A New Challenge

In my previous blog I wrote about changes for 2014, what could that mean I hear you say (or maybe not LOL). 2013 has been a little stressful in some ways, but in other ways I have had a cracking season and have much to be thankful for. So what am I changing, well teams, focus, and even the sport I do.

Change of Team

When I joined Team Swift, it was to go for team wins in the Nationals and the BBAR, and that was very successful, we won the National 12 Hour last year, and I have been on the winning BBAR team 2 years in a row. To be honest I couldn't have asked for better, but I decided in early October that I wasn't happy chasing around the country and time chasing on dual carriageways (which in reality is what you need to do in the BBAR if you want to do well). As I wasn't really going to concentrate on the BBAR I thought it was unfair of the team to continue to support me (which they have done without fail) when I wasn't going to be able to offer much help myself. This along with a change in focus meant joining a more local team to me to achieve my 2014 goals, for this I decided to go and race with Arctic-SRAM RT.

Change of Focus

For the last 2 years I have done the National 12 Hour, and the year before that the CC Breckland 12 Hour, but I have helped and cheered on the Kent Cycling Association (KCA) 12 Hour riders in those 3 years and I have always had a hankering to do the KCA 12 Hour again. I decided that for 2014 I would think about doing the KCA BAR (Best All Rounder) again, and try and win it again. This meant being in a KCA Affiliated team, and hence a reason for joining a local team. I will also focus again this year on the CTT TT Series (Vets on Actual), and see if I can win this again. I do hope the CTT give a little bit more coverage to ALL the categories that race the series and not just the Senior Men and Women.

I was also getting fed up with the TT scene in one respect, and was lacking enjoyment in what I was doing, though some of this was probably due to not racing as often last year, and when I did race it was a fairly major race so I was never really in as relaxed a mind as I could have been. This alone takes it's toll on you, but when as a full time worker you add in the average of 12-15 hours a week training, it makes for a very stressful life. It was only a few races at the end of the season which I really felt relaxed and enjoyed what I was doing, I just need more of this next year. Also it prompted a thought process about a change of sport.

Change of Sport

Numerous people have said in the previous years I ought to try doing triathlon, my stock answer was always "Why do I want to be mediocre at 3 sports, when I seem to be pretty decent at one". This is not really fair on triathletes if I am honest, some are bloody good at all 3 disciplines. My thoughts were always I know how much effort it has taken me to become a half decent cyclist (well TTer anyhow, as this is the only cycling I do), do I really want to water this down and just finish mid pack in a triathlon. I had noticed I was watching more triathlon on TV, and knew a few TTers that did triathlon, and with me getting fed up of TT's I began to have a change of heart.

Could I put in the hours to get my swimming and running to a standard near my cycling, how much of a hit would the cycling take etc. By the middle of October I had made my mind up, I was sick of just cycling, and even with a few weeks off I knew that was unlikely to change. I spoke with my wife (who I must admit is one in a million), and she was fully behind me, well actually she called me an "nutter", but I suppose someone that finds enjoyment in doing 12 Hour TT's must be slightly nutty.

The next news was breaking it to my coach, how would she react. I must admit Ruth was a little shocked I think, but as always very supportive. During the year I had voiced my frustrations over certain events, so I don't think she was entirely surprised by my reasons. Still it will mean we have to try between us to get a good plan together of how we can manage all the aspects that need to be learned.

For the Future

Obviously as a cyclist I have done very little swimming or running, now running will get there as I get used to it, and the stresses it is likely to put my legs under, but swimming, oh boy there is some work needed there I must say.

Luckily for me I joined a local tri team  Tri Spirit Team, www.trispiritevents.com and thanks to the wonderful BTF coaches I have made very good progress with the swimming, and in fact it has started becoming a little bit more enjoyable.

As to how good I will be at triathlon, well I have no idea. I will no doubt still be a strong cyclist, but as I am finding out, there is more to triathlon than just hammering the bike leg and hoping to hold on in the run. It is certainly a new challenge and one I am really looking forward to conquering. I think my goals in triathlon in 2014 is to find out where abouts I am in the grand scheme of things, but I know looking forward even further is that I want to do well in Ironman distance events, but I got to start somewhere I suppose.

Now instead of getting up before dawn to do a turbo session, it will just mean dragging myself to the pool to do swimming instead, though I suppose the swimming pool is a bit warmer than a sub zero garage in the middle of winter. Enthusiasm for training has return and I can't wait for 2014 to start and see how I get on.