I entered the Bedford Priory sprint triathlon on Sunday which consisted of a 750m swim at Priory Country Park, a 21.4k cycle round a fairly familiar route through Cardington, Old Warden, Northill & Cople and a 5k run twice round the lake.
It was a bit of a disaster to be honest. I don’t know exactly what went wrong but I seemed to have forgotten how to swim and had to take regular breaks and alternate with breaststroke for a while. After only 100 metres I had my first thought of retiring; a thought which recurred a few times throughout the next hour and a half.
The small field quickly got so far ahead that I had some difficulty following the right way and I was actually the very last one out of the lake. I then had a fairly lonely bike ride although I was overtaken by the leading contenders in the middle distance triathlon who had first swam 1900 metres.
By the run I had lost motivation although I don’t think I could have gone a lot quicker anyway. I was quite surprised to finish as high as I did (17th out of 24 - top 20, best triathlon placing!!) – though I suspect that a couple of those I finished ahead of took a wrong turn on the bike leg because I don’t recall overtaking as many as 7 after the swim.
My overall time was 1:39:11 (22.41 swim!, 45.16 bike, 28.31 run + 2.42 transition). Bit more swimming practice needed before the next one I think.
Steve
Thursday 28 May 2015
Westminster Mile - 24th May 2015
The race was a 1 mile dash around St James Park starting on The Mall and finishing outside Buckingham Palace. The event was well planned out with a series of races throughout the day. The volunteers and supporters were all first class.
Our times were:
Liam Ko 6:38 459th out of 2,167
Les Potts 7:15 641st
Lovely Serbian Colleague 7:57 1,074th
Whilst a long way to go for such a short race the combination of live music all day, lunch provided by Sweatshop, and the great weather gave this event a real festival atmosphere and was really enjoyable, and a must do in 2016.
Les
Sunday 17 May 2015
Marholm Sportive - 17 May 2015
It was day out time for Steve Clough and I this morning as we went off up the A1 for the 5th Marholm Sportive. A small but popular event based at a small village just north of Peterborough. The event sold out with 400 entrants taking part over 50, 70 and 100 mile routes. Steve and I elected to do the 70 mile route.
When we arrived it was a very pleasant morning, apart from a brisk wind from the West. The dry weather and the sunshine were welcome but the wind, especially from that direction really was not! The route map made it clear that nearly all of the first half of the ride would be into the wind. Sadly this proved to be the case and much of the first half was something of a leg sapping slog.
After 40 miles we finally turned southward and were no longer riding into a headwind. This was welcome but sadly the two biggest and longest hills were between 40 and 50 miles.
The route guide suggested that the climbing involved was about 2,200 feet. This must have been a ploy to get people to enter as my Garmin tells me it was actually over 3,200 feet, as my legs are happy to testify.
Whilst this all sounds rather depressing it really wasn't but it was good to finally get a shift on from the second feed station at 51 miles. Despite tired legs we were largely heading downwind and we were regularly hitting well over 20 mph on flat sections.
In the end we were both very pleased to get back to the village hall for free home made cakes and tea/coffee and also very pleased to finish the 71.5 miles in a riding time of 4 hours 20 minutes and an average speed of 16.5mph.
Oh, and I should also mention that this was Steve's longest ever bike ride by over 11 miles.
Chris
When we arrived it was a very pleasant morning, apart from a brisk wind from the West. The dry weather and the sunshine were welcome but the wind, especially from that direction really was not! The route map made it clear that nearly all of the first half of the ride would be into the wind. Sadly this proved to be the case and much of the first half was something of a leg sapping slog.
After 40 miles we finally turned southward and were no longer riding into a headwind. This was welcome but sadly the two biggest and longest hills were between 40 and 50 miles.
The route guide suggested that the climbing involved was about 2,200 feet. This must have been a ploy to get people to enter as my Garmin tells me it was actually over 3,200 feet, as my legs are happy to testify.
Whilst this all sounds rather depressing it really wasn't but it was good to finally get a shift on from the second feed station at 51 miles. Despite tired legs we were largely heading downwind and we were regularly hitting well over 20 mph on flat sections.
In the end we were both very pleased to get back to the village hall for free home made cakes and tea/coffee and also very pleased to finish the 71.5 miles in a riding time of 4 hours 20 minutes and an average speed of 16.5mph.
Oh, and I should also mention that this was Steve's longest ever bike ride by over 11 miles.
Chris
Bedford Parkrun - 16 May 2015
Yesterday was a very pleasant day out in Bedford Park and it appears 341 runners agreed. This is is a record turnout for Bedford Parkrun and we had 2 Olympians in the field as well as Martin and Liz Yelling were running.
Martin (a double Olympian steeplechaser) finished in second place in a time of 18.28, which doesn't sound that great until you discover he was pushing a child in a buggy! Liz finished not far behind in 10th place a time of 19.12.
WE had 3 Flitwick Tri runners in the field and Les Potts and Pete Jones were also there as volunteers.
Our times were:
Ellen Wright 286th in 33.04
Chris Wright 287th in 33.17
Sian Jones 319th in 38.09
Well done all.
Martin (a double Olympian steeplechaser) finished in second place in a time of 18.28, which doesn't sound that great until you discover he was pushing a child in a buggy! Liz finished not far behind in 10th place a time of 19.12.
WE had 3 Flitwick Tri runners in the field and Les Potts and Pete Jones were also there as volunteers.
Our times were:
Ellen Wright 286th in 33.04
Chris Wright 287th in 33.17
Sian Jones 319th in 38.09
Well done all.
Saturday 2 May 2015
Luton Wardown Parkrun - 02/05/15
The Jones family had a day out at the Luton Wardown Parkrun this morning. This means Pete has taken part in all 3 of Luton Wardown Parkruns and for the second week running he has had a PB.
There were 175 people taking part and the Jones family's results were:
Pete Jones 58th in 25.30
Fiona Jones 79th in 27.37
Sian Jones 159th in 36.58
There were 175 people taking part and the Jones family's results were:
Pete Jones 58th in 25.30
Fiona Jones 79th in 27.37
Sian Jones 159th in 36.58
Bedford Parkrun - 02.05.15
This morning Ellen came with me to Bedford Parkrun as she has decided to take part in the Race For Life in the summer.
As it turned out it was the 200th Bedford Parkrun so there were lots of runners in fancy dress and goodies at the end. There was also a very good turnout with 313 runners taking part.
I ran with Ellen and she managed to finish in 276th place in a time of 33.42 with me just behind in 277th place in a time of 33.29.
Chris
As it turned out it was the 200th Bedford Parkrun so there were lots of runners in fancy dress and goodies at the end. There was also a very good turnout with 313 runners taking part.
I ran with Ellen and she managed to finish in 276th place in a time of 33.42 with me just behind in 277th place in a time of 33.29.
Chris
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