Events - Fat Girl Fit

When Ride London Came to Essex

Having done Ride London, when it went out to Surrey, four times before, I will admit that the event had gotten so busy with lots of accidents etc that I had said I wouldn’t do it again. Then I signed myself up (insert face palm) and here is why:

it is basically on my doorstep
there is something about closed roads that is hugely appealing
there was no ballot to start and you could just sign up without having to wait for an acceptance of rejection letter/magazine to drop on your doorstep
I got massive FOMO when friends were signing up and didn’t want to miss out
it is a cycling event and there is a medal

I am training for The Vatternrundan event again and so the timing and distance having a 100 mile ride in my schedule seemed perfect. With a lot of events cancelled/postponed/rescheduled due to Covid it has been exciting having events start again that it is easy to get caught up in the buzz.

As the event drew closer I will admit I was less and less excited about it. There had been lots of wet and windy weather in the run up. But more because living in Essex meant I could see the backlash/comments from lots of local residents about road closures for the event(s). I say event(s) because there were stages locally from the Friday through to the Sunday for the pro women’s Classique, and so different closures across the three days. It definitely put a grey cloud over the run up to the event.

Event Changes

There were some other aspects of the event that was different, aside from the Surrey to Essex aspect, as follows:

the start had moved from QEOP to Embankment
the finish had moved from The Mall to Tower Bridge
there was no bag drop available to any participants

Would I Do It Again?

Now there is the question! And the answer is probably no BUT never say never as I may change my mind when it rolls around next year! Regardless, here is my reasoning:

it is largely on roads I regularly ride on and so now that I have done it once I do not really feel the need to pay £90 for that luxury again
the finish was disappointing as there was such a lack of green space (or any space really) to stop, wait and relax – the previous finish meant having the huge expanse of Green Park and St James Park close to the finish line and waiting there with friends really added to the atmosphere
in the run up there were reports of local roads having tacks/pins strewn across them, that I know a couple of people who suffered punctures as a result. I did not experience this although we were funnelled to one side of the road twice on the ride as the marshals were picking up said tacks that were across sections of the roads
the negative reaction from locals was quite a lot across social media
logistically arranging your day can differ depending on your start time – mine was 6:25am and I needed to be in my loading pen from 5:45-6am – as the trains do not run that early my option was to ride almost 20 miles to the start only to find the start funnel was actually a free for all with no organisation at all
I didn’t rate the route, although I think I am in the minority with this, but I would say the Essex part was great but the London part was super main roads, hair pin switch backs and lots of flyovers – I actually titled my strava ride Tour de Flyovers!
as always with a mass event the ability and etiquette of riders on the roads varies hugely! There were massive pelotons passing very quick, which is fine, but so unbelievably close especially considering it was closed roads with two sides to utilise so they could have moved back to the left without being shoulder to shoulder!
there were a lot of accidents – we were stopped for about 25 minutes for one, that thankfully we could not see, where a man was receiving CPR and a helicopter was called and multiple ambulances and this was just one of many. I sincerely hope that gentleman is ok!
there were also so many punctures – although my bike had new Continental GP 5000 tyres put on the day before and they are amazing so I did not experience this
this was a course that should have played to all my strengths and yet it didn’t feel like the easiest day in the saddle, there were no hills to speak of just lots of undulations but these took a toll on my legs and when I got home my left knee was very swollen

The Positives

On the plus side:

I had a day out on my bike with friends, which I can never regret
I rode with my friends Colin and Lucy and this was Lucy’s first 100 mile ride, which she made look easy!
I got a new medal, which I quite like, although there seems to be a difference in opinion for this one
the marshals who gave up their day were awesome
the people out in Essex who were outside their houses or on the roads cheering were amazing
I got multiple complimentary comments about my Foher kit and bike, which is always nice!

Did you take part in any of the Ride London events? What did you think of them?

Category: Events, Fitness, OCR, Running

My Sisters First Ever Obstacle Race

You will have seen many blog posts from me over the years about various muddy obstacle runs that I have taken part in and I will be the first to admit that it has been a while – Covid and all that!

Nuclear Races has always been a firm favourite of mine with events that never disappoint, amazing atmosphere, great staff and always sure to bump into someone you know (and probably met through OCR). When they got in touch about attending their Rush weekend I was very excited BUT I have a previous knee injury that has been niggling me and with some endurance riding coming up I thought it best not to take a chance. However, I knew of someone who is always up for a challenge – my little sister.

This would be her first experience of a muddy obstacle race and she would be doing it with a friend in the same position. I gave them hints and tips on what they should be wearing and also some ideas of what should be in their kit list for before and after. Below is an idea:

OCR Kit List

Phone with race entry plus photo ID
Trail shoes (trainers will work but will have much less grip)
Kit in tech material and not cotton (gets heavy when wet and doesn’t dry out quickly)
Dry robe for after (if you have one)
Spare clothes, socks, trainers for post race, including warm hat
Wet wipes
Towel
Black bag for wet, muddy kit
A bag for all the above
Watch to record your activity (if you wish)
Compression gear (again if you wish or are racing and not for fun)
Money (you will be hungry after)

I will admit that some of the questions I had ahead of the race from my sisters friend (I will not name her) were amazing and honestly made my day! They included:

Will I break a nail?
Will my hair get wet as I had a blow dry yesterday?

Naturally I went along to support – this was going to be fun!

I should start by saying my sister was always the sporty child in our house growing up and still is in her adult life. She has 3 children but continues to manage a netball team for the county, whilst still training and playing herself, she walks a lot, runs and is competitive! Her friend has 5 children and is also very active, again with netball, the gym and lots of walking.

What Did They Think?

They did the 12km course for Rush and here is what they thought:

there was a group of six of them who ran together and they agreed that this is about the fun and that doing the course together would be their preference rather than alone – there are people who race solo but for them this was a fun experience and the group helped
my sister is small (but mighty) and very much has the attitude to give it a go and so that is what she did
even once my sister got home she messaged me to say she was still buzzing – honestly she loved it and would go back without a second thought
let’s just say my sisters friend gave it a go but in future she may spectate – she had not appreciated how much mud and water there would be (this is Nuclear and their slogan is Love Mud)

Sarah’s Review:

I had the BEST day ever at Nuclear Races at the weekend. From the moment I got there until I got back in my car (was actually still buzzing when I went to bed). I was a little nervous to start with, wondering if I would be able to do everything and complete the whole 12km course but all the marshals were so supportive and encouraging and guided you through all the obstacles – even the cameraman, Tony, was enticing people to get involved!

I ran the course with my bestie, who to be honest was not a fan. She didn’t realise it would be so muddy and wet, but that for me was one of the best bits. I just threw myself into everything – literally. The muddier the better – you just have to embrace the mud.

A couple of the obstacles were daunting due to being vertically challenged at 5ft 2” but where there’s a will, there’s a way. The marshals find a way for you to do everything and even the other runners help you out with tips and a leg up here and a pull over there. It’s a real community and everyone wants everyone else to do well. You get a sense of achievement of completing an obstacle you arrive at and think ‘there’s no way I can do that’.

I think my worst obstacle was Ebenezer, purely because it stinks and is slimy mud so you’re waist deep in mud and slipping in every direction trying you’re best not to get you face submerged for the fear it tastes as bad as it stinks. But again, once I got out the other side I felt like a warrior!

It’s hard to pick a favourite. The Death Slide and Zip Wire are obviously up there and the half pipe at the very end. My body was screaming at me to stop, legs and arms dead but you just find that reserve in the tank to sprint up a near on vertical wall, lucking I had a strong helper at the top pull me over.

I honestly cannot wait to do it again. I’m going to bring my kids as they will love it just as much as I did. Thank you Nuclear Races!

What If You Want To Spectate?

There is something for everyone at Nuclear! Parking is free and to spectate you pay £5, unless you are accompanying a child taking on the Rookie course or under 12, in which case it is free. What can you expect?

there is a main event village, which has the start and finish so you can watch the warm up, see the runners off and finish for both the adults and children
food and drink stalls, including a licensed bar
merchandise shop
live music
inflatables for the kids
two tractors work at the same time to ferry people from the event village to the fun zone so you can spectate on course
the fun zone is near the lake zone and so you can see the obstacles on the lake such as magic carpet, donuts, death slide, zip lines and ebeneezer for all the mud!
also at the lake there was an ice cream van and a van selling drinks, crisps and fresh pizzas

It was an amazing day, despite having serious fomo once there, I had a blast watching them and walking round the course, although I did get very sunburnt!

Head to my Instagram for a short reel to give you a taste of some of the course.

Entries were gifted but all opinions are our own

Category: Cycling, Events, Fitness

Women V Cancer – Ride The Night

At the weekend I took part in the Women V Cancer Ride The Night 100km event. I have done this ride before as a ride angel, that you can read about here.

This time round I was gifted my place on the event and having taken part before I quickly accepted the opportunity again for such a great cause. Participants taking part challenge themselves to cycle either 50km or 100km through the night. The 50km point is by Buckingham Palace and if you finish there the organisers have put on coaches to return riders to Windsor Racecourse and lorries to take bikes back too – I have not done this before so cannot comment on this element of the event.

All fundraising from the event raises vital funds and awareness for Breast Cancer Now, Ovarian Cancer Action and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.

The atmosphere is amazing and the effort people go to is amazing! You don’t have to, but a lot of people dress up, add to their cycling kit with all the pink things and lights – there are lots of lights and some truly superb outfits – even from the doggos!

I knew quite a few ladies who were doing this ride as ride angels so also want to take a moment to give them a shout out. Events like these rely on volunteers and having been a ride angel on this event myself, I know how crucial that role is to support those taking part. Plus look at those halos!

I knew a lady who was taking part in the ride solo and we had done some mountain biking together and also a couple of road rides so I offered to ride with her. She was fab and managed to finish within the first 10 riders back to the racecourse – super proud of her!

Highlights

Highlights for me are:

absolutely the atmosphere at all stages of the event, beforehand, during and after
in with your event entry you get a pink hi-vis waistcoat to wear and a ticket for the pasta party so you can carb up ahead of the event starting
in the event village there were food trucks, face painting, music, dancers, kit to purchase and photographers to capture it all
the support along the route and at the finish – you can tell how much this event means to so many and heading out to London there were so many people by the side of the road cheering too
in addition to event day there is a lot that the company do by way of support including emails with training tips and advice
there is a facebook group you can join where so many share stories, hints/tips/advice and support
the feed stops were amazing with everything you could have wanted included more support from the volunteers there
marshalls who were out for the duration of the event in the dark and cold but always had a cheer and kind word
when we got to the Mall it was closed off as the Westminster Mile was taking place the following day and so riding up that to ourselves was fab
there is such a huge mix of abilities taking part so people are returning over quite a long time period but the organisation to allow people to leave when they were ready and not disrupt those riders returning was very well thought out

Not So Highlights

There are a few negatives as follows:

there could have been more toilets in the event village – as always there are queues before events take place (that nervous wee) but with so many people taking part and just over a dozen portaloos it definitely could have done with more
we found a few stretches of the route where we were unsure if we had gone wrong or missed a sign but we would eventually come across one – this is super hard as the organisers cannot put signs up everywhere but we were not the only ones who wondered if they’d made an error
some of the signs were a little late with instruction ie you would be on the left in the cycle lane and it would have an arrow straight forward and then it would show right and there were more than one lane of traffic to get across in busy areas
there was one part of the route towards the end where you were directed down a side turn that appeared to be to a closed gate but actually you were turning right to get on a cycle path but by the time we realised we were at the bottom so had to get off bikes and bump up the pavement
absolutely nothing to do with the event but there was a lot of speed bumps, pot holes on some roads – the joy of riding in London!

If you are thinking of taking part as either a participant for the challenge or as a ride angel I would definitely recommend both having taken part now as both.

I was gifted my place at the event, but all opinions are my own.

Category: Cycling, Events, Fitness

A little 2021 Roundup

Not to sound like a broken record as I realise I added a round up at the end of last year, but it got me looking back at the year and you know what? Yes, there may have been fewer events but I had a blast!

2021 Events

As expected, most events were cancelled, rescheduled of postponed until next year, but I did complete:

Virtual Vatternrundan 315km (not the same as being out through the night in Sweden sadly – but I will be going back 2022 with all my fingers and toes crossed)
Ride Essex Dirty 58 miles off road

2021 Cycling Highlights

Looking back I was surprised that I have done pretty much an equal amount of road riding as I have off road. Considering I only got my first ever MTB towards the end of last year I am loving it! However, despite lack of events I wanted to maintain my training and have completed the following:

Women’s 30 day Cycling Challenge
I joined Aeonian E-Race Team and started racing in the virtual world
Breeze Champion for both road and off road rides as I was part of the inaugural Into The Forest champions to qualify and have led a few rides off road already this year
Level 2 British Cycling Coach qualification
British Cycling Trainee Commissaire qualification
100 Women In Cycling award from Cycling UK
First try at bike packing on part of King Alfred’s Way and looking forward to more!

Other 2021 Highlights

I have had so many weekends away in the campervan and don’t think I will ever get tired of that. The flexibility of working mostly from home has meant I can balance the work/life balance so much easier.

I did finish the year with Covid but super mild symptom of a sore throat only so can’t complain.

I have my 2022 events set so I am hoping everything goes to plan and these continue to be in real life events.

On a more positive note, I will be going into 2022 as my third year as a Foher ambassador, which I am very excited about!

Category: Cycling, Events, Fitness

Top 3 tips on Mental strategies – How to stay mentally motivated

During the past crazy 18-months I have been working from home and like everyone else seen events and holidays cancelled. With this my motivation for training fluctuated and it was hard to stay mentally focussed sometimes. I often find the same is true just before and on event days and whilst I trust my training I am always nervous.

There is a quote I heard once that I always try to remember on event days. It is:

‘Physical strength will get you to the start line, but mental strength will get you to the finish line.’

My Top 3 Tips:

Most people, if they are honest, get nervous. Nerves are normal. Nerves are fine. Nerves show that you care about what you are about to undertake. I would say that my mental game is not that strong and something I need to work on, however, with experience I have gained over recent years I would offer the following 3 tips both for during training and on event day itself:

Set yourself a goal. It is key to remember that everyone’s goals are different and that is ok! Some will be going for PB, some for the win, some to enjoy it, some to finish and whatever your goal is, it is good to have that in mind and plan accordingly so you do not put unnecessary pressure on yourself and end up comparing yourself with others. Smaller goals in the lead up to your main goal are also a good way of keeping focused. Whatever your goal, do it for you and no one else.
Training. Once you have your goal you can plan your training accordingly. Your training should be realistic. Consistency is key and you will benefit hugely from incorporating strength and conditioning (leg and core strength are key to endurance riding). Rest days are part of the process too – don’t ignore the importance of allowing your body rest and recovery. I keep a training diary where I log my training and keep note specifically if I have a good or bad session so I can adapt as needed. Not all sessions will be good, but you just dust yourself off and try again. I also fuel with nutrition through training that I will be using on event day as you want to know what works for you. Trust your training on event day and enjoy the ride! I have a blog post on training for an endurance event that you can read here.
Be flexible. My husband once told me that the circumstances on the day dictate your performance and I have learned through events with terrible weather that this is very true, and it is so important to be able to adapt if necessary. Things like weather or mechanical issues are out of your control and you shouldn’t waste your energy on things like this but instead adapt and overcome. For longer rides I would advise breaking down the mileage, yes you are still doing the same overall distance but breaking down to smaller milestones is more manageable to process and will not seem as overwhelming.

Category: Events

The Virtual Vatternrundan

The Vatternrundan is a bike ride that starts and finished in Motala in Sweden. The first Vatternrundan was in 1966 when the event started as a loop that followed the lake counter clockwise though the direction was reversed in 1974 when right handed driving was introduced in Sweden, and you will see on the course many veterans who have completed this ride for decades!

I have completed this ride twice before and I think it is my favourite cycling event to date. I love the roads, the people, the atmosphere, that you ride through the night and catch the sunset and sunrise and the scenery as you complete the route around the Lake Vattern.

I first completed the ride in 2017 with some friends and you can read more about that here. I then went back last year in 2019 and completed the ride with my husband as well as completing the Tjejvattern 100km and Halvattern 150km and I wrote a blog post on what the bike week is that you can read here.

This year the course changed and instead of being a 300km loop it had increased slightly to 315km and I was looking forward to seeing the changes and completing this for the third time with hopes of bagging myself a PB.

Unfortunately the event had to be cancelled, as is the case for most, due to COVID-19. As disappointing as this was I was expecting the announcement and it is the right decision with the safety of staff and participants in mind.

As I mentioned above the cancellation of events has been widespread regardless of sporting discipline and one interesting outcome is how brands/companies have handled this. I have seen some that have given no offer of deferring or refunds and others that have offered both. Although I was gifted my place to the Vatternrundan I was pleased when I was offered the chance to defer to 2021 (hell yes I will be there next year) and also the opportunity to complete the mileage virtually and be sent my medal.

When we take part in the event the mileage is in one go but for the virtual event or as they have called it Minvatternrundan (which means My Vatternrundan) you are given the option to complete either out on the road or on the turbo and either in one go or across multiple rides within the time period from 5 to 13 June.

Typical British weather meant that in the run up to this we had glorious sunshine and then for the start weekend it was wind and rain and so it continued. This meant we have had a mix of outdoor rides and turbo sessions to complete the mileage (the actual breakdown was 85km outside and 237.74km inside, which was not the plan – the plan was outside riding but nevermind). The main downside overall to completing the challenge from the UK was the lack of blueberry soup – if you know you know!

For the turbo I changed my avatar to be wearing my Vatternrundan kit (obviously) that I earned during some of the training rides that were hosted on Zwift in the run up to when the event was scheduled for. This was open to all but there were many people talking on the rides who were signed up and the structure built on distance as the weeks went by to assist with training.

It was also a great way to keep up with training and stay motivated as events are cancelled, seeing others on social media who were also completing the challenge at the same time and I look forward to receiving my medal in the post and planning my trip for 2021!

If you are interested in taking part in the ride next year I cannot recommend it enough. The registration process is different to most and you need to complete a series of steps as follows:

step 1 – head to the Vatternrundan website and create a profile
step 2 – register interest for the event next year (this is not yet open but is usually online before the end of June)
step 3 – you will then receive an email with instructions on dates for registration
step 4 – if you are successful you will then receive details on how to complete the process and make payment – get in quick to avoid disappointment (this is usually around October time)

You need to complete the above in sequence to sign up ie if you don’t register interest you can’t then sign up at a later date so don’t miss out! If you do sign up I also wrote a blog post about training for an endurance event like this that you can read here.

Hopefully I will see you there next year and will share my medal on my socials when I receive it!

Category: Events

Ride London 46 Review

I have taken part in the Ride London 100 mile event four times previously and if I am honest I was gutted not to be doing it again this year, however, with my ongoing knee issue I think this was actually a blessing.

I did get a place in the 46 mile event and thought well why not – something new, minus the hills, easier on my knee and I still get to finish and celebrate with my fellow Romford CC club friends.

One thing about the 100 miler is that depending on what start time you get it is more than likely to be an early start – one year I went off a little after 6am and had to be up at 4am. You are assigned a wave and colour and this determines what start pen you load. Each wave has a load start and finish time and this is an hour or so before your actually start time so there is some waiting around. The same process is followed for the 46 miler and I was in my pen for 8am and not setting off until 9:16am. All things considered a lay in compared to my friends doing the longer route!

I found this review hard as I have done the longer both when the shorter was not on offer and when it was and there is noticeable congestion when the routes merge. This year I was on the shorter route and saw it from the other side than I previously have and it was like suddenly there were cyclists everywhere at the merge point as there are more on the 100 mile route than the 46. There was also a 19 mile route on offer though I didn’t see any riders from that but it was congested and I was lucky to finish without having to walk over the finish line as I saw many do a little while later.

The route goes out through Richmond park following the same as the 100 miler but instead of going to the Surrey Hills it heads back into London and again meets the longer route again.

So what did I think? The route was lovely and it is fast. There was a wave that set off before me that had some obvious non-cyclists in it. I have no issue with this and I don’t want to come across as a cycling snob but there appeared to be a lot of people who were not aware of any sort of cycling etiquette and this is dangerous for all involved.

I actually had an argument with a man in Richmond Park who was dangerously moving across the path. The general rule is stay to the left, overtake on the right, be vocal and considerate of other cyclists and road users and let them know of your intentions ie shout out ‘on your right’ as you overtake (not in an aggressive way obviously). This gentleman thought I just wanted to overtake and go faster than him so I tried to explain but he was not happy and thought these were my rules. I explained this was common cycling etiquette and follows standard rules from the Highway Code to which he told me he didn’t need to as he was on a push bike. I despair at this! Yes it was a closed road event but if you are a road user, in any capacity, you follow the highway code and this applies to cyclists and not just cars!

My other bone of contention is with the Rider Safety Captains from Continental. This initiative is to have pairs of riders on the course at different intervals to assist other riders. This does not mean you have been given a jersey and a whistle and are a pro rider for the day shouting, whistling and racing in pelotons. I am sure many took this role seriously, as it was intended and were a huge help to others, but it would be interesting to have chip times checked and see the obvious ones who possibly selfishly took a place with the wrong intentions! I saw a lot of this as did many others on the course.

I was also stopped seven times to allow pedestrians to cross. Perhaps I was unfortunate but that seemed a lot for a 46 mile ride on closed roads. It was also dangerous as volunteers suddenly walked across with ropes to allow people to cross as you are approaching at speed.

The finish this year went past the horse guard which is new and then joined The Mall. Short ride up to get your medal and you are done. Was also lovely to be there to then cheer on friends.

The atmosphere is fab and I had a blast. I realise I have a few gripes here but overall I would recommend. There are logistic issues and I have no suggestions short of changing the schedule to overcome this and that comes at a huge expense so probably unrealistic.

There were issues on the day with crashes, delays and lack of medals but I didn’t experience any of that so can’t comment. I also didn’t use any of the rest stops so can’t comment on those either.

Ride 46 done!

Category: Cycling, Events

Don’t Be Shit – Ironman Jonkoping 70.3 Relay

I have just returned from another trip to Sweden for another event. Another bike event but as part of a relay in the Ironman Jonkoping 70.3 triathlon as part of a relay team with my amazing friend Gemma.

Gemma is a fantastic runner and I cycle and so when our other halves, Brett and Marios, signed up for this triathlon we figured why not team up and do it too but as a relay team. This saw the creation of team Don’t Be Shit. The saying don’t be shit is something we say at events to lighten the mood as a joke to friends we are supporting.

So who was going to be our swimmer? Well Gemma decided that after completing her Abbot World Marathon Major series that this would be her new challenge and she’s trained so hard for it too. I have so much admiration for her for doing this and admit it didn’t even come into my mind to do the same or even offer to take on that discipline!

We arrived in Gothenburg and after a drive (about 1 hour 20 minutes) we were checked in and went straight to register, meeting up with other team mates from Havering Tri who were also taking part in the event. We were laughing as they’d printed our team name on our participant bands and also our numbers – brilliant! This was followed by the Tri club parade through the town with a brilliant atmosphere.

After bikes being built and test rides were done we had a wander round town and checked the swim start and transition area. Bike racking took place in a downpour of rain and a lot of hoping that race day wouldn’t have the same weather!

On race day it was a late start at 9am so not the usual 4/4:30am alarm, which was nice and everything seemed calm despite nerves and weather looked like it would be dry until late afternoon so I was hopeful that my bike leg would be dry! Once everyone was in their wetsuits the heavens opened! Not quite the plan!

Gemma on the swim: I seeding myself into 42 minute wave and I was a nervous wreck. Standing in the cold, wet and in puddles on the gravel roadside in complete silence. I could hear the cheers along the start line for the swim entry. Taking a deep breath Marios grabbed my hand and said it’s ok- I nearly started crying. It took 40 minutes to get to the swim entry, with 4 people going in every 4 seconds, and off I went, knowing Marios was directly behind me in the following wave of swimmers. As soon as we entered the water, the sun came out lighting the way for us.

The water was lovely and I found my groove straight away/ compared to the day before! I trained for all weather conditions rain – hail- sun – storms and trained for cooler temperatures and mass starts with Havering Tri. However, I couldn’t have imaged that people would have seeded themselves in the earlier waves to do breaststroke from the start (due to strict bike cut off times). This made it impossible to swim around or through.

Marios was my rock during the swim and made me realise that 5 months ago I couldn’t do open water swimming and now I am able to swim comfortably and take the time to assess the best route for overtaking slower swimmers. I loved every minute of the swim and would recommend going in the earlier wave for what you expect.

I would have liked a better time, but happy I was well above the cut off time and more impressed I managed to run the 0.8km to meet Lisa in the relay exchange box!

Me on the bike: After Gemma passed me the timing chip I tried to run through transition but running in cleats on wet cobbles is not that easy! Plus I was freezing by this point as I had stood in the exchange box since the swim start in the rain so know for next time if it’s the same weather that’s not a good idea. I also needed the toilet the second I got there but couldn’t get in transition so had to hold it.

I was soon over the mount line and on the bike. I had 56 miles to cycle, a distance I can easily do but for some reason I was super nervous and this is the third time I’ve done a relay and knowing someone is waiting for you is added pressure.

Prior to the event I had heard from many people there is a horrible hill at the start and that pretty much the first 10km was uphill. I’d been told the big climb was really long and really steep and that last year there were so many people walking. I’m not good at hills. I can do them but slower than most and with a knee injury I knew I had to spin up easy – pretty much my plan for hills without an injury. I knew once of the commentators would be at the base of the hill so when I saw and heard him with the customary Swedish Heja Heja Heja I knew I’d reached the hill. Just keep spinning, smile at the supporters, pretend it’s ok. Another member of Havering Tri overtook me and gave me a thumbs up and I said is this the hill and he shouted yes and that we were about a third of the way up. Not so bad I could do this. I rarely say a hill was not as bad as I thought but it actually wasn’t – it was twisty and more gradual but at almost 1,000ft definitely a hill still. Here is my face about three quarters up (ha ha).

And the difference once I realised I was at the top – oh ok not so terrible.

The rest of the course is rolling and on the downhills and straights I was really able to overtake a lot of people and knew this is my strength and to use that.

There were three aid stations, all of which were either at the top or bottom of hills. As I wasn’t doing the run I had my nutrition I needed on the bike and didn’t need to stop for anything else. I did stop at one aid station as I needed the toilet too badly but the queue had five people in it – five people taking on and off cycling kit that would also be wet like mine could be timely so I abandoned that idea and got back on the bike – I would have to wait!

At about 40km in the heavens opened again and for about 25/30 minutes I got soaked. I was wiping my glasses with my gloves and accidentally knocked them off so had to stop to get them back. The rain also made me overly cautious on the brakes on some of the downhills that I would ordinarily fly down. There were also some sections that were really windy and trying to power through those takes a toll on the legs and makes the effort that much harder, especially after a really narrow and tight turn point was just headwind up the hill you’d just flown down.

There was a section from 76-78km that it is forbidden to overtake as the road is narrow and winding and this was frustrating as I got stuck behind a group who were going much slower and had to wait until after to be able to pass them.

Your number is on your back for the bike and on your number is your team name so I had some fun as people giggled at Don’t Be Shit. I did the same to a man on the bike I passed whose team name was Loser Buys Burgers.

About 20km from the end I knew where I was and this was back on the Vatternrundan route. On that ride there is a stop at Jonkoping so I knew it wasn’t long until I would be passing Gemma the timing chip again.

After dismounting my bike and trying to run in cleats again I made my way to Gemma in the exchange box, little celebration dance, brief hug and she was off! As she left I had a swift hand down my bib shorts as my heat pad I sometimes use for back pain had slid down to my bum and it was on fire! Classy as always.

I finished the bike in 3:06 and will admit I was disappointed with my time – on a different course I’d previously done 2:56 and whilst I’m the first to say every course is different and you can’t compare and that it’s the conditions on the day, I really feel with better weather and no knee injury I could definitely have done that on this course too. Though I did get a lovely compliment as someone came up to me and said man you can bike! This lady told me she tried her hardest to keep with me but couldn’t get anywhere close and she said well done and left me with a huge smile on my face!

Gemma on the run: I had an absolute blast on the run, met some lovely people and gave them encouragement along the way. I felt like I needed to support everyone as they had just come of the bike and had jelly legs, mine were relatively fresh in comparison. It was a nice 3 lap course and loved seeing Lisa after 2 laps.

Again it was great fun knowing other tri members were around the course. Happy with the 2:09 for the run, considering the conditions – after the rain the sun came out!

However much I wanted to finish my Ironman journey with Lisa, I was absolutely gutted we couldn’t, but like we said we understood the Ironman rules. It was lovely finishing with Marios and it really made it a unique experience for him.

I had the best time and would definitely consider it again. I would love to inspire anyone who thought the Ironman journey is unthinkable and say break it down and take on one discipline at a time …. it was just a natural progression for me, I have loved my world running journey …. so why not take on a new discipline.

I was able to get to behind the finish line to see Gemma and Marios finish, which was amazing.

Everyone from Havering Tri were safe and done!

We found out we came third place in the female relay and so it was suggested to attend the awards ceremony. Being called up on stage by presenters who were laughing too much at our team name was funny and resulted in extra kudos and fist pumps.

We both had a fab time and coming third place was just the icing on the cake and made us realise our training had paid off! Team Don’t Be Shit – Team Freaking Awesome!

Sweden has a special place in my heart so I knew before I got there I would love it but so many were commenting on the bike especially and how beautiful it was. Both winners of the event, male (Elliot Smales) and female (Claire Hann), were from Great Britain (amazing) and said it was the best bike course they’ve done. It was also European Tri Club Champs and will be for the next two years so if you are considering a middle distance triathlon would definitely recommend!

To top it off there was 27% women who participated in the event, which is a world record participation for an Ironman event!

Category: Events

What is the bike week in Motala, Sweden?

I knew of the bike week held in Motala from a friend who lives there. My husband had been out to take part in the Vatternrundan bike ride previously so I knew what it was about and at the time thought about going back to take part myself, which I did in 2017. I wrote a blog post about it that you can read here.

So what happens during this week? There is really something for everyone and here was the schedule for this year:

7 June – MTB Vattern for those aged 8 and over, with distances of either 25km or 50km
8 June – Tjejvattern 100km ride for ladies only aged 18 and over
9 June – Halvvattern 150km ride for those aged 18 and over
10 June – Minivattern for the children aged 3 and over, with distances of either 1km or 3km – this is literally the cutest event and the kids are so cute getting involved with a rest stop halfway for lemonade and buns
14/15 June – Vatternrundan 300km (there is also a 100km option that you can also now do on an electric bike) for those aged 18 and over

I took part in 3 of the above this year; the Tjejvattern, Halvvattern and Vatternrundan.

I rode the Tjejvattern with my friend Sandra who is from Motala and who I plagued with questions as we cycled (sorry Sandra). The weather was perfect with sun and blue skies.
I rode the Halvvattern with Sandra’s partner Steve and her brother in law Jonas. The weather was vile with 30mph gusts of wind and rain, which made it hard work.
I rode the Vatternrundan with my husband. This was the 54th year of this event taking place. The ride started in great conditions then the temperature dropped pretty quickly so an earlier rest stop was needed to add layers. We met a lovely group of six cyclists from Iceland about halfway round and rode with them for a couple of hours. Then the sun came up and we got sunburnt – can’t complain though as some got caught in rain at about 100km in and we missed it but could tell from the wet roads we had been lucky.

The roads are perfect, scenery stunning and although the roads are open there is relatively little traffic on the course. My husband was talking about this early on in the ride and then managed to hit possibly the only pot hole in Sweden. We also laughed as there are signs in places to watch out for a certain animal – a moose! My husband joked that it would be ironic to be hit by a moose whilst on a bike when our cycling club logo is a moose cycling on a bike!

Blueberry soup is served warm at the rest stops. The first time I came across this in Sweden I was not sure if it was for me but this stuff is magic. Warm and works a treat in the cold of the night and sweet – might try and make some of this myself now I am back in the UK. Enervit is the main nutrition provider with energy drinks available as well as water at rest stops. Most stops have the famous sweet buns with the last stop in Medevi having honey covered buns which are a hit for most. Other food you will find are salty gherkins, mashed potato and meatballs at Jonkoping, lasagne at Hjo and for those that want breakfast instead you will find porridge.

Other things you will find at the rest stops are massages and mechanics on hand to help. You have to carry all your kit, nutrition, clothes etc and if you need assistance at the rest stops you can get what you need and will receive the receipt to pay for items after the race like inner tubes etc.

It is always amazing to see the veteran participants on the course. A veteran is someone who has completed the ride 25 times or more. We met this man who was 84 years old and this was his 41st time doing the Vatternrundan 300km bike ride. He was explaining to us that he believes people should try and spend as much time outside and be fit and healthy and stay active. He also commended us on taking part in the event for the second time and said that if I were to also complete the ride 41 times like him to look him up and he will ride it with me. I should also note that this man then set off on his very modest bike fitted with fur leopard print covered saddle.

This is a great week and Sweden is really somewhere that has captured my heart. I would absolutely recommend taking a look at one of these events for sure and I know for sure I will be back again!

A lot of people say it is such a long way and it is but you break it down – ten 30km rides or rest stop to rest stop or three 100km rides – however you want to do it but it makes it a lot easier. The only thing is the signs on the ride count you down which is fab for the Tjejvattern and Halvvattern but on the Vatternrundan when you see the sign saying 290km or 280km it can seem daunting but when you get to a milestone like 200km left you know you are a third of the way through or 150km and you are halfway there and when you see that last 10km left its an amazing feeling!

Was I nervous? Absolutely! Even though I had done it before – nerves are totally normal and shows you care. This time round I would also have the miles in my legs from cycling around Sweden and also from the first two events, both of which included the climb up Omberg and I was unsure how that would affect me. Pacing is the hardest for such a distance – it’s difficult to always know how much to push early on so you won’t suffer later in the ride. I got to 270km or therabouts feeling good and found every slight incline in the final 30km a little tough and that for me was when mental toughness needed to come in in order to find some fuel in an otherwise empty tank. It is mental strength that will help alongside physical strength in endurance events like the Vatternrundan and it could be true when they say physical strength will get you to the start line but mental strength will get you to the finish line. It was interesting though as we had decided this time to ride and enjoy the experience and looking at Strava my ride time average speed I was 0.1 mph slower but it felt so much more comfortable.

If you ride a bike and are looking for an event abroad take a moment to look at these events – registration is already open for interest and you need to complete that in order to following the next stages and get a potential place next year – you won’t regret it!