We have just confirmed our latest event.
The Bristol Off Road Duathlon which will take place on 25th October 2009 at 10am.
The event will consist of a 5km cross country run, followed by a 20km mountainbike ride, finished with a second loop of a 5km run.
The cycle course will follow the majority of the route used in the Bristol Bike Fest, an event which we took part in and really enjoyed, with some serious climbing, some super fast downhills and plenty of singletrack to test even the most skillful rider.
The run route will use another interesting part of the estate, and will be undulating and muddy!
This is the ideal event for anyone who is a keen mountainbiker, runner or triathlete or those who want to get into adventure racing. Also a great event for first time racers or those looking for a challenge to keep them motivated over the winter.
We are really excited about this event, we have taken part in several off road duathlons which are great fun and a real challenge, and regularly use Ashton Court for coaching so know some fantastic routes which are sure to prove exciting…especially if it happens to rain over the weekend!
Half Ironman UK age group winner Kit Stokes has already confirmed that he will be racing as have many other local riders who are sure to make it a competitive event.
We are working on some big name sponsors as we speak and hope to give more information soon.
We will create a new page for this event on our events menu when we have more information. We hope to have online entries and details of a whole host of activities happening over the race weekend soon.
Keep your eyes peeled!
Team Sole headed for the Bristol Bike Fest on Sunday for the 6 hour enduro event.
The format of the race is basically to rack up as many laps as you can of a 9.5km course around Ashton Court.
Marc, Josh and Eric managed an impressive 7 laps in 6 hours, this despite losing 2 laps to mechanical failure when Marc’s crank fell off on the very first lap, and after fixing it…it went again on the last!
If the boys had managed these two laps they would have come an impressive 3rd place in the team event, however they still managed a respectable 7th place overall. Good work guys!
We are looking at the next event for the guys to get involved in, any ideas are welcomed, we will post the results up here when we have them.
We are delighted to announce that we have been nominated for a national award for our work with Network Rail on various projects throughout Bristol.
The Network Rail Partnership awards aim to reward companies who have provided outstanding projects which have affected the community in which they operate, helping spread the message of rail safety and helping to build stronger and safer communities.
Our work with young people in the Barton Hill and Horfield areas of Bristol has caught the attention of Network Rail and we have been asked to submit evidence of the fantastic work we have been doing for a judging panel to see very soon.
If we are successful at this first judging stage we will be invited to an awards dinner with other finalists in July…now we just have to find Marc’s tie incase we win!!
We are delighted to have been recognised for our efforts in this way, it makes all the coaching, often in difficult circumstances, seem worthwhile and it has helped us to realise how far we have come as a company in the short time we have been going.
We would like to thank Network Rail and all the other people involved in this project for all their help and recognition, the drinks are on us if we win!
If you have a community project that you would like us to be involved in please get in touch by e-mail marc@sole-events.co.uk or by phone 07894 144595
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This weekend Marc and some of the boys from Team Sole Events went over to Margam Park in Wales to take part in the British Marathon Champs race.
The main event was a lung busting 100km ride, but the boys entered into the 25km version as it was their first race.
The sun was really hot and the racecourse had a lot of tough climbing in it, but the team did a fantastic job overall and really enjoyed the experience.
The results are in full on the xcracer website, but the most important are …
Marc Molloy – 9th
Eric Brook – 17th
Tom Starr – 50th
Sam Bristow – 51st
Charlie Battin – 53rd
The next race is this weekend at Ashton Court where we will be taking part in the Bristol Bike Fest, a 6 hour endurance ride where riders have to complete as many laps as they can in the 6 hours available, we will post a report here next week.
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June 25th 2009…a new concept in teambuilding is born! Introducing Teams Together.
We have been working hard on a new teambuilding and sporting activity, and Teams Together is the result.
We have spoken to previous participants in our events, we have spoken to local businesses, national businesses, and have also taken ideas from other successful events, and we have come up with what we think is the ultimate teambuilding experience.
On June 25th teams of 5 will be meeting at Wyvern Sports Centre in Weston-super-Mare for 2 hours of fun (hopefully in the sun) team games, sports and plenty of food and drink. Teams are encouraged to bring as many colleagues, family and friends as they like to take part, they just need to have 5 people who will take part in the activities on offer.
There will be a BBQ and teams are welcome to bring their own food and drink if they prefer. Infact we want teams to bring their own food, drinks, gazebo’s, posters, team t-shirts…anything that will make them stand out to the other businesses in attendance and hopefully spark some new relationships.
Teams will take part in 3 different activities, there will be individual races to start with, each member of your team will need to take part in one of our various races…including space hopper races, sack races and so on, and at the end of this the scores will be added up and the team with the best overall results will be awarded a trophy to take back to the office.
After this there will be two team building activities for your team to take part in, there will be no competitive element to this, rather a chance for your team to work together and learn some more about each other and the way you operate most effectively. Finally all players will be invited to join in a mass game of rounders, there will be no prizes for the winners, just a chance to meet people from other teams and to compete against your own workmates for bragging rights in the office!
If this sounds like your kind of activity and you would like to get involved download the information pack here Teams Together Brochure 2009if you would like some more information, please get in touch marc@sole-events.co.uk or phone 01934 425510.
We are looking forward to a great evening out and hope you will join us.
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Our partners at Network Rail run a really fantastic project called No Messin.
Their aim is to educate young people to the dangers of playing on or near the railways, and to let them know the potential damage their actions can cause to others.
The website has details of the project, including the fantastic roadshows that they run accross the country in the Summer Holidays. we were at the Weston-super-Mare event in 2008 and it was great to see so many people trying out new and exciting sports. We also got to meet some fantastic riders from across the South West who had travelled to the event to show off their talents.
We have been working with Network Rail at sites across Bristol, working with some really challenging groups which has been fun. It has also given us some really good opportunities to spread the news about what Network Rail are trying to achieve
The website link is below, we recommend you have a look, and if you can, try to get to one of the roadshows…we hope to be at one near you if we can too!
http://www.no-messin.com/index.aspx
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The 2009 edition of the Harptree Havoc took place this morning.
The sun was shining and we had 69 runners enjoying the race (maybe enjoying is not the right word!)
The winners of the Senior race were Alan Baker in 36.22min and Claire Hallissey in 36.24min.
We have had some fantastic feedback and have been sent some brilliant photographs. If you raced today and would like us to send you through any photos with you in them, (I think we have nearly everyone on there somewhere) then send us an e-mail with your name and race number and we will get one over to you, marc@sole-events.co.uk
Also have a look at our gallery on the left of the homepage for some of our favourites from the day.
The results can be found here Race results 2009
Thank you to all the people who helped this morning, the marshals, Rich at Easy Runner who supplied the winners prizes and loads of spot prizes too, Gordon Robbins our race referee and of course all you racers who made the day such an enjoyable one.
We hope you enjoyed yourself, please let us know how you got on and your thoughts on the event.
We look forward to seeing you in 2010!
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This week we have been coaching at the Bristol School Sports Festival at Coombe Dingle.
The format is pretty simple, pupils have competitions in the morning, which we have been running as BMX and track races.
Then in the afternoon pupils are able to try out 2 new sports. We are running shorter more simple races and games for this, aiming to create some enjoyment and interest in cycling.
There are lots of sports going on up at the site and it has been great to see some of the other coaches and to work with so many different sports in one place.
The event has obviouslty generated lots of interest in our curriculum based cycle courses, and we hope to be working in some of the schools in Bristol next term and beyond. We have also been asked to run various events as one off, end of term fun activities so we are looking forward to taking some groups out for the day to some of the local cycling spots.
After 3 days of solid coaching in the cold though it will be nice to get back in the office for a few hours to thaw out
There was a reporter there on the day and he managed to catch Marc on his bike, for a look at the festival as a whole and to see the cyclists in action have a look at the video here. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7962335.stm.. and keep watching til the end… don’t blink or you’ll miss us!!
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Sole Events coach Rich Thomas has taken his first national title, winning the BUSA Student Downhill Mountain Biking championships on Saturday.
Following his great start to the season in which he has now started racing in the Elite category, Rich smashed the opposition winning by over a second from his nearest rival in 1min 23.70secs.
We at Sole towers are really proud of Rich’s achievements, he works hard, trains hard and is a fantastic coach and role model to the young people he works with.
Rich is currently working at after schools clubs across North Somerset as well as helping out at various other cycle projects we are running. He is gearing up for a long season of racing, but we are currently putting together plans for a series of downhill workshops later in 2009, so if you are a budding downhill rider who wants some tips from a national champion, keep your eyes peeled for the dates coming up soon.
A detailed report of the event can be found on British Cycling’s website, follow the link here
www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/mtb/EventReports2009/20090324_BUCS_studentchamps.asp
Well done again Rich!
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We are delighted to announce that we are working on a fantastic new project in Bristol with our partners from Network Rail, Bristol City Council Sports Development Team, the national charity StreetGames and the Bristol Youth Inclusion service.
We will be running various cycling activities across the city, from cycle skills for novice riders, through to trips for the more advanced as well as bike maintenance and servicing sessions.
We will also be working with local Cycle Proficiency trainers to give the young people we are working with an opportunity to take a qualification, also giving them further opportunities to volunteer, coach and ultimately become qualified cycling instructors themselves.
This is a sustained year long project, working with various groups across various age ranges, with the overall aim of helping the groups work together, to help them to create safer and stronger communities and to raise awareness of the safety issues of hanging around and playing on or near the railway.
We are delighted to be working with such fantastic partners who share our ideas and our ethics, wanting to use sport to help people to develop themselves and the area and community around them. We really think this project will have a massive impact on the lives of those involved, providing clear opportunities to get involved in positive activities in their own backyard.
There are plans to create plenty of press coverage of this project so we expect to see lots of other cycling related activities spreading across the city and the South West soon.
If you are involved in a youth project, or work with young people who you think would enjoy a day or even a programme of cycling, please get in touch, we would love to hear from you, we have all the necessary equipment, transportation, insurance, qualifications, and more importantly experience and youth centred approach to ensure that you will get the most out of your time with us.
Please give us a call on 01934 425510 or on 07894 144595 or e-mail marc@sole-events.co.uk for more information.
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Marc and Kit took part in the Tough Ten, 10 mile race in Weston today running for Team Easy Runner.
Kit did well coming in 2nd, Marc did well (by his standards!) albeit a bit further down the field.
Our team photographer managed to take a few snaps, take a look at the gallery to see the boys in action….
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The guys raced over the 4 lap cyclo cross route in Ashton Court on Saturday, and despite the winner setting a new course record, the times were generally a bit slower, wet and muddy conditions were partly to blame for this, however this makes Josh Matthew’s time of 29.30 even more spectacular.
Congratulations to Josh and the rest of Team Sole on a winter of hard work, and with some MTB events coming up in the next few months, we should see some podiums in each age category!
Results:
4 laps
Josh Matthews – 29.30 (new course record)
Jim Mateer – 32.30
Tom Starr – 38.19
Thomas Proffit – 38.40
Rufus Brickell – 42.53
2 laps
Aaron Mateer – 31.17
Sessions are open to everyone who would like to improve their skills, stamina and race strategy, riders from the age of 9 up to (let’s say 30+) and of all abilities come to the sessions, making them fun and achievable by all.
For more info on this and any other sessions please give us a call on 01934 425510 or e-mail marc@sole-events.co.uk
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We are starting lunchtime run’s from the Easy Runner shop in Bristol in March.
These runs are designed to last between 30 and 40 mins and are ideal for those people who may struggle with motivation for their lunchtime run, or who want to run in a group to keep the interest levels high.
For all the information, have a look at the poster here Easy Runner Lunchtime Run Poster
For the first month or so the runs will be free as the shop are subsidising them, so now is the ideal time to start your new training regime, or just use the opportunity to meet some like minded people and get in a good quality run in your lunch break.
As always, for more information give us a call on 01934 425510 or e-mail marc@sole-events.co.uk or you can call the shop direct and speak to Rich.
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The Harptree Havoc entries are coming in thick and fast so if you are thinking of entering the race, you had better get your entries in soon.
Easy Runner are again supplying prizes for the winners, and there will be some spot prizes too.
Spaces are limited to 200 runners and entries accepted before the day are £2 off, what more incentive do you need!
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We now have a group on Facebook!
The idea is that we can spread the word about our up coming events and activities quickly and easily through the pages so if you are already a Facebook member, join us and we will send you regular updates.
The group is called ‘Sole Events’ or click this link to join…
http://www.facebook.com/n/?group.php&gid=49952880737
This is a new way of keeping up with all that is happening here at Sole Towers, so if you are a regular browser, competitor or just interested in the next event, get signed up!
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Our friends over at WestCountry Triathletes have been busy putting on another year of races.
Their Duathlon which swims in the local pool and runs around Cheddar reservoir is well worth doing, especially hard last year as the wind was in full force!
There are other rcaes in the series which are worth checking out too, including the Stert Island swim, which is a fantastic open water swim from Burnham to the opposite island and back.
If you are interested in triathlon or multi sports why not go along and check out the club, all the guys are friendly and there are regular coached sessions for you to join in, whether you are a seasoned campaigner or a complete novice the club would be happy to welcome you.
Have a look at their website www.westcountrytriathletes.co.uk for more info
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For anyone wishing to enter this years Harptree Havoc, we would just like to let you know that the entry form is now available, just follow the link to Harptree Havoc 2009 on the left of the site.
Thanks to all those people who have already entered, we look forward to seeing you up at the farm where we promise that the new date will be warmer, but the course will be just as hard. with more streams, rivers and puddles to run through…
We look forward to seeing you at the race
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At the Gloucester City Cyclo Cross event on Sun morning one of our riders racked up another win in his fledgling career.
While most of us are thinking of having a few weeks off to relax after the season, Eric seemingly gets stronger and stronger.
Sessions for all those interested in MTB or Cyclo Cross are held every Sat morning, all ages and abilities are welcome.
Sessions cost £5, last 2 hours and start at 10am at Ashton Court Manor House in Bristol.
Full results are available on the British Cycling website, but the main one is below…
Youth
1st Eric Brook – 4 laps in 21.06
Well done Eric, keep up the good work.
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We had a photographer come along to one of our recent Sat morning sessions and he took some great photo’s…
We have created a gallery of some of our favourite photos on the link on the left hand side of the website main menu.
In the meantime, this was one of our favourites.
If you need a photographer for any occasion, let us know and we will put you in touch.
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At Bike Club last Sat morning the gang took part in a timed race around a cyclo cross course at Ashton Court.
The results were as follows…
Eric Brook – 29.41
Tom Rose – 33.00
Thomas Proffit – 34.13
Tom Starr – 35.42
Charlie Battin – 36.37
Sam Bristow – 40.08
Rufus Brickell – 40.28
Gabriel Wightwick – 46.21
Aaron Mateer – 2 laps – 27.10
The guys raced over a 4 lap course around the Golf Course on a circuit that we have practiced on many times before.
For most of them this was the first time they had ridden in a solo time trial for such a long distance, and it was great to see all of them do so well.
We will be running this session again later in the year to give the guys an indication of their improvement over the winter. Fingers crossed that by the time the racing season comes around they will be firing on all cylinders!
Sat sessions are open to riders of all abilities, and start at 10am by the Manor House and run for 2 hours.
Qualified coaches are at every session to make sure that the riders are given good advice and ride safe and interesting routes.
For more information please call Marc on 07894 144595 or e-mail marc@sole-events.co.uk
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We popped in to see the new Easy Runner store today and it is looking fantastic.
For all visitors to the old shop, the new one is in the same place, but has taken over next door too.
For those who haven’t been, the shop is on St Michaels Hill just behind the Bristol Royal Infirmary in the centre of Bristol.
There is a massive range of running wear, footwear, as well as nutrition and other outdoor essentials.
You can get your running style analysed by the new state of the art video treadmill machine and try out as many pairs of trainers as you need to make sure you find the right ones for you, the staff are all trained to get the most out of your footwear, and they are a friendly bunch too.
There is also now a great physio service at the shop, meaning that you can get your shoes fitted by the guys to prevent reoccurence of any niggling injuries.
For more information on the shop and the new services, and some cracking special offers have a look at the website www.easyrunner.co.uk
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Marc and Kit went off to the Coed Y Brenin Off Road Duathlon on Sun.
Fast becoming a regular end of season fixture, the boys were due to be joined by two new recruits who couldn’t make it at the last minute.
Treated as a fairly relaxed affair (curry and beers the night before!) the boys did well.
Kit was leading the race at around the halfway point before suffering a fatal double puncture and retiring shortly after.
Marc had better luck and managed to finish the race in 9th place despite being overtaken in the last half mile by 4 racers as extreme post curry fatigue had begun to set in!
The race distances were 5km run/20km off road bike ride/5km run
A great end of season blast, this is a race that we would recommend to anyone.
We have now been looking at running an off road duathlon ourselves as it is a format which is still pretty rare.
More news when we have it…
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This morning we received a brand new batch of Orca kit which our coaches will be wearing to coaching sessions and events.
For those of you unfamiliar with Orca gear, the New Zealand based company makes top quality wetsuits and triathlon specific gear, and more recently has started to produce what must be some of the coolest looking general sports and leisure wear out there. We wear Orca gear for racing already and it was an honour to get the guys on board, supplying us with a range of kit for our coaches to wear while out and about.
The guys at Orca are really friendly and approachable, and like us they want to get involved in quality events which offer interesting and exciting courses, value for money, and a great experience.
You will see them at events up and down the country as well as attending some of our very own events. If you see them, go and say Hi.
If you want to have a look at the latest range of gear visit www.orca.com
From what we have seen so far, the range is sure to be the must wear items at this years races…
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With all the success of the Olympic Games it is easy to forget that the sporting world is still going strong out there.
We watched with awe last weekend as GB athlete Chrissie Wellington won her second successive Ironman World Championships in Kona Hawaii.
It was only her second attempt at the race (she won it at her first attempt last year!) and she is one of only a handful of people who have retained their crown, at what must be one of the hardest single day events in the world.
We love the way that she always races with a smile on her face and we think she is a great role model to anyone out there looking to get into triathlon, or sport in general.
With all the other GB achievements this year, we doubt she will get a look in at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards, but if she makes it a hatrick next year, surely she would be hard to overlook, even in in a sport with such a low profile…
Well done Chrissie
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We are now able to deliver Bikeability training so if you have a group who would be interested in taking this important course please get in touch for information on the packages available.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term Bikeability, it is the cycling proficiency for the 21st century.
We can come to your venue or can arrange for a suitable location for the course.
We will also be arranging courses which individuals will be able to attend so keep your eyes peeled for these.
For details on running a course at your venue please get in touch on 07894 144595
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Marc and Kit, along with 2 friends took part in the 10 hour Cheddar Bikefest on Sat.
For those unfamiliar with the format, basically teams of 4 have to race around a short course (around 16-18 minutes in length) and complete as many laps as they can in 10 hours.
Starting at 10am and finishing at 8pm (in the dark) Team Jess (the team the guys were racing for) managed a highly respectable 4th place overall, this despite being down to 3 members for most of the day.
The course was difficult with lots of climbing and lots of technical singletrack, including a tough downhill section to finish, but except for a couple of cuts and bruises the team seem to have escaped with no injuries.
The race was well organised and we would recommend the event to anyone, whatever their fitness level, as the other competitors are (mostly) relaxed and happy to chat, and there are racers of all levels ploughing their way around the course.
If you are really mad you can even attempt to do the distance as a solo rider!!
The next race for the guys is the Coed Y Brenin off road duathlon in Oct
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We are proud to say that our newest member was born yesterday at 10.30am.
Chris McCallion and his wife have a beautiful baby boy, congratulations to them both.
Chris has assured me that childbirth makes an Ironman look easy, so maybe once he is back on his bike he will be smashing course records all over the place!
Congratulations and good luck to you both
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The Sole Events team have been out and about at the races over the last few weeks.
Marc completed the Bristol Half Marathon in a respectable 1hr38mins, not bad as he was fighting his way through the slow runners for the first few miles, including the world famous Rhino’s!
Kit however stormed around in 1hr 15mins
Marc, Kit and Adam are now off to the Coed Y Brenin off road Duathlon in North Wales at the end of October.
Last year Marc and Kit finished well, but they are determined to show the rest of the field, and the Sole Events new boy Adam, how it’s done this year and take home the prizes.
We have asked Adam for a team profile and will put one up as soon as he obliges…
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There has been some exciting news with the FitBiz Challenge.
We were approached by several town centre managers over the last few months about running an event.
We have chosen to run an event in Weston-super-Mare (why not, it’s close to home!!) and will be revealing details of other challenges around the South West and beyond as soon as they are confirmed.
For more details on this excellent teambuilding and fitness based challenge please visit www.fitbizchallenge.co.uk and click on the Weston-super-Mare box on the homepage. Or you can follow the link on the left hand side of our homepage.
Last years results from the Bristol event are also online so you can see what the other teams thought of the event.
It’s only 30 minutes, and you could be crowned the fittest company in the city!!
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Now that school is back in full swing, we have a full compliment of after schools clubs happening for the rest of this term.
We are starting to book places for after schools clubs starting in Nov term and beyond to 2009 too.
If your school would like to book some quality after schools cycling then please get in touch before it’s too late!!
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Sole events are now affiliated to England Athletics, meaning two things.
Firstly, the Harptree Havoc event that we ran successfully earlier this year will be going ahead in 2009, alongside this we have plans to run several other off road events, so keep watching for news of those.
Secondly, it means we can enter races as affiliated runners! So if you are a keen runner and need some motivation, or just some people to run with, and would like to run for Sole Events then get in touch with us.
We are on the lookout for races coming up this year, the harder and more obscure the better, so if you have any ideas, please let us know…
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This weekend we will be at the ‘No Messin’!’ event in Weston-super-Mare.
Run by Network Rail and open to everyone, this event is aimed at educating young people to the dangers of playing and messing around on the railways.
In return for your attendance at one of the short educational shows, there are free activities running from 12-4pm on Fri and Sat (29th and 30th).
There are some great sports on offer, everything from Motorbiking to a surf machine! There are activities for the super sporty and there are some activities for those who would like to get involved and maybe try some new activities, including golf, cheerleading, a DJing workshop and hair and make up sessions.
We will be there providing cycling skills, we are going to be offering people the chance to race around our track and set the fastest time of the day, and for the less confident, we will be introducing some key skills which are important when riding your bike. Whoever you are and whatever your level of ability, come and see us and we will make sure you have a good time.
The whole event is free and runs from 12-4 at Hutton Moor Leisure Centre, for more details visit www.no-messin.com
See you there
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Are you bored of the holidays yet?
Nothing to do all day?
Fancy a bit of Mountainbiking?
We are happy to announce that the successful Holiday Cycling Activities will continue this Summer at Ashton Court.
Starting on Monday 22nd August and running every day that week (18th-22nd August) we will be meeting at 11am at the Manor House and will be holding 3 hour, fully coached sessions. (11am-2pm)
Ideal for those who can already ride a bike, these sessions are designed for those who would like to practice some new skills and meet some new people, while riding some great trails.
Fully qualified coaches, great locations and a group of friendly riders all come together to make these sessions ideal for those wanting to get in some quality rides, and ideal for those who may be new to the sport and fancy taking on some new routes, with the safety of having an experienced coach to guide the way.
These sessions are always well received and enjoyed by those who come along.
For all our summer holiday rides, helmets must be worn. We also recommend bringing a drink, some food and a puncture repair kit.
We have bikes that can be borrowed, and also have a number of helmets that riders can use, please ring to book these though as sizes and numbers are limited.
These sessions will cost £6 per rider, per day, for 3 hours fully coached riding.
The sessions are open to anyone who can ride a bike (you do not need to be an expert rider!) aged between 11-19yrs.
Anyone needing more details or wishing to make a booking, please call 07894 144595, or e-mail marc@sole-events.co.uk
We look forward to seeing you on the trails!
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There is a rumour going around that head coach Marc has been seen training again….
There have been unconfirmed reports of 70 mile bike rides and 10 mile runs in an effort to shed the weight and get fit for some racing late this year and early next year!
For those that don’t know, Marc has struggled to regain any fitness (or motivation) after training for and not finishing the Ironman distance race in France in 2005.
Due to a number of personal reasons, he has ‘let himself go’ preferring instead to indulge in Olympic standard bouts of cheesecake eating and has become a major shareholder in Haribo sweets, and Corona bottled beer.
However, while maintaining a subdued level of love for all things that are bad for you, Marc has commited to get racing again in 2009, we will get some reports on his training and keep you up to date with regular logs of how he is getting on.
Good luck Marc, and in the words of the film, Run Fat Boy Run!!
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Kit has returned from his Ironman race in Germany where in appaling weather conditions he finished in an awesome, but frustratingly close 9hrs 1minute and 22 seconds!
He is certain that he could have gone under 9hrs if it wasn’t for the rain, meaning his nutrition plan went haywire.
Planning for a hot day, he drank too much and was waylaid by natures call several times on the run, breaking his rythym and costing him valuable time, meaning he came in just over the 9 hr mark.
Still a great time though, first British competitor home and up there with the pro level athletes!
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After another successful term of coaching at local schools we have decided to run some sessions during the summer holidays for those who enjoyed the sessions this year.
We have managed to secure the services of a minibus driver too which means we can visit some other cycling venues.
We have arranged a number of activities for the duration of the holidays but we are starting close to home at our favourite venue Ashton Court.
On Mon 28th, Wed 30th and Thurs 31st we will be meeting at Ashton Court Manor House at 11am for 3 hours of riding and tuition, finishing back at the Manor House at 2pm.
This will be followed on Fri 1st August by a trip to Cwmcarn in South Wales, a purpose built mountainbike course located less than an hours drive from Bristol.
These rides will be suitable for occasional riders and those who want to improve their skills, they are unfortunately not suitable for beginners, anybody wishing to discuss their suitability for the activity can ring Marc on 07894 144595.
Riders must have their own bike and helmet (Helmets can be borrowed from us if necessary but please call to arrange this) and must bring suitable clothing for the changeable weather, a drink, a snack, and a puncture repair kit.
We will run sessions covering a variety of skills including climbing, downhilling, cross country racing, as well as trying a variety of racing styles and games.
Feedback from previous sessions we have run has been fantastic, and this year we have managed to arrange for various successful local cyclists to join us as well and impart some of their cycling knowledge to riders.
The Ashton Court Sessions will cost £6 per rider, per day, and are open to all (subject to ability, as above).
As spaces are limited, the Cwmcarn trip will be open to those who have attended at least one other day of the course and who have displayed the necessary abilty and behaviour to be invited. This session will cost a little more but prices are not confirmed yet, we will let riders know on the first day of the course (we hope to keep them low!).
For any other questions on this and any other Summer Holiday activities, please get in touch on 07894 144595 or by e-mail marc@sole-events.co.uk
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Sole Events coached athlete Kit Stokes who has been training hard for an Ironman race in Roth, Germany, recently took part in Half Ironman UK as a training event.
He promptly won the amateur section, beating several full time professional athletes along the way, coming an amazing 9th place!
He was offered a place at the World Half Ironman championships in Florida, taking place on Nov 8th, which he accepted and will start training for….as soon as he has the small matter of his full Ironman out of the way!
Kit is aiming for a sub 9 hour finish at the Ironman, a super human time, again one which would see him finishing amongst the professional athletes, an incredible achievement for someone working full time running their own business.
We have been giving Kit some valuable training in his weakest discipline, the swim. He has such a strong bike and run that he usually finds himself overtaking huge sections of the field and using valuable energy. So we have been working on improving his stroke and conserving vital energy, allowing him to rip it up on his favourite disciplines.
Sole Events are fully behind Kit in his bid for World Championship glory this year, and his attempt to qualify for the full distance World Championships in Hawaii in 2009.
We are actively seeking funding for Kit, which will allow him to travel to races and pay his entry fees. On average an Ironman race costs £200 to enter, and costs an awful lot more than that in travel, accomodation, food, equipment as well as day to day costs of nutrition, gym membership etc, so anyone out there who is able to support a potential World Champion, please get in touch with us. In return for any assistance, Kit will race in a branded racing suit and will wear branded leisure wear for any press and promotional activities.
Anyone wanting to start a triathlon training programme, or wishing to improve in any specific discipline, please get in touch with us for an assesment and expert advice.
Contact Marc on 07894 144595 or 01934 425510, marc@sole-events.co.uk
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The first FitBiz Challenge, held last week in Temple Quay, Bristol, was a huge success, with teams from companies accross the city coming along to compete for some of the amazing prizes on offer, as well as for the honour of being crowned the fittest company in the city.
That honour went to the team from the Bank of Ireland, who won with a massive score of 309 points.
Feedback so far has been good, with all the teams who have responded telling us that the challenge was great fun and a good teambuilding event. The good news is that they have all said they want to come back next year, the bad news is that this means there are only a few spaces available for everyone else. In response to this we have opened up another 10 slots to allow more companies to get involved.
For more details of the challenge, to see the results and photos of this years event, or to enter next years event please visit our website www.fitbizchallenge.co.uk.
The next FitBiz Challenge is in Reading on 23rd Sept this year, so anyone who is in the area and wants to be crowned the fittest company in the city, please get in touch.
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Wyvern Cross Country poster - Click here to download
In conjunction with Weston-super-Mare Junior Athletics club, Sole Events are running a series of Cross Country runs in and around the Weston-super-Mare area.
These events are designed solely for Women and Children to compete.
The first of the series will take place at Wyvern Sports Centre (Wyvern School) at 1pm on 5th July.
There will be a women’s only 5km race designed for those who may have never done an event before, and for those who want to set a personal best on a flat and fast course.
There will also be junior races, ranging from an under 5’s 50m epic, through to longer races for every age group up to under 15s.
Junior races are for boys and girls to compete in, and there will be prizes for the first 3 in each category, as well as prizes for everyone who takes part.
There will be other activities happening on the site, including climbing, trampolining and other sporting activities for young people to try.
So if you have never run in a race before and fancy a go in a friendly and family orienatated environment, come along and have a go.
We promise a fun course, which is always in view of spectators. so your family and friends can cheer you on, while having a picnic!
The only thing we can’t guarantee is good weather, although we have pulled a few strings and we are pretty hopeful that the sun will make an appearance…
For an entry form, please download one from the downloads section, or for more details, plase give us a call on the usual number, or e-mail.
Hope to see you there
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Sole Events is supporting Jam Busting June.
In an effort to get everyone using sustainable transport, and most importantly their bikes (!) the local council has developed a scheme whereby people who commute to work using other methods than their car, will be eligible to win some serious prizes.
Have a look on the website www.jambustingjune.com and sign up, then simply ride your bike, or walk or even share a car with a colleague, and you will be in the pot to potentially win a prize. All that and you will save a fortune, as well as staying healthy and active for a whole month!
Sole Events are supporting Jam Busting June and we will be riding our bikes as much as we can over the next month (even more than we usually do, which is a lot!) so please join in and we will see you on the trails.
If anyone is unsure of how they can get to work by bike, or would like a few pointers on how to ride, what bike you need, what to wear when cycling, or any other issues, please get in touch with us 07894 144595 and we will be happy to help.
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