2013 round up

January

The focus for January was 100% on the TP100 race in March.  I cycle to work, a 26 mile round trip, so most of my cycling miles are incidental.  I find they keep me with a good base fitness, with less injury risk from running too much.  I missed a couple of training sessions due to a cold, but otherwise followed my training plan.

Bike : 386km
Running : 180km

February

Again a training month with no races. I kept to my training plan and some days ran to work and back across the fields, a round trip of 25 miles. Splitting training into 2 runs a day really worked for me and it’s something I have continued to do throughout the year.

Bike : 465km
Running : 294km

(my first ever 100 miles finish with my super crew)

March

23^rd TP100

This month I had my second attempt at 100 miles and I had recruited a crew to make sure I made it this time.  The weather was extreme with the race being rerouted due to floods and below zero temperatures through the night. I remember the last 10 miles being the hardest thing I have ever done.  Just trying to move forward and being so tired physically.  I finished due to the fact I had a crew, and that this was the first race of the Centurion Grandslam* also kept me going.  (*Centurion Grandslam: all 4 Centurion 100 mile races in one year).

Bike : 683km
Running : 205km

my first 100 mile buckle

April

14^th SDW50
28^th Napflio medium distance triathlon

I had two races this month.

I was still recovering from the TP100 and the first 25 miles of the SDW50 was miserable.  However at the ½ way stage I got myself together.  The time was slow, but the weather was awful so I was happy with a finish. I am going to redo this race next year and hope for better weather.

The second race of the month was two weeks later, in Greece, my second home.  We were blessed with a heat wave, with temperatures in the 30’s.  I had a great run, passing a few people instead of the usual scenario of being passed. I was pleased with how I faired in the heat and don’t feel it slowed me, as it did, even some of my Greek friends.

Bike :659km
Running :170km

(Top step of the podium and feeling chuffed with myself)

May

18^th NDW50

(NDW50 finish.)

My second 50 mile race of the year and 3^rd Centurion race. I finished in a reasonable time and was happy with the race.  It was just a training race after all. Training between the triathlon and the 50 miles was limited to a couple of long slow runs.  It was mostly recovery that was important. 

Bike :600km
Running :161km

(Selfie and Cheap Sunglasses on the SDW100)

June

15^th SDW100

The second race of the Centurion Grandslam.  With perfect running weather, this race went much better than planned or expected.  I had set myself a target of 24 hours, which after a 27 hour TP100 seemed too much to be asking of myself.  I spent the first 50 miles playing leapfrog with 2 or 3 other runners and then the 3^rd 25 miles it was down to 2 of us. At around 75 miles we hooked up together for the night section and navigation and this pulled me through faster than I ever imagined I would run a 100 miles.  We finished just under 20 and ½ hours.

Bike :774km
Running :306km

100 miles in one day!

(Best beard in a triathlon category winner)

July

14^th July Marlow medium distance triathlon

A quiet month for me with just a medium distance triathlon planned.  A local race in Marlow.  I was looking forward to the run to see how my run training was affecting my triathlon running.  Not a great improvement in time, but it certainly felt easier to run  only 20km.

Bike :828km
Running :62km

(NDW100 Looking good somewhere in the first 40 miles. 
But it wasn’t to be)

August

10^th NDW100
24^th Big/Little Woody

This was my worst month of the year. I pulled out of the NDW100 (and the Centurion Grandslam) with an injury.  No excuses.  It just wasn’t my day.  2 weeks later I had planned the Big Woody.  A full distance triathlon.  I contacted the organisers and was allowed to downsize to the medium distance held on the same day. Swimming was ok and cycling only hurt a little.  I was able to complete the 20k run in a slower but reasonable time.

Bike :754km
Running :174km

(Big/Little Woody swim exit)

(Colour coordinated Cyclothon)

September

5^th Cyclothon
8^th Challenge Henley
21^st Equinox 24

This was my big month.  A 12 hour bike ride followed 3 days later by a long distance tri and then I threw in a 24hour race to see what they were like, as I thought this would be fun.  It was, and I completed 100 miles in just over 21 hours and called it a day as I wasn’t going fast enough to podium. After the DNF at the NDW100 it was also a good mental boost.

Bike :1217km
Running :213km

(Equinox 24)

October

This was going to be a focused month on getting ready for the W100. I didn’t do a few of the shorter planned training days and did ½ the distance on the mid week medium length runs, but kept to the long weekend ones that I enjoy the most.

Bike :592km
Running :227km

November

Races: 30^th W100

I only ran 16km this month leading to the winter 100.  I really didn’t feel like running and didn’t have the mojo to run.  This luckly changed once we started the race and after a little down at about mile 30ish I really enjoyed the rest of the run and got my running mojo back.

Bike :771km
Running :187km

December

I only ran 2 runs this month.  One a week after the W100 and one more the following week.  I enjoyed both and wanted to run more.  I think the dark mornings and nights helped me stem that feeling as after a big year I knew I needed to rest.  My training will start on the 6^th of January ready for my first A race in May.

Bike :504km
Running :12km

The year was full of ups and downs In my running. I finished my first 100 miler. I then pb’ed my 100 miles by 7 hours. Then I went on to DNF my 3^rd 100 mile of the year. I bounced back with a 21 hour 100 miles in a 24 hour race. Then finished my 4^th 100 mile finish of the year in a sub 24 (100 miles in one day). It was a fantastic year of achievements for me, something I couldn’t of imagined even attempting 5 years ago when I took the first running step into the unknown.

I placed 2^nd overall in my only bike race of the year and finished well in all my triathlons although I had to downsize one due to an injury from running. The icing on the triathlon cake was an AG top step of the podium in one race.

Cyclothon 2013 2nd place 12 hour solo.

Victor Ubogu from Cyclothon