Tom Davis is having a great year. It just seems he just can’t get enough triathlon racing in his diet to fill his hungry belly. His non stop racing approach appears to be working as he keeps getting stronger and stronger (Will he take a break soon?). This vein of form is most worrying for the editor of this blog as i’ve got to do a 3-up triathlon with him and Carl ‘Faster than a Shark’ Shaw in the not too distance future. I think trying to ride a greased up raging bull would be an easier task currently.
Tom’s racing this year since April (The last 4 of which have been on the bounce!)
Challenge Salou 3rd
Challenge Gran Canaria 6th
Azores 70.3 1st
Challenge Lisbon 4th
Challenge Championship 13th
IM 70.3 Staffordshire 4th
Windsor Olympic 1st
and now – 70.3 European Champs 8th
This past weekend saw him compete in the 70.3 European Champs. It was possibly one of his best performances of the year. Epitomised by the picture in this blog. If you look closely you will see Race Hub’s very own prize goose poo shoveler (Tom Davis), exciting T2 on the tail of one of the greatest triathletes of all time Javier Gomez. He wasn’t able to hang with the legend for the run, but at the finish there were some big names behind Tom, which really shows that he has moved into a different class this year. Well Done
In his own Words
Ironman 70.3 European champs
Before I got to this race I was questioning the real reason I was going to race. The start list was looking very strong and in all honesty I was questioning whether I was at the level needed to really be competitive against the boys on the line.
But I had one more shot at getting that space at the world champs, and I figured if it happened, then great, but if not then this was my big race for the year! And at the end of the day, if you want to be the best, you’ve got to race them!
So onto race day, and I’ll be honest, the course looked like it had been drawn by a 2 yr old! In other words all over the place! Essentially though, the swim went out blooming hard! I was red lining the whole of the 1900m trying to hold the feet of Javi and Pablo, desperately trying to get back to them after each turn (of which there was a lot of…) and praying for the moment we would reach the exit! With a swim time of 21:20 it’s not wonder I was struggling!
Through t1 and I actually felt in control again, which I knew I was going to need for this ride! The first 10km of the bike was mad! Well above ftp power for large parts of it, hammering along at around 50km/h, but I knew I had to stay with it if I possibly could. Luckily after 10k it started to calm down into a more manageable effort, and there I stayed, riding in a group with Javier Gomes, Peter Hiemeryck, Pablo Dapena and Florian Angert with only Rudy Von berg managing to ride a gap off the front.
As we went through town after around 60k to finish off the second half of the loop, I knew short of a disaster I would be coming into t2 with these guys (I still can’t believe I’m saying that, even now) so from there on I decided to try and save the legs a little and let the others pull the turns for the last 30k so I had something for that run.
Coming off the bike, and T2 went without a hitch. Out on the run, and round the Kronberg castle for the first time and sudden Javi passed me to set off for the front of the race. As he came last, two things came into my head.
1. He’s flying
2. Whatever you do, just let him go!
I know that at the moment my run isn’t at that level, and to even try to go with him would have been a suicide mission. So from then on, I just focussed on myself. Fuelling, hydration, pacing, and run form, running through a mental checklist every KM.
I was getting splits from several Brit supporters round the course, and the news was encouraging. I was in the top 10 and closing in on others in front of me. In the end I crossed the line with a 1:14 run split, and in 8th place.
I was chuffed. I know there’s more to come on the run, and that will be one of my areas to really push going forward, but to get in the top 10 in a regional championship, in my first full yearly 70.3 racing, and with it to stamp my ticket to Nice in September for the world champs, Job done.
Head down now, and full focus on that race on the 7th of September! (But me being me, there will be plenty more races along the way before that!)