Featured

Soria, Spain – ITU European duathlon – Part 2

Travel arrangements went smoothly until we arrived at Madrid airport ! Locating the hire car and actually ploughing through the paper work in order to drive it away took an age and added to the anxiety of negotiating the motorway complex that surrrounds the city. I’m used to driving abroad but this was the biscuit. After two stops to redefine our route we went from heading north west back in to Madrid to go north east – our intended route! Yes I was a geography teacher and I do have a silver certificate in map reading but this is Spain !!!

The drive was however very pleasant with dual carriageway most of the way and some amazing landscapes, snow in the mountains with wall to wall sunshine! Let’s  forget the racing and relax. Arriving in Soria a little later than planned we quickly located the hotel and set out to explore the town. The weekend is a sporting festival and the flags and grandstand was in place creating a fantastic atmosphere in the main square where the start and finish area is. 

My early morning run to recce the course was like running a park run ! Lovely location and surroundings with some ups and downs. Registration was a breeze and the goody bag contained a rucksack and local food samples, so far all good and a leisurely walk along the river rounded off  an excellent first day.  However a few things to ponder on which Paul Jepcott will I’m sure recognise. The team GB website for the race is full of information but it’s also full of other competitors problems and anxieties. It’s enough controlling the monkey on your own shoulder let alone other people’s!  One thing is for sure Soria stands at over 1200m above sea level, the bike route follows the road to the mountains and it’s likely to be strong winds and possible rain on race day.

There were lots of stories about the local police giving heavy fines (150/200 euros) for speeding and illegal parking and the local restaurants didn’t actually provide the food needed by over 1000 athletes, all this adding to the fun and experience of my first international.

Race day:

With the first wave starting at 8.15am it was an early start and the hotel served a much needed breakfast from 4.30am. From there it was an easy walk to pick up the bike and access the transition  area. The triathletes amongst you will understand the care needed and the faff that takes place in racking the bike. The weather was warm no rain but the predicted 30mph headwind was gradually building. My plan was to run my normal 5k pace saving a bit for the uphill climb to transition, and so it worked out with a 23.04 run on a tough undulating zigzag course. Reaching T1 in 6th place and 3rd GB. The drama now begins and I was determined to give it all on the bike ! Riding out of Soria on the dual carriageway over the viaduct and along the motorway before the climb starts, at this point the elite ladies who started 3mins behind us, had caught up and I was able to cruise up the hill with them. On the return downhill the crosswind kicked in and looking at my speedo at 37mph it was a scary descent. A couple of lady riders were blown over,  fortunately no serious casualties but a lot of DFs.

I survived the bike ! And as Sue, Paul et al know ‘it’s all about the bike’ I had minimised the time loss as best I could and had a good T2 before the final 2.5k run. The jelly legs were fine and I managed to pick off a few more athletes in the final run in before turning in to the final 200m picking up my GB flag and crossing the finish line feeling I had given it my all on my GB debut.

I finished 7th in my age group – Spain 1st, France 2nd, GB 3rd – and was 4th Brit. Post race thoughts; I could have done better on the run and despite a big improvement on the bike I need to work harder in training. However a great honour to wear the vest and I’m now looking ahead to the ‘Worlds’ in august and hopefully more GB selections in the future. If you get the opportunity to be part of it take it ! 

Featured

My first ‘Team GB Age Group’ experience -part 1

So after 40 plus years of running and competing in over 600 races including 12 London Marathons, 20 Great North Runs, every Great Eastern Run and most events in between I now face the challenge and honour of competing for Team GB in the European Duathlon Championships. Following the qualifying event last year at Clumber Park it’s been a long wait, but finally the event in Soria, Spain is now very much real. Having competed in the European Masters Half Marathon in Portugal last year I have a fairly good idea what to expect. My training up to the event has included the Bedford Duathlon where I finished 2nd in my age group to qualify for the ‘Worlds’ in Canada later this year, a series of ‘brick sessions’ in training, regular local races and park runs and I now feel prepared to tackle the unknown course in Soria – about 3 hours drive from Madrid – in Spain.

My running form is good, thanks to a great training programme from Dave Tune at ‘Blizzard’ and hopefully this will give me a few extra minutes which I will need on the bike leg. Despite winter turbo training I’m still struggling to maintain form on the bike and is the reason I’m doing the sprint event and not the standard which running wise I think I would smash! The bike is on its way to Spain, my kit has arrived. A huge thank you to Richard Astle and Athene Communications for their support and to my family and friends for their enormous encouragement. The usual final week taper  niggles are here, tight legs, feeling yak and dehydrated. However a final massage from physio Glyn will I am sure send me off feeling as well prepared as I can be. So…Adiós por ahora más noticias más tarde.

IMG_0769

 

Master Runner

img_0776

Masters running is alive and strong! and I’m glad to be still part of it. As I approach age 70 I’m happy that I still have some hair although like running the changes are subtle hardly distinguishable from day to day but a look in the mirror  – or at the stop watch – says it all. I’m undeniably different and what used to be easy and taken for granted is now the stuff of dreams. But dreams continue to shape my running and my healthy lifestyle. Like balding the ageing effect on your running is nothing to be ashamed of.  in fact in the last few years Iv learnt more about my body and what it is capable of than the last 40 years.  Yes I get fatigued and the thought of running over 50 mile a week is ridiculous and would probably injure me. Mileage aside I just feel older, I’ve still got the energy but I’m more aware of being tired and recovery is much more important in my planning than before. Last Sunday I ran the Folksworth 15m road race and recorded a time 0f 1.57.04 to win the Vet 65 category. The race is renowned for the six hills runners have to overcome and is an ideal build up for spring marathons. It was perfect conditions, dry, still with no wind and cold but crisp. My target was a sub 2hour run so i knew 7.45 miling would get me there in a comfortable state. Going through 5 mile in 37.30 feeling comfortable in a nice pack of runners certainly helped the mental confidence. Ive learnt over the past few years to break down the race in to segments more and this helps me build the mental strength to complete races stronger. At the 10mile mark we hit 77.45 and all that was needed was a controlled run up the second to last hill with a bit of tempo running over the last 2 mile. Caldecote Hill is the nail in the coffin, starting at 14 mile it’s a steep incline before the half mile turn for the finish.  I was glad to see the finish line but well satisfied with my performance and the knowledge that coach Dave would be chuffed with the time. The last few days it’s been about recovery, stretching, a bit of strength work in the gym, swimming and power running in water and easy recovery runs. My next target is the Brighton Half Marathon next month. So look out for future blogs on masters running and how we can still reach the heights of good running as we grow older.

Gran Paradisio

IMG_2822Travelling south by train I received a phone call from Tom at Jagged Globe to say that Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe,had been closed to climbers due to the conditions created by the extreme hot weather. My heart sank as my target for the past 6 months had been taken away from me. Little was I to know that just over one week later I would be experiencing an almighty high on the summit of Gran Paradisio, the highest mountain in Italy. Continue reading “Gran Paradisio” →

Sporting and Outdoor Achievements

Team GB Age group Duathlon – European Championships – Spain 2017

Represented GB in Portugal 2016 – European Masters Champs

Ran 12 London Marathons

Ran 70 Half Marathons including 23 Great north Runs

The only person to have ran all 29  Great Eastern Runs

PB Marathon time 3.06.19

PB Half marathon time 1.19.55

FA Coach

UKA Coach

Youth Development Manager at Peterborough United F.C. 1980 – 86

Mountain Leader Certificate

Trekked to Everest Base Camp/ Kala Patar 2008

Tour Du Mont Blanc 2014

Educational Achievements

Over 40 years working in in schools and academies including:

Deputy Principal at Sir Harry Smith Academy 1993- 2001

Principal at  Bushfield Community College 2001- 2009

Principal at Ormiston Bushfield Academy 2009 -2014

Executive Principal Ormiston Bushfield Academy 2014 –

National Professional Qualification Headship (NPQH) 1999

Executive Headship Diploma 2010

NPQH Training Facilitator

Scottish Winter Mountaineering

What a gem of a week this was.
12 fit(ish) men and women Under the careful watch of three excellent leaders survived this incredible week of skill, techniques and above all physical and mental challenge. Given the tough Scottish winter weather and severe wind chill, conditions were very challenging which made it all the more satisfying when our week was completed. The start of the course involved briefing on equipment and basic mountain skills and an understanding of what we might expect in the terrain around Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. Continue reading “Scottish Winter Mountaineering” →

Is This The End, or Just The Beginning

In July I completed 40 years working in secondary schools. I began my career in 1974 as a PE teacher in a large secondary school, since then I have worked in three schools as Head of PE, Head of Humanities, Deputy Principal and Principal of both a community college and an Academy. During the last 40 years I have had the pleasure to meet and work with some outstanding professionals and a huge number of young people who have been both inspiring and enlightening in their attitudes and desire to want to succeed. I would like to think I have provided advice, support, knowledge and an understanding of not only the subjects I taught but also about life itself. Outside of my vocation I have always been involved in sport, playing, coaching and managing football, running, walking and more recently cycling. So after 40 years teaching and at 63 years of age what happens next? Do I slip into retirement, hang up my boots and accept the onset of dementia? Not a chance! The bills and taxes are paid. Life is a marathon and the time and physical investment I have put in to maintaining my level of fitness over the last 40 or so years now needs to be well spent. My enthusiasm for challenge, my ambition, and determination to continue to get the most out of life is my driving force and aspiration. The intentions are to embrace the time I now have and these are just a sample of my aspirations:

· Continue to work on a consultancy basis supporting the development of new educational initiatives.
· Work with the Youth Sports Trust on developing the impact of sport on student attainment.
· Maintain my sport schedule running races; cycling sportives; duathlons (the national age rankings beckons!)
· Work my way through the bucket list I have accumulated of places to visit.
· Begin the challenges I have longed to do including; Walking the Pennine Way; Trekking to Mera Peak; Climbing some Munros; cycling the coast to coast.
If this in inspires others young or old then that is a bonus, I know from years working with people of all ages that that initial motivation and drive comes from an inspirational role model. Life is tough, lifestyles are changing, the world gets smaller and technology and social media are taking over. We need to seek out our individuality, our inner self and find the mojo that makes us all unique.

I feel privileged and I suppose slightly lucky to be in a physical condition to be able to keep challenging and pushing myself. The adrenalin rush and need to exercise and take part in competitions has never left me I have come to the conclusion this love of sport, life and adventure will be with me forever.
So as the saying goes watch this space! Whether its micro adventures, trips overseas or beating that Saturday Park Run PB let the new life begin.