Old Injuries and new focus!

As is always the case in the world of sport or certainly in my case, best laid plans never, well, go to plan.

After a winter focused essentially on running in preparation for hell runner in November I felt I was well placed to accept an entry to the Brighton marathon in April. I have completed London on two previous occasions and enjoy the mental challenge that marathon running brings. My run training had been going well and I was, so I thought, ready to ramp up the mileage again.

So with the plans laid and a sensible weekly mileage increase planned I embarked on training for Brighton. I’d been running around 25 miles a week post hell runner and would steadily increase to between 35 and 50 over the coming weeks. Eight weeks in and the more regular longer runs are starting to take their toll on an old achilles injury(the main reason that I switched from running to cycling years ago) I decided to take a week of rest and gentle spinning/stretching to allow the tendon to heal and hope that this would allow me to start training again.

Sadly there was little or no improvement. I’m quite heavy, well for a runner and the constant pressure of pounding the roads and trails had taken its toll. I therefore sadly made the decision to forego my place in the marathon and crack straight back into training on the bike. This is, in the end,my main sport.

So, with five weeks to go until the opening race of the season I was severely lacking in fitness on the bike and the usual winter base mileage. I’m lucky enough to have a wattbike so have been able to utilise the limited weeks that I have, to train solidly through the bad weather.

The opening race of the season is never really anything to write home about for me as in February, i’m still usually in the base phase of training and therefore severely lacking in any speed. What I was lacking in fitness and speed I certainly made up for in kit..

After some rather speedy and rigorous work behind the scenes from Mr Sims. I would be arriving at the start line fully equipped with the beautiful Italian stallion pictured below. Thanks to Wiggle bike shop for supplying this stunner and a special thanks to Jason for running round at the eleventh hour to supply.

So Sunday arrived and the opening race of the season was upon me. The race started much to be expected with those that have been racing the winter series and training abroad keen to get things underway. I attempted to go with an early move off the front but a combination of cold legs and lack of strength in depth put pay to any ambition of staying with them. This move containing eight or nine riders turned out to be the move of the day with the group gaining a lap and essentially ending the race as a contest for points.

I made a couple of lone moves late on in the race to test the legs and if I was lucky slip away for the last points place, alas my attempts were in vain and I was pulled back by a marauding peleton.

The race then, would end in a bunch sprint. I decided that the combination of early season racing and the thought of sprinting for only one points scoring place was not worth the risk and therefore coasted home, rather than contest.

The wilier performed flawlessly throughout and I’m looking forward to using it in anger at some later races.

My next target is a circuit series based in Portsmouth in April. consisting of 5 races I am hoping to be fit enough to contest the overall standings by then.

Thanks again to Mr Sims for sorting the bike and Wiggle bike shop for once again supporting us in our endeavors.