24th August 2008
SKY SPORTS are doing a feature on ladies sporting acivities and have done a feature on cycling in the Forest with the Forest of Dean Cycling Club.
Today we all met up at the Fountain PH for 9.30am where we normally meet on a Sunday for a long ride. Instead today we, most of the ladies from the cycling club and a new lady to the club met up, the new lady had an interview and lead the group of ladies and men out to Symonds Yat Rock. I lead and dropped some of the ladies, we did try and stay together and we all seemed to get filmed. It was quite exciting and a little nerve racking but after 1/2 hour we got to the Rock, the men carried on on there long ride and the ladies walked upto the top for more filming and interviews. The cycling ladies representative, Louise Insall had an interview and our longest standing member Carol. We then were filmed walking our bikes up and looking at the views and other little walks and then finally riding away.
We don't know when it will be telivised yet but we will be informed by email and will have access to the edited recording.
This is the email ladies originally received: Dear All,
1900m SWIM - 26:50
The 1900m swim was awesome, a little intimidating, but after the start I went well, felt relaxed but putting in the effort. A rough start, managed to get a good start near the front as the horn went. Tried not to get beaten up too much and found some clear water and simply followed other swimmers splash as I couldn’t see much for at least the first 300m. Following feet and overtaking where possible in these perfect conditions, the lake was chilly, but great temperature to swim, very calm in this quarry with high cliff walls all around. Out along the near side of the lake, alongside and beyond the pontoon to the first few small yellow and white buoys. Past the free divers pontoon in the middle to the first turn. Hard round the buoy about 160 degree turn back to the pontoon in the middle, avoiding other swimmers. I looked across and the field had already spread out and I felt the leaders weren’t a huge distance ahead which felt great. Round the dive pontoon and back out to another buoy, more swimmers to avoid, round the second 160 degree turn and back along the far side of the quarry. The swim was an ‘M’ shape which worked well, so on the back straight I managed to avoid other swimmers, but for one chap, I tried to avoid his, but he kept heading for me so we had a minor collision. No one seriously hurt & I continued following another ladies feet along the straight & back around to the exit and slip. It was great having a good swim, probably a little short, but managed 26.50 for the swim.
A very rough and stony exit out of the quarry swam in as far as possible, but so very painful, slow and lost a bit of time scrambling over these big stones. Once out after nearly falling, over the timing mat for the end of the swim.
Transition 1 - 5:13
On with some old trainers, started getting the suit off to my hips and run on the rough, stony track up out of the quarry, over the top and down slightly to transition. Still lots of rough stones that no one went bear foot on at any stage. Onto some matting between the bike racks, off with the suite & on with the bike kit and try to run out of transition, up another steep slope to the mount line.
BIKE - 3:17:07 - 56 miles
Big bike was extremely hard and challenging, headed out of the dive site, left onto the A48 towards Glos. Through numerous villages, including Lydney and Blakeney through to and just past Elton junction which took about 53 minutes with countless hills of varying degrees. A little faster and slightly flatter with lots of smaller hills along the next miles to Lydbrook. Left along the lanes through and up to Mitcheldean to the first feed station. My food had fallen off and didn’t see anything at this station except water and Hi-five, grabbed a bottle and headed off through Mitcheldean a few turns and roundabouts later on more country lanes through to Lea heading off towards Ross on Wye. Up to Pontshill through more lanes with several drags and sharp turns through to Walford. Left to Lower Lydbrook and up through English Bicknor and the second feed station at Five Acres school where I picked up a mars bar and drink. Food was overdue, at least two hours of hard cycling, but better late than never.
Food at last, left & in Mile End right to Coleford, Broadwell, down to Pigmy Pinetum, right to Park end, Right and Left up to Bream. One at the top of that hill, right and left when leaving the village, up another hill and through to St Briavals. Left through the village, more hills all the way to the last main descent to Tutshill, Chepstow. Out of drink and food, left at the roundabout to the end and left onto the A48 and back to the transition.
I found the bike very hard, pleased with my time & my performance. I did fade a bit, maybe the food was too late & I felt like I was running on empty over the last 45 minutes. I still managed a respectable 3:17:07.
Transition 2 - 0:52 seconds
It was just as awkward underfoot as the first; I had loosened off the straps and kept my feet in the bike shoes to protect my feet from the stones down the steep slope and into transition. The change went well, fairly quick and off on the run for more hills. Into and out of transition were timing mats.
RUN - 1:39:51 - 13.1 miles:
The run was tough and a bit confusing and quick for me. The run started with a rough, short up hill, a long deep stony downhill, a brief 20m flat and then an uphill, over a 2 ½ foot wall and up a steep muddy hill, flattish across the top to the first feed station. The first feed station on the road was one of the 3 water stations and the start of a lap. Downhill, up and left and down to the camp site water station, no 2, back up, left, more undulations, left and along to the third where we collect a lap band and over a timing mat. From there retrace your steps back to the first water station and a total of three laps.
I’m not sure what happened but the marshals at one strategic point on the run course were sending people the wrong way and therefore shortening the run. I’m sure I did it correctly, but I know Vicky, the winning lady passed me, she did an extra lap and got the exact same run split, very odd and confusing.
I am very happy with my performance & results. Took over a week to recover from this, one of the Top Ten Toughest ½ Ironman
5:29:56 - Total time
26:50 - 1900m SWIM - 1900 meters
5:13 - Transition 1
3:17:07 - BIKE - 56 miles
0:52 seconds - Transition 2
1:39:51 - RUN - 13.1 miles:
The Little Woody' was one of my best races for a while, racing for ‘Black Sheep Sports’ and the last few days were a bit worrying, but the race went really well.
Training went up dramatically the month before by my coach, Paul. Between 15 and 18 hours training per week, plus extra strength, core conditioning, drills and movement skills. Two weeks before I met up with a lovely lady, Nadia Ashkenazy-Jones and went round the whole course from the National Dive Centre on a windy day. We met for the first time and got together to get to know the course, we took about 3 hours and 55 minutes, a tough session and several drink and snack stops along the way. The week before Mark & I went and swam in the quarry, which for me was essential as I freaked out a little as it felt a little claustrophobic and all looked the same with the huge quarry walls. The last week I was focused on eating healthily and drinking, on top of a great taper for that week.
My shoulder, neck, knee, hamstrings and back were playing up and resorted to osteopathic treatment 14th and 15th August which wasn’t ideal during the last few hours before a big race.
15th August I did a massage, drove to the quarry to explore the run course, which was essential as I had a good idea of the hills and the first off road and technical section. From there I went back home to get my kit packed and the bike prepared, I was aware of the head set being a bit loose again. Later went out for my osteo treatment and then back to the Dive Centre to register for the race, chilled out a bit, chatted about my bike and 7pm was race briefing and back home for a steak dinner Mark prepared for us.
16th August – Race day. 5am the alarm went off, got ready, had a bowl of porridge, packed the car and off to the quarry for 6.10am. After the bike mechanic, luckily the Planet X chap, Andy that measured me up for my Planet X sponsored bike was there and looked after my bike and whilst he was tightening it the head set sheered. A bit of a panic and stress about having a bike for the race was a huge worry, I tried to prepare for the race, got drink onto my bike, food which I didn’t get a chance to secure it and got the rest of my kit set up and off to the toilet, suited up and a long walk to the swim start.
Possibly a 800m trek over very rough and stony track to the Quarry slipway, whilst walking over I chatted to Vicky Wilkinson, she was relaxed and raced the Wednesday before, we had a chat and I was expressing my stresses about my bike and niggles. Onto the pontoon for a briefing, entered the chilly water to slowly acclimatise and line up ready for the race start.
Race day 16th August 2008
