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1st August 2023 - Outlaw

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 Swam crap and slow. Bike okay but really tough in high wind. Run crap and slow. Hard day in the wind and rain.  So much for summer.  That was awful.  Swim was a struggle.  Started off like a brutal washing machine and ended battling into the wind. Bike was hard in the wind and I cooked legs pushing too hard.  Roads in Notts are terrible. More potholes than tarmac. Run was a sufferfest.  I literally have nothing.  Oh and race photos show I need to lose weight!! Mark Dixon 169 Outlaw Nottingham   Category : O50-54 Status : Finished Club : Tri-Anglia Gun Time OVERALL 217/611 CATEGORY 23/78 GENDER 194/485 12:23:10   LEGS OVERALL CATEGORY GENDER TIME Swim 01:20:38 T1 249 24 199 00:07:41 Bike 202 21 185 06:03:57 T2 252 31 203 00:07:06 Run 268 29 221 04:43:46 Print certificate All Splits Name Time Leg Time Pos (C/Pos) Swim 01:20:38 01:20:38 228 (28) T1 01:28:20 00:07:41 249 (24) BP0 01:36:08 00:07:48 210 (23) BP1 02:15:02 00:46:42 299 (34) BP2...
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27th July 2023

Outlaw full on Sunday.  Training has gone okay and i feel strong. Bit of a niggle in right foot but otherwise okay. The shit July weather is continuing though. Strong winds and rain forecast for Sunday so sun 12 target looks to be a stretch. Hey ho it is what it is!
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22nd June 2023 - The Wall

 So where to start. This last weekend I ran Rat Race The Wall.  70miles - Carlisle to Newcastle along the Hadrians wall route.  An epic day was had under cloud cover, but hot, humid conditions.  Although very little wall was seen outside the mid 20miles. Started at Carlisle castle 7am.  First section was along roads to Lanercost priory at 15miles.  This was fairly pleasant, jogging along chatting to Matt an Australian guy from Canberra.  Got to the checkpoint in around 2:45 I think and ate my body weight in pastries and fruit. Next section was to Walltown quarry at 24miles.  Again a lot of roads with a bit of off road alongside the wall.  Again easy going and met Kim who I'd spend the rest of the day with. The next bit to the Sill was off road to 30miles.  Great up and down alongside the wall.  Spent the time chatting.  Started to feet hot spots on the balls of my feet. Stage four was 14miles to Hexham.  This was when it s...
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23rd May 2023 - UTS 50

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Beautiful beyond belief, Savage beyond reason So on 12th May I "raced" UTS 50.  This turned out to be 56km, 13:26 of absolute torture.  Spent all day just ahead of the cutoffs in the most pain I've ever had. At 08:00 1200 of us set off up the Llanberis path to the summit of Snowden of the first time.  It was probably the hottest day of the year so far.  The initial climb of 1000m to the figure stone just short of the top took 1hr20.  I found this tough but manageable on the gravel path.  Parts of it were even runnable.  Then the fun started. The descent down the Pygg Trail was hard.  the day was heating up and the path was rocky and involved a lot of scrambling.  My right knee started playing up and quads and hamstrings were cramping so early in the day!  Eventually we passed the top of the Llanberis pass (Pen-y-pass) and made our way down into the valley to CP1.  I was only 35mins ahead of cutoff which was worrying.  I stupidl...
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6th May 2023

 Life's been a bit hectic recently.  Sold the business a couple of months ago.  Stayed on to work for Safic, which is a bit weird.  Struggling a bit with it mentally but hey ho. Training has been up and down a bit. Good start to the year.  Feb was shit after hurting my left knee.  March and April both good.  May - knee flared up again.   So I'm 7 days from UTS50 and have knee pain.  No idea if I can finish but I'll give it a go.  I've been here before haven't I...... Cycling is crap.  Not helped by the wettest spring I can remember. Swimming is worse.  Only been getting in the pool every one to two weeks for a session.  Time to ramp this up as OW season is starting and I have Outlaw in July!!
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5th February 2023

Been ages since I posted.  Did the Lakeland 50 again in July. Mental rain but beat 2021s time. This year racing UTS50, The Wall, Outlaw Full and Snowdonia marathon.  Scary. Trying gone well since Xmas. 130miles run in January. Bike is going well. Don’t ask about the swimming!
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24th June 2022 - Lakesman

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 Lakesman - Done Swim - 1:09:29 Bike - 6:21:33 Run - 4:09:38 Finish 11:56:27 Great, great race.  Wish I could do it again next year but its on same day as The Wall.  Friendly marshals, testing course and finish line was awesome.  Passed the finish stretch 10 times on the run and support was fantastic. First thing in the morning it was cold, windy and a bit miserable.  I must admit walking to the swim start I was a bit down and apprehensive.  Its four years since I've done one of these and I was definitely filled with self doubt.  Didn't have time to dwell though as I paddled my way to the deep water start. Swim - two laps of the island and I felt strong throughout.  Few good drafts and I was pleased with the time. Bike - onto to the bike and I opted for my merino jacket as it was windy and cold.  The A66 bit was into a head wind and slower than I expected.  Once we reached Cockermouth then the climbs started.  Ground up these as bes...
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