http://www.tritastic.com/ My efforts in triathlon en Copyright 2008 Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:05:34 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification
Not all of fixies looked as beautiful as the Rapha Condor Recycling team colours bike pictured here...

Fixed speed bikes - which do not have a freewheel hub on the rear - started life on the velodrome track, where neither coasting nor brakes are required, and where the extra weight of cassette, freewheel, brakes, cable and levers are all destined to slow down a rider.   On a fixed speed bike if the wheels are moving then so are your legs, and you brake by slowing your legs (no mean feat if you're going fast!).  They have since become very popular with urban cycle couriers where their speed and reduced maintenance costs are beneficial, and where the simplicity and 'coolness' of the bikes plays an even bigger part.A fixed-speed bike is about as basic as you can get - like a child's trike only faster.

Single-speed bikes on the other hand are a hybrid: a single gear (no cassette) on the rear, no derailleur and only a single chain wheel on the front, but a rear hub with a freewheel so you can coast along without your legs having to keep pace with the back wheel. ]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/10/fixies-galore-at-cycle-2008.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/10/fixies-galore-at-cycle-2008.html Bike bike Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:05:34 +0000 I'm very excited today because I am off to London to visit the 2008 bicycle show at Earl's Court. I'm hoping to see tons of exciting new bike kit, snaffle a few goodie bags, grab a bargain and maybe even see a celebrity or two. And I definitely plan to rub myself up against the glorious clothes at the Rapha stand! http://www.tritastic.com/2008/10/bicycle-show-2008.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/10/bicycle-show-2008.html Bike bike Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:58:44 +0000
I managed to beat last year's time by 2 minutes (1:0:56), despite the organisers extending the run by a few hundred metres!  More exciting for me, though,
]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/09/newbury-triathlon-results.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/09/newbury-triathlon-results.html Events events Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:07:09 +0000 ]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/09/newbury-triathlon-tomorrow.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/09/newbury-triathlon-tomorrow.html Events events newbury Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:50:09 +0000 Mostly Harmless" was how the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy describes Earth, and the same can largely be said of the Headington 10k.  Flat and featureless, the race starts and ends at Wormihghall airfield in Buckinghamshire (see map below).  Around 4k is run on the airfield and the rest is on the roads surrounding it.  It's not the most scenic, exciting or challenging, but it was still a good run for a Sunday morning.

There was a good turnout this morning of around 15 Roadrunners, and probably a couple of hundred others. It was not too hot, but  with thunderstorms forecast for later in the day it got gradually more humid, until rain started at about 11 o'clock.

My previous 10k runs at Eynsham, and at Windsor Triathlon were right on the button at 52 minutes, but I have been doing a lot of running over the past few months - mainly slower running with my various newcomers, but also a little speed work at the gym.  At the Oxford Motavation last week I managed 30:40, so on that basis - about 7:40 per mile / 4:50 per km - I was aiming for sub-48 minutes. This would be a significant increase over my previous times, but I guessed I could manage it.

I hit the first, second and third kilometre markers bang on the money at around 5 minutes per mile.  My aim was to stay at this pace, and stay with Jane for the first half of the race, then put in a faster second 5k.  My 5k time was 24:33, but I felt OK. 

At the water station just after 5k, I took on some water and almost by accident sped up a little to pass Jane.  Once past her I thought "might as well keep going", so I tried to keep a stronger pace.   I managed to kick past quite a few people over the next few kms. I had a bit of a 'funny' at around 7k, where I'd convinced myself that I'd already done 8k, and at that point I started to lose track of my time and what I needed to do to hit 48 minutes.

I hit the nine kilometre mark at 43:35 - only 4:25 to go.  I'd been starting to flag a little, but now had to put the hammer down for the last few hundred metres.  I wasn't sure I was going to make it, but I started to hear the finish-line crowd and managed to kick for a final time. 

I almost threw up on the finish line - again (am I doing something wrong here?!) - but was delighted to finish in 47:51.  It shows that the training is paying off - even the slow running must be helping, and hopefully I'll start to catch some of the real ERR runners who can do sub-40 minutes. Perhaps a little way to go before that, though.

]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/08/headington-10k.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/08/headington-10k.html Events Run events running Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:39:17 +0000
But I have no time! I'm busy packing - or at least thinking about packing - to head off to Paris by bicycle.  That's right, myself and 14 other fools will be cycling the roughly 350 miles from Eynsham to Paris starting on Friday. We're aiming to arrive in Gay Paris on Monday, and with Le Tour in full swing by then we're hoping for a good welcome as we roll into town in our Eynsham Road Runners cycling jerseys! 

But I witter.. I must go now, but wanted to say à bientôt before I went.  I will be trying to do some blogging or photo logging whilst I'm away, so you might hear more from me.  At the very least I will do something with my Facebook profile.  And I'm possibly going to be using Bliin to track my progress (on my brand new Nokia phone - that I won at the Windsor triathlon! But that's another story, which I don't have time for!), so you may or may not be able to see my current location on the trip by checking out my bliin.com homepage, and/or on the image below.

]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/07/a-quick-update-then-vive-la-fr.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/07/a-quick-update-then-vive-la-fr.html Bike Events cycling events Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:43:58 +0000 Rosie, Katie and Roger are running the Race for Life and Run for Moore in Oxford South Parks (Katie at Silverstone racetrack), and I've got the Blenheim Triathlon.  

It's their first running event, and I'm sure they're all a bit nervous - I'm nervous for them!  But I know they'll all do really well - I'm expecting Roger to do a sub-30 minute 5k (maybe even 25 minutes?), and Rosie and Katie won't be too far behind.

Blenheim is one of my races from last year so I have something to compare against. I'm definitely much stronger this year and should be able improve on my rather pitiful 34 minute "run".  Overall I think I can shave 20 minutes off last year's time.  With Sophie and parents in attendance, and a new Oxford Tri club tri-suit to show off, I am hoping to perform well.

Good luck to all us!

]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/06/big-weekend-ahead.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/06/big-weekend-ahead.html Events Run events running Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:57:53 +0000
If you want to know more, or want to take part, check out the website and find an event near you.  Go on, get on your bike.
]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/national-bike-week-2008.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/national-bike-week-2008.html Bike Events General cycling events Thu, 29 May 2008 18:50:47 +0000 many half-baked theories on what motivates me and might motivate other people.  Here are some of my recent ones:

1. Train with others
This is something that everyone who's ever trained in a group knows - training with others works you harder than training on your own.  Obviously, this assumes you're all of a similar level, and all training as opposed to just out for a gentle bike ride to the pub... On your own, it's easy to back off, tell yourself you've done enough, or get lost in the moment and forget you're meant to be training (my mind wanders terribly when I'm swimming, for instance). 

But if there are others around you will be able to challenge each other. One of you lifts off but the other will keep pushing, if your buddy sprints up the hill you have to follow them.  And these little races make all the difference in turning a mediocre session into one that will have you vomiting at the end.
]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/more-thoughts-on-motivation.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/more-thoughts-on-motivation.html Training gadgets motivation running swimming training Sat, 24 May 2008 13:32:07 +0000
Anyway, nuff said.  Map of the route here (it was 5k honestly, despite my poor measuring...)
]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/charndon-5k.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/charndon-5k.html Events Run events Wed, 21 May 2008 18:46:51 +0000
Although I've been doing more running this year, I'm not really pushing the distances.  I tend to do short, easy, 2 mile runs at lunchtime with work colleagues, and my gym runs are normally brick sessions combining a 40k cycle with a run.  These are normally only 5k runs at best because I'm hot, knackered and bored by this time.   Windsor is now only 4 weeks away so I'm getting nervous about the 10k run at the end and I just know I need to do some more and longer runs. 

It was a lovely sunny evening today and so I decided to go for a run.  Heading down to Cutteslowe Park's measured mile, my plan was to complete 10k (just over 6 laps). 
]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/another-mile-just-one-more-mil.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/another-mile-just-one-more-mil.html Run Training motivation training Tue, 13 May 2008 21:07:31 +0000 mere runner.
]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/busy-day-but-at-least-it-was-w.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/05/busy-day-but-at-least-it-was-w.html Training open water swimming training Sat, 10 May 2008 17:03:51 +0000 still waiting for their breakfast. Normally this is a bit of a rude awakening, but with only a half bottle of wine last night, I felt surprisingly chipper, and the clear, bright blue sky made me feel good about the day.  I decided to do something useful. 

Sophie had helpfully reminded me yesterday that I need to work some more on my swim if I'm going to survive Windsor, and as I brewed my cup of tea I realised I only have 8 weeks before my first swim (at Blenheim), and only 9 weeks before Windsor!  I had found my something useful.
]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/04/swim-training-be-careful-with.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/04/swim-training-be-careful-with.html Swim Training swimming training Sun, 13 Apr 2008 09:10:34 +0000
So I've been working up to the full distance over the past few weeks, in the hope that I can do a couple of trial Olympic distance bike/runs before the event, and I'm almost there.  I've increased my run distances significantly since September last year, and can now run about 12km before I completely fall apart. But I've really neglected my cycling and swimming. Swimming will have to wait for now, as today I did a brick session (bike and run), which this time I did as a 40km bike ride and a 5km run.  The run was a bit slower than I hoped (27m), but after a 40km ride I can forgive myself.   Brick sessions are great practice for the day because they teach your body how to cope with the bike/run transition, which I think is far and away the hardest part of the triathlon.  So I'm pleased I completed the whole lot in about 1.5 hours, and probably could have run a bit further ifI hadn't gotten bored.

Next time:full bike and run distance, then the lake at Cassington opens up in a few weeks so I can get back into the swimming practice!
]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/04/almost-ready-for-windsor.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/04/almost-ready-for-windsor.html Bike Run Training bike running training Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:59:40 +0000 boy was it an eye opener! No shortcuts, no fag-smoking bullies, no running in your underwear, and no hot tea and buns at the end (I didn't get these at school either but I was hoping for them today. In the end Lesley and Marie had to go off to get some teas for everyone).

Organised by Woodstock Harrier's running club, the event was held at Clanfield in Oxfordshire around a few farmer's fields.  Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perverse point of view), the weather had been 'rather inclement' over the past few days, and all night last night, so the ground was very wet and muddy.  I bought myself some new Mizuno Wave Ascend 3 since they're designed for trail running and are more grippy than my normal running shoes.

It was a relay-style race, and I was in a mixed team of 4 from Eynsham Road Runners (I'm finally an official member), with Jane, Linda and Anthony.  I was out first and so didn't really know what to expect.   The ground at the start was pretty muddy and claggy, so I was expecting it to be hard going, but I wasn't expecting 6-inch deep water around most of the course!  The rain held off for most of the way, but the wind really kicked in at the end and that was a real killer. 

It was good fun though, overall. As ever, it's always fun once you've finished.  I was happy with my 27:30 for the 3 mile course (it was meant to be 5k but they apparently cut it short because of the weather - no idea what they cut out though as they obviously didn't avoid any 'wet bits').  I'll definitely do more cross country (as Graham pointed out, I have 6 or so months to come up with an excuse before the season really takes off again!), but maybe next time I'll wear warmer clothes.


]]> http://www.tritastic.com/2008/03/clanfield-10k.html http://www.tritastic.com/2008/03/clanfield-10k.html Events Run events running Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:48:51 +0000