This week I saw one of the most beautiful quotes I have ever seen. Where was this piece of inspiration? It was on a t-shirt!
The t-shirt was featured in the winter catalogue of one of my favourite brands, howies. I'll get back to why howies are one of my favourite brands below, but I'll let you know this quote which has left such an impression on me:
So true it is beautiful. Those who have spoken to me over the last few years, will testify that I seek simplification. I hate noise, clutter, fuss and impurity. I hate non-genuine people, companies, brands. I believe in a simple, pure live. I am striving to live my life in as a pure and simple (no Hearsay jokes) as possible.
Sport is a great vehicle for enabling me to do this. When I am training, racing etc, nothing else matters. It declutters my mind and my soul. My goal this year is to widen this declutter state into other parts of my life, but more about that at another time...
Lets get onto bringing you upto speed with my training...
I've really enjoyed my training this week. Three good swim sessions, finishing with a very satisfying session on Saturday. Although legs were tired I felt good in the water and my work on a new head position felt like it was paying off.
The new position is holding the head slightly higher in the water, focusing the eyes on the entry point as opposed to the bottom of the pool, which was causing me to pull my head down too far. This came from some feedback from poolside, proving how invaluable a coach is, especially in swimming when you cannot see yourself as easily as when running and cycling.
Run-wise, a couple of nice little sessions on the treadmill and then my favourite session of the week, the Sunday trial run. Only 75 minutes today but loved every minute of it. Legs were heavy after yesterdays double session and the slippery tracks added to the difficulty but it is so invigorating going out on across the fields without a car in sight.
Got on the turbo this week but only to turn the legs over. I know the plan is to work through a scheduled session but I must admit I do struggle for motivation on the turbo. Watching Remember The Titans on my iPod helped pass the time and inject some much needed motivation. Went out on the road bike yesterday, only 90 minutes but a satisfying ride as didn't really feel up for it after a poor nights sleep the night before and a strong swim session in the morning.
A few other things I'd like to share with you guys (and I'd appreciate your feedback on whether you find these interesting or not) are things which I have made an impact with me over the last few weeks.
I'm currently reading a great book called Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer. Its the story of Chris McCandless, a young lad who had a dream and followed it. It cost him his life but it appears that this was a cost he was willing to pay. A movie of the book has been made and I highly recommend watching it. It has had a profound effect on me. The soundtrack by Eddie Vedder is awesome and works so well with the film.
Friends often ask me for recommendations on training, diet and equipment. I plan on sharing my thoughts on each of these throughout my posts. I'm no coach but I know people often prefer the word of a friend over that of an advertisement or magazine review. Word of Mouth is a genuine as your friends are - so choose your friends carefully!
Authenticity and being genuine are two attributes I place right at the top of my list when choosing anything.
Two brands which I feel encapsulate authenticity and are truly genuine in their core values are howies and Skinfit.
I wear a lot of Skinfit kit and have never been disappointed with anything I have bought. They are an Austrian brand who have a strong following in Europe. In the UK they are a small operation, ran by Eve & Anthony Roberts (their colleague Joss also deserves a mention - fantastic!)
I'm currently wearing Skinfit's klima soft base layers and I have to say the are the most comfortable items I have ever worn. You don't know you have them on. Superb quality - highly recommended.
howies are a clothing company based in Cardigan, West Wales. Actually, its unfair to say they are a clothing company because they are much than that. Just check out their website (link on left-hand side) and you'll see what I mean. I think you'll agree its a truly beautiful site.
These guys are 100% genuine in their beliefs and core values. This shows in every touch-point with them - this isn't just a marketing ploy aimed at the affluent weekend warrior. Their off-line marketing is superb - order a catalogue - it's a work of art containing some beautiful writing. Their site has some great articles, photographs and least of all their clothes look fantastic. Sign up for their 'T-shirt of the week' - its a great concept, providing designers with the opportunity to get their work published.
My mate LJ has a couple of items from their merino range - and won't stop raving about them - they are the most comfortable items he has ever worn (and he's a lot older than me!)
howies merino products deserve a special mention just for the incredible catalogue they have produced for these products. The catalogue is a really interesting read and taught me a lot more about how much love and thought they have put into ensuring that only the highest quality merino is used. The use zque merino - the best in the world. Don't take my word for it - go onto their site and download the brochure. It's a great read and another example of how genuine these guys are.
So, in the spirit of helping like-minded people, please check out these two brands as they are a rare breed in todays world: genuine, authentic people who truly believe in the right core values.
I truly believe that the current climate will see like-minded people unite and help form a new purer, less materialistic world where the true core values (which money can't buy) will become the pillars of a new society where we will be judged by our actions and not just empty words & promises.
Catch you all next week,
Sparks
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