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What’s your BHAG?

What’s your BHAG?

by | Sep 18, 2018 |

What on earth is a BHAG I hear you ask?
Well in business speak it is an acronym for a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. It’s the kind of commitment that you make after consuming several large vodkas, that moment when you suddenly declare you are going to complete 10 Ironman races in 10 days, swim the channel wearing only a mankini or climb Everest carrying a fridge.  Eyebrows are raised and your friends glance at each other and let out a collective laugh.
Most of us are used to setting goals, maybe to complete an ironman, dip under 2 hours for an Standard distance race or beat a previous personal best. All of these are fantastic aims. However for a goal to qualify as a BHAG  it needs to pass the following feasibility test: is it long term and easily understood. Will it stretch you out of your comfort zone, is it measurable, life changing and most importantly does it excite, motivate and stimulate.
To illustrate here is an example of a BHAG: 
A few months ago I was approached by a newcomer to triathlon with the view to coaching her. We arranged an initial meeting where I asked my usual question  “what’s the dream?, what’s your BHAG?”  The usual reply to this question is something like: to complete my first triathlon, get fitter or to learn front crawl  On this particular occasion however, the reply was to ‘represent Great Britain at the World Championships.  I was slightly taken aback with this, response particularly as this Newbie could hardly complete a length of front crawl and had little if any history of competitive biking or running.  My initial reaction (which thankfully I managed to hide) was to raise my eyebrows and let out a laugh.  Fast forward just nine months to Australia’s Gold Coast and that newbie triathlete Tori Peter has just completed the World Championships representing GB and finishing well in the top half of her age group.
As Tori’s coach I was privileged to be able to witness first hand the commitment and hard work that Tori put in over the previous few months. Turbo sessions at midnight, early morning swim sessions fighting of that most vicious of breeds the recreational  breast-stroker and pounding the treadmill at all hours.  Her journey was far from smooth, a bad accident whilst on a training camp in Lanzarote, losing a tooth whilst opening a gel on the bike and having to also spend long hours running her own business. All of these could easily have derailed the ambition. But as we have learned a true BHAG will stretch and test you, it requires a focus and determination and a sense of self belief.
A massive congratulations to Tori on her achievement and a question to you all….. What’s your BHAG?

  • Lanza training buddies
  • That feeling!
  • Raring to go
  • Early season
  • Hiding the nerves

Here at Peak XV Coaching we are passionate about supporting people to achieve their own BHAG.  Start your journey by getting in touch and let’s see if you can raise our eyebrows. 

Racing in the heat

by | Jul 3, 2018 |

What a fantastic summer, temperatures in the 70’s, blue skies normally only seen in holiday adverts, Wes getting mugged off in  Love Island and England on their way to winning the World Cup!!  All good, except maybe for those racing Ironman UK. For them the usual anxiety of how many layers to wear, which disposable gillet will keep them dry on the bike and will Sheep House lane be slippy, have been replaced with: will the moors above Rivington still be ablaze, will blue green algae plague Pennington Flash and will wetsuits be banned?  Unfortunately all of these issues are out of our hands The old adage of control the controllables springs to mind!  For IM UK one controllable which competitors can have an effect on is how to adapt race day strategy to cope with unexpected forcasted the heat.
During my career I was fortunate to race in some  hot places including Australia, Texas, Vegas, Lanzarote and Mexico. It is the latter which taught me the most about how to race well in the heat and also how to turn disappointment and failure into success.

2010
For a number of years Mexico 70.3 was held at the resort of Cancun. This was a race which I had targeted to qualify for the World Championships. The non wet suit swim, flat bike and run suited me. I knew that to win my age group I would need a 30 min swim, 2hr 20 bike and around a 1:30 half marathon. All achievable.
Race day arrived and as expected the temperature was in the 90’s with humidity of 85%. The swim went well, I managed to find some toes to tickle and came out the water under 30 minutes. The bike was uneventful (except for a 5 minute tropical torrential downpour which was surreally welcomed with a massive cheer). Onto the run and I felt good for the first couple of kilometres and had moved into first place. Already I was deciding what to wear when I went to collect my trophy at the award ceremony!
After the 10k mark my pace slowed considerably and getting to the finish line was my only thought.
By the end of the race I had slipped into third place. Having already decided that If I didn’t qualify automatically I wouldn’t accept a roll down place but would learn the lessons and return triumphant the following year
So over the next 12 months I thought long and hard how I could defeat the heat and win that coveted age group slot. The following are some of the changes that I put in place for 2011. 

Clothing Choice:
In 2010 my main concern for race kit had been how good it would look rather than how good it would perform in the heat. I made the following changes:

  • White arm coolers: These provided, not only protection from the harmful suns rays but also maintained moisture longer than skin. So during the race I made sure that I soaked them with water at every aid station. 
  • Hat: In 2010 I had worn a visor based on articles which suggested that this would keep my head cooler, however upon reflection I changed to a full running cap designed for summer. The advantage was that it kept the sun off my head and more importantly when I soaked the hat with cold water my head stayed cooler longer. (previously in hot races I have used the type of hat made famous by the Foreign Legion with a flap over the neck)
  • Tri suit: I Swapped my two piece for a one piece. The previous year when I tipped ice down the front of the two piece the ice simply fell out, with a one piece the ice stayed in place and melted slowest keeping my torso cooler for longer.

Race Strategy

  • Run the shade: the Cancun run course was much like Bolton with long straight roads offering very little shade, however where there was shade I made sure that I ran under it even if it meant running slightly longer than the more obvious route.
  • Walk the aid stations: no matter how good I felt: By following this rule I ensured that I took the time to rehydrate and take the opportunity to cool down properly.  At some point most people will walk during such a hot run. By choosing to walk the aid stations I was in control of when I walked.  I considered the aid stations a treat making an effort to build rapport with the volunteers. They in turn would remember me and give me that extra bit of encouragement when it got tough.
  • Race my own race: previously I often became concerned with what other athletes were doing often engaging in races within races. In the heat this can really destroy you, changes in pace use up energy when your body needs to work on cooling you down.
  • Its not over till its over: Particularly relevant when the elements are harsh, anything can happen as I was to find out. 

2011 Same race different result
For the swim and bike it was a case of Déjà vu. Coming into the second transition I was aware that the winner of the 2010 race was in my lead group. We headed out onto the run virtually side by side.  For the next 20k we played a game of cat and mouse, whilst I walked the aid stations and carried out my race strategy he ran straight through, pausing only briefly to grab a cup of water. I would then proceed to catch him up until the next aid station where he again would move ahead. I had to resit the temptation to abandon my strategy and get involved in his race rather than my own.  After the final aid station I couldn’t see him, he had moved too far ahead. I would have to settle with second.  Crossing the line I felt the usual relief that the pain was over and a familiar feeling of disappointment. As I sat cooling down in what can only be described as a large water butt I was approached by a race official who congratulated me on winning my age group and finishing 12th place overall. Confused I asked him if he was sure as I was certain I finished second. He assured me he was correct.

Later that day a familiar looking guy came over to me in my hotel and he told me his story and how I came to cross the finish line before him to claim first place. His name was Todd ( or something typically American) and he was from Florida, so was very used to racing and training in the heat and felt no fear for the conditions. During the race he had been aware that I was walking the aid stations and therefor he made a conscious decision to push hard at that point often missing water and the opportunity to cool down. All was going well and he could remember getting to the 800m to go sign.  The next memory he had was being on the floor surrounded by medics watching me run past to cross the finish line. 800m was the difference between glory and spending the afternoon on a drip!

Looking back this is probably the race that I am most proud of, not particularly because I ended up higher on the result sheet then the previous year, but more for the fact that I had learned the lesson that racing smart meant racing faster. 

 

 

Early season success

by | Jun 7, 2018 |

May is traditionally the start of the race season, especially for those who prefer the smell of neoprene over that of chlorine! This year the early season races took on a more significant role as it contained a number of Qualifiers and National Championships races.
The first of these took place at Southport.  For those of us who have been around a while Southport, has a special place in our hearts as it was one of the first triathlon to be televised way back in 1989, where legendary Mark Allen took the win.  Thanks to Youtube we can look back at this race and appreciate how the sport has changed. It’s worth a watch especially the first 2 minutes where Bob Wilson struggles to explain the format of the race. See how many times he mentions the word marathon out of context in those early minutes!

Roll forward nearly 30 years and the 2018 event was both the English Standard Distance Championships and also a qualifying race for the ITU world final being held at the Gold Coast later in the year.  Peak XV was represented by two athletes who both had successful days out in the sun.

Mike Birtwhistle  had a sensational race, despite the main focus for this year being Ironman UK, Mike achieved his secondary aim of both qualifying for the Gold Coast and finishing on the second step of the podium.

Also having a great race was Martin Garnett.  Martin is also focusing on Ironman UK in July so was using this race as a quality brick session.  Despite not tapering and not focusing on the shorter distance he managed to smash over 5 minutes of his previous PB  coming home 11th in his age group.

Also looking to book a place at the Gold Coast in October was Tori Peter. Tori travelled across the country to compete in the St Neots Triathlon. Confidence was high after a first place AG finish a couple of weeks earlier at the Skipton triathlon. Tori has only been training with Peak XV since just before Christmas and has made remarkable progress especially in her swimming.  A series of 1-1 sessions with our Head Coach had turned Tori from a complete non swimmer into being able to finish the tough 1500m swim in 30 minutes.  Despite having sustained some serious bruising following a bike crash earlier in the month Tori managed to complete the race finishing in a fantastic 2.32 and claim her spot on the British Age group team.

Other notable performances during the month of May Included Debbie Heap. Debbie’s  main focus this season is on putting together a strong performance at Ironman UK later this year. However that didn’t stop Debbie from winning her age group at the Port Quarry 70.3 in Australia. A fantastic achievement and earning a qualifying spot for the World 70.3 Championships
Setting a Personal Best is always hugely satisfying for both coach and athlete so imagine how Mark Dickinson felt after knocking 15 minutes of his PB at Slateman triathlon.  A race which also saw strong performances from Rich Hyder.

June is now upon us and the races are coming thick and fast. Peak XV athletes are competing across the country looking to set Personal Bests and podium finishes. Good luck to them all.

Fantastic IM UK weekend

by | May 22, 2018 |

“A superb, informal  and very informative weekend”

“I’m feeling more confident about getting to both the start and finish line”

“I Learnt so much on a really chilled out weekend my confidence has increased so much”

These are just a few of the comments from participants following our third successful Ironman UK Training weekend.  This year we welcomed 18 Ironman Wannabes from across the UK. 

The fun kicked off on Friday evening with a pool based open water swim session at Turton Sports Centre. We took out all the lane ropes and worked on drafting, sighting, turns and a blind swimming challenge! 

 

The programme for Saturday was filled with a combinations of informal workshops covering all things IM UK including: logistic, registration and equipment choices.

The weather Gods smiled on us and it wasn’t long before we were leaving the conference room to head into Bolton to look at the new Transition area and to run a loop of the new run course. This year the race takes in four loops of Queens Park. Scenic and a bit hilly!

Following lunch and a free bike check we hosted a Q&A session, covering topics as diverse as: secret bike wee stops, race day clothing choice and the dark art of tapering.  
The final activity of the day was a trip over to Pennington to take a look at T2 and a swim in the Flash

By  the end of such a full day we were all both hungry and thirsty so headed out for a well earned sociable meal.

Sunday was all about the bike. So with the help of Peak XV volunteers and our friends at Evolving Tri Training  we rode one loop of the course taking in Sheep House Lane and Hunters hill. Much discussion was held as to which everyone felt was the more challenging. The jury is still out!

Once everyone was home safe it was time for our goodbyes until race day on July 15th….

 

 

Avoiding race day disaster!

by | May 10, 2017 |

You’ve done the training, spent a small fortune on fancy kit, shaved all excess body hair and persuaded your family to get up before the milkman ( do we still have milkmen or am I showing my age here?) to come and support you on your big day….. Then it all goes wrong!!
Over the years I have either witnessed or been guilty of all the race day errors possible. A quick trawl of my diminishing memory include:

  • putting the safety pins of my number through both front and back of my T shirt making it impossible to actually put it on in transition
  • turning up to an important race without equipment even once turning up without a front wheel 
  • spending 15 minutes wrestling my wetsuit off in transition
  • swimming an extra 300m over a standard distance race

All of these things are avoidable and to help save you the embarrassment of repeating these mistakes we are holding a one off training day. This will include:

  • practical pool based open water skills session including: navigation, fighting, stroke technique, wetsuit fitting and removal, dealing with open water anxiety and more.
  • practical transition skills: including mount and dismount, tips on setting up a efficient transition area, the rules of transition.
  • race day nutrition and strategy

The draft programme for the workshop is:

10:00-10:30   Welcome and Introductions 
10:30 -12;00  Pool based open water skills session, tips, drill and fun! 
12:30 – 12:30  Lunch
13:00 – 14:00 Practical transition skills session 
14:00 -15.00  Race day preparation and post race recovery

This unique event is taking place at Turton Sports Centre Bolton on 3rd June 2017 

Early bird discount applies of only £25.00

For all the details and how to book can be found here at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/racing-well-maximise-your-performance-in-triathlon-tickets-32719657376?aff=ebapi   

Swim Smooth V Peak XV

by | Apr 3, 2017 |

My stay in Perth is nearly over. I have spent the last couple of weeks checking out how Swim Smooth Perth operates and getting inspiration and new ideas for our own swim sessions back in Blighty.  Whilst here I have been overwhelmed by the friendliness of the squad members and the fantastic generosity of Swim Smooth founder and old friend Paul Newsome in allowing me to attend the sessions, shadow coach, share his vast experience and to sit in on some of the 1-1 video stroke analysis.

Of course whilst here I can’t but help draw comparisons between the Perth Squad and our own swim squads. Needless to say there are some exciting changes coming to Bolton. But for now I thought a more lighthearted look at the differences might be a fitting end to a great holiday. 

Swim wear:  In the UK  ‘Budgie smugglers” are pretty much extinct and in some pools illegal, here in Oz they are the garment of choice. Not only do they leave little to the imagination they are are also extremely bright! I have been glad of my mirror effect goggles to protect my retinas!  Not to be outdone the girls are also celebrating a new age minimalism through their use of dazzling tiny bikinis to train in. I am beginning to think that there is some kind of black lycra shortage in Perth.   

Swim gadgets:  In the UK if you haven’t recored your swim on your Garmin then it simply didn’t happen, whilst here almost no one is wearing any kind of swim watch. They may rock up to the 5.30am session in a shiny Mercedes but apparently they see no need to splash out $$ on the latest wearable tech to then spend 38% of the session looking at their watch and moaning to each other that the session is 75m short.

Swim Toys: Fins, paddles, snorkels, ankle bands, parachutes, several different types of pull buoys all litter the pool deck like a chaotic car boot boot sale. AND god forbid you pick up some ones elses paddles! you’ll be met with a stare which reminds you that this guys great grandfather was sent to Australia for a reason.

Facilities: A no contest, not only does the Claremont Centre have a 50m and a 25m pool it also has a healthy cafe, out door play area, showers that you might actually want to use and toilets that have both soap and toilet paper. Oh and of course the obligatory BBQ area.

Coaching: Ah the million dollar question, and the reason that I made the long trip to Perth. Watching Paul in action has been motivating enough to get me enthusiastically out of bed to attend the ridiculously early morning sessions, which have including pool, beach and river swims. Paul’s pool side manor and communication skills are evidenced by the popularity of the sessions  and confirmed by the glowing feedback that members of the squad were happy to share with me. The most obvious and impressive thing however, is Paul’s passion not only for swimming, but to spread the Gospel according to Mr Smooth. This is a man on a mission to continue to drag swimming and swim coaching into the 21st century.

What does this mean for the guys attending the Peak XV sessions?  Well there is some good news and some bad news! The good news is that I am returning with new ideas, renewed enthusiasm and a clearer idea of how the Bolton sessions will develop. The bad news is that this includes the introduction of the infamous Swim Smooth Red Mist sessions!
Watch this space and be afraid! Very afraid. 

Coach hard and play hard!  

Obsession & Perspective.

Obsession & Perspective.

by | Mar 13, 2017 |

Eighteen years ago last week I became a dad for the first time. When people ask me what I remember most of that special day I am ashamed to admit my overriding emotion was frustration that my original plan for the day) to head to Manchester and check out Shimano cycling shoes) had been disrupted! Instead I was faced with the prospect of spending several hours in Burnley General. I considered taking my turbo trainer into the maternity ward and getting a bike session in whilst waiting for the arrival. Even more ridiculous I was debating whether to get my trunks and swim goggles and smash out a few lengths in the birthing pool. ( I assumed that the pool would be at least 20 metres!).

For most of the first two months of baby Katie’s life I was out training as inconveniently, her birth came only a few weeks before Ironman Lanzarote. A race which I had been training hard for for the past year.

Looking back, this set the pattern of triathlon dominating my life, I was obsessed and often felt frustrated and irritable when things such as parents evenings, requests to go swimming or play down the park threatened to interrupt my strict training routine. Whilst other dads were kicking a football around with their kids on a Sunday afternoon I was out on the bike or heading to the pool.

Over the passing years I spent thousands of pounds on equipment, gym memberships, race entries, bikes and new gadgets. I spent time away from home competing across the world. And for what? I was never going to win a world title, turn pro or podium at Ironman Hawaii. Although trophies did appear on the mantlepiece unfortunately they were sat along side pictures of family outings where I was noticeable by my absence.

Quite how obsessed I was was brought home to me recently by a comment from one of Peak XV athletes. Stephen had travelled all the way to New Zealand to take part in the Ironman. However his day didn’t go to plan and he wasn’t able to finish the race. Upon hearing this I sent him a message asking him how he felt and that he must have been devastated his reply was “I was disappointed, but the sun came up this morning and the world continues to turn” At first I couldn’t relate to his comment but after a short while I realised that Stephen had something that I hadn’t had: a sense of perspective. I know for certain that when a race didn’t go well I would have a mini meltdown, mentally beating myself up and generally being unbearable for several days and I thought that everyone was like me!

Fast forward 18 years and I am over my addiction to the start line, I no longer spend hours studying race results or researching how to shave grams off my latest carbon bike. These days I am happy to swap a night at the pool for a kids movie night, to spend Sundays playing football down the park rather than out on my bike and helping with homework without feeling resentful that I am not out running. Hopefully its not too late to make up for all that lost time.

So if I had a early Easter message for my fellow triathletes it would be: by all means love your training, enjoy your racing but remember no matter how good or bad it goes the sun will rise and the world will continue spin. Time passes far too quickly and before you know it that small bundle of joy will be blowing out 18 candles, taking her first driving lessons and won’t give a dam about what her dads Ironman personal best was back in the last century.

Train Smart!

Every passion has it’s destiny

by | Jul 29, 2016 |

Ironman UK 2016:

6am… July 17th… 2016 saw fourteen Peak XV athletes jump into the foreboding waters of Pennington Flash to hopefully conclude their Ironman journey and fulfil their various dreams. For some the dream was to secure a podium place and slot at the World Championships in Hawaii. For others, it was to beat a previous best and for the rest it was to experience the emotion of the finish line for the first time.

First to complete 2.4 mile swim was Cath “the fish” Labrianidis in a time of 1.01. This amazing time saw Cath lead her age group out onto the bike. Next to exit the water just over a minute behind was Ironman rookie Matt Dewhurst.

Over the course of the next 30 minutes all of the remaining Peak XV guys and girls had made their way through the muddy transition and were onto the challenging 112 mile bike course. Particular praise must go to Terry Gawthorne and Mike Horton, both members of the Monday Swim Squad. Mike completed the swim in 1.25 with Terry not far behind. Amazing considering neither were swimmers prior to entering IM last year. Demonstrating the hard work that they have both put in over the past 6 months.

Out on the bike Mark Mather was on his way to setting a new personal bike best and looked strong on the climbs through Adlington and Sheep House lane. Also riding strongly was Anna Thornton who managed to knock 20 minutes of 2015 IM time. Not having such a good day was Duncan Williams despite feeling confident in the lead up to the race a cold and chest infection ended his IM dream for 2016. Never a quitter Duncan has already entered the 2017 race! Among the Ironman newbies Danny Stanton was having a great race. Danny entered Ironman without having completed a triathlon after watching other family members competing the event in previous years. Danny completed the swim in 1.21 and was riding strongly on the bike. Prize for the smiliest person on the bike goes to Vicky Wood. Vicky was competing in only her second triathlon and her first Ironman. The dedication and commitment shown since taking the decision to enter Ironman has been impressive to watch!
Onto the run and as everyone knows an Ironman doesn’t really get started until mile 18 of the run. Or in the case of Ironman UK when competitors hit the second lap. The initial euphoria of getting of the bike and the excitement of the amazing crowd support has dwindled and competitors are left doing a kind of Zombie shuffle for the middle section of the run. This proved to be the case for many of the Peak XV athletes, as the temperature was rising so were the pain levels. First to feel the effects was Cath who had started the race as one of the favourites to podium. However a knee injury put pay to that and her traditionally strong run eluded her, however she still finished in a brilliant time of 12.03 placing her 5th in her age group.

As the day hotted up many of the spectators head towards Bolton town centre to watch the various celebrations as competitors cross the finish line.

Among our athletes first over the finish line looking slightly bewildered was Matt Dewhurst in a fantastic time of 11.30 placing him 21st place in his age group. Six minutes later Mark Mather crossed the line. Despite a slower than usual run owing to knee problems, Marko still knocked nearly 20 minutes off his 2016 time. The crowd had to wait just over a hour before the next Peak XV athlete finished. Coming home in a time of 13.00 hours was Darren Clare. Darren only entered the race the week before having to blag his way to a late entry. Even more impressive was the fact that both Darren and his brother Marc Ramsden completed the “worlds toughest triathlon” Triathlon X only three weeks before. Triathlon X takes place in the Lake district and includes over 12,000 feet of ascent on the bike with a route which includes all the major climbs in Cumbria. If thats not hard enough, then the run includes a climb up the highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike.

Next onto the red carpet was Stephen Mundie. Stephen is not only our most recent signing but also gets the long distant award having travelled down from Aberdeen to compete. Next home in a time of 13.48 was Anna Thornton knocking 30 minutes off her 2016 time and also finishing with a massive smile on her face. By now competitors were finishing thick and fast. Next to cross the line was Danny Stanton in a time of 13.56 happy to end what appeared to be a tortuous run! Ten minutes separated the next three athletes with Mark Dickinson managing not to get lost on the bike crossing the line in 14.24 followed by Marc Ramsden in 14.33 and Terry Gawthorne 5 minutes later. As the clock ticked towards the 15 hour mark another of our Ironman Rookies Steve Butterworth completed his day in a great time of 14.58. Next to hear the words “you are an ironman” with possibly the best finishing dance was Vicky Wood who came over the line in 15.03. Living up to his reputation as never one to rush things Mike Horton was the next to finish in a time of 15.20, this included a stopping for a nice chat at the top of Adlington.

Overall Bolton once again provided the backdrop for a fantastic Ironman. Congratulations to the class of 2016 and heres to the class of 2017.

 

Pictures from the day can be found here

 

 

 

Whilst others are getting back from a Saturday night out Anna, Cath, Vicky and Marko are heading to T1

 

 

 

 

 

How are you feeling?

by | Jun 30, 2016 |

One of the things that people don’t tell you about when you enter an Ironman is the emotional roller coaster and the mental trauma that you will experience on your journey to that start line.
Sure everyone mentions the early morning swims, the 100 mile bike rides and the brain freeze of your first open water swim. But what about whats going on in your head?

Whilst reading the training diaries and chatting to some of the 16 Peak XV athletes who will be racing IM in just over two weeks I notice that there are some very common feelings and emotions. So, in the spirit of a “problem shared is a problem halved” I thought I might reassure you that you are not alone in your thoughts by sharing the top nine symptoms of training for an Ironman:

Irritability: Symptoms range from throwing a hissy fit when your loved one doesn’t serve you your coffee in your favourite ” I survived the 4th most awful and degrading triathlon known to man” mug through to wanting to throttle the person in front of you at Tesco because she is emptying the contents of her purse to find a 25p off voucher for Crispy Kreme doughnuts while you are waiting to purchase your Whey protein shake, four bananas and 250 grams of chia seeds.

Restlessness: Either restless for race day to arrive or the longing to being able to rest without feeling guilty and worrying that all your hard earned fitness will disappear when you take a day off. Oh the irony, you need to rest BUT you can’t, you are too busy lying in your oxygen tent worrying that todays Strava split over Sheep House Lane was .5kph slower than a week ago.

Over-tired: Often resulting in behaving like a spoilt 3 year old. Being over tired is the catalyst for pretty much all of the other emotions here. However it’s not really a surprise you are shattered YOU’RE TRAINING FOR A IRONMAN! Remember when you signed up for it way back last year, this was what you were committing to. The early morning swim sessions, long boring runs, more hours sat on a saddle than is good for your manhood (or female hood) and continually smelling of Eau’d Penflash.

Nervousness: The fun thing about being nervous is the way that the reasons for being nervous dance about in front of you. One moment you’re nervous that you’ll have a puncture on race day, the next worried that your goggles will leak and then just as you are dropping off to sleep the certainty that a vampire will attack you and suck all the energy from your body and pour it into your main competitor the night before the race.

Meltdown: All but the coolest of characters will have some kind of meltdown before race day. I have seen these occur during open water swim sessions, at mile 80 of long bike rides and even while online shopping for the perfect tri suit! These meltdowns can last minutes, hours or days. The overriding feeling is I can’t do this! why did I enter? and I will come last!

Anxious: Lets face it there is a lot to be anxious about. Have you got the right equipment? will you need a poo on the run? what nutrition do I need ? what if its raining? what if its too hot. The best advice in dealing with these anxieties is that old phrase, “control the controllables”. You can’t change the weather on race day, but you can prepare for all eventualities. Like wise you should be using all your race day equipment during your training sessions so that there are no nasty surprises come race day.

Nauseous: Feeling sick with nerves or feeling sick after consuming five hours worth of energy drinks and gels during a long bike ride. Or maybe feeling sick after misjudging the effort needed to climb Hunters Hill resulting in very nearly seeing those energy gels for a second time. Unfortunately the nausea isn’t going to get any less as the build up to race day. However, miraculously the pre race nerves do disappear once you get your race started.

Under prepared: A feeling that everyone has done twice as much training as you. This is exasperated by nights spent reading online comments from those who claim to have just finished a 120 mile bike ride followed by a 28k hill session, all completed at a speed that would see them finish the IM in around eight hours. My simple message is don’t believe what you read! By now there is very little training that you can do to improve your time come race day. You can however jeopardise your race by panicking and adding additional sessions like a student cramming for their exams. Believe in your training.

Knackered: At this part of your training journey you SHOULD feel knackered. Its normal to finish a session and fall asleep on the sofa or desperately want to crawl under your desk and take a nap. Just remember soon this will all be over. No more sleepless nights, early morning swims, long depressing bike rides, or hours spent online forums. Your life will return to the happy, relaxed, content existence that is was………… Until the next time!

 

 

 

 

 

What is success?

by | May 31, 2016 |

This time of year is quite a nerve racking one for us triathlon coaches. Over the previous few months clients have not only invested their pennies, but they have taken our advice, followed our training plans and placed their trust in us. Trust that their coach will help them achieve their goals and be successful in their aspirations.
This raises an interesting question and one which was in the forefront of my mind over the weekend with two high profile races taking place. What constitutes success?

Ellesmere Triathlon traditionally attracts a high quality field and this year it was no different. The race was a qualifier for the ETU Championships and duly attracted participants from across the UK keen to wear the GB vest in Kitzbuhel. Peak XV had three athletes competing Cath, Marko and Vicky.
When looking through the results its easy to get drawn to the amazing performance of Cath Labrianidis. Cath finished 8th overall and 1st in her age group qualifying her to represent GB along the way. All the more remarkable when you consider that Cath has done no specific short course training as she is focusing on qualifying for Hawaii later in the year.

Cath receiving her 1st place award.

Marko’s 7th place age group result was also a great achievement for a guy carrying what he considered to be, at the very least Ebola. AND he knocked nearly 30 minutes off his PB at this event. Despite this Marko still knows he has bigger fish to fry come July 17th!

Marko focused on Smashing IM UK

Then we come to Vicky Wood. This was Vicky’s first triathlon and it was undertaken in her build up towards Ironman UK in July. Two weeks ago Vicky entered the scary, cold, panic inducing world of the open water. Swimming more than 100m was a challenge. The cold waters of Pennington takes your breath away and the feeling of what lurks beneath can induce real anxiety. During this inaugural baptism of icy hell I swam along side Vicky offering reassurance and advice all the while thinking in two weeks she will be swimming in the washing machine of a mass start, how will she cope? Well on Sunday Vicky not only finished the race 7th in her age group she smashed the swim in 27.22! Brilliant!

Vicky after her inaugraul open water swim

Outlaw Triathlon
Over the past seven years the Outlaw has established itself as one of the classic races on the UK triathlon circuit. This year Peak XV had three competitors lining up on the start line in Nottingham: Sarah, Emma and Mike. For Sarah this race was a stepping stone to better things having suffered from a number of setbacks recently. Sometimes the time recorded is not the measure of success, just getting to the start line can be the achievement.

As for Emma and Mike often described as the Posh and Becks of the Tri world this was the couples first venture into the longer stuff. I think it’s fair to say that they approached the race with slightly differing attitudes. Mike’s approach was laid back, “what ever happens will happen” and ‘it’ll be all right on the day”.

Mike. Taking it all in his stride

Where as Emma’s was “in all likelihood I will not even start let alone finish”

A couple of weeks earlier, during one of our bike hill sessions I watched Emma really struggle to overcome her fear and loathing of the bike. Having fallen off whilst negotiating a tight turn she was overwhelmed with frustration and doubt. Fast forward a few weeks and the feedback about Outlaw was ” the bike was the favourite part”

So going back to my original question, what constitutes success? Upon reflection I think, in this instance success should be measured by the distance traveled to achieve your goals. All of the Peak XV triathletes were successful over the weekend, but look a little deeper and success isn’t always as obvious as the times printed on the results sheet. Both Vicky and Emma, only a couple of weeks ago were questioning their ability to overcome their self doubt and fears. Both decided to tackle those fears head on. Vicky, by taking every opportunity to get back into the murky depths and Emma to literally get back on her bike and refuse to be beaten.

From witnessing athletes simply making it to the start line, achieving podium places to those conquering self doubt really does make the job of coaching so worthwhile. Thanks for making me a proud coach. Bring on the rest of the season!