages of HRV is how it helps you shift training without losing momentum.

Low HRV but legs feel fine → Z2 training, with some tempo intervals
Low HRV with heavy legs → Try easy bike session rather than run intervals
High HRV → carry on as intended – bike or run intervals, higher intensity.

This flexibility is what makes HRV guided training so effective for triathletes.

What HRV looks like across the three disciplines

Swim - Swim sessions often produce less mechanical fatigue, so HRV may stay stable or even rise. Technique work is ideal on lower HRV days.
Cycling - Cycling allows for high volume with relatively low impact. It can be easy carry on with tempo work because it “feels fine,” that zone 3 work always feels good doesn’t it …. but if HRV is lowering, then it could be you are overdoing it.
Running - Running has the biggest impact on HRV because of its mechanical and neuromuscular stress. Reduced HRV is a strong signal to lower run intensity or volume to avoid injury risk.

What affects HRV in Triathletes

Triathletes deal with several stressors that strongly influence HRV:

Early morning training / late night training
Heat stress from indoor cycling / treadmill running
Travel to races, pool, gym etc
High carbohydrate intake to fuel sessions
Life stress, sleep quality, and hydration
Alcohol and or energy drinks

Understanding and monitoring these helps you interpret HRV changes more accurately. What affects you may be different to what affects somebody else, knowing this can give you the tools to perform well and avoid the risks that low HRV can bring.

In Summary

HRV can be a powerful tool in a triathlete’s toolbox – you can use it to assist in managing training load, avoiding burnout, limiting injury and ultimately giving you the race day you deserve. It doesn’t replace good coaching or smart planning, but it can add a layer of insight that helps you train harder on the right days and recover better on the others. A little knowledge can go a long way

Cadence Matters ....... but why ?

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:55:32 GMT

Cadence Matters...... But why ?

When triathletes talk about improving their bike leg, the conversation usually jumps straight to power numbers, aerodynamic upgrades, or the perfect bike fit. All important, of course—but there’s a quieter, simpler metric that can transform both your ride and your run: cadence.

Cadence isn’t flashy, it won’t earn you compliments in transition, but if you understand how it works and how to train it, it becomes one of the most effective tools for racing smarter, riding stronger, and running better off the bike.

What is cadence?

Cadence is the number of pedal revolutions per minute (rpm). It’s the rhythm of your ride, the tempo your legs naturally fall into. Most cyclists hover somewhere between 70–90 rpm, with some outliers above and below. But triathletes aren’t just cyclists, they’re cyclists who still have to have the energy and ability to run well after the cycle leg

That’s why cadence matters so much in triathlon.

Why Cadence matters for Triathletes

1. It is the driver for how you and your muscles fatigue

Different cadences stress your body in different ways:

Low cadence (50–75 rpm): High torque, high muscular load, especially on the quads and glutes. Great for building strength, but it can leave your legs feeling heavy for the run.
High cadence (90–100+ rpm): Lower muscular strain, higher cardiovascular demand. You save your legs, but your heart rate may rise along with energy consumption.

Triathlon is all about managing fatigue throughout and having the energy to finish the run strong. The right cadence helps you spread the workload across your body in a way that preserves your legs for later.

2. It directly affects your bike to run transition

Ask any triathlete about “Jelly legs”: the first kilometre of the run can feel like a different sport entirely. Cadence plays a surprisingly big role in how smooth or painful that transition becomes.

A slightly higher, more consistent cadence on the bike helps:

Reduce that “Jelly leg” sensation
Improve neuromuscular readiness
Make it easier to hit your target run pace quickly

Think of it as priming your legs for the turnover they’ll need on the run.

3. It Helps You Control Power and Avoid Spikes

Power is a product of torque and cadence. When cadence drops on a climb, into a headwind, or when fatigue sets in torque rises. That means:

Higher muscular strain
More “matches” burned
Greater risk of blowing up late in the day or race

Holding a steady cadence helps you hold steady power, which is the foundation of a well paced triathlon bike leg.

4. It Improves Long Distance Efficiency

Efficiency isn’t just about aero helmets and deep section wheels. It’s also about metabolic cost.

Research shows:

Elite cyclists often prefer higher cadences to reduce muscular fatigue.
Age group triathletes often default to lower cadences, which feel comfortable but accumulate fatigue over time.

Training your body to handle a slightly higher cadence—without sending your heart rate through the roof—can make your entire race feel smoother and more sustainable.

How to train cadence like a triathlete

1. Add cadence focused drills to your training - A few effective options:

High cadence spinning: 100–120 rpm for short intervals – increases ability to spin when needed, such as on a climb with fatigued legs, on a decent when you have run out of gears
Low cadence strength work: 50–70 rpm at moderate to high resistance – this aids strength training, increasing your torque and power – used when accelerating hard, grinding over that steep climb – ultimately building your cycling strength to hold higher watts.
Cadence pyramids: gradually increasing and decreasing rpm – giving you great variety and switching ability from grinding to spinning.

These drills improve neuromuscular coordination and expand your comfortable cadence range. Having a large range of cadence in your pocket is a game changer when it comes to competing in triathlon, giving you greater flexibility in body and in race plan and execution.

2. Use brick sessions to test your race cadence

Your ideal cadence is the one that lets you run well afterward – (this is usually similar to your run cadence). Brick workouts are the most reliable way to discover what actually works for your body.

3. Treat cadence as a pacing anchor

Conditions change on race day, wind, terrain, fatigue but cadence can be your stabiliser. If you keep cadence smooth and consistent, power tends to follow.

So what’s the “best” cadence?

There’s no universal magic number, but for most triathletes a steady 80–95 rpm during the bike leg strikes the right balance between muscular preservation and cardiovascular efficiency.

The real goal isn’t hitting a specific number it’s finding a cadence that’s sustainable, efficient, and sets you up for a strong run.

Cadence isn’t just a metric, it’s a strategy and when you use it intentionally, it becomes one of the most powerful tools in your triathlon toolkit.

Mid-foot Cleat

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 15:24:52 GMT

Midfoot Cleat position over standard – my experience

The main reasons I took the plunge with Midfoot cleat position was down to a previous injury to my right ankle and subsequent ankle surgery, however that wasn’t the only reason. Upon researching I found out that generally running off the bike becomes easier when using a midfoot cleat for triathletes.

In October 20 and ordered a pair of midfoot cleat adaptors and started using them indoors, then in Jan 21 started using them outdoors. Initially my bike position had to be altered, lowering the seat slightly and the stem to accommodate the new position.

Initial thoughts were that it was comfy, natural and I could definitely feel my quads and glutes been utilised more, in contrast I started to feel that the power was lacking a little at the top end and when out of the saddle it felt a little strange. I persisted, worked on my position a little and got used to it. The biggest benefit in the first 6 months was actually in my running, my calves felt more rested, I didn’t have tightness in my ankles and I was running pain and injury free. The power was coming back on the bike and I was getting used to cycling this way.

The tests to come were numerous TT’s which I could compare against previous attempts albeit different TT bike and the big one for me the Outlaw Triathlon… would I be able to run well off the bike and put in a decent bike split.

In early 21 I was slightly under on my TT times, this could have been down to training load or was it the cleats.. I persisted and come the summer I was matching the times I had previously ridden, I put this down to fitness levels rather than purely the cleat position but it was all positive.

The big test was the Outlaw Full distance triathlon in July and the results were that I PB’d the bike course by over 15 mins and then was able to run well off the bike with a PB of over 15 mins too. In addition I raced London Tri not long after with a great result and felt good running off the bike at speed with no pain.

The benefits -

• Less impact on calves during cycling – thus enabling better running

• Ability to run off the bike improved

• Longer efforts easier to sustain at high watts

• Within a ride recovery from hard efforts is quicker

• Lower saddle position possible improved aerodynamics

• Recovery from hard rides appears to be easier (using larger muscle groups)

• Improved pedal stroke efficiency, less heel lift, power further round the cycle

The possible downsides

• Takes a bit of getting used to

• Toe overlap is greater – higher likelihood of clipping front wheel

• Slower acceleration and decrease in power on out of the saddle efforts

• Bike position will need to be altered – seat and stem lowered

• Top end power may be lower due to reduced input from calves

• Few suppliers of cleat adaptors – not mainstream on cycle shoes

In summary I would recommend triathletes try midfoot cleat position especially if you have had any history of ankle stability issues, ankle weakness or injury. My general running has now been injury and pain free now for almost two years and I feel good running off the bike, I am converted. It has taken a while to get used to the position, but I think within the first three to six months I knew it was the right decision for me. Cycling in triathlon is ultimately the long game, sustained measured efforts with minimal hard accelerations, this is well suited to the midfoot cleat position, with the added benefit of easier running off the bike.

Have you tried them ? what is your experience ? comment below

Race day kit list

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 15:42:46 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Swim

Goggles, swim hat, swimsuit or tri-suit, wetsuit if open water.

Get to the swim start in good time so that you’re not rushed and you’ve time to get familiarised with the course layout. -Consider a land based warm up & mobility as doing so in the water is often not an option

Note the swim exit and route to T1.

Bike

Make a note of where your bike is in transition, which isle and see if there are any markers such as bins or lampposts etc.

Bike, helmet, cycle shoes, sunglasses, gloves, socks – Race belt and race number -Consider a gilet or rain jacket if the weather is cold or wet.

Check your bike beforehand so that it’s mechanically sound and check tyre pressures

Put your bike in an easy gear so that you can start off comfortably.

Put a little talc in your shoes to help absorb some of the moisture.

Put your cycle shoes on as you normally would. Only consider attaching to the bike when you’ve practiced. -Socks are fine, particularly if it’s what you’re used to or practice beforehand.

Be clear on where the mount & dismount lines are situated for leaving and re-entering transition. -Ensure your helmet strap is done up before moving your bike and that your bike is re-racked before removing your helmet. (Number belt on facing back for bike)

Have spare kit and be able to change a flat in case of a puncture.

Run

Running shoes, sunglasses, socks

Check for T2 exit

Also make note of the finish area and how many laps you need to do.

Elastic laces help speed up the transition but test beforehand so that they are comfortable and the correct fit.

Again a little talc in your shoes can be useful to help absorb some of the moisture.

If using a race belt, turn your number round to be facing the front for the run

Enjoy the finish line!

Only take what you need into transition, include a small bag if needed to place your dry kit in which you will change into after race, you will likely be wearing this when you rack your bike.

Heart Rate training

183:806985845 (Daniel Mason) — Mon, 10 May 2021 14:35:38 GMT

Run to the beat - Heart rate training

Running to heart rate

I have been running and competing in triathlon since 2009 and in the first few years I used a chest HRM but found it unreliable and mainly used to only look at the data after a run or ride and not monitor during, after that I ran to feel – it was only in the last few years that I re-found the love for heart rate training.

Recently HRM’s (Heart Rate Monitors) appear to be much more reliable and with the rise in smart watches they have become a daily monitoring system for many more people, with most smart watches having an optical HRM built in. Optical HRM’s are great for monitoring sleep, and daily use but if you want to monitor heart rate in real time whilst running or cycling then a chest HRM is the way to go, these are much more accurate and generally show actual HR rather than jumps in HR that the Optical sensors can.

So why not just run to feel ? I have found that a comfortable run speed and even cycle speed was generally in the Zone 3 heart rate zone – Zone 3 is neither a high/hard effort or an endurance based effort therefore its somewhere in between, working in this zone doesn’t make huge improvements, but does feel comfortable. To work on endurance heart rate needs to be lower and generally in Zone 2, this increases fat burning capabilities and less reliance on carbs for fuelling, it builds aerobic base capabilities and allows you to be active for longer without “blowing up”. Working in Zone 4 works the body hard and helps to increase speed endurance and improve your lactic threshold, this coupled with Zone 5 work can improve overall speed but should only be done for limited periods.

If you want to improve to be faster or run longer then you need to improve the engine and your heart is where it starts, get the heart working in the right zone and reap the rewards, generally look at working in Zone2 for at least 80% of the time then leave the hard work in Zone 4/5 for less than 20% - staying away from the comfortable Zone 3.

The majority of my runs are kept under 75% max HR as is my bike, what this means is that I have to slow down on inclines to keep the HR down, on days where I complete intervals or “efforts” these are generally minimum but are hard efforts above 85% max HR for the duration of the interval, with recovery back to below 75% - This is very similar to the MAF (Maffetone method) where you use a simple calculation to work out what your MAF heart rate should be and work to that. MAF is more than just a calculation it is a lifestyle change, moving away from fueling with carbohydrates and working on fueling with fat – this is kinder to the gut and means less stomach issues when you race hard.

More about MAF to come

Goal setting instead of New Years resolution

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 09:13:32 GMT

Instead of New Years resolution - set yourself some goals the right way

Goal setting

If you want to have the satisfaction of success what defines success? Without a goal and a plan then it is hard to know what it is let alone achieve it.

For many years I “winged” my way through triathlon, having achieved some great results, not having a plan and not really having a goal, I did know what I wanted but just trusted in myself to get the results – I had no written goals. Luckily for me I got through it, but there came a time when winging it just doesn’t cut it.

In short I now have multiple small goals and larger long term goals, one of them stretching out to 3 years.

So what is a goal –

• Something you want to achieve

• Something you want to work towards

• Something you want to re-achieve

• A feeling you want

• An outcome

The goal or goals should be realistic and achievable in a given time frame – tell someone your goals to make you accountable – write them down – promise yourself a treat upon achieving a goal – Multiple or “stage” goals are great in creating success, helping you push forward to achieve your bigger goals.

What is needed? You will need a plan……. knowing how you will achieve your goals is a huge part in goal setting and the part that most people miss out when setting their goals and therefore ultimately fall short. Think of it as a journey, say getting from London to Copenhagen – without planning a route how would you get there? You may eventually reach your destination but how much wasted time, energy, frustration and wrong turns would have happened before you did get there?

Having a plan and knowing the way you will reach your destination/goal is the best option, it isn’t always as much fun, but you can go off piste every now and then and still achieve. The plan will likely change along the way but that is life, but the goals will remain the focus.

There are plenty of off the shelf plans out there to assist in achieving targeted race distances, some of these are great, however they will need adapting to your personal needs. They are aimed at getting someone through a race distance, if you have a week sport then you will need to work harder on that element than the others, this means that time may have to be reduced on the other elements, this means working off the basic plan.

Even when you have a plan for your goals you will then require a plan for your race, if that is what your goal is – this is a whole other minefield involving pacing, timing, equipment, nutrition, hydration, tactics, elements….

A goal I set myself in 2019 was to give MAF running a shot – I gave myself a target of 6 months – the specific element was to try and achieve a running pace under 5 minutes per k for an hour at MAF. I had a plan on how I was going to get there, following the MAF method (not fully but as much as I could). This was exceptionally frustrating to start with, I was running 45s per k slower than that for just 20 mins to start with – I had to alter my stride pattern, I had to walk elements, it was hard work. I stuck with the plan and in less than 6 months achieved it running for more than 60 mins and under 5mins per k at MAF. (I like the MAF method – it works for me, but isn’t for everyone)

Believing in the plan and that you can achieve your goals is the main part, if you can do that then you will likely succeed. If you just have a “New Years resolution” or a goal without a plan it is likely it will not happen and you will not achieve your desired outcome.

Take some time to work out what your goals are and more importantly how you can achieve them, it makes it all worthwhile when you eventually achieve your goal.

Comment below with your goals

How many bikes ?

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 09:56:24 GMT

How many bikes do you need - or have ?

How many bikes???

It started in 2008 with a 20-year old mountain bike, a Peugeot if memory serves me right with a Biopace chainset, all the rage back in the early 90’s when it was last used.

Within a couple of months this was to be replaced by a £40 Halfords special, parts missing, mountain bike – with the cost of the extra parts a total investment of around £80. This bike weighed a tonne but did have slick tyres and I added basic lights etc – it did the job for training but wasn’t going to be a long-term solution.

Within six months I was on to my second purchase, third bike, a Carrera Virtuosa, again from Halfords for the princely sum of around £150 – I was getting the hang of this bargain hunting. This was the bike that I continued all my training and racing for the next couple of years, I probably racked up over 10,000 miles within three years in total. It was basic it was a 9speed cassette, giving me 18 gears in total – perfect beginners bike for triathlon. The feeling you get when you are on a cheap bike flying past bikes costing ££££ is priceless. This bike got me through my first half Iron distance race and Full Iron race. (You can do it on any bike)

The thoughts of “Free speed” soon came into my head – first it was getting lighter parts, more aerodynamic, then my thoughts turned to TT bikes …. At this point I decided that the best course of action would be Aero bars on the road bike, just to see if I was comfortable in the aero position – I purchased some second-hand flip down ones from Ebay – from the first moment they were on I loved it – the difference was immediately measurable – my next bike would be a TT bike.

So after months of scouring the internet I found a bargain on Ebay, brand new Merida Warp, clad with Ultegra for less than half its original RRP of £1,700 – note this was back in around 2011, I paid around £750 – I remember going to collect the bike, it was snowing and the roads were not great, I had to travel around 75 mins each way, traffic was bad and I had sneaked off from work early to do it – I had to make sure I was back home before the misses arrived home so I could hide my purchase in the garage…. I hadn’t exactly told her I was buying a new bike. That was bike number four.

Bike number five was soon to arrive, in the following summer – the Virtuosa was showing signs of wear and neglect so I decided to dedicate it as a winter bike and purchase another summer training bike – a friend of a friend was selling a Carrera TDF in bright yellow – I decided that would be my summer training bike …

Bike number six, it was time to spend a little more on a summer bike, my only option was cycle to work scheme – I decided to purchase a Willier Treistina 00 – It wasn’t fully carbon fibre but did have carbon forks and stays – This opened my eyes to what a bike should be – I love this bike, black and red and clad with Campagnolo components, beautiful.

Bike number seven was another heavily discounted Carrera, this was a single speed workhorse, it was to be my bike to cycle to work on – I think the cost was around £150 – Riding fixed gear is a joy, it connects you more with the bike, just watch out when you come to junctions, I had several “incidents”, including smacking my knee on the bell leaving a huge bleeding hole.

Bike number eight was an impulse purchase while at an overseas event – another bargain at less than half the retail price – Cervelo P2, Ultegra clad carbon TT bike, my first fully carbon bike and after many years of saying I would never buy a “popular mainstream” bike I had done just that. I couldn’t help myself, it was a bargain, it handled much better than my Merida – also it was shiny and new –

Bike number nine, A second hand Ebay purchase, Dolan Pre Cursa Fixie – I had to travel around three hours each way to collect this one, but it was worth it – Can’t remember what I paid – I rode this on club rides and Saturday morning socials, it was much easier to ride and faster than my other fixed.

I didn’t have much space left for bikes, so decided to have a clear out – The Carrera Virtuosa was first to go – up on Ebay it went and I received bids of over £80 – not bad considering I only paid £150 new and the bike had covered thousands of miles and was now several years old – The next bike to go was the Peugeot MTB – this went to the tip – later that year the Carrera TDF also went on Ebay – I received around £80 – another great workhorse gone but recouped some money.

Bike number ten, another Cycle to Work Scheme bike, a replacement mountain bike, this one would hardly get any use, but is there for when needed. The idea was Sunday social cycles with pub stops or lunch stops, but this never really happened.

Bike number eleven, A fully fledged racing bike in carbon fibre, my pride and joy – another bargain to boot, this time from Planet X, The Viner, clad with Ultegra – a great bike and a huge improvement on the Alloy Willier – This was the bike to train on in the summer – the Willier was relegated to Winter bike with the additions of mudguards et al.

Bike number twelve, I needed another bike to cycle to work on, the Carrera was on its last legs, after much searching I decided on the Genesis Day One, this is a solid workhorse weighing in at around 17kg, It is an 8 speed, with mudguards and rack – I fitted front dynamo wheel and lights – its self sufficient riding, for cycling to work. I also use this in winter from time to time.

OK so what’s next you say ….. well bike number thirteen is what it was, now more than a year old another Viner – I kind of like the way these ride, stiff and racy, yet smooth. This was purchased in case I wanted to compete in draft legal races or when my interest goes to towards cycle racing for fitness – my excuse for purchase, I didn’t want to ruin my other racing bike…

In ten years I had owned thirteen different bikes, I think I have a problem or so I am told ….. A few of these have now gone but some still remain, at the height I had nine bikes at one point, I could justify each and every one of them, though over time I have had to whittle them down by a few – I believe you can own as many bikes as you want or need, the limitation lies on the space you have to store them, the cash you have tied up in them and the desire you have for a new bike. Each bike has a purpose or so I tell myself so they are all justified.

It has been two years since my last bike purchase and for now I am content with my lot, this is not to say that in the coming months another new steed may enter the stable……

GB Age Group - Representing your country ... a pleasure or pain ?

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 17:23:47 GMT

GB Age Grouping – Sprint and Olympic - a pleasure or a pain ?

To represent your country in any capacity is an amazing honour, to represent GB in Age for triathlon is an amazing achievement to each and everyone who has done so.

I was lucky enough to qualify for my first Age Group outing in GB colours in 2012 – I qualified for the World Championships in Auckland NZ – Olympic distance at pretty much my first year in trying to qualify. I still think myself as been lucky to have qualified, I was in the 35-39 category, at the time the most competitive male age group. I qualified via a roll down.

A fantastic achievement I may say …… but was it deserved ……..

Not everyone can afford to race in New Zealand therefore the competition was not at its highest

Not everyone can afford the kit – Trisuit alone was circa £130 -

Race entry fees for Sprint & Olympic Championship races are usually over £200

Not everyone wants to race for their country – they may not have entered the Qualifying race

For each Championship there is generally three qualifying races, not everyone turns up for each or can turn up.

Qualifying race location and time of year makes a huge difference to who turns up

Course design is a big factor – if you are good on hills but the race is flat you are at disadvantage.

I believe it is deserved ….

You can only race who turns up on the day, who is there is out of your control

115% of the winner’s time for World Champs … you still have to be relatively good to do this

You train as hard as anyone else and complete on a level playing field, the course is the same for everyone.

The hours of training required to achieve within 115 % of the winners time is, usually, huge.

The commitment to a training regime, come rain hail or shine, to actually pull it out of the bag on race day.

I am not the fastest in my age group, but generally I can hold my own to an extent, I doubt I will ever win or even podium at an event, even in my age group, but I put the training in and compete as best I can – Do I deserve the accolade of GB Age Grouper …. Maybe.

Some age groups are full and competition is very high, others don’t even fill their quota of 20 athletes to qualify – but the fact remains that you still have to be within 115% of the winner of your age group to be in with a chance of qualifying for the World Championships or 120% for Europeans …

Since my first GB outing I have been fortunate to qualify for various distances and at various events all over the world, generally speaking the closer the event to the UK the more competitive the qualifying races – I put this down to the fact the cost of travel to the final destination is less and more affordable to a wider range of athletes, therefore is more accessible. Due to the cost and timings I have not always taken up my slot.

Most who qualify for the Championships have no hope of a podium at the Championship events and I believe it is the “Chasing the Q” that is the more pleasurable – training for a specific qualifying event, physically and mentally, eyeing up your competition, completing the race to the best of your ability and then analysing the results and the dreaded wait of up to 2 weeks to see if you have qualified when the BTF website is updated.. even then it could be another few weeks or even months waiting for that roll down spot …. This is why I try to qualify for GB, the competing at the Championships is just another race …. Don’t get me wrong the comradery and excitement of a Championship race week is great, fantastic feeling and sense of achievement, the friends you meet along the way, the places you visit and the sites you see.

GB Age Grouping costs a fortune and, unfortunately, is out of reach for a high proportion of athletes due to the cost, this doesn’t mean that the athletes that qualify are not deserved of their place, as said earlier you can only race who turns up at a qualifying event and you must still complete in the percentage of winning time.

Personally I love representing GB in Triathlon it gives me a sense of achievement and purpose, chasing the Q is where it is at, there are downsides such as cost, time off work and sometimes racing the same event year after year but overall it is a mix of pain and pleasure.

TT bike or Road bike for triathlon ?

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 16:52:26 GMT

Which bike to use needn't be an issue

TT or Road bike?

As a coach I often get asked what should I race? TT or Road bike?

My answer is always “it depends …….” but generally as an athlete myself I would always go for TT bike over road bike.

It depends and there are many factors to consider such as:

Are you comfortable riding your TT bike?

Are you confident on your TT bike?

Are you fitted for your TT bike?

Are you able to climb comfortably on your TT bike?

Is the course flat?

Is the course technical?

Can you stay on the bars for the whole race?

How comfortable are you running off the TT bike compared to the road bike?

Have you trained on your TT bike or your road bike?

Are the wheels on your TT bike suitable for the course? (Think windy conditions)

What is the gearing on your bikes – which gearing suits the course better?

Note that most of my considerations are surrounding the suitability of the TT bike not the road bike – most triathletes do not ride their TT bikes enough to be completely confident and comfortable for most courses, in general athletes train 80 to 90% of the time on a road bike. This leads to lack comfort, power and position on the TT bike and thus limits the bikes exceptional advantages over the road bike.

For me I know that even on undulating and hilly courses I am confident that I am faster on the TT bike than the road bike, this is down to a few things, I train a lot on it, I ride hills on it, I have confidence in the bikes handling capabilities and through many years of experience I am comfortable climbing on the bike. Most courses, unless exceptionally technical and steep will be more attuned to TT riding than road bike.

Running off a correctly set up TT bike is much easier than a road bike – I will add a caveat that it is my opinion and a badly set up TT bike will have a negative effect on running off the bike.

To decide on which bike is best for you will depend on many of the factors above and probably more – but I would suggest that you take your TT bike out and ride it more often, become comfortable, in long distance even change position so you are less aero if that helps, if it adds up to been able to hold the position for longer it works. One other suggestion would be to complete a circuit of say 10 miles on your TT bike and your road bike, including some hills and descents, technical elements – try for yourself and see which one is faster.

Most TT bikes will aid the run if set up correctly and in general should be faster on the majority of courses. I will add that positioning and comfort is key and if this is a difficulty then maybe stick with the road bike, otherwise TT all the way …

Which wheels blog coming soon ……

101 things you should have known before your first Tri…

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 19:33:16 GMT

All the things you wish you knew

You Will

• Never only do just one Tri

• Do better than you think you would have done

• Probably not finish last

• Enjoy it

• Join the local tri club

• Have bike envy

• Want another bike

• Will buy another bike, if not more than one

• Will fully justify buying multiple bikes

• Swear you will never do another tri … then go back home and book another race

• Own more trainers than shoes

• Start socialising less, but when you do will talk about triathlon

• Watch people running and either say or think "I can run faster than that"

• Buy a Garmin (other GPS devices are available)

• Start buying Tri220 or Triathlon Plus –

• Go to a Triathlon Show

• Buy some elastic laces – fit them to all your trainers

• Shower three times a day … or more

• Buy another pair of trainers

• Buy lycra cycling shorts and kit – firstly as dark a colour as possible so as not to draw attention

• After a year buy the brightest Lycra you can so it gets you seen

• End up owning more Lycra than casual clothes and work clothes put together

• Buy 5 pairs of goggles or more until you find the pair that fits your face and doesn’t leak

• Buy anti-fog Spray

• Buy cycling glasses

• Buy a pair of carbon wheels for racing only

• Buy 5 pairs of running shorts

• Buy 6 running tops

• Spend half your earnings on new Tri kit, race entries, travel and merchandise

• Spend weeks reviewing products online even after you have bought them … helps justify the spend

• Believe the hype about every new product and that it will make you more efficient and faster

• Set up a Wiggle account, Chain Reaction, Sportpursuits and Tredz – plus about 15 others…

• Spend more time admiring bikes online than you would ever think possible

• Say I could of gone faster but …….

• Say I nearly had a new PB but …..

• Say If only I had taken it easier on the bike I would have gone faster on the run

• Say I was cut up on the swim session – people just don’t have swim lane etiquette

• Buy a turbo trainer – probably use it once then leave it sitting there

• Say you will never do an Ironman, but within a year you have booked one

• Say you will never do another Ironman …. Then go and book another one

• Have more water bottles than you would ever need

• Lose something in amongst the lycra, but rather than look for it – go on to Wiggle and order another one – justified by it was needed anyway

• Feel the need to “go” when out on the run – eventually you will just head for the nearest bush

• After the first incident of "needing to go" – the next time you will without hesitation just head for the nearest bush anyway

• Fart when you run – this becomes second nature – realise you must stay of the milk

• Pee in your wetsuit an think it is normal

• Think about peeing on the bike to save seconds in a triathlon

• Try to pee while riding bike, realising its more difficult than you thought

• Pee in a bush on every long ride at least once

• Buy sudocrem to relieve nappy rash

• Buy Chamoise cream to stop nappy rash from happening

• Realise nothing stops nappy rash so you put up with the pain

• Buy one of Joe Beers Books

• Buy one of Ironfit books

• Wear lycra shorts to the pub/Cafe after a ride

• Not be worried about been seen in public wearing the tightest most revealing lycra

• Stare at a lycra clad bottom for hours whilst drafting them on the bike

• Fire snot rockets from your nose

• Misfire snot rockets all over your face, clothes and helmet

• Think and talk about triathlon 24/7 –

• Bring triathlon into any subject been discussed

• Downplay your successes – but bring them into conversation anyway

• On your not so good results say you weren’t trying – it was just training

• Research the startlist of you’re “A” race to see who you are racing against

• Google your opponents to see what their previous results were and whether you can beat them

• Set up a Garmin Account, Strava account, Training Peaks account

• Spend hours looking at your training online

• Know the local KOM segments and try and beat your clubmates

• Draft on the club ride up to segment then blast past all those in front of you to get the segment

• Do the local TT’s and turn up in your trisuit – be turned away as it doesn’t have sleeves

• Join the local cycling club so you can buy their club kit and do the TT’s in a speed suit

• Go for a run directly after local TT …. Damn it they now realise I am a triathlete and forever will take the piss

• Find a local lake or river and go for a swim, watching over your shoulder for the police or local official

• Buy some more trainers

• Spend months contemplating buying an aero helmet and which one, whilst worrying about what you will look like, are you fast enough, researching hundreds of helmets – then eventually just buying the one that was rated highest in 220 magazine

• Look at every cyclist that you pass, checking out their bikes

• Do London Triathlon just once …. Great event and well worth the hassle

• Register for the London Marathon … ten years later still can’t get in so get a charity spot and raise £2k -

• Go for a bike fit – spend between £150 and £300 – come back convinced it was worth it – 6 months later look back at your results and nothing has changed

• Get gait analysis done, feel guilty and spend a fortune in the shop, when you get home realise that you could have bought the same trainers online for £50 less – so go buy them also.

• Try every new fad going … even though a more experienced triathlete has told you they have tried it before and doesn’t work ..

• One day become that /\/\/\ experienced triathlete

• Think about writing a book about triathlon – realise that you probably never will

• Get a triathlon related tattoo …. MDOT if an IronMan race completed

• Realise you can’t get an MDOT as you did Outlaw Tri – get an Outlaw tattoo

• Buy copious amounts of kit at each expo including MDOT race merchandise

• Wear your finishers T-shirt for months – then wear it at every event you go to

• Buy some calf guards

• Race in calf guards

• Walk round after a race wearing shorts Finishers T Shirt and dayglo calf guards (damn if only I knew this before I started)

• Realise all your remaining friends are triathletes

• Think about qualifying to race for GB Age Group

• Look at the qualifying races and past results, think OK I am in I will give it a shot – realise after the race it’s not quite as simple as it appears

• Think about getting a coach – decide to go it alone, plenty of info out there, spend a fortune on books and buy new race wheels instead.

• Buy another wetsuit as yours was a beginners suit – soon after realise it makes no difference

• Buy the best tyres you can afford – get a puncture in the first week – blame the tyre

• Fix a puncture by replacing tyre, puncture new tube with tyre levers, try again

• Buy CO2 canisters to pump up tyres – forget to take them with you

• Buy a floor pump, use it only when replacing tyres – rarely will you check tyre pressures

• Wash your bike after every ride, buy multiple bottles of Muckoff

• Buy Wetlube, drylube, and anyother lube going

• Keep your race bike inside your house, worrying that it will go rusty in the shed/garage

• Buy Bicycle tool kit – realise you are not sure what to do so take bike to LBS instead.

• Buy a cycle computer for the bike as you can’t see your Garmin 935 easily enough when riding

• Realise its not quite aero enough so buy an “out front” mount for your bike computer

• Upload every single ride to Garmin, comment that it was a “Training Ride” “Easy Ride” when you averaged over 30kph and got a KOM.

• Get very upset and frustrated when you accidently press “discard” on your Garmin rather than “save”

• When you have been out on a group ride – check the Strava segments to make sure you were the one that got the fastest times.

• Worry about what to wear every time you go out on a ride, how many layers, long sleeves, shorts – you know whatever you do it will be wrong.

• Not take your waterproof and 45 mins into your ride it will rain.

• Set your alarm for 3 or 4am race morning

• Not sleep properly the night before a race

• Wake up and worry about not been able to go to the loo

• Worry that you haven’t got the right kit and that you have forgotten something

• Get to the race venue and realise you forgot your chip/helmet/nutrition

• Spend the full amount of time looking at your bike in transition and making sure you haven’t forgotten anything – realise its tome to go to the swim start and you haven’t checked out Transition route.

• Spend hours in the queue for a portaloo talking to other triathletes about how not nervous you are and that you need the loo – playing down your race expectations, whilst trying to figure out if they are in your age group.

• Be at the swim start and putting your wetsuit on – someone awkwardly tells you that its on backwards ….

• Put your wetsuit back on correctly and smack yourself in the face whilst putting the arms on

• Eventually have the wetsuit on the realise you need to “Go” again

• Get to the swim start and ask a fellow triathlete when your wave is as you couldn’t hear the briefing or wasn’t listening.

• Get beat to F£”@k in the swim, especially at the turn buoys, this is the best feeling ever :I

• Get out of the swim and think, thank F£”@k for that – while trying to get the wetsuit off and tripping over getting to transition

• Run through transition and get lost, you won’t be able to see your bike knowing full well where it was, spend a minute running up and down the isles looking for it – eventually you find it was just behind where you was to start with.

• Run out of transition and past the mount line where promptly you will trip and fall while trying to mount your bike, wobble for the first 50 metres bumping into other triathletes doing the same.

• Shout obscenities at fellow triathletes who cut you up or draft you or others

• Be glad to be heading off the bike and on to the run

• Either take your feet our of your shoes 2 miles too early or forget altogether, either way making a spectacle of yourself heading into T2

• Be told off by a race marshall for unclipping your helmet before racking your bike

• Be shouted at “turn your number round” before leaving T2.

When is a run not a run?

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 17:10:55 GMT

Not all runs are runs

When is a run not a run?

This is a long running question and one of great contention.

When first starting out in triathlon I read many articles and spent hours on forums and questions about what is regarded as a run come up aplenty. The following were some of the responses:

A few spoke of the 6mph or quicker is running.

Both feet off the ground at some point, otherwise its jogging.

Not having both feet on the ground at the same time

Its only a run when there is a session goal.

It has to be 10k or more to do any good.

Heart rate has to be elevated above 80% of MAX

A run is when you are moving faster than you would be walking

The stigma attached to a run and what it is needs to be removed – every individual has their own running gait, style and speed and that means a run is different for everyone. There is no minimum distance to be classified as a run, there is no minimum speed.

I love running and love to run at what feels comfortable to me, in the past this has been too fast for long term improvements, ending in injury after injury and ultimately surgery – post surgery I carried on the same, that is until Summer 2019. After researching various articles about running I came across MAF running – (Maximum Aerobic Function) – the theory is that you run at your MAF HR and improve your MAF over time, thus improving running in general and reducing risk of injury. Initially this is very difficult for a seasoned runner as it is likely you will run at a much slower pace than you are used to – it feels counterintuitive and wrong – it takes some time to get used to. On occasions I had to walk to keep HR down, especially on inclines, even months after starting this method of running some inclines still mean walking.

You shouldn’t let speed put you off running, if you have to walk a bit, then go ahead and walk and keep moving. We all started off not been able to walk or run, it is a learning process and enjoyment should come out of running. So long as you elevate your HR and are moving forward you are making progress, increasing the time spent with elevated HR.

Not everyone is a speed demon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all enjoy going for a run – starting MAF running has changed my perspective somewhat of what is good for me – I now don’t have to keep an eye on my average speed or try overtake other runners while training, just happy in my own mind that I am doing what makes me happy – running at my pace within my MAF limits and making progress, hopefully injury free.

Who am I and how it all began

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 16:47:34 GMT

noun: triathlon; plural noun: triathlons
1. an athletic contest consisting of three different events, typically swimming, cycling, and long-distance running.

2. An interest, hobby, sport, passion, obsession, addiction

Back in 2008 overweight, smoker, drinker, having completed no exercise in 20 years and at the ripe old age of 34 – looking for something to do to assist in stopping smoking and not gaining any weight …..

First thoughts were how can I get a little bit fitter without spending any money – Get the old mountain bike out of the shed, (This had not been used since my teenage years), search for hours for the key to the lock – pump the tyres up and off we go the road to health and fitness. 400 yards down the road and I was a wheezing wreck, sweating profusely and beginning to think this was a bad idea – about turn and light a cigarette.

Those first few months at the back end of 2008 were tough to say the least, gradually building my endurance with a few short rides around the block, probably my longest ride of about 5 miles. A little bit of investment was needed so I purchased a Halfords special, parts missing mountain bike for the princely sum of £40, and with a bit of scouting on Ebay accumulated the rest of the bits required for an additional £35 –

I spent hours scouring the internet looking for cheap bike parts and clothing, yes I was as soon at the point of thinking about Lycra and cycle clothing, I think the addiction had already started at this point, but I was still in denial – all my purchases were black clothing and I managed to stay away from lycra for the first few months at least. I didn’t want to be seen, let alone seen in lycra.

I stumbled across a forum called 220triathlon, and secretly read through posts on here, this had lit a flame inside me and I decided to take up running too. In preparation for my first run I rolled two cigarettes and put them in a plastic bag with a lighter and tucked them in my pocket – I had a pair of trainers, note not running shoes, stuck on an old pair of shorts and a t shirt and headed out – Ohh my god I was in a world of pain I had managed about a mile of running, I was like an 80 year old, sweating buckets and panting like a rabid dog … I took a breather and lit a cigarette. A few minutes later I headed back at a much slower pace.

Having signed up to the 220 forum I started posting and received much encouragement from fellow members, though some were more snobby than others – every ride and run was logged on my excel spreadsheet along with time of day how far and how fast, what the weather was like and any other comments – looking back now it is great reading some of my comments.

December 2008 I joined the local tri club, attended my first swim session in over 20 years and it was at this point it had dawned on me that triathlon was were it was at, I booked my first triathlon which was to be London Sprint distance in 2009. Swim sessions were hard, but I soon picked up some endurance and managed to move up a lane with a couple of months.

I was soon to realise that triathletes are a great bunch of people in general, our club has only around 100 members but most were in it for the social element and social exercise. A few were serious triathletes with competitive agendas, some just wanted to swim, bike or run.

By the end of Jan 2009, only 5 months after my first bike ride, I realised in order to go on a group ride with the club a proper road bike was in order, I headed down to Halfords and purchased a Carerra Virtuosa for about £150 – great bit of kit for the money. Having only ever covered about 10 miles in a single ride on my old mountain bike I took the plunge and, with the new road bike, met up for the Saturday morning ride with the club. I had read on the website that they had two groups, a fast group and a steady group who only rode at the slowest persons pace, usually the covered around 25 miles on a Saturday.

I turned up on my shiny new bike outside the local bikeshop, next to the pub, 9am prompt for a 9-15 start – introduced myself, some of the group I already new from swimming. The ride leader announced that as this was the last weekend in the month the ride would be 40 miles ……. I gulped … ermm I have only ever ridden 10 miles – I kept quiet and just hoped that I could manage it – note that I had only ridden this new bike once before.

As it turned out I did just fine covering about 40 miles in about 3 hours, my arse was numb and my legs were dead, but I did it with a great sense of achievement and joy – I would return the following week.

My running hadn’t improved much, I was still only managing about 2 miles before collapsing in a heap puffing and panting like an old dog – I decided to put this quandry to the guys at 220forum – some great advise was given … SLOW DOWN – your are running too fast – now this sounded daft to me as I thought I was already running slow – but I took the hint and slowed it down, low and behold within a few weeks I was up to 5 miles of running and not that much slower than I was struggling with 2 before.

By March 2009 I had booked another Tri – it was Mallory Park Triathlon – I chose this due to the race circuit, my previous “hobby / addiction” was drag racing and track days in my own car.

Yes! I think the addiction had already started before I had even completed my first triathlon.

It was notable that most of my spare time was spent either swim, bike, running or looking at my training results or looking for information, kit, races, guides on triathlon etc on the internet.

April 2009 - More money invested … new pedals, cleats and cycle shoes – in addition I purchased some black cycling shorts and a cycle top – note I had spent hours researching these items only to buy the cheapest I could – at the time money was scarce. I practised with the cleated shoes in the garden to make sure I could clip in and out before I went for a ride – this proved useful as for the first few months at least I never had a mishap with the shoes.

The rides were getting longer as were the run and my swim was getting better, in fact to the point that I had moved up from the beginner’s lane to lane 5 – almost with the speedy ones.

SO 8 months since my decision to do some exercise and I was still smoking, drinking and eating as I was before, however the weight was coming off and I was feeling fitter – I would never have believed that I would be swim bike and running in my 30’s and in Lycra too. It was at this point were I began to buy brighter coloured clothing for training purposes, no longer was I afraid to be seen, in fact I needed to be – the local traffic had a habit of getting too close from time to time.

The first Triathlon …… or was it? to be continued.......