HumanRace MudMan 2nd

Saturday saw my opening round of the Human Race off road series having missed the first round, the Wildman, in favour of one last try out on the Essex Course the same weekend.

It's been a really good Cross Duathlon season for me so far this winter and I'm pleased to say I'm still learning and still improving as well. Since September I've had a third place, two second places including this one and four wins but far more importantly for me I've managed to stay pretty much cold and illness free which is rare for me at this time of year. I've been using Maxifuel's Immune Support capsules which, I have to say at first might have had a strong dose of Placebo in them but the facts don't lie : since I've been taking them I just haven't got ill at a time when I would normally be a walking nose cheese factory.  Anyway, on to more pleasant things. Have a read about them here: http://www.maxishop.com/immune

MudMan! (Minus the mud!...) Surrey in December? It could be Colorado in June!.. It was COLD though, trust me...

I could write a waffling race report about how things unfolded but really, it was brutally simple : Doug Hall and I set the pace from the start then Doug pulled away from me and I pulled away from the rest. That's it! Doug was really strong on the day and deserved the win after taking the race to everyone and I'm itching for the next round, the IceMan in January now to see how a more all round course unleashes it's delights on us all.

For a brilliantly worded full race report and results have a read of my mate Jim McConnell's race report here: (PS - I'm looking forward to seeing you back dishing out the pain in the new year Jimbo!)

http://www.tri247.com/article_10967_MudMan%3A+view+from+the+sidelines.html?region_id=&category=

The MudMan's hills are relentless and steep and relentlessly steep. For those of you who did it you'll know that this picture does Heartbreak Ridge no justice at all.

 

Quadmire Series Rnd 2 : 1st

Tom Stead and I jump the first of many Icy ditches on lap one. tom's jumping style was waaaay better than mine!

Round one of Quadrac's Cross Duathlon series in Waddenhoe in Peterborough was greeted by sunny and cold conditions, with much of the courses's  notorious flooded bogs semi frozen. That was, until about lap two after which time they were just a freezing bog as opposed to a frozen one.  Once again it came down to a duel between myself and Tom Stead for the lead and this time, Tom wasn't on his best form and suffering from fatigue he pulled out on the bike leg which was a shame.  After working so hard to hold him off I had then built up a bg lead and so, knowing the Mudman was just a week ago I kept pushing hard to pack in some quality training in conditions that are actually much tuffer than what the Mudman has to offer even if the hills there are a bit longer. 

As always, the Quadrac team of Mark and Richard looked after us royally and I look forward to the 3rd round where, weather permitting I'm toying with the idea of trying the Quadrathon by adding in a kayak leg down the river Nene. We'll see...

Anyway - Enough waffling on. Tom's Dad took some brilliant pics which I'll share here as they so much more that I can in words about the nature of the races and course down there. 

on one of the constant ups and downs that the Waddenhoe course has

This is actually in the race....  I know.... But that's the kind of race it is!

ho d'you like my skinny Cross tyres on my Trek Superfly 29er? Bontrager Cross 3's naturally...

still breaking through new ice even on Lap 6!