So, I have unexpectedly had the opportunity able to qualify for the
2022 European Duathlon Championships. How? Let me explain. Due to Covid
(doesn’t everything seem to start with that sentence these days?), very few
qualifying events were able to take
place for the past two years. In fact, I think only 2 of the 6 scheduled
qualifying races across 2020 and 2021 actually went ahead. This leads to the
dilemma of only having approximately one third of the usual number of
age-groupers officially qualified. Rather than run the champs with diminished
fields they decided to open up the qualification process to allow you to submit
any result from any official BTF duathlon qualifying event (for either worlds
or Euros) from 2019 onwards. This meant that my two qualification races in 2019
at Darley Moor (worlds) and Bedford Autodrome (Euros) were eligible to secure
me a place on the 2022 GB team! It does, however, mean that I am rather race
rusty and, as I type this, I have only just this week fished the bike out of
its stable where it has been wintering since September last year. There is much
work to be done between now and September 18th to get me fit and
race ready.
Truth be told, I have all but lost my biking mojo.
Since having children I have become twitchier than a highly caffeinated
ornithologist when riding out on the roads. So many drivers are just
inconsiderate, impatient blockheads who do irrational and unpredictable things
in order to prevent their journey from being 10 seconds longer by allowing the few extra seconds necessary to pass a cyclist safely. I would say that 90% of my rides involve
some form of near miss or “woah, WTF are you playing at?!” moment. I think I am just aware of the
heightened responsibility that comes with having two small people at home
relying on me to get back safely in order to care for them. My 1 year old still
breastfeeds every 3-4 hours too, thereby adding a further limiting factor on
how long my rides can be. Luckily I have only qualified for the sprint event so
don’t need a huge amount of endurance as I feel guilty for staying out
exercising for anything much over the hour these days. I know Mums who do go
out for longer, indeed, I know Mums who have completed an Ironman within a year
of giving birth, and good on them if that is what is right for them. It’s just
that, for me, I feel that they are little for such a little time and in years
to come I know I won't be looking back and pining longingly for that 60 mile club coffee ride that I didn't go on, but I would certainly regret not
witnessing Emmeline take her first solo steps (which, incidentally happened today, just 2 hours prior to me typing this!), or seeing Sylvester’s smiling
happy face as he braves the big slide at the park for the first time because I
was on a 60 mile coffee ride. It’s a balance as it is important to take time
for yourself too, but I feel that for me the balance lies in around 1 hour of
child-free exercise time 6 days a week. If that means I am less competitive at
the championships because my rivals are doing double or even treble the
training volume that I am, sobeit. I am also willing to bet that they are
getting better sleep and recovery than me too!
So, my goal for this year is now set. This has meant
a bit of refocussing in terms of my training and racing plans. I was hoping to
work up to a tough, hilly trail half marathon at the end of April, but as I no
longer need long, slow, hilly endurance runs but faster, shorter, flatter
efforts to run a fast 5k and 2.5k at the champs, I have sacked off this idea. I
will still do some off-road races up to the 10k distance, just because I enjoy
them and the process has to be enjoyable at the end of the day, but I don’t
need to risk pushing the mileage up as that might invite injury in, and that is
the last thing I want!
I am so lucky to have the continued support of Nigel Wilman of Honiton Physio. With both 6-weekly ‘pre-hab’ physio sessions plus by diligently doing his personalised strengthening exercises each night, I am in a
relatively good place injury wise. I almost daren’t type that as it feels like
foolishly tempting fate as I know that I walk a constant tight-rope where injury is
concerned and there hasn’t been a year since 2012 that I have made it through
an entire season uninjured, so it is something I am not complacent about. But
consistency in training is key to success and the longer I can stay injury free,
the stronger and fitter I naturally become, even without hitting the high-intensity
sessions that are eventually needed to eek out that final 5% of top end
fitness. At the moment I don’t do any form of speed work; all my efforts come
in the form of hills or parkrun. This is just what works for me and the 5%
gains from speed have to offset against the injury risk.
The short-term focus, however, is to finally shake
off this seemingly interminable cold-cough combo we’ve all had. I’m on day 16
of it now, my daughter is on day 18. It’s relentless. I have vacillated between
adding in additional rest days to getting frustrated that they aren’t helping
and adopting a ‘sod it, I’ll just do something easy to stay sane’ approach and
thus prolonging the recovery process. Today’s off road run was a super steady
9m/m pace and yet my H/R was up in the 160s on the flat, so I know I’m still
not right as it should not feel that hard. Another day off tomorrow…. Up until
this I had been enjoying lots of lovely trail runs and a couple of races too,
taking first place at the 5 mile Axmouth Challenge in February and 2nd
place at the 9 mile Grizzly Cub in March. It’s just so nice to be back racing
again after 3 years of either pregnancy or pandemic enforced break. It’s great
to get those pre-race nerves and post-race buzz back. That said, the Euro
champs will be a whole other level to local trail races and the ultimate
challenge is not the race itself but actually getting to it with the stress of
flying a bike, a baby, a buggy and a toddler out to Bilbao without losing one
(or multiple) of those items in the process!!! The race itself will be the fun
part if we do all manage to get there!
About to finish the Axmouth Challenge. 1st lady, 3rd overall.
Grizzly Cub - top of the infamous 'stairway to heaven'
Approaching the finish if the Grizzly Cub in Seaton
Grizzly prizes, presented by running local legend Jo Pavey
Fabulous prizes, including an amazing bottle of Lyme Bay sparkling wine which we enjoyed on Mother's Day!
