Bronzed !

The sun shone at the Hampshire Track & Field Championships and with a combination of weak field and a steady pacing strategy I was able to plod my way through to bronze medal in the 5,000mtrs in 16:03.52  A pleasing time ahead of Deva Triathlon next weekend.

Early season road races

Now I am dropped down to Div2 I am a bit more competitive - in my first race of the year - 6 laps of Reservoir I was able to get off the front of the group a few times, bridge across to a break, but it was only the last lap attack with Paul Brehaut that stuck.  We worked together well until my legs blew and then I drfited back and he hung on for the win, whilst I just about sprinted to stay clear of the bunch - see first picture.

Second road race of the year was Liberation Day and 6 laps of L'Eree with the big boys.  After a 'neutralised' first lap things took off and the Div 1 riders and Nathan Gosling disappeared up the road.  The Div2 bunch broke up a few times and again only the last climb of the Imperial caused the last selection.  This time despite great work from Dave Crosland we could not dislodge Chris Le Page who duly went on to win the sprint from our bunch and the Div2 prize - I was third.

Fab photos from Serena Tremlett.  Top - working with Dave Crosland on the Imperial Climb - Liberation Day, bottom sprinting for 2nd on the Reservoir

Rennes Triathlon 5th May - 11th place

First tri of the year - Olympic Distance, drafting race in Rennes.  We had a really warm day, the lake which I was worried was going to be cold was in fact quite warm and pleasant.  Shame I failed to make the correct turn on the second lap of the swim after dropping off the back of a group - cost me some time but I felt I swam well.

There's a long transition to pick up the bike and ten a rapid 6 lap drafting bike course. Legs felt great was was consciously trying to hold back but the trouble was as I started lapping people so they would jump on but not be able to contribute much.  One chap I caught who was on the same lap as me was doing his turns but not good enough so I had to ditch him and jump away rather than give him a nice ride to the finish.

Out on the run my legs were really feeling spenty and it felt like a death march, but it was 6th fastest run and I only dropped one place so it wasn't that bad.  11th place overall and 2nd vet, first V2.

The rest of the Guernsey guys did well - Gail King won the overall women' s race, James Gower was 20th and Sean Murphy in his first away race was mid field.  Jersey laid down an ominous marker with their guys coming out of the swim first with Tom Perchard going on to place 4th, Doc Snook 7th. The following day was warm and sunny again and we enjoyed a cafe ride out to Combourg and back. 
(Pictures by Ian Scholes)

Virgin Money London Marathon

Katie's last race of the winter season was running for the South East England team at the Virgin Money London Mini Marathon.  Racing for the last time as an u15 girl over the last 3 miles of the marathon course she had a great run to finish 5th and first of the South East girls - leading them to 2nd placed team.

London was resplendent - a gorgeous day barely a breath of wind and cool temperatures - although it did get warmer later.  I felt a twinge that said I should have been doing the marathon. Hmmm maybe!

2013 English Schools Cross Country

16th March 2013 - A great result for my daughter Katie - 4th place in the Inter Girls race, she ran a very smart race and came through the field as the race progressed, cementing her 4th place in the final half mile.  Winner Annabel Mason is a GB Mountain running international and Harriet Knowles-Jones, winner of the u15 Inter Counties XC was second.

Katie now gets to run for England in the Home Countries  International match being held in Llandelio, Wales  on 23rd March.

My son Alex as not so fortunate as he was spiked early on and half lost his shoe and sustained a cut to his heel - fortunately only superficial. He finished 151st.  Danyy Ray was solid with 93rd in the Inter Boys and Ed Mason had a great run for 61st in the Junior Boys.

The Blizzard

A red weather warning was issued on Sunday for the impending blizzard on Monday, so I packed plenty of options for my Monday commute and left for swimming on the MTB at just before 7:00.  Snow had started falling but the sleet and rain that had preceded it meant that it wasn't yet sticking. 

The wind was up though and it was a slog into the wind on the MTB.  As the morning progressed so it got windier and the snow started to stick, then trees came down, the buses stopped running and finally the schools closed.   The children came to my work first and then headed off to walk home in the blizzard.

By the time I left for home there was anywhere between 4 and 6" of snow on the ground and massive snow drifts piling up from the wind around the island, blocking roads and stranding cars.  My ride home was quite uneventful, I stopped and took some photos', didn't fall off and went off roading down the muddy lane - now the snowy lane.

A little more snow on Tuesday and the island was in lock down so I walked into work.  A van was stuck in the lane opposite our house penned in by roof high snow drifts front and back.  The children had great fun playing in the snow.  I tried out my YakTrax shoe snow chains and found they worked really well as the pavement snow became compacted.  Worked out in a quiet gym at lunchtime and enjoyed the walk home as the wind was easing and behind me.  Spent a rare evening in front of the telly watching a film.

The airport remained shut till Wednesday afternoon and displaced people are finally getting back to the Island.  Certainly it was a blizzard to remember - 5 days later and roads are still blocked by drifts, 66 trees are reported to have come down - it seems to be mainly conifers or evergreens whose foliage caught the snow and the wind did the rest.

2013 Inter Counties - March 9th Cofton Park, Birmingham

It was a pretty good showing by the Guernsey athletes but as always there are some ups and downs. Louise Perrio had probably her finest cross country race to place 20th, just 90 seconds down on international marathoner Louise Damon, and just 60 secs down on Steph Twell (5th). Good packing, including Sarah Mercier's 41st place gave Hampshire the team win. To be disappointed with 10th place in the u15girls race show's my daughter's high expectations - she put herself in the right place in the first 1/3rd of the race but could not follow through. Consolation prize is being called up for the South East England team for the Virgin London Mini Marathon. My son Alex produced the best performance of the season with 20th place in the u13boys race - first Hampshire finisher. The race is so competitive that just 10 seconds faster would have put him the in top 10. The upcoming Danny Ray who I am coaching finished 27th in the u15boys - a great performance for his first year.