This is a list of stuff I’ll be competing in for 2016. I am working on the ABC priority system:

C races: fun, but not directly goal related.
B races: key training events and races that I would like to do well at.
A races: major events to base the year around.

For A races I have also defined target times on a Gold/Silver/Bronze system, where Gold is my perfect race target time, Silver is a time I would be very happy with, and Bronze is a time I’d be happy with if I face any unforeseen adversity (or am just not as competent as I’m imagining).

I’ll update the races with results as they happen.

Worthing Half Marathon – 14th February – C

First half marathon, and a good warm up for Brighton in April. I have set a high target of 1:21:00 for this race, but to be honest I think that’s a hell of an ask and I won’t be disappointed if I miss that by a few minutes.

RESULT: pulled out due to injury. Sad face.

SEAA 12-Stage Road Relays – 20th March

A last minute addition to the calendar (literally, I didn’t know I was running until I arrived at the course), I didn’t really have much time to think about targets, but settled before the race on hoping to hit something around 18:00 – not too far off my pre-injury 5k pace.

RESULT: 15:11, but the laps were a little short. If it was full length and I continued at the same pace I averaged, I’d have hit 17:38 – exactly my 5k PB. Read about it here.

Thames Turbo Sprint Triathlon – 28th March – C

This will be my first outing as the Chaser’s London League captain, and probably the first race I’ll do with Agro. As such I will be trying bloody hard to lead by example on this fast and flat course, but I expect things will be a bit rocky. My first race last year was one of the Thames Turbo series and I finished in 1:16:46, so I’d like to drop at least ten minutes from that. A great little race to shake off the winter rust.

RESULT: cancelled due to Storm Katie shenanigans.

Brighton Marathon – 17th April – A

I’ve not done a full marathon before, so thought I better get an idea of the distance. Unfortunately I didn’t get into London on the ballot, and a number of people I know did Brighton last year and highly recommended it. My goal times:

Gold: 3:05:00
Silver: 3:15:00
Bronze: 3:30:00

RESULT: withdrew due to lack of training as a result of achilles injury.

Kingfisher Aquathlon – 17th April – C

After the cancelled Thames Turbo and withdrawing from Brighton Marathon, this became my first outing as Chasers London League Captain. A late signup, I stated I was aiming for 8:20 on the swim, and wanted to go just under 40:00 for the 9k run and a total time of 48:00.

RESULT: 44:17. 8:31 swim, 35:46 T1/run. 22/172 Overall, 22/115 Gender, 18/70 Category (Male Senior). Read about it here.

Vitality Run Hackney 5k – 8th May – C

I forgot I’d signed up for this until the race number came through my post box, and was so comically underprepared for it that I probably should’t have been racing. Considering the amount of training I’d done on the day already, goal was loosely sub-20.

RESULT: 19:40, 7th across the line (I think). Read about it here.

Chiltern 100 Gran Fondo Sportive – 15th May – B

So this should be some good fun. 110 miles so just shy of full Ironman distance, but the hills will more than make up for it. I haven’t decided yet whether or not to do this on Agro or the Normandy, but it’s probably not an event most suited to TT bikes. I have no idea what to put as a goal time for this. 6:00:00? I think that’ll put me in good stead for Kalmar, if the hills (and slow road bike) don’t kill it for me.

RESULT: 6:54:36. 301/957 Overall, 289/888 Gender, 15/40 Category (Male 25-29). Read about it here.

Farnham Road Club Time Trial – 21st May – C

My first entry into the niche world of time trialling. Not long enough an effort to be an important race in the scheme of things, but I’m very curious to see what I can put out for this. I’d like to assume I can hold an average of 23mph for 10 miles, so we’ll go with a target time of 26:00.

RESULT: 25:47. 47/59 in the Men’s Event. Read about it here.

Big Fish Swim – 29th May – B

3.8k of lakes. My last individual discipline training race, and probably the one I most need to do to ensure the not-drowny thing happens. Bit disappointed that it’s not sea based, but you can’t have everything. 1:20:00 would be a solid time for this, I think, but realistically after my 2015 misadventures in swimming anything up to 1:30:00 would feel like an achievement.

Result: 1:21:05. 31/45 Overall. Read about it here.

Thames Turbo Sprint Triathlon – 30th May – C

The same event, almost to the day, that was my first ever triathlon last year. After the previous attempt at this race was called off due to weather, this’ll also be my first triathlon this year. Same goal again this time – knocking off ten mins from last year’s 1:16:46, for a result somewhere around the 1:06:00 mark.

RESULT: 1:07:13. 9:24 swim, 0:47 T1, 38:05 bike, 0:47 T2, 18:11 run. 33/304 Overall, 28/184 Gender, 5/27 Category (Male 20-29). Read about it here.

Deva Middle Distance Triathlon – 12th June – A

My first attempt at long distance multisporting. This is the first year they’ve done a middle distance at Deva, but the standard event comes highly recommended so I imagine it’ll be cracking. I hope so, I’m missing the no-doubt amusing Race the Horse with Goodgym for this gig. Times to aim for:

Gold: 4:45:00
Silver: 5:00:00
Bronze: 5:30:00

RESULT: 5:27:39. 0:39:21 swim, 0:01:25 T1, 3:23:41 bike, 0:03:14 T2, 1:19:56 run. 118/221 Overall, 103/184 Gender, 12/20 Category (Male 25-29). Read about it here.

Windrush Aquathlon – 26th June – C

Another London League adventure. It’s lovely to have a race that I can roll out of bed and walk to without having to bring a pile of kit with me, and it’s only 500m swimming and a 5k run in my local park – lovely for a sunny Sunday morning! Last year, I had a bit of a rubbish swim, so we’ll see how it goes this year. Let’s go for 0:28:00, which allows for a couple minutes’ improvement on the swim, and a minute on the run.

RESULT: Withdrew due to injuries suffered at Deva.

Thorpe Park Olympic Triathlon – 17th July 2016 – B

Chasers hosted. Club championships. Key London League race. There’s a lot riding on this, and I’d really like to put a little more emphasis on it; but with the year’s big goal just around the metaphorical corner it’s just not come at a great time. I’m going for a 2:30:00 based off my performance at the Hever sprint plus last year, but this is smack bang in the middle of my peak training so we’ll have to see how I feel on the day.

RESULT: 2:18:16. 0:30:23 swim, 0:01:01 T1, 1:07:55 bike, 0:00:47 T2, 0:38:13 run. 69/400 Overall, 61/291 Gender, 13/53 Category (Male 25-29). Read about it here.

Ironman Kalmar – 20th August – A, or S, or whatever; it’s the biggest deal

Kind of the subject of this blog, this race is what everything I do in 2016 is aiming towards. Without a doubt the biggest challenge of my life. Y’know, unless you count the whole overcoming suicide thing, and then it’s a bit hazy as to which is on top. 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, running, blood, sweat, tears, and maybe some glory if I’m really lucky. Of course, there’s also the goals:

Gold: 10:30:00
Silver: 11:00:00
Bronze: 12:00:00

RESULT: 10:28:44. 1:26:39 swim, 0:05:31 T1, 5:38:46 bike, 0:02:57 T2, 3:14:51 run. 377/2067 Overall, 362/1727 Gender, 36/145 Category (Male 25-29). Read about it here.