Daniel Hockley Triathlete

It was back down south for the Taunton Deane triathlon on Sunday. This used to be my home club race (for Somerset RC Tri) and is one that always attracts a good field on a challenging course. It was great to catch up with loads of old triathlon mates, and to have a good race against them! My parents and girlfriend came to watch as well, so the pressure was on!!

I haven’t really been swimming much for the last 3-4 weeks due to a shoulder injury, so I wasn’t expecting great things in the swim. I came out about 20secs down on what I would normally hope to swim, but after a quick 1^st transition I was off to make the time back on the bike.

I somehow managed to avoid the showers that were forecast, but the wind had picked up considerably during the morning. However I felt good on the bike and set about picking people off that had started the swim before me. All the Somerset Tri members either marshal before their race, or they race early and marshal afterwards. I therefore knew some of the marshals out on the course, who were shouting encouragement/abuse, as well as making sure everyone was going the right way, which always helps! Having raced this course a fair few times, I knew all the twists and turns, and was preparing myself for the run before I knew it.

After a fairly slick 2^nd transition I was onto the run in my new Newton running shoes! Newton are sponsoring Tri UK this year, so the Tri UK team get to reap the benefits of wearing these awesome shoes. The run is a 2-lap course, with a big hill about halfway round each lap. At the end of the 1^st lap I was greeted by my Dad shouting out my time, and my Mum and Charlotte shouting in unison ‘Go Dan’!! I was running at my limit, but struggled to get into any real sort of rhythm. I knew once I crossed the finish line though I’d given all I had, so would be happy whatever the outcome.

Before the race I had set myself a couple of targets I wanted to achieve. The first one was to definitely finish in the top 5, but ideally the top 3. And an easier target to aim at (as you can never tell how other people are going to race, especially when it’s a wave start, as you’re not racing head to head), was to finish in under 1.04hrs. I achieved both targets which was pleasing, finishing 3^rd in 1.03.20.

A successful day out, with it being my parents’ first race outing this year and Charlotte’s first real triathlon experience! I’ll get her doing one at some point…maybe!!

A couple of days later I was back seeing the physio about my shoulder. We decided then that I won’t be racing this weekend at the National Champs in Strathclyde. I need a couple of weeks of rehab to slowly build the shoulder back up to strength, so the sensible decision had to be made. I definitely hope and expect to be racing Blenheim on June 6^th though.

Well the sun is shining again here in Leeds, so it’s time to get outside!!

Enjoy the weather, and all the best to everyone racing this weekend.

It’s all good.

Hocks.

So the 2010 triathlon season is underway and so is my blog again! I decided to have 6 months off from updating it due to not having time, otherwise known as laziness!

So, after a couple of weeks of beautiful sunshine while there were no planes in the sky due to the ash cloud, the weather decided to get a lot colder and wetter again just in time for my first race of the season! I should’ve known better really, bank holiday weekends are usually cold and damp. But I needed an early season run out, so the Tadcaster triathlon seemed perfect. A 500m swim, followed by a really short bike of just 14k and a 7k run.

I started in the last wave at 11.30am. I found myself in a lane next to fellow Leeds masters swimmer Stuart Hoyle, and after starting 5-seconds in front of him, we were soon swimming side by side. With 75m to go I put in a cheeky kick, and gained half a body length. But knowing that Stuart can leave me for dead in the pool in training, I was expecting him to come back, which he certainly did, putting in a burst of his own in the last 25m and leading me out of the swim by a body length. Stuart’s a pure swimmer though, who enjoys a bit of biking but hates running!! I passed him on the way to transition, after a brief exchange of friendly banter!

The bike course was technical in places and undulating without any real hills in it. I usually have a shocking bike leg in the first race of the season, but with it being only 14k before I knew it I was back at transition putting on my running shoes. I was off to tackle the half road, half river path route. The river path section was pretty picturesque in places but I was actually quite relieved to see the not so picturesque face of Mark De Ruesne shouting at me 400m from the end! The finish was an even more welcome sight after running past the bearded face of Mikey Walker who was also shouting at me (and taking photos!)! My first triathlon race of 2010 had been completed in 59.04. I was fairly chuffed as wanted to go somewhere around an hour.

Mark and Mikey had travelled up from Leeds to watch which was great. It’s always nice to have some familiar faces shouting at you to go faster, it definitely helps! Cheers boys!

The results came out about 45mins later and I found out I had won by 14 seconds which was a nice surprise! It was definitely time for food though so after the presentations and loading up the car, it was off to a local pub with the boys for a northern pie and chips to celebrate!

So, the first triathlon of 2010 is done and the first blog of 2010 is done! The season is underway with my second race only 4 days away, in Taunton, with the race report to follow shortly after……maybe!!

Enjoy the sun when it finally comes back out.

It’s all good.

Hocks.