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Challenge Roth 2023 – Dave Pennington:

2023 was going to be the year where I was going to join the annual full distance event that JBR run and Tri club attend. The chosen race was just happened to be the iconic Challenge Roth, not only was this a race I had done before it was also my first full distance race and had a special place in my heart so I jumped at the opportunity to return! 

Jon brown (chairman of JBR) had managed to secure 19 places for the race and sent a link within the club Facebook for members to get a place at Roth on a first come first serve basis. I was happily(at the time) to be one of them. Whilst I was filling out the entry form I noticed a section where you can set out your intentions for a time of going under 9 hours. I thought to myself, could I go under 9 hours for the full distance? Was it even possible? Could I even get close? At this point I still hadn’t finished outlaw full and wasn’t doing much running volume as I was still paying close attention to the injury on my tibia. I would also need to knock over 35 minutes off my previous best at challenge Roth! 

But after a long 45 seconds of thinking there was only one thing to do, enter that category and set the bar high!!

Fast forward to 11 months later and it’s race day morning, the nerves, anxiety and pressure have well and truly set in, I have never been so nervous but it know I have to hold it together not only to race well but for Jennie (my wife)! As she is also competing and she will be just as nervous, as me or even more so! I do my best to look cool, calm and collected but I’m sure she saw through it all. 

Whilst at transition I go through the usual routine of putting bike computer on the bike, going through all the gears and making sure the bike is in an appropriate gear for the start of the bike. Put my water bottles and nutrition onto the bike that I need to get me through the event, which I can never actually fit all the nutrition I need on the bike so I will happily pick up more of what the event have on course. It pays off to have an iron gut sometimes.

THE SWIM. 

The swim was the usual melee of arms, feet, legs and bodies everywhere, the first 400m was more of the WWE’s royal rumble than the start of a 3.8k swim thankfully it soon calmed down and I could just focus on the job at hand. 

Getting out the swim I looked at my watch and noted I had 1hr 4mins on the clock, this was about what I thought I was going to swim, so I was happy with the time (even though I wish it had been slightly faster but I think the royal rumble at the start had put a stop to that) 

Transition went smoothly although with a little more practice I’m sure I can knock 1min to 90 seconds off this.

THE BIKE 

On to the two lap bike course and it’s nice and fast straight out transition so I settle into pace quickly and feel good. I somehow manage to hit the 1 and only pothole in all of Germany and my bottle ejects itself and straight under my back wheel testing my bike handling skills whilst at speed and on the TT bars, my only thought was SHIT! That bottle has my carb drink in and I need it, I also notice an official who could DQ me for littering so I can the snap decision to stop and get the bottle. As I stoped and got off my bike, I thought is this the right decision? maybe, maybe not? but I had stoped and the decision had been made, the stop didn’t cost me too much time in total. (About 30 seconds in total but I need every second I have and can’t afford to give any away) 

The first lap of the bike I was having to do a lot more surging than I’ve ever had to do before on the full distance events. Not only surge but hold that surge for a while otherwise the rider I had just overtook would let their ego get the better of them and re-pass. 

There is a good reason why Roth is so hard to get entry to and that’s Solour hill, I suggest you Google it. As you approach Sollar hill all you can see is a sea of people and the noise is incredible! It’s like something from the Tour de France with the crowd sparring infront of you 10 deep on both sides for the entirety of the climb. As I start to climb I switch down onto the little ring to keep the legs spinning and the chain drops, it’s ok I shift back to the big ring and pedal slowly trying to get the chain to jump back on the one of the chain rings but it’s wedged underneath so I will have to stop and get off the bike AGAIN and sort it out manually, I jump off the bike grab the chain, pull it free free and place it back onto the small chain ring, jump back onto the bike and a lovely official gives me push for 10 meters. Now this really is like the Tour de France 😂. The second lap was a lot more controlled than the first and less eventful than the first, even with there now being many more athletes on the course. 

Coming into T2 the legs were feeling it and I couldn’t wait to get off the bike and start to run, I had hit the target time on the bike and the hours I had put on the turbo and out on the road had paid off and now all I had to do was run a marathon PB. Yep a a marathon PB by over 10 minutes 🫣. 

Transition (T2) 

Not a lot to report about here apart from praise the lovely volunteers that take your bike from you, help you with getting your bag and everything ready for the run. They even put sun cream on you as you’re putting on your running shoes. 

THE RUN. 

Out on to the run course and the legs feel ok, not good but ok, I look at my watch at and switch to the overall time screen. I have 3hours 3 minute left to complete this marathon, It’s a big ask after a 3.8k swim and 112 miles on the bike but I feel this is still within my ability as my running has been better and stronger than it’s ever been. I try to settle into my pace and heart rate but I keep noticing my heart rate is a little high for the pace I want to run, I tell myself not to worry about it just relax settle into the run and it will drop a few beats and be within the range I have been set. 3 miles in and the heart rate is still slightly too high, I make the decision that I need to slow slightly and let the heart rate come down, I accept that that sub 9 was not going to happen! But if I didn’t get my heart rate power I could possibly not be finishing and would most likely end up walking later in the marathon. Fast forward to 18 miles and I am struggling, really struggling, to tell you the truth I had been struggling since about the half way mark, which I know is not a good sign. But I continue to struggle and suffer. For a couple of miles I was running with a German lad who was also struggling but moving better than myself so I focussed on his feet to get me up and over the hills on the back end of the marathon, however he soon succumbed to the suffering and was frantically drinking all the cola in sight and was soon walking, so I was back to just taking my mind else where and getting on with the job. The desire to walk was almost overwhelming, but I had to keep going I must keep running! I always try to take myself away when things get tough in the back end of the marathon and the thoughts of Jennie getting the sub 12 that she was chasing, thoughts of my late Dad who I had felt before was with me around the 23 mile mark, I was going to keep running for them. 

Running into the stadium for the last 200m is an amazing experience with the crowd cheering and the MC calling out the athletes names I was just wanting that finish line but also trying to take in the atmosphere. Crossing that finish line was such relieve and joy. I had well and truly given the race everything I had and had to be helped to the recovery area, (standing was a real struggle).

I finished in 9hr13:44. (Swim 1hr04 / Bike 4hr47 / Run 3hr15)

I was soon sitting on a massage table thinking about what I had just achieve, I may or have got the sun 9 hours I had set out to achieve but I had given everything I had to that race, I really couldnt have pushed any harder without blowing up and completely sabotaging my race. 

I had knocked 23 minutes of my PB from 2019, I had taken 40 minutes off my time last year at the Outlaw Full distance. I had also completed a third full distance event going under the 10 hour mark. 

A big thank you to my coaches Paul Hart and Paul Whittaker for all the coaching and advice. For coaching and advising me coming back from injury and getting me so close to that ultimate goal. The journey is not over and I will keep chasing that sub 9. 

Challenge Roth 2023 – Jennie Pennington:

This journey started way back in October 2022. Hot back off honeymoon determined to start hard work.

I looked at all my areas of development and where I needed to make gains. One key area was my running. Whilst this was in no way “poor” for me to succeed with the goal going sub 12 I needed to work on my strength and speed.

We had a long chat about goals I needed to achieve along the way to make me gain confidence and be able to execute a strong marathon pace when needed at the back end of Roth. The aim was a 5km PB and a ½ marathon PB. We worked hard on my endurance and maintaining pace and building pace. Both these sub gaols were achieved.

I continued to work hard on my running mixing HR runs with intervals making sure I stayed injury free yet continued to grown in strength. These were helped with my strength sets at the gym.

I then executed a PB in an Olympic race as a season opener running my best times, whilst knee deep in training for Roth.

Before we knew it the B race rolled in, and I was lining up at Outlaw 70.3 Nottingham. This was where we practiced training, things like HR zones, and nutrition strategies. When I first signed with Paul, he asked what my dream goal would be. My response was “I would love one day to get on the AG podium at Outlaw” it’s where I started my 70.3 journey, and I was in awe of those ppl achieving these great times and levels. Fast forward to me this season having a strong race coming in at 5:08:32 and getting 2^nd place!!! I was overjoyed. Blown away by what I had achieved I never thought it was possible for me to achieve what I did while the goal was sub 12 for Roth. I cried when Dave told me I was just so happy. It meant so much.

Quick re-focus and staying on task with the journey towards Roth. We continued to build volume. There were dark days especially as the build was reaching maximum capacity the 17 hours training weeks were tough, it was a juggling act of working full time, household chores, briefly seeing family and friends, eating and sleeping.

The relief I felt to finally hit taper was such a joy, but the taper crazies quickly creep in, you doubt yourself, you feel lazy, you question everything. I knew deep down I couldn’t have given my sub 12 challenge anymore. I had trained so hard.

Before I knew it was time to start packing the car and head off to Germany!

The anxiety and the level of pressure I had out on myself were at times overwhelming! I don’t mind admitting there were a few tears shed at various times when the enormity of what I was about to just got to me.

I went through a wave of emotions leading into the race. I think the biggest anxiety came from when we drove part of the bike course. The climbs and the switch backs that I needed to descend sent me spiralling into worry mode. I gave myself a talking too, spoke to Dave, frantically texted my brother and also reached out to Paul all said the same message in a variety of ways, “you need to believe, you can do this”.

I calmed down got on with the matter in hand and soaked up the incredible atmosphere.

Roth is a huge event the biggest I have ever done but yet it also has this amazing energy and vibe that is magical and breath taking.

It was also a joy to be part Dave journey and his goals, bouncing around thoughts between each other and suffering together. Amazing to have my tri club around me all different abilities and levels supporting and being so proud of each other, watching each of their races unfold.

As we stood before the race start the nerves again kicked in, I needed a moment to compose myself, the music and the starting cannons were fast adding to my nerves. I was almost heading to the swim start, I hugged Emma (a newbie full distance who had been smashing her training and was like an excitable puppy), then turned to hug Ali (another of my Tri girls ready to kick some Roth butt) she turned to me hugged me and said “believe in your training, you can do this” (Thank you!) those words bounced around my head in my dark moments. I could believe in my training I had banked those hours and miles I knew I had trained hard.

I exited the swim down on time on what I thought I was going to swim by about 5 mins, I didn’t panic I just got out my wet suit, did my T1 business and cracked on. Only rookie mistake I made running with my bikes shoes all the way to the mount line before stopping and putting them whilst holding my bike with one hand! Face palm moment right there!!

The bike was enjoyable I knew what I needed to do and executed this well. It was a busy course and you needed power surges to move around and out of peoples draft zones or run the risk of being penalised or DQ’d. The climbs I stayed calm I needed to spin the legs out to the top not to burn matches we was playing the long game, a hero on the hills wasn’t in the plan! I hit the switch back descent I surprised myself, is stayed calm and just did what I needed to do.

The most magical moment was climbing Sollar Hill. That was breath-taking, I had goosebumps and felt a wave of emotions hit me as all these people are screaming at you to keep going, I felt like a pro cyclist!

Before I knew it, I was heading towards T2 run time was about to commence. It was like running in a furnace the heat level had increased. I stuck to the HR plan I knew what I needed to be doing. In my head at this time, I was only focusing on the job in hand I was yet to work out how much I as ahead of my sub 12 time goal. I needed to focus on my run cadence, my fuel and water intake and my HR.

Whilst running I was desperate for shade. I wanted the trees and shaded areas to come so badly, the heat was bouncing back from the whit gravel on the floor. In settled in running behind a German guy, focusing on his cadence and feet hitting the floor it was rhythmical and kept my mind focused. This and the focused of having a  gel at regular mile markers.

I just kept running and running, I looked at my time at ½ way knowing if I could hold on I would get my time goal. I wouldn’t quit. The hills towards the end came and went I was still running I could actually do this! Then the last 3kms came, people in the village were screaming and shouting. I can remember looking at my watch feeling disorientated. I stopped thinking how much further (even though I could see on my watch less than a mile) I didn’t trust my surroundings, what people were saying, or my watch! I started desperately wanting to see the stadium, finally I turned the corner and there was that green carpet. I was home, I could almost stop!

I then heard Dave yelling “Go Penno, yessssss you have done it” still didn’t register my time that much.

I went under the finish line! I HAD DONE IT…….SUB 12…..11:17:08….although it wasn’t until after Dave confirmed this with me as I was telling people 11:21!

I had finally achieved it the sub 12 goal was achieved! What a hard fought race! I had done it!

Official results top 10 female in my age category (out of 75…in case you thought there was only 10!)

I am still in slight shock.

I can qualify for the GB age group team both World and Europeans.

So my message to all of you…..never give up, work hard towards those goals, if you don’t do it first time just keep moving forwards you will be able to get there and achieve your dreams!

I can’t thank everyone around me enough for all their hard work and belief in me!

I can’t thank Paul Hart enough for his meticulous number and data obsession, finally getting me to believe in myself and achieving my goals. I am truly at a loss for words! DREAM CAME TRUE

Jan Harvey – Ironman Lanzarote

Ironman Lanzarote 20th May 2023

This one was on my bucket list, billed as the hardest one in the world, after a great season time trialling 2022 and settling into Paul’s November winter training block a return to a third Ironman was on my mind, completely inspired by my lovely friend Paula who was fighting stage 4 terminal cancer and kept telling us “Girls! Get Your Shit Done” as it could happen to any of us, life is so precious and we have to grab it with both hands and have a go. I have one leg an inch longer than the other and a scoliosis so would my body allow it…? After years of achilles and feet issues, running was a problem so Ironman was like russian roulette for me.

I had a lovely training holiday with my girls to Club La Santa in January, I had my 54th birthday then hit the button with 12 weeks to DDay. Paul posted all my sessions, I ticked them off week by week, the weekends were getting longer and longer, 4km swims twice a week, two hour runs and some monstrous bike sessions which I absolutely loved, 5 hour rides with a two hour run. All good, nutrition, hydration, electrolytes, kit all dialled in and no issues or injuries, absolutely amazing! I was feeling super confident and ready.

Then 4 weeks out and on the eve of my last BIG weekend, my knees hurt out of the blue and I had to stop, I thought I had a stress fracture in my patella. So the inner chimp was telling me…So I got some physio and thankfully it was just super tight quads and we started my taper early. I had lots of rest which was absolute gold! With this amount of training 54 year old knees do ache and thankfully it wasn’t game over.

Our flights were literally in and out around the race so no wiggle time, we arrived at Lanzarote late on the Thursday evening, my apple tag said Candy the Canyon TT was at Gatwick but then she miraculously appeared on the heavy luggage carousel! Off to the hotel, exhausted as it was late then put her together in the room, usual rear mech gone into crash mode fun but I managed to reset it thanks to multiple times of banging the rear mech and Erik at Richardsons taught me what to do. I prepared all my food for the journey and pre-race, things that work for me with a high GI, so bagels with jam and peanut butter, marmite white rolls so I had plenty to eat. Off to bed then up very early for the busy day before race day.

A quick early spin 30 mins and I got lost, legs full of energy from the taper and I had gone 5km too far and just made it back in time for the coach at 8:30am to register at Club La Santa, I felt sick with nerves but super excited, inner chimp fighting to get out of his cage! Everyone on the coach looked like they were about to vomit haha.. Back to Puerto on the coach and dumped 2 miles away from the hotel so a hot walk, numbers on everything and bags packed, bike and kit all ready for racking. I banned Rob from the room, hit the aircon, shut the curtains, earplugs in and had several hours great sleep.

We then had to walk all the way back, another 2 miles at 5pm with the bikes… then back again. After lots of my usual pre race white rolls, crisps and cookies I went to bed at 7:30 and slept instantly, alarm went off at 4am. We must have walked 10km… not ideal before the race.

Raceday! Now for the fun part! A small breakfast of porridge and golden syrup, soaked the night before, banana and an electrolyte drink then off to the start. Another long walk back to the start but me and my pal were chitchatting all the way and it felt like minutes, a quick pinch of my tyres, drinks and gels on the bike and wetsuit on.

I put myself in the middle of the 60-70 minutes swim pen, downed a hydrogel, I was squashed in by all these huge men and the only female I could see, the men seemed so tall and serious, I would usually talk rubbish with a female but instead no one made eye contact and it was all very serious!

Then the gun went and the pros were off, I couldn’t see a thing but felt the surge forwards and then we were running and wading into the shallow sea, I started swimming as it’s faster when it’s shallow and just picked off one buoy at a time. Just 2 minutes all in chunks to keep my head calm and in the now. The water was deep blue and I was overwhelmed with gratitude to have made it and be ok. I thought of Paula. I saw glittery little blue fish deep down and a ray, the sun was coming up and it was stunning. The first lap flew by, long calm strokes to avoid a kick in the face and I was running up the beach, Garmin said 30.51 and I thought I had read it wrong, but no time to dwell on it with the Australian exit – run up the beach, over the mat then a dive back in. Great fun, I loved this bit! This lap was rougher, I got punched in the right eye, kicked in the hip and ribs but still all good and was 11th lady out of the water in 1:05:03.

Wetsuit came off nicely, helmet, race belt and shoes on then a long run out of transition and off I went. Paul had told me to follow the plan, keep my heart rate mostly in zone 2 (target heart rate for the bike leg was set at 143), stay aero, accept the head wind sections, do not fight the wind and be patient. This was horrible. Haha… I’m used to average speeds in time trials around 23-24mph so to think of a bike leg 7-8 hours was not what I was hoping for. But I focused on eating and drinking, buzzer set on my watch to remind me and the ride felt easy, despite over 8800 feet of climbing, relentless head and cross winds, wheel wobbles, the views are spectacular especially from the north of the island overlooking La Graciosa, I got off my bike at the top, calmly filled my bottles and had bananas from the aid station and took my time, this enabled me to keep going with no kid stops, I had two comfort breaks.

Still more climbing in the way back which I thought would be much easier, the course is relentless, downhill into the wind is as hard as going up, then downhill fast on to the hideous infamous rough donkey track for the last 10km back in to Puerto Del Carmen. There were bottles, food and tools everywhere, it was like a minefield and fast men overtaking too close for comfort, it made me nervous having stacked it at a TT last year…

But my plan was executed to the dot and average heart rate 143bpm! – exactly the target. I saw some crashes, apparently one poor man had an open fracture, a couple of guys were sitting on the side of the road head in hands.. I overtook lots of people that had whizzed by early on. Paul said “this is a bike course designed to trick athletes into riding too hard with the hills and wind” and he was so right, as usual!!

Back into T2, Garmin said 182.2km, off the bike, legs absolutely dead from all the climbing but feeling happy to have got back safely. I tried to run with the bike but couldn’t, my legs felt awful. Thousands of people were clapping and cheering, I took my shoes off and then was able to run, huge cheers and go on Jan came at me! The joys of our names on a race number, it makes a huge difference having people cheer for you when it’s hurting.. I was told to sit down in T2 and my red bag was passed to me, this Angel of a lady then came and massaged sun cream into my neck, shoulders and arms, I could have just stayed there but quickly out on my sun cap, trainers, grabbed my gels and off I went. The health and safety was incredible, there were so many marshals and volunteers supporting us.

Back up that hill again! Out of T2 nearly fell down a hole going over the timing mat, but managed to stay up then headed out for lap 1, 13.1 miles out to the other side of Arrecife airport uphill and into a headwind… yikes…

It was absolutely awful…. I could see the pros heading towards the finish line in their last mile, like racehorses, all their loop bands on their wrist and I hadn’t even got one. It’s soul destroying. But I thought of Paula and kept going. My heart rate was higher because of the heat so I quickly accepted it and slowed down, I had to walk for a bit, my feet were sore, it was hot, I felt sick from all the sugary gels every 30 minutes and my head was in a dark place. So I just aimed to get to each aid station, chucked water and ice on my head, chest, back, if felt good but it caused monstrous blisters later on from wet feet!! (Lesson learned)

But later on when I had all my bands on, the last rider before the cut off was coming in, there was a police motorbike convoy and the sweeper cars, all bibbing and sirens on, the crowd were cheering him in. My heart went out to him, it would be a close call to finish for him..

Athletes were collapsing, Sam Laidlow who won Kona last year was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, his arms were all floppy and he was flat out on the ground. Athletes were sitting on the side of the road, some laid out flat, I saw a man crying, one vomiting, another had torn his calf… I pulled my cap down and didn’t look, I suddenly got to the turn, 6.5 miles or so, and it got a little easier. The wind was behind, the stinky aroma of beer and cigarettes and burning food was coming from the beachside bars and restaurants which was gross. But there were lots of people cheering and waving.

I started to feel much better then my Garmin watch died at 10 miles.

But I know my body thanks to all my training, running by feel felt amazing. We are too reliant on data sometimes… I ran between the aid stations and walked through them, had a drink, gel, Coca Cola and suddenly I had my blue band, lap 1 down. Just two 10km loops to go. I can do this I thought. Back up the hill and into the wind again! I saw dear Rob, he could see I had picked up and said I was going between 1st 2nd and 3rd all day and was currently 3rd but the ladies in front were really slowing down. I said I didn’t want to know and just wanted to finish. I had nearly caught them up at the end of the second loop, pink band on, back up the hill! I passed Rob again and he said, right Jan, they are just over there at the aid station. Game on.

Paul said to save myself for the last 10km of the run, and yet again he was right. To have a surge of energy after 12 hours of swim bike run and at my age haha, I never thought it possible yet there it was. I zoomed past them, had half a gross caffeine gel at an aid station then got about 3 minutes ahead of no 1, I felt amazing and approached the roundabout, did the last turn then face planted on the pavement, I don’t know what happened but I got up and a marshall grabbed me and stopped me to check me over.

I thought I had fractured my cheek and possibly cracked some teeth but after a medic check they let me go, knee pouring blood and left eye so swollen it was touching my sunglasses. It was like an egg. It hurt like hell but I couldn’t see either of them behind. 3 miles to go, back up the hill, feeling sick and all hunched over I saw Rob and he ran with me all the way to the finish line, I had to walk a little and then I was on the red carpet and up the finish chute! And then she came by and pipped me to the post but I got my medal! I never expected to have a race at the end of an Ironman and I was so happy to have finished without any broken bones. We had a hug and I went straight to the medical tent and they checked me over, put ice on my eye and knee and let me go.

The mind is very powerful, it can tell you all sorts of rubbish. Paul has always said believe and you can. And he is always right � I said I am never doing this again on my training peaks feedback that night. I want to go back next year and get my 4 hour marathon…. It was 4:20 with a tumble.

I won a slot to the Ironman World championship in Kona, Hawaii but it is too far, too expensive and too much for my body and mind in one year. And for my mum and Rob, they worry as my hobby is a crazy and sometimes dangerous one, but the best!! Hearing my name called out was amazing, keeping quiet and not going up to get the slot was hard but I have my trophy, medal and memories that will stay with me forever.

But I also want to go back as it made me feel so alive…!!

James Jenkins

In late 2019, I applied for my Irish citizenship with the main intention of being able to keep an EU passport following the UK’s disappointing exit from the body. Unfortunately, when Covid hit, the Irish passport office only processed emergency applications and mine was on hold for around 18 months. In the spring of this year, it was finally processed and I had my citizenship confirmed. My grandmother was as Irish as you could get and I had always planned on getting my citizenship, but it was not until her passing and all the documents being uncovered and compiled that I finally got around to it.

Once my application went in I started to think of whether it may be better for me to change my UCI nationality over to Irish since they seem to give opportunities to deserving riders, and not just ones that have gone through the academy. It became clear in my mind fairly quickly that this would be the best for my future cycling career. Seeing Ben Healy’s success as an ex-British rider and the opportunities he has been given has been amazing to witness and I hope one day I could potentially have similar ones.

The actual UCI bureaucracy went by surprisingly smoothly. Within two hours of getting my citizenship confirmed by the Irish Immigration Office I had an Irish UCI license. This was something I thought may take months, but no: two hours! The people at Cycling Ireland have been nothing short of incredible and made my transition as smooth as I could imagine. Fortunately for me, the nationals had been pushed from their usual June slot to the end of the season, similar to the British ones. This played into my hands as it allowed me the opportunity to race them. With a very uninspiring UK calendar, I turned my focus to the Irish national time trial and road race with the hopes of doing as best a ride in each one as I could muster.

Everything was going to plan with several top fives in National B road races along with encouraging power numbers and sensations coming into the month of August. The race rhythms were getting to where they needed to be for my two UK targets: the Lancaster and Ryedale GPs. There was just one small hurdle to overcome before those two races: the Tour Series. I had raced the Tour Series a few times before and got half-decent results but I am very aware that crits are not my specialty. I was excited for the races though and probably equally as excited to be able to spend some time away with the team.

We headed up north for ten days for the three rounds of the Tour Series and the Lancaster GP. The week started disappointingly for me after being held up behind a crash on the first lap and then spending the whole race by myself. I was disappointed and angry at myself for letting that happen so when it came to the Sunderland round I was determined to prove to myself I could do better. Everything started really promisingly. I was up the front of the race for the first two laps right up until someone rode into the back of me. This person was doing 60 km/h while the whole bunch was doing 40 km/h into a tight corner. They came charging into the back of me and sent me flying into the barriers. It was game over for me. I knew immediately something was seriously wrong. The full impact from the other rider was in my right calf and then I had landed on the foot of the barrier with my full weight on my arse. I barely had a visible scratch but I couldn’t really walk.

The injuries became more obvious when I was helped out of my skinsuit by my teammates and a large hematoma was revealed around my lower back and the top of my glutes. This egg-shaped lump was taking ages and ages to go down and it was becoming increasingly likely that I would not be able to race either of the two August National Road Series races. I ended up having two weeks off the bike followed by a week of very very light riding.

It was now only five weeks away from the national champs. I knew realistically my road racing would be compromised with this set back so decided to go all in with the time trial. I contacted a local time trial-specific coach, Paul Hart from Hart Performance Coaching, to see if I could get back into the shape required to do a respectable ride.

In the two weeks off I had lost roughly 30-40 watts so knew I would be up against it. Most of the rehab work was done on the turbo with a large focus on improving my core, back, and glutes so that I would be able to hold as aggressive a position as possible. The nationals course was on a single carriageway A-road equivalent in the Wicklow region. It was slightly rolling but had long stretches of flat road. I knew that I would not be able to match the WorldTour guys in terms of power output, but I was confident that I had a lower CDA and therefore I could hopefully close the speed gap.

In the final five days before the nationals my power was nearly back to where it had been pre-crash so I knew that a good ride would be possible. Since the nationals would be the only two races of the whole year where I could show myself to bigger teams after my misfortune in the summer I went all-in with my preparation. I drove out to Ireland by myself a week before the race and spent the lead-up recceing both the time trial and road race courses. Not only was this to know where I would be going, but also where time could be saved. The TT had several roundabouts all of which I rode several times as fast as I could to see if I had to brake or not, and if I did, how late could I get away with it.

I arrived on the startline in the best possible shape I could be in and with the best preparation I could do. As long as I had an accident-free ride, I knew I would not have been able to do anymore. In the end, I placed 5th, only 18 seconds off of the podium. Obviously, there was a part of me wishing I had got a medal, but I was really proud of my ride. I had just executed maybe my best time trial ever and all of the hard work had been worth it.

After this, the road race was just a bonus. My close friend and road coach Steve Skuse flew out the day before to support me for the race. Without him I would have been pretty screwed as I would have had zero support on the side of the road – so massive thanks to him for the help. The race was on a pretty hilly circuit with two climbs a lap over six laps. The first was maybe 6% for five minutes, whereas the second was far steeper with pitches of closer to 20% and lasted about three and a half minutes. The first time up the shallower climb Ben Healy attacked hard. I managed to follow but I was on my limit. My legs were just not where they needed to be for this race, unfortunately. So when Nicolas Roche attacked over the top I was dispatched. With a group of nearly 20 up the road that was almost a race over for me. I was in a bit of a hole but kept rolling around. Rider after rider was being distanced from the front group until with a lap to go there were only 11 away.

Given how poor I felt earlier in the day I decided it would be wise to try to get a headstart from the bunch into the final climb so attacked on the descent with George Peden (PB Performance). The bunch seemed pretty unmotivated and let us go. We rode well together up the climb, staying ahead of the bunch, and then railed the descent. We managed to keep away to the finish where I managed to ride away from George with 2 km to go to finish 12th. After a rather lacklustre season of only racing National Bs and time trials I was very very happy to finish with two very respectable results, especially one on the road.

I am writing this article after my season finished yesterday with another 5th place at the National Closed Circuit TT Champs back in the UK. (Before anyone asks I am allowed to ride this event with my Irish license. It is a CTT and non-UCI affiliated event so anyone living in the UK is eligible to ride it.) I am currently on a plane (well not by the time you’re reading this!) on the way to Mallorca for a week with some mates from home in Essex to unwind and soak in a little sun before putting my feet up at the end of the month.

Nothing is confirmed for next year, but I will have finished all my studying having completed my Masters in Environmental Engineering in September. I will continue my part-time data analytics job next season as I am not quite at the level yet where cycling can support me financially, but I will have significantly more time to ride my bike which is exciting.

Link to the British Continental article here: https://thebritishcontinental.co.uk/2021/10/29/james-jenkins-journal-from-the-tour-series-to-the-irish-nationals/

Jack Martin – Ironman Portugal !

Jack Martin – Ironman Portugal Cascais – October 2021

Coached by Paul Whittaker and Paul Hart.

In the lead up after landing in Lisbon I felt amazing – so fresh so ready and so excited. I had my race plan hr zones and knew my body was capable. I had my plan to eat bland for the last couple of days – the last thing I wanted was to have an upset stomach and ruin everything with the shits, this felt good physiologically as well as physically.

Last swim and run sessions of the taper complete I felt great the water was cold but warm enough for my sleeveless wetsuit so I was happy, just a quick spin to shake down the bike with a new friend I made who was racing the 70.3 on Sunday we started the course and quickly discovered the ‘Atlantic breeze’ with a sand drift covering the road and blinded by a sand blasting my new friend Simon found the drop kerb and went head over heels into said sand drift.

Race day was here, eggs and rice for breakfast at the hotel and then a nervous first train to Cascais i finalised my transition set up filled my bottles and headed to the swim start beach. Pre race nerves finally kicked in and after the last phone calls it was game time.

I got to the start gate, A few punches here, grabs there I made good progress, swimming is always my Achilles heel but I’ve been making progress and getting more comfortable and it showed I stayed calm and had a consistent stroke and found myself back in the port before I knew it, still feeling fresh, a 650m dash to T1 which was enough time to gather myself and get in the zone for the next 6 hours.

A steady T1 followed by the longest wee I’ve ever encountered I was out on the bike. My race plan was set – patience, patience and a bit more patience. I sat back and enjoyed the first 30km ish uphill towards the Sintra national park and it was stunning. I remembered to look up and enjoy the scenery and I’m glad I did. at 55km ish it was the race circuit, Then down to the sea front for the long out and back stretch which looked flat on the 2inch map it really wasn’t and was a fun rolling section with views across the ocean so hard to remember the patience and not to kick, Back towards transition a 500m leg snapper and another reminder of patience from my HR alert.
Lap 2 was much the same but without the top of the national park climb which was definitely well received. I spent the majority of the second lap trying to stay aero and reduce my average HR back to the plan…because I’m a good boy…  oh and a little run to do  the temptation to push and knock up the average speed was very very real but I knew that I had the plan for a reason and my real ‘fun’ was going to be on the run. Back around the race track along the coast and back up the leg snapper, the feet came out of the shoes and I was back at T2 and feeling strong and excited for the Marathon…. Never thought I’d ever say that.

Bike in, trainers on, after another pee I’m off. I can actually say I loved every second of the run and that can only be down to my training and the reminders that I could do it with the guidance from you both. The Km’s ticked down, I was passing people left right and centre. Every aid station saw a bottle of water over my head and a few sips of my hydration pack and keep my head in the game. Every km was marked on the course and it was great to see the numbers going down with my pace staying steady, at the end of the second lap I ran past the female leader (she was obviously a lap ahead of me) after a brief exchange I gave her my best wishes carried on. LAST LAP, 3x park runs yipee!!! I took my 2 gels out of the bag and binned the hydration pack, last lap was about getting across that line feeling good, still passing others my pace started to drop, I was walking 10m at the aid stations to take on electrolytes as I now didn’t have the bag, so I knew where the pace went and it wasn’t bothering me, I still felt good and comfortable. 4km to go, ohhh was that cramp.. ‘shut up legs’ it was mainly downhill so I sacked off the last aid station and pushed on. The last 3-400m was properly downhill and I could open up. Oh – my – god, turning right towards that red carpet was the best feeling ever, my 3 man cheer squad were going crazy and I heard them a mile off, my friend Neil had FaceTimed Laur to see me over the line and I caught a glimpse of her as I ran past with a huge smile to then hear ‘Jack Martin – you – are – an – Ironman’ and then cross the line in 10:59:10. WOW!

I’d mentioned to a few people my A goal would be sub 11 and I cannot explain how happy I am with the day out and hitting my goal. The end result was well worth the effort, seemingly endless hours of training, solo rides, long runs and numerous days of thinking ‘who the f**k signs up for an Ironman….’ Turns out I did and I’m so glad I did.

I honestly can’t thank the two of you enough for picking me up 3.5 months ago and imparting your wisdom, knowledge, patience, encouragement on me. It’s made the the athlete I am after crossing the line with the ability to say I’m an Ironman and a pretty good one. I cannot believe I got my sub 11 on my first (and last) Ironman and just want to thank you both again