Bonjour Amigos!
This is my post race write up from the TriCalifornia Alcatraz race.
The week leading into the race was lovely. I threw down a couple of fast bike rides, a couple of fast short runs and a couple of swims...I was as fresh as a daisy.
I got to the hotel Coventry in CA and got my key for the room...much to John Flanegans disapointment as he had no idea we sharing a room. So when my smiling face opened the door he was literally caught with his pants down haha! Just kidding, he wasn't really. And yes...for all you dirty minded individuals out there, we did have our own beds!
Anyway, enough of the trash talk and on to race day!
The weather was freezing...about mid 50's farenheit in the morning, so not actually freezing, but it felt like it. Early start down to transition, on the bus and at the ferry pick up by 6am.
We finally approached the the point out near Alcatraz island where it would seem we all dive to our deaths out at sea from the boat.
The pro's lined up on the ferry ledge and the horn blows! We're off! Straight away I slam into a wave which knocked my goggles off...'great'. Even so I was still fighting hard in the front pack. The waves were insane as they slammed us from side to side. The fog drooped over the Golden Gate bridge in the distance. I was trying to spot the 'Gold Dome' that we were supposed to swim towards 1.9km away to shore..."Where's this fricken Gold Dome?" The waves were high, the tide was strong and I couldn't see sh#t as I swam towards land. I lost the leaders, as because quite frankly, they were just faster than me. The swim was long and tough and some 30 mins later I saw the swim finish banner on land. It turns out I hadn't swam direct to the finish, but instead got pulled further out to the right. I put my head down and made my way across to the finish. I had a bad swim getting out of the the water some 4 minutes or more behind the front pack. But i was relieved to be out of there.
The long 1km run to transition felt more like 10km and I could see all the faster swimmers cycling by me as I made my way to transition...bastards. I eventually reached my biked and set out on the Kestrel 4000 with my new ENVE wheels. I rode alone for the entire ride but still got top 5 fastest bike split. I felt great on the bike and even though I was behind I had a great time smashing those hills and time trialing the flats. I made up considerable time on some of the lead swimmers.
I threw my perfect biking equipment in transition and slid my feet into my new Newton flats. Off I went. I took it easy for the first mile but felt awesome! I passed John Flangegan and ticked along nicely towards the the Golden Gate bridge. I started to feel even better and picked up the pace hard. After about three miles I made it to the famous sand ladders that everyone talks about. Being 'English' my attitude when people said the "sand ladder climb was the hardest climb in the sport" was... "right, I'll be the judge of that thank you". Well, it turns out that it really is tough. There's no chance you can run up them. It felt like the scene from Blades of Glory when they're chasing each other with ice skates on. We were racing but plodding up the hill like old people from a local nursing home.
As soon as I got back to picking up the pace again I approached the down hill wooden steps that last about 50meters. I could almost hear Brian Rhodes ahead of me and I got excited. Flying down the steps like a man posessed. Bit silly really as on the last group of stairs my foot slipped landed side ways on the step below and released a loud crack accompanied by a sharp excrutiating shooting pain. I flew into the rail to my left and shrieked...in a very masculine way of course! I had two miles to go, I was in money position and I needed it so bad. I regained my balance and continued to run as best as I could. I could see Rhodsey just 30 secs in front of me. I was desperate to gain that next position but the shooting pain up my leg was almost unbearable. I knew I had damaged it pretty bad, and I also knew that continuing to run on it was not the smartest thing I could do. But again, I need the money. Over the next mile I was gradually gaining on Brian just 15-20 secs in front of me. The pain hadn't worn off, each step almost made me cry...and I almost never cry, so do the math on that! I eventually met the final run shoot after two miles of the most painful run of my life. I couldn't catch Brian, he finisihed just 12 secs ahead of me. I was just glad to have made the finish line and still pick up some cash.
I immediately got assistance and made my way to the medical tent where the doctors assumed my Tibia could be broken. Hence I spent the next 4 hours in hospital getting x-rays. Everyone was amazed at my bravery in the hospital though, they never said anything, but I knew that's what they were thinking.
I was told that might not be able to fly home that evening...to which I replied "bollocks, I'm making that flight". I really wanted to see my misses Krissy. We had already been away from each other for two days and there's no way she can handle one more night away from me! She never said that either, but I knew that's how she felt...probably. She actually offered to fly to CA to see me, but I said "no babe, don't worry about little old me, I'm fine".
Good news is that the tibia wasn't broken. I just badly tore the ligaments and possible stress fracture.
Anyway, I'm getting back into cycling and swimming with a pull buoy to keep my fitness. I'm booked in to race Cancun in three weeks so lets hope things are good enough to race by then.
Thanks for reading Amigos!
Ciao for now homies.
Hadley
Monday, August 29, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Bonjour readers.
It has been ages since I last wrote, and for some reason I have just got the urge to post a new blog whilst sitting in my hotel room in San Fransisco awaiting the onslaught of the Alcatraz race tomorrow morning.
I have my new Newton shoes in toe, my sweet Kestrel ride kitted out with brand new Enve wheels...they are as smooth as ice. So in terms of equipment everything should be spot on for a great race. My fitness??? Hmm, who knows. I was training real hard for most of the season. I was fit and lean. Then I raced Calgary 70.3 a couple of weeks back thinking I was to have the race I knew I was capable of, but instead it ended up being a real tough one and I finished up in 6th place...which was good considering the field was tough and the results were pretty close. But like all athletes, I was certainly not satisfied with my performance. I actually think it is possible to go into races too tired and even though you think you have rested up and tapered well, your body wants more. So this time there's no excuse.
I went to a wedding last week where I took four days off, and then chilled out for the rest of the time with short easy rides and short fast runs leading into this race. So take a look at my results and you'll find out whether that was a good idea or not :-/
I always struggle in really cold water, so I'm pleased to announce that the water is in the 50's farenheit for this race...thats bloody freezing so thanks for that.
The swim is gonna be fast with the likes of John Flanagan, Brian Rhodes, Brian Fleischman and Graham O'Grady, so there's a good field here tomorrow. Due to this my race strategy is to latch on to whoever I can in the swim,try to hang on for dear life for as long as possible, last it out and get ready for the tough as nails bike and run. I decided to go with the disk wheel and the ENVE front 50mm and it looks SWEEET on the Kestrel 4000! Love it! The ENVE wheels are so nice...with the DT Swiss hubs! If you wanna see a photo look at my twitter (@hadleysituation) or take a look on my FB page.
This race pays top ten which is great for any pro trying to survive in Triathlon. I actually think all races should pay top ten with more even pay outs to help out the up and comers leap into the big leagues. After you pay flights, accom and other expenses, earning a living in triathlon is hard. I don't like leaving my girlfriend Krissy back in Boulder either, so racing away had better be worth it :-)
Anyway, it should be a good day. I'll write a race report to highlight all my excuses later lol! Just kidding.
Chow for now homies
Hads
It has been ages since I last wrote, and for some reason I have just got the urge to post a new blog whilst sitting in my hotel room in San Fransisco awaiting the onslaught of the Alcatraz race tomorrow morning.
I have my new Newton shoes in toe, my sweet Kestrel ride kitted out with brand new Enve wheels...they are as smooth as ice. So in terms of equipment everything should be spot on for a great race. My fitness??? Hmm, who knows. I was training real hard for most of the season. I was fit and lean. Then I raced Calgary 70.3 a couple of weeks back thinking I was to have the race I knew I was capable of, but instead it ended up being a real tough one and I finished up in 6th place...which was good considering the field was tough and the results were pretty close. But like all athletes, I was certainly not satisfied with my performance. I actually think it is possible to go into races too tired and even though you think you have rested up and tapered well, your body wants more. So this time there's no excuse.
I went to a wedding last week where I took four days off, and then chilled out for the rest of the time with short easy rides and short fast runs leading into this race. So take a look at my results and you'll find out whether that was a good idea or not :-/
I always struggle in really cold water, so I'm pleased to announce that the water is in the 50's farenheit for this race...thats bloody freezing so thanks for that.
The swim is gonna be fast with the likes of John Flanagan, Brian Rhodes, Brian Fleischman and Graham O'Grady, so there's a good field here tomorrow. Due to this my race strategy is to latch on to whoever I can in the swim,try to hang on for dear life for as long as possible, last it out and get ready for the tough as nails bike and run. I decided to go with the disk wheel and the ENVE front 50mm and it looks SWEEET on the Kestrel 4000! Love it! The ENVE wheels are so nice...with the DT Swiss hubs! If you wanna see a photo look at my twitter (@hadleysituation) or take a look on my FB page.
This race pays top ten which is great for any pro trying to survive in Triathlon. I actually think all races should pay top ten with more even pay outs to help out the up and comers leap into the big leagues. After you pay flights, accom and other expenses, earning a living in triathlon is hard. I don't like leaving my girlfriend Krissy back in Boulder either, so racing away had better be worth it :-)
Anyway, it should be a good day. I'll write a race report to highlight all my excuses later lol! Just kidding.
Chow for now homies
Hads
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Replenishment
Hey there Comrades! How is everyone?! Well it's been a long time since I wrote a blog, so I'll try to cut things down as much as poss...but there's so much to tell, it's gonna be a long one, so get comfy!!! I'll start off from Nov 2010 on my return to the UK! I had been away from home for 2.5 years struggling to be a professional triathlete making good money. However 2010 was somewhat a difficult year for me, hence I didn't quite make the grades that I had anticipated to achieve. 
Things changed one day though when I got a phone call at 03:30am from my ever supportive Father who said "Jimbo! Get up, you're gonna get a call from ITV" (television channel). I repied..."what, it's 3:30am, sod that I'm going to sleep, tell them to call me at 8:30am...what's it about anyway?" He said "It's about a dating show...I've entered you for it, it's on ITV...national tv!" I was intrigued, but sleeping was still my priority. Plus I had to be up to ride 3 hrs with triathlete super star Matty Reed at 9am...and those of you that know Matty know that cycling with him is never easy. 9am came around and I got a call from ITV. I didn't even know what this show was, but it sounded fun. I wanted in. All I knew is that I had to come down a "love lift" and choose a date from 30 girls!!! Awesome! They must have thought of me when they invented this show. As it happens my days of dating are long behind me. I'm always tired from training, so my first thought was actually "cool! My sponsors are gonna love this!" Long story short, I was on the plane 2 weeks later about to embark on an exciting TV opportunity. I hadn't seen my Dad for 2 years...an there he was at the airport. It ws a strange feeling. I felt like I was 5 years old again as I walked from baggage towards arrivals. I was so excited. I was actually going to see my parents...for real! In the flesh! Then there he was! All smiles and he must have been somewhat nervous too as he had his leather jacket on, which he reserves for special occasions. It was only when I walked up close and hugged him that I saw paint all over it...haha, oh, it's obviously not for special occasions anymore, he even wore the bloody thing painting!! It was a much needed trip. I was so happy to be at home with my family. At last I could really relax. 
It's a strange feeling to be travelling for so long, sacrificing as much as you can for your career, and then all of a sudden be at home, surrounded by people that love you. I hadn't seen my Sisters little new born yet(well she's one now, so not that new). So seeing her for the first time was amazing...all in all the homecoming was emotional for me...although I didn't show it - cos I'm cool like that :-/ However, the next day I was driven to London for the show. This was exciting! I was pulled into the main studio to rehearse my scenes. I was amazed by it all. This thing called "Take Me Out" was a big deal!! Arrgh, what am I doing? We rehearsed coming down the 'love lift', saying our lines and walking to our placements in time with the music etc. I realised then how bloody nervous I was.
It's a strange feeling to be travelling for so long, sacrificing as much as you can for your career, and then all of a sudden be at home, surrounded by people that love you. I hadn't seen my Sisters little new born yet(well she's one now, so not that new). So seeing her for the first time was amazing...all in all the homecoming was emotional for me...although I didn't show it - cos I'm cool like that :-/ However, the next day I was driven to London for the show. This was exciting! I was pulled into the main studio to rehearse my scenes. I was amazed by it all. This thing called "Take Me Out" was a big deal!! Arrgh, what am I doing? We rehearsed coming down the 'love lift', saying our lines and walking to our placements in time with the music etc. I realised then how bloody nervous I was.
"Shit! This is gonna be done in front of 700 people...I hope I don't stutter!!!!" Then Paddy McGuiness showed up. For those of you that don't know him, he's a TV star in the UK...Comedian/actor, one of my faves. So to see him and talk to him in person was awesome for me. He was a great guy, friendly as well as very very professional. He has everything organised in his mind...very creative and quick thinking. The time had come for the show to start. The crew decided my hair needed sorting, so the hairstylist chopped away and blowed dryed it to look like David Copperfield. I tried to change it slightly, but got busted...not a chance, TV controls you thats for sure. I was directed out of the waiting area, walked behind the studio and I could hear the crowd going crazy! "Shit shit shit! This is real! AAAAHHH". The adrenaline was flowing like I couldn't believe. I thought "bollocks, my mouth is dry, I can't talk, this is on TV in front of 8million viewers!!! There's no way out!" I stood in the love lift above the studio for what seemed like an hour (it was only 5 mins). Then Paddy says "Single man....reveal yourself!" The music I chose (Beautiful girls by B.O.B) kicks off aloud with base to rival the boy racer cars. The lift starts to descend...with me on it. There's no turning back now. 700 of the audience were cheering with curiosity as to who I might be. The 30 girls all glared at me with wonder in their eyes...could I be the one to choose them? As I walked along strutting my stuff looking cool, I reached Paddy wth my arms in the air and turned to the girls...You could hear a pin drop in the thick, highly electified atmosphere that surrounded me."Take it away!" Paddy instructed..."Hello lovely ladies, I'm James from Weston-super-Mare!!!!!" 
Nerves racked my entire body, the crowd went insane, but I got the words out, and the ladies responded well. To cut a long story short, I chose a girl after 30 minutes of chatting, jumping in an icebath, and parading around in a bath robe. (You'll have to see the show if you want to know more) So my date and I got whisked off to the 'Isle of Fernando's' which is sunny and warm for our date that consisted of a yacht trip out to sea, and dinner on the coast. 
It was a beautiful time, but there was no romance between us despite having a great laugh...well I did. So post 'Take Me Out' adventure. Unfortunatley for me that was good and bad. Good to see my family, but bad as I knew that work awaited me like pending doom. Believe it or not, if you have a bad year in triathlon that means you have to subsidise yourself. It is hard to make ends meet in terms of money unless you get some great sponsors and some great results. For me that meant going back onto the building site for 3 months.
3 months of hard dirty graft. It's good money, but it's hard labour. This time though I was working with my Sisters fiance Steve Hancocks. We're like Bro's! So I had a great time working hard, laughing and eating bacon sarnies. We would work all week from 8am until gone 7pm. We'd be roofing (in the sodding rain), tiling (in the rain), digging trences (in the rain), laying floor, plasterboarding, studding, drilling, plumbing, you name it, we did it.
Then on a Friday night it was off the Windsor Pub for some beers with the lads. Although I wasn't used to the drinking. I forgot that the English don't drink for fun, they drink to totally smash themselves up. When I first returned home I thought "I'm still gonna train when I come back". No way hosay. I was exhausted. Building work just utilised any energy I had, and to top it off my Mom begged me to play badminton with her at her club on a Tues and Thurs night. No-one likes playing with her (they don't think she's any good...just cos she can't hit the shuttle haha!) 
So I had to go down for support and kick some ass for her. Anyway, after 3.5 months of this I was 15lbs over race weight. I then get an email from my good friend and training buddy Matty Reed..."Hadley, are you coming with us to Hawaii...training camp". Oh shit! I can hardly run down the shops, there's no way I'm gonna be able to train with Matty! I replied "Hey mate, I'm not sure if I'm gonna be much use to you. I been working non-stop to raise some money to come back and give it another shot in triathlon...but I'm really unfit and overweight". To which he replied "Hadley, toughen up, get your ass over here. We'll check out chicks on the beach and have a great time". Straight away I was relieved! Although concerned too as I knew then that aint gonna be no "checking out chicks on the beach!" They know me too well, this is trick to lure me into going haha...it worked. I was in Boulder 2 weeks later preparing for the onslaught that lay ahead in 
Hawaii. Hawaii was awesome and if you don't know the Reeds I'll tell you that they are the most generous kind hearted people that I know. This is extremely rare, and even more rare in triathlon. They help whenever they can and are truly great friends. Although Matt was tryin to drop me 2 miles out to sea. I was overweight, hadn't touched the pool to swim in about 4 months, and there we were 2 miles out to sea with Matty swimming balls out 1:10 pace. Hence my balls had dropped off out at sea a long time ago. I was absolutely on the rivet!!!! There was no way I was gonna get dropped with these Tiger Sharks just waiting to pounce on my chubby pork like layers of meat. I asked Matty once as he was laughing at the state of my fitness, "Matt, how would you feel if I actually did get eaten by a shark out there, would you feel guilty?", to which he replied "no way, I'd think thank F@&K it went for Hadley and not me". So there you have it, pure honesty haha!!! It's good fun.
Nerves racked my entire body, the crowd went insane, but I got the words out, and the ladies responded well. To cut a long story short, I chose a girl after 30 minutes of chatting, jumping in an icebath, and parading around in a bath robe. (You'll have to see the show if you want to know more) So my date and I got whisked off to the 'Isle of Fernando's' which is sunny and warm for our date that consisted of a yacht trip out to sea, and dinner on the coast. 
It was a beautiful time, but there was no romance between us despite having a great laugh...well I did. So post 'Take Me Out' adventure. Unfortunatley for me that was good and bad. Good to see my family, but bad as I knew that work awaited me like pending doom. Believe it or not, if you have a bad year in triathlon that means you have to subsidise yourself. It is hard to make ends meet in terms of money unless you get some great sponsors and some great results. For me that meant going back onto the building site for 3 months.
3 months of hard dirty graft. It's good money, but it's hard labour. This time though I was working with my Sisters fiance Steve Hancocks. We're like Bro's! So I had a great time working hard, laughing and eating bacon sarnies. We would work all week from 8am until gone 7pm. We'd be roofing (in the sodding rain), tiling (in the rain), digging trences (in the rain), laying floor, plasterboarding, studding, drilling, plumbing, you name it, we did it.
Then on a Friday night it was off the Windsor Pub for some beers with the lads. Although I wasn't used to the drinking. I forgot that the English don't drink for fun, they drink to totally smash themselves up. When I first returned home I thought "I'm still gonna train when I come back". No way hosay. I was exhausted. Building work just utilised any energy I had, and to top it off my Mom begged me to play badminton with her at her club on a Tues and Thurs night. No-one likes playing with her (they don't think she's any good...just cos she can't hit the shuttle haha!) 
So I had to go down for support and kick some ass for her. Anyway, after 3.5 months of this I was 15lbs over race weight. I then get an email from my good friend and training buddy Matty Reed..."Hadley, are you coming with us to Hawaii...training camp". Oh shit! I can hardly run down the shops, there's no way I'm gonna be able to train with Matty! I replied "Hey mate, I'm not sure if I'm gonna be much use to you. I been working non-stop to raise some money to come back and give it another shot in triathlon...but I'm really unfit and overweight". To which he replied "Hadley, toughen up, get your ass over here. We'll check out chicks on the beach and have a great time". Straight away I was relieved! Although concerned too as I knew then that aint gonna be no "checking out chicks on the beach!" They know me too well, this is trick to lure me into going haha...it worked. I was in Boulder 2 weeks later preparing for the onslaught that lay ahead in 
Hawaii. Hawaii was awesome and if you don't know the Reeds I'll tell you that they are the most generous kind hearted people that I know. This is extremely rare, and even more rare in triathlon. They help whenever they can and are truly great friends. Although Matt was tryin to drop me 2 miles out to sea. I was overweight, hadn't touched the pool to swim in about 4 months, and there we were 2 miles out to sea with Matty swimming balls out 1:10 pace. Hence my balls had dropped off out at sea a long time ago. I was absolutely on the rivet!!!! There was no way I was gonna get dropped with these Tiger Sharks just waiting to pounce on my chubby pork like layers of meat. I asked Matty once as he was laughing at the state of my fitness, "Matt, how would you feel if I actually did get eaten by a shark out there, would you feel guilty?", to which he replied "no way, I'd think thank F@&K it went for Hadley and not me". So there you have it, pure honesty haha!!! It's good fun. Anyway, so now since coming back from Hawaii training has been great with Team Reed/Hadley. I have dropped about 12lbs since my heaviest in UK. I am fresh, clearminded and ready to rock and roll!!! The trip home was a much needed rest mentally and physically, and the TV show went wild. I am coming home to race UK70.3 where I want a top class performance from myself infront of my beloved home crowd. 
I love UK and I wanna make my country supporters (if I have any) proud that I represent the GBR! I told you this was a long one, but I hope the pictures kept you entertained enough to read through it. Until the next blog fellow readers, take care! Happy days! Hadley
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Back to Basics
Hey! Hello fellow readers! Well, I'm calling this blog the "Back to Basics" because that is exactly what's transpired during the last week or so since the Boulder 70.3 Ironman. I was pretty fit leading up to the race.
Training had been going well, and I have been totally injury free for 3 months now. Physically all was going good. But mentally things have been tough for a few months in regards to some personal issues clouding my motivation and performance. This showed during the race of Boulder 70.3. Many people assume that if you're a pro athlete, everything is great. We're fit, professional and have everything sorted ready to race at every event. This is far from the truth. Talk to any of the pro's in any sport, they have all been through some kind of heart ache and stress, and without doubt they will tell you that no-matter how fit you are, you need a clear mind and focus in order to perform.
During the Boulder 70.3 I knew it was going to be a tough one. The few days leading up to it were especially difficult. To make things tougher, the field was real strong with the likes of Andy Potts, Tyler Butterfield, Tim De Boom, Matty White, Josh Rix, Ritchie Cunningham, Stevie Hackett and gun cyclist Tom Lowe. To race guys like this, you better bring your "A game".
The swim was great. We shot off with Andy and Hackett out in front. Then came Tyler followed by the pack with me in it. I exited the water with Josh Rix and Matty White, my two training buddies here in Boulder, so I was happy with that. The bike performance coming from us was insane! We were cycling harder and faster than I would have imagined. I went to the front and worked with 2 x Ironman World Champion Tim De Boom to persue the couple of athletes up the road that included Ritchie Cunningham. I was riding my Tommaso "Sixth Sense" with 808 zipps. The combination was awesome. Retul bike fit experts perfected the set up, and I felt great out there. We completed the bike course in a time of 2hrs 5mins for 90km (56miles)...thats fast.
This is where my energy ran out. With every step of the run I felt terrible. The stress and upset of recent months have left me drained. The heat was unescapable, and the legs were operating from pure will. There was nothing in the tank, and I soon realized that this was going to be a long, tough, solitary half marathon. All my buddies ran off up the road competing for their rightful position, whilst I was left behind battling with my will. I eventually reached my goal (the finish line) in 9th or 10th, but I learned something very important about myself and the lifestyle of an athlete.
Everyone trains their bodies to the peak of excellence...but most athletes can neglect training of the mind. The mind, focus and motivation can make the difference between success or failure. Every professional athlete is fit, but the one that turns up on the start line the most fresh, the most intelligently trained, the most clear minded, the most focused and the most determined will perform to the best of their ability. Life has it's ups and downs, and if you're in a lull, or a bad state, then you better make damn sure you do everything in your power to release it, and change the way you perceive it...otherwise it's "good bye" to your performance or even your career. I have gone back to the drawing board to find a fresher approach to succeeding in this sport. Sometimes it takes a wake up call to realize that things aren't on the right track. "It's never too late if you wake up in time". Hah, I just made that quote up...good hey?
I have been training hard now with Matty White, Josh Rix and Jason Shortis. It has been awesome, refreshing and inspiring.
They have been instrumental in re-focusing my attention to the future and what can be achieved. I am extremely grateful for that.
So bottom line is this. It makes no difference whether you're a pro athlete, an age group athlete, Tiger Woods or anyone else. If you want to succeed in anything you do, there is really no stone that you should leave unturned. A clear mind and a "fresh start" is sometimes all you need. A lesson can be learned and a new approach can be designed from any undesired experience if you search for it..."the silver lining".
Anyway, enough of that for now. Training is back on track, the weather in Boulder is beautiful, and everything looks good! Keep a look out for my races in the near future!
Till next time ladies
Hadley
Training had been going well, and I have been totally injury free for 3 months now. Physically all was going good. But mentally things have been tough for a few months in regards to some personal issues clouding my motivation and performance. This showed during the race of Boulder 70.3. Many people assume that if you're a pro athlete, everything is great. We're fit, professional and have everything sorted ready to race at every event. This is far from the truth. Talk to any of the pro's in any sport, they have all been through some kind of heart ache and stress, and without doubt they will tell you that no-matter how fit you are, you need a clear mind and focus in order to perform.
During the Boulder 70.3 I knew it was going to be a tough one. The few days leading up to it were especially difficult. To make things tougher, the field was real strong with the likes of Andy Potts, Tyler Butterfield, Tim De Boom, Matty White, Josh Rix, Ritchie Cunningham, Stevie Hackett and gun cyclist Tom Lowe. To race guys like this, you better bring your "A game".
The swim was great. We shot off with Andy and Hackett out in front. Then came Tyler followed by the pack with me in it. I exited the water with Josh Rix and Matty White, my two training buddies here in Boulder, so I was happy with that. The bike performance coming from us was insane! We were cycling harder and faster than I would have imagined. I went to the front and worked with 2 x Ironman World Champion Tim De Boom to persue the couple of athletes up the road that included Ritchie Cunningham. I was riding my Tommaso "Sixth Sense" with 808 zipps. The combination was awesome. Retul bike fit experts perfected the set up, and I felt great out there. We completed the bike course in a time of 2hrs 5mins for 90km (56miles)...thats fast.
This is where my energy ran out. With every step of the run I felt terrible. The stress and upset of recent months have left me drained. The heat was unescapable, and the legs were operating from pure will. There was nothing in the tank, and I soon realized that this was going to be a long, tough, solitary half marathon. All my buddies ran off up the road competing for their rightful position, whilst I was left behind battling with my will. I eventually reached my goal (the finish line) in 9th or 10th, but I learned something very important about myself and the lifestyle of an athlete.
Everyone trains their bodies to the peak of excellence...but most athletes can neglect training of the mind. The mind, focus and motivation can make the difference between success or failure. Every professional athlete is fit, but the one that turns up on the start line the most fresh, the most intelligently trained, the most clear minded, the most focused and the most determined will perform to the best of their ability. Life has it's ups and downs, and if you're in a lull, or a bad state, then you better make damn sure you do everything in your power to release it, and change the way you perceive it...otherwise it's "good bye" to your performance or even your career. I have gone back to the drawing board to find a fresher approach to succeeding in this sport. Sometimes it takes a wake up call to realize that things aren't on the right track. "It's never too late if you wake up in time". Hah, I just made that quote up...good hey?
I have been training hard now with Matty White, Josh Rix and Jason Shortis. It has been awesome, refreshing and inspiring.
They have been instrumental in re-focusing my attention to the future and what can be achieved. I am extremely grateful for that. So bottom line is this. It makes no difference whether you're a pro athlete, an age group athlete, Tiger Woods or anyone else. If you want to succeed in anything you do, there is really no stone that you should leave unturned. A clear mind and a "fresh start" is sometimes all you need. A lesson can be learned and a new approach can be designed from any undesired experience if you search for it..."the silver lining".
Anyway, enough of that for now. Training is back on track, the weather in Boulder is beautiful, and everything looks good! Keep a look out for my races in the near future!
Till next time ladies
Hadley
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Fall at the Peak
Hi there lads and ladies! I should have written this right after the Boulder Peak race to keep you up to date etc, but I have been so busy again getting my old car towed, working, selling my bike, getting another car, plates, insurance, training, dancing and singing. So here I am on Thurs night before the big Rohto Boulder 70.3 Ironman this weekend. Firstly, the Boulder Peak race!
It was a beautiful day at the resevoir in boulder. I had been training well, and I was feeling good, and ready to race! I started off next to Matt Reed in the swim. He swims great, so I figured if I can stay on his feet than I would be out front pack. The gun goes and we're off! We smashed out the first 400metres real quick. It felt easy to me for some reason...I was fit, and it was showing. Somehow, someone moved across me and in the mess of it all, I lost Mattys feet! Due to this I was now in the lead of the second pack...again. Bryan Rhodes was swimming great in the front pack so I had a hard job to keep the gap as small as I could. I came out of the water 4th, got the Tommaso out on the tarmac and hammered those peddles.
It took me a while to get started as Josh Rix, Matty White, Tim De Boom and Tim Reed came flying along to join me. We smashed it up Old Stage rd, one of the steepest climbs in Boulder, and a great part of the race. I could see Bryan Rhodes just ahead, and the adrenaline kicked in. I reached the peak of old stage rd, and then came the fastest down hill sections I have ever experienced in a race. I was flat out to get as much speed as possible. Josh Rix later told me that we hit 90kph down there! For all you Americans and English, that would be about 56mph! Right at the bottom of this descent is where disiaster struck for the Hadmeister.
All I can remember is the steering going wild as I gripped my hands around the brakes...I assumed that my tyre was flat...going at this speed! So I skidding down the hill, just praying to hold control until I could slow enough to come to a safer site to crash on other than the tarmac. I flew straight off the road, into the gravel, dodging all kind of boulders and rocks...goodness know how I missed them all. This is that same section where a lady died in a crash sometime ago. Anyway, I teared up the umbankment and slammed into something that eventually brought me down. I stood up in a second, and realised I was totally fine. Not even a scratch!!! I turned to see Rixy and a couple of other athletes flying by. I grabbed the bike and saw the result...a blown out tyre!
I shouted "can anyone lend me a wheel?!" I trained hard, tapered well, and I just really wanted to finish the race. I knew by now I was out of money contention, and I knew I would either get a penalty or DQ'd for accepting outside assistance, but who cares? I'm an athlete, and I wanna finish this bastard race! Despite what was written by people on slow twitch about me, the real story was this:
A lady approached me on her steel sunday cruise road bike. I said "can I borrow your wheel please?" She said "sure, here you go, but how will I find you?", I said, "I'm in the pro race, so come to the end of the run finish and I'll meet you there". So as she released her quick release on her wheel, I released mine. I passed her my $1000 carbon zip as I recieved her steel rim wheel which included such flash trimmings as a reflector! Love it. So I said "thank you so much!" and off I went,on a steel wheel half inflated with a beautiful looking reflector spinning round. I finshed the course and racked the bike.
I took off fast on the run. I was catching some guys pretty quick, but all of a sudden I get a time penalty. I wasn't sure what for, but I had to stand there for 1 minute, then get going again. It transpired that he was supposed to stop me for the outside assitance and tell me that I'm DQ'd, but for some reason he didn't know this. I went for it again, desparately chasing the guys I already caught sometime earlier. I was fierce, and determined to have a good training day at least..I ran a solid 34min off the bike (not including the 1 min time penalty)so apart from the crash and the stand down, I was really pleased with my performance.
Obviously the results don't show it, but I was racing well, and I'm fit to race. I have had some bad happenings in races recently. If I'm not careful I'll be known as "Calamity James". I was just so thankful that I survived the crash unhurt...hospitals are expensive here, and if I died, I'm pretty sure my Mom would miss me...I think. Next up is Rohto Boulder 70.3 Ironman this weekend...check out my results! I hope to redeem myself this time. So thats the story of the Peak! Till next time ladies ;-)
It was a beautiful day at the resevoir in boulder. I had been training well, and I was feeling good, and ready to race! I started off next to Matt Reed in the swim. He swims great, so I figured if I can stay on his feet than I would be out front pack. The gun goes and we're off! We smashed out the first 400metres real quick. It felt easy to me for some reason...I was fit, and it was showing. Somehow, someone moved across me and in the mess of it all, I lost Mattys feet! Due to this I was now in the lead of the second pack...again. Bryan Rhodes was swimming great in the front pack so I had a hard job to keep the gap as small as I could. I came out of the water 4th, got the Tommaso out on the tarmac and hammered those peddles.
It took me a while to get started as Josh Rix, Matty White, Tim De Boom and Tim Reed came flying along to join me. We smashed it up Old Stage rd, one of the steepest climbs in Boulder, and a great part of the race. I could see Bryan Rhodes just ahead, and the adrenaline kicked in. I reached the peak of old stage rd, and then came the fastest down hill sections I have ever experienced in a race. I was flat out to get as much speed as possible. Josh Rix later told me that we hit 90kph down there! For all you Americans and English, that would be about 56mph! Right at the bottom of this descent is where disiaster struck for the Hadmeister.
All I can remember is the steering going wild as I gripped my hands around the brakes...I assumed that my tyre was flat...going at this speed! So I skidding down the hill, just praying to hold control until I could slow enough to come to a safer site to crash on other than the tarmac. I flew straight off the road, into the gravel, dodging all kind of boulders and rocks...goodness know how I missed them all. This is that same section where a lady died in a crash sometime ago. Anyway, I teared up the umbankment and slammed into something that eventually brought me down. I stood up in a second, and realised I was totally fine. Not even a scratch!!! I turned to see Rixy and a couple of other athletes flying by. I grabbed the bike and saw the result...a blown out tyre!
I shouted "can anyone lend me a wheel?!" I trained hard, tapered well, and I just really wanted to finish the race. I knew by now I was out of money contention, and I knew I would either get a penalty or DQ'd for accepting outside assistance, but who cares? I'm an athlete, and I wanna finish this bastard race! Despite what was written by people on slow twitch about me, the real story was this: A lady approached me on her steel sunday cruise road bike. I said "can I borrow your wheel please?" She said "sure, here you go, but how will I find you?", I said, "I'm in the pro race, so come to the end of the run finish and I'll meet you there". So as she released her quick release on her wheel, I released mine. I passed her my $1000 carbon zip as I recieved her steel rim wheel which included such flash trimmings as a reflector! Love it. So I said "thank you so much!" and off I went,on a steel wheel half inflated with a beautiful looking reflector spinning round. I finshed the course and racked the bike.
I took off fast on the run. I was catching some guys pretty quick, but all of a sudden I get a time penalty. I wasn't sure what for, but I had to stand there for 1 minute, then get going again. It transpired that he was supposed to stop me for the outside assitance and tell me that I'm DQ'd, but for some reason he didn't know this. I went for it again, desparately chasing the guys I already caught sometime earlier. I was fierce, and determined to have a good training day at least..I ran a solid 34min off the bike (not including the 1 min time penalty)so apart from the crash and the stand down, I was really pleased with my performance.
Obviously the results don't show it, but I was racing well, and I'm fit to race. I have had some bad happenings in races recently. If I'm not careful I'll be known as "Calamity James". I was just so thankful that I survived the crash unhurt...hospitals are expensive here, and if I died, I'm pretty sure my Mom would miss me...I think. Next up is Rohto Boulder 70.3 Ironman this weekend...check out my results! I hope to redeem myself this time. So thats the story of the Peak! Till next time ladies ;-)
Monday, June 28, 2010
Hey hi everybody!
Finally, I am writing another blog. I know you guys have missed me, so I appologise for being away for so long. I was hybernating like Rocky, training in the
wilderness...not.
Well, first of all I should update you on my recent race in Philadelphia Life Time Fitness series race.
The week-end started off pretty bad, so I should have taken that as a sign. My car was having difficulty on Wednesday before the race maintaining its oil. So I rushed it to the mechanics to fix it. They did a great job in mending the oil pressure switch. They assured me the problem was sorted, and the car purrs like a cat! So I woke up on Friday morning, all motivated and ready to rock to the airport and catch the flight to Phily! I'm racng down the highway (on the speed limit of course)and all of a sudden someone is under the hood banging around in there...then I realised that no-one could be under the hood, I'm driving, so something must be wrong with the engine. Flying down the highway and the engine just smashes the crap out of itself! The steering has no power and the hydraulics on the brakes have gone. Fortunately, there was no cars on the margin lane and I veered off to roll to an eventual stop. So now there was no way of getting the car to the airport. I did however notice a Quality Inn some distance away. Off I ran to order a taxi to the side of Interstate 70, where my Mexican lowrider just died.
About 30 mins later the taxi arrived and I continued on my travels waving goodbye to the lowrider as I ordered a truck to come and tow it away before the Police did.
I finally got the airport, paid $55, rushed through the doors and ran to the check in just 7 mins after cut off. I pleaded with the lady to get me on board, but she just grinned at me gleefully expressing her authority. Mmm, reminds me of the Ben Stiller movie "Meet the Parents". The next flight was the next day, so I booked in for that, walked outside to get the bus home, and it was just driving off. Missed that too. So waiting out there for another hour with all my bags the bus finally came and took me back to Boulder. It was a long day, but I had to rest up for the race.
The next day was good. I left early for the bus and everything went smoothly. I arrived at Phily airport to meet my awesome homestay Kevin Peter, drove to the race site and registered with minutes to spare. I went straight back to the house...it was beautiful! Put the Tommaso "sixth sense" together and ate some food.
Next morning I felt great! We both (Kevin) cycled down to the race start to warm up...I knew I was going to have a good one. We learned that unfortunately a 40 year old man drowned the day before, so the swim leg was changed and was now a 5km run...a dualthlon. Respect to the man that drowned and his family, everyone was very saddened by this.
The gun went and we were flying! All the pro's together, male and female went blasting off down the way. At first, Tyler Butterfield, Matt Reed and myself controlled the pace...which was fast...first mile under 4:40! Then Bev Docherty came thundering past looking as though he was jogging. Geez he can really run! For the rest of the run myself, Tyler, Matty, and David Thompson all took it in turns jostling around in the front chase group. Bev was ahead. We ran to transition in under 16 mins. Jumped on the bikes and off we went. I was with the boys, Bev up ahead, then David Thompson, Tyler, Matty and me! This was awesome! I was loving the race and felt great. The next pack seemed to be a way back which was a good sign.
After about 20 kms I pulled up closer to Matty about 3 meters to his right (stagger rule) and about 5 metres back. The Marshall pulled up next to me on her motorbike and started timing me. I shouted her..."I'm ok here! I'm allowed to be here". Then she pointed at me to stand down for a penalty. "What for?" I got stopped jumped off my bike and told her the rules! "I'm allowed to be there, I was more than two meters to the side...thats not drafting!" she said "no, it doesn't matter, if you're less than 10 meters behind him you have 15 seconds to overtake". "No!" I shouted, "Check your fricken rule book! As long as I'm more than 2 meters to the side I can ride there all day if I want...we checked this several times with the head ref!". She knew she was wrong then, but couldn't back down.
All the guys went flying by, and I knew my opportunity had gone. After the time penalty I jumped on my bike and hammered those pedals until I heard "wait stop...come back, come back". I stopped again, turned and ran as fast as I could back to the original penalty spot...she forgot to mark my numbers aswell!!! Another minute wasted again! I said "thanks a lot! Waste of bloody money coming here...learn the rules! As the girls started cycling past, I knew that my race was over...what a waste. I span the rest of the bike course and rolled into transition fuming! I paid for flights, taxi, buses, tow away, and I get wrongfully penalised by a ref that didn't know the rules. Money down the drain! I am certain that a top 5 result could have been a reality on this day...thats prize money and a credible result taken away by a marshall. I made a complaint and actually spoke to the Marshall afterwards to remind her that she better know what she's doing as this is peoples lives and careers she has an influence over.
So I hung out at the tent eating and laughing with my pals, with the recent anguish and determination to smash out the next race as best as I can...Boulder Peak simmering under the surface.
So, the good news however is that I am beginning to feel as though I can run ok without getting injured. It has taken a while to get the last injury sorted, but I think it's getting there. More good news is that it's summer and racing in this heat is great...not to mention the girls!
Till next time
Thanks for reading
Hadmeister
Finally, I am writing another blog. I know you guys have missed me, so I appologise for being away for so long. I was hybernating like Rocky, training in the
wilderness...not.Well, first of all I should update you on my recent race in Philadelphia Life Time Fitness series race.
The week-end started off pretty bad, so I should have taken that as a sign. My car was having difficulty on Wednesday before the race maintaining its oil. So I rushed it to the mechanics to fix it. They did a great job in mending the oil pressure switch. They assured me the problem was sorted, and the car purrs like a cat! So I woke up on Friday morning, all motivated and ready to rock to the airport and catch the flight to Phily! I'm racng down the highway (on the speed limit of course)and all of a sudden someone is under the hood banging around in there...then I realised that no-one could be under the hood, I'm driving, so something must be wrong with the engine. Flying down the highway and the engine just smashes the crap out of itself! The steering has no power and the hydraulics on the brakes have gone. Fortunately, there was no cars on the margin lane and I veered off to roll to an eventual stop. So now there was no way of getting the car to the airport. I did however notice a Quality Inn some distance away. Off I ran to order a taxi to the side of Interstate 70, where my Mexican lowrider just died.
About 30 mins later the taxi arrived and I continued on my travels waving goodbye to the lowrider as I ordered a truck to come and tow it away before the Police did.
I finally got the airport, paid $55, rushed through the doors and ran to the check in just 7 mins after cut off. I pleaded with the lady to get me on board, but she just grinned at me gleefully expressing her authority. Mmm, reminds me of the Ben Stiller movie "Meet the Parents". The next flight was the next day, so I booked in for that, walked outside to get the bus home, and it was just driving off. Missed that too. So waiting out there for another hour with all my bags the bus finally came and took me back to Boulder. It was a long day, but I had to rest up for the race.
The next day was good. I left early for the bus and everything went smoothly. I arrived at Phily airport to meet my awesome homestay Kevin Peter, drove to the race site and registered with minutes to spare. I went straight back to the house...it was beautiful! Put the Tommaso "sixth sense" together and ate some food.
Next morning I felt great! We both (Kevin) cycled down to the race start to warm up...I knew I was going to have a good one. We learned that unfortunately a 40 year old man drowned the day before, so the swim leg was changed and was now a 5km run...a dualthlon. Respect to the man that drowned and his family, everyone was very saddened by this.
The gun went and we were flying! All the pro's together, male and female went blasting off down the way. At first, Tyler Butterfield, Matt Reed and myself controlled the pace...which was fast...first mile under 4:40! Then Bev Docherty came thundering past looking as though he was jogging. Geez he can really run! For the rest of the run myself, Tyler, Matty, and David Thompson all took it in turns jostling around in the front chase group. Bev was ahead. We ran to transition in under 16 mins. Jumped on the bikes and off we went. I was with the boys, Bev up ahead, then David Thompson, Tyler, Matty and me! This was awesome! I was loving the race and felt great. The next pack seemed to be a way back which was a good sign.
After about 20 kms I pulled up closer to Matty about 3 meters to his right (stagger rule) and about 5 metres back. The Marshall pulled up next to me on her motorbike and started timing me. I shouted her..."I'm ok here! I'm allowed to be here". Then she pointed at me to stand down for a penalty. "What for?" I got stopped jumped off my bike and told her the rules! "I'm allowed to be there, I was more than two meters to the side...thats not drafting!" she said "no, it doesn't matter, if you're less than 10 meters behind him you have 15 seconds to overtake". "No!" I shouted, "Check your fricken rule book! As long as I'm more than 2 meters to the side I can ride there all day if I want...we checked this several times with the head ref!". She knew she was wrong then, but couldn't back down.
All the guys went flying by, and I knew my opportunity had gone. After the time penalty I jumped on my bike and hammered those pedals until I heard "wait stop...come back, come back". I stopped again, turned and ran as fast as I could back to the original penalty spot...she forgot to mark my numbers aswell!!! Another minute wasted again! I said "thanks a lot! Waste of bloody money coming here...learn the rules! As the girls started cycling past, I knew that my race was over...what a waste. I span the rest of the bike course and rolled into transition fuming! I paid for flights, taxi, buses, tow away, and I get wrongfully penalised by a ref that didn't know the rules. Money down the drain! I am certain that a top 5 result could have been a reality on this day...thats prize money and a credible result taken away by a marshall. I made a complaint and actually spoke to the Marshall afterwards to remind her that she better know what she's doing as this is peoples lives and careers she has an influence over. So I hung out at the tent eating and laughing with my pals, with the recent anguish and determination to smash out the next race as best as I can...Boulder Peak simmering under the surface.
So, the good news however is that I am beginning to feel as though I can run ok without getting injured. It has taken a while to get the last injury sorted, but I think it's getting there. More good news is that it's summer and racing in this heat is great...not to mention the girls!
Till next time
Thanks for reading
Hadmeister
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Good morning comrades!
Well the race season is basically underway, and most of my buddies will be returning to Boulder very soon!
This time of year is always a little nerve racking. Everyone is going great right now...already! For example, Crowie wins Aussie Long Course Champs, Leon Griffin 2nd place. Matty Reed fit as ever has podiumed twice in the last three weeks! Miami and Oceanside! Brad Kahlefeldt wins Mooloolaba ITU World Cup in Australia. The season has kicked off, and these guys are ready! Me? Well I am just getting there. After a season of injury last year, to consistent training throughout the winter months here in Boulder. Things are on track, and I have just got myself a coach by the name of "Phil Cutti". He's a lab professor from Stanford University, so I'm pretty confident he knows his stuff!
I have been consistent with my long 25-30km runs. Run sessions on the treadmill, and swimming throughout the winter.
I also got my bike new "Sixth Sense" TT bike from Tommaso! It is cool, and smooth! My cycling performances have dramatically picked up in training, but I think thats most likely down to the excitement of having a new bike kitted out with the top
line "Profile Design" bars...or is it? Maybe it is just faster!
Whatever the reason, I'm looking forward to racing on it.
Well, I am planning on racing Galveston 70.3 in three weeks. It is a toss up between that race, or St.Croix 70.3 a week later. Of course St.Croix is a prestigious race, one of my favorites, and is in the Caribbean! But it's also really expensive to get to. It's a long season coming up, and I feel the excitement in the air! Oh I love race season!
Anyway, hope everyone is well, and speak to you soon.
Hadley
Well the race season is basically underway, and most of my buddies will be returning to Boulder very soon!
This time of year is always a little nerve racking. Everyone is going great right now...already! For example, Crowie wins Aussie Long Course Champs, Leon Griffin 2nd place. Matty Reed fit as ever has podiumed twice in the last three weeks! Miami and Oceanside! Brad Kahlefeldt wins Mooloolaba ITU World Cup in Australia. The season has kicked off, and these guys are ready! Me? Well I am just getting there. After a season of injury last year, to consistent training throughout the winter months here in Boulder. Things are on track, and I have just got myself a coach by the name of "Phil Cutti". He's a lab professor from Stanford University, so I'm pretty confident he knows his stuff!
I have been consistent with my long 25-30km runs. Run sessions on the treadmill, and swimming throughout the winter.
I also got my bike new "Sixth Sense" TT bike from Tommaso! It is cool, and smooth! My cycling performances have dramatically picked up in training, but I think thats most likely down to the excitement of having a new bike kitted out with the top
line "Profile Design" bars...or is it? Maybe it is just faster!Whatever the reason, I'm looking forward to racing on it.
Well, I am planning on racing Galveston 70.3 in three weeks. It is a toss up between that race, or St.Croix 70.3 a week later. Of course St.Croix is a prestigious race, one of my favorites, and is in the Caribbean! But it's also really expensive to get to. It's a long season coming up, and I feel the excitement in the air! Oh I love race season!
Anyway, hope everyone is well, and speak to you soon.
Hadley
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