Ok, let’s go…..
It’s been (again) over a month since I updated this blog. I know some people who have really good intentions on writing a regular blog to either help other people with their experiences or indeed to help themselves make sense of their journeys by writing it on a computer. Then life has a way of putting things in the way and then the blog goes on the back burner and before you know it there’s been a gap of months, years even, between entries.
I like to think I’m somewhere in the middle of this all – I don’t keep it to a regular weekly or monthly but I try to get something written down once in a. while to stop it getting jumbled up in your head which admittedly does keep me awake at night at times – so again lets go!
So….I came back from Mallorca with the Interbike Team and then we did the Hashtag Social at The Silo in Bungay.
The week after this there was an odd distanced Time Trial near Bury St Edmunds which I took part in. This 21 mile event covered two laps pf an old road racing circuit that I had ridden several years ago. I did do this event last year so it would be interesting to see how I would compare. A Professional Triathlete was on the start list so I guess we were all racing for 2nd place anyway – and that I did some 5 minutes behind the pro but in front of the rest. It was nice to see the fitness from the training camp start to show it’s face and I was happy with my performance but if anyone knows me I’m never 100% happy with how I went!
A few weeks on and another Time Trial – this time near Woodbridge down in Suffolk. Due to a parked JCB tractor on the course the course was changed from its traditional out & back 10 miles to a 7.8 mile circuit that has often been used in the past. The spring weather reared it’s ugly head just as I started and sunshine soon became hail and torrential rain – so cold in fact I couldn’t feel my hands and messed up several gear changes along the route which cost me an estimated 45 seconds.
Nonetheless – I did quite well, in the top 5 I think and other Hashtag riders also faired well despite the wintry conditions.
The very next day I rode out 25 miles to a 100 mile event and chose to ride home again after it. The 100, organised by a local TPR Events company is something I’m (Hashtag actually) are partnering for 2026 and I was sure to enter and do my bit in promoting the event and their brand. The “Waveney Hillseeker” as it was called, barely roamed more than 10 miles from it’s base in Harleston in North Suffolk but did exactly what it said on the tin and found every hill in the area – I think I covered over 5000ft of vertical climbing once the day was done. A rising westerly wind and horizontal rain towards the end of the event hampered things but I wasn’t dissuaded as I wanted to get the “Monument” 250km done before getting home – 251km – done! I slept well that night.
A week later and there was no rest as I had a double race weekend with a 10 mile TT on the local Bungay Bypass promoted by Great Yarmouth CC and on the Sunday another 10 down near Harwich which one of my Hashtag athletes encouraged me to ride. The “Good Friday” 10 on the Friday went well with over 20% of the field being Hashtag TT Club or Hashtag Coached riders. And with some really good performances we came away with the Team Prize, second & third overall as well as Female Veteran and Handicap prizes – I think we took 75% of the prize money on the day! It’s not really about the money – it was all about the community showing up and cheering each other on and having a good debrief afterwards. It was also very humbling to see such a large group of people getting together, especially the female side of the group when in fact 12 months ago there were only 5 of us who formed the original Hashtag TT Club.
Onto the Sunday TT and I misjudged the undulating course and a stiff headwind on the way back to record my third second place of the year missing out by a mere 7 seconds! The leg power was down from the Friday event by 8% so if only I could’ve had that on the day then I might’ve won the event – that’s life I guess – the ifs the buts and the maybes.
Straight into another week of training and then I was off to Mallorca once again, this time with Suzy. I’m actually still here writing this blog sat on the AirBnB sofa as I’m riding Mallorca 312 tomorrow – a near 200 mile bike event where 8500 cyclists from around the world put themselves against the Mallorcan Mountains such as Fermenia, Puig Major, Valdemossa, Gallilea, Puigpunyent, Tofla and Ariany – I’m sure I’ve missed a few but I think it total is 15,300ft of vertical elevation if you’re doing the full event. There are 167km & 225km options for those who’ve either had enough or simply are not able to complete such a big distance. The Expo was really busy when I registered last night and I bumped into the legend Miguel Indurain – 5 time Tour de France Champion. I was slightly (alot actually) starstruck and had to ask for a selfie – I sent the photo to my friends but some didn’t recognise him. I think that’s my age and the fact a lot of my friends are triathletes or not that into pro bike racing in the 90’s!!!!!
I’m kind of looking forwards to the 312 tomorrow, I feel better prepared than I was 2 years ago – in the 2024 event the lights went out with 3 hours to go and I was a shell of a man when I finished. I had zero energy and I could barely get my carcass off my bike I was that exhausted – this time round I hope to be in better condition but you never know with the mountains, the heat and that rising wind in the last third of the route. It is what it is.
Life is full of Ying & Yang and it’s all about how we respond to those dips and waves. I had a bike helmet failure – a massive crack in the back so I had to purchase another one at the expo and my powermeter also failed so I had to get a new one also so yesterday was a bit of an expensive day out to say the least. Suzy has pointed out quite a few things she’d like to get at the expo later today so today will be no different I’m sure!!!
Obviously, gym work isn’t really happening at the moment due to our current holiday/vacation but I’m ok with that and putting my time into just going out on the bike for silly rides in temperatures around 20 degrees. Swimming has taken a bit of a knock too – although there is the sea less than 100 from our apartment I’m anxious about going in and swimming in seawater. We did go to the pool last week but it was a free for all and no discipline in the lanes and I was swamped quite a few times – I think I just like to be in my own space in the water so maybe I’ll go in the sea on Sunday which will have to be a rest day after 312 and then pick up some pool swims in the hotel we are moving to next Wednesday.
As last year we have openly invited several Hashtag athletes and friends to come join us for a biking, running, swimming, yoga, walking kind of a getaway here in Alcudia for a few days. Over 16 people came last year and I think the number is pretty similar this time around – Suzy has organised it all so I’m not 100% on the numbers. We have changed hotels too – moving from the Viva Sunrise Hotel where we have been very well looked after in the past to the Zafiro Palace in Alcudia Town. Our contact – Miguel who used to help us at Viva has moved on and the Viva group have been of little help to secure rooms and prices etc. and it was just by coincidence on the Black Friday sale last year we saw very good prices at Zafiro. If they were their normal prices it would be too expensive so we’re lucky to have got them all at that price.
Just to add – we do not charge for this holiday. We just invite people out and offer them the prices and they just join us. It’s always been our intention to not charge and we’re currently setting another one up in October on the other side of the island – Pageura to support the Challenge Mallorca 70.3 that’s happening there – maybe if we get enough people involved we can set up some “Hashtag” relay teams???
I think that’s it and I have waffled on for way too long – I’ll see you on the other side of Mallorca and (perhaps) just in time before our Hashtag 10 Mile TT on 25th May. Onwards!!!!!
