Early start on an Autumn morning, summer is fast ending and this was evident by the frosty windscreen this morning.  A quick drive over to Glen Clova where Rich and I met up with Stu and we set off in the cold morning air up into the hills.

A long carry up to the top of Mayar ( Munro at 928m) then a superb but technical descent down Kilbo Path.  This was ‘concentrating’ and ‘clenching’ at certain places.  Totally brilliant descent though!

Once at the bottom we set out along and up into Glen Doll.  We obviously don’t like riding our bikes as we once again carried our bikes up Jock’s Road as far as the shelter and rode back down it.  Again, another very technical and rocky descent.  Our bums were fully clenched out by the bottom with huge grins on our faces.  Superb weather and a lovely day in the hills.

The rest of the photos can be seen by clicking here

Some time ages ago I was sitting in a pub having had a few to many brave juices and decided that I would do another triathlon, infact I thought it would be good to go back and try the one I did last year the Craggy Triathlon on the West coast in Oban.  Unfortunately for Rich – he was with me and he too had consumed a few to many pints of brave juice and decided he would enter as well.  The only difference is that Rich can’t swim….

So the time passed and we trained no were near enough and all of a sudden we are standing at a slip way to get on a boat to take our stuff over to the island we are going to be swimming to (can see the swim above).  Rich was silent, I mean literally silent, the poor bloke was shitting himself.  the bike and run part was of no real significance to him and easily in his capabilities, but the swim was going to be a big challenge.

We went over to the island and set are stuff out and went through how the hell and what the hell we had to do to get from being in a rubber suit to riding a bike, to then running.  All a little confusing and quite logistically intensive.

Back over on the boat to the main land we went and got our wetsuits on and lined up at the start line where we finally met frank who was far to happy and excited about this race ( he is not quite right in the head is our Mr Pinder)

We had the race briefing and got told to get into the water for the start, Rich announced his love for his daughter and offered me his belongings if he didn’t make it to the other side.  Once in the water a lot of shreaks and high pitch squeals as the water got into the wetsuits…….. and then we were off!!!!  A furious splash and frenzy which turned all the water white with arms swinging everywhere.  I don’t remember much of the swim apart form the concentration to get my breathing right and my fogged goggles meaning I could not see where i was going.  Every now and again I thought about me dear friend Richard drowning some where behind me and blamed his demise on the beer we drank that fateful evening in the pub when we decided to do this.

Dry Land came in in 11mins 13 secs for me and I ran up the concrete ramp for transition ripping at my wetsuit trying to get it off.  I slipped on the grass and ended up on my bum to the spectators delight.  Once in the transition all the logistics we went through went out the window and i was all over the place.  I eventually got myself sorted and got my bike and ran out of transition.  By looking around I estimated that I was around mid pack now ( 200 people took part).

I was on my bike, my comfort zone, what I am good at and off I went.  I was soon fast over taking people and it felt good, legs were working well and lungs filled easily.  Soon people started to thin out and I was on my own for the last few kms of the ride.  I got back to transition and it looked strangely empty, just two bikes…..   I looked puzzled and the nearest marshal sensed this and said ” you are in 3rd  place hurry up!!!!”

Not knowing how the hell that happened I ripped my cycling stuff off and got my running shoes on and off I went.  I have been in this situation before, gone out way to hard on the bike and just been slaughtered on the run ( one tri in Malaysia where i came back 24th on the bike out of 300 and finished in 210th after the run).  I needed to try and mentally prepare myself for the run and the soon to be constant stream of people passing me.  Last year I came 57th out of 200 so my aim was to come around 40th, that worked out to be 37 ish to pass me.

Up the hill I went, there are no paths on this race, it is a proper hill run ( me above in the green).  I was in my head making sure I was swinging my arms, lengthening my stride where ever I could and trying not to get distracted by people over taking me.

Near the end I managed to muster up a good stride along the last flat 1km and came through the finish line in 18th.  Over the moon.  Not sure how I did it, but very happy with that result…..

Just wonder what the next stupid idea will be after a few too many beers in the pub!

Well that was that, managed to pull it off.  Rich and I have organised 5 rounds of races this summer around the ABZ area.  We managed up to 47 people at ones race.

The final one was held last Friday at Scolty.

We did the first two stages in the day time, and then as we don’t have much light at this time of the year, we decided ot have a BBQ and a few beers

And then do the only thing worth doing – go back out and race it again at night!!!!!!

Was great fun and we all went down the pub afterwards and drank beer.  Was a great summer racing, met loads of new friends and people to ride with.

till next year……

Four o f us left Linn of Dee on Saturday morning and rode through the hills to Aviemore, went out and had a bite to eat and a few beers then slept at Glenmore Lodge.  Got up the next day and rode back the other way.  Great fun, great biking, and no rain!

Click here for all the pics and story of them

Lara and I have been wanting to do this ride for ages.  It is 130km long Road sportive.  What makes it special is it is the only closed road event in the whole of the UK.  Yup, that’s right, the whole route all the roads are closed for us cyclists,  cool huh!

There are a fair few who do this – this year the entries were capped at 5200.

We had arranged for Granny and Grumpsie Tadeusz to come up and baby sat whilst we did this together.  I had told Lara that we will ride it together and that I would stay with her and not leave her – oh how naive was I!

On the Friday before the race (the race was on Sunday)  I am not sure what I ate, but it certainly didn’t agree with me.  I spent all night hugging the toilet and completely emptying myself. It was horrible.  I spent all day on Saturday feeling awful and not being able to eat anything.  Riding 130kms having not eaten anything is not the best idea, but Lara said that if I was not going to do it then she wouldn’t.  No pressure there then, I had better get on with it as I knew she was really excited about doing it.  Oh god this was going to hurt.

We went and slept in the van (something we haven’t done for ages and it was great to do it again) in Pitlochery where the start was as the start was horribly early.  We got up at 6am and I forced all I could down me to try and put some energy inside me.

Above is Lara (bottom right) heading up towards the start line, as you can see – there was the odd biker there.

We got into our allotted start time and head off. We started quite late so had no real bunches or packs of riders who knew how to ride in bunches to join forces with, so we were pretty much by ourselves.

About 10km into it I soon came to realise that my stupid words of ” don’t worry dear I wont leave you” were really , well stupid.  As I was drained from being ill the last few days, it was up to Lara to drag my sorry ass around and I had to beg her not to leave me!

Lara did a brilliant job, she rode really strong in all sorts of horrible weather, we had massive winds, rain of biblical proportions and hail.  All in a good day of Scottish weather!

We finally crossed the line in 4hours and 41 minutes.  Not bad as we were alone and Lara dragged me around.  We will want to do it again next year but this time without the illness the day before.  I think the picture of me finishing says it all.

Rich and I decided to try and organise a few local races for the mountain bikers around here. There are loads of bikers here in Aberdeen, and surprised that nothing like this exists.

so after a few weeks of searching locations and working out a few tracks, we had our first race on Thursday. We had tried to get the word out through various channels and amazingly 22 people turned up to race, not bad seeing that we only emailed people 5 days before it.

the first stage was a mass start from the tower at Kirhill. we decided to try and break up the pack by having a Le Mans start with them holding their front wheel in their hands. Very funny watching people trying to put their fornt wheels in at double time.

The second and third stages were all timed runs with people hammering after each other with the look of evil possession in their eyes.

Overall it was a great success, everyone wanting more. We have decided to do a summer series and will do 4 races each on the first Thursday of the month. Watch this space!