Race Reports

Extract from Human Race Lidl Bananaman Trialthlon Report

This an extract from the full race report, which can be found here http://humanrace.co.uk/news/race-reports/item/944-bananas-burgers-and-brilliant-triathlon-racing

Shortly before the Lidl employee wave we welcomed the Half Banana participants into the water as they prepared to take on the 400m swim, 10.6km bike and 2.5km run course. Amongst the strong field for this distance was Zack Holdaway who was looking for an unprecedented fourth win in a row in this event. Holdaway wasn't to have it his own way this time however as we witnessed a stellar performance from Kieran Lindars from Bodyworks XTC as he dominated all three disciplines and was a class apart throughout to clock a winning time of 31:54. There was a much closer race between second and third and it was Matt Floyd who won the battle for second in a time of 39:02 leaving defending champion Holdaway to settle for third in 39:26. Holdaway later commented that exams and revision had distracted his training time leading up to the event but that he would be back next year to try and re-claim the crown.

There was more great racing in the women's Half Banana wave and this was won in another impressive time of 39:36 by Eleanor Mcnally who really treated the two transitions as the fourth discipline of triathlon clocking the quickest times for both T1 and T2 of the field including a fantastic 36 seconds for T2. There was almost a photo finish for second though as Lisa Durward held on to claim second place in a time of 42:42 with the fast finishing Lauren Wyeclosing her down right to the end and just missing out on second to claim third spot in a time of 42:45.

Bristol Harborside Sprint Triathlon

13^th May 2015

This is local for me so nice and easy to get to, and with a race time start of 10.45 no silly o clock get up time was needed. The swim is held in the docks at Bristol the only time anyone is allowed to swim in it! Ours was the last wave of the day to set off on the 750m swim, putting in a time of 10m.36s saw me get the 6^th fastest time of the day. T1 at Bristol is quite a long run to the bike and from the bike to the mount line so this came in at 1m 59s. We are lucky here as we get to race the 20k bike leg on closed roads although it is a very flat time trial type of course with a long out and back along the A4 under the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Bike time for me was 39m 00s T2 again is quite long but no so bad as T1. The 5k run is a mix of closed road and trail again heading up towards the suspension bridge but this time on the other side of the river, with a run time of 22m.55s this brought me home in 31^st place in a time of 1.15.26 out of a start field of 175. Was hoping for a little better but with some extra work in training we can push this time back.

Out onto the run at Bristol in new Zone3 kit

British Triathlon Super Series Youth & Junior.

May 29th & 30th 2015

On the week end of the ITU WTS London Elite Sprint event the youth and junior super series ran its Aquathlon event over the same course. Traveling up to London on the Friday by train to be able to register and pick up the race pack ready for a very early start on the Saturday. With a nice Italian meal for dinner on Friday it was then back to the hotel to check kit and have an early night. Saturday it was up at 6am to get the tube from Tower Bridge to Hyde Park and be setting up transition by 7.30. Race was set for 8.15 start. With the best of the best all competing in the super series and every one wanting to be at London competition was going to be tough!

A fast one 750m lap swim of the Serpentine (just about 11 minutes for me) saw me exit the water midpoint of the second pack. Wet suit off in T1 (50 seconds) and out for three run laps of Hyde park (5k) with some exceptional running by the top juniors running at 15min pace for the 5k ment we all looked a bit slow in comparison, although I must say my 5k was not one of my best only managing a 22min time split for the 5k, some work to be done here as soon as I can get back to some hard training. Even so a great two days out in London.   

British Triathlon Age Group qualifying event for the World final in Chicago USA later this year.

May 23rd 2015

So it was back to Eton Dorney for the second weekend in a row! to take part in the U20 age group Sprint qualifying event, 750m swim 21.5k bike and a 5k run. Again swim went very well out of the water in the top ten, quick T1 and out on the bike. As like last week this course does not really suit my style of riding being more a time trial type of course rather than a hilly road course. So as is normal here for me I drop a few place. T2 was non eventful. The 5k run went well but had far too much to make up on the fast bikers that now had quite a big lead. Anyway it gave me time to show of the sponsors on my new Zone 3 tri suit to the cameras. Just failed to make the cut of qualifying time due to a super fast winners time. We have to finish within 115% of his time to be considered for a place a bit like the F1 teams.

Garmin Eton Super Sprint Dorney Lake Berks May 16th

The first triathlon of the season is always a difficult one, most of us forget the essentials; tri-belts, googles & even our wet-suit on bad days.
Lucky for me I have already gone through this process in earlier years so this season couldn't of started off better. The early start is always the hardest part of the day in my books, this is because of the race nerves kick in and the knowledge of the pain your going to be in feels very real but a nap in the car can take all this pain away.
 Returning to transition is always a scary experience because once you have set everything up the next time you will be there you'll be in full race mode.
For me the race couldn't of gone any better with one of the fastest swim times of the day and a decent set of bike and run times considering the conditions hot and sunny & with unforgivable head winds down the full length of the rowing lake yes I know you have a tail wind on the other side coming back but that doesn't make it any better, the race went down a treat and to finish off the day in 2nd place (age group) and with a free beer non alcoholic off course, athletes obviously have to consider that their body are temples and cannot be damaged.

British Schools’ Modern Biathlon Championships at the Aquatics Centre London 29^th March

With and early start on Sunday (clocks went forward as well!) it was off to London and the 2015 British Schools’ Modern Biathlon Championships at the Aquatics Centre that’s the pool they used for the Olympics to you and me.

With a 200m (50m LC pool) lane 2 heat 64, this was a first for me swimming here and I must say all went to plan quite well, swam a 1.18.42 taking just over 2 second on my PB time. With Modern Biathlon you get to have a large gap between events unlike triathlon where it runs as all one event. So had time for a small food pit stop before the 4 lap 1 mile run. With a gusty or should I say very windy day in London it was to the start line after a short warm up. The run had been set up just in front of the main (now old Olympic stadium) It was left to me to be the lead out man for the first 3 laps but with just under 1 lap to go 2 of the others broke free and lead out the field, but holding pace saw me come in 4^th place in a time on 5.48 on the day. With an overall placing of 18^th in the under 19 age group and athlete’s taken from all the schools and collages from around the country. I am pretty pleased with how it went.

Somerset ASA Age Groups & Championships 2015 at Millfield 1500m 15th March

No piece for the wicked, Sunday (only the day after the cross country in Blackburn!) I am at the Somerset ASA Age Groups & Championships 2015 1500m, heat 4 of 5, lane 6.

Down on my PB time but still managed to get a bronze medal.

English schools Cross Country champs. 14th March 2015

We left on Friday (13^th) afternoon for the trip up to Blackburn, 4.5 hours in a coach on a Friday around Birmingham and Manchester not fun! Anyway the team coach arrived at the Holiday Inn Burnley just in time for dinner. After dinner it was back to our rooms for some TV and relaxing.

Race day was cold but dry, the course was something else, mud up to my arm pits and hills to die for, now I am no cross country fan but when called upon to represent my county I will turn up and give it a go. But this was at the limit of what I can do and was in no way fun. Anyway my race time came around 3.05pm and we all set off (300) according to the start list, all was going quite well until my right let started it now normal trick of not wanting to work under heavy load, but I kept it going until the finish line not one of the best times 36m.27s for 6k but as I said you had to see the mud (when you have to duct tape your spikes on, just to keep them on your feet you know it’s going to be hard work)and then there was that hill it just killed you, just to show how bad it was I think one athlete was carried off with a broken leg and there was a load of dnf as well.

Well that’s it for me now in the school cross country events as I shall be too old next year!! I must say I have enjoyed my time with the Avon school county team over the last 3 years even if it has been hard work at times, and glad to have had the experience to represent my school and county. So thanks to the team and managers for their help and support as well. I shall be looking to do some other events next year to replace this, not sure what at the moment.

British Athletics world cross country trial and Inter Counties Championships.
7th March 2015

So on Saturday the 7^th March it was off to Cofton Park Birmingham to take part in the British Athletics world cross country trial and Inter Counties Championships in the U20 men Avon and Somerset team. With a much depleted U20 team, points where never going to be on the cards for us. With a last minute course change the 8k and now very hilly course was tough! But not too muddy even the top point’s leader had a DNF today. My finish time was 36m29s the three of us from the Avon / Somerset team that did take part all managed to finish the course but we were unable to collect any team points as you need 4 to finish to get them.  Next up is a trip up to Blackburn for the English schools Cross Country champs.

Bath Half Marathon 1^st March 2015

Well that went quite well consider all the problems I have recently been having with my leg / foot. With over 13000 athletes on the start line for the Bath Half Marathon with a dry but windy Sunday morning 11am start we all had two laps to do. Lap one went well and I was on target for a good time, most of lap two went to plan as well leg and foot seem to be holding up quite well, but then came the cures of the blisters this was a first for me, that will teach me to ware newish trainers for a long event, but I needed the support the trainers and new insole fitted to them have. Anyway kept going at just off pace to clock a time of 1h.38m.30s in 1274^th place and only just shy of a PB, I blame the blisters and I am sticking to that story!!

Edmonton Canada Press report

Triathlete Zack Holdaway of Clevedon travelled to Edmonton Canada to represent GB in the age group ITU World Aquathlon Finals held alongside the 2014 ITU World Triathlon Grand Finals, having secured a place on the team last year at the London finals.

With some of the best weather that Canada could offer and the glorious Hawrelak Park and Edmonton’s expansive river valley all in in top form, some top class racing was always going to be the order of the day from the athletes gathered from around the world.

 A beach style start for 62 athletes ranging in age from 16yrs to 29yrs in wave one for the 750m lake swim made for a hectic mille for the first 200m or so, but putting in a good strong swim saw Zack exit the water only just down on the lead pack made up of MEX, USA, NZL, GBR and AUS but well ahead of the main field. With a 400m run across the beach and blue matting into T1 gave plenty of time to prepare for the 5k run, clocking up one of the best T1 times he was straight out onto the run with the sun now high in the sky making for a hot and tough run. Putting in one of his strongest runs this season saw Zack moving up through the field to gain some more places, the goal was for a top 10 finish overall, but he just failed to make this with his 11^th place finish but was only 4 sec of his target placing, but being more than happy with the massive 4min PB over his London finish time set last year in the same event. Mexico took a one two with USA in third, but with a top 3 position within the GB team for Zack means he has  pre-qualification for Chicago next year.

He said I am really please with how it has gone today and have enjoyed racing here and with my finish & result but after 3 days of preparing and racing it’s now time to relax and go see what else Edmonton has to offer, my girlfriend says they have one of the biggest shopping malls in the world so I think we may be going there!

Zack also said he must thank his main sponsor Better Bathroom for making it possible to go to Canada, also to Eisentragers Gym where I train and for the support of my new sponsor Bike science Bristol, with a very special thanks going to Steve Hollier who has and is continuing to working hard with me on my run, plus all my family, girlfriend Charlotte and the coaches who help and encourage me. It’s now back to study and training with the Bristol Half Marathon in a few weeks’ time.