Jim'll Fix It

We are all familiar with Jimmy Saville and his marathon exploits.

Some of us, particularly those born before 1980, will remember him on our TV screens making dreams come true on his show 'Jim'll Fix It'.

I remember one show in particular where a youth football team (and when I say youth, I mean 11 year olds) were treated to a game of football against the Manchester United first team at Old Trafford in front of a large crowd. The looks on those boys faces were so memorable. I can still remember them now, some 30 or so years later.

Imagine watching, say, Brazil v Italy (maybe the two best footballing nations in the world) at a packed-out Wembley Stadium, then, when the game has finished, hopping over the fencing, onto the pitch, then playing against the winners. That's similar to what happened this weekend at Hyde Park...

This weekend saw the next round of the ITU World Championship series come to Hyde Park where the best triathletes in the world were racing. I went down there with Anne-Marie, Mitten, Dan and Stuart (and family) for the day, and what a day it was!

Alistair Brownlee is taking the triathlon world by storm by winning all of his three World Cup races so far, and all he needed to do was place top 10 to get enough points to go to the top of the leader board. But he had a pretty impressive field up against him, including Gomez, Kahlefeldt, Tim Don, et. al. And of course his little brother Jonathon.

We found ourselves within feet of the Elite men when they were being introduced to the crowd and a funny thing happened. Some guy (number 7 I think) walked up to the top guys (Brownlee, Gomez, Kahlefeldt) and tried to puff up his feathers by spontaneouosly throwing himself on the floor in front of them and doing some press-ups. Brownlee gave a jovial "boo, hiss", but it was all in good spirits, and of course he had the last laugh by eventually coming out as winner.

T'was a great day out with great company, watching some great racing (and spectacular crashes!). What more could you want?

Then on the Sunday, I came back to race the same course. It was also billed as the first-time outing for my new GB tri-suit and tracksuit.

The race was, however, a complete nightmare from start to finish.

The swim was a fist-fest. With waves of just 60 athletes, I was hoping for quite a clear run with some decent drafting but it was, quite simply, fisticuffs all the way round. Then I went off course (when will I learn).

Then there was the bike. Oh, the bike. 3 twisty turny laps, and half way through at Hyde Park corner I was off. The Stig from top gear would have been proud of my handling as the bike skidded – steering into the skid – but then before I knew it I was a$%e over t%t. Got up, brushed myself down, and off I went. But after that it was game over and I didn’t really get back into it.

The picture up top is a close up of a certain part of my anatomy which came off quite badly whilst skidding on the tarmac. I'll let you guess which part, but suffice to say I won't be sitting down much until it has healed up a bit.

The run was OK and culminated in a sprint finish against James Cracknell (Crackers to me and his mates!). I think he actually crossed the finish line just before me, with his gangly legs striding ahead of me in a Basil Fawlty kind of way. But I thought that this was a good opportunity for Jim to fix it for me to be on TV by crossing the finish line with him, so I gave it an extra surge to cross with him. Here is a link to the video sprint finish.

I hasten to add that he did actually start in the wave ten minutes later then me.

I might have mentioned previously that I had tentatively registered my interest to qualify for the Europeans in Ireland next year, and Hyde Park was the first of the three qualifying races. Well, I came 7th in the list of athletes who were trying to qualify, so actually it wasn't such a bad day at the office after all, and who knows what might have happened if I hadn't come off the bike. Maybe a top 4 automatic place?

A few pictures of the day, all taken by Stuart's ever-present wife, Sarah...






All this crashing off the bike and puncturing is getting a bit too regular now. I think it’s because I am competing at a higher level nowadays and therefore taking more risks. Thinner, more lightweight tyres which are more prone to puncturing, faster into corners on wetter surfaces. With more risks comes more speed, buy also of course more chance of it all going wrong. And that’s precisely what has happened to me over the past couple of months. But, hey ho, no point crying over spilt energy drink. Tomorrow’s another day, I have achieved my aim of qualifying for the World’s this season, so its not so bad if some races don’t go, err, according to plan. It’s still frustrating though.

Back to football and my team has now reassembled for Summer training in preparation for the start of the season in September. Now in the Under 12 age group (wow - I started coaching them all those years ago as small children in the Under 8's), we have acquired a couple of extra players who have strengthened the squad considerably. We might not have any Torres's and Ronaldo's (or should I say Robsons and Dalglish's?), but I reckon we have a good chance of quite a few wins this season.

A couple of congratulations this week. Anne-Marie and Mitten for completing the Cambridge Olympic distance triathlon. Both in training for Ironman Austria 2010, and Mitten also for the Vitruvian next month.

And also a big fat hands up to Stuart who is entering his fourth decade this week. His present from Sarah was a lovely new pointy helmet which he suitably adorned at Hyde Park this weekend, and it seemed to do the trick because he had a storming bike leg. Well done, Stu!

This week the kids are away camping, so I am on my own. Good oppurtunity to get some quality training in before I take them away next week which will inevitably be an easy training week before my penultimate race of the season at the Bedford Weekender (second Euro qualifier).

In the meantime, enjoy the sudden upsurge in sunshine and temperatures.

Cheers.

C

Slow news day...

Mondays are usually a sluggish day for the newspapers. This week's blog is a bit like that really.

Been training lots, working lots, organising the trip to Oz, bit more training, lots more work, plenty more organising. All means there's not much time to blog, or even think about what I'm going to blog about.

Another PB this week though. This time it was the turn of the 5km run at Bushey Park with 20:33. Very pleased with that, especially since I am still feeling a slight niggle in my groin and wasn't at full speed. Who knows, I might even break that 20 minute milestone someday soon.

But then this was followed by a slow 10 mile bike time trial with Stuart from the tri club in 24:48. Funny, only a few months ago I was dreaming of sub-26 minutes, but now if I don't achieve sub-24 then I feel I have failed. Conditions were not perfect though, and it did follow a hard hill session up Ivinghoe Beacon the day before, so I don't feel too bad about the slow time.

Big congratulations to my mate Alex whose wife, Angie, gave birth to their first child - Ethan Alexander Lotter-Maggs. Congratulations to the Maggs, and looking forward to wetting the baby's head sometime soon.

Mixed feelings about next week/weekend.

Happy that it is the ITU Elite Race at Hyde Park on Saturday where I will be spectating with Anne-Marie, Dan and Stuart from my tri club, followed the next day with me and Stuart racing the sprint race on the same course as the Elites (which also doubles as a European Qualifier in which I have tentatively registered my interest).

But sad that the kids are going away camping for a week, and I just know that I am going to badly miss them and the sound of Joe and Adam arguing! Hey ho, gives me time to fit in some more hard training in preparation for Oz. And maybe think of something more interesting to write about for next week's blog!

Until then, enjoy the sunshine.

C

Chavtastic!!!

"Dear Colin Bradley
Membership Number: 12788

Congratulations on your selection to the Great Britain team for the ITU Triathlon World Championships – Gold Coast Australia, Sprint Distance. I hope that you continue to train safely before heading over to the Gold Coast for the 13 September. This letter confirms your place on the team."

I received this email from the BTA this week. Good, innit?

This week I’ve been reflecting back to my result from Blithfield and my selection to the GB team.

I have had many emails, texts and calls congratulating me on my selection, but perhaps the most poignant was from Richard, a fellow coach from my football club, who admitted that he hadn’t avidly been following my blog (tut, tut), but that he had been following my progress from time to time.

Richard said that when we were kids we would all dream about representing our country and that I was now actually going to do that. It was only after reading that that it really dawned on me what I had achieved. Yes, I HAD always dreamt of representing my country, although it was as the next Kevin Keegan and obviously that never happened. So, what better way than by doing so in the sport which I now love – triathlon. So, I suppose I should be quite pleased with myself, really.

Still reflecting back to my days as a kid, it was all the rage to wear designer tracksuits (Diadora, Kappa, Lacoste, etc., etc.) in the early 80’s when I was a teenager. As a bit of a fasionista, I could always be seen in my favourite Kappa jumper, Diadora tracksuit bottoms and Nike trainers. Until, that is, one day when I was 'taxed' (the practice of being mugged of your designer clothes) by a local thug named Vince Hughes.

Not since those days have I worn a designer tracksuit. Nowadays, such clothing is the reserve of the audience of the Jeremy Kyle show and the shell-suit posse. Until now, that is, because this week I took delivery of my GB Age Group team tracksuit kit (see photo up top and below), and I haven't felt so 'cool' wearing it since my teenage days. Very chavtastic, don’t you think?



Hopefully, I will receive my named trisuit (currently on order) in time to show it off at my next race which is the Hyde Park Sprint at, yes you’ve guessed it, Hyde Park, in two weeks time.

The race is a Euro qualifier, and although I have tentatively put my name down as trying to qualify, to be honest the pressure is off now that I am going to Australia. The weekend promises to be very exciting with the elites racing on the Saturday and I shall be going down to watch them strut their stuff with my mate Dan from the tri club.

Big, big congratulations this week to some other friends from my tri club – Sarah, Paul (aka Pablo), Tony and Andy – who all took part in this weekend’s UK Ironman in Bolton. Sarah came 10th female overall (beating an elite) and Paul and Tony successfully completed the course. Unfortunately, Andy DNF’d – haven’t yet heard what happened, but hopefully he is OK. As has been said many times before, it’s getting to the start line which counts. Finishing is just the icing on the cake. Well done guys and gals.

My training last week was almost non existent which was how I had planned it. Back to the serious task of training this week for a rather important race in just over a month. I certainly WON’T be wearing my tracksuit though – that’s packed away for special occasions. Now, where’s my audience ticket for the Jeremy Kyle show…

Cheers.

C

Off to see the Wizard...

And we all know where he lives, don't we? Yep, Oz...and following today's race, that's damn well where I'm racing on 13th September.

Yes, I am extremely happy to report that I placed 1st today out of the athletes who were racing to qualify, so secured my slot for the World Sprint Championships automatically without having to rely on the roll-down.

Let me repeat that, because I can hardly believe it myself, and to be honest I so enjoyed typing it the first time that I am going to type it again...

...I will be racing for GB in the World Sprint Triathlon Championships at the Gold Coast on 13th September 2009.

After months and months and months and months of preparation, endless hours visualising myself on the start line alongside the best Age Groupers in the World, swimming, biking and running through everything the British seasons had to throw at me, I have done it.

I shan't bore you with the details (you can read my race report here), but suffice to say I am a very happy chappie. The race went perfectly according to plan with the only athlete in my Age Group ahead of me being Sharkie Jaggard who had already qualified at the first race at Grendon.

I am going to take a week off. Less training - more beers. Then back to training in preparation to race against the best Age Groupers in the World in 6 weeks time.

Here's a few photos (all taken by the ever-present Anne-Marie)...

Coming out of the swim



Coming in on the bike (punctureless at this point in time)



Sprinting across the finish line



Knackered!



Just been told I qualified!



Me and A-M pre-celebration



Me post-celebration



There's a short video of me speaking very shortly after the race which I'll upload as soon as I've figured out how to.

Meantime, I'm off back down to the pub for some more beers.

Cheers.

C

Been looking forward to looking back to look forward

I have been looking forward to this week all year.

It's time to look back at last year's End of Season Report, specifically to see how I have come on over the last 8 or so months and to see if I have achieved the goals I set myself for 2009, ready to look forward to next week's final (and last chance) qualifier at Blithfield.

And, looking back at my aims, I think I've achieved everything I set myself.

Swim - Sub 6:20 400 metre time (Duston sprint - 6:17 - PB)
Bike - Sub 25 minute 10 mile TT (23:38 - PB), sub 35 minute 20K (Dorney midweek - 34:06)
Run - Sub 20 minute 5K (Bedford sprint - 19:11 - PB)

Another milestone was my first ever sub 1:10 for a Sprint at Dorney last week in 1:09:27. A very pleasing result - 17th overall (out of 188) and 5th in my age group (ignore the results list which incorrectly recorded my times).

All this looking back is great for looking forward to next Sunday's race at Blithfield. Shoulders back, head held high, deep breath - I'll be going into the race full of confidence, knowing that I am at full speed, beating all my competitors, breaking PB's every week. That nasty 4 letter word 'can't' hasn't entered my head once this year, nor will it on Sunday. I'll be doing the 'can, can' all the way past the finish line!

I'll definitely be going for an automatic spot next Sunday. I have analysed and analysed and analysed the competition and their results from previous races and so far, of those who are registered as wanting to qualify, the form book says that I will come second. I know it’s a dangerous thing staking my claim, but I figure that if I send the message out to the world then I will have that extra incentive to push to prove that I was right. That’s my theory anyway.

The second of the Olympic qualifiers was raced today at Bedford this Sunday. I have, again, analysed and analysed and analysed the results to see which of my competitors for the Sprint are also trying to qualify for the Olympic and, of the top four automatic qualifiers at Bedford, one was also trying to qualify at Sprint. So, assuming he will take his Olympic place, that takes him out of the reckoning for the Sprint and automatically pushes me up the list by one place. Not bad for doing nothing, I’d say!

Here's what my training log has looked like over the past few weeks:-

Week commencing 29th June:-

Monday – swim - club swim
Tuesday – brick session: bike/run - progessively shorter/faster repeats
Wednesday – rest
Thursday – bike - hard intervals
Friday – run - hill repeats, bike - 10 mile TT (23:56)
Saturday – swim - open water at Blue Lagoon, bike - long'ish to Dorney Lake
Sunday – bike - hill repeats

Week commencing 6th July:

Monday – run - intervals
Tuesday – run - hill repeats
Wednesday – bike - 20K hard (34:18), run - 5K hard (21:54)
Thursday – run - intervals
Friday – bike - 10 mile TT (non aero - 28:46!)
Saturday – swim - open water at Liquid Leisure, bike - hard intervals, run - 5K Bushey Park TT (20:53)
Sunday – rest

Week commencing 13th July:

Monday – swim - club swim
Tuesday – bike - hill repeats
Wednesday – race - Dorney Lake midweek (first time sub 1:10)
Thursday – bike - 10 mile TT (23:38 - PB)
Friday – run - hard intervals with Jev
Saturday – bike and run - Blithfield practice
Sunday – bike - intervals on turbo trainer

I was looking back over my blog this week and, with great pride, I see that it is 1 year old this week (ironically on the week that my qualification is confirmed - I didn't plan it that way, honest), so here’s a big fat happy birthday to Colin’s Blog. It’s been fun so far.

Another couple of milestone’s this week. 11 years ago, my eldest son, Joe, started at Edlesborough school, the same year as its headmistress, Janet Hatfield. This week marked the end of the 2009 academic year, and with it was Joe’s departure from mainstream education (until 6th form next year). It also saw Adam’s departure from Edlesborough school and Emily’s last year before her GCSE options take hold at the beginning of next year. Ironically, it was Janet Hatfield's final year at Edlesborough school too, and many thanks to her for presiding over a school which saw all my children pass their 11+ tests and progress onto the local Grammar schools.

Enough of looking back. I am now completely focussed and looking forward to a rather important race next Sunday to take me along the Yellow Brick Road.....and we all know where that leads to, don't we?

Cheers.

C

Raining cats and dogs

We've been choosing a pet dog this week, and it's all very exciting.

I've been long thinking about getting a dog. Not only for the kids who absolutely love animals, but also selfeshly as a running partner for me. I decided on this after a run some months ago with Maurice, Tony and Robin from the tri club who brought their very active dogs out on a training run and a thoroughly good time was had by all (maybe also had something to do with the post-run chilli con carne courtesy of Andrea, Jo's wife).

I know that pets can be a bind, but I figure that the pros far outweigh the cons. I work from home so will be able to give him or her plenty of fuss and when I go away (hopefully in September to Australia!). I have plenty of friends and family who have said they will dog-sit.

Sadly, all this has happened the same time as the passing of our cat, Coco, the female part of twins whose brother, Scampi, died last year. Coco had a lovely, purr-full life but her old age finally caught up with her in recent weeks and we did the right thing to let her join her brother in cat heaven. The kids were saddened, and I think Joe - at that age where he will not allow himself to show any emotion about anything whatsoever - probably shed a tear or two in the privacy of his bedroom.

The rain last week made me adjust my training schedule to concentrate more on running and less on cycling - probably for the best really because I have been neglecting running recently. Sprints, hops, strides, hills, more sprints, more hops, more strides, more hills - it doesn't take long to get a habit going.

The weather held out for the highlight of the week on Sunday - the Kings Langley Kids Triathlon - an annual event hosted by my tri club. And a thoroughly great time was had by all. Adam and I arrived to help set up early and within 5 minutes Rob (fresh back from his Ironman Austria exploits the previous week) had plonked Adam in the driving seat of his van and Adam was steering it around the school field whilst Rob and I were in the back throwing out the cones for the cycle route. Rob has now made a lifelong friend for himself in Adam, and I think he (Adam - not Rob) went to bed last night imagining himself as the next Jensen Button.

150 or so kids (and some very enthusiastic parents who make football parents seem like pussy-cats), the races started early afternoon and finished about 3 hours later. A very efficient race crew, consisting of 15 or so club members (and some family members) where we all pulled together to put on a very enjoyable day at the races.

Last week I mentioned about Charlie - son of Russell - who had come runner up at Dorney Lake. Well, this weekend he managed to go one better and got top spot in his age group. Sprinting down the finish line, wow that boy can run! And what better way to round off the awards ceremony than his mum, Becky, who organised the whole thing, to place the winners medal around his neck. Very sweet...ahhh.

The weather certainly hasn't been holding out all the time for the Tour de France which I have been avidly watching on Eurosport HD this week. Lance is back and riding very strongly - I only wish I had a fraction of his power. Wow, that boy can ride! He used to be a useful triathlete in his early days, too. There's hope for me yet!

One week of hard training before ANOTHER taper week before the final qualifier at Blithfield. Fingers crossed that the rain holds out.

Cheers.

C

Enough about me, tell me about you

Of all the advice given by Dale Carnegie in his book, How To Win Friends And Influence People, one of the most important is to be genuinely interested in the other person. Talk about the other person's interests, talk about what he wants to talk, and be genuinely interested in what he has to say.

The concept of blogging smacks in the face of all this. It's all about ME, ME, ME, ME, ME.

There I go, week after week, harping on about what I've been getting upto. About what interests me. Only the occassional 'well done' to my friends for their various achievements, but predominantly it's all about me. Tut tut.

So, this week, it's all about you, or, rather, them. Because this weekend was probably one of the busiest on the triathlon calender and there were umpteen of my friends scattered around the globe participating in various races, at various distances.

There were Jim and Rob from my triathlon club racing at Ironman Austria. Jim posted a brilliant 10:10 to earn himself an Hawaii spot which he declined (fool ;-)). Rob posted 10:50, with a 5:04 bike split which was well there amongst the big boys.

Then over to Germany and there was my mate Jev who posted a PB at Ironman Frankfurt of 10:39 (well done mate - brilliant stuff - I caught you on the internet finishing in what can only be described as a desperate lunge for the line (I subsequently found out that Jev had collapsed and ended up on an IV drip)). Finishing ahead of Jev was Martin, a friend who I met recently at the Italian triathlon training camp and who had already qualified for the 70.3 World Championships a few weeks ago at Austria 70.3. Martin was disappointed with his 9:49 finish time - a time which I could only ever dream of. Some people are never happy!

Then up to Holten, Holland, where there was Dave, another friend who I met at Club La Santa a couple of years ago, who was representing GB in the European Championships at Olympic Distance. Dave came 19th - enough said. Well done, fella.

Back to the UK and I took the oppurtunity for a training bike ride with Paul and Maurice from my tri club to a very busy Dorney Lake where there were loads of girls from the tri club competing at the women's only day on Saturday. Special mention to Anne-Marie (the world's best supporter who comes to watch my every race!) who stormed the bike on her beautiful Cervello Carbon Soloist. Others who battled their way through soaring temperatures and a non-wetsuit swim (first ever as far as I can remember in the UK) were Beth, Mitten, Tracey, Rats and Naomi.

At the same venue on the Saturday morning was Charlie, son of Russell (another tri club member), who competed in the kids race in the morning, winning his heat and coming second overall in the final. Top racing, Charlie, and one to watch for the future, no doubt - especially if he emulates his father who completed IM France the previous week and who is running (if that's the right word) the Marathon De Sables next year.

The following day saw the men's races where two more friends from Italy, Dave and Andrew, and Peter (a friend from the Old Thatch Cinema Society) were racing, again without wetsuits. Well done to all for some great times, but especially to Andrew who won his age group (but then as a regular in the GB team one would expect nothing less) and to Peter for whom this was his first open water swim race (and without a wetsuit - that's brave!).

So, as you can see, quite a busy weekend, and my fingers are tightly crossed that I haven't missed anyone out.

Anyway, I'm beginning to get withdrawal symptons from not talking about ME, so give me a minute and I'll post up details of my training this past week (to follow).

Next week I will be doing some more short, fast stuff. There's also my tri club's kids triathlon on Sunday which I am very much looking forward to. Am sure that if Charlie is racing then he'll get a podium place again - and that'll of course have nothing to do with the fact that his mum is organising the event!

Cheers.

C