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The Season Begins At Last
The Race season seems to get longer every year!!
Here we go again then. After what seems to have been an absolute grind of a winter, there is light at the end of the tunnel. In the last two weeks I have started to feel a little more like the old Joe, sessions have been flowing, numbers have been good and the weight has finally started to come off. I've had a watt bike test where the numbers were better than last year and the Power Meter is due to be fitted onto the DA in the next couple of weeks so a brave new world of training and racing to power awaits!!
March is going to be a very busy month for me. As well as the usual training day in day out, I'm competing in three of the four weekends. Sunday the 8th sees me returning to the first multisport event I ever entered, the brutal but fun Parbold Duathlon. For those who aren't familiar with the event both run sections are are 3.2 miles in length, hilly and take place entirely on rural roads. The Bike This is where the course gets more fun, 16.8 miles in length and made up of 3 laps of a 5.6 miles. Hidden along the route is the monster known as Parbold Hill, which will try to destroy your legs on each one of your 3 laps. As per usual the talent at the race is exceptional, with a lot of top guys all looking for a good early season test and believe me they will get one on this course. As for myself, in my current phase of training preparing for Lanzarote, a top 20 finish would keep me in good spirits!!
15th and the Firefighters 2up Duathlon. Here me and my good mate Andy Turner will be defending our title as the National Fire Service Duathlon champs after winning the Fire Fighters race in 2014 as well as finishing 5th overall. What makes this event a little more interesting is its unique format which requires teams of 2 to compete together throughout the event. You and your partner must run together and cycle together and the rules stipulate that you must remain within 20m of each other at all times. During the cycle section, drafting between you and your partner is allowed however you cannot draft other teams.
The Run Both run sections are identical and mega hilly. The bike route is 37.2k in length and within a few minutes of being on your bike you will get chance to get the blood pumping by tackling the infamous Sheep House Lane. As you get to Chorley we turn you into the lumpy country lanes and sneak you over to the devil known as the Anglezarke climb. If you had any strength left in your legs then this little monster should sort out the men (& women) from the boys! I feel me and Andy are gonna have to do something special to retain the title this year as the event has attracted a lot of top pairings all capable of winning the race on the day, but as you all should know by now we won't go down without a fight. One of my favorite lines in The Breakout Kings is 'Yes you may eventually win the fight and put me on my ass, but trust me, I will do some damage' this is how we will be racing!!
Finally, I have a small matter of the Gin Pit Marathons on the 21st & 22nd of March. I was second here last season beaten by only 2 minutes over the two days by top class marathon runner and all round decent chap Phip Eccleston from Burnden Road Runners. Now again, to get anywhere near Phil this year will be a massive achievement. As I am writing this I hear Phil has just won the Blackpool 10K, so a big well done to him, also good old Adam keeps telling me how well he is running, like I said to Adam if you can't win the race make sure the guy who does knows he's been in one!! I feel I can run a little quicker than last season as running seems to have been a lot better in training all winter with some really good splits being posted. I think mainly to the efforts of Gavin and Webby at work (they know why, cheers chaps and well done).
That's the next few weeks. So to this weekend and the Nova 25 mile 2up Time trial, the first time I've ridden the DA since Kona. I rode with Adam and didn't have too many expectations against the 'clock bashers' also in the race were the 'old gits' Mr Rainford and Mercer, both of whom are quality time trialists. Long story short Chris and Neil were flying up to Neil getting a puncture, I swear if there was no bad luck Neil would have no luck at all, Chris finished the ride alone to post a time of 59:46, which would have put him 8th overall, good going in the windy conditions on an undulating course. As for Neil use the bad luck up now mate, you're season is gonna be great and I for one can't wait to see you ripping it up at IMUK this year x
As for me and Adam (in his first TT) things didn't go according to plan. Simply put, we set off too fast and couldn't keep the pace we set. A big mistake in Time trialing. Every hill was hurting Adam and we had to knock the pace down somewhat. Adam Was gutted, but as I said to him he had 65 mins at lactate threshold or thereabouts, he has had a taste of Time trialing and I got to play out on the DA, which I always enjoy. Take the day as it was meant, training!! 16th overall with 56 pairs competing. Not ideal, but, from a personal point of view very encouraging knowing there was a lot left to give so I must be in reasonable shape!
Finally. We are putting on a night of all things Ironman. Mark Laithwaite, Neil Mercer, Chris Rainford and Myself are hopefully going to share a little bit of our knowledge about the sport we all love dearly. All the proceeds are going to the charity Children With Cancer we are just happy to be raising a bit of money for charity and hopefully help people through one of the toughest one day challenges on the planet a little less battered!!!! There are less than 100 places left and all tickets must be purchased from www.aneveningofironman.co.uk
Hopefully I'll see you there if not before
Joe D
