This pleasant trail race through woodland - or rather normal
trail race through pleasant woodland - saw Emma S and Mick W both competing,
Emma by design and Mick because he had a very last minute chance to take the
offer of a free ‘spare’ number. And naturally, being from Yorkshire
- though markedly unprepared for 10K efforts - didn’t really have a choice.
Both did well: Emma clocked a 54:05 to finish 2/19 in her age group and 89/239
(including males) overall, whilst Mick did a 44:54; also good enough for a 2/32
in age and a 22/239 overall.
Mick ‘unpreparedness’ was due to his training regime of the past
couple of months, which has seen him regularly putting in huge distances and
running the country’s mountaintops, both day and night, in preparation to be a
support runner for a friend who is due to have a crack at the Bob Graham Round: a challenge so
outrageously difficult that it simply beggars belief.
More to follow…
Jon Z
On 7th July, Jon continued with his preference for extended
efforts and competed in the middle distance ‘Outlaw Half at Holkham’ triathlon
(Swim 1900 metres / Bike 56 miles / Run 13.1 miles). A problematic swim saw Jon
at something of a disadvantage approaching T1 but once on the bike things began
to improve. In fact, they improved to the point where Jon himself was quite
surprised by the speeds and heart rate readings he was seeing. He managed to
maintain a higher heart rate than usual for the entire duration, and even
covered the bike leg a full six minutes quicker than he’d achieved on a much
flatter and ‘easier’ course of the same distance a few weeks ago. This theme
continued in the run. In spite of very warm conditions, Jon managed to retain a
good run pace throughout and this time matched the run split he’d achieved in
the (much flatter) event he’d tackled the last time out.
At the end of the piece, and once again deservedly roundly
celebrated by organisers, commentators, officials and fellow competitors who
know of his medical conditions, Jon achieved a remarkable 3rd in
age.
Steve W
Following up on his inauguration to gravel bike racing
earlier in the season, Steve took to the start of the Yorkshire True Grit 20-miler
a couple of weekends ago (pic). Though comparatively short for an off-road
event, the organisers proudly boast of the difficulty of terrain. One of the
catch phrases associated with this event (which is based on the spectacular if
occasionally vicious North Yorkshire Moors) is delivered in the brogue: “D’yer
like climbin’ lad? - well tha’d best”. The course lived up to reputation and as
well as the sheer brutality of some of the ascents also featured: single-track
that was literally not even as wide as handlebars, boulder-infested fields,
numerous gates, and not inconsiderable head of free-roaming livestock. Fair to
say navigating the various ‘features’ whilst going as fast as physically
possible (no pacing necessary over 20 miles) requires a broad skill set that
Steve is undoubtedly able to draw upon. After jockeying for position in the top
half dozen throughout the course of the race, he eventually finished 4th
overall - and was justifiably quick to point out that the combined age of the
three who finished ahead of him was something almost approaching his own.