This week saw the standard fare of Monday Social run, Tuesday Coached run, Wednesday Coached Swim, and Thursday Zwift. Attendance is still really great across all sessions which is amazing to see for so early in the season.
Saturday saw two group rides taking place, one with John Holland taking a ride out to Tetbury and one with myself having a nice gentle leg stretch out to Beckford via the old post office for a slice of carrot cake.
No pictures this week..
Next week, Ryan Green is kindly hosting his super duper social ride so please do ping him for details!
Midlands XC League Report
Courtesy of Hannah Randall who’s raced the “Womens Midland Cross Country League” this year.
“After several winter seasons being interrupted by illness and injury, this year I have ran in all 4 races of the Womens Midlands Cross Country League. I have always loved XC but the strength and stamina of knees, hips and ankles has evaded me. Thankfully this season, persistence in my gym strengthening sessions seems to have worked (who would have thought it.) Since November there have been four races, all varying 6-7km for the senior women. The Races in 2023 were like chalk and cheese: January on a boggy, windy, cold and wet Aldridge airport (that somehow managed to have inclines chucked in). And Feb on a dry, flat course in mild temperatures at Coombe Abbey, Coventry. The worst obstacle on this was 200+ sheep stampeding across the course on several occasions! My mum came to cheer us on too which was lovely, as a former XC runner herself, she loves spectating now. With the course being so flat and dry around farmland, the pace was quick. The last 200m or so we ran parallel with the drive onto the estate under a great avenue of trees with bulbs just starting to come through on the ground. A definite sign that spring is coming! I know muddy cross country isn’t for everyone, but I love it and if you haven’t ever tried it, I really recommend giving it a go. It’s a license to get covered in mud and you have to really dig in at the hills which I think is good strength and resilience training physically and mentally. Plus I find having the races over winter really motivating for getting out in dark evenings, when the sofa and fire look very appealing! Although we are coming to the end of the XC season now, I’m always happy to help/answer questions anyone might have.”
Tewkesbury Aquathon Race One Report
This week saw the first of a three race series hosted by Tewkesbury Triathlon Club with four of our members racing. Adey Cole kindly wrote up the following report from the day, thanks Adey!
Introduced by the organisers as the first multisport event of the year in the South west, and also the first official multi event of the season (for me) kicked off on Sunday 12/02/23 in the first of the 3 Tewkesbury Aquathon race series.
An early start to be at registration for 0800 hours, Katie Keates , Lee Phillips, Katie Topp and myself signed in, got branded by the event staff with our numbers and then waited for the race brief. One of the benefits of getting there early was being able to cherry pick what turned out to be the best spots in transition, which was located along the side of the building directly before the run course and being able to use the local architecture to help me easily identify my kit.
For me personally this stood to be a brief test of my winter swim training, but also as one of a few events that I’m using as training events for the main event in June.
Katie T (5), Myself (9), Katie K (15) and Lee (16) were all starting within 10 minutes of each other in a well organised pool session. Into the water and one by one we were set off. I can only comment for myself on the swim, but I knew I needed a steady pace that I could increase towards the end. Which is all well and good until I caught the other swimmer in my lane at around the 200-250 m mark which really disturbed my rhythm, something I never really regained afterwards despite my best efforts.
I was thankful to see the board go in at the final 50m knowing no matter what it was nearly done .🤣 Final 50m swam and then out the pool.
Handed back the swim cap to the Marshall with a quick glance back into the pool to see both Katie K and Lee smashing out their swimming over the short distance.. Katie T by this point was somewhere on the run course.
Although it was mild out for a February Sunday morning, nothing quite reminds you about it being winter when coming out of the warm pool straight outside to the cold.🥶
No faffing – shoes on and onto the run course.
Described as a multi terrain flat 5k – out and back. To be fair it was exactly that. Chris Basnett had given us a semi heads up in relation to the ground conditions, but I think we avoided all together the area that we were warned about.
Not really knowing what to expect running straight from swimming , I just tried to switch off and focus on decent technique and pace and to keep an eye out for people in front to use them as the next target. An out and back course took us from the council offices, through the woodlands onto Lower Lode Lane, to the old ferry crossing and then into farmer’s fields pretty much to an oak tree in the middle to turn around and go back . The ground was decent and firm so no real hazards to worry about.
People started to appear in front of me when I entered the field, so targets were set and I started trying to eat into the distance between us.
Just before I reached the turn around Katie T was on her return leg. A bit of encouragement between the pair of us and the run continued. On my return leg, knowing your teammates kit proved a great spotter as firstly Lee approached followed shortly afterwards by Katie K. High 5s dished out as we ran past each other. Pleasantries out the way, back to the task at hand, catch the people in front. Back through the field onto lower lode lane, getting papped by the course photographers whilst displaying club colours (as always) , thanking Marshalls and eating into the distance. Just prior to going back into the woods to enter the council offices fields I caught my first marker, and into the woods I caught a glimpse of Katie T.
Onto the field, thanking more marshalls, the finishing line was in sight.One final push to the end saw me claw back some yards to Katie T. In true “Ryan Green style”, some words of encouragement to Katie T saw her step up a gear for the last 100yards, a great solid finish.
Quick breather and walk across to the entrance of the field gave an opportunity to encourage both Lee and Katie K back in who weren’t that far behind.
Final placings – myself 41 -36:47, Lee 42- 36:51 , Katie T -57 -40:32 and Katie K 58- 40:38. Some tight team racing.
All in all a friendly event , well Marshalled and sign posted which was for the price an absolute steal. Recommended for the next event on the 5/03/23.
Reminders
Don’t forget to follow the club on Facebook and Instagram, as well as join the club Strava!
If you’re planning any races, please let us know by filling in the form here. Likewise, we always love hearing what our members have been up to, so let us know!
We Need you! Make sure you add the club race to your diaries: 28th May 2023, we will need support marshalling! Also please make sure you tell everyone that’ll listen, it’s a great event and we look forward to seeing some fresh faces, as well as return visitors!
Beanies!
Beanies are available to purchase again! As modelled by Katie and Luke! Katie will be bringing them along to swimming on Wednesday, alternatively ping her if you’d like to purchase one, they’re great quality and a bargain price of £20.
Cotswold 113
We have heard a few whispers recently that there might be a couple of people who were still thinking about signing up for this event in June.
If these rumors are true then please let me know! By signing up with the club you will get 10% discount off of your race fee 😁
There are 20 of us (Yes, really!) Already signed up and training hard to be at the start line in good shape. We have a good mix of first timers, athletes that are comfortable with the longer distances as well as people making the step up to 70.3 distance.
An update on the website says that there are less than 300 places remaining and the event does usually sell out.
So, if you’d like to join the TTG brigade in June, or are a sucker discounted race entry, please drop me a message… It would be fantastic to squeeze a few more names representing TTG at this event 😁
AGM!
On the Monday 27th March 2023 it is the TTG’s annual AGM to be held at the Gala Club, Longford.
It is the clubs 25th year of running so deserves celebration and we would love everyone to come and join us!
(A few very special mentions are in order)
Kick off at 7.15pm when the committee will share all there is to know about the ins and outs of the club, along with the financials, future plans moving forward and all thats in-between!
It is also a great opportunity to express any feedback and opinions you may have as the members, as well as ask any of those long awaited questions you may have!
See you all there!
Next Week
| Monday | Social Run (Meet at 6.15pm in Sainsbury’s car park) Ping Pete B if you’re coming! |
| Tuesday | Coached Run at Oxstalls Campus |
| Wednesday | Coached Swim at GL1 |
| Thursday | Zwift (Check Whatsapp for Details) |
| Friday | |
| Saturday | Ryan’s Social Ride |
| Sunday | Bike TBC |
