12 December. Thanks for your votes!
In my recovery from injury I was really pleased to see that I have been shortlisted to the final 5 for 220 Triathlon magazine's 'Duathlete of the Year' Award along with some illustrious competition in the shape of Paul Amey, Ali Brownlee, Lee Peircy and Adam Bowden.
If you get a mo, you can vote here for all your favourite tri/du things here: or click on the awards logo above...
http://www.220triathlon.com/webform/220-triathlon-awards-2010-stage-2
18th November. SNAP goes the Ankle!
There I was, leading an XC running session in Aldenham Woods in Hertfordshire with my 17-18 year old XC runners and showing them the way (don't laugh!) when after only about 5 minutes of an interval I stepped on a tree root and the tree root bit back. My ankle went straight over and there was a not entirely pleasant but none the less crisp, cracking sound. It now turns out that this was my lovely ligaments saying goodbye to my ankle. I had to be carried like a baby from the wood by a colleague. I didn't cry. Don't believe what you've heard. I didn't cry. Man! It hurt.
Anyway, I've been in plaster since then and now have an inflatable splint around my ankle. It's getting better slowly and I'm (as I always say to my clients) ticking the right boxes to recovery. Massive love and thanks go to Leda who is just about well enough to look after me whilst she is still recovering from Spinal surgery (it's not an entirely mobile place, the Cox household at present!) Here's my current training position:
18th October: Chelmsford Off Road Duathlon, Essex. 1st Place and course record.
Well. That was my last race of the year and another really enjoyable off road event. I really am loving them at the moment. The course in Hylands Park, the venue for the annual 'V festival' was a really good testing one with a mix of twisty-windy singletrack and some wide open plains. As last week the race was split up into waves and although this makes it hard to have an overall picture of the acurate palcings it does make you go harder due, if nothing else to the uncertainty. I was feeling great on both the runs and the bikes actually. Knowing I had my last race coming up I made my key midweek running session a long series of 80m sprint reps on the track and as always it did the trick. It's a great way of building dynamic and explosive muscle memory feel which transfers well into a close event. It's a great 'sharpener' for this time of year. I loved the bike leg today and if I'm honest I was pleased to find myself locked up and sliding into at least 3 of the corners in the wooded section. As I told one of the 17 year olds that I took out for a coached MTB session in the week: "you don't know your limits until you go beyond them" and they certainly did that (no one died!)
13th October : Friston Forest Off Road Duathlon. Near Eastbourne, Sussex. 1st place and course record
This was a race I had entered last year but had been unable to do due to having a cold so I entered this gp triathlon promotion well in advance and I'm glad I did. The course was awesome. I can remember going to the Friston Forest when I was young and my Nan was living in Eastbourne and it certainly hasn't changed. Both the runs and bike were on a mix of wide gravelly fire roads and narrow rutted forest trails and it was hilly which was great. The bike leg pretty much started with a 3k climb straight off which suited me perfectly. Tactically it was a strange race as I'd figured out before hand that my main competition for the win would come in the shape of young Henry Jarvis of Bodyworks XTC who had come 2nd to Jonny Brownlee in the national Duathlon champs earlier in the year. The problem was that he was starting in the later wave and so although I worked my way ahead of my wave by the end of the run I had no idea how he was doing. Maybe in hindsight that's a good thing though because even when out front by yourself it makes you push harder not knowing where you are in the race.
I have to say- I'm REALLY enjoying my late season focus on the offroad scene. It's just so much more fun than road duathlon. A few days later now, I went for a hard 90 min ride around the woods near me in Nomansland near Wheathampstead and I was just smiling the whole time! It's so much fun ducking in and out of the trees, jumping logs and ditches and generally pushing the limits of my tyre grip. It reminded me why I started all of this at the age of 13 when I first got on a decent MTB and started carving up my neighbour Tilman's garden in endless circles, I love it! Who needs tri-bars and tarmac when you've got 2 inches of travel and dusty trails. Oh, and dog shit. Yes, that's right- I stopped on the dusty trail this morning to push the only bit of mud off the underside of my downtube to find it wasn't mud. IT WAS WARM!!!!!!!!!!!
Next stop, the Chelmsford Off road du which is my last Du of 2009!
26th September XTD Extreme Terrain Duathlon. Camberley, Surrey. 10k xc/ 24k mtb/ 5k xc. 3rd
What a great race! In 7 years I am unbeaten in off road Duathlons but I knew today I would be up against it with the Xterra Elite specialists Paul Davies and Jim McConnel in the race with me. Tony, ace mechanic at my sponsors Bike and Run in Finchley had fitted a plush replacement pair of Marzochi forks to my (very) old faithful GT Zaskar mountain bike and so I was a bit more comfortable about all the bumpy stuff because my last forks, which I have to say died 4 years ago somewhere over Eastern Europe as I flew with it to a MTB race in Pakistan were utterly useless. Thanks Tony!
The first run which was a technical, sandy and lumpy affair was actually great fun. Scott Cousins was racing again and was as impressive as last week on the first run. Heading towards T1 Jim McConnel had taken the lead and although we were fairly close we didn't see Jim again! That was it! Exiting T1 on the mountain bike he showed his true class on the technical off road course. I moved up into second having caught and passed Scott and stayed there until Paul Davies caught me and passed me with a move that seriously showed up my distinctly weaker off road prowess. The final run was a formality and by then the sun had come out and the lakeside setting was just blissful. After a warm down and my usual Maximuscle Recovermax drink I sat on a rickety old fishing pontoon looking out across the glass still lake dreaming of........well, fishing actually...... but being devoid of rod and possibly fish as well I took the time to say a few Prayers of thanks for Leda's slow but continual recovery, wiped the dust off my old Zaskar and headed home. A great race and I was beaten fair and square by two great blokes as well. I swear I felt some form coming from somewhere in there too so lets see if I can add add a 1st to the 2nd and 3rd I've had the last two weeks in the coming race this weekend up in Yorkshire.
20th September . 2nd, Ipswich Duathlon.
Well, I'm chuffed to say I AM still alive and that maybe because I didn't get to do the Derby triathlon in the end. As many of you will know by now, me wife, Leda went in to hospital 2 days before it for major spinal surgery and so of course it was out of the window. She will be in hospital for some time now as she starts the road to recovery right from the basics of learning to walk again. She's an extremely tough cookie and is massively positive. I've decided to attempt to finish my season and carry on racing for a few weeks if possible but of course, looking after Leda has to be my priority. I managed to get back to it at the Ipswich Duathlon, a race I have never done before even though it has been running for years. The 5k/23k/5k course was surprisingly lumpy for what I thought was a flat area! The first run was taken out hard and my tiredness was evident as I couldn't quite stay with the leading 3. I always had them in sights though and it was young Scott Cousins who was setting the pace at the front. I'd rarely raced Scott before and as it turns out he's a strong biker as well. I worked my way through and caught Scott by the end of the bike leg and we came into T2 together. Scott went hard as we started the final 5k run and opened a gap which was 30 seconds by the time we finished. It was a good win for a really strong up and coming Duathlete and a nice morning out before getting back to Leda in hospital.
7th September 2009 1st, Hillingdon Sprint Duathlon. west London.
Having punctured in the national time trial champs yesterday Monday's final final non drafting Summer Duathlon was my chance to get a bit aggressive and make up for recent mishaps. As it turns out I set what appears to be an unofficial course record for the 1mile/10mile/1mile distance. I felt good actually and it's made me feel back on track. This coming weekend, on the 13th I'm competing in the Derby TRIathlon. Yes- I said TRIathlon! I have to do one TRI on the calendar this year in order to qualify for the national Duathlon league. I was originally under the blissful illusion that all I had to do was finish it but as of today I now know that my points from the tri are added to my du points for the overall. ARGHHHHH!!!! So. I'm off swimming this evening in the hope that I can....well.....swim? Watch this space. And if there are no more entries in a week or so then can someone please inform my wife and family.
3rd september 2009. Wondering where to race this Autumn and looking for the inside line on some of the best UK Duathlons? If so, have a read of my article on duathlon247.com just click here: http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5606_UK+Autumn+duathlon+season+preview.html
1st september 2009 Powerman Austria and UK racing update. 1st Place Bedford Multisport MTB Duathlon
It was a strange Powerman Austria with a strong run and start to the bike and then I was sick on the bike and.....well.... it's probably best to read my column onwww.duathlon247.com where I give a full account of what happened after that! It should be live on the site there very shortly. I returned to the UK determined to make amends for the hardest Duathlon I've ever done by doing (although I didn't know it would be quite like this) the easiest Duathlon I've ever won. It was like two different sports really - from the crowds and television cameras and helicopters of PM Austria to the 8 competitors (yes- I said 8) and I at the Duathlon at Box End Park in Bedfordshire on Saturday. Actually - I didn't really care. I had a great time. I love racing off road and made sure I pushed it really hard especially on the MTB course. I loved the slopes and tight turns; it took me back to me cyclo-cross days as a teenager. Except there was no mud and I could feel my hands. I thought I'd post a couple of pics from PM Austria here instead of spill the beans on how it went. have a look at my 2009 gallery above. Coming up I've got lots of exciting UK races including Helwith Bridge, Ipswich, Friston Forest and Sandy Balls. It's going to be fun. I hope to see lots of you there (like, more than 8!)
9th August 2009 - Powerman Vlaanderen, Geel, Belgium. 10k/60k/10k. 32nd. (pictures are from the actual race)
It's now Tuesday, two days after Powerman Vlaanderen (Flanders in Flemish) in Geel and predictably, as always with Powerman my legs are killing me and I'm walking downstairs 'crab style'! It's funny because it's not hideously long but the long final run and I suppose the world class field make it so much harder tahn anything else. Anyway- I'm not exactly over the moon with the result. It became it bit of a survival act once I started the final run. I went into the race seeded 19th by the international powerman association so my goal was to at least live up to my seeding and finish top 20. To be honest I never felt great and I came off the bike in 25th but i was in a group and due to cramping I finished last of that group (except for a couple of guys who dropped out with even worse cramp.) I still came out of the race as best Brit but I have to say that as such i kind of feel like I let the guys down as the womens race saw a British 1-2 with an awsome performance by Emma Dews whio in doing so enters a very Elite group of Powerman winners and then Michelle Parsons who I was so pleased to see finishing in 2nd after such a long comeback from injury. the two of them were awesome so my 32nd, as best male brit in comparison to that is.... well...... crap. The times looked shocking when i saw them as well, seeing that I'd done 36 minutes for the opening 10k but then when i saw that Joerie and the others in the front group had done 33's it made sense. He would usually put 3 minutes into me such is the amazing class of his running so the course was certainly long. I'd say it equates to a 30 something for him and therefore a 33 something for me which is at least some comfort. it would have been the hardest 36 min 10k i'd ever run in my life otherwise! I have to say though - when ever I race in a world cup, particularly in Belgium the standard is SO high. anywhere inside that top 30 the standard is so fast that you can be chewing the bars with effort and yet still making no inroads at all.
I've got to say a big thank you to the Gillis family in Lembeke who I stayed with before and after the race. Freddie and Karin are awesome and they understand athletes which is so important. An then there's Capilla and Schluba who are..... well, just mad! While I'm saying thank you's I must also say a massive thanks to Dan McCarthy's brother who handed me up the most beautiful water i jhave ever tasted in all my life and without which I would have died oh and also to teh random family outside their house on the outskirts of the Geel bike course who I shouted "WATER!!!!!" at in a demented way and who nest lap duely obiged. I love you all. Now check out the pictures here. In the one above this report I look in control in the bike (even though I wasn't!) and then below I am lapping a few of the back markers on the run and looking....... well........ the picture speaks for itself. Try a Powerman! You'll love (finishing) it!!
Saturday 18th July The FRF Mazda Gower Duathlon, Wales . 5 / 20/ 3 miles. 2nd place. (1st Dan McCarthy, 3rd Lee Rankin)
The Innaugural FRF Mazda Gower duathlon was met with perfect weather to top off the quite spectacular scenery surrounding this breath taking venue. The route to the village of Rhosilli gave a hint of the views and landscape that you would be racing amongst and as there is only one road that winds it�s way out to the tip of the peninsula you knew on arrival exactly which way the bike course would come out and back before winding its way round the hillsides.
Being fairly long in the Duathlon tooth I�m always keen to try out a new event and I�m pleased to report that this Duathlon had all the makings of an absolute classic. All too often now the older �classic� duathlon courses in the UK are being replaced with �safer� options such as closed road circuits and motor racing circuits. The Gower Duathlon is quite different and without ever feeling unsafe you always felt very much amongst the wilderness. Along the bike course there were sheep crossing, horses and their foals wandering around and I even had to slow down for a family of duckings hurredly scuttling across! OK - I�ll stop waxing about the venue because I�ll never do it justice. Suffice to say : It has to be seen.
The Longer Duathlon was the first event to start and Leading from the off, Dan McCarthy was clearly running stronger than anyone else as he took a lead. Within the first few metres Lee Rankin and I looked at each other and knew we would have to try to catch him on the bike as he was running far too strongly and so it was that he lead into T1 having done three loops of a run which took us along a cliff top path and around the observation hut at the far end of the cliff face and back. By this stage Nicky Russell of BAD tri was already into a lead in the womens race and this was a lead that she held throughout the race, setting the fastest splits in all three legs before going on to win in 2:03:32 which gave her a near minute victory over Claire Weldon in 2nd place. Such was the standard of these two performances that they also finished 12th and 16th overall respectively. Once out onto the bike it has to be said that there weren't many upsets as the tough bike course reinforced the strength of those who had come to the fore on the first run. The bike leg took in 4 main climbs. Normally, when I read in the pre race bumpf that you just cant help but take in the view during the race I'm inclined to think "no way- I'll be racing too hard!!" but in this instance you just couldn't help yourself. The final run proved just that as it weaved it's way back along the cliff top going in a South Westerly direction and revealing the gem of a view in that direction just as you turn to head back to the finish.
The prize presentation was held at the Worms Head cafe with equally stunning views across the beach. This gave me the opportunity to take in the equally impressive performances that had been turned out in the sprint race where Phil Holland and Lucy Morris had won. It had been a great morning of Duathlon and as one of the few Mid Summer full distance Duathlons I'm hoping it heralds a new era for the sport where organisers continue to provide top quality Duathlons for the ever increasing number of seasoned Duathletes.
Sunday 12th July Harefield Duathlon. 1st place.Today was the final round of the Harefield series and I took what has to be said was an easy win but along the way I enjoyed a battle on the bike with some of the triathletes who were out on the same course.
Saturday 10th July. getting Busy! I'm just entering the final phase of my powerman prep ahead of My August powermans in Geel and Austria. All going well it seems. I've got the final Hillingdon Harefield Duathlon tomorrow and then the Gower Duathlon in South Wales next weekend. I'm really looking forward to that actually. I love doing a new race that I've not done before.
In the mean time I've added some pre 2004 pics to my gallery. have a look HERE
also- In other news. I have been asked to be a columnist on the much anticipated www.duathlon247.com which is due to be launched very soon. I've already written my first column and it should be there when the site goes live. I must say - I'm massively humbled to be part of the contributers which include Annie Emmerson (editor), Tom lowe, Joerie Vansteelent, Cat Morrison and more.... it's quite some line up and it all adds to what will make the site the premier home of Duathlon online worldwide.
Tuesday 9th June Hawridge International Duathlon. 1st Place
I was so pleased that I took a late entry to this great event. Last year it was won by a good mate of mine Dan Corner and he'd filled me in on what a hard course it was. It really took me back back as much of the course took in my old training roads across the Chiltern hills. Without sounding big headed my training has gone really well of late and so it was a case of executing things and getting a really hard work out out of it. The run was a classic rural chilterns affair - You passed a farm with barking dogs and a gaggle of squawking Geese along silent evening lanes before running into transition on the Village Cricket Green in Hawridge and to top it off the entry fee included the price of fish and chips which were delivered to the finish area for athletes to devour as they sat around the transition and finish area. Now that's how to do it!
Monday 1st June Hillingdon summer Duathlon series. 1st place
Tonight probably had the best field of the series so far with Nick Sasha setting a blistering pace on the first run that I simply couldn't live with. I managed to reel him in and pass him on the bike but it took longer than it has before. his biking has certainly come on. Then I had a bit of a dual with Roger Fowkes on the bike before breaking clear on the final run to win comfortably. I really enjoyed it. I'm enjoying the bike a lot at the moment. Diadora uk have worked hard to help me find the right shoes to fit me perfectly and I have never felt more comfortable than in my Yellow infinity carbons. They're so stiff and yet still really comfortable. check out the whole range at Diadora uk who can be found at www.bob-rock.com or click on the pic below.
I have to say. It's nice to be winning and I'm really enjoying my racing at the moment but I am really missing my wife, Leda. She's been away for ages. She rode in the 10 day Tour de l'aude in the south of france and is now in Canada where she came 29th in the Montreal world cup on saturday and then is now racing in the tour of Grand Montreal. She's doing really well but boy do I miss her. She's been a continental pro for all 6 years of our marriage but it never gets any easier when she's away in the season. here's a pickie of her in action:
Have a look at www.ledacox.co.uk for more on her amazing career and where its taken her!May 24th Harefield Summer Duathlon series round 1 : 1st Place and 50th career duathlon win!
Admittedly the field was small and there wasn't any great strength in depth but It was great to have one of my own athletes that I coach Carl Ferri up there with me on the run and running well. It was a lovely day: hot and sunny and the lake, woods and Harefield itself were just a joy to behold on a day like that. i was pleased to se that i set the fastest time I've ever done around the two lap bike course. I've been tweaking my position on the bike recently and it's paying off. that's the probelm with being a bike fitter - I never stop tweaking! Afterwards I went for another couple of hours on the bike with Carl and then stood 9n teh lovely cold lake for 10 mins to cool my legs down and aid recovery. the funny thing was i was asked not to walk into the shallows of the lake without a life jacket on! Health and safety eh! what is the world coming to? I looked a right plonker standing there with the water up to my thighs in a life jacket. Then again - maybe the guy had heard how bad my swimming is!? hmm...
May5th New pictures added to my Gallery for 2009. CLICK HERE....
May 3rd. Hillingdon May Day Duathlons. 2 / 10/ 1 miles. 1st Place.
Well, it's nice to be back winning again. I ran well on the first run and then rode really well before running VERY badly on the final run and nearly being caught. It's just one of those things I think. it was my third race in 7 days and the tiredness started to creep in on the final run. It did feel great to be back winning again. it's been hard having to accept being below par this spring but the great thing for Duathletes is that we have two seasons each year really. Come September I have 8 weeks iof great races in the uk which I will aim to be at my best for including the final round of the national series in Cheshire.
Before then however I have my two biggest goals of the year, Powerman Geel in Belgium and Powerman Austria in August. Here begins the 3 month build up to them. It's a nice time now though as I get to do some other races such as a few road races, some TT's and also the chance to do some more running races. There's still some du's in there as well. At least two a month. ROLL ON SUMMER!!
April 29th Hullavington Airfield Duathlon 5 / 20/ 2.5 k wiltshire. 2nd
On a beautiful sunny evening which, for me seemed to hail the start of summer I went head to head with Lee Rankin who had beaten me to the win at the Marlow du earlier this year. Knowing that my form is now getting better all the time I decided to try to do to him what he had done to me at Marlow and put him under pressure on the first run. It was really windy on the airfield and we started down wind so I went hard and three of us got a quick gap. As we turned back into the wind I tried three hard bursts to try to drop Lee and each time he clawed his way back on and although he was breathing hard (we both were) after the third time he cleverly sensed it was his turn and he attacked. having made three attempts I then had no answer and that was the race won there. Once on the bike I went hard to close him down for a lap but was very nearly sick and so had to then go into survival mode. Lee was flying anyway and the best man won in the end, no doubt.
April 25th Oostende Duathlon, Belgian Series. 5k/ 20k/2.5k. 12th
My second weekend in a row in Belgium and Holland I am out here to do the oostende Du and also to catch Leda in a few races that she is riding with the Great Britain cycling team. Today was a typical day in our lives: up, feed face with fruit and fibre, drive like a maniac from gent to oostende leaving leda to be picked up by team gb. realise I am going to be late and drive faster, arrive with 20 mins to go not having pre entered, enter, rack and warm up all in the same movement and arrive on the line with some of the worlds best duathletes. Start run along seafront, realise that the wind along the seafront is so strong that I have to treat the run as a bike race and form an echelon in the wind, start the bike and start working my way through to 9th. After the bike, get beaten by 3 guys in the sprint at the end of the run, jump in car drive like mad again over the border to holland to see Leda in the Omloop Van Borsele. Ride around the race course and realise that the wind is a lot stronger than I had actually realised, have a glimpsing conversation with Leda after she finished 19th, leave her to drive to our friends, The Gillis's in Lemebeke where I am currently writing this while sipping red wine (recovery properties). It's a hectic way to spend the weekend but I love it. Tomorrow - a long run in the woods in the am and then drive to watch Leda race in Roeslare whist riding around the course, late ferry home to england, crash out, sleep.
April 19th : Powerman Holland (european champs) 21st, Pro Race. 15k/60k/7.5k
I decided to run cionservatively on the first run considering how badly I've been going of late but actually felt better and managed to finish quicker than last year some how. At least I didn't twiost my ankle this year! I had a pretty smooth race. that was until I reached a milestone in my Duathlon career: my first crash in 6 years of duathlon! Well, it wasn't so much a crash as a sliding wipe out as I came into transition landing with the bike on top of me and a pedal in my face! What a plonker. I was soon up though and made up a couple of places on the final run.
April: The rough Patch comes to an end.......... the start to this season has been particularly bad for me. now that legal proceedings are out of the way I can explain why: Results wise It's been the worst start to the season for years with a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, DNF and DNS set of results that tell their own story!! Thankfully things look set to improve now.
What has happened is that in January my wife, Leda who is a pro cyclist was suddenly suspended from racing by the French Cycling Federation (she races for a French team) who told her that she had a dangerous heart complaint and that she could die at any moment. The first month was spent going mad trying to see how we could prolong her life, the second was spent seeing various doctors and it was during this time that every single expert cleared Leda as having nothing wrong with her heart and then the last month has been spent fighting the French Federation to overturn their ban on Leda as she had obviously been misdiagnosed. At the end of last week it took us to start a legal case against them for them to admit there was nothing wrong with her and sign her licence saying that she can now continue with her career. During this time she missed many of the monuments of the cycling calendar including the Tour of Flanders two weeks ago. The bullying tactics of the FFC have taken a toll on both of us. The scary thought is that another rider who perhaps wasn't so wise to the way things are may well have quit and begun living of beta blockers at they told Leda to (we've subsequently found that this could easily have killed her.)
30th March: Hillingdon spring duathlon. 2nd.
I'm starting to sound like a grumpy git and would once have been happy with a 2nd place but alas no more! I haven't been able to do this early season Hillingdon circuit race for a few years now and so was looking forward to it. I had a good first run coming in in 1st place and then lost one place on the bike where my poor bike form of late continued. Hillingdon regular Roger Fowkes caught me and then as we got caught in the ground we were lapping I managed to partly loose him and partly just drop back. My lack of drive in the race and general weakness on the bike at the mo is annoying but I put it down to stress I suppose. I've had a lot on my plate recently and haven't exactly been sleeping well but hey ho! At least I'm well and out there enjoying it I suppose. I was pleased to learn on my return that my Avia team mate Dave Mitchinson had come 3rd in the first round of the ITU Duathlon world cup in Thailand. Go Dave!
next weekend is the Nationals at Emberton park. Time to rub the bike form Genie lamp and see if I can rustle something up. I'm off at 7:45 am. ahem... excuse me but.... AAAAAAAAARHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
26th March: Marlow Duathlon : 3rd.
The wheels are turning (slowly) as I start to find my racing legs! I came to the Marlow Duathlon with the dual intention of getting back to winning ways and beating my times from when I won the event in 2007. Well, even below par I went faster but I was beaten by Lee Rankin and Andrew Mercer fair and squarely. I have to say I felt solid throughout but as I have been a lot recently I was seemingly stuck in third gear. Lee was awesome. He was really flying and looking in good form and he took to race lead from the off. The run and bike sections were picturesque and challenging as always and the varied terrain on the run is something I always like. It was nice to see an old team mate of mine, Fiona Ford winning the womens race to. The weather turned out perfect again and it made my training ride afterwards all the better as I retraced old ground where I used to train when I was younger up and over Stokenchurch. If you've never ridden the Chilternc limbs of Stokenchurch, Bledlow Ridge, Monks and Kopp then you should. I discovered them all in my late teens when I first rode the 'tour of the Chilterns' classic road race and boy are they hard. They're hard in a 'lets build a road that goes straight over this hill' kind of way as opposed to the far more sensible continental style of zig zagging roads up hills. Either way - by the evening it's safe to say I was pooped!
As for this weekend it's along ride Saturday as part of my Powerman prep followed by a crazy short sprint Duathlon at Hillingdon and some more bike miles afterwards on Sunday. Good luck if you're out and about! Enjoy!
9th March: Clumber Park National Duathlon series round 1: 8th Place
In the week since my 1485 win I came down with a cold. I had gone out and done a hard bike session straight after the race on Sunday and who knows - maybe I pushed it to hard? Anyway, by Friday i thought I was better and so decided to get up at 4am on Saturday and drive the 3 hrs up to Clumber park in nottinghamshire and see how I went in the Clumber park Duathlon. I was 2nd last year having been leading until late on in the final run and so this year I decided that anything less than first was a failure. I ran sluggishly having done nothing all week with the cold, Biked solidly but slowly with only the 4th fastest bike split and then ran just as poorly on the final run so as you can probably tell I was not happy with it but still.....
The next day I went out for a long ride with Leda and Darren Treadaway and we headed over to the Chiltern Hills for some hard miles. It proceeded to plie down with rain and we got drenched and VERY cold and so now I'm suffereing with an even worse cold! boo hooooo. Anyway- there were some good pics from saturday's race which are here and I should say a massive well done to Matt Moorhouse who won and Lee Piercy who was absolutely flying. well done guys - i could only look on in discomfort. Great racing. I must now go and attend the cheese factory in my head.
1st March: 1485 Duathlon, Market Bosworth : 1st Place
1st Duathlon and 1st win of the year! Yesterday's 5/21/5k race up in Leicestershire was great. The course was great and the weather was perfect. I've never raced there before and one of my aims this year is to do as many du's that I haven't done before as possible. I had some fast company on the first run which traced it's way around the picturesque lake (above) and things were a bit too close for comfort after what I felt was a disappointing 5k from me so I got out my can opening and set about opening a can of woop-ass on the bike section. I enjoyed the course and went on to win and beat Maltese national champion Dermot Galea's course record. The 1485 tri club put on a great event in the sun and showed that sometimes simple events are actually the best. Next stop Clumber Park and my aim is to get revenge for missing out on the win having been leading until the last kilometer on the final run. We'll see. It's early season yet and form is.....unpredictable..... could be awesome....could be awful.....
22nd Feb: North Road Hardriders TT.
I like to use the North Road hardriders TT as an early season marker to he how my bike form is. The conditions this Sunday were perfect. Nice and mild and everything was in place for what I had hoped would be a top 10 ride but an off day coupled with one of the strongest hardriders entries I have ever seen mean I finished down in 19th which I have to say was disappointing. Still, I can take consolation from the fact that I was the first multi-sporter but even still I never actually felt on top of things in the event. It was won by an old mate of mine, Simon Gaywood who races for the Corley Cycles team. i had the pleasure of riding alongside Simon in a composite English team in the Tour de la Manche in the 2002 season at the end of my road racing days and he's a top bloke so I was pleased to see him win. I'm entered for the 1485 Duathlon up at Market Bosworth this Sunday so that's the start of my Duathlon season. Not sure how it will go. It's always a bit of a guessing game untill a few races down the line. Here we go - another year of crazy early starts, pain, sweat, victories, defeats, fun and memories. Bring it on!
17th Feb: Clocking up the miles in the Black Mounatains in Wales. Leda and I are staying in a hotel in an old mining town called Blackwood about 20 mins drive from Newport. It's gorgeous and the training is ideal if a little bit too steep in places. It's great for running but I am on my TT bike and so I've been climbing crazy steep hills on my TT bike which should be good practice for the North Road hardriders TT this coming Sunday! On the way down here we stopped and stayed a night in Birdlip in the Cotswolds. It was a hotel that Leda had booked on the spur of the moment without really having a clue where it was but as soon as she said 'Birdlip' I knew EXACTLY where it was! The climb up into Birdlip has been etched on my mind (and lungs) ever since I rode the 120 mile Tour of the Cotswolds road race as a 19 year old. The climb is about 2 k long and is viciously steep. To make things worse it came 5 miles into the 120 mile race. Needless to say the first 5 over the top were the first 5 across the line 115 miles later. It was nice to re-acquaint myself with an old foe and to it on my TT bike too! Here's a tip. If you're planning to ride it - Don't.
9th Feb: 220 Triathlon Awards 2009: Thanks again to all those of you that voted for me. On the day I came 3rd behind David Vaughan and the current world champion, Paul Amey. It was great to catch up with loads of buddies from the world of tri and du and I was lucky enough to be sat between the future of women's tri and the current Queen of women's Tri with 13 year old multiple national champion Sky Draper to my left and Ironman world champion Chrissy Wellington to my right so I was in good company!
27th Jan: Announcement: Cycling Shoe Sponsor: Diadora UK
This season, Bob Rock ltd in Battersea who are the sole importers of Diadora cycling wear to the UK are supplying me with some world class and might I say rather sexy footware. I will be racing in the Speedracer Carbon R (see below...)which although not a tri specific shoe is remarkably quick to get into and is super stiff and light. Much more importantly though they look COOL. see www.diadoracycling.co.uk for the full range.
I don't want to get them dirty though......20th January:
Many Thanks to any of you who voted for me in the category as 'Best Duathlete' in the recent 220 Magazine awards. I've been told by the magazine that I'm in the top three and am therefore going to the awards at Sandown park as part of the TCR show there in 2 weeks. www.tcrshow.com for more info.Whilst at the show I'll also be promoting my run sponsor Avia on their stand so feel free to some over and chat (so long as you bring good esspresso....!) I'm also down to do the 10k on Sunday morning. I'm not expecting anything special. It's more an early training session. I'm coming with my Avia team mate Dave Mitchinson. He will win. No pressure Dave...
11th January: loads of new PHOTOS added from previous years..... click on gallery above or click here...
9th January: Take Aim! I've decided my main goals for 2009. They are:
To aim for top 10 place in: Powermans: Holland (Euro Championships), Luxembourg, Belgium (Geel) and Austria. Then top 10 overall in world rankings.
and : Podium in British national Duathlon Champs.
There are a few smaller goals and I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you! It looks liek it will all be kicking off properly at the Clumber Park Duathlon again having done a few smaller dus in the build up. This year I will be aiming to win rather than losing the race in the last kilometre as I did last year!
6th January: I'm delighted to say that Body Limit Gym in St Albans have agreed to support me again in 2009 with free membership. Abs and Danny at Body limit run a gym that is well equipped enough to cater for the truely hardcore gym user right through to the complete beginner. Their advice, facilities and above all price can't be beaten in St Albans. Thanks guys. Coming to the gym knocks heaps off my ego every time I come in as I am officially the puniest guy there by a long way!
www.bodylimitgym.co.uk2nd January 2009: Happy New Year! Here's hoping all your sporting and personal dreams come true in 2009!
15th December: I've been shortlisted as a finalist in the 220 Triathlon awards as 'Duathlete of the year' but of course, I won't win it unless people vote for me so in a shameless effort of self promotion - vote for me! The category is about 5th into 20 categories but it doesn't take long. Thanks for your support, jez (just click on the link below to begin voting)
http://www.originpublishing.co.uk/questions.asp29th November: I'm working on a UK Duathlon Forum to bring together the Uk Duathlon community. No wet suits or goggles allowed! Check it it's fledgling roots here...www.britishduathlon.com
26th November: My New and up to date Sponsors page! I'm so blessed to be involved with such a great bunch of companies who support me. Click on the 'Sponsors' tab above to read all about them and how I use them to further my cause and theirs. ok... I'll save you the hassle....Just click here....
20th November: In 2009 my feet will be graced by AVIA running shoes.
AVIA are in the middle of a massive revival in the UK having been one of the foremost running shoe companies in multisport history. In 2009 I will be mostly wearing the AVIA Bolt racing flat, The AVIA Trail and the AVIA Avi-trainer. Here they are: Nice......
7th November: New sponsors and shiney new kit to come.... oooooooooooooh.......
I'm pleased to announce that Fisher Outdoor Lesiure will be supplying me with some funky new gear in 2009. Fisher, who import Look, MET and Sram to name just a few of their top brand are based just around the corner from me in St Albans and I'm really looking forward to benefiting from the quality of their latest products including wheels, helmets and glasses. Check out all the goodies which they not only import but also sell through their website at www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk
11th October: Well. Carsington may well have been the end of my 2008 season! Since then I've developed a cold and here we are 6 days later and my head has become a green cheese factory. Not nice! So I wont be racing tomorrow at the Fast and the Furious Duathlon in Kent. Instead I've been invited by my sponsors Bike and Run london to go to the bike show at Earls Court in London to check out the Bianchi's that they are displaying there.
Meanwhile yesterday to pass the time I started adding more pictures to my gallery section. Click gallery above to see more...
5th October: Carsington Duathlon- 2nd. In honest truth I was well and truely beaten by a good mate, Joel Jameson of TFN race team who beat me by nearly 3 minutes overall. It was a horrible day in Derbyshire with hammering rain and blustery winds. As always the weather felt different up on Middleton Top and the decents were lethal. Anyone who knows the Carsington/Ashbourne course which is probabaly now the most famous course in British Duathlon will know that the descents are pretty rough and the surface is bad. To make it wose this time they were wet and the worst of them was like a mine field littered with conkers! It was great to have one one my best buddies, Mike Jubb pushing me on on the first run. we came into T1 together and it was great to be running with him as well as to see him back in the Duathlon fold after quite a few injuries and a season build around Ironman. Despite the weather and Joel wopping me I really enjoyed the race. It's one of those races thateveryone would love to win. If you look back at the names that have won on that course over the years then you would see why. Even the late great Vansteelant is on there. As for Joel- He beat me to into 2nd place at my first event of the year and now again at the end so it somehow seems fitting but even still, in an entirely sporting manner-"next year you're meat Jameson. You're going down!".
28th September: My third win in one week! Today I won the Stanford Hall Duathlon near Loughborough by leading from start to finish. The form seems to be coming on nicely. It made me look look back and see how many duathlon wins I have now and I was staggered to see that it's 47! The question is, can I make 50 with the 4 races I have left this year: Carsington, Fast and the Furious, Friston Forest and Sandy Balls. It's a big ask but it'll be fun trying!
25th September: Another win! my second of the week! I won the Silverstone Duathlon on the Porche test track on wednesday night after a 2 mile 10 mile 2 mile battle with some strong runner bikers. I was pleased because I have really improved my final leg this year. All those sessions of running hard off the bike are starting to pay off! Report coming...
22nd September: A Win! Nice to be back in the habit yesterday when I won the Maidstone Duathlon in Kent for the third year running. Click here to read more.....
16th September: London Duathlon (Elite race) : Absolute failure. I ran like a muppet and pulled out on the first run. No good. Just one of those days. In reality it was probably a bit early after coming back from my cold to be running so fast. Don't click here and don't read anything......
15th September: 2 Updates in one with a round up of all my summer racing and then a sneak look at my new kit which might just arrive in time for the end of the 08 season! Click Here........
31st August 2008: Well! That's quite some gap since my last installment! Since then I've had another website which didn't quite work out and I've had a lot of racing, training and ups and downs. Click here to read my update.
25th June: Check out my new bike from Bike and Run (www.bikeandrun.com) Ouch! She's nice isn't she. Unraced as yet but soon to be broken in. It's an Orbea (how could you tell!?) Orca and it's so much lighter and stiffer than any TT bike I've ridden before. Nice eh?
5th June: Recovering from the Benny Vansteelant memorial World Duathlon Cup Race in Belgium. I was 20th in the pro race.
Click here for my report on it and some terrible pics!....
26th May: Building towards the Duathlon World cup in Belgium next weekend......
25th May: Welcome to new site! Those of you who saw the old one will appreciate just how much better this looks! Anyway- It's taken me all afternoon to get this far so I'll start adding more as the week goes by...... (bet you can't wait!)
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