Self Transcendence 5k race 13 june 2007

Results of the Self Transcendence 5k race, Silverknowes on Wednesday 13 June 2007

1	Stevie Cairns	HBT	16.28	1st M
2	Sean Wilkinson	Edinburgh AC	16.34	2nd M
3	Adam Priestley	Ferranti	17.11	3rd M
4	Bryan Clark	Corstorphine RC	17.19	M
5	Brian Cruikshank	Fife AC	17.25	1st MV40
6	Calum McKenzie	Corstorphine RC	17.30	1st M Jnr
7	Stevie Ogg	Carnegie	17.32	M
8	Roger Clark	Carnegie	17.38	M
9	William Hynd	Moorfoot Runners	17.41	MV40
10	Adam Ward	Edinburgh AC	17.45	MV40
11	Paul Roarty	Fife AC	17.49	M
12	Darin Dougal	Moorfoot Runners	18.04	M
13	Gerard Scullion	Portobello RC	18.07	MV40
14	Paddy Jumelle	HELP	18.17	M
15	Benjamin Kemp	Portobello RC	18.19	M
16	Peter Buchanan	Portobello RC	18.20	MV40
17	Leo Zijerveld	Portobello RC	18.21	MV40
18	Adam Chmielowski	u/a	18.31	M
19	Grant Noble	Dunbar RC	18.32	MV40
20	Michael McGovern	Moorfoot Runners	18.36	M
21	John MacPherson	HBT	18.41	M
22	Steven Laurie	Lothian RC	19.13	M
23	Scott Ferguson	Portobello RC	19.25	M
24	Paul Ewing	u/a	19.40	M
25	William Bates	u/a	19.43	M
26	Ali Hempenstall	Corstorphine RC	19.43	M
27	David van den Bergh	Edinburgh AC	19.45	MV40
28	Stuart Logan	Portobello RC	19.49	1st MV50
29	Gareth Gibb	Jog Scotland	19.49	MV40
30	John Graham	HELP	19.53	MV40
31	Bob Miller	Ferranti	19.55	MV40
32	Lauren Stoddart	Edinburgh AC	19.59	1st F
33	Nicholas Wolverson	u/a	20.01	M
34	Duncan Baker	HBT	20.08	MV40
35	Debra Murray	Edinburgh AC	20.14	2nd F
36	Walter Fairnie	Ferranti	20.28	MV40
37	Mike Anderson	Corstorphine RC	20.38	M
38	Bruce Malcolm	Corstorphine RC	20.39	MV40
39	George Morrison	u/a	20.43	M
40	Michael Brown	u/a	20.46	MV40
41	Alan McLeod	Dundee RR	20.46	1st MV60
42	Amanda Henderson	Portobello RC	20.48	3rd F
43	Chris Ross	u/a	20.51	M
44	James Carruthers	Ferranti	20.54	M
45	Martin Veale	u/a	20.56	MV50
46	Isobel Knox	HBT	20.56	F
47	Chris Maguire	u/a	20.59	M
48	Simon Chambers	HELP	20.59	M
49	Sean Barry	u/a	21.02	M
50	Angela Kidd	Edinburgh AC	21.04	1st FV35
51	Geoff Mitchell	HBT	21.10	MV40
52	Karen Hardie	u/a	21.14	F
53	Ben Carter	Portobello RC	21.19	M
54	Alan Swan	u/a	21.23	MV40
55	Andrew Fraser	Portobello RC	21.27	MV40
56	Shelagh McLeish	Portobello RC	21.30	FV35
57	Jonny Blake	Portobello RC	21.38	MV40
58	Iain Shaw	Ferranti	21.40	MV40
59	Iain Duckworth	Portobello RC	21.44	MV50
60	Sheena Sutherland	Portobello RC	21.44	F
61	Richard Denis	Portobello RC	21.47	M
62	Jonathan Whitehead	Edinburgh AC	21.55	MV50
63	Deborah Macdonald	HBT	21.57	FV35
64	Jim Harries	u/a	22.12	MV50
65	Kevin Murray	u/a	22.19	MV40
66	Steven Blair	Corstorphine RC	22.21	MV40
67	Craig Munro	u/a	22.24	M jnr
68	Nigel Munro	Edinburgh AC	22.24	MV40
69	Alex Jackson	Ferranti	22.26	MV50
70	Douglas Young	Portobello RC	22.29	MV50
71	Mary Hunter	Portobello RC	22.30	FV35
72	Isobel Pollard	Middle Meadow Milers	22.39	1st FV50
73	Gordon McDonald	Kirkintilloch Olympians	22.47	MV50
74	Donald Miller	u/a	22.50	M
75	John Forker	Portobello RC	22.50	MV50
76	James Dalgleish	u/a	22.53	MV40
77	Malia O'Shea	u/a	22.59	FV35
78	Steven Hibbert	Carnethy Hill Runners	23.11	M
79	Robert Kinnaird	Jog Scotland	23.41	M
80	Norman Gould	HBT	23.51	MV60
81	Philip Godfrey	u/a	23.54	M
82	Simon Third	Edinburgh RC	23.54	MV40
83	Celina Davis	Edinburgh Triathletes	24.02	FV35
84	Mark Calvert-Elliot	u/a	24.05	MV40
85	Fiona Mayfield	Portobello RC	24.06	FV35
86	Anna Isaacs	Portobello RC	24.07	FV35
87	Drew Costello	Portobello RC	24.15	M
88	Alan Grierson	Harmeny	24.17	MV40
89	Ian Young	u/a	24.22	MV60
90	Louise Finnie	Portobello RC	24.46	FV35
91	Stephen Malcolm	u/a	24.47	M
92	Reuben Carr	u/a	24.47	M
93	Alison Arnold	u/a	24.47	F
94	Colin Spivey	u/a	24.56	MV40
95	Charlie Francis	Jog Scotland	25.16	MV40
96	Matthew Crosse	u/a	25.21	MV40
97	Jim Hill	u/a	25.25	MV40
98	Mike Singleton	u/a	25.55	M
99	Gillian Brown	u/a	26.02	FV35
100	Karen Edwards	u/a	26.11	FV35
101	Ceri Anne Campbell	u/a	26.14	FV35
102	Keith Hales	u/a	26.14	MV50
103	Mike Todd	Portobello RC	26.28	MV50
104	Margaret Robertson	Dundee RR	26.29	FV60
105	Dyane Goodchild	u/a	26.42	FV50
106	Lynne Carter	u/a	26.44	FV35
107	Cathy Johnston	Edinburgh Triathletes	26.56	FV35
108	Adele Inch	u/a	27.18	FV35
109	Sarah Somerville	Portobello RC	27.44	FV35
110	John Malcolm	u/a	27.51	1st MV70
111	Susan Craig	u/a	28.35	FV35
112	Veronica Denholm	u/a	28.59	FV35
113	Jeanette Dickson	Jog Scotland	29.23	FV50
114	Rhian Hastie	Portobello RC	29.48	F
115	Val McDonald	Jog Scotland	30.13	FV50
116	Helen Abel	u/a	30.44	FV35
117	Debbie Brown	Jog Scotland	31.55	FV35
118	Lorna Black	u/a	32.04	F
119	Sandra Coupar	u/a	34.44	FV50

Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team articles - more articles

Congratulations to the 45 athletes who lined up for our 24 Hour Track race this weekend. 36 Hero Runners completed the race which saw the Norweigan Women's National Record fall; Therese Falk smashed her own record with 236.8K, 147 miles; and Norbert Mihalik record the 6th furthest distance for 24 hours in 2017 and 2nd best ever at our race with 259.4K, 161 Miles. In all, 24 runners completed over 100 Miles.

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This is the second in a series of articles from Smarana Puntigam, a 20-year veteran of multidays, on dealing with the many challenges that a multi-day race can throw up...

Rainy weather is a real challenge for a multiday runner. The rain can soak through and make you cold and miserable, and also lead to chafing and blisters. Keep an eye on the weather reports and try and anticipate what the rain is going to be like, and plan accordingly.

1. Keeping dry

There are multiple options that one can choose from, depending on the type of rain and your physical strength at the time.

Rain solutions, from left: 1. Ponchos, 2. Small umbrella and O2 jacket, 3. Large umbrella, 4. O2 jacket and trousers

A cheap plastic raincoat is very efficient and keeps the rain out. However, if used for a long time, it may lead to overheating. After a while, you also get wet from inside because it is not breathable.
Even with breathable jackets, overheating and sweating is an issue, particularly with heavy Gore-tex jackets and trousers. There are paper thin rain coats and trousers on the market, for example those from H2, that are breathable and also quite inexpensive. Some runners cut the legs of their trousers short to allow more breathing.
Running with an umbrella has the advantage of not sweating as much, and also keeping the rain off your feet for a while. But in the course of time it needs extra energy to carry. Smaller umbrellas are better for running; for walking and shorter periods of time bigger umbrellas keep the feet dry for longer.
Ponchos keep the rain off and allow the air to circulate inside, however they can be troublesome in windy conditions.
For short spells of rain, you can also try and time your breaks to coincide with the rain. Some areas (such as NY) are more difficult to predict the exact arrival of weather than others due to competing weather systems, however usually the forecasting models 'converge' an hour or two before the rain starts and you should be able to plan with plus or minus 15 minutes accuracy.

2. Chafing

As soon as there is moisture and friction, the danger of chafing is very high.

It might be possible to tape areas that are likely to chafe.
Before you get a problem you can also apply petroleum or other creams that help to reduce the friction - in the long run, however, it is better to keep these areas dry. Corn starch is a very efficient solution, as is talcum powder with zinc, or powder with essential oils.
Compression shirts and compression tights can be a big help in rainy weather to prevent chafing.

3. Blisters

The most important thing for a runner is to keep his/her feet dry. If your feet are wet, the likelihood of blisters multiply exponentially.

If the rain is scheduled only as short and heavy rain, try to run with a large umbrella to keep the rain off your feet.
Some runners apply coconut oil or olive oil to their feet, before it rains, so that the feet do not absorb water and crumple up the skin.
Change shoes and socks as soon as the rain is over, and apply powder to your feet for faster drying.
During longer spells of rain, you should not run for too long without changing your shoes and socks - a good rule of thumb is 90 minutes, although you may have to change sooner if your feet are more sensitive. A prepared runner will pack enough socks to last a long spell of rain. It is obviously more difficult to have as many shoes, but you should have at least 2 pairs on standby in addition to the pair you are running in. If it looks like the rain will last longer than a few hours, you can dry your shoes by stuffing them with tightly-rolled newspaper, which will absorb the water. A good helper saves you a lot of time here, especially because you may have to replace the newspaper after 90 minutes or so if the shoe got completely soaked. However if the rain persists and you need to use the shoe again after 3 hours, it should be dry or almost dry.
When the sun is back out, remove the insoles and leave shoes and insoles to dry in the sun.

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Smarana Puntigam has been running multiday races for over 20 years, including the 3100 mile race eight times. This is the first of a series of articles on dealing with common issues that crop up during multiday races...

How to avoid blisters? - that is a big one for a multiday runner. If you do shorter races, blisters are inconvenient, but easy to deal with because you do not have to run on them the next day. However, once you have blisters in a multiday event they can really influence your performance a great deal. Depending on the area the blisters appear in, and whether they get inflamed, the range of pain goes from hardly-felt to “I think I have to stop, I just can not take the pain.“ So, the best thing is always to prevent blisters in the first place.

Here are the main issues to deal with:

1. Wet feet

One of the most important things is to keep your feet dry - if there is a lot of moisture, the skin gets very sensitive and prone to blisters.

Powdering your feet several times a day with foot powder or baby powder can help you to reduce the friction in the shoes and to keep your feet dry. There are also excellent crèmes that keep the feet soft, elastic and reduce also the friction. Vaseline is not so good, because it does not allow the feet to breathe and I always feel that my feet are sliding around too much inside the shoes. However from my experience if the race is longer than a day, powder is the way to go.
There are runners whose feet simply sweat more than others, and who will always have wet feet. Many runners cut open their shoes to let the steam and heat out of their shoes.
Rain makes the skin on your feet 'crumple' and become much more blister-prone. Our article on rainy weather has a whole section on this...

2. Choose your socks wisely

The big variety of socks is sometimes confusing - there is such a big selection of socks, each promising their own special feature.
Don't use cotton socks - they get soaked with sweat and moisture, which does not go away. This was one of my main problems when I started ultra-running and that is why I got a lot of blisters. Dipali Cunningham, one of the leading female multi-day runners, was shocked when she saw me showing up for my first 700 miles race with cotton socks, and gave me valuable information in this regard.
Use socks that are not too thick and are made of a fabric that does not store water (i.e. coolmax). For example Nirbhasa Magee, who ran the 3100 Mile race in 2015 and 2017, is very fond of WrightSocks, a thin sock with a double layer - this means the layers of the scok rub against each other rather than the skin.

3. Ill-fitting and narrow shoes

Cutting to avoid an upcoming blister on the side of the foot, just below the toe

Don't take new shoes for marathons or long distances; it takes some time for the shoes to get the right shape for your feet. They have to get used to one another. The shoe size should be at least one number bigger than the size of your foot, with plenty of room in the toebox so your toes don't rub against the front.
When you are running ultra distances your feet keep swelling, and you may need extra wide shoes. The first day you can still run in your usual running shoe, but as the race progresses, your feet keep changing. A shoe that perfectly fits on the morning of the third day of a multi-day rice, might not fit any more in the evening.
Also you may need a different insole, or to cut the one you have. The insoles that come with the shoes are not flat in the heel area, but have edges that bend upwards. As your foot swells, the heel doesn't fit any more into the area of the insole and the edges of the insole can cut into the heel and sides of the foot, creating blisters.
Blisters or potential blisters on the toes or sides of the feet might be alleviated by cutting away the part of the shoe that is rubbing against it, as long as it does not affect the shoe's stability. You will probably need to cut down all the way to where the top of the shoe joins the sole to remove the friction.

4. Hot feet

Where there is friction, there is heat.

Some use creams to reduce the friction, but on the long run from my experience powder is the way to go, since it keeps the feet dry and reduces the friction.
Again, cutting your shoes reduces heat as well as friction.
There are creams that help to cool down your feet. The skin absorbs the cream, so that you can take powder after some time.
During breaks, you can put your feet into a plastic bag and put them into ice water to cool them down and reduce the swelling.
Changing your socks and shoes frequently will help to air the feet and get rid of moisture and heat.

5. Taping 'hot spots' and callouses

As a runner you most probably know your 'hot spots' - areas of the feet that very easily turn hot or red during a run. If you don't know them yet, check your feet after a longer run and try to locate them. Once you do know them tape them before ultra runs. You can use paper tape or very thin tape, but do not use kinesiology tape - it creates a lot of heat and you will get blisters right there.
If there is a callous - very often in the heel section - take it away with simple sand paper or special tools from the drug store. When the feet start to swell during multi-day runs, the normal skin is elastic and can expand, while the callous cannot. Spots like that are predestined for blisters.

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About the author:

Nirbhasa is from Ireland. He is an enthusiastic multi-day runner, having completed four times the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race - the longest race in the world.

The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in Bristol, England has been holding triathlons since 2013, getting particular satisfaction out of encouraging people who have never done triathlons before to try one. In this vide, husband and wife Garga and Kokila Chamberlain, who are part of the organising team, explain how Sri Chinmoy gave them the initial inspiration for the triathlon, and what inspired them to aim their triathlons towards beginners.

As Garga says in the video: "We organise races for people because races bing out the best in everyone. You have to be so focused...being in a race, with that group energy, striving to give your best on the day; I think it brings out a really special part of each human being who takes part."

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The glorious summer of 2017 continues and in dry, warm conditions we saw our highest turnout to date (46 starters) and some very fast times at the front of the field. Chris Mills (Clevedon & District RC) was just a minute off the course record, taking first place among the men with 38.07, while a close race for second saw Matt Washburn finish strongly in 41.29, just 6 seconds ahead of Stewart Downie (North Bristol Tri) in 3rd. Yvonne Cox added another Sri Chinmoy Races 2017 trophy to her collection, finishing first among the women with a time of 46.45, with the runner up spot going to Maite Roche (Thornbury RC) and third place to Katie Jones (Caldicot RC).

Sadly we had a couple of mechanicals, with Emily Graham forced to retire with a flat just as she started the ride. Harsharn Dephu overcame the double misfortune of a flat tyre and a broken chain to complete the course on foot in just over an hour and a half.

Our next Duathlon event is on the same course on Sunday 10 September, while the next race in our Summer Series is our Relay (for teams of 3, completing a single 1 mile lap each) in Eastville Park on 18th July. The Race Director has confirmed that the "free ice creams for all relay runners" offer is definitely on, so get yourself a team together (all abilities welcome) and you can sign up on the night.

Results are in the attached PDF file and photos are in our gallery at: http://ukgallery.srichinmoyraces.org/Bristol/2017

Thanks to all who took part today and we hope to see you at another event soon.

Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team & Triathlon Club, Bristol

"The thunderstorms
Of my yesterdays
Have surrendered
To the sunshine
Of my life today."

Sri Chinmoy

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About the author:

Tejvan organises short-distance running and cycling races for the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in his home city of Oxford. He is also a very good cyclist, having won the National hill climb championships in 2013 and finished 3rd in the National 100 Mile Time Trials in 2014.

On Monday 29th May we celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Oxford Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile. Back in May 1987, Sri Chinmoy visited Oxford and dedicated this one-mile loop to peace with the then Oxford Mayor Bill Fagg. It was one of the first Peace Mile's dedicated to the cause of peace and joins other such Peace Miles, in London, Geneva, New York and many locations around the world. Shortly before the start of the event, Devashishu Torpy recalled his experience of running in the first junior race on the inaugural day back in 1987.

Shortly before the junior race at 5.30pm, we had an hour of sustained heavy rain, which made setting up the course a little more interesting. Fortunately, the race ceased just before the start, and five intrepid young runners took to the start line for a one-mile junior race. By the adult race of 7.00pm we had near perfect conditions with still wind, warm and just enough time to dry up the standing water. Paul Hughes of Abingdon A.C. was the fastest over the three miles with a time of 16.23. The fastest lady was Lucrezia Portigliatti of St Clare's in a time of 18.45

After the race, there was a commemorative medal of the event.

Thanks to John Harvey of Abingdon A.C for many excellent photos. See also Flickr Gallery here for more.

Thanks also to Emma Moore of Abingdon A.C. who kindly brought a very nice cake for our 30th Anniversary.

(Provisional results) attached, send any correction to tejvan(at)cyclinginfo.co.uk

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By Vilas Silverton, Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team

Since entering this year's Mille Pennines Audax in July, I have looked for tough rides that would prepare me for the upcoming hill-fest that awaits later in the year. In preparation, I have tried to loose a little weight, and have sought to increase my monthly long ride by 100km a month. This meant doing 100 & 200 km rides in January, 200 & 300 km rides in February, 200 & 400 km rides in March and a 600km in April/May.

To this end, I have been very grateful for Colin Bezant’s Cambrian series of permanents. Living in Bristol means that I can ride out to quite a few of these though to date I have only tried the ones that pass through Chepstow.

At the time, doing the 4B in March seemed like a good idea. I completed Mark Rigby’s Rough Diamond 300 the month before and that went well (despite forgetting my lights and having to borrow someone else’s which was a bit stressful) I forgot my chamois cream too, but that is a whole other story.

This time I was using a dynamo front light for the first time, and what a revelation! I certainly needed it as much of the ride was in darkness. Leaving Bristol at 1.22am I headed for the Tesco Express ATM at Bulwark, Chepstow to start the ride proper. After a few hours of riding, I realised I was quite cold. Uncharacteristically, I was glad of the climbs as they helped maintain body heat. Descending into valleys was a whole different experience. The damp cold wind cut right through me sucking any hard earned warmth from my core. Feet were the first things to go, followed about 45 minutes later by fingers. Sanity was close behind. How could I be so stupid as to not pack enough clothes? Why was I only wearing a thin windproof jacket? Even though the forecast was for no rain, who in their right mind does a long ride in Wales without at least a Gore Tex jacket?

The sun was still a long way from appearing as I tried to encourage myself with such motivational gems as: "it’s always coldest before the dawn" and it will soon warm up and then you will be fine. I knew I was lying, but somehow didn’t care as I couldn’t face the alternative. With the first golden rays of sunshine somewhere along a random Welsh lane, I looked around and saw frost all around me, covering the fields and verges. ‘Ah ha!’, I thought to myself. I wasn’t imagining, it really was cold.

On long rides, it seems the mind can wander just as far as the body. For example, it is easy to try and predict where you expect to be at certain points of a ride, based on experience, expectations and bravado. It occupies the mind and gives a little sport. Sooner or later though, these projections usually come apart as reality kicks in. Such was the case on this ride. I had been feeling a bit ropey all day, quite why I am not sure. I needed many more natural breaks than normal and tiredness was a constant companion. Usually in the week before a long ride, when I know I will be going a bit short of sleep, I try and bank some good nights to see me through. This didn’t really happen this time and I was feeling the effects.

Even so, I was treated to some spectacular countryside on one of the warmest and sunniest days of the year thus far. Climbing through the Elan Valley in warm sunshine, I laughed to remember my cold weather struggles of the morning.

At around half distance, I also realized that time was getting on, and I was in deepest west Wales riding through places I had never been before and whose names I did not recognize. This can feel liberating or induce desperation depending on how the ride is going. Unfortunately, I wasn’t doing that well. There are some controls that seem to take a disproportionate amount of time to reach, even though they aren’t far away in distance. When you finally reach them the small victory is short lived and somewhat anti-climatic as you look for a receipt and push on to the next place. For me, Llandeilo was such a place that dangled like a carrot in front of my nose, always seeming to stay just a signpost away.

In time, of course, the kilometres ticked by as I kept riding. I was aware however that my tiredness was still with me and would only get worse after the sun went down. I could not risk sleeping in the freezing cold after what I had experienced the previous night, and it was not long after that I found the solution. A little lane set at 90 degrees to a B road had everything: a grassy bank set high above the road so it was well drained and dry. It was in the sun, and would remain so for quite a while as there were no over hanging trees. Lastly, there was a hedge providing shelter from the wind. 40 blissful minutes later I awoke and continued my way eastwards towards Monmouth.

As the sun set and night time set it, the temperature inevitably plummeted and the appeal of negotiating small lanes in the dark waned considerably.

Normally. I would never ride along the A40 in South Wales. I would leave it for lorries, holiday makers with caravans and time triallists ;-)

However in the wee small hours of a Sunday morning, it was fairly deserted and I couldn’t face the alternative route. By now, fatigue meant I could not face the brutal changes of gradient found on the narrow Welsh lanes, and as this was a permanent ride, I was free to make my own way between controls. I was back in familiar territory which helped my mental state. I recognized some of the roads from the National 12 hour time trial championships the previous year when I handed up bottles to my clubmate Tejvan Pettinger who placed second.

After a good chunk of main road, it came time to return to my gps device and pick the smaller, familiar roads home. At this late hour, I was always glad to find places open where I could get a receipt. Riding along in the night time bubble of your own thoughts, it can be a shock to come across ‘civilisation’ and a struggle to re-engage in social exchanges. That is a polite way of describing my late night chip shop experiences with the drink fuelled Welsh youth. In any event, the chips were horrible and as my stomach was playing up by now, they went in the bin. I carefully kept hold of the receipt though.

I had a final attempt at sleep, after my ‘normal’ tiredness increased to what I felt was dangerous. I knew I was struggling, but after wobbling off my bike into deserted pub car park and desperately looking into my bag for sugared items I realized I had better do something more constructive than putting my head in my hands. Down the road I found a 5 star Audax hotel aka a Welsh Bus stop. One of those beautiful stone buildings that offers refuge and shelter to those waiting for a bus as well as late night long distance cyclists. This one had a carpet of dry wind blown leaves neatly arranged inside and I offered a prayer in praise of divine providence.

I need not have bothered to set my alarm however, as the temperature had plummeted once more so that any attempt at sleep was foiled by my violently shivering body. I remember making a pathetic attempt to keep myself warm by scooping dead leaves on top of myself as if they would act as a miracle duvet. It’s funny the things that seem like a good idea at the time. At least the 20 minute break had allowed my ‘dangerous’ tiredness to decrease to ‘just very’ tired and I felt safe to continue.

More cold descents followed as I rolled in to Chepstow and the rather ill advised climb to Penalt. I fantasized about how much warmer it would be once I got out of the forests and into built up areas but there wasn’t much difference really. I had long ago given up any idea of being warmer until I was in my bed. At one point I decided to buy some plastic bags from an all night garage so I could wrap my feet and maybe even get a bin bag for my body. My mind raced ahead with the strategy. I would put a carrier bag under each of my thin overshoes and put a bin bag on under my windproof. I would get a roll of 20 if necessary! If the bin bag wouldn’t fit under, I would wear it over my jacket, like a feeble attempt at a Halloween costume flapping in the freezing air with my reflective belt on top. It was, indeed all sorted in my mind.

Finally I found a late night garage open, and after shivering and shaking my way in, discovered that they had only one carrier bag on the premises! I felt like laughing as I wondered which foot to put it on… In the end I just stuffed it up my front and carried on. It helped a little and saw me through to the ride’s finish at Chepstow, and the second finish at 4.48am Bristol.

I couldn’t risk a warm shower initially as all the feeling had gone from my fingers and toes. I was taken back to my rides as a schoolboy, when it was quite possible to get things spectacularly wrong in terms of clothing, food and distance. It reminded me also of why I still love riding the bike.

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About the author:

Nirbhasa is from Ireland. He is an enthusiastic multi-day runner, having completed four times the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race - the longest race in the world.

If you have ever wondered about the different experiences that the participants in our ultra races go through, you can get a very good idea from this article in the Guardian. The writer visited the Self Transcendence 24 hour race at Tooting Bec athletics track in London at several points during the race, interviewing many of the runners and organisers and observing the changes in their physical and inner states during the race. The article was later syndicated by The Week, a popular British news magazine.

This race had a particularly high standard, with 26 runners breaking 100 miles in the 24 hours - over half the field. James Stewart ran 160 miles, which is just under 3-hour marathon pace. We also had a new age-group over-65 world record, as the article describes:

Some people stand out, calm and composed. One of them is 68-year-old Ann Bath. She’s not very fast, she’s a little bent over, but she is unrelenting. While others occasionally stop for a massage, or to eat something, she presses serenely on, never stopping. In the end, she runs an incredible 116 miles, an age-group world record....

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There is only one way
To arrive at the destination:
Begin.

Sri Chinmoy

Thanks to everyone who came to Chantry Park to celebrate the 30th anniversary of our Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile. Conditions were bright and clear and it was great to see such a range of runners taking part, from under-11s right through to veterans of our 1980s race series.

Click on the link to see a PDF of 1-mile and 2-mile race results. Photos will be uploaded to our Races Gallers (http://ukgallery.srichinmoyraces.org/) and there is a video of everyone at the race start on the Event Page.

See you at the 40th anniversary!

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Tejvan Pettinger of Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team, won the Bristol South CC hill climb on Burrington Combe in a time of 7.17. It was his seventh win at this event from nine attempts. He first rode Burrington Combe in 2004, and is now a regular at an event which suits his him well.

Burrington Combe 2016

Length: 2.0 miles
Average grade: 6%
Time: 7.17
Av. speed: 16.2 mph

In recent months, Tejvan has been hampered by an injury and this was his first hill climb win of the season. Speaking after the event Tejvan said:

"I was pleased with the ride, I haven't done much training in past few months, so I wasn't sure how I would do. After missing quite a few events with injury, it was nice to win one hill climb before the end of the season."

Tejvan Pettinger's results at Burrington Combe Hill climb

2004 – 7.12 – 2nd / 43
2005 – 7.06 – 2nd / 61
2008 – 7.21 – 1st / 50
2009 – 7.20 – 1st / 55
2010 – 7.10 – 1st / 51
2011 – 6.51 – 1st / 48 – new Course Record
2014 – 6.57 – 1st / 118
2015 – 6.58 – 1st / 110
2016 – 7.17 – 1st / 113

Vilas, Dave and Tejvan from Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team in cafe after race.

Next week is the National Hill Climb Championship on Bank Road at Matlock

Race report at Cycling Time Trials

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About the author:

The 2016 edition of the Self-Transcendence 24 hour track championship saw 26 out of the 45 starters breaking the magic 100 mile barrier. It also witnessed:

A new course record (James Stewart 160 miles)
A new world record (women/over 65 - Ann Bath 115 miles)

The event was organised by Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, who provided a team of counters and volunteers to serve the runners. This video gives a brief insight into the race and some of the runners and volunteers who helped to make it a very successful edition.

Further reading

The highs and lows of a 24 hour race "How ultra-endurance running around a track in Tooting Bec offered a fresh perspective on happiness, humanity and the power of cake" - Isaac Williams writes about his experience of running his first 24 hour race in the Guardian.

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It might have been the first weekend when we felt summer had abandoned us but the Weather Gods provided the perfect conditions for 45 hero runners looking to run round Tooting Bec track for 24 hours. With a mixture of excitement and trepidation competitors prepared for the noon start; the first hours saw some runners flying round the track with determination and bravado but the experienced held back, found their rhythm, waited for time and repetition to have their effect. As light faded the early leaders faltered, then succumbed, James Stewart and Neil MacNicol kept the same pace with quiet but steely determination. Michal Masnik pounced on the stumbling leaders and powered into the lead, he looked indomitable but to the experienced eye there was something slightly too forced, stretched. James and Stewart looked in control, complete efficiency of stride and focus. The early hours of the morning saw them steadily into a dominating position. The two looked truly indestructible and so they proved. As the horn sounded at 24 hours, James Stewart has run 160 miles, placing him 2nd on the Scottish All-Timers list for 24 hours, qualifying him for the GB individual team. Neil MacNicol completed just short of 152 Miles, placing him in the top 10 Scottish All-timers.

Meanwhile, in a contrast of style and approach, the ever smiling Ann Bath cheerfully set about smashing the Women's Vet 65 Age Best Record. She never seemed to stop, to walk, to look tired, just kept at it with her distinctive running stride and courageous determination. She ran 115 Miles and is now a World Record Holder.

In all, 26 runners broke the magic 100 Mile barrier, making this arguably our most brilliant Self Transcendence 24 hour race since it began in 1989.

Congratulations and thanks for all the wonderful competitors, heroes all!

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About the author:

Self-transcendence simply means seeking to try and better yourself. Sport gives us an opportunity - whatever our current standard - to transcend our previous physical achievements.

Running up hill, with number flapping on the front

One of my earliest experiences of self-transcendence was competing in a four mile village fun run aged 7. It seemed a great adventure to run four miles, which in those days seemed to go on forever.

I remember that during the run, I stopped outside my house because my number was flapping in my face, so my Dad pinned it on the back. I paid dearly for this delay, getting pipped on the line by another under-7, finishing in second place.

The next year, I didn’t stop to rearrange my race number and won the coveted Menston under 7 boys prize, with corresponding bar of Yorkie chocolate. The joy of self-transcendence was great, even if I couldn’t walk for several days after. Four miles was a long way when you’re seven. It is probably banned for health and safety reasons these days, but I was glad to be able to do it.

The intense competition of Menston Fun Run (I am on the left)

There were no athletic talent spotters at Menston fun-run though, and my initial break through moment never materialised into anything more substantial. It wasn’t until several years later, I reluctantly took up running again; specifically, cross-country for my school. It wasn’t with any noble aim of individual self-transcendence; it was more that running seemed less bad than having to play rugby with lads who weighed twice as much as me. After a few years of underwhelming enthusiasm, lack of training and thinking of other things, my running career ended with a personal worst of finishing last in a race. I took this as a cue to slink away, blame poor athletic genes on my parents, and do something else more interesting for a 16-year-old teenager.

It wasn’t until joining Sri Chinmoy’s path, aged 22, I thought again of running. On joining the path, I was most interested in the possibility of spiritual self-transcendence through meditation. But Sri Chinmoy encouraged running as part of an integral spiritual path, so I gave it a go. This mainly involved running further and further each day, getting up to 13 mile training runs. There was a sense of achievement in re-finding running, and unlike earlier years, the running gave me more joy as I was running with a different motivation.

An injury curtailed further running, but at the age of 27, I took up cycling - something I had done and off throughout my life, though without any particular focus. In the first season of racing, I entered a few time trials - races where you compete against the clock, trying to cover a set distance (e.g. 25 miles) as quick as you can. Time trials are a great opportunity to practise self-transcendence. It is not just about keeping physically fit, but also getting together all the different aspects of performance - equipment, mental state, focus and enthusiasm.

To my surprise, I did better than expected. My first 25 mile time trial was 1.00.25 - not a bad average speed for a first time. However, the really encouraging thing was how I was able to reduce this personal best for 25 miles over the next year. Each race I entered, I seemed to take one minute off from this personal best time. By, the end of 2005, I had reduced my PB to 52.54 for 25 miles, which at one time had seemed an impossibility. There was a real sense of self-transcendence and it was very encouraging.

“Self-transcendence-joy unmistakably knows no equal.”

- Sri Chinmoy

With this kind of progress - getting a minute quicker with each race - I thought there was no limit to my cycling career, but alas, this golden period of ‘easily’ reducing times came to a temporary end. Rather than going quicker, I posted a few slower times, a potent reminder that self-transcendence requires patience and perseverance. It also reminds you that there is more to self-transcendence than going quicker. I now wanted to try and learn to get joy from the performance, whatever the outcome. This was a different type of self-transcendence; improving the inner attitude and dealing with disappointment as a way to help achieve satisfaction.

After a few years of setting no personal bests, I was finally able to go faster and reduced my PB to below the magic 30 mph barrier - 49.34 (2011). I was also able to set a 30mph 50 mile time trial of 1.39.30 (2014). This year, aged 39, I reduced my 25 mile pb to 49.11.

However, my overwhelming goal in cycling was to try and win the national hill climb championship. Hills are my speciality because I am quite light. For quite a few years (2005-2012), I came close - I regularly finished in the top 10 and top five, but never quite managed to make the final improvement to get on the podium and top place.

In 2013, after nine years of trying, I felt this was the best chance to finally achieve the goal of winning a national championship. Rather than leave things to chance and hope for the best, I sought to make training and preparation as careful and focused as I could. I also read Sport and Meditation by Sri Chinmoy to garner any spiritual tips for physical self-transcendence. One thing that struck me was Sri Chinmoy’s advice to be in a happy frame of mind. If you enjoy what you do, you gain an added strength.

I tried to improve my physical preparations, and at the same time, tried to be more receptive to the inner strength. I hoped that the intangible inner motivation and inner grace could be the difference in this world of marginal gains.

The inner and outer preparations paid off, and on a cold, wet, windy day I finally finished first. It was great to win, after finishing 4th and 5th on so many occasions.

The national hill climb championship 2013 - I still had a few problems with proper pinning of number. Photo credit: Cycling Weekly, Oct 2013

In recent years, younger riders have got faster and it has been harder to maintain the dominance of the hill climb season. Despite making great efforts at continued self-transcendence, you can’t always remain the fastest in the country. But that doesn’t bring self-transcendence to an end. The next year, defending the title, I finished 4th, but still felt that in the race I had experienced a form of self-transcendence - pulling out a good performance, doing the best I can. They say finishing 4th is the worst, but I disagree. Getting joy, no matter what the result, feels like a type of progress. (See article: reflections on 4th place)

This year, I tried in different direction. Rather than short ‘punchy’ hill climbs which require fast twitch muscle fibres, I tried my first 12 hour time trial. Despite back pain, I finished 2nd in the national 12 hour championship with 284 miles. The hardest point of the race was at two hours, but I was really committed to finishing the 12 hours - whatever the distance. This helped to relax and get in a flow; for the middle part of the race, I got into a good rhythm. When you think about cycling continuously for 12 hours it seems really difficult, but it was great to be able to do it and find the experience different to what you imagine it would be like.

Next year I hit 40, which moves me into something called a ‘veteran category’. An excuse to go slower. or opportunities for different kinds of transcendence - trying to maintain the form and effort, despite advancing physical years. Sri Chinmoy took up weightlifting in his mid 50s, so there is still plenty of time to do something worthwhile.

Related articles:

Tejvan Pettinger - home page
The role of genetics - more musing at personal blog

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Many thanks and Congratulations to all the runners who raced our 1 mile relay with such determination and enthusiasm, and cheered on their team mates with gusto. You created a memorable night. Results include team times as well as individual times. Photos are available at http://ukgallery.srichinmoyraces.org/London/2016/1-Mile-RELAY-25-July-

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About the author:

Run and Become is an independent running shop based in London. Run and Become was founded in by Ongkar Smith in 1982, who took the advice of Sri Chinmoy to open a store - at a time when runners were rarely catered for. Over the past 40 years, Run and Become has sought to serve and inspire the running community through offering personalised customer service and supporting a range of running races in the Battersea Park.

With 40 years of expertise, the shop specialises in helping runners find their optimal shoes and equipment for running. In addition to sales, the shop offers running related services, such as free workshops on injury prevention, training tips and unique challenges of running. There is also an on-site Sports Clinic offering physiotherapy and running technique session.

run-and-become

Shankara and Dipika Smith, the owners, have spoken of the aims of Run and Become; how it is inspired by the philosophy of Sri Chinmoy. Sri Chinmoy himself was a keen runner, completing many marathons and ultra-marathons during his running career. Sri Chinmoy also taught how meditation and the philosophy of self-transcendence could play a beneficial role in helping the outer running. Throughout the store, there are several photos of Sri Chinmoy, including photos of meeting great running heroes, such as Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis.

Don Ritche, Sri Chinmoy, and founder Ongkar Tony Smith from 1982.

Meet the staff

UK Races

Counting through the night at the Sri Chinmoy 24 hour race in Tooting Bec, London

The staff of Run and Become play an integral role in many of the UK's Sri Chinmoy Races. The 24 hour race at Tooting Bec, was founded by Ongkar Smith in 1989, and continues to this day, organised by Shankara Smith and Devashishu Torpy.

Article in Independent on Run and Become October 2000

"At 4.15 on Tuesday afternoon the Indian peace advocate and guru Sri Chinmoy will appear at the House of Commons at the invitation of MPs Jenny Tonge and Piara Khabra, and Baroness Flather. He will share his vision of world peace and he may play his flute. So far, so run of the mill as far as visiting gurus go. However, where Sri Chinmoy differs from your average mystic is that he also happens to be a hero of the running community.

Sri Chinmoy's philosophy is not Buddhist, although it shares some of the same values, including emphasis on meditation. Which is where, intriguingly, running comes in. Now in his 70th year, this former champion decathlete and marathon runner, who is based in New York and is currently working on his weightlifting, believes that running is a form of external meditation." Read more

Related

Run and Become

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Another pretty much perfect day (we've been lucky in an otherwise pretty dodgy summer!) saw 37 duathletes take part in our 4th multisport race of 2016. As this was a GO TRI event we were pleased to see so many first-timers in the field, but we also had some seasoned triathletes taking part and it was great to have a winning time of under 40 minutes.

First-places went to Joe Pritchard (39.18) and Karen Law (48.04)

Results are in the attached PDF and as usual there are some point-and-click photos from the event which I'll have in our gallery by the end of today (3/7/16): http://ukgallery.srichinmoyraces.org/Bristol/2016

Forthcoming races include the final 2-mile event in our summer run series (5 July) and our 3 x 1 mile relay (19 July) - always great fun!

Thanks to all who took part and see you at another race soon,

Garga Chamberlain, Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team & Triathlon Club

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Part 1 - 330km Audax

On Saturday 25th June I took part in another Audax event, this time a 330km (200 mile) ride from Upton Magna near Shrewsbury in England to Chepstow (Wales) and back.

As the start was at 6am, I had a rather early start (2.07am) to get there on time.

As usual, everyone started the ride together. As well as my 330km event, a 600km ride was being held at the same time, with riders following the same course for most of the day. As on previous rides, the countryside was very beautiful, and I enjoyed seeing the farm animals and birds (such as the red kite) on what was a beautiful day.

When cycling in Wales, however, it does not pay to be too complacent and although I checked the weather repeatedly and there was not supposed to be much rain, it started coming down with increasing force as I reached the summit of the Gospel pass (the highest road in Wales I am told).

Equipped with my invaluable Gore Tex jacket and trusty, battered overshoes, the descent from the pass was fun, even in the rain. Reaching the bottom, I came across a group of faster riders who were being delayed by a farmer shepherding a large flock of sheep along the road ahead of us. It seemed a good time to eat some energy bars and re-fuel. I also cycled alongside the farmer on his quad-bike and had a nice chat about this and that.

In time, I reached Chepstow at 167km, the turn around point in my ride and found some other riders in the town centre. We were all doing the same thing, looking for food! We found a shop selling pastries and sandwiches which was just perfect. I had been struggling a bit at this point and so tried to eat as much as I could, and even taped a spare sandwich onto my bike for later.

Unfortunately I didn’t feel particularly good for the next 100km, but kept moving at whatever pace I could manage and tried not to look too much at my cycle computer that showed the kilometres ticking by (quite slowly!). Since around 150km both of my knees had started feeling very sore which was a bit distracting. I consoled myself with the thought that they were hurting equally and in the same places, so that was a good sign and surely only temporary.

I also took great solace from the fact that, although I wasn’t riding as fast as others, I was climbing hills better than 2 weeks ago. Admittedly the gradients were not so cruelly steep as before, and I still needed the lowest gear on my bike, but I did not have to get off at any time which felt good.

With a sit down and some hot food at 250km, I started to feel a bit better, and the last 80km went fairly well. I was passed by some riders who had been behind me, but I didn’t really care, I was just happy to be moving well and riding at a pace I could sustain.

On my last long ride (600km) I felt quite euphoric at the end and really pushed on towards the finish. This may be why I could not walk for days after, and felt like a jet-lagged, drunken zombie for a week. This time I wanted to preserve my knees and so carried on riding normally through the darkness.

It was also getting quite cold by now and I was very grateful to finish around 12.20am, well inside the cut off time.

I had brought my tent with me to sleep overnight, but was too tired to put it up at that time of night, so I left my trusty, dirty bike outside the car and climbed into the back seat for my night’s ‘sleep’.

Surfacing around 6am, I headed back down south towards Raglan (this time by car!) to meet Tejvan who was taking part in the National 12 hour Time Trial Championships.

Part 2 - 2016 National 12 hour Time Trial Championship

Although his start time was 7.05am, we decided it would be ok to meet up around 9am (to allow me a bit more recovery time).

Tejvan had arranged to deposit his kit and food on the course for me to collect, and so after retrieving his kit bag and spare wheels from a hedge beside the Hardwicke roundabout on the A40, I was very happy to find him along the course around 9am for our first exchange where I could hand up new drinks and energy gels.

The course for Tejvan’s event used a number of different circuits, and one stretch took riders up a long, undulating road towards Hereford, and then straight back. This section gave me good opportunities to park the car and take action shots of him and others. Unfortunately as I was coming to overtake him at one point, I noticed traffic lights on the course and they were turning red! I had to watch helplessly from behind as Tejvan dutifully slowed, unclipped and waited for the lights to change back to green. I heard from him later that he was held up on the return leg too, how cruel!

Our plan was to meet around every hour for a fresh drinks and gels, and so I found a slight uphill drag where he could throw down his empty bottle and I could hand up a full one.

As riders like Tejvan go so fast on the flat, it is rather impossible to hand things to them at normal speed. The ideal is to find a slight uphill slope where their speed will be lower and there will be space for the helper to run along side, to try and match their speed (!) and deliver a full water bottle.

All seemed to go well at this feed, with a fresh bottle safely delivered and collected, except I could not find his empty bottle. It had been jettisoned into the long grass that was mixed with stinging nettles that were doing an excellent job of covering up the bottle. As time ticked by, I wondered if I should just give up and go on, especially as the bottle was pretty old and well used. I decided to persevere as the event was still only in its early stages and to be a bottle down could cause problems later on.

As I continued searching I remembered one of Sri Chinmoy’s stories about some partridges giving their eggs to the sea to look after while they went away. I had no hesitation then in humbly asking the grass to reveal where Tejvan’s bottle was concealed so I could carry on and do my job. A few seconds later, my foot parted the grass and nettles to reveal an old, battered and scratched High 5 water bottle which I gratefully retrieved and carried on my way.

After this episode, I decided to visit a nearby supermarket which would be my best chance of getting food for the rest of the day. After a delicious vegetarian cooked breakfast I headed back onto the course to meet Tejvan.

Riders were now on a different circuit and I basically got lost. I was on the correct road but it didn’t look right to me and I took a wrong turning and headed off somewhere quite different before being able to turn back and re-trace my steps.

I was frustrated and desperate to catch my rider. Yet I could not find him and the clock kept on ticking. Eventually I found a spot on the new circuit and just waited. It had been two hours since our last meeting and I was sad that I may have messed up his ride.

When he eventually came into view I was so relieved and was able to hand up an energy bar, drink and gel that I hoped would see his nutrition back on track. As Tejvan is quite well known in cycling circles, I was accosted by one of his admirers who was asking me all about meditation, society and our place in it. It was quite a challenge to remain composed enough to answer such questions after the roller-coaster morning I was having.

After 3.30pm, riders were diverted onto a smaller finishing circuit that would allow timekeepers to accurately record finishing times and distances. This time, although I had an idea where to go, I followed other helpers and found a good position to hand up bottles. It was now raining quite heavily and riders were soaked in their thin, skin tight clothing. Tejvan stopped to get a winter jacket at one point as the cold got to him, but throughout the 12 hours, he can’t have stopped for much more than 10 minutes.

On the smaller finishing circuit, (15.6 miles) I would see Tejvan about every 40 minutes or so and could visualize the finish in terms of how many bottles I would need and how well he was riding. Sometimes other helpers would ask me how he was doing and whether he had a chance of winning the race. I had to confess that I had no idea where he was in terms of race position and I did not want to know either. As far as I was concerned, my job was to hand up food and drink, offer encouragement and support as needed. The results, as such were not my department.

At the end of 12 hours, I collected a soaking wet, skinny, tired and hungry cyclist from a random layby on the A40 in Wales. Tejvan had just cycled 283 miles in 12 hours at an average speed of almost 24 mph. It was a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of it.

More on 12 hour TT championship

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In the UK national 12 hour time trial championship, Tejvan Pettinger from the Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team finished in second place with a total of 284 miles. It was Tejvan's first attempt at the distance and it makes a rare double to win both the national Hill climb championship (2013) and gain a medal in the 12 hour championship.

The championship was held on a course in South Wales. It featured an opening leg of 90 miles, before moving onto a 26 mile circuit and finally a finishing lap of 19 miles. The riders had to contend with persistent rain for the last half of the race, which made conditions tough.

Tejvan waiting at traffic lights on the course

Speaking of his debut at the 12 hour challenge, Tejvan said:

"The furthest I have ridden this year was 103 miles, so a 12 hour was a step into the unknown. Although it was a national championship, I didn't think too much about the distance or result, but just concentrated on being able to finish the 12 hours and seeing how far I could go. In an event of this duration, you inevitably have good periods, but also difficult times. After two hours, I was already wondering how I would make it, but after these difficult early morning hours I got into a good rhythm and was going really well in the middle of the event. I think I started to enjoy it, despite the pain in the shoulders.

In the last two hours, the persistent rain seeped through and I suffered from the cold quite a lot, but I just about managed to hang on. Although it was tough, I can see the attraction of these long-distance events and am planning how to try and go further next year. Vilas Silverton, a fellow member of Sri Chinmoy CT, did a great job in helping out passing many bottles and energy gels - even though he did a 300km bike ride the day before.

It was also good to do a 12 hour time trial because every April, the Sri Chinmoy Centre put on a 12 hour walk to mark the anniversary of Sri Chinmoy's arrival in the West, but I never do it because I don't want to interfere with my cycle training, so this is a kind of compensation. In the future I'd like to do a 24 hour time trial, because Sri Chinmoy, with many other members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre, entered a 24 hour cycle challenge in the late 1970s."

Related

Vilas's blog on a Weekend of cycling - 330km Audax ride + helping out at 12 hour TT
12 Hour Results at Cycling Time Trials

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Tejvan Pettinger, of Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team, set a new personal best at 100 miles, completing the distance in a time of 3.34.02 - an average speed of 28 mph. The event was the ECCA 100 mile TT, south of Cambridge. It is an event he has previously won in 2014 and 2015, but this year had to settle for 7th place after some of countries top long-distance riders were on great form. The new 'pb' follows on from the previous week's pb at 25 miles. This coming weekend, Tejvan will be entering the national 12 hour time trial championship - a new distance for the rider who is better known as a 'hill climb specialist.

Tejvan said of the ECCA 100 mile TT.

"It is a fast course, and nice to set a new pb. but I found it quite tough and didn't do quite as well as I hoped. But, then the previous week I exceeded expectations, so that's the nature of the sport. I also nearly missed my start, turning up 5 seconds before I was due and a last minute panic race to the start line. It was a bit lucky I didn't miss the race completley. 100 mile time trials are really hard because you start to hurt in back and shoulders holding low position for so long. The best thing about the race was being able to go back to hotel for a short kip before then going to an Ananda concert in Cambridge that afternoon. It was a busy day - 100 miles cycle, concert of Sri Chinmoy's music, pizza and drive home from Cambridge. The concert was great and helped take away the little dissappointment of not finishing higher. It was also another 100 miles for the June - Sri Chinmoy Cycling Challenge. And if things go well at the weekend (12 hour TT) I may be able to add a few more miles to the monthly total."

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