Optician Ironman Team

Optician Team picks up more support

2009-06-30T08:07:00.001-07:00

The Optician Ironman Team has secured two influential new sponsors in the run up to the UK Ironman on August 2.

Hilco has agreed to become a team sponsor through the provision of prescription eyewear for the Optician team members and is also making a heafty donation to Vision Aid Overseas.

See20/20 has also agreed to provide generous support for the team members by way of equipment to take part in the event. This is invaluable support for their efforts and will go alogn way to help them hit their fundraising goals.

Optician has a target of £10,000 to hit for Vision Aiod Overseas. It is already well on the way thanks to super support from the Optician Awards charity casino and donations from Transitions, Ultralase and Essilor. The additional support from Hilco, Speedo and See20/20 will bring that fantastic target a little bit closer.

Training for the event is well underway and Optician will be publishing an update in its July 10 issue.

If you would like to make a donation go to: http://www.justgiving.com/opticianironman09/

Oh no, I am being dropped by the pack

2009-06-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

Eat my dust Bennett

Like a weak cyclist in the Tour De France I have been dropped by the pack.

I hate to say it but Fiona is kicking my a*s! when it comes to training at the moment. She was one of the intrepid riders in the now infamous 'Etack' Caledonia ( that's a cycling joke there). But since then the activity hasn't stopped.

While I have been grounded by family issues, she has been clocking up the miles.
'Last Saturday, We did the 100m south downs relay (Liss runners had a ladies, vets and mens teams) started at Beachy Head and finished in Winchester,' she writes. ' There were 6 in our ladies team and 18 legs. [No wonder this woman is so fast, she's got three legs-- Chris] ........this mean't 3 'HILLY' legs of approx 10k and it was exhausting! We left Liss in a mini bus at 3.50am so I could begin the first leg (over the seven sisters!) at beachy head for 6.30am! the final team member came in to give us a time of 13 12hrs . This gave the ladies an overall position of 3rd place. I returned home 10.30 Sat eve in order to prepare the bike for the magnificent 126 mile cycle the next day. At this point I was seriously having a sanity check.
On Sunday morning, I managed to sleep in until late ( 6.30) and actually found it quite difficult to walk after the individual total of 18m on sat. The weather was grim and after hearing about Chris Bennett's King of the North Downs epic, I really didn't feel up for cycling! However i managed to throw some jam and peanut butter rolls in my pockets and drive off to Highclere castle. During registration the weather seemed to brighten up a little and I felt I had no excuse but to get onto the bike. OMG the legs were screaming even just spinning in the first 5k (and this was on the flat!) the first climb hit and I was going so slow, I thought I was going to fall off the bike!
Thoughts of going home and giving up this early in any race was something that has never crossed my mind in the past........am i losing my mental toughness? [No Way --Chris].
I decided that this was no race for me but purely a sunday morning cycle in some spectacular scenery with lots of other cyclists, i 'picked up' (so to speak) a Farnham tri guy en-route who had 3 punctures and a new tyre (courtesy of Mavic) and we decided that the 77m route with picnic stops followed by a very civil pot of tea in the pub was the only way to tackle our morale. I punctured 1 mile from the finish Grrrr. At the end I laid flat on the floor 'spent'.........I hobbled to the massage tent for some leg manipulation .... Only days ago I called the Bala middle distance organiser and asked if it was possible to enter........and before i knew it I bank transferred the entrance fee...........THE 70.3 RACE IS NEXT SUNDAY [That's a half Ironman --Chris].............I THINK I NEED HELP

No, I think I need help --Chris

Life gets in the way of training

2009-05-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

So many things have been going wrong in the Optician Editor's houshold its difficult to know where to start.

Suffice it to say the boiler is fixed, the terrace is done, the floor's not wet, the shed has been replaced, the brambles have been cut the allotment weeded and strimmed, the leaf store moved, the broadband re-LANed but sadly the pond is empty, as will be my bank balance when all of the above are paid for.

So before impecunity sets in I have splashed out on some tribars. Not the best picture of them ( the left hand is just about to grab the brake) but my middle son was in charge of the photography and my blackberry had been in my back pocket for an hour or so before being brought out into the chilly Box Hill air.

I'm looking forward to the King of the North Downs Sportive this weekend and by the look of the profile I don't think I'll be spending much time in the aero position anyway.

At least I can cycle the 112 miles and ten hills safe in the knowledge that all of those little jobs have been done....or have they.

In the Swim with Eagle eyes

2009-05-07T02:48:00.001-07:00

It's difficult blogging about the swim element of the Ironman. For one I can't stand indoor 25m pool swimming and secondly you can't take photos to illustrate your posts.

Sadly I will have to use this one from Monaco. Now that was a pool, 50m, salt water outdoor and on the med, fantastic.

You can't quite see the goggles here but they are Aqua Sphere Eagles. As with all goggles after a couple of years of heavy use the lenses get a little tired. As I recently stopped using orthok and now find it quite nice to have prescription goggles so I popped in some Eagle prescription replacement lenses.

The first thing that struck me was how easy it was to change the lenses. So easy in fact that I thought I must have done something wrong, but no, they were water tight and in place. And what a difference, crisp, clear and corrected.

Having missed the lido ( see previous post) Iwant off to the local pool to do a 140 length session, 3.5km of 25m lengths. Not a lot to look at ( and some things I'd rather not see) but it was all in focus and crystal clear.

I also have the new Aqua Sphere Kayenne goggles to try out which I will take to the lido when I eventually get there.

Triathlon pond life

2009-05-06T02:13:00.001-07:00

My training volume was really moving around the bank holiday weekend. A long swim on wednesday then another of Thursday, a long run Friday, and a big cycle Monday..... and the swim. That was planned for Tuesday night at Guildford Lido.

On Monday I been asked by Mrs Optician editor to clear out our garden pond which I went at with a little too much gusto. Tuesday the water level was dropping fast due to me have put a spade through the liner while dividing up the water lillies. By Tuesday night some action was needed.

So the lido had to wait. I will think of that during IM UK while I am ploughing through the clear waters of Rivington Reservoir.

King of the Downs

2009-05-05T03:22:00.001-07:00

As part of my preparation for the UK Ironman in August I have entered the mother of all cycling sportives. The Evans Cylces King of the North Downs takes in ten climbs over 112 miles on May 17th so I ventured out last weekend to try and ready myself.

The sportive takes in two loops either side of Crawley so I decided to do the western loop.

Seven hills and 54 miles later I emerged pretty well unscathed if a bit tired. The scarier stats included on my Garmin GPS device readout (Birmingham Optical Group supplied the Garmins for last year's Optician Ironman Team) included.

Calores burned 5,300

7,000ft of climbing

Max speed 48.7mph. And yes I did start braking, that feels fast on a bike.

The best part was the scenery. It was a glorious morning and my ride took me up Leith Hill and Box Hill, past Ranmore Church and down towards Ewhurst. The bluebells were out in the woods ad the birds were singing. It didn';t stop me cursing the hills on the way up though.

Monday morning legs feel fine. bring it on.

What a beautiful day

2009-05-01T02:30:00.000-07:00

My fellow Optician Ironman team member Fiona finished the London marathon in an amazing 3hrs49 l;ast Sunday. She is really beginning to worry me now. My running isn't good at the best of times so, as the weather looked so great this morning, I decided to run into work. Not a bad effort. 12 miles in about an hour and fifty minutes. Best of all, no major blisters.

I'm collecting the bike this afternoon complete with new tribars so I hope the legs hold out for that.

I decided not to dress up a la Disney. Running past three schools and a college in lycra is tough enough as it is.

Am I getting any fitter?

2009-04-14T09:03:00.001-07:00

I have a problem. I'm not a big fan of running or cycling the same routes so I am constantly faced with the prospect of trying to gauge my performance over different terrains. The following was Sunday's ride over a familiar course but not actually the same as anything else I have done. Man it was hard, as Lance might say, but a little under 30km/h average speed is it fast enough?

....boo..boo.de...doop

2009-04-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

A great night was had by all at the Optician Awards. You can find out who the winners are and see pictures of the night.

Wet, wet, wet

2009-03-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

I don't think my dislike of swimming has ever been a secret but with an ironman on the horizon there's no getting away from it. I'm going to have to do some swim training.

I am quite lucky working in the media as my employer lays on a bus to go to the local swimming baths every Tues and Thursday lunchtime. Usually there's no way I can spare the time but bizarrely the arrival of Optrafair and the Optician Awards has cleared my diary.

I found myself struggling for the (whole) half hour. Not with my won swimming but going slow enough not to be crashing into people. I must be getting faster or my work colleagues are tragically slow. Sadly it's the latter.

The giving starts here

2009-03-23T08:07:00.001-07:00

The Optician Ironman Team is officially in training and is seeking support from the profession and the industry.
Vision Aid Overseas is the recipient of the money the team raises and money can now be pledged at:
www.justgiving.com/opticianironman09

Ouch -- Mr Bump on a fixed

2009-03-19T05:07:00.001-07:00

It's great being able to get back on the bike and to enjoy commuting to work now that the weather has cheered up. My route has always been determined by traffic and road surfaces so I was a bit shocked yesterday to find my favoured route had become the subject of traffic calming.
You might have thought cyclists would like traffic calming, it's supposed to slow cars down after all, but no.

Mums on their mobile phones in the BMW X5 aren't any more likely to slow down for a speed bump than they are for a cyclist. They don't.
Hitting a speed table that's still under contrauction on a fixed a 25mph is a shock. Bump --Ouch.

Time for a new route.

The sun is shining

2009-03-17T04:41:00.001-07:00

Decided to do some stress training over the weekend. After a stint demolishing sheds and gardening on saturday I was looking forward to a leisurely evening.
It all started well. John Williams guitar recital for son No 2 in Guildford. On arrival home at 11 it all kicked off. No1 had gone out to a 'party' but by 11.15 was on his way, unconscious, to hospital in an ambulance.
After drips and much poking about they finally let him out at 3.00am. I had promised son No2 a cycle so we set off up Leith Hill at 07.30 back over Ranmore.

As I was feeling good Idecided to add a tiredness run on and did a hot 10km. Not bad but wow, I felt it.

The sun is shining

2009-03-17T04:41:00.000-07:00

The enormity of the task

2009-03-13T02:39:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic morning. This has been the best ride since my coldius horriblus and I really emnjoyed getting out there. It was only a 12miler on the fixed to work but I promised myself that I would take things easy and avoid illness.

I came accross this ride around the South Downs yesterday . It has a huge elevation profile, about 9,000ft over ten hills. I thought wow that looks tough them realised an ironman will be this after a 4km swim and before a marathon.

This would make a great milestone so I had better get those miles in.

Small objects of desire

2009-03-11T03:46:00.000-07:00

It's official. I have become a glasses geek.

One of the great things about Triathlon is the kit and one of the great things about being the editor of Optician is that you get to try out loads of new frames, lenses, contact lenses, goggles etc.

In the bike shop I can lust over carbon aero bars and Brooks saddles and in eyewear just look at that cut-away and fixing.

One of the biggest elements of triathlon in my opinion is self preservation. Nowhere is that more important than when it comes to your eyes.

Wearing no eyewear means poor vision and no protection.

Ordinary glasses = no wind/physical protection or sun protection.

Contact lenses = ditto + danger of losing one, swimming??

Wraparounds = physical and wind protection but if its tinted what about night time? If its not tinted what about those sunny days?

Wraparounds with Transitions lenses = everything. Okay, it's got a little extra weight and might not go as dark as you needs on a really sunny day but for all round commuting/training a real winner.

Still steams up on a cold morning, but let's face it what doesn't.

Of course there's always Orthokeratology and plano T6, my other favourite combo. I have an Oakley Half Jacket glazed with plano T6 (but one of the lenses keeps falling out) which works a treat and is much lighter. Ahh but it doesn't have that screw.

Back in the saddle

2009-03-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

After more weeks being sick than I care to mention I am back in the saddle and raring to go. Started off the training with a gentle couple of hours going up Box Hill with the boys on Sunday.

The Optician Ironman Team jungle drums have started to beat so I am expected oodles of advice to start rolling in.

Optician ironman Team rides again

2009-03-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

After much girliness on my part and suffering the indignity of having to go on the waiting list I am in for the UK full Ironman. This means the Optician Ironman Team lives again and I will begin to chart its progress to the big event in August.

At the moment the team is just Fiona Molloy and Chris Bennett but if you are a triathloning optician why not send me an email.

Conquering K2

2008-08-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

No not that K2. The K2 sports centre in Crawley.

Here is a new post. Not only does it take James' hairy belly button and bulging shorts off the front page after two months but it also brings news of more triathlons for the team.

To round off the season some of the locally based Optician Ironman team members are going to take part in the Crawley late Summer triathlon on September 21st. We will again be flying the flag for Vision Aid Overseas but more importantly having a nice end to a long summer of competition.

Last year after the Monaco Ironman 70.3 I did this event and really enjoyed it. A novel feeling when it comes to traithlons. If you are in the area why not come along.

James' journey

2008-07-07T02:31:00.000-07:00

Well the big day came round all to quickly. Having worked round a dodgy hamstring for the 8 weeks before the race I was glad to be able to just get on with it.

The last minute checks done it was lovely to get in the water, far warmer than the air temperature, enough to give a soft misty look to the lake so much so that the 10 foot by 3 foot yellow buoys were hard to pick out at times! Swim over it was on to the main event the bike !

As has been said many times its hilly, just as well we had all visited the route before. I felt fairly comfortable on the climb away from the lake which was disconcerting and on the first downhill I found out why; it was cold, very cold, I really sympathised with those that chose to wear just a singlet. First lap felt OK , second lap the hills had lost any of their novelty value but I kept a good rhythm. Into transition in about 3hr 10 so happy camper. Not ridiculously tired and ready to run.

Had a brief word with Fiona as she wizzed past me in the transition tent then the run…..

Left transition and the hamstring started twitching and by the first big down hill it was obvious that I would have to stop or completely shred the muscle so for a change I took the sensible option and stopped.

The only positive was being able to support the rest of the team out on the course especially Fiona’s finish! Everyone worked increadibly hard over the whole day Lyndon scuppered by a puncture, Emma thwarted be a very harsh time limit, Fiona, Chris and Andy battling through and Rob with what can only be described and awesome result. Very happy and proud to have been part of the Team!!

Lyndon's log

2008-07-01T02:38:00.000-07:00

The swim went about as well as I could have hoped. This first 5 minutes were horrible and seemed to last for what seemed like hours. With hindsight I guess nothing can prepare you for your first open water mass start on that scale. Once I was through the fog and found a bit more personal space I managed to get into a rhythm and with the adrenalin pumping I suddenly found myself at the first turn. I put my head down and finally emerged after about 37 minutes. My old friend adrenalin got me up the hill to T1 where I promptly fell over trying to remove my wetsuit. Out onto the bike course. The first few miles were spent recovering from the swim. I was starting to feel pretty strong when a puncture to my rear tyre ended my race after about 15 miles.

I was very disappointed but learnt a valuable lesson. Looking back I was really pleased with my swim and it has given me confidence for the next event (I have to do another one now!).

Andy's Day

2008-06-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

My race went pretty much as planned. The swim was 'an experience' to say the least; 900 swimmers thrashing off into the fog must have been some sight!
I've never been in such a mass start before and i can see why they call it the ' washing machine'. It was such a s@@t fight where i was that i actually got the hysterical giggles at one point!. I got calf cramps in the last 10mins; that's pretty normal for my Oly OW swims because i'm a leg dragger so i just have to ignore it and it goes away eventually. I followed James out of T1 (dont think he saw me; i certainly didn't see him again until he appeared at the side of the run course!)

I had hoped that the bike was overrated (hill wise), unfortunately i was disappointed, however the fast flat bits more than made up for the grinding hills after wilsons farm. I especially liked the fast descent with the 'no overtaking' section; gained lots of places there (i'm a bit of a crash test dummy on the bike!). Went a bit mad on the gels (never could resist anything free) and actually thought that i was going to see them all again at one point!

The run was a bit more of a slog than i would have liked; The hills were a lot less severe than i'm used to and i hadn't intended to speed walk them but quad cramps meant that i didn't dare push too much, so i just paced it to get under my 7h target. I accidentally left T2 with my cycle top still on, over my tri top but managed to offload it after the first lap.

Emma's story

2008-06-27T01:38:00.000-07:00

One of the first things that strikes me at BIG events like this is the preparation and planning. The Saturday Racking and Expo got to me in a way that made me both really excited AND really nervous. And then on race day it's the little things that make the difference - the commentator telling us all to make sure the chip is on our left leg so if the velcro comes loose it won't get caught in your chain - I'd NEVER have thought of that! Then chatting to everyone on the way down to the lake. SWIM: Wonderful. Perfect - could quite happily have done another two laps of that instead of the bike! The water was cool, but only until the layer under my wetsuit warmed it up and the only mild panic I had was when I looked up to realise I was veering off to the right a bit, but the mist had come down so it looked really eerie. Got myself back on course then followed everyone else since I had nothing to 'sight' on. It was great as it meant I kept my head down and swum without having to look up! T1 - saw Fiona but didn't have the lungs to get her attention, but then I was stripped of my wetsuit by a lovely lady who then went through my bag helping me dress! Realised I'd left my gloves in my helmet in the cottage....... still got on the bike and wobbled over the mount line into a patch of stinging nettles. The stings only started annoying me on Monday! BIKE.: UGH!!!! I knew what was in store, and took it easy up the hill, then hit that first short sharp one and thought "what on EARTH am I doing?". But just kept the gears low to start with and did what I could. Everyone went past me, but I tried to switch off to them and ride my own ride. Walked up the big hills (wilsons farm & the 14%-er) with #355 - a lovely girl called Lisa - then heard the cheering at the top of Haddon Hill, where I knew my family were going to be. Saw the banner and got out of the saddle to get to the top, then had a little emotional cry! That was when the hail struck. 2nd lap was tougher but I thought I was doing OK. then just after the 14%-er I realised I'd ruined the left cleat on my shoe on the tarmac - it wouldn't clip in for the rest of the lap which made standing up impossible. Then just after the causeway my chain came off at the bottom of the hill. I charged down to the dismount line, saw the marshals and realised I'd missed it. They told me it was by 5 mins. I was absolutely gutted. Ultimately I still did a LOT more than most other people in my address book would even attempt, so I have to be proud of that! Final thoughts: Its been emotional......! What's next? Well, I'm off to the gym now - London Oly tri in 5 1/2 weeks so started speedwork training & WeightWatchers again! Will let you know how I get on. I'll do the distance again, but not one that hilly, so it hasn't scared me off for good. I'll come and support next year!

Rob romps home

2008-06-26T01:18:00.000-07:00

Our most successful team member was Rob Dunford. He came in third in his age group and in the top 50 finishers overall. He's his story:

Well the swim was pretty normal - no space, everyone climbing over everyone. I just remember initially not being able to see the buoys because of the mist then later being unable to see the buoys because the sun was so bright I couldn't see through the mist in my goggles. It just seemed such a contrast.

Anyway finished the swim then the run to T1. As I ran up the slope I saw Jo and the girls so gave them a wave then immediately stubbed my toe and fell flat on my face. Picked myself up and continued to T1. As I put my socks on (I like a bit of comfort) I noticed my right big toe was bleeding and the nail had lifted so pushed the nail back and onto the bike. My feet were so cold on the bike I had no feeling in them. It was useful knowing the course from the training weekend. As I finished the bike I was feeling good and was looking forward to a good run - normally the strongest leg for me.

The run course was hilly and largely off road - just like running over the Cornish cliff paths. After about the first mile or so my feet began to warm up and feelings returned. I suddenley realised that I did in fact have quite a sore right foot. Initially I wasn't sure if I would be able to continue running and it looked like it could be a long, slow walk to the finish. I managed to adjust my running style to reduce the discomfort. I seemed to manage ok until the final lap when the results of my different running style were beginning to tell. My ankle, knee and the outside of my right foot were beginning to feel the strain so it was good to see the finish line. So I think what I have learned from this is if you stub your toe it's probably best not to cycle 56 miles and run a 1/2 marathon. I think overall it was a good day and I'm sorry I was unable to see everyone at the end although I heard the announcement as the rest of the team finished. I have enjoyed the experiences, the training, meeting the team, seeing how generous some people can be with their donations and feeling that the race was not just for my benefit but to hopefully help a lot of others.

race report, use what ever you need from it. Well the swim was pretty normal - no space, everyone climbing over everyone. I just remember initially not being able to see the buoys because of the mist then later being unable to see the buoys because the sun was so bright I couldn't see through the mist in my goggles. It just seemed such a contrast.Anyway finished the swim then the run to T1. As I ran up the slope I saw Jo and the girls so gave them a wave then immediately stubbed my toe and fell flat on my face. Picked myself up and continued to T1. As I put my socks on (I like a bit of comfort) I noticed my R big toe was bleeding and the nail had lifted so pushed the nail back and onto the bike. My feet were so cold on the bike I had no feeling in them. It was useful knowing the course from the training weekend. As I finished the bike I was feeling good and was looking forward to a good run - normally the strongest leg for me. The run course was hilly and largely off road - just like running over the Cornish cliff paths. After about the first mile or so my feet began to warm up and feelings returned. I suddenley realised that I did in fact have quite a sore right foot. Initially I wasn't sure if I would be able to continue running and it looked like it could be a long, slow walk to the finish. I managed to adjust my running style to reduce the discomfort. I seemed to manage ok until the final lap when the results of my different running style were beginning to tell. My ankle, knee and the outside of my right foot were beginning to feel the strain so it was good to see the finish line. So I think what I have learned from this is if you stub your toe it's probably best not to cycle 56 miles and run a 1/2 marathon. I think overall it was a good day and I'm sorry I was unable to see everyone at the end although I heard the announcement as the rest of the team finished. I have enjoyed the experiences, the training, meeting the team, seeing how generous some people can be with their donations and feeling that the race was not just for my benefit but to hopefully help a lot of others. Thanks once again for your invitation to join the team. Hope you had a good restful week with the kids! Cheers,Rob

To see Rob's toe go to separate post. NB. It's not nice.

Fiona's race

2008-06-24T01:33:00.000-07:00

I was still tired and jet lagged from Vancouver with sore legs so was a bit worried the day before the race.

On the day itself the swim, after Vancouver, was like getting in the bath! – apart from the initial fight.

Uphill to T1 – not nice

Bike – wish I put a jacket on – absolutely freezing for most of the race goose bumps, couldn’t feel arms /hands or feet. Had a battle through the bike with a group of approx 2 girls. in the last 5-8k early signs of cramping so I had to make a decision to slow down/spin or be scuppered for the run – the other chick got away then!

T2 very quick as I couldn’t wait to get running to warm the feet.

Run -- The 1st half of lap 1 was not nice on the legs at all, the quads and hamstring screaming especially with the first hill. Thought I was never going to make the 13.1m (friends/family etc yelling was truely a reason to contiune). Had a 2nd wind for 2nd lap and the third lap was completely mind over matter with the hills it mean't frog marching. (esp after 52 hills in 56miles on the bike).

The support of friends and families was second to none again and thanks soo much. Well done everyone and look forward the OPTICIAN relay next year…….. Whats it called again Emma?……….have you told chris about it? Count me in x
PS Rob u look like Arny in the 70.3 photo gallery but will u be back?