Grantham Tri - Wet wet and oh yeah wet

Well that was an interesting day, the wettest and coldest tri I've ever done. Very windy, torrential rain and just 5 degrees. Seen a few people with support staff being treated for cold, tough day at the office and definitely one for the brave few willing to race no matter what, only 81 finishers. Had the Ironman legend Mat Stephenson in the same wave and the lane next to me in the pool, he swam 20 seconds quicker but I biked faster and ran faster to beat Mat by 51 seconds, I finished in 3rd overall and 1st in my age group so a good day really. Only question is when will the weather improve? 3rd tri of the year and been bloody cold at all of them!

Lincoln last week, Grantham tomorrrow

Last weeks race at Lincoln wasn't too bad, I didn't expect too much after health problems but went ok considering. 11th overall from 445 finishers and 3rd in my age group. I felt tired later in the day from my efforts but I guess that's down to the lack of health this month. Tomorrow is the Grantham sprint and my 4th race this year already! The forecast isn't great, I think the word moist sums it up, but if it was easy everyone would be doing it! As usual I'll be updating the blog with a brief race report after the race is done.

David Lloyd Lincoln Sprint Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the David Lloyd Lincoln sprint tri, weather looks pants, not feeling 100% still. Did some training this week after nothing last week due to illness. I don't know if it was a cold/flu or virus but it certainly wiped me out. Been training this week but its been hard work, i feel like I've gone backwards in fitness so I'm not expecting much tomorrow. Got the Grantham sprint next weekend too, I hope to see some improvement in how I'm feeling by then. Post tomorrow or Monday results and race report on the Lincoln race.

Going to try out twitter to see what I think so if your interested i'll be @SharpeDaz

Full of a cold :-(

Full of a cold, no training since Thursday.............Booo

No immune system = no speedy recovery,

Rubbish :-(

Apollo Triathlon and Mountain Biking

Last Sunday the 1st April saw me doing my first triathlon of the year, The Apollo Triathlon in Hull which is a pool based sprint event. I think I will get my excuses in early and confess that I had a bit of a cold and also my colitis was/is playing up a bit making my insides uncomfortable. It is usually my first triathlon of the year and it's always good to find out where you are with regards to fitness and how the training has gone over winter. I swam ok climbing out of the water on 6:07 but its a decent run to transition for the first timing mat so my actual time was 6:40 about 10 seconds quicker than the previous year. The bike was tough (it always is on this course) with a long drag up hill from the start but that went ok too though the time was about 20 seconds slower than the year before and then onto the run. The run course is a new course this year so no comparison, its a better course but definitely longer looking at the results. I struggled on the first lap, just couldn't open up as I felt sick and my chest was tight but on the second lap I felt better and picked up the pace, definitely did a negative split and I reckon by a good 40 seconds! Anyway at the end of the race I had managed to come 3rd overall, not too bad as I said at the start of this update that I wasn't 100%. So that's it, the season has started, I have 2 more sprint races this month, Lincoln on the 22nd and Grantham on the 29th so I'm hoping to carry some form on to those races and build my speed up as the season progresses.

The day after I commuted by bike to work so a round trip of approx 45 miles with a swim at lunch then on Tuesday I was on an AT day with the station cycling club at Cannock Chase. This is the 2nd time this year down at Cannock and I love it, mountain biking is great fun, we are going up the peak district next month which will be great.