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Me Against The World...
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Burnfoot National Duathlon Champs
For some bizarre reason I thought a trip to North Donegal was a good idea for this weekend past. It wasn’t looking such a good idea on Saturday evening though. I was travelling solo as herself was at the Backstreet Boys on Saturday night in Dublin :rolleyes:. I loaded up the car and hit the road shortly after 4. 20minutes later I got a phone call telling me I’d left the HR strap at home. Great :mad:. Eventually got to Derry and after getting a little lost in a fairly dodgy looking area I found the B&B, unloaded the car, and went off in search of food. It was after I got back and put my bike together that disaster struck. When I was checking the shifting the chain seemed to be skipping
. It was making a loud noise quite often, but I couldn’t see it skipping . I did notice that the pedals seemed very easy to turn though. That’s when I realised that the loud noise was the cassette turning without the wheel turning. Oh **** :mad:. Quickly on the phone to the coach, who would know a thing or two about bikes. He says that would only ever happen on a very very worn wheel. I have only about 400km on these. He also mentioned the possibility of something inside in the hub having fallen out of place and a good smack might encourage it back. Alternatively I’ll be looking to borrow a spare rear wheel. Not what I needed at that time of the evening. I took the wheel off and smacked the wheel a few times with my shoe :rolleyes: 
. Nothing. I was getting very pissed off at this stage. The web couldn’t help either as I was in the bog arse of nowhere and barely had a signal to make that call. I was resigned to racing on someone else’s spare wheel, when I threw the wheel hub first against the ground a few times. Miraculously this seemed to work. Who said you can’t solve anything with violence!! 
I was up early and quickly threw a small bowl of porridge in as I was eager to get out and test this newly mended wheel before it was too late to start looking for a spare. Did a couple of hard sprints to make sure it wasn’t going to let me down when I needed it most. It held up so I was obviously happy with that. That calmed me down a good bit and I was able to relax for the rest of my warm up.
Run 1
It seemed like a nice morning for a race. Chilly, but calm and dry although there were plenty of clouds around threatening to change the latter. Long sleeves and gloves all round then. So 9:30 and we’re off for the first leg. This was a 9.49km long 10km run. Knew there wasn’t much point in me pushing myself up towards the front row given the strength of the field. I learned in Ashford that to go out with the leaders at the start will cost me very quickly. As usual, the pace was high at the start and I let a lot of people go who I knew I would catch fairly soon. After about 2.5km we came to a T junction with a sharp but short rise before it. This brought the pace right down and would do so again for the 5 laps on the bike. After this there was a long drag, but it was quite shallow, and the tailwind made it easier. This is when I started to claw back those who went off too fast. I probably made up 10 places up until around the 6km mark when I could feel a bit of a stitch coming on. I eased off a little, but no-one was able to close back up on me. This also coincided with the out and back section which was up a much tougher drag. On the way back down and all the way to transition I was closing on a guy in front and I got into transition just 12sec down on him in 22nd pace. 9.49k (per my garmin) covered in 35:26 so an average of 3:44 which is 7sec off the pace I held for my 10km PB 6 weeks ago. Not bad, and feeling pretty good at this stage.
Bike
A smashing T1 (15th fastest) and I left T1 in a dead heat with the guy who had 12 sec on me going in. A perfect mount and I’d left him for dead!! The bike was 5 laps of the same course, without the out and back section. Straight away I was passing people but it was difficult to tell who was in your race and who was from the sprint. Later on there would have been some lapping done as well. I was pushing on nicely on the bike, making sure that I was feeling the effort all the time rather than easing off too much which I feel I’ve done in the past, but also mindful that this wasn’t a sprint either. By the third lap the wind was picking up and it was starting to rain. The first part of the lap up to the steep bit (which brought everyone almost to a standstill) was very open and into the wind, then you turned and the wind was at your back, until you turned again and had a cross wind but a bit more shelter. At the start of the fourth lap I could feel the rain sloshing round my shoes and on the fifth lap I was starting to really feel the cold despite the effort. But I feel I biked well and I’m much happier with this than Ashford. I missed the dismount line at the end, but talking to people after I wasn’t the only one. The line was difficult to make out. Results tell me I passed 8 people on the bike and 3(including one relay) passed me. LCD seems to have been one of those on a very nice Look TT bike! 1:03:27 for a 38.6km long 40k or an average of 36.5kmph. 19th fastest bike split and I hit T2 in 17th. And thankfully no issues with that rear wheel.
T2
This is where it all started to unravel. Hit T2, racked the bike, off with the helmet, knelt down to put on the shoes, and a massive calf cramp. Stood up, foot at knee height and brought the shoe up to meet it. Massive cramp. Numb fingers, soaking wet gloves and wet shoes not helping matters. So I stopped, took off the gloves, and went again with the shoes. Eventually got them on with a bit of fiddling. I had hit T2 with 4 guys within 22 seconds of me. My faffing around meant they all left before me and I was down to 21st starting the run. A miserable 1:23 and 30sec+ lost to those around me.
Run 2
The first 2km of the last run were agony. Between the frozen feet and the calves cramping, I was doing everything I could to ignore anything below my knees. To make matters worse two guys went flying past me with one of them shouting “cramp, cramp, cramp, cramp”. Then, on about 1.5km another guy went past me. My legs are still not responding at this point, but I look at my latest friend, and he’s a bald auld fella with a bit of a belly, wrapped up in Waterford Tri gear. How the hell is he running that pace? I had hit the first KM in 3:52 so not exactly crawling considering the cramping. I stayed with him for all of 100m before I had to let him go. Second KM in 3:55 so I’m moving okish despite the cramps. KM3 was up a drag (the second run was a reserve of part of the main course.) and covered in 4:04. It was up this drag that I took the two places that I would on this run. Then downhill and I’m moving again. KM4 in 3:39. Slowly catching my Waterford friend. KM5 back up the drag but I’ve got my legs back, while still wrecked, they’re not cramping anymore. KM 5 was 660m long :rolleyes: and covered @3:46 pace. Enough to leave me 2 seconds behind the Deise man who I was closing in on all he way to the line. 4.66km @ 3:51 pace. Not too bad considering what had gone before. I was hoping for sub 3:50 pace, so not too far off.
My clock showed 1:59:00 when I crossed the line. I knew going up that anything sub 2hours would be a great result so I’ve got to be happy with that… But, I left an easy 30seconds in T2 which would have left me 19th and possibly fighting for 18th. A top 20 is what I wanted, and clumsiness cost me that. But I've never cramped like that in a race before (the going too easy thing again) and thats something I'll need to deal with a little better in future.
Got to say thanks to North West Tri Club for putting on a great race too. Great support around the course, and showers and a feed after are always appreciated.
Oh, sorry, that was a little long.:o0 -
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Well done BTH. There is always a race like this where prep is less than ideal and our blood pressure is sent sky high, I think when it happens it's just part and parcel and the important thing is what you do next, that is the step that ensures the job gets done. This time it was firing your wheel accross the room....whatever it take that's what you do
So well done on getting yourself to the start line. I must say the location and race format/distance just doesn't appeal to me this early in the season. I know the feeling of the long drive to what seems like the end of the earth-reminds me of Blacksod 2010, the season was over in my mind after Budapest and yet there I was driving all the way to the most westerly point of Europe at the end of Sept! Turned out to be a top race
So well done, those NS races are competitive affairs as you well know, top 30 at them and you are doing well. T! seemed very clean/efficient, do you practice transitions much? Also do you do the leap of faith? Think I will have to learn to do this this year, to often I've been the guy left behind like you did to that guy while mounting.0 -
Well done, BTH!! I had checked your results online yesterday and was relieved that your bike had been sorted and that you did a smashing job!!
Thanks DD. My finish time is one I'd have been happy with beforehand, but leaving a easy 30seconds out there is frustrating.El Director wrote: »Well done BTH. There is always a race like this where prep is less than ideal and our blood pressure is sent sky high, I think when it happens it's just part and parcel and the important thing is what you do next, that is the step that ensures the job gets done. This time it was firing your wheel accross the room....whatever it take that's what you do So well done on getting yourself to the start line. I must say the location and race format/distance just doesn't appeal to me this early in the season. I know the feeling of the long drive to what seems like the end of the earth-reminds me of Blacksod 2010, the season was over in my mind after Budapest and yet there I was driving all the way to the most westerly point of Europe at the end of Sept! Turned out to be a top race
So well done, those NS races are competitive affairs as you well know, top 30 at them and you are doing well. T! seemed very clean/efficient, do you practice transitions much? Also do you do the leap of faith? Think I will have to learn to do this this year, to often I've been the guy left behind like you did to that guy while mounting.
Cheers ElD. Blacksod looks an epic place for a race alright.
T1 was good alright. It's not something I practice and I probably should and likely will in the warmer evenings but I have a clear plan as to what I need to do so its not something I need to think too much about. I have done 3 race type bike mounts this year. One was in the WU for Ashford, just to make sure I still could, and the other two were in the actual races, Burnfoot and Ashford. And yep, leap of faith all the way. The problem I have in T2 with these early races is the cold combined with my lack of natural insulation and poor circulation leave hands and feet completely useless after the bike.0 -
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Nice work at the Duathlon BTH thats good form. I winced when I read your report though. I had the same thing happen both my calves at T2 last week. Bloody painful. Even worse 2 days later :mad:
Hope you are fighting fit to give Fazz a run for his money
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shotgunmcos wrote: »Nice work at the Duathlon BTH thats good form. I winced when I read your report though. I had the same thing happen both my calves at T2 last week. Bloody painful. Even worse 2 days later :mad:
Hope you are fighting fit to give Fazz a run for his money
Cheers Shotgun. Its nasty business cramping like that in T2. No major DOMS though, thankfully. Certainly not a patch on what I suffered after the 10k in early March. Body just wasn't ready for that at the time. Happy with where I am for whats just the start of a long season. Should be flying when I get to take on Fazz over my favourite terrain down in Wicklow in July.
I've also warned DC that he'll need to be keeping an eye over his shoulder this weekend! I presume you'll have massive banners out for all of us on Sunday?Well done at the weekend BTH. You're in great form :cool:
Thanks Paul. Feeling good alright, and dying to get a proper race done. My swimming has been going well for the last few weeks and my run started to click again last week. Hoping for a quick recovery and we'll give it another lash on Sunday.0 -
BetterThanHoyte wrote: »Cheers Shotgun. Its nasty business cramping like that in T2. No major DOMS though, thankfully. Certainly not a patch on what I suffered after the 10k in early March. Body just wasn't ready for that at the time. Happy with where I am for whats just the start of a long season. Should be flying when I get to take on Fazz over my favourite terrain down in Wicklow in July.
I've also warned DC that he'll need to be keeping an eye over his shoulder this weekend! I presume you'll have massive banners out for all of us on Sunday?
Good point actually BTH, where will you be Marshall Shotgun?
BTH will need you to give him splits of how far behind he is on Bike/run course...
Or will it be a first out to shotgun at bike half way marker gets an ice cream ???
Oh and BTH, BOE is not in my plan, may be added but not currently...
None of this wait till I'm peaking crap. This Sunday is Race Day 0 -
Good point actually BTH, where will you be Marshall Shotgun?
BTH will need you to give him splits of how far behind he is on Bike/run course...
Or will it be a first out to shotgun at bike half way marker gets an ice cream ???
Oh and BTH, BOE is not in my plan, may be added but not currently...
None of this wait till I'm peaking crap. This Sunday is Race Day
Oh it's on this Sunday fo sur! The first of many eagerly waited boardsie match ups for the year! I like the idea of ice-cream primes
Also I agree, if you are suited and booted and toeing the start line then its on...like donkey kong
Both of you will do very well, a serious amount of work from both, really looking forward to the reports.0 -
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When should I start getting in the excuses for this Sundays performance? Is it still too early?
Sport Massage at lunch time yesterday which had me jumping all round the table. Bloody sore stuff. Apparently there is some little muscle in my left arse cheek which is doing too much work meaning the outside of my left leg the whole way down is very very tight :rolleyes:.
Went for a jog last night. Took ages to get going, hobbling along initially. I jogged 30min which was painfully slow. Didnt help that I did the first 20min up hill. When I say uphill it was from the botanic gardens up Ballymun Road so not exactly steep, but it felt like I was running up Howth. From the village. After 30min I tentatively upped it to a run for 20min easy effort. Starting to loosen out, but HR was high for what I was doing. To be expected I suppose. All in all I covered 11.75km in an hour. Beat that Fazz
Swim this morning. I was like a Zombie going in so ditched any idea of going hard until Friday eve. Long 1km wu with pull/kick/etc etc. Then I did an easy-moderate 15*100 planning for 15sec rest between reps. First few came in on 1:40ish so did the entire set off 1:55. Did the middle 5 pull, and held that 1:40 for the full set. Actually pushed the last 4 to 1:38, but still not working particularly hard. Do need to do a good bit of stretching between now and Sunday though. Almost a coasting pace, but I wasn't up for much else this morning. Slept like a baby but still tired. Still, a decent distance covered, and its all about keeping the feel in all three this week while I recover.0 -
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Joey Hannon Tri
Swim 26:06 (24:31 adjusted). Went off 5/6 in the lane, on the feet of my club mate as planned. There was a lot of feet rubbing for the first 200m as was to be expected, but then got into a decent rhythm swimming to her right at her knee, so I was getting a good draft. This was going well until about 7/800, in when she went past Fazz, but I didn't realise until it was too late. A couple of kicks in the head from Fazz later and I got past him, but the train ahead was gone and I was suffering a little, too much to go hard to get them back. Those kicks in the head had also made me loose count!! So I settled into a comfortable rhythm, conscious of the fact that I had a few behind me making me do the work, but I going well enough, focusing on keeping a good stroke. Got to about 1300m and I eventually pulled over to let 2 of them through to bring us home. Hadn't received a tap on the head when I had expected one. Or the next time. So on the return 50 I kept an eye on my left to see if anyone swam past me in the other direction. (I only breath to the right, and the lane was anticlockwise so hadn't noticed before). Nobody, so I got to the end, stopped, looked up and was eventually waved out. On the run out Fazz behind roared something like, "Eugene, 25:30, what the hell did we do wrong". Chatting to him after and also to Michelle who was watching from the balcony, we clearly did an extra 100 which has adjusted for subsequently. There were others, but they obviously didn't realise, or weren't too concerned, as we were the only people adjusted for. I had a good idea how much we had swam, but if you don't get that tap you start to doubt yourself. Adjusted swim time has me with the 24th fastest swim split. Probably more like 28-30th when other miscounts are taken into account. For someone who has always been in the lower half of a race after the swim I've got to be happy with that.
T1 was a disaster. My stuff was everywhere. Put on arm warmers as the wind had picked up, sun-glasses and race-belt, but my helmet was missing. It had blown away. Spotted it over the otherside but when I ran towards it someone else picked it up. "Thats mine"!!!! The remains of the race number sticker from Valentia last year proved me right!! Running out of T1 and my bike almost blew out of my hand the wind was that strong. Flying mount nonetheless.
The bike was terrifying. Gusting side winds and you on edge the whole way around. I tried to take a gel, and spilled half of it on my leg. I tried to take a drink and nearly fell off. Screw that, just hang on. And push. I thought I was moving well until Fazz went past me like a train. I had presumed he had gotten ahead after my disaster in T1. Seems he stopped for tea and to fix his hair! Also spotted poor Oryx in a gateway with a marshall trying to fix a puncture. Rotten luck. At the turnaround I was 19th (pre swim adjustment), and closing on a few bodies. The wind was even worse on the way back with one guy in front of me almost ending up in the ditch. At was almost funny it was that scary. It also meant that you couldn't push quite as hard as you'd have likes as you had to concentrate on keeping the bike on the tarmac! Was delighted to see the main road again, as I knew that was almost it. Reckon I hit T2 in 17th but not sure. 12th fasted bike split in 1:02:36, and ready to make up some more time on the run.
T2 was a much better effort although I need to HTFU running barefoot on tarmac.
Straight away on the run I had a piercing pain across my lower ribs. I had noticed that I was a little tender to touch during the week, but didn't think much of it. But it was killing me on this run. I couldn't breath and really struggled. My legs were chomping at the bit to get moving, but when I increased the pace even a little, this piercing pain shot through my chest. At one point I considered pulling out it was that sore. I had a club mate ahead who I should normally cruise past in no time. It look me 7km to close 60m on him yesterday. HR told me I was running marathon effort. I struggled round for a 42:34 and my worse Olympic Tri run split ever :mad:. Its so disappointing as my legs felt fine and were ready to put in a good time. A top ten was definitely there for me yesterday, particularly with how my running has been going of late. 47th fastest run.
Finished 15th, 6th in my AG. Not a terrible result, but I didn't do myself justice which is disappointing. Walking to work this morning, I am still sore. Its just below where the HR strap would be, towards the side of the ribs, directly below the nipple. No idea what has caused it, but its bloody frustrating. Next race is a HIM in two weeks, and I can't wait to right this result.0 -
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El Director wrote: »Hey dude, well done yesterdaqy. Like Fazz despite everything still a very solid results. Think of it this way - you handled the conditions better than the majority. Also great swim and bike splits see you in Valentia.shotgunmcos wrote: »Good Race BTH and you handled the conditions well. Shame about the extra swim time but at least it was accounted for. The Boards SBR crew just geting faster and faster... :cool:
Thanks guys.
Solid result as you say ElD, but its always disappointing when you don't do yourself justice in a race like that. Really happy to be top 25 or so in the swim, considering this time last year I'd have been probably been 5min slower. Still a bot to go there too as I know i faded a little in the last 500 or so, but happy I kept control over the stroke.0 -
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Great result BTH, everything seemed to go against you. Hopefully your next race will be the opposite and everything will go your way:)
Thanks Bally8. Someday, hopefully soon, it'll all click into place. Unfortunately I still won't win as that honour is reserved for a select fewAn extra 100 swim meters? :eek: Well done anyway and in spite of the difficulties.
Thanks DD. I usually swim an extra 100m or so in the open water anyway so it'll be good practice for me. Someday I'll learn to swim straight.BTH, less of the excuses! That's a great race you just did. The pain is all part of pushing yourself to your limits. Take the positives from Sunday, you've made huge gains on last year.
I better not see you crying when I run past you in Collinstown or I beetch slap you!
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I was wondering when you would reveal yourself, I had a feeling you were lurking round here lately.
Positives: I had a good swim and a good bike. I ran @4:09min/km @ an average HR of 160 (only uploaded the garmin data last night) which is almost 20 beats lower than I would have expected to run at. I should be easily able to maintain that effort off the bike in a HIM which will have me round the run in Collinstown in 1:27. You'd want to be fairly moving 38!!0 -
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BetterThanHoyte wrote: »Thanks Bally8. Someday, hopefully soon, it'll all click into place. Unfortunately I still won't win as that honour is reserved for a select few
I wouldn't say that now. If all the stars align you are well capable of pulling off a win. You cant control who turns up but im sure you'll have plenty of opportunities. This comes from someone who said the very same thing. Never in my wildest dreams did i think it possible to nab 1st in a race and fortunately ive managed it twice. Both times i was slower than i am now so it just depends who turns up. One my my wins came in a time trial type race (TriAthy sprint) whereby i hadnt a notion where i was as there were about 10 waves! I just made sure i raced myself and pushed to the line, turned out i won my 0.75 seconds!! Always remember to just race yourself and what happens happens. Im pretty sure you'll get a few in the years ahead.0
:) 
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