Dirty Dirty Dash

The hope for better weather for the Dirty Dash – the last event of the Midland Off Road Series duathlon and accompanying 10K runs – were well and truly scuppered with the perfectly-timed arrival of freezing, wet and dispiritingly grey conditions; complete with an early-morning smatter of totally unpredicted slushy snow.

The National Watersports Centre near Nottingham was the venue and Both Mick W and Rosie Wigg report that the normal pre-race buzz of excited tension was utterly lacking: replaced instead by a general air of competitor bewilderment and a definite collective sense of ‘what an earth am I doing here?’

Competitors were right to fear the conditions. It was absolutely freezing cold, wet, incredibly muddy and, as events progressed, carved up into something akin to an assault course. Fingers and feet simply could not be felt and slips, falls and bike crashes were a quickly-normalised part of the routine.

Nonetheless, both Go Veggies braved the day well with Rose managing top third of the field finishes both overall and in age group in the 10K run whilst Mick – putting in his usual strong bike leg plus a very well paced second run – slogged to a 3/26 position in age category and 25/189 overall in the duathlon.

Mick’s consistency also meant he secured a 3^rd position in the three-round-series overall.

The Truly Evil Sheriff

The Evil Sheriff off road duathlon (Run 5K / Bike 20K / Run 3.6K) was the second out of three events in the Midlands Off Road Duathlon Series and, like last year, it well and truly lived up to its name with foul weather mentally defeating many competitors before the event even started. Mick W was the Go Veggie in action and thanks to an absolutely storming bike leg – during the course of which, thanks to the filthy-grinding-paste conditions, a full set of brake pads were destroyed – Mick improved on his best-yet overall position in this series and finished 23/229 taking an age group 4^th place to boot.

On the back of the duathlon events, the organisers also promote a very popular 10K trail race series. This particular round featured the Robin Hood 10K and a returning-from-injury Rosie Wigg on the start line. Though nervous because of a lack of training and competition, Rose nevertheless put in a good solid performance taking a 27/151 in age category and a top-third-of-the-field overall finish.

The last in the series of both races follows soon and will see both in action again; hopefully with slightly better weather – this round looked truly awful.

Man and smelly van

Steve C and Len had a campervan weekend away last weekend and took a steady part in the tough Trail Betws, a 10km event, a race that also accommodated a separate canicross event in the rugged and pretty Betws-y-Coed area. Steve is recovering from recent maladies and so purposefully took the event at a steady-for-him-and-Len pace, which still saw them far from the bottom end of the field. In typical fashion, and just for recreation, they both also ran the following day in the rain, just to be out and about and make the most of the road trip. Steve reports the combination of foul weather and wet dog did little for the camper’s olfactory appeal…

Transition 3

As autumn progresses, the nature of multisport events changes: traditional triathlon winds down to be replaced by events like cross duathlon. Essentially, from about mid-October, things get thoroughly wet and filthy.

Accordingly, Steve W bowed out of this year’s competitions a couple of weekends ago with an age group win and fourth overall in the South Hunsley Sprint triathlon (swim 400m / bike 24km / run 5km). This brought Steve’s 2015 undefeated-in-age-group streak to a total of 12 out of 12: quite some achievement, and one he’s never previously accomplished. Indeed, it’s quite possibly an achievement that very few triathletes have ever accomplished.

As is becoming tradition, as puddle-avoider Steve quietly slides into hibernation, his brother, mud-plugger Mick comes to the fore.

Clumber Park was the venue for the first in a series of three Nottinghamshire-based off-road duathlons on Saturday 17^th October and duly saw Mick on the start line. The event comprised a run of 5km followed by an MTB leg of 17km and a final rubber-legged run of 3km, all of it through the forests and heaths of the splendid venue.

Mick’s finishing time of 1:20:52 was only 82 seconds from a second place in age category but as competition was so unusually tight, Mick came away frustrated with his 6/30 age group and 32/204 overall result. He also came away with a grim determination to speed up his transitions and to concentrate on some brick training (specifically, training to run fast after a hard bike session – something that’s much more difficult than you might imagine).

The second in the series is soon; we await results with interest…

Parkrun PBs

Recent weeks have seen many Go Veggies competing in various park runs including Nostell Priory, Pontefract, Thornes Park, Doncaster and Rother Valley.

Highlights have been two consecutive PBs for Mick W and a season’s best time for Rosie Wigg.

Mick first lowered his park run PB to 19:51 at Pontefract and then dropped into the low 19s with a 19:27 at Rother Valley. Altogether Mick’s form is looking good as his main off-road duathlon targets for the season loom into view.

Recreational pain

Steve C has raced a couple of times in recent weeks. The first outing saw him accompanied by Len (pic) in the Trail 26 organised 10K trail race, run off through Cheshire’s largest forest: Delamere. The event is notorious for some killer up hill sections and twisty, muddy, root infested technical descents. Steve reported Len was on top form and stormed it – dragging his unwitting human ‘leader’ to a top-third-of-the-field overall finish and some pretty significantly strained calves.

In his second outing, a sea-swim based triathlon that Steve has been building towards for some time, things didn’t go so well. At the briefing, competitors were told by the organiser that water temperature was 14-15 degrees but - upon starting - Steve felt they were mistaken and it was actually much colder as he encountered tell-tale tingling sensations in his face. The effect, oddly, continued onto the bike leg but then took a sinister turn when he also started to suffer from breathlessness and shooting pains. Fearing the worst, Steve retired after one lap of the bike course where an obviously concerned medic asked him if he required attention. Steve, being Steve, declined; only to be met with a query from the medic: “Not even for those jellyfish stings all over your face”…

Relief, disappointment, and pain, all in one alergic hit!

Final Trunce 2015

The last Trunce of this year was run off last Monday and delivered a bit of a sting in the tail. Regular readers will know this tough multi terrain race is really a fell race in disguise, complete with three river crossings that are sometimes thigh deep, plus two ridiculously hard ascents that - unsurprisingly - also mean ridiculously hard descents: one of which is particularly technical and tricky.

Add Monday’s appalling weather conditions of persistent rain and wind and you can imagine the fun.

Nonetheless, Mick W and Rosie Wigg got stuck in and took it on. Rose (pic) made it round pain free after a year of niggling injury and was very encouraged. This bodes well for a full racing return – here’s hoping.

Mick, meanwhile came off second best to the course this time round by taking a hard tumble on the troublesome descent. In spite of a pretty substantial knock to his wrist he grimaced on to a top 30 overall finish. This was the first time in 8 consecutive Trunces that Mick didn’t improve on his course best. His run of PBs have been an extraordinary achievement and who knows, but for the fall, it might have continued.

Mick’s consistency delivered some consolation though, he managed a 12^th Veteran finish in the overall series for 2015 which, given the level of competition in this event, is absolutely superb.

Ten out of ten

Steve W and Emma S made the most of the fair September weather with a joint assault on the Epworth End of Season Sprint Triathlon (swim 400m / bike 20K / Run 5K) last Sunday. Both performed well with Emma taking a 3^rd place in her age group in spite of many months off the multisport scene due to niggling injuries.

Steve, meanwhile racked up another age group win and an impressive 4^th position overall. This was Steve’s tenth consecutive age group victory meaning he maintains his unblemished 100% 2015 record. In all ten triathlons he’s entered this year he’s won his age group – he’s also finished in the top ten in the overall field (a frankly amazing) nine times.

Steve didn’t even take up triathlon until well into his 40s, it would have been interesting to see how he’d have performed at about half his current age. We reckon he might have been pretty quick.

Seeking out the tough stuff

The past few weekends have seen Steve C in pretty serious preparation for an upcoming triathlon. First 'training race' up was the Prudent Riverside Half Marathon in Lancaster on Sunday 16th August. Steve reported a pleasant location for the run which was mostly based on a path the River Lune but a slightly less pleasant experience overall as the dreaded longer-distance-fatigue started to creep in towards the back end of the race.

Last weekend saw a change in discipline with Steve taking on the 90km Winking Sheep cyclo-sportive based around the notoriously steep and twisting hills of Teessdale in the North Pennines. The organisers made full use of the testing countryside incorporating some genuinely lung-busting ascents with an number of frankly scary 80 kilometre per hour dry-stone-wall-lined twisty descents.

Steve finished the beautifully-backdropped challenge exhausted but upright and did the honourable thing of sinking the free-to-all-finishers bottle of Winking Sheep Ale even before the sunglasses came off. Hardcore.

London today, Wales tomorrow

Will T was in Olympic distance triathlon action at London’s Canary Wharf over the weekend of 8th/9th August.

A series of races over the course of the two day event essentially means this meeting can boast the title of the world’s largest triathlon: to give some idea of scale, 13,000 competitors and 30,000 spectators were in attendance.

Will took to the 1500m River Thames based swim along with about 500 others ensuring something of an initial thrash before the field strung out and competitors found their pace. Coming out of the water in just over 31 minutes, he then took to the 40 kilometre bike section on the unusual choice of a folding bike. This deservingly proved something of a minor celebrity with fellow competitors and spectators alike. A first-lap-unshipped-chain incident didn’t slow Will too much and at about the 2 hour mark he took to the final leg: the 10K run.

Conditions were hot and oppressive but the cheering crowds encouraged good pace and Will completed the three lap run for a total finish time of 2:47 – well under his 3:00hr target.

An impending move will soon see Will leaving his flat where storage space is limited (hence the folding bike) and the delivery of a more conventional race bike: something that will definitely come into it’s own as Will prepares for next year’s Ironman Wales.

Altogether a solid performance in this, Will’s first year of triathlon competition. The move to full Ironman distance so soon after taking up multisport is the stuff of tough competitors. Watch this space…

Trunce VIII

Rose(farah)W back in action at the Trunce on Monday night.

Following the recent flash floods it was expected that the river would be bursting it's banks and the event organiser even went to the trouble of  taking a rope to assist the crossing. Unbelievably, there was barely ant water to be seen! Not sure where it all went but it made the course fast and grippy. Rose finished with a course, year best time of  42:41.

Mick W took advantage of the conditions to produce a course best time of 31:02 position 30/228 and is slowly incrementing towards the highly respected sub 30:00 club.

A trip across the border, parkrun in South Yorkshire

Rose and Mick participated in some parkrun tourism at Doncaster in an effort to fly the GV flag in the absence of our Sandall Park regulars.

This was the second consecutive parkrun for Rose following the road to recovery. Success with a 6/45 female finish and injury free to boot. Mick was seven seconds shy of a 5k PB with a years best time 20:02, an age category 1st and 8th overall.

Recent Roundup

It's been a busy week or so and GV members have been competing far and wide.

Steve C - in working his way back up to longer triathlon distances - took part in the 106km Cherwell Cyclosportive based around Bicester. Being the endurance machine that he is, he steadfastly toughed out the event - in spite of the organisers succesfully grinding down participants with some unrelenting 'rolling' terrain.

At the other end of the UK, Will T took the GV colours north of the border in taking on the Loch Lomond Aquathlon (750m swim / 5K bike). This is probably the first time a GV member has raced in Scotland - great stuff, Will.

Steve W was in triathlon action at the Hatfield Sprint event (759m swim / 22K bike / 5K run) and continued his good run of results of late with and age group win and 2nd place overall. Steve (pic) was leading coming off the bike leg but could do nothing to stay with the eventual winner who, unfortunately for Steve, was a regular 32min 10K runner.

In parkruns, meanwhile, Claire W and Mick W have been flying the flag at Pontefract and Nostell Priory. News is that Emma S and Rosie Wigg are hoping to rejoin the parkrun scene very soon after both being out with injury for way too long. Good luck to both!

3 in 3 and 3 in 1

3 in 3

This harmless enough and undeniably catchy title was really all about suffering; the reality behind the snappy headline meant racing three events over the course of three consecutive days. And the events weren't easy.

For those up for the challenge, here was the itinerary:

Saturday 11th July, Thurlston Chase cross country race, 4 miles including 420ft of ascent

Sunday 12th July, Broomhead Chase fell race, 3.5 miles including 800ft of ascent
Monday 13th July, The Trunce mixed terrain fell race, 3.8 miles including 540ft of ascent

Mick W, becoming increasingly known for bonkers challenges, decided it would be a good idea to attempt the challenge and so, armed with calf guards and ice packs, did just that.

Not only was he one of only 25 people to manage all three events, he did well too. 2 x top 20 finishes and a course PB on the Trunce day (shouldn't be possible on the back of two days racing) were the reward. Respect!



3 in 1

Nowhere near as body-breaking as Mick's effort was Steve W's flurry with the well organised Lincolnshire Edge triathlon on Sunday 12th July (Swim 750m / Bike 25K / Run 5K). This was the first running of this particular event and featured Cadney Reservoir (splendidly situated in the very peaceful North Lincolnshire countryside) as the swim venue. The reservoir made for an interesting swim leg as it teemed with short strands of algae suspended at every depth - but such was the visibility that this was all that competitors could see. Once swimming the algal blooms made for an extremely disorientating Doctor-Who-time-tunnel effect. Fair to say that one of the 'attractions' of competitions that involve an open water swim is that there's nearly always something weird and new to contend with - often something alive!

Steve managed the swim in reasonable-for-him fashion and - following the absolutely 100% necessary assitance to exit up the algae-infested-comedy-slide (aka the exit ramp) - dropped into his usual strong bike form to climb well up field meaning he ws able to begin the run section in 3rd position overall. Losing only one place on the run itself ultimately resulted in an age group win and 4th place overall.

Random Roundup

Parkruns have featured strongly again this past week with GV members Claire W, Steve W, Emma S and Mick W hitting Temple Newsam, Doncaster, and Nostell Priory.

Continuing the theme, running has been the most popular recent pursuit with Steve W competing in the Darrington 5 mile road race and Mick W and Emma S (coming back after injury) taking on the 5.3 mile multi-terrain Ackworth Road Runners / Goole Viking Striders handicap event based on the picturesque Anglers' Country Park near Wakefield. Both events were run off in swelteringly hot conditions which should have - but didn't - deter Mick from running to the start of his event, and then home again afterwards; making the whole round trip somewhere around the 10 mile mark. 10 miles in 30 degrees C and almost 100% humidity is beyond the call of duty. Probably the best performance of the week was with Steve in the Darrington event with an 11/195 overall finishing position.

In non-running news, Steve C once again bobbed to the surface miles from nowhere when he took part in the Bantham Swoosh, an Outdoor Swimming Society organised event which entails a 6km swim amongst spectacular scenery down the River Avon in Devon, finishing in the sea at the river's mouth on a pretty beach (or - dependent on flow - just as likely a good way towards Ireland). The event is so named as it is supposed to include a really fast latter section where current and tide conspire to jettison the participants along like some kind of huge and utterly uncontrolled-in-any-way theme park ride - a particularly muddy, choppy, and salty one!

In spite of clocking the 6km in 95 minutes Steve reportedly didn't encounter much of a swoosh, but did thoroughly enjoy the experience.

Allerthorpe Sprint Triathlon

Steve W and Emma S both took part in the Allerthorpe Sprint Tri on Sunday (Swim 750m / Bike 20K / Run 5K). This is a well organised event and both Go Veggies present have competed in previous years; so had a good idea of what to expect. Though it's a pretty straightforward event as far as the bike and run go, the swim is a bit of a tricky one. It's tricky because the swim is in a relatively small, shallow, silty lake which, in order to achieve a 750m course, requires racers to complete a couple of circuits. The silt means visibility is non-existent and the multi-laps means lots of turns and marker buoys, and literally dozens of competitors all trying to swim in the very same bit of water at the very same time. Suffice to say it's a bumpy ride!

Steve negotiated the swim with only a handful of dunkings but Emma definitely got caught up in traffic. Fortunately Emma's relatively strong bike and run meant she made up many places and finished credibly in the top half of her age group category.

Meanwhile, with the benefit of a reasonably clean swim, Steve made his usual huge gains on the bike and held on in the run for an age group win and a top 20 position overall - not bad considering the quality of the field and a super-abundance of team GBR age-group racers of approximately half his age.

You did what?...

Steve C was back in truly-bonkers-event mode this past weekend with his assault on the Tour of Tameside, a legendary event with an impressive history.

Basically, the event comprises three consecutive days of full-on racing beginning with a six mile fell race on Friday followed by a trail half marathon on Saturday, and then a 7 mile pure road race on Sunday. Runners who take on all three stages of the event essentially run the distance of a full marathon over the course of the three days.

Of course, it's arguably harder than a pure marathon as racing on tired legs and with a broken body that is screaming for a rest is hard enough, but when you consider how each stage is designed to tax different muscle groups and energy systems, the true horror of just how tough it is starts to dawn...

Steve is no stranger to doing it tough, though, and has all sorts of mental techniques at his disposal - earned through years of experience of doing events like this - to help defeat the incessant pain and grind. Not only did he complete all three stages, but managed to finish well up the field in the fell race section making time with a super-fast descent of some genuinely ankle-snapping terrain (pic). The eyes give away the fact that you have to be able to think the pain away...

Recent Running Reports

Once again members have been busy with parkruns. Claire W has been our most prolific representative with appearances at Pontefract and Temple Newsam whilst Steve W and Mick W have flown the flag at Doncaster and Nostell Priory. Mick managed a Nostell Priory PB and Steve a Doncaster age win and 4th overall, finishing within 30 seconds of the winner.

It's fair to say that Mick (pic) has been a bit of a running machine this past week or so with appearances at the latest Trunce and also at the Sandall Beat 10K trail race: a fairly flat but sometimes-tricky-underfoot affair run through fields and woodland not very far from Doncaster town centre. He continues to improve - having only started running in earnest a couple of years ago - with an improvement in his previous best Trunce time and a new 10K PB - notwithstanding the trail. Mick could, on current form, almost certainly dip sub 40 minutes on a flattish road-based 10K.

In other news we look forward to the imminent return of far too many of our members currently nursing run-based injuries.

Jon the Half Outlaw

Jon Z was again in confounding form on Sunday (31st May) when he took on the infamous Outlaw Half Middle Distance Triathlon (swim 1.2 miles / bike 56 miles / run 13.1 miles).

A slight 'medical issues' quibble with the organisers saw him successfully making a case that in spite of his pacemaker and carbon fibre heart valve, he should be allowed to compete; not a conversation most people have to undertake just before a mammoth effort!

The weather didn't help with pre-race hassle either, with unseasonably torrential rain and strong winds seeing Jon, and most others, donning their wetsuits in-vehicle before bravely stepping out to face the truly miserable 'early summer' day.

In spite of it all, Jon not only completed the gruelling distance in 6:34:44, but only just missed the podium in his age group. He also finished 754th out of a total of 1052 finishers. Rates of attrition were high with a total of 38 competitors withdrawing, unable to make the full distance.

Not content with simply competing, Jon also raised the significant sum of approximately £5,500 in aid of South Tees Hospitals Charity; it was this trust that helped Jon through his surgery and continue to do sterling work with him and many others.

Forrest Coote - the man never stops...

We had representation at three parkruns this weekend with Claire W, Steve C and Mick W all flying the flag at venues spread across: Pontefract, South Manchester, and Nostell Priory. Great to see Steve C back in parkrun mode even if the short distance was a shock to his well-honed 'ultra' system. In fact, Steve being Steve wasn't happy with the mere eye-bulging 5K effort and the same afternoon, accompanied by Len, toddled off to the Peaks, where, after the small matter of running Chrome Hill, continued with even more running and general dog-led-endurance-effort frivolity the morning after around the Longshawe Estate.

Meanwhile, in multisport action, Steve W competed in the Newmarket Sprint Triathlon (300m swim / 22K bike / 4K run) and had a decent showing. This breakdown of distances suit Steve well as his strengths are definitely in the order of bike, run and - very much finally - swim. The short swim saw him limiting time losses whilst the long bike saw him climb well up the overall order. The short run should have seen him holding station - or even making a slight improvement - but for some reason his legs just weren't there and a slower than expected run eventually saw him with a not-quite-on-it 9th place overall. He did, though, still win his age group making it 4 wins from 4 triathlons for this season so far.

That's a hex if ever there was one!

Parkruns

Claire W has been 'parkrun-prolific' this past few weeks showing a consistent presence at Pontefract. Great to see Claire back out with such frequency spreading the GV message.

In other parkruns, Mick W took on a new challenge at the very agreeable Oakwell Hall at Birstall and reports a tough event where the terrain is very hilly and entirely trail based. Mick managed a 12th overall in just under 21 mins. Steve W, meanwhile, made an appearance at Doncaster and managed an age group win with a 19 minute run.

Drip-feeding the message is raising awareness and interest - another new member joined very recently.

Keep up the good work chaps...

Jon Z back in middle distance action

The Beaver Middle Distance triathlon - held annually at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire - is not for the squeamish. For a start there's the sheer distances; a 1.9 kilometre swim followed by a 74 kilometre bike, and then a 20 kilometre run to really drive home the punishment.

Then there's the terrain. The swim for this event is in a really shallow and very silty lake that often leaves competitors with zero vision and a very muddy after-taste. Compounding the silt-fest, the exit from the swim does not - as is usually the case - directly access T1. Instead, participants have at least a 500 metre wetsuit-flapping uphill run - on grass by the way - before taking to the bike. The bike leg itself is a tough multi-lap affair with some technical sections and the small matter of a 2 mile long hill, and - for anyone still able to stand - there remains the run. At 20K it would be hard enough if it were road based and pan flat, but of course, it isn't!

In spite of the course - and intentionally keeping out of the frenetic 'bun fight' that is triathlon open water swimming for fear of having his pacemaker accidentally kicked - Jon Z not only completed the grueller, but rattled it off in 6:00:32: good enough for a 2nd in age group finish (pic).

Jon continues to confound fellow athletes and anyone else with a sense of just how tough this kind of stuff is by not only continuing to compete in events like this so soon after major heart surgery, but doing it in some style.

Trunce 3/9

For the disbelievers - this is how ridiculously difficult the Trunce's stairway to heaven actually is...

...but Mick W and Jenna G turned out anyway to Monday's (11th May) edition to take on the formidable terrain.

Mick is just about recovered from his mammoth 3 Peak's fell race effort and in spite of a few remaining aches and pains put on a good show with a new course PB and a 13/74 male vet finish.

Jenna, meanwhile - even with a 'relaxed' attitude to training for runs - showed huge improvements by smashing her previous best Trunce effort by 6 minutes and finishing in the top third of the female field overall! Jenna has a really natural and free-flowing running style that could, if unleashed, very probably make her very dangerous indeed...

Grantham Sprint Tri

Steve W raced in Sunday's (10th May) Grantham Sprint Triathlon (400m swim, 18K bike, 5K run) and once again suffered at the hands of the puncture gods.

A decent (for Steve) swim saw him move well up the field on the bike leg until, with 4K to go, that familiar and heart-sinking 'pheeeeew, hissssss, hissss, hiss' sound - and the sudden ability to feel every single tiny road irregularity - saw Steve despondently sitting up and changing down gears.

Rather than just climb off and walk back to the event headquarters though, the Go-full-of-adrenalyn-Veggie made a judgement to ride wobblingly in, nursing the bike over every tiny lump and bump whilst trying to hit the remaining corners in comedic-completely-upright-fashion in an effort to keep the tyre on the rim. With more than a little luck he made it back to Transition 2 intact and though he'd lost places and a huge chunk of time hammered out angrily onto the run.

An age group win and a 4th place overall were the rewards for completely wrecking a £100+ racing tub.

Recent Roundup

Emma S braved horrendously cold, wet and windy conditions on Sunday (3rd May) to flash the GV colours in the Dave Lloyd Lincoln Sprint Triathlon (Swim 400m / Bike 22K / Run 5K). This event is testimony to the fact that Lincolnshire does indeed - in spite of its popular image - have hills. Nowhere is this better illustrated than about a mile into the bike leg where the pleasant and accommodating countryside yields to a fault line and the bike course at this point is not too unrealistically described as a cliff with a road straight up it.

Luckily, Emma - having done this event before - knew what to expect. Many who were not so savvy were off their bikes and pushing; not the best look on a full carbon race bike!

Working hard through the buffeting winds, Emma completed the bike leg without too much trauma and took to the run feeling pretty fresh where she continued to show race-smarts by taking shelter from the wind from slightly faster runners which eventually saw her finish a very credible 7th from 25 in her age group.

In parkrun news, Claire Whitwell represented team GV at Pontefract whilst Mark Nicholson showed some northern presence at Newcastle.

By'eck (a trip t' Dales by Mick W)

They call it the 'The Marathon with Mountains" yet it's not quite a marathon and I've never really considered them mountains...until now that is. Welcome to Yorkshire and The 3 Peaks Race.

Comprising 23.3 miles of trail and fell in its purest form with 5,279 feet of ascent/descent over Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. Throw into the mix plenty of sideways rain, poor visibility, sleet burning your eyes and even some snow on the tops. A bargain at £25, it would be rude not to give it a go.

The 61st annual event had 1,019 registered competitors and 701 finishers, fortunately I was one of the lucky ones that made it around relatively unscathed. I was awarded a Standard 4:58:59 finish time, 210/329 MV40 and are genuinely just happy to be alive.

Two days later and I'm still descending the stairs on my backside, asked if I would do it again...hell yeah!

City of York Triathlon

Steve W was back in full-flow multisport mode on Sunday (26th April) in the City of York Sprint triathlon (Swim 400m / Bike 18K / Run 5.4K). Cold but sunny conditions prevailed at this entirely off-public-roads event staged at York Sport Village.

The venue is something of a mixed blessing as although the entire racing route is on closed and private roads, the site is not huge. Logistics therefore dictate a 6 lap out-and-back bike course with a dead turn at each end meaning 11 gruelling almost-dead-stop-followed-by-full-acceleration efforts; not a course for bikes with poor brakes.

Fortunately, though it could hardly be described as cutting edge, Steve has a bike that lends itself well to being flicked about on such courses. The bike, in fact, is something of a transition-based celebrity. It is often - in this era of 'full aero carbon monocoque everything' - considered by faster triathletes as, at best, something rescued from a time capsule.

It is true that Steve's 'chrome' bike is a simple steel tubed monolith, almost exclusively made from parts lovingly salvaged from the 1990s, and features many home-adapted bits and pieces cunningly fashioned with hand tools and an old-school eye. What is also true is that it Steve's chrome' bike doesn't really respect the 'full aero carbon monocoque everything' approach to racing and regularly leaves the riders of multi-thousand pound carbon sculptures scatching their aero-helmets in disbelief.

And so it was the case on Sunday with Steve smashing the bike leg to help him to a clear 1st in age group and a joint 4th position overall out of a field of about 300.

Some old bikes, and some old blokes, just refuse to roll over.

More half mara glory plus the esoteric Andems

Taking a leaf from Rose-the-master-pacer's book, Emma S went head-to-head with the Manchester half marathon on Sunday (19th April) and came away with a new PB of 1:57:03, her first visit to the sub-2 hour club. Well done Emma, we look forward to sub-1:55!

On Wednesday 22nd April a few Go Veggie members made it to an evening 5K event hosted by Andems Runners. Andems' evening 5Ks are fantastically and enthusiastically organised by people who love running for its own sake, with no quarter given to gimmick or cynical financial gain. Andems are also very well connected; Dianne Modahl herself started Wednesday's epithetic race - a brutal multi-terrain affair involving an outrageously lung-popping uphill start offset to some degree by stunning Pennine views. Mick W was first Go Veggie home with a sub-20 minute top 10 overall finish, but all GVs that made it back alive thoroughly enjoyed it.

Take in an Andems event if you can. There's something very authentic about the whole experience.

Half Marathon PB

Congratulations to Rosie W who, following a very well paced effort at the Thirsk 10, continued to demonstrate perfect pacing prowess in the Ackworth Road Runners half marathon event held last Sunday (12th April). The course for this event is hilly to say the least and a strong wind on the day made the going anything but fast. In spite of this, Rose kept a very cool head and held back her efforts knowing that fatigue - especially given the going - would bite hard and dramatically slow fellow competitors down. The reward was a PB for the distance of 1:55 plus change; a full quarter of an hour better than her previous 13.1 mile best. Therein lies a lesson.

A few days after the event the Gods of running reminded Rose that some days are good, and some not so. A spill whilst out training saw our latest PB maker needing a little TLC (pic). Ouch!

In other news, many members have kept up with parkrunning this past two weekends but perhaps the event of note was one undertaken by Emma S and Steve W whilst on holiday touring Ireland.

Bere Island is a small island that lies off the already remote Beara Peninsula in the deepest south west of the country. In order to participate, unless you live on Bere Island, competitors have to take an early Saturday morning ferry from the mainland and then get to the start point which is 8K away from the ferry port. Emma tried to work out the logistics but couldn't get much in the way of straight answers so our intrepid GV duo - having little idea what might happen - just took a blind leap of faith and made a bleary eyed appearance at the ferry pick up point in their tried and trusted race shoes.

Emma takes up the story:

"It was quite exciting as the Bere Island ferry pulled in and about 30 runners, who had been quietly arriving on the quay, made their way aboard. The trip to the island only took about 10 minutes and on our arrival we were suspiciously met by a couple of very dilapidated vans - an old VW transporter, and an even older Transit. The Transit had only half of its exhaust system left, the rear light clusters had been smashed out, and every single panel was bashed in. It slowly dawned that this was to be our 'bus' to the start. 

The mystery of the 'critical link' bus driver was also solved when our ferry pilot, complete with running shoes, casually - and with a wry humour - uncomfortably crammed each and every runner, a baby buggy; and two dogs into both of the vans and then hopped into the VW and set off up a twisting, steep and incredibly narrow road. Death seemed a certainty. 

On the upside, as it turned out, our 'bus' - by Bere Island standards - was in pretty good shape. Not one car we saw had an intact set of panels or lights. Full exhausts seemed optional, and it seems it's compulsory to stop and chat through opened drivers' window to every vehicle that is met driving in the opposite direction as chunks of vegetation are casually gathered by any protruding nearside bodywork. 

Incredibly, after about 10 minutes of sinuous hairpins we arrived at the parkrun start - and what a surprise we had. Waiting for us were about 60 of the Island's inhabitants at an immaculately maintained multi-use sports pitch, complete with full changing facilities, toilets and showers. The islanders are only about 200 in total number, but boy have they  embraced the parkrun. All human life was here - and participating; from old blokes, through ladies in printed dresses, right down to about a dozen youngsters. Amongst the number were, of course, some pretty serious runners, but this event was clearly more about community than athletic prowess. 

Nonetheless, at the get-go competition was fierce. The course itself offered beautiful vistas, running on a decaying single-track  road around a rugged Atlantic-dominated headland up and down some pretty fearsome hills. It was tough, but superbly rewarding. It was also hot. By the time the starter had said 'go' at 9.46am (bearing in mind all parkruns the world over start at 9.00am sharp), it was something like 18°C.
Post run, the esoteric nature of the thing continued and all 'mainland' runners were urged to Murphy's cafe / post office / general store / wickerman manufacturers for tea, coffee and cake. No one took any persuading and all sat about amongst the incongruous palm trees eating, drinking, and chatting until the 'busses' reappeared to begin the journey back to the ferry and then mainland. 

The whole experience was slightly surreal but highly enjoyable. The parkrun phenomenon has gripped the island and must be responsible for 90% of its GDP in the simple form of ferry fares and Murphy's cake consumption. 

A lifetime experience! Simple, bonkers, and infinitely memorable."

Sounds like a very worthwhile experience and well worth the effort!

Jon Z back in the saddle

After the disappointment of missing out on the recent Clumber Duathlon due to illness, Jon Z again demonstrated his irrepressible grit by returning to competition in the Helmsley multi terrain 10K on Easter Sunday.

In spite of the virus-induced interruption to his build up, and the very near loss of a shoe in the gloopy conditions of the race itself, Jon still managed a 4/9 position in his age category and 211/310 overall.

Without doubt he was first in the category of those racing with a pacemaker and carbon fibre heart valve.

Just awe-inspiring stuff.

Trunce One

Traditionally, the fast forward of daylight saving in March sees the return of lighter evenings and the start of the hotly anticipated Trunce series. Described as "a one off race in true cross country style" cannot be argued, it is truly unique. The organisers own quote solidified by the 347 participants that huddled the start line on Monday night. There was just one thing missing..... daylight. In true Yorkshire style the skies blackened and the rain fell in biblical proportions. Rose W was the only GV representitive and battled through the quagmire and thigh deep (in places) river crossings to a 24/85 female result, bagging 3 series points in the process.

Well done Rose, you certainly appear to be enjoying the experience!

Photo by Steve Frith (please support this excellent cause).

South Hunsley Sprint Hypothermia

Steve W returned to the multisport scene this Sunday (29th March) with a very early-season sprint triathlon based on South Hunsley Sports Centre in East Yorkshire. The distances of 400m swim, 24K bike and 5K run favoured Steve's traditionally strong biking leg, with windy conditions helping out further by making the hilly bike section a very tough affair.

Adding to the mix were single figure temperatures and, at about half-race distance, an opening of the heavens leading to hypothermia-inducing conditions. It's worth bearing in mind that most competitors in pool sprints come straight out of a heated pool wearing only a one-piece trisuit and speedily throw on no more than helmet and shoes in Transition 1 before heading out onto the bike section. Suffice to say no gloves, socks or over-jacket in conditions like Sunday's have competitors 'managing' al sorts of numb extremity issues.

The cold was so bad that, having completed the bike leg, Steve could not feel his fingers at all and could not undo his helmet in Transition 2. Sparing him the indignity of a 5K run in a full aero-helmet, a kindly race referee took a pragmatic view of 'outside assistance' and came to the rescue. Even the flat-out 5K run effort did not do much to raise competitors' core temperatures and it's fair to say intensely grim faces were the order of the day.

In spite of it all, and thanks in part to a high rate of attrition, Steve took an age group win and finished 2nd overall.

10 Mile PBs

Emma S and Rosie Wigg flew the GV flag at the Thirsk 10 Mile road race on Sunday (22nd March) and made the best of decent conditions on this known 'fast course'.

In spite of a struggling-last-two-miles as a result of a continuing niggle from a hamstring problem, Emma still managed to beat her previous 10 mile PB by nearly two minutes and stopped the clock at 1:26:06

Rose, meanwhile, showed a real mastery of pace and ran a very even tempo throughout the whole distance. Having the discipline and faith to set off really slowly is a difficult thing to do but, if done well, can pay back in spades. Rose reaped the rewards on this occasion and clocked a 1:24:33 knocking well over a minute of her previous best.

In parkruns, Steve and Mick W were out and about. Steve managed a new venue best and age group win at Doncaster while Mick battled the winds at the very open and bleak Pontefract venue to finish well up the overall order.

In other news, Jon Z, our resident Ironman, had planned a return to multisport competition and should have competed in the Clumber Park Duathlon on Saturday (21st March) but a perfectly timed viral infection in the week preceding meant there was no prospect of a big effort. We wish Jon well and look forward to his return to racing.

Highlights

Just some quick facts and figures by way of catch-up:

Emma S has been busy lately with recent appearances in the Retford Half Marathon and a good number of parkruns. A niggling injury meant Emma was disappointed with her half time, but showing she is gaining form, she logged a sub 24min 5K time in last Saturday's (14th March) Pontefract parkrun; her fastest time at the venue for a few years.

Rosie Wigg also logged a venue best at Saturday's (7th March) Nostell event and by only a handful of seconds missed a sub-24 time at this challengingly 'lumpy' venue.

Overall results are now in for the 2014-15 PECO 5-race series and Both Emma and Rose did a sterling job with Rose ending up with an overall 9th, and Emma a 12th in their respective age categories. These are very good results given the level of competition in this hotly-contested cross-country grueller.

Mick W (pictured in 'stealth' Go Veggie mode in a PECO event) continues to speed up in short events and recorded a 20.21 venue best at Nostell parkrun on Saturday (14th March). This in spite of concentrating mainly on distance work for an upcoming assault on an infamous fell race: watch this space for more details...

PECO and Wind

Sunday (1st March) saw the final round of this year's PECO cross country series held in Roundhay Park, Leeds. Conditions were kind underfoot as the recent drying winds and sunny spells meant the whole course could probably have been run in ultra-light road shoes. Only one horrendous lung-busting hill really tested the racers and this was a sting-in-the-tail finishing trick sneakily sprung by the organisers. Mick W, Emma Smith and Rosie Wigg were the GV contingent present and all ran well enough to count for their respective Ackworth Road Runners 'A' team. As previously covered, the nature of UKA sanctioned cross country team competition means that all competitors have to run in their affiliated team's official vest but - as can be seen from the natty shorts - it's still possible to score a stealthy GV mention. Excellent trying-hard-up-the -horrible-hill face from Emma and the lady she had just passed!

Sunday also saw Steve W - by a twist of fate - complainingly taking a last minute gifted place in a notoriously gruelling 9 mile road race based around the very exposed and open countryside of Norton near Doncaster. The race is hilly to say the least and annually attracts a strong field of loyal if slightly masochistic runners. Sunday's edition was made all the more entertaining by a fearsome wind that buffeted competitors constantly and quite literally, on more than one occasion, blew runners sideways off the road and onto surrounding verges. Steve only knows one speed and set off well up the field at his usual sprint distance triathlon 5K pace - only to blow spectacularly at approximately the 3.1 mile mark. From about 30th position overall, the last 5.9 miles were reported to be a reflective affair with Steve having plenty of time to think about the concept of pacing whilst slipping gracefully back through the field to a just-scraping-the-top-10 in age group position.

Cannock Chase CaniX

Steve C and Len were back in 'full combative harness' action at the gorgeous Cannock Chase on Sunday (1st March) where they returned to a full-on 5K caniX event. Steve reports that the course was pretty tough and technical with a seemingly disproportionate amount of uphill; that in no way reflected his age and lack of short-effort race fitness.

The duo managed a 2nd in age group finish and it's great to see them back after several months of Steve's enforced lay-offs. Undoubtedly, no one will be more pleased than Len that 'normality' is slowly returning.

They're back! Watch this space...

Weekend Runs

Once again, plenty of parkrun action took place this weekend with Emma S, Mick & Steve W, and Rosie Wigg turning out at the Nostell and Pontefract venues. Most notable performances came from Rose and Steve. Rose managed a venue PB at Nostell and Steve an age group win at Pontefract. In winning his age, Steve also clocked a coming-out-of-hibernation time approaching the 18 minute slot.

Having loosened her legs with a relatively steady-effort parkrun, Emma S put her proper race-face on for the Snake Lane 10 on Sunday. This 10 mile event has a reputation for being quite quick but strong, bitingly cold winds on the day did not help the hundreds who turned out. In spite of the conditions Emma ran well with a top half of age group finish. Pleasingly, she also broke the 1 hr 30 minute mark for the first time in four attempts at this race. It's a pity the winds were so strong as her form may have otherwise netted a tough-to-beat PB.

Parkrun Course Bests

Half a dozen Go Veggies took to various parkruns this past weekend with Nostell and Sheffield Castle venues seeing the flag flown.

Mick and Rosie Wigg made their Debut at the Sheffield Castle event: a very intimate affair with only about 50 runners traditionally making the effort each week. The comparatively low turnout is probably due to the fact that there are 5 or so parkruns within easy reach of Sheffield centre and 'The Castle' is notorious for its climbs. Three laps of a seriously lumpy course, including three ascents of a hill that goes on for about half a mile is the order of the day - not one for the faint-hearted or hung-over. Mick and Rose both showed awesomely well. Mick was 7th overall and Rose won the female event.

At Nostell, meanwhile, Claire Whitwell, Emma S and Steve W flew the GO VEGGIE flag. Claire ran with her canine companion while Emma and Steve cracked on with a straightforward 'speed session' in preparation for the fast approaching multisport season. Both Emma and Steve went well and both recorded new fastest times for the venue. Steve (pic) was fastest in age and went on to do a really awesome mime act at the finish.

Weekend Round-up

It was quite a busy weekend, with Emma S and Mick W kicking things off on Saturday morning with parkruns at Nostell and Wakefield respectively. Wakefield's Thornes parkrun venue was Mick's first run-in-anger for nearly a month following a winter bug but he showed he's bouncing back well, recording a very respectable 21.05 on this hilly, twisty, muddy course - exactly the same time he recorded when he last did the event just before falling ill. Emma took things easy at Nostell and ran with her (by now renowned) 'reluctant' racing dog (pic below) - mainly using the event as a leg-loosener before a big cross country effort the following day.

Speaking of which: Sunday saw round 4/5 of the PECO series held - on this occasion - in Weetwood, north Leeds. A mercifully dry preceding week saw the course in good condition underfoot meaning lost shoes and long, soggy, flailing socks were a rarer-than-usual sight. It was still tough though, with plenty of twists and turns and many nasty short sharp uphill sections. Emma was pleased she'd saved something for the day and had a good run finishing 76/215 females overall and in the top half of her age group. Other GVs present were Rosie Wigg and Steve W. Rose showed consistent form and pipped Emma finishing 72/215 female, whilst Steve demonstrated a hint of upcoming triathlon season form with a 4/51 age group finish, and in the process showing a dirty pair of heels to many an athlete half his age.

Steve C, meanwhile, found himself gravitating back to the Lake District for a 13 mile trail race based on Grizedale Forest. Unlike with the bonkers Big Chill Swim, this time Len was allowed to participate too and the caniX duo successfully completed the scenic - if predictably tough event - overcoming the harsh terrain and the frosty / mainly foggy conditions. The Lake District reportedly didn't disappoint though, with low-lying fog sometimes giving breathtaking views of exposed 'crispily sunny' peaks: almost enough to make a marathon runner forget the incessant pain and fatigue, if only for a fleeting moment.

Recent Runs

Claire Whitwell and Rosie Wigg were in 10K action on Sunday (1st February) in this year's running of the Dewsbury 10K. This event attracts a huge field as it's an archetypally flat and fast PB carrot-dangler. Unfortunately, Sunday's chilly north wind was a bit of a goal-dasher and made the outward 5K leg a freezing cold blue-lip-making slog. In spite of the harsh Arctic conditions Rosie still managed a good solid 48min run - not too far from her best time on this course - while Claire (pic) rose well to the chilly challenge and beat her most recent 10K best (run a few months ago on the equally fast Leeds Abbey Dash course) by 20 seconds. Impressive!

Emma S was joined by a slowly-coming-out-of-hibernation Steve W at Doncaster parkrun on Saturday where conditions on the mainly grass-surfaced course can best be envisaged by imagining a deep muddy bog full of slushy icy-cold water. Emma enjoys the challenge of such conditions whilst Steve is known to become irrationally grumpy at the prospect of running through even the shallowest of puddles. One of the GV's present finished with a grin: the other didn't. What they did share was 5th positions - with Emma being 5th female and Steve 5th overall (and age-group winner).

Taking conditions out of the equation, the Doncaster parkrun is a pleasant multi-lap affair, and for the time being remains a 'small' concern with a very friendly atmosphere. Recommended!

How crazy can one man be?

It's been undeniably freezing cold outside this past few days so imagine how raw it must feel up in the Lake District. Now imagine how much worse being there would feel if you were standing right next to Lake Windermere in just your pants. Not fazed? Try plunging into the lake and racing in a flat out sprint with full-on brain freeze and your respiratory system in spasm.

Sounds fun, right? Welcome to the world of resident GV ultra-athlete Steve C, who took on the 60 metre version of the Big Chill swim this weekend. Steve was initially disappointed that entries were already full for longer versions of the event but immediately post-race was most definitely of the view he'd had something of a lucky escape and was furthermore persuaded it was a "never again" kind of race experience.

In spite of the body-shrivelling cold and - frankly - the sheer lunacy, Steve still managed a top half of his age group finish, and, in true Steve C fashion, an hour or so after finishing was already thinking of ways to improve for next year. He's even mooted the possibility of pulling together a relay team!

We can order some appropriately flimsy GO VEGGIE swimming gear if anyone's interested...

If you can't beat it...

Join it!

Many Go Veggies have been thwarted this past couple of weeks with numerous events (mainly parkruns) having been cancelled due to dangerous conditions.

Turning adversity into opportunity, Steve C and Len shrugged off the recent ice, snow, and gales and made a CaniX bid for Black Hill in the Peak District. This peak, at 582m, is the highest point in West Yorkshire. The name comes from the exposed peat all around the summit but - in typical Steve and Len fashion, a peaty county high-point just isn't deemed tough enough. The endurance duo took the summit on in very heavy weather which necessitated much deep snow-drift bashing and a bit of a cross country pioneering trail to get off the hill in one piece.

Fortunately the duo have a well practised adverse-conditions nutritional contingency which consists mainly of hassling strangers for sandwiches. Rumour has it Steve gets most of his own food this way too...

Up and at 'em in 2015

GV had a good number of members out and about this past weekend with appearances in cross country, trail race, and parkruns.

Emma S and Claire W took to Nostell Priory parkrun on Saturday, running it with their respective canine companions, Claire gave her new Go Veggie vest an airing too; helping immensely to get the subliminal message well and truly out there.

Sunday saw round 3/5 in the PECO cross country series with this particular round staged at Beckett Park in Leeds. Mick, Rose and Emma were again in stalwart-like attendance and all performed at the top of their game with some very credible 'counting-for-team' runs. Emma and Rose had top half and top third of their category finishes respectively whilst Mick had a top-third-of-the-male-field-overall result.

Sunday also saw a welcome return to racing for Steve C (pic) who has had a tough time of it in recent months with recurring injuries. Steve C was joined by a semi-hibernating Steve W at Reddish Vale Country Park, Stockport, for the annual running of a really nice event; the Hit The Trail 5. The event is a well organised, friendly, and true multi-terrain affair with a combination of tarmac, hard-pack trails and fully off-road (muddy) single track sections. The event also sports some very nasty little climbs, including a much-respected and even slightly feared 'stairs' section.

Steve C managed the course without any apparent problems which is mighty encouraging for the coming months. We look forward to Steve's GV return to the Cani-X and mega-endurance events scenes. Steve W also made it round without incident, forcing a reluctant winter-padded body to a top-10%-overall finishing spot.

Brutish Brontë Country

Rosie Wigg was in exalted company in the latest edition of the Wooden Tops' Auld Land Syne fell race which was run, as hinted at in the title, on 31st December 2014.

The race, though 'only' a little under 10K, is run over genuine upland Pennine moorland near Howarth, Keighley and as a result is renowned for its tough going. The attrition was high with several competitors helped / carried off the course. Though putting in a credible run, Rose did not escape the clutches of the terrain and at one point unexpectedly sank knee deep in bog and executed a pretty solid face-plant. She's made of tough stuff though and after a bit of a wipe and a peaty-splutter just got on with it.

For the record, Alistair Brownlee won, Jonny was third, and a few other pro athletes made the top ten in what to them are low-key appearances. One particularly unusual but very competitive visit was from perhaps the fastest triathlon swimmer in the world at the moment, Slovakia's Richard Varga.

Rose can certainly pick interesting races...