European Duathlon Campionships 2014

The best way to prepare for a big race is probably not to spend 2 days in bed and almost 2 weeks off training because of a virus, but that is what I was doing in the lead up to the European Duathlon championships this year. Unfortunately at this time of year everyone seems to have a bug or a cold and when you are training hard it's so easy to pick something up.

I had been doing brick sessions with Sam and Alister (which were brilliant and my very first ones ever!) and they were both feeling a bit rubbish so it's not surprising that I was soon in bed with no energy and a sore throat. Sam had it even worse than I did and she was off work for quite a while so we both went into this race feeling slightly less than confident about how we would do.

Nervous smiles before the start
It turns out that we both had amazing races and won medals but at the time I remember standing on the start line thinking, 'this is either going to be brilliant or a complete disaster and I will probably find out in the first kilometre!'.

I love racing at Horst (I raced there last year too) so I was really looking forward to spending time  there. The town is really friendly and the race is well supported by everyone who lives there. The bike course suits me too as it is quite technical around the town, with some tight corners which I love.

Looking at the competition before the race I decided that my biggest challengers would be Anke Lakies from Germany (who got the silver in 2013) and Kate Morris (GB) who is a very good runner and I have noticed she has improved on the bike a lot recently. The other Dutch and German girls I didn't know so I couldn't worry about them.

I decided that the only way to win was to nail the first run, have a solid bike and then hang on for the last 2.5km. I also didn't want a repeat of last years cramp that had me lying down in T2 screaming my head off while an official grabbed my leg! I hoped that the brick sessions that I had done this year would help with that.

The start of the race was chaos - it starts on a narrow road and everyone wants to be at the front. Sam and I tried to squeeze into the throng about 10 rows back and a lovely GB man (sorry can't remember his name) very kindly let us in. Other people were being sent to the back which was about 250metres away! I am so grateful he let me in as I could just see Kate right at the front and if I'd started any further back I could have been a minute behind before we had started!

Just like last year we set off at a stupidly fast pace and the only thing I could think about was staying upright - we were so squashed together I couldn't even see the road below me! Thankfully I realised that I felt OK and started to really push the pace so I could get up to Kate. A few corners on and I had passed her so I just kept pushing, hoping that I had made the right decision to go off hard. (afterwards I found out I had done a PB - 17:35). Luckily I didn't completely blow and as I ran back into the town to start the second lap I could hear loads of people shouting for me. Thank you to Nina, Mark, Russell, Zoe and Ron for their support and to all the other unknowns who shouted my name, it makes such a difference when its hurting.
                                       
                                            My On Running trainers get me to T1 in record time

                                                                       In....and out

The bike ride went like a blur. We flew through the town, negotiating sharp corners and speed bumps but I was soon out and into the lanes. I still felt good although it was quite windy and it seemd to be a head wind the whole way. I started to pick off some of the men (usually on the corners) and finally went past a couple of women. I thought I must be leading my age group but was still not confident about the last run so I couldn't relax. I only had one dodgy moment when I overcooked a sharp bend and ended up in a field but I just managed to stay upright and overtook 4 men at the same time! At the cone turn I had seen both Kate and Anke so I knew that I had a good lead but I was now worried about cramp. My calf muscles were doing that weird ripply thing and all I could do was hope that they would be OK when I tried to run again.                                      

Running like a duck!

I flew into T2 and saw Gill Fullen just in front - that was good news as I knew she would be well up in the womens field so I thought I must be up there too - I got my trainers on and started to run. OMG that hurt! Cramp in my calves again - but not too bad - so I hobbled out of transition running like a duck! I saw Mark and pulled a face at him. 'Go Jac', he shouted 'Gill is just up the road!' Yeah right I'm really going to catch her! was all I could think. (Little did I know how right I was, she took almost a minute out of me in 2.7km!) She is just an awesome runner.                        






                                  
                                                                     'Don't trip, don't trip'

My legs came back to life and I just concentrated on getting to the finish line. I came back into the town for the final time and saw Joan handing out the little GB flags. I took one last look behind me - no, no-one was there - so I grabbed my flag and headed for the line. Russell then shouted and chucked a huge GB flag at me. Oh no I am useless at running with flags! and sure enough as I struggled to open the flag I stood on it and tripped. That would have been a great photo - me flying across the line on my face wrapped in a GB flag! But I stayed upright and finished with a big smile.

What a great feeling! I knew I had won my age group and then someone said I had also come third overall, amazing (I actually came 4th in the end). Then Kate came across the line and I gave her a big hug - to get silver at your first attempt is brilliant. She was very happy and didn't stop talking for ages even to take a breath!

Then Sam was in the finish area and shortly behind her was Suzie her friend. They were so happy as they thought they had just got silver and bronze. This was fantastic news as Sam had had a rubbish race last year due to illness and she nearly didn't race this year. They weren't certain though so it was a nailbiting time until we got the official result.

Then I saw the man who had let me in at the start. He asked me how I had got on and I thanked him for his help as it could have been a different result without him. He was so happy for me and that's what I love about the GB team. We all race hard, against each other, but we are all happy for other people's successes at the finish.               
                                                                                                                         Anke from Germany

Then it was time to recover, find Mark and celebrate. We all went to a cafe in the square with hundereds of others and had hot chocolate (me and Sam) and beers (the boys). The atmosphere was amazing. I saw Anke who had come in third and again she was all smiles and congratulations. She really is a truly professional athlete and I look forward to seeing her again in Pontevedra.

              The podium
Later on we went to the prize presentation which I have to say was awful. Even though the organisers knew that the athletes had not yet showered, eaten or rested they insisted on having speeches and music and all sorts of stuff that we couldn't even understand. Finally we got to the medals and once again I was on the podium with Kate (still talking!) and Anke, holding my medal and tulips. Sam was over the moon about her result and we got some great photos of both of us with our medals for our sponsors - not a bad first race report to send to them!


                                                      We train, race and laugh hard


So another great event, fab results and another fun weekend with our best friends. This is what it is all about really. Sometimes, when I am poorly or nervous or exhausted I wonder why I race at this level as it's quite stressful. But then I get to stand on that podium and I know why - I am really proud to be up there and to see my friends achieving great things as well is just fabulous.

I'm home now and back training hard for the next big race - World Duathlon champs in Pontevedra at the end of May. I've got the British sprint  triathlon champs before that as well but first we are off to Lisbon to do a 'fun' triathlon in the sunshine. Yeah right, cos I'm just going to pootle round and enjoy that one! Probably not!

March 2014

First Race of 2014 - Oulton Park Duathlon

I really don't like the first race of the season. I REALLY don't like it. Even after 5/6 years of triathlon I always get to the first race each year and I am convinced that I have forgotten everything! I forget that I need lock laces in my trainers, I forget what my favourite pre-race breakfast is, I forget how early you need to get there to have enough time to get ready (and to chat and generally faff about!), I even forget how to get on and get off my bike! All gone.

It was the same again this year and unfortunately my first race was a bit important. Oulton Park is a qualifier for the World Duathlon Champs and I really wanted to qualify. I started stressing about the race with about 3 weeks to go! As you know, my winter training had gone really well so I had no reason to worry really but it always goes through my head that maybe everyone else has had an even better winter and that they were all now amazingly fast.

Lots of my friends and my husband Mark had entered so I was looking forward to a fun weekend away in Chester. We set off with Sam, Chris, Alister and Sam's mum Nina (not racing just supporting) to stay with our friend Jess who very conveniently lived about 8 miles from the race. We were all hoping to qualify for the Worlds and it was Alister & Jess's first ever duathlon so there were quite a few nerves to say the least.

Jess is a lovely girl but I have never met anyone so laid back in all my life. She actually called Sam the day before the race to ask her how to register for qualification and when Sam told her to input her BTF number she asked what the BTF was. She wasn't even a member! A very quick phone call was made to BTF HQ and thankfully at 3pm that afternooon she was emailed her membership number - that was probably the fastest membership process ever. Jess had also assured us that she had plenty of room in her house for us all -but when we counted up how many of us there were we were wondering if maybe she lived in a mansion? Anyway it turns out she has 2 houses - one she lives in and one she rents out to students. Thankfully there were no students staying there that weekend as it was being refurbished. The house was lovely but a bit empty. We had furniture but no plates, cups, forks, food, etc. and most importantly Mark and I had no mattress!

Never mind said Jess you can borrow everything from my house. So off we went for a lovely pasta meal which I have to thank Jess's mum for - just what we needed pre-race - and I have to say that we had such a laugh that my nerves were totally forgotten. Then it was time for bed and I then witnessed the most bizarre sight ever - Mark, Chris and Alister walking through the streest of Chester with a mattress on their heads. We looked like homeless gypsies! When we got back we realised that we had no breakfast or milk so the lads went to the local co-op and came back with beer! I was starting to think that maybe they weren't taking it all that seriously.

After all that I actually had a good nights sleep and woke up bright and breezy and looking forward to getting started. Sam was having a problem as eating cereal without a bowl or spoon is quite interesting - she eventually had it out of a cup with a fork! Jess thank you so much for letting us stay. It was quite bizarre but we had such a fab time.

We could ignore it no longer, the day of the race was here.

Oulton Park is a great venue - it's a motor racing circuit so no traffic with wide roads and sweeping bends. It's also really windy and cold at times and today it was really windy and really cold. We found transition and I had the usual panic - I can't remember what to do!! but thankfully it all came flooding back and I set up and had a look at the really long transition area - thats going to be a long run on my cleats. My biggest worry though was the 5 laps of the bike leg - how was I going to remember how many I had done? I was convinced that I would be the muppet who did 6.

The race started really fast as its slightly downhill but I tried not to panic and kept the pace steady. Its really easy in a duathlon to get carried away at the start and regret it later. I felt good though, really good, even into the head wind and I started to catch people up. Jess and Sam are really good runners and it took some time but I managed to get up to them. I could see Alister way up ahead but I wasn't sure where Chris was. I wasn't sure but I thought I might be in the top 10 women which I was pleased with. I ran into T1 and saw my friend Anna who gave me a good shout and then I was off on the bike (I hadn't really forgotten how to get on it then!)

Suddenly Chris rode past me like I was standing still - he was flying! I later found out that he had spent the whole run on my shoulder using me as his pacer so he didn't go off too fast and I didn't even know he was there!

I really enjoyed the bike. Its quite technical and hilly and very windy on one side and I was soon overtaking plenty of people. One of the bends is on a steep camber so it was a bit like riding on the velodrome and it was amazing to see how many people were taking the corner really wide. I managed to catch Alister at the start of the last lap and he shouted to me - this is the last lap Jac, don't do too many! Bless him. He later flew back past me on the second run - we didn't speak that time.

The last run is always horrible - I don't so much run as stagger round. I basically rely on my On Running trainers to do the run for me. Suddenly Charlotte Taylor ran past me (again like I was standing still) This surprised me a lot as I had expected her to probably win the womens event as she is a fantastic runner. I must have overetaken her on the bike but when? and did that mean that I was doing well in the overall places. I knew that I was probably winning my age group but didn't have a clue about the overall.

I ran across the finish line and was told that I had come 3rd female - amazing, I was so pleased. Chris and Alister had already finished and Sam was right behind me. Jess and Mark then came in and they had all raced really well. We were all smiles - mostly relief that we had finished and we could have a sit down - but also because we all thought we had done enought to qualify for the Worlds.

It turns out that we had all qualified - apart from Alister who is on 111% and is still waiting to see if he gets a roll down. I'm sure he will but he daren't celebrate until he's got that Q against his name. He told me after the race that he could probably have cycled and run the second leg a bit faster than he did. That just comes with practice so I hope he gets the chance to race in Pontevedra and show what he can really do.

So once again we have had a brilliant weekend - some fab racing with great results and a really good laugh with great friends. Perfect! The only thing that went wrong - I managed to miss the prize presentation! So my chance to get a photo on the podium with the winners was lost. I was too busy chatting again - Mark gets so cross when I do that.

Winter Training (and other stuff!)

March 2014 - part 1

The problem with not updating your blog very often is that when you do start to write again, there is so much to talk about that its hard to know where to start. I am ashamed to admit I haven't updated my blog since the end of the triathlon season in September last year. A couple of reasons for this:
1. laziness (I've just got out of the habit) and 2. I didn't think it would be very interesting - after all, all I have done all winter is train, train, train! But actually now I've started I realise that I do have lots to say as, although it seems like all I have done all winter is train, I have done so with quite a lot of thought and with some new ideas and changes, which I thought I might share.

Every year I get to the end of the race season and re-assess how it went and then I decide what I want to do next year. Sometimes this is easy as I usually have something that I didn't achieve or could have done better. This time I have found it a lot harder as I had the most amazing summer ever and I can honestly say that I achieved everything I set out to do (and more!) and enjoyed every minute!

So I spent October doing nothing (in the form of training). I still swam, cycled and ran but I did so when I wanted to not because I had to and only at a pace that meant I could really enjoy it. I also walked the dog, went down the pub, went shopping, visited friends - basically I had a life. Obviously after a few weeks I was totally bored with this and started to plan how to start my winter training. You see I genuinely do enjoy training and the good feeling it gives you when your body does more than you thought it could. But I realised that after a fantastic 2013 I had to make some changes so that I could get just as much from 2014. I decided that I would bring in at least one new thing each month so I could feel like I was progressing over the long winter months - and this is what I did:

September: Mark and I joined David Lloyd gym - OMG what a gorgeous place that is! A quiet and clean pool at any time of the day, luxurious changing rooms, WATT bikes, a choice of pilates, yoga and body conditioning classes and amazing hot chocolate. Expensive but totally worth it. My friends Sam, Chris and Anna were also members so I would have lots of people to train with.

October: I started a pilates class and rested. I also decided to concentrate more on Duathlon rather than going back to the European Triathlon Champs again - so my main races in 2014 will be European Duathlon, World Duathlon and World Triathlon championships.

November: Cross Country races - so hard! Watt bike endurance sessions - training to power for the first time (what a revelation!). Long swim sessions with my training partner Sam - between 3.5 and 4.5 km each time and sometimes as early as 7am! She is always so happy in the morning (and I'm not!)

December: Whey protein - the best recovery aid but I only take it after high intensity sessions. Velodrome training - I am lucky as my Dad is a coach at Manchester Velodrome and I can kill two birds with one stone (2 hours of quality cycling in the warm even in December and a visit to my Mum - all is good)

January: Group turbo training sessions - with Jamie of Success Cycling. The most intensive cycling ever! I also raced my first Womens Road Race for about 25 years - scary but great fun even though I got stuffed in the sprint!

February: Bike set up - I reviewed my position with the help of Jam at Fred Williams Cycles and got a bit more 'aero'. I also started an on-line training package 'Nutrition for Sports Performance' and I'm already learning loads.

March: I got myself some new sponsors (well, my amazing husband Mark did) which means that I have so many people believing in me and that is so motivating! KWB Workplace and The Senator Group have basically made it possible for me to travel to the Worlds in Canada this year without worrying about the cost - even better they have also sponsored Sam so we are both very lucky girls. - and then I also had confirmation that On Running were going to support me for another year, which I am so pleased about. They are really supportive and encouraging even though I am nothing like some of the other people they sponsor such as Nicola Sprig, Caroline Steffan, Jackie Slack etc and their trainers really are the best.

Obviously there were some things that I didn't change this year as they are tried and tested (by me)

Regular massage (thank you Russell)
Good diet (thank you Mark)
Lots of sleep
Tempo running
and most of all consistent training with a bit of variety

I even snuck in a couple of holidays - both very different but that didn't stop me being active. I did a bit of yoga and warm weather running on the beach in Cape Verde in January

 

and then Mark and I went out to see our daughter Charlotte who is working in a ski resort in Italy. Running up a mountain at altitude in the snow is SO hard! but great fun and it was fab to get my old training partner back for some hill reps (she's still got it!).

So that's the 'team' I have around me - thank you so much to everyone who has helped me over these last few months;
Mark (of course), Jamie at Success Cycling, Jam at Fred Williams Cycles, Sam Anderson (for making me get up so early to do those HUGE swim sets and much more), KWB, The Senator Group and ON Running.

I can't believe how fast this winter has gone and how quickly the first race of the season has come around - Oulton Park Duathlon - my race report is in part 2.