DGtri Athlete: Jamie Harman

Race report for the Full Boar Middle Distance Triathlon on the 2nd Sept 2012 and general thoughts on my season

I love the full boar middle distance race, Infact i think the whole series is great but the middle distance really is for me an enjoyable experience. However the week coming up to the race i just wasn't feeling the vibe. I had raced just two weeks before at the Ely ECF Monster and did a sub 5hr in what turned out to be difficult hot conditions, Especially on the run when i had sever cramps.

I was still quite tired and my body and mind didn't feel 100% so i had decided to just enjoy the race and take it as it came. I had to just hold it together for one more week and on race morning with the start not until 09:30 i got a lay in bed for a change instead of having to get up at stupid o'clock!. I arrived at the water park for around 8am to find the place absolutely buzzing!, It was a hive of activity and the pre-race vibe from other competitors, Supporters and organisers was immense.

I registered and had a natter with friends and a few other regular competitors of the Full Boar Series then got down to business. I got my transition area sorted out. Managed to get some last minute calories in me and we were into the water for a warm up or should that say cool down?, Boy was it cold!. It felt like May!

I did a few meters slowly and then at effort just trying to get some warmth and blood into the swim muscles and after a while my body seemed to free up and i made my way to the start. I had positioned myself towards the front of the swim start again with a clear sight of the buoy and with a shout from Robbo we were off!.

The swim went really well and i found my pace even before the first turn buoy. I had no trouble with people getting in the way and my sighting was going well too but being a regular swimmer at Bosworth i may of had a bit of an advantage. I could see the faster swimmers pulling away but i wasn't to bothered as i was holding a good pace. I started the second lap and once around the top island decided to increase the effort. I found myself passing a few swimmers that had obviously gone off to hard and were now dropping back a little and i excited the water in quite a fresh state in 31mins 37secs. A decent swim time given the cold water i think.

Into Transition 1 and all went well, I found my bike this time ha ha and the wetsuit came off easily. I also managed to get a few places back in T1 as a few people were standing around talking and blowing, They must of put a bit too much into the swim!. I exited T1 in 1min 15secs a very good transition from wetsuit to bike.

Onto the bike and this was the bit i was looking forward too as i was riding the new Scott so i knew providing we had no mechanical or other issues i could do a new pb on the 4 lap course. I made my way out of the park turning left and up towrds the hill. My legs felt quite tired and i didn't seem to be able to get them going and with my Timex gps again not working i had no idea of the speed i was doing. All i had was my heart rate and cadence which both turned out to be useful but it would of been nice to have an idea of the speed also.

Turning left onto the A444 i was making my down the hill and still not having much joy with my legs. I had passed another Three or Four of cyclists but also i had been passed myself by what turned out to be the race winner. He passed my like i was standing still. It looked effortless for him. I had no idea of my position in the race and just kept focusing on pushing where i could and being cautions with energy going into the wind along the A444. Heading around the back of the course back into Market Bosworth my legs still felt quite rubbish compared to previous races yet i was moving quite quickly. I can remember passing a couple more riders as if they were standing still. That new bike on the flat with me pushing the peddles really gets moving but with me being a heavier athlete compared to some others i struggle a little hauling my bottom up the hills. Laps Two and Three went much the same and not until the start of lap Four did my legs seem to kick in. I really enjoyed lap Four and seemed to settle into the race at this point although i didn't like the abuse coming through Market Bosworth from an unhappy motorist. I think its when i needed to pee and didn't stop. I managed to do it while coming down Bosworth hill and may of covered his windscreen! "Sorry"

I finished the bike split in an impressive for me 2hrs 34mins and 2secs. All in all a strong ride given the course and wind.

Into Transition 2 and racking my bike i was chatting away to my kids who came to watch there dad race i really felt quite calm and collected. The trainers went on quickly and easily and i was out in under a minute, 59secs to be exact!. Super fast T2.

The run i knew was going to be a bit tricky as there were quite a lot of hills. Not big hills but hills that grind you down slowly. It was starting to warm up and i was worried about pushing too hard and getting cramps however i though i just gotta go for it, Its my last race and just wanted to get it done. I had also armed myself with Salt Sticks capsules and extra gels.

Out onto the run i passed Two athletes straight away and was thinking maybe i should slow down as i wasn't sure if i could hold that pace, It was just a thought though and i kept pushing. I knew if i could push up the hill i could extend my stride coming back down and save my legs a little. One thing i did notice was nobody else in front of me!. Was this a good thing? had they all finished and gone home?, No i was up there! the game was on!. It wasn't until i headed up the hill that the race leader was coming back down and he was moving at a strong pace. I knew i would not catch him so i focused on keeping strong, using my nutrition correctly and holding a good technique. That way everything as in training would just fall into place. I counted off the people in front of me as they passed and there were around 13 or 14. and just kept focusing on the important stuff pace,hydration, technique and nutrition The plan went well and i managed to stride down the hill quite comfortable but being passed by a female athlete, A really strong runner!. The plan was much the same for the second lap only this time cramps had started to just creep in. I upped my gel intake to every 20mins by this time along with a salt stick and the cramps subsided. Making my way back towards the water park i had managed to wind an athlete in who seemed to be struggling a little. I passed him on the entrance to the water park not looking back to see if he was chasing me just opening the legs up and going for it. My children were there shouting go daddy go daddy ha ha it was awesome. I crossed the finish line with a run split of 1hr 32mins. A fast half marathon for me given the course profile and a total event finish time of 4hrs 40mins and 38 painful seconds.

Thanks to Bill Livingstone for his persistent txt messages reminding me i would NOT go sub 5hrs at Full Boar Middle. Your cunning plan worked lol. And thanks to all the organisers who without them the immense fun we have as athletes would not be possible. You did a great job. Thanks to the Marshalls who also did a top job giving up there leisure time so we may race. They don't have to be there to help out so please remember that.

Looking back at my 2012 season

Well what can i say? what words can express my delight at what has turned out to be a fantastic season for me?. Its hard to put into words the feelings i have for this year. At times i was thinking things were not going to plan and getting a little down. Good job i have a good coach Dermot Galea who has a wealth of experience and racing knowledge to look at the whole bigger picture!, Something i don't really have due to still being relatively new to the sport but i am getting there.

I will try and put the season into a few words. With the start of my season in may coming second in a super sprint really gave me a huge confidence boost. All of a sudden the top athletes became just humans!, Just like me and you made from the same stuff!. Reachable, Touchable and most of all BEATABLE!. Then with a superb finish at the Northampton Olympic distance Race of 2hrs 17mins and a super fast swim and bike split even more confidence was showing. The fear of racing was ever subsiding. The Cowman middle distance race was slightly different as i had put so much pressure on myself to do well that looking back i was not happy coming up to the race and doing that to ones self is not good. It will never happen again regardless of finish time, Dnf or Dns!. This race was a turning point for my bike and run speed. Even though at the time it didn't seem like it that's where things improved again!. Lots of big names there and fast people so to finish where i did was a great achievement. The Ely Monster Middle Distance Race just confirmed my ever increasing bike speed with a split of 2hrs and 35mins and even though i suffered on the run i was not disappointed. The run conditions were tough with even the top finishers run/walking due to the heat. No shame in that!. And finally Full Boar what can i say. I feel i have explained my feelings above well enough regarding this particular race but must say again, Well done to the team and keep up the hard work.

Its been hard at times committing myself to the training but not just the training also the lifestyle changes that go with it. Its difficult for my loving family especially my Louise who has to sort the kids out when i am busy training or the day before a race when i withdraw myself from family life to focus on the next days race and for social events i cannot attend. That though my friends is commitment!. Commitment has to be total and unparalleled. I am armed with the tools now to win races as we all are. We just need to fine tune ourselves and get comfortable with uncomfortable. I feel i have a lot more to offer this sport and the sport itself has so much more to offer me!, Not just me but the people around me, I hope my passion rubs off on people and they take a leaf from my book. A Number of years ago the Alchohol and drugs were never too far away and my quality of life was poor with not much respect for anything or anybody let alone myself. That was part of my life i liked to forget but now feel quite open about it. Afterall we all have our Skeletons or Demons in the closet. Its good to face up to them and give them a scare in return now and then!.

For October i have booked my self on a Level 2 Triathlon coaching course to compliment my gym instructors qualification. I love the sport so much and just want to know as much as possible.

I have not decided about my races for next season as of yet because i am waiting for the BTF to get back to me in the hope of letting me race for GBR in ETU Champs Races (Everything else permitting). I will be running the Belvoir Marathon again in 2013 i think as i had a good result there at the start of the year and it helps to focus on the marathon coming up to keep the festive seasons food and drink from the waistline.

Failing the BTF getting back to me or my times not being good enough then i will try and qualify again next year and think a trip back to Wimbleball 70.3 with my mate Ryan B who seems to be addicted to Triathlon after just one event will be in order.

So People!....As my friend Alfonso Jiminez says "Keep it strong maaaaan" and see you all soon. Focus, Commit and Execute!

All the best, Buzz

DGtri Athlete - Simona Carena

The Wild Boar


02/09/2012

Last race in the Full Boar series the Wild Boar is a Middle Distance event at Bosworth Water Trust. The event distance in km is 1.9/84/21. This is my second trial at this longer race and I was looking forward to find out to tackle a more challenging course.

My other aim for the day was to be really relaxed about the race and enjoy it and see if that would further help performance, and avoid being too cautious, and push a little harder. The profile of the race lends itself perfectly as it is a moderate challenging course on the bike and a not so flat run.

I rocked up at race venue feeling very chilled, meeting and greeting all friends and noticing that the venue was already pleasantly full of competitors and buzzing with the race atmosphere. Plenty time to register, chat and one last cup of coffee and set transition… within 5 minutes of it closing.Quick warm up and stretch, race brief and it is time to enter the lake.

The water was quite cold, but not overly uncomfortable and after a few minutes of warm up I thought it was ok. The planfor the swim was to set off at a good speed to get in a group I could draft off. Recently I have been hanging backin the opening stages of the swim due to a few small panic attacks last season, hence my desire to get back where I belong in the world of the fearless swimmers!

All went well. The first lap of two I got quickly in to my stride, and managed to draft a bit. The second lap I could kick harder but somehow lost the crowd at the buoys. Finished the swim in 32:39, 3 second faster than on previous, very pleasing.

T1 was not my best, although I whipped off my wetsuit quickly, I then faffed whilst putting on layers on and stretching a locked knee, and searching for my socks left in the bag by the area perimeter, stupid mistake!

The bike section was always going to be the toughest aspect of the Wild Boar: I do not seem to be able to get in the flow of this course. However I saw this as a challenge to try to push it on one hand, to try to manage its constant change of gradient on the other; and gauge the effect it would have on the rest of my race. An opportunity to test myself, may be with risks attached, but also to discover what I can do for future races. I have no doubt that I paced my bike section well in Antwerp, but I also wanted to know what happens after a harder bike effort.

The course was4 laps affair. The first lap was a war of attrition, not feeling in the zone and labouring hard. My back felt tight and needed time to stretch before taking longer turns on the bars. By the second lap I was feeling better, although my heart rate was higher than planned, was lower than on the first lap. Lap 3 was painful on the quads; by the last lap I was just glad I got there. I purposely not looked at my computer until the last lap, but I found out that all 4 laps were at the same average speed of 16.6 mph! This compared against a 17 mph on the Olympic distance effort in July is satisfactory, but it shows that this course and I are not made for each other! ;-)

Total time for bike 3:10:29, inclusive of 2 unscheduled pit stops …

The question was will a harder bike effort affect my run? The answer is a straight forward: yes! I set off from T2 in 1:47 feeling good, as always Dermot’s training has prepared me well, and surprised my back did not hurt as it has been sore and cranky in the week leading to the race. A quick glance to my watch pointed out that my pace was not great, but I resolved to give the legs time to settle. All went well in the first lap of 2 “there and back” loops. The course is a bit of ups and downs, no major gradients apart from a couple of canal bridges, but has few long drags. By lap 2 with the sun now shining and fatigue building it all started to feel rather punitive.

However I was gunning for a PB, no matter by how small a margin, as even if this course is shorter it is tough. I wanted to feel that I gave it my best. The bike ride did mortgage the run performanceto a point but I kept pushing in spite of the slowly spreading rigor mortis in legs and back. On approaching the waterpark I could not work out how long it was to the finish line, so opened up my stride after the last bridge and hoped for the best. I rallied what energy I had left, and as the ground got on an even level and with the help of a cheering and clapping crowd I could pick up a little more speed. The run sectionwas a satisfactory 1:50:27.

Total time 4:39:09, a 4 minutes PB, plus enormous satisfaction on letting off the brakesin an effort to experiment. A good lessonfor next season.

I would like to thank the race organizers for this top notch event; the attention to details is second to none. Lots of freebies, well-marked course, superb feed station and many other small aspect like post-race massage available, pre-race information, cheap photography, timing chip with print out of result on the finish line between many other positives.

The marshals were the best ever, for the whole duration of the day patiently helping on the course, with encouraging worlds and banter; in particular on the feed stations where I had food quickly offered on demand and even stashed in my back pocket to help save time! Pat on the back and high fives all round guys!

And finally to my super coach Dermot who got me through another very satisfactory sporting year. I have always felt well prepared for each race, the training is very challenging and varied so that I am looking forward to it, no matter how hard it may be a times or how tired I feel. Most notably I have not had any injuries now that I train under his direction for three years and I still keep improving.

Roll on next season!

DGtri Athlete - Jamie Harman

Race report for the ECF Monster Middle Distance Triathlon, Ely, Cambridgshire.
Another early race start for the Ely Middle distance triathlon (07:30) and as it was 90+ miles from my home so the alarm was set for 02:30 and we were away at 03:00. I wanted to get there early as i had never entered this race before and according to the race brief T1 and T2 were roughly half a mile apart and the swim start another 30min walk from expo. We arrived in plenty of time just before 5am and everybody was still in bed. I had thought about camping myself but much prefer my own bed to a cold damp tent.

I registered just after 5am and set both transition areas up before 06:00 so there were no last minute panics for me. There were a few other panickers putting unnecessary pressure on themselves and i can't really see the point in that. The day has enough pressure with the race without adding any more.

The swim was in part of the slow flowing Great Ouse which flowed past pubs,restaurants and houses so there was plenty of spectators around even at that time of the morning. We got off to a late start maybe around 10 -15mins late but no drama's!, We had all day. I had positioned my self to the front of the swim on the left side which gave me a straight line through the first bend and hopefully would keep me from the washing machine that was going on to the right of me. I had chosen to keep tight past a few barges really settling in to my stroke after just 3 or 4 hundred meters and never really struggling like i had in the past at the start of the swim. I put this down to the water feeling surprisingly warm enabling the blood to flow better. I had dropped back a few places by the time i had the swim finish in sight so when i got around the last buoy decided to put a bit more effort in and gain a few more places. I exited the water in 29mins which was a decent swim split for me considering how my last swim split went at the Cowman of 35mins.

I made my way into T1 and forgot where i had put my bike. Ha ha what an error but hey first time for everything. I eventually found my bike and still managed to exit T1 in under 2mins, I think it was 1min 23 secs to be exact so not too much time lost.

I mounted the bike and after a little struggle with my shoe's and grass cuttings stuck to my feet got onto the road and started to get the hammer down. I was really looking forward to the bike section as i had checked the profile of the course and it was quite flat so being a bigger boy i knew i could make some decent power on the flat. The course was two loops, One smaller loop and then a bigger loop. The road surfaces were very poor on the first loop so i took it a little easier always feeling like i should change to a bigger gear but still holding decent speed and my cadence was good. The weather had really started to warm up and there wasn't really any sheltered areas on the bike course so i was making sure i took on plenty of fluids. At 75mins into the bike i decided to go for it and really get my head down. There was very little wind and the road surfaces were really quite good on the second lap which enabled me to really hold a decent speed. I had made up so much time during the bike and passed so many people i had no idea of my position but knew i would be up there and started to get a little excited. I had passed a sign which said Ely 4miles and my watch said 2hrs 15mins so i though there was some mistake but no!, I arrived at T2 and finished my bike leg in 2hrs 35mins. A massive pb on the bike for me. I was well happy!.

T2 went well again in and out in under 2 mins and onto the run.

The run was a straight out and back along the river bank to a turn around point then back the same way past the many farms and houses. About a third of the run route was a trail run and the other 2 thirds were tarmac along the lanes. The run route had very little cover and the sun was burning down. After only 2 or 3 miles my hamstrings had started to tighten and pull. The fluids that were being supplied was Hammer which is usually quite good, However the stuff had been mixed so weak it didn't really make any difference. I had to over do it on the gels a bit and try to get some electrolytes into me that way which just seemed to upset my stomach. I got to the turn around point and had a sip of water then headed back. At the 10 mile marker i was in agony and could hardly walk let alone run. I had to really back off and try and hold my position with the hope of making a last mile sprint and taking a few places back, The finish line in sight i picked up the pace and after only a few meters again i was getting severe cramps. I was within 100 meters of the finish and had to stop as the cramps were that bad every time i tried to pick my legs up for another step they just cramped up!....Ouch!.... Never mind it must be better to put everything in and have nothing left at the end of the race than to think maybe i could of gone faster. All in all a really enjoyable day and the best bike split for me so far.

I have one more race to get out of the way this season then my focus for next season is to try and compete for my country in the Europen age group catagory. Fingers crossed!....Watch this space!

Thanks again to Dermot for training me and my family for supporting me and my mate Ryan for coming and giving me support who also now seems to be hooked on Triathlon. Next stop Full Boar middle distance on the 2nd of September. My last race of the season and i am looking forward to a break. Its been a long summer with plenty of racing and training.

See you all soon

 

Buzz

DGtri Athlete - Simona Carena

Antwerp 70.3

For 2012 I decided to make my A race a challenge on a new longer distance. As Bill and Dermot were going to do Antwerp 70.3 and “not wanting to miss out” I signed on.

The ever helpful Pam arranged the train trip to Belgium at a very low price and steered us from train to train totally hassle free! At St Pancreas Luke and Steffy joined us and we crossed The Channel to mainland Europe like a really jolly trip.

At the Ibis Hotel in the centre we found Bill and Sophie who got there just before us in the car with the luggage and bikes. We also greeted Dermot and Barry that had flown in from Malta the previous day and kindly helped unloading. I thought this was a very relaxed and privileged way to get to a race, I doubt even the pro get the same treatment! Thanks Pam and Bill!

The following day we checked the swim and T1 areas in the morning by bike to shake the legs; later we had a lush pizza in the city main square where the race finish line was being put up. Then walked to registration and strolled back for the last finishing touches to the kit. Most notably the northern Europe Monsoon gave way to summer at about 2 pm as we were gorging on the pizzas. What a good omen!

On race morning I felt good and relaxed. We got to the start and racked our bikes early as T1 was to be closed at 10 am, Luke and Barry were the first to go at 11.20 followed 10 minutes later by Dermot, then myself at 11.30 and 20 minutes later by Bill.

It was a bit of a long wait for all competitors, I tried to keep chilled in the shade of trees in the good company of my friends and soaked the atmosphere in.

All was good till I said “bye and good luck to Bill” as his presence, and Dermot’s had a calming an inspiring effect on me. But there were only 15 minutes with a little bit of race nerves until had to join my starting pen and finish to put on the wetsuit.

The sun was already up and quite hot and I was a bit unsure if it would have a negative influence on my race, however it kept me in a good mood.

In my mind I was ready, looking forward to discover what this 70.3 was all about and if I could pull a good race together.

My only certainty was that I could not have prepared better as Dermot’s coaching is second to none and that my bike, the most critical bit of kit, was the best I could have as Bill went to great lengths to source the best component I could afford and built it to perfection! A truly fitting and comfortable ride.

And now was up to me to make a good job of it, or not to make any silly mistakes.

The start gun went off as I was still standing on the access steps to the lake, no problem I was planning to let the crowd go anyway so I plunged in, moved a bit on the outside and got going.

The water was so pleasant after standing in the sun and within 200 mt I was in a good rhythm with clear water around. By half way I felt so good! My stroke was at is best and I was literally gliding and overtaking a few bodies and having a good time. I felt confidence swelling inside. I looked out for good feet to draft from but did not find any.

I did not push too hard as I thought it would be a long day, but still managed a 32:42, which with the delay in getting going and the slightly wider start line was very good for the effort! At the time I did not look at the watch because my aim was to go well all the way not go after a fast swim time.

Transition was good, 3:30, most of it was running to and with the bike: number belt clipped on, gloves on, helmet and glasses and go!

The first few pedal stroke were to get settled, slip the shoes on, stretch the back slowly on to the TT bars and allow my heart rate to go down.

The course went in the tunnel under river and then outside town towards the port for a 3 lap repetition and then back in town. My plan work smart to HR effort, stay aero as much as possible take in a little of solids and drink plenty. Simple.

I really enjoyed the course: not great views but mostly flat with a few chances to stand up on pedals to stretch out on the little uphill, the tram lines were not an issue even for a less skilled rider like me. A bit of wind that seemed to swirl around but did not stop me from feeling good and loving the sun.

I thought a few times may be I was making a too hard effort and risking to affect the following run, but my HR was ok so I had to stay with the plan; in the second half I pushed a bit more especially on the small steady inclines of the fly over bridges, but the average speed seem to stay the same with same HR, so I was possibly trying a bit. It was great to see the guys passing by at full speed, as I did remark at the breakfast table they all were looking very fast!

I cut food intake on the last lap (not that a few pieces of power-bar and half banana was much to cut from) and eventually also stopped drinking on my way back off the loop to avoid any slushing in the stomach at the start of the run.

Rattling around on the pave’ section by the river I could see the runners lapping around town in the heat and it look a bit grim. Would my back seize coming off the bike? Did I push too hard? Was the sun going to sabotage the last leg? My average speed dropped a bit more on the last mile leading to T2 and I started to be a bit worried about the run, but was determinate to perform well no matter what.

The bike time was 3:05:22, this was a good result and below what I thought it would take me so I was very pleased, confident to go under 6 hours if avoided pacing or other mistakes. I was not putting myself under pressure, just thinking to control urges of rushing too much the pace in the first half, keep hydrated and keep good form and finish strong.

T2 was also satisfactory at 3:06 inclusive of a pit stop, so hydration levels where good. I have to say that I can understand now why people pay lots for this branded events as the organization is very smooth and racing on closed roads with large crowds is very exciting. Though I am generally in favour of the small quirky and more personalized events it is easy to see why these massive races can be addictive!

On to the run course and within 500 mt I had to check my speed as I was below my 10k pace… whoops!... that would have been an expensive rookie mistake! On to the first of four times on the riverfront under the sun: although I was still adapting to the run mode and on uneven footing things were not looking bad. Any uncertainty on my ability was swept away as to be frank I had far harder sessions in training where I had to deal with being really tired compared to this and still managed!

At the first drink station I doused myself with water and drank a bit and had the relief of long shaded stretches and I started to feel really, really good. By half way of first lap I was floating 10 cm from the ground! I would have not been able to tell you that I was running on cobbles at times! I was so happy, confident of being able to execute a good half and as proud as Punch!

The course brought you 3 times around the city centre and in the main square, by the finish line, under a seating area packed with spectators. Here also jammed by the barriers on street level our own cheering crowd of Sophie, Steffy and the tour photographer Pam were screaming their heads off and giving high fives! What and uplift. All around the town there were pockets of crowd clapping and cheering, and some live music or pubs with loud speakers making the town almost as lively as a carnival. I was having a whale of a time! I only started to suffer a bit on the last lap, the cobbles all of the sudden where no so much fun, then a bit of queasiness and a wet shoe insole getting bunched up under my foot, but I was not going to take any notice. I did slow down a bit in this lap but with 2 km to go I managed to rally and pick up the pace and finish the run in 1:57:51; this is less than 5 minutes from my stand alone half PB! That shows what a good preparation Dermot has prescribed in his wicked plan!

And so I crossed the line feeling awesome, happy, still elated, not even checking my time as right then I could not care less…

Dermot told me it was 5:42:34! One more bonus as I was gunning for anything below 6 hours as top prize! Bill got me some water and also Luke and Barry where there looking just as fast as in the morning.

Antwerp has been one of my most satisfactory sporting event ever, as per A-Team’s Hannibal motto “I love when a good plan comes together”. I was not sure what this race distance would be like and if I would enjoy it, but did all the training that Dermot sent and hoped for the best. My next race will be the “Wild Boar” middle distance and I am really looking forward to it!

Thanks to Dermot for his support and careful planning, to Bill and Pam for their constant availability to help and making travelling to a race abroad such a relaxed trip!

DGtri Athlete - Jamie Harman

Race report for Cowman Middle Distance Championships 8th July 2012

The cowman was my first A-Race of 2012 and i had been really looking forward to the event. It was my first middle distance race since last year and with training and my adaption going so well i was really excited.
Also with the absolutely positive result of a second place under my belt at the Full Boar Super Sprint race in May and an excellent new pb at Northampton olympic distance in June my confidence had really hit the roof!

Training went as planned up to the final week of the event when nerves were getting the better of me and i still felt a little fatigued. Thinking nothing of it i carried on as planned and was hoping i would shed any lasting fatigue by the morning of the race.
I do get a little nervous coming up to an event but never like this and it really did have quite a drastic affect on me mentally.

On the morning of the race i got up at 3am had my breakfast and set off having packed all my gear the night before. I arrived at the venue at around 5.30am and made my way to registration wading through the mud. It was awful due to the rain we had suffered and the transition area was an absolute bog.
After racking my bike and setting my transition area out i made my way to the swim start for the race briefing. After a swift 5min briefing it was into the water for a warm a quick warm up and then we were off! I had planned to start the swim steady and then build speed as without a proper warm up knew i would hit the wall and have to back off. I got around the first buoy and started to pick the pace up. The swim was quite bad with people cutting in all over the place and slower swimmers getting in the way but i guess that's what happens when you take your time at the start!. After maybe 5 or 10 minutes into the swim i started to suffer some digestion problems and the energy bar i had eaten in transition before the off was repeating on me terribly!. I really struggled in the swim leg like never before and had an awful time that really put me down mentally. I ended up doing a 34min 1900meter swim in the end which isn't bad but by the way i had been performing was really quite a lot down on my pace. Nerves!

Wading through the mud in T1 to my bike i got my wetsuit off pretty quick had a gel, Put my helmet on and i was making my way towards T1 exit. I had banded my shoes ready to make a quick getaway but the amount of mud on my feet meant that i couldn't get my cycling shoes on correctly and had to wipe off the mud from between my toe's.
I set off on the bike leg and settled in quite nicely. The bike leg included 2 large laps and 1 small lap with my plan being to get the hammer down after the first big lap. The bike leg included a few rolling hills and one hill that was quite steep but not too long. I really felt quite strong on the bike and my nutrition plan went quite well apart from when i started to push my gut played up.
There were no fuel stops during any part of the event so my nutrition plan had to be spot on. I had allowed for how much fuel i would need plus a little extra just in case but think i may of mixed my energy drink a little rich which was causing me problems. Luckily i had taken extra gels and plain water on board so i could water it down after swallowing it. The bike leg went ok but i had been counting on doing that section of the race a little quicker but with the swim going wrong it may of been playing on my mind a little. My bike split was 2hrs 48mins for the 56miles which was a new pb for me!...........What was i complaining about!

Into T2 wading through the even worse mud again and on with my running shoes. The part of the race i was looking forward too!. The run course had been changed due to the adverse weather we had had and now included a run up and down the hill around the park and past transition to start another lap approximately 4.23 miles per lap with a total of 3 laps and not 4.. I took it easy the first lap holding 7-8min mile pace and started to pick up the pace on the second lap. By this time i had started on the caffeine gels and found plenty of extra energy. By the time i hit the third lap it was all out balls out as i just wanted to get it done and have a beer lol. My run splint was again another fantastic pb with a time of 1hr 28mins for 12.7miles. Not bad after all the previous work!.

My total event time was 4hrs 54mins and 39secs. I had been a little disappointed with my result but after a swift talking to from the boss's (Dermot and Bill) i soon cheered up. How can somebody with so little experience in Triathlon do a sub 5hr so soon!. Absolutely fantastic result which i am hugely proud of.

Again i would like to thank everybody for there help and support. Especially Bill Livingstone who spanks my arse when i get mardy. My coach Dermot Galea for creating a triathlon monster lol and Johanna Calleja for sorting out my fantastic nutrition plan. And not forgetting my family for putting up with my moody mardy ways especially when things are not going to plan. Without any of the named above this would not be possible. Thank you

DGtri Athlete - Jamie Harman

Grendon Triathlon Report

Northampton olympic distance was my second race of 2012 and hadn't i really been planned until the last minute but as the Barton marina triathlon had been cancelled due to lack of entrants i needed to race.

Training without some form of competition for me is mentally challenging so i needed to get another event in the bag before the Big cow middle distance. After my second place in the Full Boar super sprint i wanted to make sure that it wasn't luck and that i had actually found some racing consistency and strength paying off after the hours of training. I was not to be disappointed!.

I was up at 5am and porridge with honey was on the menu for brekky. Then a quick shower and off to Northampton. It had been raining all night and i had not held much hope of it stopping in time for the race but it did.
On arrival at the venue the field was an absolute bog and i did worry that i may not get the car back off i but thought to myself i will worry about that after the race. I got my kit ready and went off to registration then to set my transition area up. It was a little wet but not as boggy as the car park and there was plenty of room.

The race starts were in waves and my wave was at 08:40. I planned to take it a little easier at the start of the swim as in the super sprint in may i went off to quick and blew up then ended up having to do breast stroke for a few meters to get myself together. The water was a little choppy and and at 08:40 the horn sounded. The swim down to the first buoy was not bad as we were swimming with the wind and current, I did expect it to be hard going coming back up the lake but to my surprise it was quite easy and i was holding a good manageable comfortable swim pace. My sighting was going well and i was going from marker buoy to marker buoy in straight lines with no issues. Coming back across the lake towards the pylon before the last turn all the other bar a few swimmers seemed to go offline and i wondered if i had missed a buoy. I stopped and had a look and my sighting was correct, A lot of swimmers had gone offline and maybe added perhaps one hundred to two hundred meters to there swim leg. I made the last turn and passed a few people who had made mistakes and seemed to be really struggling with the conditions. I was really cruising quite nicely and exited the water in a comfortable state in 23mins. Happy days.

A bit of a steady run to T1 and on with the bike kit. I had a jacket waiting in T1 but when i got there opted not to wear it as it was quite warm and not raining. My bike split is what i was really looking forward to as i am still getting used to the Scott and new i could put a new Olympic pb bike split in. My previous was 1hr 20mins.

Out on the course and it was really really windy. I was getting blown all over the place with the deep section rims but never the less still holding good speed. I seemed to be endlessly passing people and with ease. I was even singing to myself at one point lol. What did the other competitors think?

It was obvious a lot of people were struggling with the windy conditions and had opted just to get to the finish but thanks to Dermot's super hard turbo workouts and some hill sessions i was strong and my legs felt good, I don't really remember ever blowing hard and i felt like i was riding really consistent and clever, Using the gears without thought as soon as they were needed. That's one thing i have learnt!, The bike has gears and if your thinking maybe i should change up then chances are you should of already done it!. On the few downhill sections i was holding a big gear and hitting 30+mph. On the uphills spinning up to clear the legs of lactic acid. With some tail winds also it was a good idea to back off on power and spin up to clear the legs. The plan worked and i romped home with a big smile on my face to T2 in 67minutes knocking 13+mins of my previous olympic bike split.

T2 and on with the socks and out in 1min 16secs. The run course after all that rain was quite muddy, That terrain is right up my street as i had been doing lots of mixed terrain long runs across fields and up and down hills.

My run plan was to go steady for the first half a lap then pick up the pace for the remainder however i did not find my run legs until around the end of the second lap but was still holding 7min to 7:30 pace. The third lap things started to come together and i was running hard without any issues holding around 6:50 to 7:00min pace. I decided to get it over with on the last lap and started running hard, I was looking at my pace on my watch and holding around 6min miles. That for me is really moving!. I expected to blow up but to be honest i think i could of held that pace for a little longer had i only tried it earlier in the run and just pushed through. My run split was 43mins avg 7:16 pace. I finished the event in 2hrs 17mins knocking around 20mins of my previous Olympic distance time.
I finished 6th in my category and 24th place overall. I am very happy with my result and my plans are to just keep on improving my splits and to be consistent. All is good in my camp at the moment and things are coming together. The next race is The Big Cow middle distance in July. I just need to keep it together now but to be honest if i am clever and cautious during the next Two weeks then we'll be good!

Enjoy the rest of your season and race hard but smart!

Jamie

DGtri Athlete: Richard Kitts

This was my first ever triathlon and it was a cracker. Firstly the swim in open water was a little slow i.e. 16 mins but i started at the back and ended up stopping due to amount of people who decided to slow down. Next the transition which took me 4 mins as i could not get my wet suit off and looking at some of the better triathletes they only took 2 mins-what a novice. Mind you some poor folks fell over whilst trying to take theirs off. I really enjoyed the bike section as it was run on closed roads. I am used to doing time trials and getting shouted out by drivers being daft. I managed to make up time and passed quite a few other poeple who had clearly swam better than me. Then 2nd transition was quick, followed by a nifty 23 mins for the 5k run which felt hard. It was a funny feeling to run on dead legs. My lungs were telling me to run harder but my legs would not move quicker. Great feeling when finished 1.27 2nd in my age group. What a bonus. So plenty to think about, but i do love doing these events. So more interesting then plain running or biking on their own.

Next one liverpool tri in 2 weeks. Bring it on i reckon

 

Richard

DGtri Athlete - Bill Livingstone

European Powerman Championships : Horst, Holland.

Someone had the bright idea of entering the Powerman Duathlon as a good guage of how the winter training had progressed our athletic abilities.

Race Day Minus 2.

On a bright and blustery morning, it was a quick drive to the airport to collect Dermot, then another trip around the M25 to collect Luke, then off to Dover we headed.

Once at Dover, we were told (without any apologies!) that our ferry was cancelled and we were booked on the next one, 3 hours later. Dont you just love British customer services!!

After an uneventful channel crossing ( I was hoping for big waves) we arrived at Dunkirk and headed off for Horst Holland. Luke had worked out that Dermot had actually travelled in 5 countries that day, Malta, England, France, Belgium and finally Holland. I think the journey was starting to take its toll on us!

After our ferry delay we arrived at the hotel late and after the restaurant had closed. As we booked into the hotel, we asked if there was anywhere we could get any food. The chef had already finished for the evening, but willingly went back into the kitchen and prepared food for us, brilliant!

Race Day Minus 1.

A quick test of the bikes in the morning confirmed that everything was running well and no mechanical issues. However the run was a little different, with a certain 2 athletes afraid of some barking dogs. Well, they were BIG barking dogs, but they failed to notice the barbed wire on top of the fence, so the dogs could not get out!!

We arrived in Horst for registration and decided food was required first. A quick bite to eat then back to registration, which was very efficient. An excellent goodie bag was provided by the organiser and a few photos were taken of Luke and Dermot with the Maltese flag!

Race Day.

An easy 5km ride into Horst and we were right into the heart of Powerman! Straight into transition to lay out your kit, a quick warm up, then off to the start line.

Being a European Championship, we knew that the level of athlete would be high, but we were not prepared for just how high. The elite/pro men were running the first 15km as if they were running a 5km race! As the first run was 15km and 6 laps, you could follow what was happening in the race and track how well (or not ) you were doing.

6 laps done and onto the bike ahead of target time, although it was easy to find my bike in T1 as there were not many left! Even running 6:45 pace for 10 miles made no difference, back of the pack it was!

The bike was a flat but technical course, completely closed to traffic and very well supported. 3 laps of 20km soon went quick, especially for the elite/pros. I could hear the carbon rumble in the distance and soon the leaders overtook me at the end of lap 2 as if I was going backwards.

Lap 3 done and back into T2 which was not as full as I expected. I had a decent bike and was ahead of target but had actually overtaken quite a few athletes on the bike.

The second run was torture trying to run at pace without blowing. 3 laps around Horst and it was over. I dropped a few places in the last kilometre as the legs had finally blown!

Finally across the finish greeted by a huge crowd, cheering every single athlete that finished.

Out of the finish area and heading back to transition to collect my kit, I finally caught up with Dermot and Luke. We collected our kit, had a chat with other athletes then cycled back to the hotel as the slowest pace we had done all weekend.

Sitting in the restaurant that evening and analysing our performances, we all agreed that it had been a particularly hard race and it had certainly highlighted the differences between triathletes and duathletes. Even though we had all done extremely well and were way out in front of our target times, we certainly got our butts kicked bigstyle and recognised that!

The post race day analysis took place as we drove back towards England (with Dermot on his 5 country trip again), discussing and analysing the race. It was definitely a hard race but on reflection, an excellent race, and one which will certainly be done again.

Thanks to my 2 biggest supporters, Pam and Sophie, who had a quiet and tidy house for the weekend!

Thanks to Dermot for getting me in good shape for the race despite works best efforts to wreck his plans.

And thanks to Luke and Dermot for the company and laughs over the weekend.

Dont think you will be laughing so much at Antwerp 70.3 in July!!

Bill

113k Malta Middle Distance Triathlon

After a not so happy ending to my European Duathlon long distance Championships in Holland I was looking forward to have good race back in Malta at the 113k Middle distance triathlon organised at Birzebbugia.  3 weeks of solid training followed my disappointing result in Holland.  I went into the race with very realistic expectation on the final result.  In long distance you cannot achieve top form in 3 weeks and knowing that my main rivals were much more advanced with their training timing I wasn't putting too much pressure on myself. I wanted to use this race mostly as preparation for the coming races so my main target was to execute a good performance, test my race nutrition and race gear. 

The conditions on the day were not fantastic.  The wind was blowing hard and the sea was rough which usually plays in my favour but then again in Holland I suffered big time on quite a nice day.  I started with a strong swim coming out of the water in 29mins together with club team mates Roberto Demicoli and Andrew Grech who were both part of relay teams.  After a quick transition I jumped on the bike and tried to find a good tempo which could take me through the 90k ride without digging too deep into my reserves.  Fabio was quickly gaining time on me but I tried not to panic to much and just concentrating on my race.  In longer races if you push hard early in the race you usually pay for it in the run, and I wanted to have a good run so I stuck to my pace. 

Back to the second transition I noticed that I was going a quite a good pace.  I had kept around 36.3k/hr average on the bike which was quite motivating in those conditions so I started the run in good spirits.... that until I saw Brian closing fast on me and eating all the advantage I had with every kilometer.  In the first lap of the run I wasn't feeling too good but I was running quite well but in the second and third lap I felt much better. In the end I won with a new PB of 4hrs 24mins by just 50sec on Brian and 4mins on Fabio.  All three of us managed to break the 4hrs 30mins barrier which is a very good result.

A big thank-you goes to Johanna for really sorting my race nutrition which worked perfectly on the day.  Next race is 70.3 Italy in Pescara next Sunday 10th June.

DGtri Athlete - Jamie Harman

Race Report for Full Boar Super Sprint Triathlon 20th May 2012
The bosworth super sprint was the first multi sport event in 2012 for me and i was looking forward to getting with like minded people and also trying out my new bike. I arrived in plenty of time at around 07:30 and had a natter with a few friends generally soaking up the exciting atmosphere and taking the mickey!. I don't like to pile the pressure on myself so just intended to use the race as a test run for all my kit and get my transitions spot on.That's how i get through race nerves. Basically i just lie to myself!

We entered the water at around 09:00 and it was cold!, Very cold. And especially now i had lost so much weight i was really feeling it. Infact my fingers, toes and tongue were numb. I chose to start quite close to the bank so as i could just stand up but still had good view of the buoy. Just before race start i decided to tread water and when the race start horn went i just took off!, I looked over my left shoulder and could see people behind me but no one in front!, This made me panic even more and i struggled to get my breath, I managed maybe 80 to 100 meters and then my arms locked with the cold, It felt like i had hit a wall. I managed to get them moving again after a few meters breast stroke then settled in quite nicely but i still couldn't wait to exit the cold water. I think i exited the water in around 4th position in or around 9 minutes just over a minute behind the leader.

Into T1 and off with the wetsuit and out on the bike in under a minute. I knew i was up there with the front runners but had no idea where i was until Robbo told me i was in third!, So excited the park road and in a panic i hammered the bike up the road. I could see the guy in second place in front of me just going up the hill towards the A444 and passed him before he got to the top!, Again i was so excited and carried away i nearly came off my bike, I thought to myself i just got to calm down a bit here and push. I settled in on the bike and got the legs really moving. My new bike is so easy to ride fast and after getting it set up by the shop it was awsome!. Totally comfortable it felt like i could ride in the aero position all day. I think this may also be due to me not having a large belly to get in the way anymore. I pushed through the lanes never letting up, Just pushing and pushing and got back to T2 in around 25:53. When i got back to T2 there was just one bike in the transition area!. That feels weird!.

Just under 2 mins down on the leader exiting T2 with Pam shouting there's a pig here with your name on it Jamie! i took off on the run and with only one lap there was no holding back. I saw the leader coming back around the top of the lake and with only one lap knew i could not catch him, I still pushed though as you never know what can happen in a race but my legs by now had started locking up with the lactic acid and i had to ease off a little to get the blood moving again so i could once again find my pace.

Considering i do not train for Sprint tri's or Super sprint races this turned out to be a great result. I finished the race in 47mins 26secs, 5mins behind a seasoned regular podium finisher!. No shame in that!.

So what was supposed to be a steady race to get back into the swing of things has turned out to be one of if not the most important confidence boosting races so far!.

So i ask myself the question what now? and the answer, To continue to improve during training and my race performances at the current rate throughout the rest of the season will be a dream come true.

Training just got more interesting!!!.........Anything is possible!

Thanks to Dermot for coaching me without him i would be nowhere. Thanks to Johanna for my nutrition plan. Thanks to Bill Livingstone, Pam Batchelor, Steve the belly Robinson for your support and advice. Thanks to Paul Smart for the flattering photo's. No moobs lol Thanks to my partner Louise for putting up with my obsession and giving me 100% support. If i have missed anybody sorry but Thankyou! Oh and thank you to my Two great kids!

Onwards and upwards!........2012 just got more interesting ;-)

Jamie

DGtri Athlete - Simona Carena

The Full Boar Little Piglet Super Sprint

Last Sunday I took part in the first triathlon for 2012: The Full Boar Little Piglet at Bosworth Water Park. 500 mt open water swim, 10 miles bike and 2.5k run.
This is the first of 3 events at the location run by Full Boar, and I hope to compete in the other two later in the season.

The race is very well organized: friendly but professional, it has the same look and feel as larger events, but without the hefty price tag and with few quirky touches that make it stand out.

It also has the most satisfactory goody bag I have seen few years.

What the organizer could not do unfortunately was turn the sun on for a few days to warm up the lake.

After many grim thoughts about the consequences cold lakes have had on some of my recent races I resolved to bite the bullet and take it as a character building experience and use it to learn to manage my cold water phobia.

So there I was on the start line, well actually jumping about on the shore looking at the start line waiting for the “2 minutes to go” before jumping in as a cold lake is no venue for a “warm up”!

I position myself just on the front but slightly outside of direct line to the first buoy in case of a rising panic attack and got off to a fast start.

I soon found myself in 3^rd position, feeling very cold but enthusiastic of the placing due to the small filed taking part. I was trying not to get carried away and keep within my ability for the distance as I could feel a slight panicking feeling when trying to go faster. I let another female competitor go at half way but eventually made it back up to be the first lady by the swim exit.

I was very pleased with the result and to have paced myself well.

T1 was not so impressive, not even by my modest standards: I was feeling wobbly and shivering whilst trying to force a jacket and gloves on. Eventually I manage and was off to the mount line.

In the dress rehearsal the previous day after the cold swim I could barely keep my bike upright, but on the day it actually was not too bad, managed to close shoes on the go and settle in the aero position… on my new bike. Gone are the day of carbon envy thanks to Bill Livingstone I now have the bike of my dreams…

In fact my bike split does not do justice to my new machine, but I worked hard all the way round without letting up the effort and my legs where very sore, so I put it down to pilot error in pacing and possibly to the cold.

The 10 miles soon went by on well marshalled quiet country lanes and I was back in transition trying to squeeze all 10 pinkies in to a pair of trainers… not an easy feat when lost all sensation since the swim.

However I soon hit the run course at full speed, felt not unlike a cartoon character with my numb feet going around super-fast so decided to put on a matching insane grin and see how fast I could go. I managed to make up 1 place in the ladies ranks, but could not bridge the gap to the next lady as ran out of course, not something I normally mind; I was feeling really strong and could have kept going. No complaints however as the 2 fastest lady run split landed my on the 3^rd place in the Open Category.

I have truly enjoyed myself on this event, in spite of the cold on swim and bike. In terms of performance it also was a great day, Dermot plan as usual keeps delivering results!

To crown it all off I now have a coveted “Pig Trophy” and won a goody bag from race sponsor Tiology in the free raffle!

DGtri Athlete - Keith Galea

2^nd Overall and first Age group in Sicily Duathlon Champs

Hi Everyone,

After winning the National Duathlon Championships for the first time in my career, I participated in the Sicily Duathlon Championships a week later. I knew that I was in a good shape after a great victory but I was not expecting such a good result in Sicily however it was not that easy either. Had a lot of challenges to face however I had the right support in order to overcome these challenges and produce a great performance.

I arrived at the hotel at around 2am in the morning and race started at 12.30 so did not had an ideal pre-race good night sleep and had problems when setting up the bike. The race had to start at 11.30 but started an hour late and this proved to be crucial for weather conditions. It rained a bit during the night however roads dried but as soon as the race started its started really raining heavily.

I started the first 5km at a very fast pace to test my legs which responded well and also my rivals. I was leading the main group and set a fast pace in order to make selection. It was raining a lot and was not really looking forward for the bike as the roads looked slippery and dangerous. Came into T1 in first place and then set off to tackle the 20km technical course.

At this stage it was still raining but not so heavy. Was caught but Stefano Foti, current Sicily champion and we started pacing together. The course was very hilly and it was very technical and with those very dangerous conditions it came too technical for my tastes. Foti noticed that I was suffering in those conditions and attacked. I tried to keep up with him but it was difficult riding hard in those conditions.

On the 3^rd lap and last lap of the bike It started raining so heaving that the visibility was not so good. I could not see properly and lost a lot of time. Came into T2 in 3^rd place and I started the last 2.5km run trying to gain the lost ground. After 1km I was in 2^nd place and had the leader in sight. I really pushed had to win the race but Foti gained sufficient time on the bike to win the race by 15seconds

I am happy with my performance. I was not expecting such a great performance. I am happy with my second place and also with the win in my age group. If weather conditions were not so bad I could have a great chance to win the race but never mind, am still happy with the race. I could not have done such a great performance without the great support of my girlfriend Elizabeth. She gave me the right support and calmed me down when things were not going the right way.

That’s all for now

Yours in sports

Keith

DGTri Athlete Report - Keith Galea

At Last – Malta Duathlon Champion!!!

Finally the 2012 triathlon season started with the national Duathlon championships. I was waiting impatiently for this race. After a difficult 2011 season, I promised to myself that 2012 will be my year. My coach Dermot did not peaked me for the race but still we wanted the championship back to where it belongs, to the club and to the Galea family. With very encouraging results in running and cycling races, I was looking forward to do a great performance and to make it clear that I am the man to beat this year.

When the race started, I sprinted in front of the pack. I wanted to lead and settle the pace myself. Legs were responding well. When someone tried to skip me I immediately increased the pace to lead the pack. I wanted to open a gap before T1. I managed to do so and covered the first 5km in 17.10, 35seconds in front of 2nd and 3rd placed athletes. After a good transition, I felt that my legs were having a good day, so I immediately started pushing.

After the first lap I noticed that I was gaining ground on my nearest rival. After the first lap I increased my advantage to 50seconds. I was feeling great. It was a bit windy on the bike. The winds were a bit strong on both sides so one had to dig in all the way. I continued to increase my advantage in every lap and the chances to be crowned national champion where increasing. I kept a reasonable good average speed of 39km/hr covering the 27km in 40minutes 40 seconds. Coming back to transition area I increased my advantage to 2minutes 30seconds. A very good advantage but still I was not satisfied.

When I started the 2nd run, my legs were still fresh after the strong bike I had. I was afraid that will feel some cramps as I felt a couple of cramps in the last lap of the bike. However everything was fine and I kept on pushing and pushing till I could not push no more. I did not want to relax. I wanted to push till the end and shoe my dominance. Was not happy to win by 2 mins, I wanted more.

Seeing I was way in front, the last 200m were awesome. When you win a championship for the first time, the last 200m are the most beautiful thing you remember from the whole race. When I crossed the finish line, I shouted CHAMPION CHAMPION!!!!. After a difficult 2011 season where everyone thought that I am finished. Well I am back, faster stronger and quicker. I won the race by 4mins advantage from my next rival, winning the race in 1hr 08. 52. The first thing I did after I crossed the finish line, was to hug my girlfriend Elizabeth. Before the championship I was going through a difficult period and she helped me a lot to go through it. The support she gave me before and during the race was incredible; she gave the extra energy needed to produce this wonderful win.

This time I did not want to win for myself. I wanted to win this race for 2 persons who were fundamental in the build-up for this race. I would like to thanks the best triathlon coach on the island Dermot Galea. His hard training regime, 25-30hrs a week and his fundamental advices helped me to enter in the history of Malta Triathlon by becoming the 6th athlete to win triathlon and Duathlon championships and Triathlete of the year award. I would like to thank my nutritionist Johanna Calleja. Thanks to her nutrition plans I am in the best shape of my life. In October I was weighing 65km with 14% body fat. Now I am 57kg with only 5% body fat. I followed her nutrition plans to the letter and now I am extremely happy to see all these results.

I am satisfied with this championship win but I still want to keep on winning. I am training 3 times a day making lots of sacrifices to improve. I want to win. This is only the beginning…..

Keith

DGtri Athlete - Barry Farrugia

NATIONAL DUATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS

The National Duathlon Championship 2012 arrived. Not only was I excited to put all my hard training to the test, but I was also going to race with my new TT bike for the first time and was looking forward to see the outcome!

The nerves didn’t get the best of me though, I was fully focused and aiming for a satisfying result. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, did some warming up and was soon on the starting line. For the first 5k I kept a good tempo and after 18.53 I was in transition, wasn’t one of my fastest transitions but I was soon going strong on my new Cervelo P3, enjoying the ride to the max. I felt stronger than ever and soon made my way to 4 th place. Kept strong for 3 laps and kept pushing hard till I managed to get myself in 3rd place for the 4th and final lap. In transition 2 and out for the last 3k run. Although it is one of my strengths, the last 3k were quite a struggle. Just a few seconds ahead of the 4th I gave it my best and was in the lead for most of the 3k until he managed to over take me in the final bend. He widened the distance between us quite a lot and I was about to give in and settle for 4th place (would have been pleased just the same) but a voice inside me told me it’s now or never. My family and friends cheers were the last thing I needed to give me that final boost. I gave my last 100m sprint and didn’t stop till I was done….. in 3rd place!!!

In just 1,13:49 I made it to my first podium finish in 3rd place, having been only my second Duathlon this gave me great satisfaction! Would like to thank many people who helped me get there, Dermot my coach and friend, who got me this far, having no doubt that he will lead me to much greater success, Johanna for her professional nutrition advice, my better half Niki for all her support and patience. Antonella my sister in law also for her great support, Jack and Maurice for my bike and all the work and time they put in to it, to make it perfect for me! Last but not least all my supportive friends and family, who make me want to achieve so much more.

Barry Farrugia

DGtri Athlete - Simona Carena

Friends of Mick ‘n’ Phil Half Marathon

On 11th March I attended my first race of the 2012 season at Draycote Waters Reservoir: “Friends of Mick ‘n’ Phil Half Marathon”. The race in its second run, after a 2 year gap, and it is held as a charity event to help these two lads, who are a known figure on most local races and have run countless Marathons for their full story:http://micknphil-marathonlads.com/index.php.

The weather forecast was most promising with sunshine and clear skies and very moderate temperature for March witch gave the option of shedding the winter layers, with the added bonus of a bit of a breeze around the lake shore. The race consists of 2 and ¾ laps of the reservoir, on the tarmac surfaced service road, with well clear mile markers and timing chips. The route winds itself amongst a shady and hillier side and on long and flat exposed dam walls on the other. Ample car park and facilities also make this venue an ideal race location and if you live close by like me, a pleasant training ground.

The field comprised of 200 runners with a high ratio in the veterans category, and by 9 am the place was swarming with lycra clad people and their fans and supporters. I got there early to bag a good parking spot and to enjoy a last cup of coffee in comfort before warming up. It helps with race nerves!

My plan was to hold back a bit on the first three miles and then wind the pace up a bit hoping to get a big chunk off my current PB on this distance. The preparation this winter has gone very well. In the 3rd year of Dermot’s coaching I feel I am still improving considerably on all disciplines, but I am feeling also much fitter and less tired. I have also benefited from nutrition guidance from Johanna Calleja. Notably my recovery from training and overall health seem to have improved, little I knew my already reasonable diet could be harbouring a lack in selenium, zinc and copper (I did not know you even ate these minerals!) Plus I have to say I have managed to shed some pounds in the process witch always helps!

At the starting gun it was a very civilized affair, partially due to the timing chip that allow everybody to get their real time, so no jostling for position, and there seemed to be space for all to get under way. The first 3 miles went very well and I felt it was quite easy even on the “undulating “ part of the course. Then a few flats sections on the dam walls, with a small hill thrown in between and lap 2 was under way just short of mile 5. Up to here the average on my Garmin was of 8:38 mm

Here I have to make a confession. With me was running my Fairy Godmother, Bill (well they came in all shape and sizes…) who turned up on his bike got changed and once I named the desired finishing time took care of pacing with Swiss timing precision.

So on to lap 2 and the second trip over the ups and down was getting a bit less easy, but I felt good and my legs felt strong. I hoped I could have pushed a bit more at this stage, but somehow I did not have the breath to go with it. However I knew that I was going well as we were still averaging 8:38 mm and on course to a very good finishing time. It cheered me up some of the competitors commenting at this stage on the course description with a grumbling: “undulating my ***”.

Down on the dam walls, passing the finish line for the second time and grabbing some water, and knuckling down to a fast mile between 9-10 before facing what now seemed slightly steeper hills for the last time. All was well and from the splits it was completed 8:36 mm so not a shabby job at this late stage! The next 2 miles were a bit less fun, but I kept at it, having Bill to follow was certainly one less burden, although at one stage I felt quite a bit dizzy up one of the last inclines, but unlike my last race on this course in 2009 I did not feel that it had the best over me! ;-)
Completed mile 12 with relieve, now left a sharp downhill and a turn on to the flats for a sprint finish. Well not sure we can call 8:15 mile a sprint but my legs were going well, I was just struggling to keep on top of them. Thanks to Bill’s tips and encouragement though I managed a strong finish at 1:53:15; the most even paced race all the way through still at 8:38 mm. and placing 12th senior female.

I found the event well organized, marshalled very well especially on blind corners, enough water station and a respectable goody-bag, but of course the stunning weather adds something special to a day.

I am very happy with the result, and it is a further confirmation that the training set by Dermot is spot on as we managed to take away another 5 minutes on this distance and my legs are not that sore today, and I am looking forward to more training and racing under his direction!

SIMONA

Malta Marathon

Last Sunday I took part in my first official full marathon. Although I have done 5 Ironmans (which finish with a marathon), this was my first attempt at the distance on its own so I was very excited. The 18 weeks of running focus to build to this first experience were very hard but a very important learning curve.

I started the race at a good relaxed tempo. I tried to keep with the second / third group from the beginning but I was aware of not over doing it. The target was to keep a 6.32 pace (per mile) but I was a bit off from the beginning averaging 6.10 / 6.15 (per mile). At the time I thought that I was over doing it but since I was feeling fresh I thought that it must be just a very good day - YES SURE!! After around 5km, Jimmy Sacco, a very experience marathon runner over took me and I had to make the decision of whether to stick to my pace or go with him. I decided to follow.

I passed the half way mark (21.1km) in 1hr 22mins, way too fast and the problems started. Legs started feeling heavy and although now I had slowed down to a 6.30 pace I was still confident to achieve my target time of 2hrs 50mins. The real issues started at 18Miles. I felt a cramp in my right calf so I had to stop and stretch for a few seconds, and then I had another cramp on the left calf. Tiredness started to set in, and the run through Attard overtaking the walkers doing the Walkathlon was looking quite a struggle.

Keith was stopping every kilometer trying to give me some moral help, but I was really looking tired. Still I kept running, and did my best to slow down the least possible. At this stage I am not sure what pace I was keeping, and although I was wearing my Garmin, my pride didn't permit me yet to look at the actual splits which I have ignored completely at that stage of the marathon. By Msida with 5km to go I realised, and thanks to Keith's quick calculations, that I was still on target to go under 3hrs. Yes fair enough that wasn't my original target but in the situationt that was what was motivating me to keep running rather than joining the walkers doing the Walkathlon.

3km to go and I felt that maybe maybe a 2hrs 55mins was on the cards but my legs were rock solid and cramps were hitting every minute. With 200m to go I tried sprinting and my hamstring just gave up, BIG CRAMP. Quick stretch and I jogged / ran / kind of sprinted to the line. 2hrs 56mins my final time. Pleased, but I'll be back faster next year!

Big thank-you to Johanna for sorting out my nutrition which made a big difference in my training and racing, to Keith for his support and my parents.

Next Race possibly abroad

Dermot

DGTri Athlete Report - James Harman

The Belvoir Marathon

I had been looking forward to this race all through the winter. Not only was it the first race for the new year but the first marathon i had entered since Ironman uk and i wanted to see what sort of time i could put in with only the marathon involved and not a bike or run beforehand.I had planned on just trying to beat my previous marathon time of 4hrs 17mins with a sub 4hr finish but we had no idea what the course would be like and if the weather would hold out or not as the course was 90% off road through fields and trails. The previous few weeks had gone really really well in training and i had put the miles in but it wasn't until the last week before the race that the magic started to happen and by friday evening on my 30minute pre race run i felt strong, Stronger in the run than i had ever felt and i put all this down to not only the programme that Dermot had given me but also the nutrition plan that Johanna Calleja had sorted out for me. Bill picked me up at 07:30 and we made our way to the venue. On arrival i thought it was quite cool and opted to wear my leggings and sleeveless jacket with compression top and a hat. The race started at 0900 and i started running. I didn't really get to the front for the start as there were so many people there so i had to wait until we got going before moving through the slower runners. Infact all i seemed to do was pass people with nobody passing me. I was checking the heart rate monitor and my pace and holding 7-8min mile pace on the flat and my heart rate was very steady and i can remember thinking i feel so strong, Infact i was quite excited and pumped which seemed to give me even more energy. I remember clocking the miles up first 10 then 12 then 16 and at 18+ miles still feeling strong and smooth with a verygood light running technique. The weather had got a lot warmer and i was sweating quite a lot and had not took any electrolytes as i thought i would not need them. At around 20 to 21 miles i started getting cramps in my hamstrings and at 22 to 23 miles they had got so severe that i had no alternative but to slow down and try to stretch them off. It was almost unbearable!I finished the Marathon by my watch in 3:59:50 however the official time by the organiser was 4:02:9 so i don't know where they found the extra 2 minutes. I was a bit disappointed as 3:59 is a sub 4 hour and 4:02 is obviously over 4hrs but never the less it still turned out to be a very good time considering the course and put me in 21st position from 211 people so considering i am not a runner and it was my first ever marathon on its own it was a fantastic result that i am very proud of. If things had worked out the way i had planned then maybe there would of been a top 10 position for me. Maybe next year! I hope all of your training is going well and to plan and wish you all the best for the coming summers events.

See you all very soon.

Buzz