Event: The Fox
Date 24th May 2025

Once upon a time, a darkness fell on the woodland and hills of the gentle Surrey countryside. Orcs were rising once again in the Mole Valley and the once welcoming Public Rights of Way were no longer safe for travellers.

A last stand was made by the commuters of Surrey, a call was made out “trail runners come to our rescue!”

On the 24th of May, hundreds of these “Trail Warriors” assembled in the fortress town of Godalming and set out on a 62 km charge across the countryside to bring order back to the land of the commuter. I, along with the legendary warriors of Damian and Jay, headed out to face battle with them.

The Fox Trail was on!

Front loaded with hills, the first 20km were hard and a detour away from the ice-cream shop in Shere left morale low, but halt, what is this, an elf like vision in Pink at Silent Pools!

“VICEROYS!” the call came to us, for it was Marit! The cheer spurred us on, up over Shere drop and into the village of West Clandon for a well needed aid station and pee stop.

We continued on into the lowlands, all the while aware of the darkness surrounding us. The roar of the A3 approached, and over the last remaining bridge, we dropped into Ripley.

Once again, the Viceroy Elves were there to help us in our fight, a glimpse of Lawrence waving from his car and then round the corner, 3 fair Viceroy Maidens took us under their wing and ran with us along the river Wey. Sheena, Marit and Jasmin were fair-footed, leaving no marks as they ran along with us. Kind words and elven treats were handed out, and on we went.

Passing KM 30, the gruelling terrain was taking its toll. Jay began to slow, he called to us to carry on, and thus the fellowship was broken.

Damian and I pressed on, the Viceroy Elves returned to us again at the KM 42 aid station before the final push over the legendary Hogs Back. This towering summit almost broke us, the incline was great, but with legs of steel hardened on the Wednesday evening trails, we made it to the top.

Down we flew to Godalming, Viceroy Elves once again greeted us from a local pub, cheering loudly with cider in hand, the pace quickened and up the final steps at KM62 we were going strong…but low…the trail was not 62km! An unknown detour had been made to avoid a troll hole close to Guildford and we still had 1km left to go. With snarls of anger, we pushed on cursing all those dark forces in the world.

At last the finish line came, and we had done it! The orcs had been vanquished, a free meal ticket was given out and the Viceroy Elves greeted us with beer!

But what happened to the warrior Jay…well, thankfully he turned up 20mins later, guided by Marit’s light feet after smashing down a load of gels and getting his running legs back.

Joining together, we all headed off to the local ale house named Weatherspoon’s and toasted each other’s efforts. Only £1.95 for a pint of Cider!!

Event: IRONMAN 70.3 Mallorca
Date: 10th May 2025

The alarm was set for 6am in the morning. We (3 friends and I) woke up to bananas, chugging honey, maurten carb mix, and half a red bull.

We walked over to the start line a little behind schedule, which caused us to join a slower tranche of swimmers than we wanted. However, the swim warm up was awesome. Tunes were played on an elevated DJ booth. The crowd was getting hyped up; the boogie was on and the dance moves were tearing up the beach. Before we entered the water, the DJ announced the top 10 represented countries at the 70.3: Spain 3rd, Germany 2nd, and the United Kingdom 1st!! Definitely a lot of Brits…

I almost hyperventilated when starting the swim and found it hard to fall into a breathing rhythm. I would probably recommend saving the red bull for after the swim. The swim was a simple course, a straight swim out and a straight swim back. Not much to report on the violence front, which is good news. Pretty clear ocean water and only 18 degrees, which was great.

The transition was a pleasant lead into the awesome bike course which started with a nice flat 20km before hitting 15km of climbing. 20km was great to enter the climb with warmed up legs. Overall, the climb was not too bad, no crazy steep gradients, just a plug and chug uphill. As Jay (from VTC) pointed out to me a couple weeks ago – it’s not over until you reach the petrol station! A great piece of advice.

The descent post-climb was awesome. Great speed mixed in with a load of hairpin bends that keep you on your toes and make for exciting overtakes 🙂 After the descent, there is a 40km time trial section. Once starting this section, I figured many participants were drafting in groups without getting called out by marshals. So, with 30km to go, I joined a group of 5 which soon turned into a 20-men (and women) strong peloton, making the last 30km very speedy (averaging about 37kmh).

The run was probably the least exciting bit. A 3 lap course through Alcudia. The best section of the loop was by the beach, simply because it was more scenic and more fans supported by the beach. There were tons of aid stations, making it easy to cool down and fuel up with whatever you wanted. I do wish fans brought more music to push everyone along. I only saw one boombox during the run. I guess DJing in Mallorca isn’t a big scene. The last part worth mentioning is that I peed myself 3 times due to the high electrolytes and water intake during the bike section. This was the best part of the run besides finishing it. There aren’t many occasions when one is allowed to pee in public, and it’s worth taking the opportunity by the horns. Just remember to wash off the shoes post race. You don’t want to deal with what I had in my luggage when arriving back in the UK.

All in all, a great event! Free flow Mahou and San Miguel post race with a side of pasta and fruit 😉 Top notch.

Event: World Triathlon Championship Finals – Sprint
Date: 17th October 2024

Wow, what a few days in Torremolinos for the World Triathlon Sprint Age Group race! This was my second year of racing in GB Age Group events.

So I first started to take note of event communications once a significant number of competitors had booked their accommodation and the race venue was subsequently changed from Malaga to Torremolinos – this didn’t present the best start to the event. Some competitors managed to move bookings while others didn’t or couldn’t. A little bit more thought and planning was required for some to get between the event village, pre-race briefings and obviously the race itself!

I was late in booking my accommodation as I wasn’t too sure I was going to race. I was given a hotel recommendation which turned out to be very close to transition and, by chance, where the GB and USA Elite teams were staying. I did see Alex Yee tucking into his breakfast and Beth Potter head out for a run.

The weather in the couple of days leading up to the race was wet! There were plenty of competitors trying to keep dry while registering and a few who had umbrellas to huddle under. The rain fell heavily on Wednesday morning with full drains overflowing into the sea. The races were due to start on Thursday morning. I decided not to swim in the sea on Wednesday for fear of getting ill. However, some did venture in later in the day and I waded in to check how quickly the shelf dropped so I knew what to expect for my race on Thursday afternoon.

During our race briefing, we were made aware of a large puddle on the bike course which needed to be handled with care! Needless to say, quite a few went to check said puddle after the briefing. Fortunately, no further rain fell so it had dried out in time.

Race day arrived and the sun was shining. We were able to rack bikes the morning of the race. My race started just before 4pm. Having watched a few earlier waves go, the wind had picked up, the sea was very choppy with a slight current, and the distance looked more than 750m. We were held in the holding pen for longer than we were expecting – nerves running high and sweating in wetsuits all round! I lined up on the beach ready for the horn and then the sprint into the water with all my age group.

The swim was tough! At some points the waves were so big you couldn’t see the shore and it made sighting hard work. Competitors were definitely struggling with this, with some clocking a 1km swim. There was a 30 minute cut off which some weaker swimmers and older age groupers didn’t meet. Allowances weren’t made for the conditions.

T1 involved a run up the beach, up a ramp, over a bridge and down the ramp into the transition to find your bike somewhere near the many palm trees! The bridge was required as the run route was below it on the coast road next to the beach.

The 20km bike course was two laps and fairly technical with some inclines, two dead turns and road ramps on and off a main road. There was a headwind on the inclines. I managed to get into a pack with Mexicans, Canadians, a USA and GB lady. The Mexicans were very vocal. I actually quite enjoyed this bit!

T2 was another case of trying to get through it as quickly as possible while navigating bikes and competitors and also spotting your rack/trainers.

On to the 5km run. It felt hot – something like 23/24 degrees. Chucked some water over myself at an aid station and got through it. There were many supporters all along the run course which made for a great atmosphere.

A sense of relief once I’d crossed the finish line and not being entirely sure of where I’d placed.

I came 4th out of 55 in my age group which I was pleased with, especially being at the oldest end of my age group and finishing 24th last year (my first year of taking part in GB age group). My target was to place better than last year which I had achieved!

Sadly not long after I’d finished my race I‘d heard that tragically there were two fatalities in the men’s race earlier. A Mexican man had died in the swim and a GB man on the run. This was devastating news for all of us to hear and our thoughts are with their families and friends.

Other VTC competitors I saw there were Sam Holloway, sprinting out of T2 onto the run course, and Andy Hoseason – we had a nice chat while standing under a shop awning while the rain fell! Congratulations to Sam, Andy and Lucy!

Next year’s World Championships are in Wollongong, Australia. I’m not planning on going that far yet…

Hope you’ve all had a great triathlon season – enjoyed it and achieved whatever goals you set yourselves 😊

Event: The ROC Scotland
Date: 5th October 2024

Out of the 3 races, this was the unknown, the adventure one and boy did it deliver! Below is a recap of the 3 musketeer’s (Lara, Lance and Marit) adventure in Scotland.

Day before the race: None of us are mountain bikers so those heavy beasts and unfamiliar terrain can be daunting so we decided to go and check out part of the course. 15 minutes in, Lara came off the bike, smacking the handlebar in her face and bending the rear derailleur. Off to the bike shop we went to get things sorted (thank you Nevis Cycles for being amazing!) while trying to convince Lara not to pull out of the race. Bike fixed, we went for a little spin and spent the evening putting together a game plan for the race.

Race day: Announcement comes “water temp is 12C and the swim is on”, 1000m cold water swim, here we come! Lance had his game face on, Lara looked a bit more terrified and I was ready to get this show on the road. No turning back now!

We get in the water and it is cold, like really cold. A few calming breaths, a few more “wise” words to Lara and we are off. Dark, cold but stunning views, sum up the swim. As I got out of the water Lance’s trainers were gone, he clearly had a great swim, and as I was putting mine on Lara came out, off for our run to T1 we went.

First bike leg was tough, it starts with a long road climb and then takes you on to the West Highlands Way. Lara and I planned to ride together and we managed to catch Lance on the climb but then as we hit the gravel section he was gone, flying! Mountain biking West Highlands Way is tricky for a road cyclist and way more undulating than expected but no way as tricky as people who were on gravel bikes! I was looking forward to the road section but that was hilly, I was not expecting that.

We got to T2, laughing and joking because we already knew we were not going to make the Ben Nevis cut-off but planned to tackle it regardless and in a positive mood. I might have said Ben Nevis is the easiest climb, out of 3, but mistakenly I forgot the zigzag and never-ending steps. Sorry Lara and Lance! Lara and I high fived Lance on the way up and after an hour + a few Percy Pigs for us, he cheered us on as he passed us on the way down. We were told cut-off was moved to 12:30 while on the mountain, slightly annoyed as we missed it only by a few minutes and maybe if we had known earlier we would have pushed harder but oh well! Doesn’t matter, the climb was a great chance to chat with some amazing people (@EmmaWhysall you are an inspiration!) and gave us a chance to take in what we were doing and how amazing the views were!

T3, legs didn’t want to get on the bike again and we knew it was going to be tough but there’s no other way back, 2nd bike leg here we go. Best part was the feed station where we had peppers, carrots and cucumbers… yes that was amazing! With more confidence on the bike, powered by peppers and with a massive mood boost, we hit the offroad section. As we navigated the gravel section and eventually waved bye to the stunning views, it was all downhill to T4.

We had the biggest grins on our faces, we had done it! Well almost, just the final 1.5km run to go. Trainers on, let’s see what those legs have left. Not much was the answer but knowing the end was near we somehow had smiles on our faces! I can see the finish line, quick check that we do not have snot on our faces, Lara and I crossed the finish line together, teamwork! Not long after Lance came in and was welcomed across the finish line with massive cheers and huge hugs. We did it!

So proud of all of us and happy we all managed to push through the tough parts and get to the end in one piece (well almost!) Glad we are all as nuts as each other and support one another by signing up to races together. What’s next team?

Catch up on all The ROC Race Reports:
– The ROC Wales
– The ROC England
– The ROC Scotland

Event: Vichy European Sprint Triathlon 2024
Date: 21st September 2024

What a difference a year makes!

The day started early just as the sun was rising over a calm flat Allier River. Bikes had been racked the night before, all that was required was to set out my transition space and then make our way to the start!

The swim was a deep water start with one hand on the pontoon, rhythm of heartbeats blaring over the speakers…. With only 3 mins between each wave, there was very little time to acclimatise, I was still swishing some water into my wetsuit when I heard – “On your marks, BANG!” and we were off into the river reflecting the golden sunrise.

The anticlockwise course was a massive help as I’m a left side breather. I have worked hard this year on technique and focusing on relaxing. Not only did I swim an efficient route, (usually I get my money’s worth on the swim visiting all sorts of attractions on route to the exit), it felt comfortable. Surprisingly I came out of the water further up than I could ever have hoped for.

The first 3 waves (F50, F55 & F60+) went off with nearly an hour gap before the next waves, which was perfect as we didn’t suffer the red mist fuelled younger men overtaking on bikes, as I had experienced at the 2023 Worlds.

T1: Not a lot to say, I knew exactly where my bike was and went straight to it – helmet, glasses and shoes on, run to find the mount line….did I say the mount lines were not in place before our wave!?

Cycle was 3 laps, despite this being a drafting race, I came out onto the course on my own working hard to catch and overtake cyclists. Eventually, I had another Brit for company, who initially took turns. It became apparent I was the strongest cyclist and on the final lap was left to lead (possibly they had a good race strategy, but annoying for me).

T2: I overshot the entrance to T2 and the two cyclists behind me entered transition first…doh!

I came out of transition on the run, chasing and overtaking, it felt relaxed and a good pace. This continued until I reached the river with 300m, and three right angle bends to go, when I discovered I had to find another gear in a sprint for the line. Dipping at the line but I wasn’t convinced it was enough. The official results were not published until the evening, so it was a long wait to discover my dip had done the trick!

9th at the Europeans – I’ll take that!

The very best thing about triathlons is the people and with multiple elements, you can usually find a positive… whether the run was good or even that your transition was faster than your competitors – and yes there is usually an element or two you think you could improve on. But I can honestly say this time I had an absolutely storming race, achieving way more than I thought could. One very happy Granny!

Worth noting, my planned pre-race fuel of fish pie and peas was a bit of a linguist disaster, for future I now know nothing complicated is required as all I need is a pile of mashed potato and peas!!!!

Special thanks to Rob the bike butler and my 87 year old Dad who walked many miles around Vichy to support his mad daughter. Thankfully this year didn’t include a visit to the local A&E!