Fortitudine vincimus

New blog - The Endurance Experiment

2011-05-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

I've now set up a new blog called The Endurance Experiment .

This is where I'll now be talking about my training, races, thoughts etc.

Its still really new & I've got loads of ideas of where I'd like to take it.

Please come over and join in the fun .

There is also a Facebook page set-up - so again, please follow and join in .

Mahalo!

Sparky

Developing the network support system

2010-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

Afternoon All

It's pouring down here so I thought I would take the opportunity to post a few thoughts.

Since my last post on 'building strong roots' I'm really pleased with how these plans have gone.

Returning to swimming has breathed new life into me.

I often warble on about the whole lifestyle philosophy but it really does ring true.

Getting back into the discipline of early nights & early mornings gives me so much more natural energy.

Work permitting, I'm hitting the pool every week day morning and this is really paying dividends already.

The pace still isn't fantastic - although I did hit a few sub 1.35/100m on Tuesday - as part of the 30 x 100m set we were given.

However, my focus on improving my position in the water and holding / using my legs more effectively is starting to come along.

Don't get me wrong - it's not easy - my legs are hurting like hell at times as they struggle to stay high in the water and kick from the hip.

I've been doing a lot of swimming with the pull-buoy & band around the ankles - which helps get me legs higher and engage my core a lot more. Knowing what it should feel like to have my legs higher is helping me re-create when I've removed the pull-buoy from between my ankles.

The total volume is increasing and the swim fitness is returning. I'm no longer struggling to finish the session due to upper body fatigue as the strength is returning.

I now want to continue to improve my technique further by learning to tumble-turn WELL & also learn the other strokes - particularly back-stroke which will help with the high hips & legs chaLlenge.

I've got a pair of Speedo drag shorts which I'll be debuting tomorrow - again aimed at making things more difficult so that the technique has to improve for me to go faster easier.

It's almost like I want to make it as hard as possible for me to cheat so that I have to swim correctly if I am going to have a decent & productive session.

The mental freshness which swimming has brought me has carried over onto the bike - giving me a pick-me up and buzz about hitting the bike sessions on top form.

After a bit of post-France lull - not helped by the crash - I'm now really enjoying the riding again. The confidence has recovered from the knock it took after the crash and I'm now riding really well again.

Of course this is all in perspective, ie a top roadie would embarrass me silly but I can now hold my own when out on the local routes whereas in the past I would be spat out of the back on a regular basis.

We've had a few challenging rides of late - with the joys of the Cotswolds finest hills to take on - you get a good chance to test yourself on some brutal 25% climbs as well as some longer drags.

Of course, my definition of a longer drag has changed since France. When a long drag is a 30km long drag!

Naturally my confidence on riding uphill has increased significantly which is resulting in me climbing better than I ever have.

So swim & bike are a real source of pleasure at the moment - but what about the run?

Not a lot to say to be honest - as I haven't been doing a lot of it - as my run mojo has disappeared for now.

The run sessions I've enjoyed lately have been the shorter sessions which focus on intervals or technique.

My focus for the run over the next few weeks will be to run consistently again. Only shortish sessions - with technique and form as the priority. I'll be using the Vibrams & Newtons to help freshen me up & focus my mind a lot more than just churning out Km after Km.

It's 3 weeks today that I go over to Kona so will look to get the swim in half decent shape & the run into a condition where I can use the time in Kona & training partners to get me into half-marathon PB shape for when I return in mid-October.

Getting the TRX system was an inspired purchase. Adding these really beneficial strength & conditioning sessions into the mix will prove super beneficial. After only a couple of sessions this week I could feel the benefits to my core & upper body - especially helping stretch out those swimming muscles.

Adding to all of the above are some awesome nice additions to my nutrition portfolio which I'm really pleased with.

I've started taking Manuka Honey on a daily basis. Just adding a spoonful to my homemade smoothies plus another spoonful during the day is really enjoyable. The anti-bacterial strengths of the Manuka Honey will work well with the Biestmilch products I take to support & strengthen my immune system.

Hemp Milk is another great addition I have recently made. I've been taking Hemp Protein for ages -as it is the most complete protein source available - and the Hemp Milk just helps this even further.

Sports-nutrition wise, I'm really pleased that Clif Bar have launched an electrolyte drink and also some awesome recovery bars.

I really like Clif Bar products as they are as natural & organic as you can get - and are also the best tasting sports products I know.

Both the electrolyte drink (cranberry-razz flavour) and the Bullders (recovery) bars are the best tasting products in their field that I've ever tasted.

I like the electrolyte drink so much that I use it daily as my pre-swim drink and then on the bike as well. I find the 2 scoops works great for the shorter sessions and then up this to 4 scoops for the longer rides. I did take 4 scoops before Thursdays swim but found that this plus the morning double espresso got me a little too energized and the heart rate went through the roof!

Seriously though - if you are serious about looking after your health whilst training - I would check out the Clif Bar product range as they have the natural, organic & performance mix nailed.

So, as you can tell, I feeling pretty stoked with life at the moment. My support team is coming together nicely - the 2011 plans are shaping up and the tools are in place to enable me to have a really good crack at setting some serious new PBs.

Plus....Kona is only 3 weeks away....!

See you in seven....

M

PS - please see my previous post for details of my mate Dave Smiths fund-raising ride from Brighton to Barcelona. Please see if you could spare a few quid to help a really great cause and support a top bloke doing a tough challenge. This ain't no Race for Life....

Only as strong as its roots...

2010-08-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Afternoon All,

Just a quickie this week as busy flying around aiming to keep all my plates spinning....

A few things to share with you - all related to my current focus which is putting the plans together - both physical & non-physical for having an epic 2011.

Training-wise - its great to be back to being a multi-sport athlete.

I've talked about this before but I do really enjoy the feeling of being able to train well across the 3 disciplines - and then look to bring in the gym / floor work as well.

I always said August was going to be all about my return to swimming - as this is coming true. Don't get me wrong - this hasn't been an easy return, in fact its been very difficult. Due to lack of focus, my swimming fitness & technique has completely eroded. 18 months ago, I was swimming better than ever - holding a cruise pace of 1:32/100m - now I'm struggling to hit 1:35-1:40.

However - what I am excited about - is now looking to re-build myself into a better swimmer than I have ever been. It is these type of developmental challenges which I really relish. If I am to achieve my goal of becoming a sub-10 hour Ironman - I need to become a sub-60 min Ironman swimmer. Therefore, I need to rebuild my technique to such a standard than I can achieve this.

Improving technique - more than absolute fitness - is my focus for the next quarter. I know my fitness (with some specific training) is good enough to complete a sub-11 hour finish - but whilst I can put a heck of lot of effort into trying to improve fitness for arguably marginal gains - if I can improve my technique in all 3 disciplines I can make step-changes in my performance.

So - what does this look per discipline?

Swim - it means improved body position in the water. Simply put, I basically drag my legs along through the water. I need to start swimming in a more horizontal position - with my legs much higher in the water thna where they currently are. I've started to do a drill I know Brett Sutton gets his athletes to do regularly - swimming with a pull-buoy & band around the ankles - then bringing in paddles. Basically, this gets me in a horizontal position - giving me the feel for what this is like and how I can then develop the front-end catch & pull.

These are tough sets - but really great for getting me used to swimming in a more horizontal position and are superb for developing my core strength & stability.

Bike - I need to develop bike-power. Simple as. I need to work hard on becoming a solid time-trialist. Yes, my cycling has improved ten-fold since my last iron-distance race but I still feel I can go much further. This winter I HAVE to be disciplined enough to do power-focued turbo sessions. No excuses.

Run - more efficiency is the goal here. The Ironman marathon doesn't scare me - I've run both of mine without walking. Its not the distance - its the pace I need to run at to hit a 3.30 Iron-marathon. I need to run more efficiently. Focus will be top-end speed with better run technique.

So - there it is - technique, technique, technique.

Which brings me on to my next point...

All of the above areas of development have one common physical link - the need to develop better core and lower body strength.

Why can't I swim with my legs high in the water?

Poor core strength - and low hip / glute strength & flexibility.

Why can't produce my bike power?

Poor core strength - and no glute power.

Why can't I run a 3.30 Iron-marathon?

Poor core strength & low glute power.

Put it this way - my physio cannot believe that I have done what I have done with the lack of core & glute strength I have.

As she eloquently puts it "for a bloke with no arse, I can't believe you managed to do all of that!".

So - winter work will be in the gym - focusing on core & lower body.

Plenty of lunges, single-leg work and core strength. This is going to hurt - but I need to do it - its not optional.

I've paid lip-service to doing this type of work before but then reverted back to type and gone for a swim, bike or run instead - but this time its going to be different....

The TRX system has been ordered, the physio is giving me a training plan, sessions will be added into the plan.

Swim sessions will be drills-based, turbo sessions will be stuck to, and runs will be technique-based.

I feel like the Lee Majors TV character Steve Austin (I know I'm not that old either) - you know the one...."we can rebuild him".

So - here we go - let the re-building commence.....

Lets hope we see the sub-10 hour opening ceremony at Roth 2011...!

Laters,

Sparky

Support a great cause....

2010-08-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

Guys

Please check out the note below from my good friend Dave Smith at Clif Bar.

Looks a great challenge - supporting a great cause.

This stands out as a great opportunity to support a sponsored race - much better than those naff 5k Race for Life races....

Between Wednesday 15^th and Saturday 25^th September 2010 twelve of us will be cycling fromBrighton to Barcelona to raise money for St Barnabas Hospice in Worthing. We will be cycling between 70 and 100 miles approximately per day and the total distance covered will be over 830 miles. The route will take us from Brighton to Barcelona via Portsmouth, St Malo, east of Nantes, Bordeaux, over the Pyrenees into Spain and onto Barcelona. We will arrive in Barcelona at the Christopher Columbus monument on the 25^th September (hopefully).

None of the group who are taking this challenge are long distance cyclists; we are simply a group of friends who want to do something worthwhile to try to make a difference.

We have set up a website through which we can keep people updated on how our training and planning is going, which can be found at www.brightontobarcelona.co.uk

So, if you can, please dig deep and sponsor whatever you can afford. It’s going to be a tough challenge but it will really help me along knowing that I have the backing of you all. You can donate via the website or by going directly to our just giving page http://www.justgiving.com/Brighton-2Barcelonastbarnabas, this money then goes directly to the charity. Please be assured that every penny donated will be going to St Barnabas as we have covered all costs ourselves.

One of our sponsors is a company called AJ Walter has agreed to give us £1k for every £4k we raise, so we really need your help to get this extra sponsorship. Please tell your friends and family about what we are doing too.

Less than 40 days to go so I’d better go off now and do some more training!

Thanks for listening and for your support.

Cheers

Living the life...

2010-08-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos,

Isn't life amazing?

Having booked a date with Challenge Roth in July 2011 - I feel like a new man...

A new man with a new, tangible, challenging but achievable target.

I've mentioned it before but I'm going to put it out there again.....I want a sub-10 hour finish.

I'm going to keep on repeating this to myself - and you guys! - throughout the next 11 months as its going to really focus my energy & passion into a more-specific target then say "set a new PB".

I have found this a successful tactic in achieving other goals so hopefully it work again this time.

Ok - so now thats done - lets look more at the present moment....

I'm really pleased with the last 7 days training and lifestyle enhancements.

Its felt great to get back to the early starts & early evenings - it is a wonderful feeling to be living what I believe is the most natural way of life - up with the sun, down with the sun.

To me - there is nothing better than getting up at dawn - putting the stove-top espresso on and getting ready to hit the pool.

Don't get me wrong - staying in bed is always an appealing option - but once I get up & smell the coffee then I'm pleased with my decision.

So now that the body clock is back in sync - I just need the swimming to follow!

Its been a tough week - I hate swimming poorly and this week has been ugly!

However - with 5 swims under my belt - things are starting to feel something like normal again...but there is still a long way to go.

The upper body & core are enjoying the new workouts - and I enjoy the feeling that I am firming up again on the top-half of the body.

I've ordered some paddles & a new pull-buoy so will look to introduce these into some of the drills this week - to help accelerate the re-learning of the feel for the catch & pull.

I don't want to rush things - and risk damage or injury - but I do need to accelerate the re-development ahead of going over to Kona in 7 weeks.

Its been a similar story with the running - getting some consistency back.

I've run 3 times this week - nothing sensational - only 45 minutes a time but on the 3rd run - the legs did start to feel like some strength was returning.

Interestingly - I've run in 3 different pairs of shoes this week - Asics Noosas, Newtons and then Asics DS Racers.

The DS Racers won hands-down for me. They felt the most natural and gave me the biggest feeling of connecting with the road.

The interesting point for me - is that the DS Racers are the most minimalistic of the shoes. They have less support & cushioning than the other two and allow a natural foot strike.

I think I will continue to use the Newtons as a training aid - but will defer to the DS Racers for my serious work.

I will also start to re-introduce the Vibram five-fingers into my training - maybe a joint-session with the Newtons - as a recovery/technique session....

Onto the bike - only 3 sessions this week - so I could accommodate the runs. I'm pleased with where my riding is at - but I am riding more like a "roadie" than a "time-trailist" so will need to calm down on the hills and look to hold a more consistent pace on the flats.

I'll look to convert my developing bike-strength into becoming a stronger time-trailist - instead of looking to beat my mates up on the climbs.

Finally - and this goes back to the natural life-style piece - I'm bringing yoga back into my routine.

Early days - but a few poses at the start of the day whilst the coffee is brewing combined with some at the end of the day & post-session - are really helping ensure that the re-adjustment back into full tri training goes as smoothly as possible.

I plan on up-weighting my yoga - and talking more about it - as I do see it as another discipline which should be added to the mix.

To repeat myself - I love this lifestyle - and the feeling that yoga gives me in terms of strength, flexibility, breathing and posture - brings together all the benefits of this healthy, active lifestyle.

During the winter months - I plan to make a return to surfing - which is when I started practising yoga - so these two will form a core (no pun!) part of my winter base programme.

So over the coming months I plan on posting a lot more content of the wider lifestyle elements such as a clean & natural diet, yoga & surfing which I look to bring together into a healthy, active and holistic package.

It would be great to get your feedback on whether you find this wider content interesting - so please get in touch via my social networks - and let me know if theres anything in particular you would like me to cover.

It seems fitting that I leave you with a very pertinent quote from Scott Tinley - which is a great summary of all of that rambling I've just splurted out....

"Above all train hard, eat light and avoid TV and negative people"

See you in 7....

M.

Exciting times....

2010-08-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Everyone!

A bit of a mixed bag this week - but all positive and exciting stuff.

Training-wise, I've made a gentle return to running this week with 30-45 minute runs every day Monday - Thursday.

Nothing sensational - but it did feel good to get back out on the road again.

Obviously the legs have softened up but you also forget how the upper-body misses running. Sounds strange - and maybe its just me - but the upper back & shoulders always feel really tight and stiff when I haven't been running regularly.

So this week has just been about breaking myself back in. As I've only been doing short runs - I've worn the Newtons a few times - just as a 'training aid' to get me running on the fore-foot more.

Still undecided as to whether I would wear these for a marathon - but feel they work well at the shorter distances. However, I do know I've worn them the next morning - as my left Achilles can feel particularly sore. One to watch there...

I've been working in London all week - so had to get my bike work done on the weekend. 2 good rides at good intensity felt really good. Since returning from France, I can definitely feel that my cycling has moved up a notch and I know want to keep this development going by working hard to ride at a stronger pace for longer.

I'm hoping to get back into the pool this week - which will be a painful & embarrassing experience - but I can't put it off as it will only continue to get worse.

You may be asking yourself - why all of this triathlon training?

The exciting news is that I've decided to go over to Kona, Hawaii to watch some good friends compete at the Ford Ironman World Championships.

Therefore, I want to be in good shape - so I don't get to embarrassed on the training sessions or when the pose-ing goes on!

You may recall how last week I told how I have now got my "rev" back for triathlon - with a new harder, faster perspective - after mixing in the higher echelons of the sport of the last few weeks.

This "rev" got even more serious this week - especially after meeting up with a top Ironman age-grouper who I got to know via our mutual relationship with Skinfit.

Stuart Anderson is going to Kona for the 4th time this year - and it was great to meet and talk Ironman with Stuart in London this week.

Next year Stuart is racing at Roth - which I did in 2009 - so we were talking about what a great race, event, experience Roth is.

Later that evening - I entered Roth 2011.....!!!

It just HAD to be done.

After talking about Roth with Lothar & Macca, listening to their stories about racing hard & fast....a seed had started to grow....

...then when Sebastian Kienle went under 8 hours on his iron-distance at Roth 2010 - breaking the bike course record with a 4.14 bike.....it grew some more....

...and then seeing my mate Nick Weston go under 10 hours at Roth 2010...it grew some more....

...and then telling others to enter Roth 2011 because its so awesome...it grew some more...

....then meeting Stuart and talking about Roth, Kona and some other exciting plans we have....it grew to a point at which I had to pick it!

So - there it is - booked and in the diary - 10 July 2011 - Challenge Roth.

And boy - it feels good to have it there - as a real, tangible goal....sub 10 hours!

Plenty of work to be done between now & then - but I feel like I'm coming back to triathlon - a bigger & better athlete than when I left it after Challenge Barcelona last year.

Time will tell - but I promise you this - I will give this my all....

Hope you come along for the ride....

Eye of the Tiger

2010-07-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Afternoon All,

I'm taking advantage of some nice evening sunshine to sit outside and post a few thoughts on where I've been of late, and where I'm looking to head to.

Last week I walked you through my amazing trip through the French Pyrenees and Alps - so now need to add in some supplementary details.

The second climb we did on Day 2 was called Horcquazette or something like that...

...then the epic climb we did on the day before La Vaujany was Col d'Izoard not the Col D'Soulor

as I over-enthusastically stated.

Apologies for the errors - guess it was the adrenalin kicking in!

After last weeks post a few people have enquired about my kit & nutrition choices

for such a long trip.

Kit-wise I wore some retro Santani bike tops from some of the old school teams

such as La Ve Claire & Mapei.

These are available from prendas ciclismo - and are really good quality - plus add a

bit of fun to the occasion.

You may have seen my photos from Alpe d'Huez when I wearing the full Mapei kit -

which definitely draws the attention!

Bib-shorts were a mix of Skinfit and Rapha - both really good quality and value for money

in my opinion. Believe me when I say it is worth investing in a good pair of nix as the consequences

of not can be brutal.

Shoes - I wear Sidi Carbon Genius - again very good quality.

Bike - Pinarello Prince - my baby, my love, my life...!

If any of you do have any questions about kit - please just ask - as I've tried out most things over the years

but have now settled on the key brands I've mentioned above.

At the end of the day - you usually get what you pay for.

Similar principles apply to nutrition - although there is a lot of over-priced, over-rated nutrition products out

there which would have you believe that they will make you perform like a world-beater.

Those of you who have been following the blog for a while will know that I now only use Clif Bar products

for my sports nutrition. I use both the Clif Bars and Clif Blok Shots as they taste great, are natural and

most of all have never let me down.

I can't tell you how many times either the Bars or the Shots have gotten me out of a hole and given me the fuel

I need to carry on.

So if you're sick of using gels, energy drinks, horrible tasting energy bars - I'd strongly recommend checking out

the Clif Bar product range.

A good place to get these from is www.endurancesportsnutrition.co.uk

Finally the last key addition to my nutrition plan is from the guys at Biestmilch.

I've been using their Chewy Tablets and Biest Booster for a few months now and

have really noticed the difference in my physical & mental health.

The Boosters are a superb source of energy - which lasts for over 6 hours but doesn't have

any of the spikes & crashes that caffeine or sugar sources do.

The products are based on colostrum - so you know they are natural and are doing your body and

immune system a lot of good.

If you are looking to protect and improve your immune system - which you should be - and are looking for a source of long-lasting energy -

check out the Biestmilch product range.

The Biestmilch products provide a nice segue into my next piece...

As I have been so impressed with the Biestmilch products - several months ago - I got into with them to share my positive experiences

and complement them on their brand and products.

To cut a long story short - it quickly became clear that Biestmilch have a very similar philosophy to myself on

living a healthy, active & productive lifestyle.

So we both agreed that it would be good to share our thoughts & ideas on a few things so I went over to Germany to meet the team

for the first time in March - and had a great few days with the guys.

Then in June, the team got in touch with me as one of their sponsored athletes - Chris McCormack had been invited to race at Ironman Germany in July

- and the team were putting on some promo activities.

Obviously - the chance to mingle with the team and Chris (my triathlon hero) was too good an opportunity to turn down

so I agreed to go over again in early July.

A great few days were had - culminating in an afternoon spent in the company of some of the biggest names in Ironman triathlon (not including myself of course!)

I make no apologies in name-dropping here - so imagine Chris McCormack, Cameron Brown, Lothar Leder, Yvonne Van Vlerken, Nicole Leder,

Meike Krebs all hanging out, swapping stories and tales from the Pro circles.

I was in dream-land - and it was so refreshing to see how down to earth these Pros were - certainly compared to Pros from other sports I have met over the years.

It was amazing to hear there stories and thoughts on both the past & present of the sport The knowledge & experience these guys possess between them

could fill a library.

What all of this did to for me was make me realise that these guys are winners - not just in the races but in their mind-sets.

It has really given me a new focus and determination to return to Ironman racing with a new perspective - so not just complete but compete.

So that is exactly what I am planning to do in 2011.

I'm not going to go back to the full distance at first - I want to learn how to race hard at the middle distance first - take the learnings and then look

to have a real go at a sub 10 hour Iron-distance race in 2012.

This year - I've gone longer in the bike & run than I ever have - so now have the confidence to step down to the

"shorter" stuff without fearing the distance.

Next year - its going to be out not how far I can go but how hard I can go.

This will be a different challenge for me both physically & mentally - and one which following meeting with the

top of the Ironman world - is one which I am relishing on taking on.

I'll leave you with a link to a video of Chris McCormack which I find really inspiring - especially as this is how Chris is -

there is no spin or PR here - I know I'll be referring back to this many times over the coming months.

I hope you all find it as motivating as I do - not just for your sport - but for how you approach life in general...

"Above all train hard, eat light and avoid TV and negative people" - Scott Tinley

Sparky

La Vaujany by markhughes10 at Garmin Connect - Details

2010-07-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys

A bit of a mid-week treat for you here....

This is the Garmin Connect file from the La Vaujany Sportive - which we did on our last day of riding in France.

La Vaujany by markhughes10 at Garmin Connect - Details

Let me know if you find this stuff interesting - as happy to share more often moving forward.

Ciao

PS - Very impressed by Garmin Connect - much more user-friendly than Training Peaks / WKO+

France 2010 - a not so brief summary...

2010-07-18T13:42:00.001-07:00

Wow - sorry its been so long but what an incredible few weeks!

OK, so I last posted just before I headed off to France for what promised to be an incredible 10 days in cyclings mecca.

I had been looking forward to this trip for months - it really was a dream come true. 10 days riding through the Pyrenees & Alps - with Mont Ventoux thrown in for good measure.

As someone who has come to cycling late and can vividly recall the days when he literally treaded getting on the bike - this trip was an embodiment of how I have developed both athletically but also personally (mentally) over the last few years.

We started our tour in the very wet & cold Pyrenees. The conditions were shocking - weren't we in south France in mid-June - wheres the bloody sunshine?!

On our first day we went over Col D'Aspin - onto Col Du Tourmalet and then back over Aspin - and I swear I have NEVER been so cold on a bike as I was that day.

Aspin isn't a tough climb and a nice intro to the trip but then you've got the biggest peak in the Pyrenees - the fabled Tourmalet.

This was my first Hors category climb - and it did not disappoint. I just couldn't believe that you could uphill for so long - and still have km's to go!

The conditions made it a very dark & atmospheric moment - very much like riding into the pits of hell....!

The tunnels, the mist, the cowbells, the ramps from La Mongie up to the summit - incredible.

After trying to get warm in the cafe and questioning whether I would be able to get back down from the 2115m peak without freezing to death - we set off on what would be an extremely painful & frightening descent.

Needless to say we all survived - but at the bottom - I did question whether I would be able to continue with no feeling in my hands and feet!

Once we got moving at the lower altitude I felt a lot better and rather enjoyed the climb back over Aspin at a awesome descent to make our way home.

Day 2 saw us go over Col d' Peyresourde plus another climb who's name I can't recall. Once again the weather was shocking but also added to the atmosphere.

I really enjoyed climbing Peyresourde - its not brutal at all and has some stunning views.

A really cool cafe waited for us at the top - where coffee, crepes & fries were hastily consumed in front of the piping hot bolier - bliss!

Another freezing cold descent was safely managed before we went over the "other climb" - which was a bitch - but fun nonetheless.

So 2 days down & I am feeling pretty broken - not so much physically but mentally the weather really got me down. I really struggle in the cold - both physically & mentally. The thought of going out the next day in the cold & wet was not very appealing at all.

So when I woke on Day 3 to see the sunshine I could have cried with joy!

A really huge day was waiting for us - about an hours drive away. It was our last day in the Pyrenees so we wanted to tick off Soulor, Aubsique & Luz Ardiden.

With the improved weather and the inspiration of these legendary climbs - I was like a new man and really pumped to have a good day.

After the beating of the first 2 days - it was like I had now accepted that these climbs were incredibly long & tough and that there is no point feeling sorry for yourself - just stick it in the 39/27 & pedal.

Soulor is tough - I don't care what the books say - this climb hurts. Once over the Soulor - the road over to the Aubsique is crazy - real 1910 Tour de France stuff!

We're talking pitch-black tunnels, sheer drops, gravel surfaces - it is bloody hairy stuff.

But what a feeling of achievement - the Aubsique - the 'Assasins' climb - done!

The descent was cautious to say the least - but from Soulor onwards - you can fly down - so i had a good go. Went past a few motorbikes & cars - which made me feel very pro indeed!

Feeling stoked that we'd done two of the best - we set off for Luz Ardiden - which is one I was particularly looking forward to.

After a decent pull to get over from the bottom of Soulor - we reached Luz Ardidien.

A pretty gentle start - only 6% for a few k's - gave way to some more serious ramps - but also the legendary switchbacks!

The switchbacks were such a bonus - as the gradient would less off - allowing me to increase my cadence and take that into the next stretch.

I really enjoyed this climb - famous for Lance getting brought down by a fans musette & Ullrich waiting - and I just smiled all the way to the top.

I was living the dream - Soulor, Aubsique & Luz Ardiden - what a day!

An incredible descent down Luz Ardiden - lined us up for a team trial back to the cars as we were late for dinner!

A very welcome can of Coke (its the real deal in times of need!) - and some serious big-ring Jens Voight effort - was just the icing on top of one of my all-time days!

Day 4 was a rest day - traveling over to Provence.

Day 5 was THE day- Mont Ventoux....

Now this is the one climb which before we left for the trip - truly freaked me out.

Now, its my favourite climb in France!

What a climb - a beast - but so rewarding that I can't truly explain how proud I am to have ridden up this freak of nature.

Getting through the woods was tough - 10% for k after k - but then it lessens to about 6% and I was pumped to see the weather station. The last few k's are deceptively tough but the feeling that you are riding Mont Ventoux just adds some much energy to your legs - that you are riding on a wave!

The descent was out of control - hitting 50mph at times - and I descended on the back of a group of 4 - so again, got that pro feeling weaving in & out of the corners at speed!

A well-earned afternoon in the sun - by the pool - was the perfect way to rest up.

Next day we did a quick spin and headed over to the Alps. A beautiful and memorable drive over some pretty hairy mountain roads is a memory which will last for a long time!

So we're now in the Alps...

Its Friday - so we head out to ride Alpe D'Huez - yes - that Alpe D'Huez - all 21 switchbacks, Lance's stare, Pantanis 38 mins etc....

I would say that this is the one climb that I under-estimated - its tough- don't let anyone tell you different.

The first 5 switchbacks are brutal - seriously difficult and put you in the red straightway.

From then on - you know the worst is over - so you just keep trying to push on. The switchbacks are incredible and you really get a sense that you are riding a legendary climbing. The sheer number of people on the road is unreal - so busy its untrue.

Its really strange but you do get a sense that the only way to ride the Alpe is hard. I mean its like its sucking you into racing it - kind of daring you to take it on....

An awesome experience - and I'll definitely go back and improve on my 64 minutes - now I know whats instore.

From the Alpe we rode across some aesome cliff-face roads over to Les Deux Alpes. Not the prettiest climb - but still worth doing - if only to get a sense of how amazingly quick Marco Pantanis 28 minutes was (drugs or no drugs - its quick!)

A pretty hairy moment on the descent when my back wheel slipped on some wet tar slowed me down - and from their it was a solid pull back to our accommodation - via the famous Dutch pub of course!

Ok, so now its Saturday already and we've got a massive 175km race tomorrow so lets take it easy.....and go and ride Col D'Soulor!?!

This is one big ol' climb which is deceptively tough in parts - before it really gets going and then its a cracker of a climb - all 2380 metres of it!

Again - so pleased to have this climb in my palmares - as it is known as a beast.

Another quick descent back to the cars - followed by a well-earned McDonalds stop - and we head back to rest up for the next days efforts.

So we've made it to the last day - a gentle 175km Sportive with 3.5km of ascent over 3 Cols in 35 degree heat!

After waking up at 5am and feeling like crap - with some stomach issues - I really didn't think I would be able to complete the full distance.

Getting on my bike and riding to the start line - I started to vomit and need the bathroom - not the best start to a long day.

Anyway - off we set. Unable to eat for the first 2.5 hours and feeling crap - i took it really easy and almost soft-pedalled up the first real climb of the day.

Eventually - I started to feel better and was able to keep fluids down so began to drink more regularly.

Well - short version of a long painful day - is that I finished the long course in 8 hrs 49.

The last 5kms are all at 12% and this was just the perfect way to finish the trip - in a world of pain!

I don't think I've ever been in a hole like that on a bike in my life - maybe in all of my races including Ironman I can't recall wanting to quit so much.

I remember that even with only 400 metres to go I wanted to get off - it was almost like I was too tired to get off - it was easier just to let the legs keep turing themselves a few more times!

...and that was France 2010.

8 days riding, 45 hours in the saddle, 765kms ridden, 20,000 metres climbed.

A truly life-changing experience - no exaggeration.

If you want to go and learn a lot about who & what you are - go & ride up a Hors category climb - on your own - in the wind & rain for 90 mins......and then do it again the next day...

Never have I believed the saying "what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger".

Hope you enjoyed this post as much I have writing it!

Love life!

Angels & Demons

2010-06-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Hope are all keeping fit and healthy.

Following last Sundays Dragon Ride this week has been a low volume / decent intensity week.

On Monday, I was very fatigued with a lot of lower back soreness. A superb massage from David Tabrizi at Cheltenham Holistic Health Centre really felt good - so good that I'm sure I nodded off on the bed! - but didn't cure the lower back stiffness.

A nice spin out on Tuesday night did the trick. I took the "training" bike out (how pro do I think I am - with a training bike?!) which has the compact 50/34 gearing. This enabled me to spin nicely and really loosened everything off.

The post-Dragon ride stiffness was slightly concerning but understandable - given the distance, the route and that it was only my 4th ride out on the Prince (53/39 gearing).

However, I will need to keep on top of my stretching & flexibility work in France to ensure the adaptation to the new gearing goes as smoothly as possible.

I'll also be un-afraid to use the inner ring whenever I feel tightness in my glutes & hamstrings coming on - theres no 'big ring" ego here - I'm more interested in riding well for the whole trip.

I took the Prince out on Wednesday night and she was making a few strange noises - I know I'm no bike mechanic but I know a good noise from a bad noise - so I took her into Echelon Cycles for a check-up on Friday morning.

The guys in Echelon are superb and really provide top service. They did a through review of the Prince, taking off the rear cassette, bottom bracket etc, and couldn't find anything wrong.

They gave me a lesson on the nuances between Shimano DA and Campag gearing - which was good to know - and particularly how Campag needs to bed in.

With my mind reassured, I took the Prince out on Saturday for a few hours - and she purred! In fact, she has never sounded better.

I just needed to get rid of any nagging doubts before my trip to France - I'm a real nervous Nerys when it comes to these things!

Speaking of Nervous Nerys - I've been reading about all the legendary climbs we have on our trip - and to be honest as fascinating as I find all the details - it is also playing with my mind!

So I've decided to park all of the reading, just ride what is in front of me, and then read all about what we did climb when we get back - otherwise I'm just going to create un-due stress.

For someone who considers themselves mentally strong - I am prone to letting little details or doubts pray on my mind.

On a more positive note, I had a great little run today. Just 45 minutes along my favourite riverside route - at a really nice pace which felt nice & loose. Its sessions like that which remind me why I love to run - I just felt free and alive!

Ok - so on that note - I'll let you go.

I'm off over to France on Friday so won't be posting next week - but will look to make up for it with trip summary the following week.

I'm also hoping to keep a video journal of the trip, capturing my thoughts & feelings as the days tick by, so will look to share this with you at some point.

As always, train hard, train smart.

Ciao

Putting it all together....

2010-06-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

This post is also available to read at vivacoppi....

Sorry for not posting last night about hopefully you'll find it within you to forgive me.

No messing about tonight as the clock is ticking, I'm pretty tired and looking to catch up on some much-needed beauty sleep.

Not a lot to report from last weeks training between Monday & Friday. After a big ride the previous Sunday and with a big ride on the Sunday ahead, I eased up on the volume and focused on hitting a couple of quality rides.

I came out from last Sundays long ride feeling pretty good and pleased with where my riding was. I didn't do a lot on Monday & Tuesday, opting to get the rest in.

Wednesday morning was an early start to get into London for 9am - a good but long day saw me get back to Cheltenham at 6pm. However, I really needed to get out on the bke and the weather was really good. I met up with a mate and managed to get a good 90 min ride in.

I took the Planet X & power meter out - just to give my legs a break from the 53/39, enjoy the 50/3 and look at what the power data looked like. All felt & looked good.

Thursday night was a good ride with a few mates - 90 mins again - with some efforts. I took the Prince out and she felt great. My legs knew they had had a good session and felt kinda heavy on Friday morning.

Friday was a super long day. Early morning recovery swim was great fun and helped me loosen up. Mid-afternoon I got a call from my bike shop (Echelon Cycles - Pershore, Worcs) to let me know that the Garmin 500 I had ordered for the Prince had come in. A great result - given that the Dragon ride was on Sunday.

Originally, I was not going to put a computer onto the Prince but after only a few rides without I really missed having the standard of data & information I had become accustomed to riding with. Obviously, I won't have the power meter on both bikes as the PX is a Shimano set-up, and the Prince is Campag, so would turn out to be pretty darn expensive exercise to set up for both bikes!

The Garmin 500 is a really impressive piece of kit and an improvement on the 705 and not just in the size reduction. The extra bonus was that the new colour scheme was a perfect match with the Most bars on the Prince!

So, anyway all of that meant I had to shoot over to Pershore and back on Friday afternoon so an addtional 90 min trip before packing my bke & kit for the drive down to South wales - ahead of Sundays Dragon Ride.

Luckily it was a very easy drive down to South Wales - Junction 35 on the M4 - and I was at the cottage for 9.30pm.

Saturday we went out for a nice 90 mn spin which did end up including a nice little blast up a short steep climb - always good to open the lungs!

Sunday morning saw us up at 6am - after a really bad nights sleep on my part - don't know why but always seems to happen the night before a race. I felt pretty sluggish and didn't allow myself sufficient time to have a good breakfast. I did have a bowl of porridge and an espresso - but should have had more.

We got to the race start in good time and lined up to set off as soon as we could. I felt hungry at the start line so had half a Clif Bar to settle the stomach.

We set off and the pace was really comfortable. My legs didn't feel great straightaway, really heavy and tight. My hamstrings and glutes were particularly painful and I was slightly concerned.

It didn't help that I start felt pretty sleepy - even after the espresso and Maca powder! So I decided that I if things didn't improve I would look to take the Biest Booster early on - as I knew this would pick me up and would last for about 6 hours.

Once I got warmed up and got the legs spinning, things improved. I think a lot of it comes from wishing to stay in the big ring more than my legs would like to. I need to remind myself that the big ring is now a 53 and not the 50 I've been used to - so they will feel the difference.

Once I started to use the 39 ring on some of the little climbs my legs loosened off and I felt a lot better. I decided now would be a good time to take the Booster - as the longer climbs were approaching - and I wanted to feel good by the time we approached them - both physically and mentally.

The ride was a good challenge with plenty of nice, long steady climbs. It was a good opportunity to practice getting used to climbing for long periods of time - although France is going to be a whole different level.

I wanted to get used to riding in the 39 ring - so still bigger than the 34 I've been used to - and then using the 23/25 gears to help keep a nice cadence. I like to ride at around 70 rpms on the climbs - not too low - not too high - and keep a nice light-ish beat going.

I was pleased with how this worked on the less steep sections - upto 7% -and then a slower cadence was required on the steeper sections. I found mixing up getting out of the saddle helped me keep a nicer cadence than just churning my way up.

It was a long day in the saddle but all together very satisfying.

I was pleased with my climbing, very pleased with my descending and kinda pleased with strength on the false flats.

Once again - I didn't eat enough which took its toll within the last 30 miles. I should have had a bigger breakfast and eaten more regularly through the ride. My trusty Clif Bars and Blok Shots were superb as always - but I should have had more of them. I only 2 bars and 4 bloks.

I did scoff down some bananas and 'fairy cakes' at the feed stops but these didn't fill the hole. I also didn't use a sports drinks - as I won't be in France - but I should have taken along my Nuun electrolyte tablets.

I was drinking plenty of water -as it was pretty warm - but on an empty stomach - so I started to become bloated and was not absorbing the water. The electrolytes in the Nuuns will help with this.

The end result was that I completed the 118 miles in 7 hours 19 minutes. So pretty satisfied, considering we didn't really start riding solidly until the second half.

Climbing = Pleasing

Descending = Very pleasing (some really nice long winding descents)

Power = Pleased but not satisfied

Food = Clif Bars & Bloks were perfect - just need to eat more often

Drink - Need electrolytes if only drinking plain water

Bike = Long live the Prince (plus the Garmin 500 is super cool)

This week will be a reduction in volume but with some intensity dropped into the mix.

Now the Dragon has been tamed, next stop the Pyrenees and Alps.

Bravo!

I'm over here...

2010-05-31T10:15:00.001-07:00

Hey All

As per last week - I have put this weeks post is over here on vivacoppi.

Cheers

Viva Coppi

2010-05-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,

I've posted this weeks update on my new blog - vivacoppi.

Let me know what you think.

Forza, forza

2010-05-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Ciao

As its already past my bed-time I'll look to keep this weeks round-up to a few key points, with some additional info for you to look out for.

This week has seen a return to form following last weeks "recovery" week.

A solid 10.5 hours riding, plus some active-recovery swim sets and some functional strength work has given me a total week of 14.5 hours.

The swimming is going well and I'm starting to see some form & technique returning. Tuesdays squad session saw me returning to 1.40/100m at an easy cruise pace - so this tells me that I can get to 1.35/100m at a solid cruise pace pretty soon. The medium term goal is 1.30/100m at cruise pace - but I need to get a few other goals accomplished first before swimming can take a higher priority.

The swimming is definitely proving beneficial to my overall conditioning and recovery as well as bringing the discipline of early starts. I've actually found I have more energy now that I am getting back to the 5.30-6am starts - as opposed to the 7am lie-ins.

This goes back to my whole 'quality of life' soap-box moments so I won't go there tonight as time is getting on.

Bike-wise, I've had a pleasing week. 10.5 hours riding with a solid 4.5 hour ride over the Malverns on Saturday. My climbing improved as the ride progressed with some nice long, controlled climbs giving me a lot of confidence. As my mate was really hurting, due to back spasms, I had to cruise up one long climb. This wouldn't have been possible at one point in time but I found I was able to "float" up the climb at a nice cadence for minimal effort (power & heart rate). Obviously the speed wasn't too onerous but that wasn't the point, the point was that I could climb a decent gradient (7%) for minimal effort.

Those who have been following these posts for a while will know that I ride with a power meter - which I highly recommend to anyone looking to develop their cycling abilities.

Looking back at the last 4 weeks numbers, I am seeing some really positive improvements in my power output across all of the measured time frames (1 min, 5 min, 20 min and 60 min).

This last week has seen me improve my power at all of these time points, so they are now at their best I've ever produced.

For those who like the data, the numbers are as follows:

Peak 1 min = 419w

Peak 5 min = 301w

Peak 20 min = 253w

Peak 60 min = 211w

When considering a haven't been time-trailing ala Ironman training, I am pleased to see the improvement across both the short & long time periods.

I'll do a new FTP test soon - so this will give some really interesting comparisons to judge me development on.

I'm confident that my FTP will / has increased from 238 watts - but will wait and see before changing any zones etc.

So on paper its looking good - but believe me - my legs are feeling the workload. The persistent dull ache is there and although the swims help I reallly do need to do more stretching and mobility work.

I got a few stretch bands last week - so really should get more disciplined at installing a daily stretching routine into the system.

Ok, conscious of time, so will wrap here.

One last really important point is that I've set up a new blog which I plan on using on a more frequent basis to share more timely posts, photos, links etc during the week.

I've used the cool tumblr platform - which brings together photos, quotes, audio, video, text etc - and will just allow me to have a consistent place to land all of the different sources, inputs and outputs I wish to share with my "tribe".

So if you're interested in keeping up to date on my daily thoughts, inspirations, readings etc then please take a look.

Viva Coppi, forza life!

Ciao

Simplify and focus

2010-05-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

Evening All,

Hope you've all had a good week.

My week? Not bad thanks.

A quieter week after the last two big weeks which was much needed as the "fog" had truly came in after last Sundays Sportive.

On Monday I was exhausted, you know that jet-lag feeling when you're not quite with it? Thats how I felt all day, never really got going and almost a kind of "sickie" feeling.

As its turned out I don't think this was all down to physical tiredness but also some sort of cold I have picked up.

On Sundays ride I never felt warm or even comfortable - but cold all the way around - and never really warmed up for the rest of the day - even after a steaming hot bath.

This has carried on all week - almost like a chill has got into me. I've struggled to shift a bloody persistent cough for a few weeks now and the sneezes have come on again.

So, taking this into account along with residual fatigue following some solid training weeks, I have focused this week on getting some simple structure back into my weekly routine.

Although tired I have forced myself to get back into the early morning swims. The swimming has been atrocious but it has been great to return to the good old days of early starts and feeling like something worthwhile has been achieved by 8am.

I've had three swims this week - two in the 50m outdoor lido - which is a great way to start the day.

The swimming is not good but a focus on drills and some baseline technique is proving beneficial. Although not racing triathlon this year, I am keen to swim regularly as the overall benefits to strength, flexibility and conditioning are superb.

I always feel better when I am swimming - my upper body strength and body composition are much better than when I just focus on running or cycling.

Cycling-wise, I've managed 100 miles this week. Not bad considering I haven't really been up for it. All the rides have been reasonably comfortable as the legs have let me know that they're pretty fooked!

The good signs are that as the week has progressed the jet-lag has diminished and the mojo has returned.

So this coming week will be about combining the mojo with the return to early mornings and early evenings.

Its when I start living this monastic type lifestyle that I really do appreciate the whole endurance lifestyle.

It makes me realise that this is how I wish to live my life.

It may seem boring to outsiders but it really is the most fulfilling lifestyle which carries over it over aspects of my life such as work and friends.

Sometimes it takes one of of these quieter weeks to make me appreciate this lifestyle more than the "hero" weeks. I like to use them as an opportunity to return to basics and create the platform for the forthcoming bigger weeks.

Ok, enough preaching, I've got to get off to bed as I have an early start tomorrow!

Ciao

Sparky

that was my party political broadcast on behalf of the

Tomorrow we ride....

2010-05-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know I say this every week but this is going to be short & snappy, as i'm shattered.

Over 14 hours & 220 miles in the saddle this week says it all.

Riding for 5 out of 7 days.

87 mile Sportive with over 9300 ft of climbing on Sunday hit the spot.

Really pleased with progress, now using the power meter to inform my climbing output with really good results.

Average power is increasing - riding at normalized power of 210 watts for over 6 hours today.

Climbing at a nice, controlled pace all the way through the climb. Good low cadence, keeping watts under control, enabling me to ride at a nice consistent pace on all gradients.

Starting to feel pretty fatigued, as seen by short temper returning and poor quality sleep.

Will look to bring swimming back into the mix next week. Nothing heavy but more as active recovery which I'm hoping will help with back and leg soreness.

Seeing good benefits from strength training as core is engaging better when climbing and quads are taking the load - as opposed to hamstrings which used to be the cause of my low power output.

Very pleased with nutrition. Clif Bars came to the rescue today when the hunger bonk started to appear. The newly discovered Biestmilch Booster worked very well again - helping me get through the mist of fatigue.

Six weeks to the Alps & Pyrenees - plenty of work still to be done. I thought todays climbs were long but they're nothing compared to what awaits me.

So although its going well, I'm acutely aware that I am heading into a whole new ball park, so need to stay disciplined and focused to give myself every chance of heading the Cols in the best possible condition.

I love having this focus and these goals. Its what I live for.

If that makes me sound shallow and one-dimensional then so be it.

I'd call it focused and driven.

Hey, I did tell you the short temper was returning....

Ciao,

Sparky

Weapons of Mass Destruction...

2010-04-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is Sunday evening already but hopefully my weekly blurb will help ease the pain!

Well, if you're sitting comfortably then I'll begin....

A rather stop-start due to work commitments has actually proved to be a real breakthrough week.

A couple of nice rides on Monday & Tuesday were followed by three days of speed walking around London, carrying the worlds heaviest laptop and basically busting up with shoulders and back.

However, it was to great to catch up with some good friends and share our excitement about the forthcoming trip to France and all the important stuff like what kit are we all going to wear?!

For those who I hven't already told (there can't be many of you left!), a small group of friends are traveling over to France for 10 days in mid-June, to tour the Pyrenees and Alps. My friends have putting together an incredible itinerary for us, including 15 of the biggest cols France has to offer.

It really is going to be a dream come true for me, and is certainly my number one focus for the forthcoming months.

So, now knowing what the goal is, how has my training for such a challenge changed?

Well obviously the bike is the priority. Swimming will be active recovery, and running will focus on technique development.

Getting back on the bike after such a heavy run focus has proved easier than I thought it might be.

All of the tough winter running, especially the huge trial runs seem to have developed a lot of functional leg strength. By functional, I mean that my glutes and quads are now performing as they should do, leaving the hamstrings to focus on what they are good at and not having to do all the work on their own, as was the case.

My new found glutes and quads are making a huge difference to my cycling strength and power. Its safe to say that I have never ridden as powerfully as I currently am.

As I now ride with a power meter I can see the watts I'm putting out both during and post-ride so this is not wishful thinking, it is fact.

Numbers are great but what does this look like on the road. Well, my friends, it looks like me dropping my mate on the toughest local climb for the first time ever.

The climb is a beast, lasting about 2kms, starting at 7%, rising to 25% before "easing off" to 11%.

The best I've previously ridden this climb was my first time, when ignorance was bliss and I ground my way up stuck in the big ring. I've since always struggled, getting distracted by the watts, cadence, HR etc and never riding it well.

On Saturday, I promised myself that I wouldn't look at the numbers during the climb and to focus on riding it "blind".

As the climb kicked up I started to pull away from my mate and my legs felt great. I was riding at nice beat and whilst my legs were hurting, it was a nice pain. A combination of seating and standing worked really well and although the heart rate was super high and my chest was burning I felt like I could carry on "pouring" on the power!

As the climb eased back to the mere 11%, I did begin to struggle slightly but this was more because I knew the worst was over and I sublimely eased off and then struggled to get going again.

At the top of the climb my mate informed me that I had put 100 metres into him at one point and looked really good from behind with a very still upper body.

This climb was only 1 hour into our 4 hour ride and there were plenty more climbs to come so I wanted to see if I had peaked to soon. My chest was really burning and I had a painful cough. The climb had clearly opened up my lungs and all sorts of junk was now pouring out.

I thought this would be a perfect time to try out my new secret weapon....the Biestmilch Booster!

Biestmilch are a German-based company who specialize in the use of colostrum, the natural source of protein. Colostrum, as I've talked about previously, is an incredible product and one which I have been fascinated by for a while.

The studies which have proved its benefits to the immune system and subsequent performance are numerous and undeniable.

Biestmilch are world leaders in the creation of colostrum-based products working with top triathletes including Chris McCormack and Yvonne Van Vlerken.

I've recently begun using their daily chewy tablets as my source of colostrum. I need to ensure my immune system is in top condition and whilst I'm pleased with my diet, the results I've seen others have when using colostrum have convinced me to add this to my daily regime.

For note, I also take a multi-vitamin plus chlorella and fish oils on a daily basis.

Another product Biestmilch produce is the Booster. A combination of colostrum and guarana the purpose of the Booster is, as the name suggests, to give you a boost.

When I was recently over in Germany, meeting with the Biestmilch team, several athletes were raving about the Boosters so I decided to give them a try. The guys did warn me to use these selectively as they are really strong and shouldn't be taken too late in the day.

Note: I tell you more about my trip to meet the Biestmilch team later in the week.

Now I usually stay away from so-called energy drinks as I feel they are just junk and are not good for the body so I wasn't too sure about the Booster at this stage.

However, knowing Saturdays ride was going to be a beast with over 1k of climbing, I thought I would take one along and see whether it would handle the worst the Cotswolds has to offer.

So, after the first major climb and some more lumps I decided to take the Booster. This was 90 minutes into the ride and there was some fatigue starting to build up in the legs.

To be honest I never felt like I had received an energy boost, in a caffeine sort of way (which is a good thing in my opinion), but boy did I ever climb well.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that I can't recall ever climbing so well in my life.

Believe me, there were plenty of decent climbs, including another 25% beast and on every climb I dropped my mate.

Now, please understand, my mate usually drops me like a rock on any sign of a lump so for me to ride away from him on every climb was almost surreal.

A combination of a nice pedaling beat, legs feeling really strong, a new found willingness to enjoy the pain and what felt like a bottomless tank of energy all combined to make me feel like the Andy Schleck of the Cotswolds!

So based on my extensive scientific research I am pronouncing the Biestmilch Booster a resounding success!

For now on, the Booster will take its place alongside my constant companions of a Clif Bar and Clif Blok Shots on all of my long rides.

A really great addition to the nutrition portfolio which will work well with the Clif Bar (solid), Clif Blok Shots (solid gel) and Infinit sports drink (liquid).

Hey, if don't want to take my word for it, just ask my mate!

Todays ride was always going to be an anti-climax but it did in fact turn out to be a great tempo ride. A bit of friendly banter saw my put out 838 watts at one point when taking on the sprint premiums, further testament to this new found power.

So, in summary, a nice weeks work. 9 hours riding with some great outputs.

With a big week ahead of me, culminating in a tough 83km sportive on Sunday, I'm feeling really positive and loving my cycling. A may even venture back into the pool this week...

Don't get me wrong, I'm still nervous as hell about those French cols....did I not mention my lack of descending skills?!

Ciao for now comprades!

Wake Up Legs!

2010-04-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

Here we go with trying to get back to the old routine of posting on Sunday nights....

Will look to keep it short & simple as need to get some quality zzz's after some poor quality sleeps. Anywy,s lets get on with this weeks news...

I've really enjoyed this week. Managed to spend over 12 hours on the bike, riding most days and getting back into the swing of riding consistently again.

After being off the bike for so long, I've really noticed how my legs are not used to the higher turnover rate of cycling vs. running. Without consciously thinking about it, my legs have "settled" into riding at 70-75 rpm and preferring to turn a bigger gear.

Whilst I've been pleased with the strength in my legs, I know that this lower cadence/bigger gear is not suitable to my attributes and also the demands of long, endurance riding.

Therefore, my focus this week has been on higher cadence work, using the small chain ring more and really trying to maintain speed & power through the combination of gears and rpms.

Its been a real shock to the legs - almost like waking them up - and has proved really beneficial to both my cycling and general fatigue levels.

During the week I carried out my first FTP test of the season, to set a benchmark for my power data and see where I'm currently at. The positive news was that my numbers came out very close to where I was at when training for the Challenge Barcelona iron-distance race last October.

I'll be using an FTP of 225w to set my power benchmarks, and then re-testing once a month as the season progresses.

So, with a couple of nice weekdays rides in the bag, it was onto the longer stuff on the weekend. Thankfully, the weather was perfect for some long rides in the Cotswold hills.

On Saturday I had one of most enjoyable rides in a long time. Me & a mate rode over to the Malvern hills to take on some on the nice long climbs they have on offer. It was perfect training for the forthcoming sportives with plenty of "lumps" of between 4-8%, with some bigger climbs hitting 10-15%.

I was very pleased with how the ride went, especially the double-digit climbs. Holding a nice cadence and really using the gears I was able to hold a nice, consistent pace throughout the climbs without the heart rate going bananas.

An added bonus was the wonderful water of the Malvern spring waiting for us at the top of the second long climb - it felt like the fountain of youth and well worth the effort to get there.

After the climbs, I really focused on spinning the legs out and was pleased with still being able to hold a good pace and heart rate whilst in the smaller gears.

I really felt the benefit of the spinning post-ride as my legs, whilst tired, felt really light and fresh.

Sundays ride was an easier affair, just the 3 hours at 60-75% effort. The legs felt great and I continued to use the small ring to help maintain the higher cadence and "agreed" power output. With some nice 4-5% lumps and one decent climb hitting 12%, the session was far from boring and continued to help me getting a better understanding of how I can best adjust to challenge of climbing for long periods and distances.

With all the cycling required between now and June, I decided to reign in my swimming ambitions and just use these sessions as active recovery.

I did attempt a run this week but, and don't know whether it was the cycling or still post-Eco Trail "damage", it was very painful. I really struggled to hold any pace and any effort to lift the tempo was very difficult.

I think, for the time being, I'm going to scale my run sessions right back to minimal volume but aim for some higher frequency, ie more shorter runs. Just to help give the legs a change of stimulus but not asking them too many questions as to detract from what i need them to be - which are cyclists legs.

I'll use these shorter sessions to look at my run technique and will look to bring using my Vibrams and Newtons as effectively training-aids.

Anyway guys, not such a short post after all, but as I'm sure you've realised by now, I'm pretty pumped to back on my bike(s) again!

Hope this continues as the miles (and hills) continue to add up.

See you next Sunday.

2010 - The year so far....

2010-04-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Sorry if I've surprised you by dusting off the old blog magic, but I've finally got my act back in order and wished to bring you all up to speed on whats been going on in 'Sparky World'.

I can't believe that my last post was in December 2009. I knew it was a while ago but 3 months?!

So, I thought a Quarter 1 (Q1) summary would be pretty timely and hopefully interesting reading.

2010 is a really exciting year for me, due to the variety of goals, races and adventures I've got lined up.

After being totally focused on Ironman for the last few years, and then achieving that goal (twice) last year, I was keen to achieve some new goals this year. So, with no Ironman on the cards, I've lined up some different goals.

The main goal for Q1 was Eco-Trail de Paris. This is an extraordinary race held on the trails around Paris. I opted to go for the 80km Ultra distance, by far the longest foot race I've ever done.

The run focus really started in November and continued all the way through to the race on 20 March. It was tough to miss out on the swim & bike work, but there was just no way I could have developed the run volume whilst trying to fit in the other disciplines.

Firstly, I signed-up to the Endurance Life Coastal Trail Series event, a great series of trail races held on the south-west coast of the UK. This meant I had a trail marathon booked in for every 4 weeks from December onwards. Due to the off-road nature of these races, its near impossible to get the distance spot-on, so if they're in doubt they go longer!

Two of the three races I did came in at 28 miles, on some seriously challenging terrain. As tough as they were, they were perfect training for Eco-Trail, and knocking out 4 marathons in 10 weeks was a big factor in me hitting the cumulative volume target.

Eco-Trail on 20 March was an experience I'll never forget. It was pretty mind-blowing stuff both during and since the race. I remember when my friend Ian did the race last year, I couldn't comprehend running for 9 hours, it just seemed insane!

So to be lining up at the race this year with an aim to come in at under 10 hours is clearly an indication of my insanity!

I won't bore you with all the details, but in summary, I was really pleased with my race. I held a consistent pace throughout and was pleased with how I managed myself. Of course, it hurt like hell. 5000ft of climbing can do that to your legs.

The finish is on the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower which is just a mind-blowing end to such an incredible experience. Maybe it was because I was so exhausted that it just made the whole experience kind of surreal but I know the memory will live with me for a long, long time.

With my Q1 goal achieved, I took the liberty of booking some much need vacation time and headed up to the Amalfi Coast in Italy. I had a wonderful time in an incredible part of the world. Doing absolutely nothing for 8 days was bliss, which just told me how much I needed the rest, as I'm using raring to go with 3-4 days.

I literally couldn't stay awake for the first few days and it was only the legendary Italian espressos which get me going!

I've got a few more points I'd like to share with you all over the coming days and weeks but will leave here for now as I've already gone on for too long.

Quarter 2 is already lining up to be a corker - so I can't wait to share some more tales and adventures with you all.

I've just to make sure I post more often!

Speak soon,

2009 - Job done

2009-12-13T05:03:00.000-08:00

Surprise!

Its been too long, where have you all been, what have been upto?

Oh, thats right, this my blog and its my job to tell you guys what I've been upto etc, etc.

The fact that I'm sending out my first post in months is indicative of a few things.

Firstly, that I've got a bit of time on my hands. Not loads mind you, but enough to squeeze out a few lines.

Secondly, I've got the mental energy & appetite for wishing to share my thoughts & feelings. This hasn't been the case for a while.

Thirdly, its almost the end of what has been an incredible year for me and I wished to lay out a record (for my own memories) of the last 12 months.

Fourthly, it was a deal I struck with myself during last weekends trail marathon.

So, in fact, this post is more for my own selfish reasons than any 'social' reasons. That in itself is quite apt as that has been the story of the year for me, i.e pursuing my own personal ambitions at the expense of wider social 'benefits'.

Ok, enough rambling, lets get on with it.

2009 was a huge year for me.

I set out at the start of the year with ambitions, goals and dreams. I am immensely proud that all of these have been achieved, met and exceeded.

I have become a multiple Ironman, I have become an ultra runner, I have met and spent time with some great, inspirational like-minded people, turning acquaintances into friends and I have gained the respect of people of whom I respect greatly.

Have I enjoyed myself?

Absolutely.

Has it been challenging?

Very, the sacrifices one has to make can sometimes become too much but the rewards do make them worthwhile.

Highlights?

Becoming an iron-distance athlete at Roth. An amazing experience, an incredible race, memories which will last a lifetime.

Developing a great, new network of friends within the 'endurance community'.

Being in some really low places but keeping going and coming out the other end a better man.

Lowlights?

Not many but there were times when all I wanted to do was ride with my mates but I had to go and do 5 or 6 hours on my own.

Having to miss Neil Young in Hyde Park because I couldn't miss my last big ride pre-Roth.

OK, thats the Q&A over with!

In summary, the most pleasing result for me has been my own personal development in terms of strength of character.

They say sport doesn't build character, it reveals it.

I couldn't agree more. So what have I revealed this year?

I feel I've revealed that I'm a fighter.

Not in the 'Mike Tyson' aggressive, smack it up sense. But in the 'Rocky Balboa' sense, ie I keep getting up and keep going even when I'm hurting more than I can describe in words.

In the past I have been plagued with self-doubt at crucial times. This year I fought through those personal demons & feel a different man for doing so.

I have beaten myself up for being 'a quitter' - not seeing things through to the end. This year, I did see everything through, I didn't quit even when the inner voices were screaming at me to stop or to walk, I didn't. I ran every metre of both of Ironman marathons. That means more to me than than the medal, t-shirt etc.

Never the most naturally talented of sportsman, I do feel that I am making the most of what I have.

That, my friends, is the most fulfilling achievement for me.

Before I go, I do want to send out some thanks to a few people:

Ian - my coach - the man with the plan.

John & Jono - my mates - thanks for the banter.

Clif Bar Dave - supplier of the finest sports nutrition / life-saving fuel on countless occasions.

Eve & Ant @ Skinfit - for supplying the best kit going.

Cheers everyone, I'll aim to post again before the year-end with some musings about 2010 plans.

Best,

Sparky

Catching up

2009-08-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, remember me? I know its been ages since we spoke but I hope we can pick up where we left off....

I'll try and wrap up the last few weeks into a reasonably concise post but can't promise.

In summary (good idea!) its been a solid few weeks. Getting back into consistent training has been great, albeit a shock to the washing machine!

I've been pleased with the training - particularly the bike. My plan for getting to Barcelona was to focus on the bike, developing more power, enabling me to get off the bike in better shape than Roth and therefore able to run closer to my potential. During the week, a fantastic article hit my in-box which summarised perfectly what my thinking is for Barcelona - here you go.

So, one superb bike fit session, some new bars & stem and some consistently decent rides and I'm feeling like its coming together. Ironically, the run hasn't kept up the pace (literally) but I'm confident that with more focus that this will come good.

Swim-wise, its feeling better. The new suit feels good, a session with the swim team helped me get back to focusing on a long, smooth stroke and my times vs. effort in the 50m pool are improving.

In fact, as I've been so "in the moment" and just focusing on hitting the plan, it hasn't really sunk in that I've got my second iron-distance race in only six weeks. This is a total contrast to Roth, where I was literally counting down the days & weeks and correspondingly topping-up the pressure cooker.

My whole attitude to Barcelona is different. I'm seeing it as a great opportunity to test out my development in a non-pressure environment. Roth was all about getting an iron-distance race under my belt, Barcelona is all about enjoying putting my training and training theories to test.

One of those training theories is training with power. I've been doing a lot of reading and speaking to some valid sources about adding power to my training tool-kit. This week I managed to borrow a Powertap from a local bike shop and took it on my Saturday ride. I rode the same course as last week, a pretty tough 57 miles over the North Cotswolds. There is plenty of climbing involved, and this is where I found the power data to be very useful. As I hit the gradients, you could see the numbers shoot up and knowing that I wouldn't be able to sustain that kind of output, I backed off the pedals. Using the gearing to hold the wattage at a sustainable level I climbed in far more-balanced way than my usual "crash & burn" way.

The end result of this was - a) I didn't go pop, ie hit max HR! which enabled b) a far more balanced ride which felt much more comfortable than the previous week and left me in a much better position to be able to run off the bike (if I needed to).

The total ride time was equal to the previous week, but with a lower average HR and definitely a lower RPE, and I was really pleased with how much more "intelligently" I rode.

The next challenge is to figure out how I'm going to be able to afford to buy one - which is a fiscal endurance challenge in itself!

Speak soon amigos,

Sparky

Moving on....

2009-07-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Evening All,

Getting back into the swing of things is the theme of this weeks post, so I thought it apt that I begin by posting back in my regular Monday night spot.

Its now two weeks since Roth and things (i.e. me) do appear to be returning back to normal. The constant tiredness & hunger seem to have subsided, albeit I could always do with a bit more shut-eye.

I'm feeling like I want to train again, although this never really went away, I definitely did prefer the sofa & Le Tour combo over the last couple of weeks. I've had a couple of small swim sessions and a couple of bikes.

I went out on Saturday on the bike with a group of mates and ended up "having a dig" which I later regretted as I wasn't ready for this - not so much the effort but the delayed recovery - my legs are still sore and my cough has returned. Another easy-ish week will help clear all of this away - and then the work begins in August.

With some addtional down-time, I'm pleased that over the last two weeks I've progressed the 'actions' I gave myself post-Roth.

I've booked in a bike-fit appointment as I feel that my current bike position can be improved considerably (see pic above). Obviously, I am riding a road bike so I won't be as aerodynamic as a time-trialist but my current set-up does need improving as I'm currently not in a position to optimize power and also reduce drag.

My current thinking is to improve my position on my road bike as much as possible, without foregoing comfort (to a certain extent), and then look to move onto a TT bike next season. By getting an optimized bike position, using race wheels (Hed Jet 60s) and wearing an aero helmet I will utilizing the biggest aero factors at my disposal.

Obviously, all of this counts for nowt if the body doesn't comply so more time on the bike and more hill reps and harder efforts are on the menu for supporting my bike power development. This will be my key area of focus ahead of Barcelona. Barca is a flat, quick course so it will be important to be able to turn a big gear for a long time without pushing too hard.

I'll let you know how the bike-fit goes and hopefully share some photos of the before & after positions.

The second action was to purchase a pair of the Newton running shoes. For those who may not have heard of these shoes, they are effectively set-up to encourage mid-foot striking, i.e a more efficient & effective foot position. I've been keen to try these out for a while, as I've heard really good things about them but as they take a period of adaptation I had to wait until post-Roth. As I will be building my running back up slowly, now seems the ideal time to get used to the slightly different position. I'm hoping that the period of adaptation is short-lived, as I have shortened my stride length & upped my cadence over the last few months to enable a more efficient running style. I'm interested to see how these Newtons feel & see if they return on the investment.

The third action was to get a new wetsuit. Again, I had been close to doing so before Roth but decided not to risk changing anything. As my body composition has changed quite noticeably over the last 12 and particularly 6 months, my wetsuit had become too large and it subsequently allowed a lot of water to get in the suit. Over the course of a long swim, this totalled a fair weight of water which led to increased fatigue especially around the upper arm & shoulder region.

I went down to the blueseventy swim centre on Sunday and got a new Helix suit. I'm really impressed with this new moel, as it is a lot more flexible, lighter in the arms and obviously a much better fit. I'm confident this will make a difference to both my swim times and effort levels.

The final action was to get hold of The Paleo Diet books. Again, an outstanding action for a while so good to get this ticked-off. Most of you will know my keen interest in the nutritional side of things & this is method & regime I've heard a lot about. Simply put t is the elimination of starchy carbs such as bread, pasta & rice for an increased intake of lean proteins, fruit & veggies. Over the last few months, I have practically eliminated bread from my diet & I have felt (and seen) the benefits in my general energy levels and body composition. Whilst I'm not sure I'll be able to follow the Paleo principles to the letter, I feel there is a lot to be said for reducing starchy carbs as they do cause sluggishness and lethargy. I'm keen to adopt as much as I feel is practical for the Paleo principles.

So, you might have noticed that my 4 key actions covered off each of the 4 disciplines: wetsuit (swim), bike fit (err, thats the bike one), Newtons (run, and finally Paleo (nutrition).

A few other actions I'll be looking to progress moving forward are regular strength & core work (at least twice a week) and focused streching and flexibility sessions (again, twice per week).

Where my head is at currenetly is that I have now built a machine capable of completing an Iron-distance race in a reasonable time, so I now need to start "pimping up the ride" if I am going to start turning a reasonable time into a solid and eventually stellar time.

I'm a huge believer in "continuous improvement" so with one iron-distance race in the bag, we simply move onto improving for the next one.

The question will be whether I have bitten off more than I can chew.....but will have to wait & find out.

Its going to be an interesting few months, hope you're up for the journey....

Speak soon sportsfans,

Stay healthy,

Sparky

Roth Race Report - finally....!

2009-07-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here it is guys, the long awaited (by me anyway!) Roth race report....

Apologies for the delay in sending this out but I wished to wait to I got some race-day pics to include. So, if you're one of my email readers, check out the blog to see the pics.

Ok, so where do I start? The beginning tends to be the best place, so I briefly talk you through the days leading upto the race.

5 of us travelled over on Wednesday & Thursday, driving through France, Belgium, Holland & into Germany. A long day in the car on Thursday got us to the hotel on Thursday evening. The hotel was perfectly located at 10km outside of Roth and about 5km from the swim start.

Up early on Friday for a practice swim at the race start. It was great to get down to the start, getting the buzz from all the other competitors who had the same idea. When I got there, I bumped into Guy from blueseventy which was cool but freaked me out a bit as I had previously met Guy in Switzerland when I DNF'd. Surely, this wasn't a bad omen....

Post-swim & brekkie, we headed over to registration and the Expo (yeehah!) Rego went like a dream, a real contrast to IM Austria according to my mates. The Expo was awesome and had my two favourite brands there in Skinfit & CEP. A pretty disciplined performance (by my own standards) left the plastic in pretty good shape.

A short bike session in the afternoon felt pretty good & introduced me to the unbelievably good German roads. How can you not go well on these roads?

Saturday was set to be a long day with bike & T2 check-in along with the race briefing. Therefore, an early morning bike helped quell any last minute technical doubts. Having a fluent French speaker in the group proved to be a blessing as Lisa could attend the early French-speaking session and brief the group on the key points. This enabled us to have an early dinner and avoid additional travel.

I must admit that the nerves were now at an almost unbearable level. Without consciously thinking about the tension had built up and you could feel the whole group go into their shells. The night before was just horrible, I don't think I slept for more than an hour and it really did leave a blemish on the whole experience.

It was a relief to hear the alarm go off at 3.30am. Just to know that I can know get on with getting rid of this tension. A decided to opt-out of the hotel brekkie and stick to my own regime of having a Clif Bar. In hindsight, I probably should have had more but whether the knot in my stomach would have tolerated it is a different question.

The girls were off in the first wave - so 6.20 - so we needed to be at T1 for 5.30. As my wave didn't go off to 7.35, I had a long time to hang around. Not ideal, but it did give me a chance to settle down and focus.

As you know, the swim start has been an issue for me in the past so I was keen to learn from previous mistakes. The great thing about the multiple wave starts was that the numbers per wave were c.500, so far more tolerable than a 2500 people mass start.

Placing myself towards the back-half of the wave, the cannon fired off and away we went. I had a great start, just accelerating through from below to cruise to above cruise - feeling in control all the way. As I had clear in front of me I was able to settle into my stroke before I caught those who had placed themselves further up the field. A short period of wrestling, gave way to clear-ish water and a huge smile on my face!

The swim is in a canal, with a simple out & back lap. Feeling great about the start, I settled into a cruisey pace - keeping my coach's words about going easy at the forefront of my mind. I was soon passing people, including those from previous waves and everything felt cool.

On the way home, you swim under a major bridge which has about 3000 people on it making a huge amount of noise. This just added to the great buzz I was now feeling whilst trying to keep everything under control.

Getting out of the water, I was a little disappointed to see that my time was 68 mins. I knew I didn't swim hard but thought that it would have been slightly quicker than this. I reassured myself that I didn't work at all so see it as saved energy and still not that bad a time.

A steady T1 (8 mins) sent me out onto the bike. The start of the bike is pretty quick, which really tempts you into go fast straightaway. Looking at my HR within 5 mins on the bike I was shocked to see at 153bpm!! This was purely adrenalin kicking in but I needed to get this down asap.

As much as you read about not going out hard & nstantly telling myself this, it was almost like the course sucks you into going quick. The roads are awesome, some nice sweeping turns and some riders up in front all tease you into wanting to smack it. I didn't go quite that hard but I was going harder than planned. The speed is like a drug, I'm running at 24mph without trying - wow I could have a really quick bike here!

Ok, put the ego away Sparky and just settle down soldier!

The plan was to begin eating aftr 20 minutes, so out came the Clif Bar. This felt good straightaway, as my stomach was crying out for solids. Everything felt great, I was happy that the HR had settled down, the pace was still strong and the course was running well.

Everyone knows the Roth course is quick, which kinda puts pressure on you to go well. I definitely fell into this trap. My mate Jono had talked me into thinking I could go sub-11 hours. I didn't believe it but it did leave a new goal in my mind.

Although quick, the bike is deceptive. Its a real roller and you have to work all the way around. A couple of lumps & one real climb do take their toll, if you try to take them on. I was riding well, surprising myself with my speed and starting to get aspirations of a 5.5 hour bike.

I was sticking to the nutrition plan religiously. Starting on solids via the Clif Bars, moving onto gels via the Clif Blok Shots and then onto sports drink via the Infinit solution. With aid stations every 17km, I was drinking a fair bit of water as well which did begin to give me a funny stomach. I started to bring back up any food or drink I put in. Not all of it, but a couple of mouthfuls. Not good - but at least some nutrition was going in.

Looking back I think this was a combination of an elevated HR, an empty stomach being filled with fluids and then the aero bar position.

Settling down into the 2nd lap of the bike and all felt good. My right hamstring did feel a bit tight & I thought that I could feel cramp coming on but this was just a scare. I was continuing to hold a good pace, looking at sub 5.40 ride.

Then, a couple of things went against me. Firstly, the chain came off when going over one of the lumps. Not a massive delay, but a pain nonetheless. Then along came one of the friendly draft-busters. Being the good boy that I am, I made sure I was not in a drafting position and even sat up and took a drink to make sure. However, this wasn't good enough for Mr Draft Buster who decided to zip up and give me a 8 min penalty - even though there was nobody in front or to the side of me....WTF?!

This really peed me off and having to stand in the box for 8 mins really broke my heart. As all good things come in threes, my chain decided to pop off once again on the way home. All of these contributed to me losing a little heart, and settling for a sub-6 hour bike (which I would have taken before the start) - coming in at 5.56.

Getting into T2 was a real milestone for me, as this had been what I had been dreaming of all year. T2 was really well set up with some super helpful people on hand to help get you out onto the run as quickly as possible. A quick pee break and off I go onto the run...

The legs didn't feel great straightaway, I knew that I'd pay for having a push on the bike. Anyway, I settle into a nice comfortable pace , knocking out 8.15 min miles. The run course is pretty boring, out & back along the canal but I kept reminding myself how great it was to be here.

Pins & needles in my right foot caused me to stop & loosen off the laces and was a welcome break. Food-wise, the stomach wasn't great but the Blok Shots seemed to go down OK.

My pace on the run just started to ebb away, and there was nothing I could do about it. It was tough watching the Garmin edge up over 9 min miles but I had to tell myself that I may get a second wind.

I decided to flow with the course, and run at a pace which the course dictated. There were loads of low points, and re-adjusting of time goals. I had to let the sub 11 hour goal go - as to chase it would have caused me to pop. The next goal became sub 11.5 hours, and this went from being a dead cert to being a close call.

The stomach was now shutting down, with only a nibble on an apple being tolerated. I held off the cola buzz until about 20km, and then proceeded to bring it back up! I figured out that if I went cola then water, then it would stay in. Water then cola would cause me to throw it up. An interesting time to learn such a thing hey?! Getting home regardless of time really did become the priority as everything hurt more than I have ever hurt before.

Getting to 30km was a huge pick me up & it did bring a second wind. I started off going back under 9 min miles and felt pretty good. The last 5km really hurt but i knew I was on the way home. This didn't make it any easier and I can't believe how long those last few k's felt.

To enter into the finishers chute was worth every minute of pain & stress. I've never hurt so much yet been so pumped!

The feeling of crossing the line was unreal and I will hold onto that for a long time.

I met up with my mates and believed my time was 11.34 - so slightly disappointing.

We then went through to get out t-shirts, finishers certificate and grab a shower. When they printed my certificate, it came out with 11.29.44 - I done it, got under 11.5 hours!!

A really weird feeling of emptiness then consumed me. I was in a kind of trance, just going through the motions of showering, trying to eat etc.

The texts & emails made me feel great - it was really touching to see how many people had been keeping track all day.

My immediate post-race feeling was one of disappointment - as I should have run better but I feel that it would be disrespectful to start calling the shots over what time I should have done etc.

Over the following days, it started to sink in that I had achieved my goal. I had become an Ironman. I was buzzing, albeit in a very sore body!

It is a really cheesy to say but the last few months have been an amazing experience and for it all come to a head at such an amazing race at Roth was very, very special.

No-one will ever be able to take this away from me, its all mine!

I've already got loads of plans for developing myself further but I will save these for another post- as I'm sure you feel like this post is an endurance event in itself!

So, I will leave you all by saying a big Thank You to all of you who sent me best wishes and congrats - cheesy I know, but it really does make a difference.

The road doesn't end here, there is plenty more to come....I hope you are ready for more....

Sparky

Roll with it...

2009-06-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Howdee sportsfans!

Yep, I know its Tuesday and not the planned Monday night download but better late than never.....well, I hope you think so.

Last week was a real rollercoaster of good, bad, ups & downs and everything in between.

Tiredness really kicked in last week but I felt fresh when it came to training, in fact I actually felt better whilst training than I did at any other time.

A couple of good swims, including a decent 4k set on Wednesday, and a really pleasing brick session led me into the final big weekend.

I had to try and juggle a few things around, as I had tickets to attend the Neil Young concert in Hyde Park on Saturday, which meant the long bike needed to be done on Friday.....well that was the plan....

With the annual leave booked, all week I had my eye on the weather forecast....it wasn't looking good. Still, needs must so just get out and get it down. Nutrition plan was down, start on solids (my trusty Clif Bars) move onto the energy drink (Infinit - 4 scoops) and bring in the Clif Blok Shots as necessary.

Fully loaded up, kit all working like a dream, legs feeling great I settled into my pacing strategy straight off the bat. An hour in and I was thinking how great I felt, then.....the sky emptied...and I mean emptied.....I plugged on but it got to the point of being bloody suicidal....I think it was when a tree branch came towards me in the stream pouring down the road!

I managed to take shelter under the skinniest tree in the Cotswolds, 20 minutes later I am freezing, shaking and turning blue. After much deliberation, a phone call to my buddy and a left home was sorted.

OK, so best laid plans are out of the window. Not a happy Sparky.

So what did this leave me with?

With a 2 hour run to be done, I decided to get this done later on the Friday. I went out, legs didn't feel great and my low mood (after bailing the bike) left me with a really unenjoyable run. However, the run was done at IM-pace (8.35 min/mile) without any dramas.

A short swim on Saturday and then a day of rest. This was pretty tough. My mates were out on the bikes, Neil Young was in Hyde Park and I was sat at home.....mmm, not an easy one to swallow.

However, this did get me pumped up for the long ride on Sunday. I got out on the road for 7am and it was already warming up.

The ride went really well, a nice comfortable pace especially as it did really heat up and everything felt pretty good. A bit of stiffness in the back but guess thats to be expected. A quick stop to take on-board some more water was a wise move as I started to feel pretty wiped after almost 3 hours.

Getting the hydration sorted made the world of difference and the nutrition planned worked well. Although taking on-board so much fluid did start to give me that bloated feeling on the way home but nothing to worry about.

So, six hours got done. This was a big weight off my shoulders as it had been playing on my mind. I got off the bike and felt really good. The last 30 minutes were really cruisey as my route came up a bit short so I needed to keep adding on some smaller parts which took me into the middle of Cheltenham and the heavy traffic.

Still, all things considered, I was really pleased with how I felt at the end of the ride. Definitely, the best I have felt after the 5 hour plus rides.

This left me feeling really pleased to have got to the end of the big weeks feeling like I've achieved all of the key sessions. Long bikes, big bricks and solid runs have all been done.

I'm feeling pretty good. The body is holding up. Roth is less than two weeks away now so its into the taper.

I've got a IM-distance open-water swim race on Sunday at which I wish to get a good start executed. This will help close down my demon from Bala. I need to get this sorted so I can approach Roth feeling confident about the swim.

I'll let you know how it all goes and my final thoughts before Roth in next weeks post.

Have great weeks, train well, stay healthy....

Sparky

Fueling the engine

2009-06-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yo, here we are back on the Monday night schedule.

As my last post was super-tardy & only a few days ago, I should be able to let you off lightly with a smaller post this evening.

Following a pretty big week which included the seven-hour brick and then Bala, I had a pretty quiet week. Rest has been the priority, and loads of sleep has been greatly appreciated. My left calve has caused me some concern as I have felt it all week. I'm confident that this is just tightness in the hamstrings and back - and not a specific injury.

So last week saw a couple of decent swims, including a solid 4 x 1k set, lead into a nice weekend. A sound 3.5 hour bike and 30 min run on Saturday took a while to get going but once the cobwebs disappeared I felt pretty good. It felt good to get back on the bike & I felt pretty good whilst down on the bars. Legs did feel pretty heavy during the run and I started to feel the left calve a little bit.

Sundays 90 min run wasn't the most enjoyable session ever. I just felt pretty flat, almost bored, and the legs did feel like cement. The left calve wasn't too bad. I'm now wearing my CEP Compression Socks on all of my long runs and these really helped get me through the session. At the end of the run, my clave really started to become painful but then the pain disappeared & today my legs feel pretty good.

I've gone for a good stretching session at the gym tonight. This was really long over-due but it did feel good to take the time out to focus on loosing up the hips & glutes in particular. I'll be doing more of this over the next few weeks.

With less than 3 weeks to go, rest & recovery are the order of the day. I've got a couple of solid sessions this week, including my last big bike and the last long run. It will be good to get these done & dusted.

Loads of sleep, stretching and super-healthy eating will be even more important in these last crucial weeks.

Diet-wise, as you know, I've started using Neovite (the colostrum powder) and I'd like to think that it is proving beneficial. On the wider diet, I've been adopting a lot of the theory behind the Paleo Diet, which isn't too dissimilar to the Thrive Diet I've mentioned before.

Basically, loads of fruit & veggies combined with lean protein at every meal. Nuts & seeds are good snacks and a reduction in starchy carbs are the key pillars. I must admit that reducing, almost eliminating, starchy carbs has made a massive difference to the way I feel.

I'm feeling less sluggish, less mood swings and a lot less bloated. Overall, I feel far more healthy and optimised.

So, there we are. An increased focus on rest and recovery, combined with some decent efforts will be the plan leading into Roth.

I can't believe I'm actually talking about "leading into Roth" but I am & its very real.

Exciting times hey?!

See you in seven,

Be healthy,

Sparky

Getting up to speed....

2009-06-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

"It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you, without a dope beat to step to".....

Thats my way of apologising for my poor performance in the weekly posting stakes.

Believe me when I say I have had every intention of keeping you guys upto date with whats been happening in Sparky-world, but time is just at such a premium that it has just kept slipping.

With so much to recall, I think I'll just present the highlights:

Went through a low spell - after a missed weekend ride (due to torrential rain) - which just led to the mojo going missing for a few days.....

.....mojo returned following an awesome midweek session which really gave me an injection of endomorphins & renewed confidence....

....a satisfying Middle Distance performance at Bala, proving a great pre-Roth practice with all key variables passing with flying colours. Just leaving the self-controlled factors to get sorted....

Ok, so what does that mean?

The big mid-week session (2k swim, 5 hour bike, 45 min run) really did the trick in terms of restoring some much needed mojo. A combination of tiredness and a missed weekend ride had led to me experiencing a real downer for the first time.

You know the feeling when you just feel like quitting & you beat yourself up for feeling that way? No? Just me then, but it was just fatigue catching up with me combined with some rubbish weather, all led to the self pitying mood.

A good session snapped me out of this & got me back in the game - ready for my final pre-Roth race. Bala is a legendary Middle Distance race and the whole event, course and atmosphere didn't disappoint - I'll definitely look to do this race again.

I won't bore you with all the detail - as I'm keen to cover off a few other things - but needless to say that the final result does hide over a few things I need to sort ahead of Roth. I came home in 5.04 - which I would have taken beforehand but I can't help but think that there was a sub-5 hour there for the taking - but my own stupidity cost me at least 10 mins.

There were some huge positives: a really great run off the bike on a super tough course (smacking at 1.28 for 20k), the nutrition worked like a dream and all of the kit was superb.

The run was awesome. Again, I'll save the details but will just leave you with the thought of Crowie & Macca running down the uber-bikers.....it was an awesome feeling and left me pumped up for ages.

Nutrition-wise, my plan worked really well. I decided not go with any solids throughout the race. Instead, I loaded up my two bottles with one bottle of Infinit (4 scoops) and one of water & Nuun. I then used Clif Bar Bloks to provide additional calories. The Bloks are great as they digest really easily, taste great and provide a great injection of fuel.

I carried the Bloks with me on the run, as you can take them without water, and then used the water stations to flush them into the system. They worked perfectly and I really believe it was the combo of the Blok Shots and the 4 scoops of Infinit which gave me the energy to smack out the run.

Kit-wise, I was really happy. I decided to go with the tri-shorts & cycling top combo. The great thing about the Skinfit Aero Cycling Top is that (1) it has loads of pockets for nutrition and bike equipment and (2) its light enough that you can run in it.

I also wore my CEP Compression Socks on the run. I had planned to bike in them to but a flustered T1 led me to leave them off. I really felt the benefit of the socks on the run & definitely feel the enabled me to avoid cramp in my tight left calf. I will be wearing these on both the bike & run in Roth. Oh, they also look awesome - long white socks offsetting my black tri-shorts, white cycling top & white Clif Bar marathon cap. Very European, don't you think?!!

The biggest disappointment of the day was my swim. For some reason (I'm still not sure what happened) I ended up towards the front of the start-line. I then proceeded to go off like a bloody rocket for 300m, telling myself how great I felt and then all of sudden I went POP! I'm talking seriously blowing-up here....what an idiot!

After 5 minutes of breaststroke/backstroke I settled back into some semblance of normality & proceeded to swim pretty well. Combining this foolishness with a fumbling T1 didn't give me the best of starts to the day.

I've got an open-water IM-distance swim on the 5th July (week before Roth) so will put this right then and go to Roth with no negative thoughts. Transitions will also be slicker by then as well.

The bike was pleasing as I went out & held a nice IM pace. On a "lumpy" course I rode a 2.45 82km. I never felt like I was really blowing & HR never got above 85%. The new race wheels went (& looked) like a dream - definitely making a positive difference.

So, all in all, not a bad weeks work. Backing up the Big Wednesday with a decent race was really pleasing. My focus is now on balancing out recovery with some solid sessions. With only 3 weeks to go - I have a few key sessions to hit so don't want to ease off but still need to ensure that the fatigue is sensibly managed.

The Neovite colostrum is proving a great buy - as Im feeling pretty good post-sessions and feel like I'm able to back up the key sessions. A tight left calve is my only slight injury worry.

So...there you go....you're now bang upto speed.

See you in 5 or so days chaps,

Train hard, train smart....and sleep a lot.

Sparky

Sunny side of life....

2009-06-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

Yeehah, the sun is out baby!

Isn't the summer wonderful? Life just seems so much better when the sun is shining.

As for me & my journey on the 'Road to Roth', things are pretty sunny as well.

This week has been really enjoyable on more than one front, giving me a lot of confidence and renewed vigour to take forward into the crucial final weeks.

After a decent block of some solid days, including an Oly-distance race and a 20-mile run session, I felt pretty darn shattered at the start of last week. I mean not just physically shattered but struggling to keep my eyes open shattered. There was nothing in the tank at all.

A wetsuit swim on Wednesday indicated that I hadn't recovered from the previous 7 days or so, therefore some much needed rest was taken ahead of focusing on being ready for a quality weekend of training.

I put the rest-time to really good use, in terms of supplementary prep for Roth. The aero-bars were fitted, as was the behind-the-saddle bottle cage. New bike shoes were ordered & received along with an awesome kit bag from blueseventy.

The kit bag is their transition bag, which I spotted at the Little Beaver. Its a really impressive piece of kit and can easily handle all of my race day kit. I always like to take-away some learnings from others at races and this is one of the better ones. Knowing I have a plan for race morning for my kit etc, is another brick in 'peace of mind' wall.

I've got a lot of time for blueseventy as a brand. I also wear their Helix wetsuit plus a few other products & have always found them spot-on. Wetsuits are a really subjective piece of kit, with some many brands out there, but I would always recommend blueseventy. With so many pros wearing the Helix and their skinsuits, I take this as a glowing endorsement of their quality & performance.

Anyway, I digress....

So, like I was saying, getting a few more pieces of kit in place ahead of Bala and then Roth has helped with the whole confidence and peace of mind piece.

Now, onto the training.

Saturday was an awesome day with great weather, a great venue and a really great session.

An early morning open-water swim was a great start. I swam for 2 x 30 mins continuously and felt really comfortable. I covered over Ironman-distance and the heart-rate never got above 78 bpm - so super easy. The arms & shoulders are now getting used to the wettie and the stroke feels far more natural. One key take-out was that everything feels more comfortable when I don't wear a tri-top underneath the wettie. Therefore, I'll now be leaving the tri-top in T1.

Ok, so after the swim and some chit-chat over coffee in the sun, I headed out for a 4 hour bike. The bike was now loaded up with 4 water bottles, plus the new aero bars, so the increased weight & handling needed practicing.

After a nervous start, I settled down nicely onto the bars and really started to feel the benefit of the more forward position. I felt really strong, was turning a bigger gear for less effort and the stats were all on the "sunny side". In fact, I would go as far to say that this felt like my most complete bike session ever.

Nutrition-wise, I continued to use the impressive Clif-Shot Bloks as my solids and the Infinit Long-Course Formula as my fluid source of calories. The rear two bottles containing water & Nuun. The Bloks were perfect for the hotter conditions, as they're quite refreshing and don't leave the sickly feeling in the mouth. The Infinit formula is really working well. I'm using the Lemon & Lime flavour and it is just right & not OTT.

OK, so a great bike just left a 50 minute run. A well-paced "transition" and off I went for multiple laps of the water park lake I swam in earlier. The legs set off at their own pace for the first few minutes but soon settled down. I was really pleased with how comfortable a solidly-paced 6.5 miles felt. No dramas, everything felt under control, especially when using the car as a water-station to keep the hydration levels topped up.

After finishing the run, a quick dip in the lake to help the legs cool down wrapped up a great days work.

Sunday brought "just" a 2 hour endurance run. Again, all went well with a comfortable 8.5 min/mile pace not taking my HR above 135 bpm (so, very comfortable). A pain in my left calf did ease off after 30 minutes or so, only to return towards the end. Ended up being pretty painful, so a physio is booked in for Friday. I'm not too concernedd, as I think this is caused by some lower back tightness after the more aero-bike session on Saturday.

So, there you go....a really pleasing week. Accepting that it is OK to be tired but not wishing to put myself in too deep a hole, the focus will be hitting the key, quality sessions. Bala is in 11 days time, so I'll be ensuring rest is balanced with quality efforts.

All in all, the world is a happy, sunny place.

Heres to more of the same for the foreseeable future.

See you next week,

Sparky

Horses for courses

2009-05-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

Yo,

Can't believe that another Monday evening is already upon us but in the spirit of the moment - lets get on with it....

I'm pleased to say that another great week of training is safely under the belt, as is my first race of the season.

The recent trend of hitting the key sessions continues with several new milestones being hit along the way.

The stand-outs for me were:

My longest bike session ever
My first Olympic-distance tri
Backing up racing with two stellar days of biking and bricks

The longest bike session was a 5.5 hour session on Wednesday. Everything went well and felt great, apart from running out of fluid for the last hour. I was really pleased with the pace, feeding and cadence metrics. Funnily enough, this session seemed "easier" than the 3.5 hour rain & wind-soaked session last Saturday. Conditions were perfect, the roads and routes a nice mix of lumps, bumps and rollers. The last 60 mins were a bit of a slog (especially as I took a wrong turn - adding on an extra 5 miles!!) but overall I was really pleased.

Saturdays race was my first at the Olympic-distance. Again, everything went to plan. The plan being to race at the pace I've trained at, ie Middle Distance and beyond. I was a little disappointed with the swim, as I just switched on auto-pilot and settled into my middle-distance pace. I would have liked to have tested out going a little harder, as I feel confident that a strong swim is within my capability.

The most promising take-out from the race was that I felt stronger throughout each of the disciplines - so the swim was getting quicker, the bike stronger and the run quicker as I made my way through the distances. On the run I felt better than I have before in any race - so another pleasing sign.

It was a day of mixed emotions, as part of me felt quite "poor" as I am obviously a lot slower than the guys who specialise at this distance - and its never nice to be beaten so badly by others. However, I just kept telling myself that this was a 'C' race for me - and Bala will be a far better indicator of my standard.

That being said, I am perfectly aware of my limitations as a competitive triathlete. I am still new to this sport and I conscious that i don't want to fall into the trap of setting un-realistic expectations or pressures on myself. I am not a naturally gifted triathlete, but I do have a very strong work ethic and a desire to continue to develop myself. I believe these talents will lead me to develop into a respectable athlete over a period of years.

I actually enjoy the lifestyle, the culture and the benefits it brings to my physical & mental health, more than the rewards of racing competitively. Good job really, as I would be a very poor pro!!

Finally, being able to back up Saturdays race with a 2 hour bike on Sunday and then a 3.5 hour run/bike/run session today has left me feeling content with my level of progress, development and performance at this stage of my plan.

Its now only 6 weeks to Roth, so it really is crunch time.

The great thing about having a plan, is having faith in the plan and believing that if I hit the plan then I'll be in a position to execute a good day.

Right now brothers, I have the faith and the belief!

Lets keep the faith together, amen!

See you in seven,

Rev. Sparky

One step forwards, two steps sideways...

2009-05-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

Yeehah, here we go again!!

Let's get straight into it this week guys, as I'm on the clock once again. As well as the physical development this long-course work brings on, its also helping refine my time-management skills. Every minute is precious....

Last week really was a random mix of good, bad and definitely ugly.

Do you remember me saying how the week before last was one of my best ever?

How I hit every session as planned, and how great I was feeling?

Well, last week was none of the above!

The week started off slow, with a mixture of work & fatigue resulting in no training on Monday or Tuesday. However, I did have a great day in London on Tuesday, buzzing around the big smoke at 100mph. The combo of a super early start, long train journeys and the brain working overtime, really took its toll. I was shattered.

So, bring on Wednesday. A 3 hour BRICK was the plan. I hit the session, smack bang on plan. The numbers looked good, I felt strong and was really pleased with how well the session went. The two days off clearly helped.

I backed up this encouraging session with a strong swim on Thursday morning, knocking out a total of 4.1k, and feeling good about it. This did empty the tank, so with the fatigue, the torrential rain and working late I decided to miss Thursdays planned track session.

A 60 minute Friday night spin on the bike, set me up for what was going to be a big weekend. If only it would all go to plan....

Saturday morning saw me make my 2009 open water debut. I was super pleased with how this 30 minute continuous swim went. The wetsuit felt great, my technique decent and my pace was comfortably strong. One key take-out was the tiredness in my arms (due to the wettie) but I'm guessing more time in the suit will help overcome this.

So, off to good start....then came the beating!

The plan said 4.5 hours bike. I managed 3.5 hours of sheer hell. The skies emptied (several times!), the winds howled and there was even bloody hail stones!

I must admit that I really did not want to be out there. However, after much soul-searching I pushed on until I could literally go know more. Those 3.5 hours were far tougher than a lot of longer rides I have done.

There was a 50 min run off the bike planned but the lack of feeling in my feet, made me decide to bag this.

After the session, I wished to incorporate as many of the recovery points Alan Couzens (AC) made in a great article on recovery which I read during the week. So standing in a freezing lake, already freezing cold, I was really looking forward to Sundays 3 hour run, bike, run!

Once again, I was determined to hit the planned session but yet again the weather decided to take the piss. I hit the first run back on plan, a good balance of pace & effort. The legs felt like hell for the first 15 mins but grew stronger as the run went on.

So run out of the way, I jump straight onto the bike for 60 mins, only to be met by Hurricane Hughes! Stone me, it hammered it down! Torrential wind and rain were my opponents, and I'd like to call it a score-draw.

However, there was no way I was going back out for the second run. The fact that I couldn't stop shaking sort of made my mind up for me on this!

So, all in all a week & weekend in particular of mixed emotions but the over-arching emotion is frustration. Frustration in the sense that "should I have battled on even more regardless of the weather, am I am soft-ass for quitting?" and one of "if only the weather was better, because I'm performing really well".

Upon a lot of reflection, I feel pretty pleased that I got done what I got done. In years gone by, I would not have even got out of my front door. During both sessions, I really wanted to quit and didn't. Ok, I didn't get all of the session done but what I did get done was good quality and all things considered worth more than the equivalent in easy conditions.

I'm working hard on staying positive, so I am putting this down as improved mental fortitude. I know now that I am stronger not only physically but mentally.

This week sees some more key sessions, including a long mid-week bike and my first Olympic-distance tri on Saturday.

With a couple of new additions to my daily diet, sports nutrition and bike set-up I'm keen to see how things go in a race situation.

The new addition to my daily diet in colostrum. I've been to trial this out for ages, so was pleased to start including this protein source into my morning & evening smoothies. I've been using the neovite product, and early days but all seems good so far.

Sports nutrition-wise, I've finally found an on-bike drink that I'm happy with. I've started using the infinit long-course formula. Its got just under 300 cals per bottle which is perfect for what I wish to consume per hour.

Then the new additions to the bike are aero-bars & xlab behind-the-saddle bottle cages. I'm looking to get these fitted this week so will let you know how both of these go. I haven't been a fan of aero bars in the past but appreciate the advantage they can bring over the long-course distance, so will look to adjust to them over the next few weeks. I'll aim to execute well at Bala in mid-June, so the next couple of weeks will be about adopting the new position.

Well, theres heaps going on hey?!

Incidentally, have you guys seen the new Challenge race in Copenhagen? This is planned for 2010 and looks awesome. I'm a huge fan of the Challenge brand, and am looking forward to experience the Challenge atmosphere at Roth & Barcelona this year.

Copenhagen looks & sounds an amazing place to hold a long-course race, so I am already pencilling this one into the 2010 diary. I must admit the thought of all of those super-fit Danish chicks does add an extra element to the whole experience!

Hey, if you don't have a dream, then how are you going to have a dream come true!

See you seven dudes

Sparky

Money in the bank...

2009-05-11T10:53:00.000-07:00

G'day folks,

Is it really seven days since we last met like this?

Time is flying past at the moment, there are simply not enough hours in the day. Don't they say "time flies when you're having fun"? Well, I'm definitely having fun thats for sure!

I'm loving, yes loving, the training at the moment. I hasten to add that this is "at the moment" as things are starting to hot-up which will be putting me in a place I've never been before so we'll have to see what happens....

Last week felt like my best week yet. Every session was hit, bang on plan. Every session felt good, the goals and structure of the session were met and I left every session feeling like I'd taken a step forward.

A couple of key stand-outs were Wednesday's BRICK session and Sunday's long run.

The BRICK session was split 1:45 bike / 45 min run so not huge but a decent start to the BRICK sessions. A solid bike was finished with a nice run. I was pleased with how everything felt, ie under control and the stats supported this with the HR & pace well under control.

Sunday's long run was pleasing as it was at the end of solid week. The 2 hour run felt great, I held a really comfortable pace and the HR never crept above 131bpm (apart from when Bruce Springsteen ' Born to Run' came on the iPod - works everytime!)

I genuinely felt in complete control of the pace, HR and overall feel of the run. It was a lovely morning, running along my favourite trail with a big smile on my face. Its those moments which really make me realise how fortunate I am to have my health & fitness and how I plan to keep it that way for a long time.

Nutrition-wise, I had a result on the run. I took out a pack of Clif Bar Blok Shots and ate 3 of these at the 45 & 90 minute markers. The great thing about the Blok Shots is that they dissolve nicely in the mouth and don't really require any water to wash them down with. Therefore, super convenient and also great tasting and kinda refreshing. ProBikeKit have currently got a buy one, get one free offer on - I'd really recommend taking advantage - just leave some for me!

I had an interesting swim session on Thursday, Coach Kev brought along the video camera so we shot some footage. I took out a few killer points from my analysis.

Firstly, sort those bloody legs out! My body position in the water is shocking. If I can get my legs lifted - so my head, butt and ankles are all level - I could really get moving. Easier said than done but good to know what to focus on.

The second point was my right arm catch. Unbeknown to me, the right arm (my breathing side) is catching and pulling at a slight inward angle, ie under my body. I used to have a really pronounced issue with this on my left side - but this has been corrected and looks a lot better. So, I just need to focus back on the right hand side and should be able to sort this out quite quickly.

So all in all, I'm pretty pleased with my progress to date. I've got a couple of BIG weeks ahead. I'll be lifting my weekly volume from 15.5 hours upto 20 hours. This uplift will mostly becoming from some huge weekend volumes.

Its now really starting to sink in, this is when the serious work begins....this will separate the men from the boys...

So on that note, I'm off to bed to get in as much sleep as I can. Sod's law that I've got to be in London for 9am tomorrow......

Have great weeks, I'll get back to you in seven....

Sparky

What a ride, what a ride...

2009-05-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

Now this is a rare luxury, an early evening post....praise the Lord for Bank Holidays!

Its been a great week here in Sparky-land, the training has been going well, the nutrition is coming along nicely and I'm really pleased with a few other bits & pieces. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good with things....

This week has seen a return to some solid sessions and decent volume. The weekly plan totaled 18.5 hours, so pretty juicy. I managed to hit 15.5 hours, so although disappointed not to meet all of the sessions, I am pleased with the quality of what I did deliver and the overall balance, consistency and recovery from the sessions.

Swimming is returning to its previously strong form, after a slight drop over the last few weeks (due to this annoying chest infection). The stroke is feeling longer, balanced and more consistent. The balance between pace & effort is returning to the 1:32/100m cruise. Thursdays session was a beauty of 40 x 100ms, off 1:50 swim & rest. This was just my cup of tea, as I love the longer, more focused sets.

I'm really, really pleased with how the bike is developing, although I did miss Thursdays 2 hour 'easy ride' - due to bad weather, tiredness and work - not a good combo!

However, I did get in two really good sessions, both involving some strong hill work. Wednesday's 90 minutes undulating ride saw me take on the legendary Cleeve Hill (the highest point in the Cotswolds). Its a cracking climb, with took me all the way into the red zone, but the winding descent was well worth it. My descending is rubbish, so this was much needed practice. If I can improve my descending, my Roth experience will be greatly enhanced.

Saturdays ride was a beast, equalling 4 hours of pain! My mates wanted a "lumpy" ride, so we hit some of the biggest climbs around, including an epic 25% climb! As managing my HR is key, I did (willingly) get off the bike and walk to the summit!

It was a super tough route, but I was really pleased with how I managed to keep both the HR and cadence within my target zones. it definitely made me feel like I was in control of the session.

A slight disappointment was the nutrition. My plan is to eat 150 cals every 30 minutes. The climbs knocked this out of sync, and the effort levels meant I was drinking more than eating.

Once again, I was using the Clif Bar and Clif Blok Shots, which are proving a God-send. In fact, they're proving too bloody good as I'm ending up sharing them with my mates who have turned into "admirers" of the bars as well. It was like "seven loaves & seven fishes" at one point!

All of this good-will left me out of food & drink with about 45 mins left, so not too bad but I would have liked to have got this spot-on.

So after a tough bike on Saturday, I was pleased to get out & hit my 110 min run on Sunday. Looking to hit a slower than marathon-pace, I was pleased with both the legs and the "engine". Everything felt really comfortable, as it also did on this mornings run.

Overall, I'm feeling strong, enjoying the training, loving the lifestyle....living the dream bro'!

.....but a good massage wouldn't go amiss!!

Cheers ya'll, see you in seven,

Sparky

Its all in the numbers...

2009-04-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

Yo amigos,

Now, I know I say this every week but I really am going to keep this weeks post a short one.

One of the reasons is that last week was a recovery week, so reduced volume, covering a total of 10 hours.

Do I feel better following a lower volume week? Actually, I do. I didn't feel great during the week, my legs felt like cement all week, but following a strong weekend & a nice run tonight, I'm feeling pretty good and importantly really motivated for the next couple of weeks.

The highlight of last weeks training was the weekend. A quiet week picked up on Saturday with a good swim session in the morning, totaling 3.6k, followed by a good 3 hour bike in really gusty conditions. Sunday was a pleasant 60 min run.

The key take-out on Saturdays bike was some new data I now have access to. I managed to fit a speed & cadence sensor onto my new ride, which works with my Garmin 305 Forerunner. An impressive piece of kit which can be tailored to provide loads of good data for run, bike and a cool multi-sport function which will be perfect for brick sessions.

Anyways, the key piece of data was being able to see what my average cadence was. The was a surprisingly low 68 rpm. Ideally, I should be around the 80-90 rpm mark. I didn't have access to the cadence data during the ride (I couldn't get the bloody thing to work!) but I was aware that I was pushing a bigger gear than usual - due to pushing against the relentless wind. However, it was a shock to see the low average cadence. This will be something for me to improve quickly over the coming weeks.

Keeping on the data theme, I've started using the TrainingPeaks software to record my data. Its a pretty impressive package, especially as its free. I'm still learning how to get the most out of it, but I'm happy with what I'm able to do so far. If you're looking for a convenient, simple training log - its well worth checking out.

I must sound like a data geek, but (please!) believe me when I say I'm not. However, I am finding that knowing more about my training and the key performance indicators is proving very useful. I feel like I have an improved understanding of my body & engine. Knowledge is the bomb!

Ok, just before I go, I wish to send out a massive well-done to all of those who did the London marathon yesterday. A special mention to Ben who completed his first marathon in 2:41 - wow! Also, a notable mention to Eve Roberts & Amy Jones on great performances.

Thats it, I told it was a short one....I'm off to analyze some more data....

Have great weeks sportsfans, see you in seven.

Sparky

Putting the blocks in place...

2009-04-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

G'day sportsfans,

and what a beautiful day it has been, it never fails to amaze me how much a difference great weather makes to how everyone feels.....the world is better a place when the sun is shining!

Keeping with the cheery vibe, its been a great week of decent training and an even better recovery week is on the way!

I mentioned last week about the chesty cough & congestion i've been struggling to get rid of, well it seems to be clearing but I am still experiencing some congestion upon raising my intensity levels. Therefore, this last week I decided to step off the running and look to manage the HR. This has definitely helped move things along, although ideally I wouldn't have missed my run sessions, I'm not concerned as my legs were pretty well battered anyways!

My swimming has picked up this week, back to previous quality levels, and we have been hitting some strong volumes - smacking out 4.2k on both Tuesday & Thursday - with some big sets within the session. I really enjoy the bigger sets as they allow me to settle into holding a consistent pace for a longer period whilst maintaining focus. I must admit to practicing race simulation during these sets, imagining myself leading the pack at Kona for example!

The bike was my key focus this week, especially with no runs, so I was pleased to hit every session as per my plan. With Saturdays bike session being my key goal for the week, it was important I stuck to the planned weekly sessions, hitting target HR and efforts, which I did. I have found this discipline difficult in the past, so I am taking this as a good sign of both mental & physical progress.

That discipline was actually my key goal to take into Saturdays long bike. Given that my chest still isn't 100%, it was vital that I kept my HR under control but not lose any benefit by backing off too much. I was really pleased with how the ride went, it wasn't an easy route nor easy conditions with a strong headwind turning into a cross-wind on the way home (explain that one to me?!) So I held the effort levels bang on plan and the HR stuck to where I would expect to see it for those levels of effort.

Another factor which I wished to step up my discipline on was my on-bike nutrition. I was chatting to a multiple-Ironman friend during the week and his key piece of advice was to make sure I get my nutrition dialled-in. Now, I've read this and heard it many times before but must admit to being poor at implementing this discipline in the past.

So, I gave myself the target of consuming 300 cals per hour during the ride. I ate every 30 mins and drank every 15 mins. This made a world of difference to how I felt throughout the ride, although still hurting (due to the effort levels), I never felt weak or depleted and it also gave me a sense of "being in control".

I was really pleased with the nutrition I used. I rotated my foods between Clif Bars and Clif Blok Shots. Both of these equal 300 cals, so I would take half a pack of each every 30 mins. This helped break up any monotony of eating the same thing time & time again. The bars were great, really tasty, easy to digest and didn't sit heavy in the stomach. The Shot Bloks were my alternative to gels, as they are a far healthy option and much more palatable. They are like little jelly cubes, so are really easy to consume and again do not cause any digestive distress, which I have incurred when using lots of gels in the past.

If you are looking for a healthy, organic nutrition option I'd really recommend checking out both the Clif Bars & Clif Shot Bloks. They're available via lots of online retailers, in loads of really tasty flavours, including an awesome Chocolate Chip flavour!

Ok, enough eulogizing about nutrition products (hey, I enjoy it!) and back to whats ahead this week.

A decent week of R&R is the plan. After my first 3 weeks of strong volume, I'm looking forward to allowing the mind & body to absorb the good work which has gone on. Knowing this in the plan gives me comfort that this is helping me progress & prepare for the weeks ahead.

Well, I thought this would be a short post tonight but I've ended up spewing out loads!

Just before I go, I wished to give out shout to my buddies Jono & Loz, who tied the knot over in Sydney on Saturday. Congratulations guys! Can't wait to catch up when you're back on these sunny shores.

Have great weeks guys, enjoy the sunshine, keep healthy & happy.

Sparky

Swings and roundabouts...

2009-04-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

G'day folks,

Happy Easter to y'all....

Looks like Monday is going to be the new Sunday when it comes to me posting my weekly news. Obviously, with it be Easter and a nice long weekend, I took the opportunity to go back to the mother-land and spend some time with my folks (and the local trails).

I've had a strange week, being both frustrating and weirdly satisfying. Let me explain...

I've been battling a cold all week, which has seen me have a horrendous cough and a frustratingly consistent sneeze. I haven't felt that bad, just increasingly tired due to the reduction in sleep caused by mid-sleep coughing fits.

The above ailments have seen me take a reduction in training volume & intensity, but I've looked to hold the consistency, as I find that no training often makes me feel worse. In fact, I've actually felt better whilst training. Although, Kleenex could have done a roaring trade if they had been available on my long runs!

I've kept my thrice weekly swim sessions, hitting some decent volumes of 3.9k, 4.3k and 4.0k respectively. I didn't feel on top form but was pleased to have held decent enough technique and strength throughout the sessions.

All the bike sessions were met, including an indoor bike session which was a tough challenge, looking to hit 140-150bpm intervals, but I was pleased to hold to those stats and the legs definitely felt the benefit. Saturdays 'long' ride was cut short to just 2 hours, as I really felt empty after the morning swim and general lethargy I spoke about earlier.

I did have to miss a couple of runs, on Monday and Thursday. Mondays was due to tiredness after Sundays MTB ride and Thursday I felt at my worst, when rest was definitely the better option. There was a short hill session on Wednesday, which did take the HR into the hurt zone but will prove a good benchmark for later sessions.

However, I was really pleased to get out on my hometown trails on Sunday and turn in a decent longer run - at just under 100 mins. The legs felt great, with a good cadence and stride length. I feel this is the reward of the higher intensity work I mentioned last week.

So, two weeks into the plan and I'm feeling pretty good. I'm looking to bust through this cold with a strong, consistent week of solid training. I then have a recovery week so it will be good to finish off on a strong note. I'll let you know how it goes.

Just before I go, I'd like to give a shout out to my mate Ben. Ben is running at London next Sunday, making his marathon debut and aiming to come in under 2:45. Ben, sorry I missed you this weekend but have a great race and I'm looking forward to hearing how you smashed those 6:06 minute miles!

See you next week guys,

Sparky

One week down....

2009-04-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

Evening All,

Yet again, I failed to meet my Sunday evening deadline, no excuses other than I was running late, shattered, couldn't be bothered and just wanted to get to bed!

Last week was the first week of my Roth plan. I was really pleased with how it went. There was good consistency to my sessions, good recovery and motivation was high.

My run sessions are seeing me looking to hold my pace at just above Lactate Threshold (LT) - which for me is 141bpm. So I'm either looking to structure the session around holding 145bpm for a long period or hitting a higher HR (153bpm) for shorter, repeat periods.

After focusing my running on holding good pace for a longer & longer period - as marathons have been my goal races - it has been "interesting" to look to increase the pace & hold it for different lengths of time. I must admit going upto 153bpm for 12 mins, 4 times, was a challenging but productive session.

Strangely, a cross-over benefit from my structured swim sessions is the concept of pacing. Coach Kev has us working off our cruise pace (1.32/100m) so I've grown more accustomed to tweaking the pace in relation to this base. When out on the road on Saturday, it looked like 145bpm was equalling 7:13 min miles. It will be interesting to see how this changes over the coming weeks.

Before I leave the running, another amendment to my "traditional" approach has been the adoption of lighter-weight shoes. I read a really interesting article in Triathlete magazine which basically laid out that most running shoes have far more cushioning than what we actually require. I've started to slowly introduce lighter-weight runners into my training and have found this to be a beneficial change with no side effects. I've taken this a positive indication that both my running technique & overall body composition has improved over the last 2 years - as I did suffer with sore ankles when I tried this before several years ago. I'll still take the move over slowly as it could be a false dawn....

So I'm pleased with the running, feeling confident about the building volume on the bike and the swim continues to improve. Last week, I mentioned the pain I was incurring in my ribs whilst swimming. Thankfully, this seems to have gone away after lots of upper body (lats, obliques) stretching - and interestingly I have changed the fluid I drink whilst swimming.

I had introduced effervescent vitamin C into my water bottle (as natural source of carbs) but I think the fizziness may have caused issues in my digestive system which could have led to the stitch-like pain I was feeling - even though it was higher than where a stitch traditionally occurs....mmm, interesting hey? Good to find these things out early.

Finally before I shoot off.....Sunday saw me take part in a 50km Mountain Bike ride called Hell of The North Cotswolds. An interesting day was had, good experience was gained - especially as I'm interested in adventure racing in the future - and I thought it was a good endurance and strength building session which lasted just under 3 hours.

Two key take-outs for me were......mountain-bikers to not like going up-hill....geez, do these boys ever punch out a big gear?! Secondly, it was perfectly clear that I am an absolute pussy when it comes to going downhill....I knew this before but this just confirmed it to a wider audience!

Still better to be safe than sorry...bigger races await!

Take it easy guys, hope you all have great weeks & I'll catch up with you the Easter weekend.

Sparky

The journey begins...

2009-03-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

G'day All,

British Summertime has officially arrived so its very timely that at the start of a new season - my journey to Roth begins.

Tomorrow sees me start my 16-week plan for Challenge Roth on 12 July. Over the last few weeks I have spoken of the need to adopt a more disciplined, focused approach to my training - enabling me to prepare to the best of my ability for the what will be the biggest challenge of my sporting life to date.

With the arrival of the first 3 weeks plans, my mind is clear on achieving my goal and removing all other potential distractions. This may mean that I won't do the race my mates are doing or cutting short a long ride (as I'm only due to do 3 hours) but, in a strange way, I am looking forward to displaying the discipline required to stick to the plan. The suits my personality strengths and gives me inner strength & motivation - and is one of attractions of the long-distance stuff.

The last few weeks have seen me recover from the 30 mile Ultra, get out on my bike for some encouraging rides, see a drop-off in my swimming performance (due to fatigue & injury) and do minimal running. This has been the cluttered mess which I am now looking forward to clearing up via the structured planning - I love to clean up a mess (I'm a real geek for cleanliness!)

So, light nights will bring post-work bike sessions, longer runs and consistency. The lighter mornings will see the swim sessions include some outdoor sessions (50m lido & lake), early morning bikes and those lovely fresh morning runs.

The diet will "lighten up" - so loads of regular, balanced meals and no need for those "winter warmers" of traditional English dishes.

One really pleasing factor with my race planning this season is that all of travel & accommodation is sorted & booked. The great positive is that for every race I will be traveling with mates - which is not something I've done in the past. Meeting more like-minded people and creating new networks has been a real positive from the last few months. Removing the additional stress of travel etc and adding in the social ingredient just adds to my positive mind-set for the forthcoming months.

Back to the last week, following last weekends monster sessions of 5 hour bike and 5.6km swim, I have predictably felt shattered. I have been experiencing some real discomfort in my rib region when swimming. This has seen me have to cut short Thursday & Saturdays swims - which I really hate doing - it leaves me feeling peeved all day. Strangely, when I was in M&S y'day, as I turned I heard this ripping noise in my ribs - as if something was being torn free - and the pain seems to have gone or significantly decreased......one to watch me thinks...

Before I leave I wished to make you all aware of a great initiative launched by the author of The Thrive Diet, Brendan Brazier. The Thrive Diet is the best nutrition book I have ever read and has inspired me to really review & improve my diet - not that it was too bad (more lazy than bad) - via the introduction of more whole, plant-based foods.

Brendan is now providing a service called Thrive in 30 - which simply breaks down the book into a series of emails & video-casts - for those time-poor athletes. I highly recommend checking this out - you can sign-up here

Please let me know how you get on - I think this is a wonderful idea - it would be great to hear your thoughts as well.

Ok kids, bit of a long one tonight, must have something to do with the clocks....

Take it easy - catch up next week...

Sparky

A bunch of fives...

2009-03-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Yo,

Apologies for not getting this out yesterday, Mothers Day responsibilities took priority.

I'm pleased to say that the last week has seen a return to some form of decent, structured training and a couple of breakthrough sessions.

I managed to get three really strong swims done, including a monster set of 5.6k in the 50m pool at Bath Uni. However, I've been experiencing a really uncomfortable feeling in my left-side ribs. I went to see my physio tonight and it appears that my obliques were really tight which was causing the pain under my rib-cage. A dose of acupuncture and all seems well again. In fact, a couple of doses helped sort out a painful knee, a tender achilles and a stiff pelvis. Right now, I feel like a second hand dartboard but its all for the good!

A small session on the indoor bike, focusing on out of the saddle work, was followed by a great ride on Saturday. It was an awesome day, perfect riding conditions & coupled with the new bike I couldn't wait to get out. A couple of mates were going out for a long one, so I couldn't resist the temptation to put in a solid session. I totalled 84 miles, in just over 5 hours. A comfortable average speed of 16.6mph and a nice average HR of 129bpm - gave me a real confidence boost for tackling the longer rides to come.

So the weekend saw a 5 hour bike on Saturday, backed up with a 5.6k swim. Happy days, but I do need to get a handle on my training again before I get too carried away.

I've just caught up with my coach as I really do need to "put the blinkers on" and focus on my key goal: Challenge Roth on 12 July.

This will mean sticking to a structured, progressive plan & not getting distracted by other races or training events which ultimately don't move me forward.

I just need to channel my energy, passion and motivation in the most beneficial& developmental way.

So, as pleasing as this weekend was in terms of smacking out some good volume, I need to learn to be a disciplined, well behaved young man.

Now that really would be an achievement!

Laters dudes,

Sparks

Solar power

2009-03-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

Yo,

I'll get straight into it tonights chaps as Sparky is a happy but tired little boy.

This week has been a joy, seeing a return to the buzz of training and the contented feeling of ticking off a few more little goals.

Getting back in the pool has been great, the legs are still a tad tired but the 1km worth of kick in the Tuesday morning session flushed out a lot of the junk. I'm getting a lot of pleasure & satisfaction from my swimming at the moment, seeing some really noticeable improvements in strength, pace & technique. Saturdays session saw a great set of 100m (@ cruise), 50m (@ above cruise) x 15. I lead the lane and managed to hit 1.31/1.32 per 100m and 45 secs per 50m consistently. We're off to the 50m pool at Bath Uni again on Sunday, so another big session will be in store. Bring it on Coach Kev!

A real bonus was riding to & from work on Friday. Its only 9 miles each way, so a nice little blast on the mountain bike was a great way to start & finish the day. I'm hoping to do this more often now that the longer days are on their way. The plan will be to set out earlier, adding on mileage to make it a worthwhile session. Hopefully, these will be some good miles in the bank to complement the longer weekend rides.

Speaking of weekend rides, today I got out on my new stead for the first time. I'm really stoked with the bike and it was a truly beautiful day. We went through some incredible countryside and it was one of the days when it is a pleasure to be out and you could just keep on going. In the end, I covered 60 miles in just over 3 hours - so really pleased with my return to the saddle.

My focus will be on building the bike mileage up - getting in some mid-week rides (as per above) and then increasing the weekend rides. The swim is coming along really nicely, we know the run will take care of itself (some speedwork will help), so the bike is the area to focus on.

This weeks shout-out goes to my mate Ian. Ian completed the Paris Eco-race, covering the 80km throughout the night in 9.5 hours, finishing by running up the Eiffel Trail. Great work buddy!

Let's hope for more & more of this fine weather....natures own energy gel!

Have a great week all,

Sparky

I can see clearly now...

2009-03-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

Yo!

Back to hitting the Sunday night deadline, but aiming to keep it brief as I'm keen to hit the sack!

Following last Sunday's beasting at the 30 miler, I've taken this week off training to allow for mental and physical rehabilitation. It was much needed and as I haven't really missed training I've seen that as an indicator that rest was needed. This weekend was quite tough, as the weather has been ok and I always feel like I should be out training. However, after hitting the pool yesterday morning I realised that the body hadn't fully recovered so that helped ease the guilty feeling.

As the week has progressed my mental mojo has returned. I've looked into a few new races and challenges, laid out some plans and gradually got the energy back. I'm going to ease back into it this week, hitting the early morning swims plus some bike work.

Having more free time has enabled me to me to get a lot of those things which never get done done. I've caught up on my reading, a few chores here & there, worked on a couple of little projects plus I finally went and got set-up on my new road bike. All of this has contributed to clearing the mental fog. This week will hopefully see the physical fog begin to clear.

I'm confident that getting the clarity back will enable me to kick on and focus on Bala and then onto Roth. I've put in a few smaller goals along the way to keep me ticking over. Baby steps....

So, there you go. Not much to report this week folks but I do want to pass on my congrats to a couple of mates who raced at Ironman New Zealand over the weekend. My mate John came in at 10 hours 23 mins. John - I know you'll be disappointed mate but don't be - thats yet another stellar race under the belt. Another mate Alex came home in 10.38 and qualified for an age-group slot at Kona! I'll always remember seeing Alex suffer like a dog at Busselton in 2006 - and to see him come back & qualify for Kona is a real inspiration.

Adios amigos, see you in seven.

Sparky

Rays of sunshine....

2009-03-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

G'day sportsfans,

Apologies for the tardiness of this weeks post & thanks to all of those who have enquired as to its whereabouts.....good to know there are followers out there!

I'll cut straight to the chase and let you all know how Sunday's 30 mile Ultra went.

In one word: Slowly.

In three words: Slowly & Painfully.

Simply put, it was a long hard struggle. I had faced a race against time to get my legs back in shape after the marathon I ran in training two weeks beforehand. Ultimately, I ran out of time.

Significantly, it wasn't only my legs which hadn't recovered but also my head. I just wasn't in the right mental place to have an enjoyable race.

For those of you who like race stats - I went through the 1st loop of 15 miles in 2 hours 13 mins (so bang on target pace) and then things went seriously downhill - leaving the second 15 miles to be a real drag at 2 hours 41 mins!

The sharp ones amongst will work out that the finish time was 4 hours 54 mins - considering my road marathon PB is 3 hours 22 mins - the implosion is clear to see!

Although a target time wasn't the key objective - it is slightly disappointing to post a time of close to 5 hours on what was a relatively easy off-road course.

However.....I am taking loads of positives out of not just Sunday but the year to date.

I set myself a goal of completing an Ultra marathon in 2009 - done!

I set myself a challenge of training & racing consistently throughout the winter months - done!

I wished to establish a strong endurance base before hitting the tri season - done!

There have been a couple of high volume weeks plus two marathons in three weeks is something I'm quite proud of (although also a little embarrassed at my stupidity!)

So, do I feel in a better position than this time last year? - yes!

My swimming is unrecognisable from several months ago, I've cycled pretty consistently throughout winter (including some new off-road stuff) and my running is stronger than ever. So, all in all, I am happy to have hit my Q1 targets with a month to spare!

The key lesson I have taken out of the last few weeks is not to have my best game in training.

The marathon I ran two weeks ago was on a tougher course than Sunday, and I ran it far stronger, unfortunately I couldn't repeat this on race day. I'm not hugely competitive but I am more disappointed at not giving a good representation of myself and also taking some of the enjoyment out of what should have been a really enjoyable day by being in an unhappy place for about 20 miles.

As you all know, I love to train. I don't train to race well, I train because I love the lifestyle and all the things attached to it. However, I do need to get more focused on performing to my best at the key events I've identified. So, Bala Middle Distance on 14 June is my next target. I want to perform well, set a PB and come away feeling satisfied with my performance. Two of the measures are qualitative but I will know within myself whether I have met them - and thats all that counts.

When I was struggling on Sunday, one of things that kept me going was imagining that this is what the marathon leg of an Ironman-distance race must feel like (please don't tell me its worse!) So, I saw this as mental strength training for Challenge Roth. Every challenge has a positive option.

Speaking of Ironman-distance races, I want to send out a message of love & belief to my buddy John. John is racing at Ironman New Zealand this weekend and is aiming for a Kona slot. John - we all believe you can do it mate, believe it yourself and it will happen.

See you next week folks,

Sparky

Where the heart is....

2009-02-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

Evening All,

Is it Sunday evening already?!

This week has flown by, aided by a break-up to the usual weekly structure, which has resulted in a rather fractured weeks training.

After last weekends long run (4 hours 22 mins), tiredness has been ever present this week. Combined with a hangover from the bigger volume weeks of late, the early signs of a potential cold and a couple of long days in the big smoke - i have been left feeling absolutely shattered all week!

A quick summary of the week gone by would include some decent (but not great) swimming, some resented running and zero biking - not the best weeks work! The highlight of the week was todays swim at Bath Uni. Swimming in a 50m pool is amazing and noticeably more challenging than a short-course pool. Coach Kev put on another excellent session and we all left feeling like we had done a good days work.

I was due a low volume week, so in fact haven't been too far off plan but it has felt like a noticeable drop after the last few weeks of progressively strong training. This week will see more rest and focus on recovery ahead of the race on Sunday.

As I sit here, I just want Sundays race done & dusted. I think this is just due to tiredness so hopefully as I get more refreshed the energy and vibe will return.

I will re-visit my reasons for entering the race and remind myself of the goals I will achieve. Spookily enough, I did my run on Saturday along the race course back home in Ross on Wye. Whilst out, one of my oldest mates noticed me and called me over. It was great to see Dave after a few years away and I ended up going over to the soccer pitch with him. All the way we were remembering old times.

Being at the pitch, seeing a couple more old mates brought back some great memories. It was an awesome day weather-wise and it reminded me that there really is no place like home.

So next weeks race will be quite an emotional event for me. Why? Well some of the course takes us along where I began taking my first running steps back to gaining some health & fitness - following a few years of doing my best to break my body through various forms of abuse.

Thats a tale for another day, but needless to say, completing a 30 mile Ultra on the roads I once struggled to run 5k will give me an enormous sense of achievement.

I'll let you know how it goes...

Train hard,

Sparky

My Happiness

2009-02-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

Good evening sports fans!

Here we are, yet again, at the end (or start depending on your take) of another week.

I'm pleased to say that another strong and productive weeks worth of training has been achieved. I've hit 15 hours in total, which is pretty big by my standards, so I'm pleased to have got this under the belt so early in the season. I was scheduled to hit 18.5 hours but decided to skip Friday's 90 min run due to excessive tiredness and then I missed yesterdays 2 hour bike due to having to sort some issues at my apartment.

I'm usually gutted to miss sessions but my focus this week has been to train well in the pool, get in a couple of turbos and then hit todays big run. Swimming has been fantastic this week, with a new high reached on Thursday. It all came together for me in the pool, seeing me lead lane 2 and sending out sub 1.35 100s plus sub 45 sec 50s consistently. I really felt strong and it seemed like I had loads of time for my stroke. We're heading to the 50m pool at Bath Uni next Sunday where we'll look to smack out about 6k - so I'm keen to turn in a good show.

Onto todays run, it was a new milestone for me as I've never ran so far or for so long. I totalled 26.3 miles in 4 hours 23. Most of the run was off-road and included some decent inclines. This was my last big run ahead of the 30 mile Ultra on 1 March. I adopted the strategy of run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute. This worked really well and I was pleased with my pace throughout. The last few miles were tough but this was as much to do with the route I took as fatigue.

I was also pleased with my nutrition. I drank water with effervescent vitamin C, and used a combination of peanut M&Ms and Clif Bar Blok Shots for my solids. These seemed to work well together - and I'll be taking these in the race.

This was a complete contrast to last weeks run - which I loathed. I think this was due to the new challenge and achievement of this week - giving me a target to focus on. I'm hoping the same will get my through the Ultra and then ultimately Challenge Roth in July. I love achieving new goals!

The title for the post came from a moment during the run where I had just discovered some new trail at just past the halfway point. Instead of turning around and going back the way I came I decided to just head off down this new trail - it was awesome.

As I was going down the trail, with a big grin on my face, feeling great - a track by the Aussie group Powderfinger came onto my iPod. The track is called My Happiness - and it just felt really appropriate for that moment in time.

So there I am, in the middle of nowhere, running down a trail, a huge grin on my face, singing out load to this track. Awesome - it makes you feel truly alive!

As someone ( I forget now) once said "If you want to get fit go for a run, if you want a life changing experience, run a marathon".

Hope you all have great weeks, see you in seven.

Pura vida,

Sparky

The wisdom of others...

2009-02-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are on another blustery Sunday evening. Is it me or are the weeks flying by?

I'll get straight to the point this week - as I would like the quote I will be reciting to say it all.

Training continues to tick over fairly nicely - with another 12.5 hour week under the belt. Similar story to the last few weeks in that swimming continues to go from strength to strength. Another week of consistently strong swimming. I'm swimming my cruise pace 100s off 1.50 swim & rest, coming home between 1.30 & 1.35. This is real progress and I would like to think there is still more to come - as my body position still needs improving. The Speedo Fastskins continue to impress.

Just a couple of small runs during the week then todays big run. I hit 19.5 miles with 15 of those miles off-road. I must admit I found this one of my toughest runs, a real mental test as I really didn't feel up for it. My left knee is giving my some grief plus my right hip flexor really stiffened up. The off-road terrain really took its toll on me, but I was pleased to hit 8 min miles when on the road for the last 4.5 miles. My knee is still sore so I'm going to have to watch how this feels over the next few days. With 3 weeks to go to the 30 mile Ultra I won't be taking any unnecessary risks.

You might remember in last weeks post, I quoted a few February resolutions. Well, I've made progress on these but they are still not embedded. I've fallen short of my 60 hours sleep, due to a couple of poor nights sleep (which left me feeling lethargic towards the end of the week). My daily stretching hasn't kicked in as I would have hoped, but baby steps are being taken. The mixed leave salad has become a daily habit (apart from today) so I'm counting this as the success story of the week.

Ok, thats all from me as I would like to hand you over to Haruki Murakami. Haruki is the author of the book of the year from last year - in my opinion. The book is called 'What I talk about when I talk about running'. It is a great book for both runners and non-runners alike.

I won't say anymore about why I like the following quote as I feel that a lot of you will know why it one of my favourites.

"People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they'll go to any length to live longer. But I don't think that's the reason most people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive than in a fog, and I believe running helps you do that. Exerting yourself to your fullest within your individual limits: that's the eessence of running, and a metaphor for life - and for me, for writing as well. I believe many runners would agree".

Amen!

See you next week,

Sparky

A quiet mind...

2009-02-01T12:12:00.000-08:00

G'day folks, thanks tuning into this weeks thrilling episode....

I'll keep it short this week, I know I say that every week and then ramble on but I really need to get this done and then off to bed for some much needed sleep.

Had another great week so couldn't be happier right now. All of the objectives I set myself for January were met which is always a great feeling. I've set some new objectives for February, three of which are;

Perform stretches / flexibility exercises for at least 10 minutes every day (thanks for the idea Tom - see 50 weeks blog on left hand side)

Eat a mixed green salad with extra virgin olive oil every day

Get over 60 hours sleep per week - so averaging 9ish hours per night

I've had a strong training week, totaling 12.5 hours. This hasn't been easy, especially on the back of last Saturdays race, so pleased to have kept the consistency up. Highlights of the week continue to be my swim sessions. We hit 4.6k on Tuesday, 3.5k on Thursday (including some killer 10 x 100m sets) and then a good drill session on Saturday.

After Thursdays session I decided to buy a pair of the Speedo Fastskins, to aid with compression / recovery as my legs are starting to feel the build up to the March Ultra. I wore these Saturday and have to tell you that they are sensational. I really felt the benefit of the compression and the slight buoyancy they gave me. I'll now rotate the fastskins with my Skinfit swim shorts (another great Skinfit product) as my total weekly mileage continues to build.

I had a sensational massage on Friday night. I only wish I could afford one of these every week, instead of the once a month I currently have. Its these additional, supportive activities which really aid the core training and help keep the consistent trainng possible. Oh, to be a full-time pro....

Saturday saw me hit the mountain bike. I went out in the Forest of Dean with some guys from the tri team, who are decent MTBers. We had a great ride, and a tough workout which I felt the toll of this morning when I woke up. Todays run was not very enjoyable as legs were heavy and the weather freezing. Still, I was pleased to have got out there in the countryside and add some more miles to the bank.

Just a quick note before I shoot off. Do you remember the quote I recited several weeks ago "Life is complicated, sport is simple"? Well, howies have got the t-shirt I saw this quote on in their winter sale. They've also got some of their legendary merino on offer. I strongly advise you take a look.

Right thats all folks, thats not too long for one of my weekly downloads. I'm off to start my 60 hours of kip!

Have a great week, catch you next Sunday.

Pura Vida

Sparky

Happy days...

2009-01-25T12:58:00.000-08:00

Back again for another thrilling download of all things Sparky!

Another great week. With a race on Saturday, this week saw a reduction in overall volume and so much needed rest.

Swimming continues to go well, I could only make two sessions this week as the third was on race day. The two sessions went well, both totaled 3.6k and including some solid pacing. I'm now holding 1.50 swim & rest as my cruise pace - which is 10 secs quicker than last year. I'm feeling strong and balanced in the water. My body position still needs to improve but my new head position feels good and has made a real difference to my catch, as my shoulders feel in a better position to enable a high elbow.

Race day was the third in the Coastal Trail Series races, organised by the EnduranceLife guys. These are great events, really well set-up with a great crowd of like-minded people taking part. It was great to see some familar faces from the other races so far in the series, and meet up with a few mates I've met along the way.

This race was in Portland, Dorset. An early start meant we were at Race HQ to see the marathon guys setting off. A quick hello to a couple of mates and then they were off. I'm telling you that anyone who takes on a trail marathon has my greatest respect. There are some awesome athletes about.

The half-marathon started at 10.30. My legs have felt heavy all week so I deliberately started slowly. After seeing the terrain on the other two courses I wanted to make sure I could hold a good pace throughout. This paid off, as I felt stronger as the race went on (apart from a mile of running on pebbles at mile 11) and I came in at 2 hours 9 mins. This is 20 minutes quicker than my previous two trail half marathons. This was partly due to the course being the easiest (relatively) so far and my strength improving.

Kit-wise, I tried a few new things out. I wore my Skinfit Klimasoft base layer, which again is super comfortable (you don't even realise you have it on) and then I wore my Skinfit Vento Jacket as the outer layer. A great little light-weight jacket which is highly breathable and far more adaptable than other lightweight jackets I've tried. Check out Skinfits clothing range. I've got a lot of their kit - so let me know if you have questions.

In preparation for some longer distance races, I wore a Raidlight waist pack. Really impressed with the Raidlight gear. Its very comfortable, and you can fit all of the important gear you need into the pack. I got the pack from Likeys, who are a great stockist of adventure racing gear. They are also really nice people!

Nutrition-wise, I used some of the Clif Bar samples that were on offer. I've used Clif Bars for a while now and have found them to be the best energy bar out there. They are an organic product, made from natural ingredients and also taste really good. I've found that they don't upset the stomach like some energy products can. I always take them with me when I'm traveling to races, as they guarantee I have a good snack on race morning.

In addition to the bars, I used the Clif Shot Bloks instead of another energy gel. Again, these are a more natural product which provide a quicker source of carbohydrate. I was really impressed with these, and will be definitely going back for more.

I read a great article about the owner of Clif Bar a few weeks ago in an old edition of Triathlete magazine. The guy started this business in his garage, as he wanted to produce a more natural energy product instead of the highly manufactured products out there. His company are now one of the biggest in the sports nutrition industry, worth millions of dollars, yet he has stayed true to his vision and not sold out. A great story. Check out the Clif Bar site - its really impressive.

This is another example of a genuine, authentic brand who practice what they preach. I'm adding Clif Bar to my list of great brands, alongside howies and Skinfit.

You'll notice a common theme here. I believe that these brands represent what's important to their customers. They don't chase the quick buck by selling their soul. They stay true to their core values. These brands will survive the challenging times we are in - the false, manufactured brands will perish - as people see them for what they really are: money-making machines.

Believe me, I've been in Sales & Marketing for ten years now. I love marketing but I am also ashamed of some of the ploys so-called marketers use to steal honest peoples hard earned cash.

Stick to you beliefs, be genuine and authentic. Practice what you preach.

I feel its important that if see someone doing a good job, you should tell someone about it. Help a friend. We'll could all do with a little help from our friends.

See you in seven,

Sparky

Imagine...

2009-01-18T12:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, got to keep this weeks post short as I promised myself I would be in bed for 9pm and its now 8.50pm!

Training has been superb this week. I've felt really pumped up for it all week and even managed to get on the turbo! I've managed to keep my promise of getting out on the bike every weekend of the year (apart from race days) and I have had a good a swim week as I can remember.

Key highlights:

3 great swim sessions - 4.3k, 4.1k and the first T30 swim I've done (covered 1.75k). Felt great all week and really pleased with where I am for this time of the season.

Pilates - I'm loving my twice weekly classes and am feeling the benefits in my core, posture and overall conditioning. Highly recommend taking up these classes if you are serious about your long term well-being.

Saturday bike - only 1 hour 45 mins but the most pleasing thing was that I got out. After the T30 swim I was shattered and really didn't fancy taking on the gusty winds. But I got out and a decent little session - staying in the big ring throughout and holding a decent pace.

Sunday run - 2 hours off-road covering 13 miles. After a big week, this hurt but was ultimately satisfying. Must admit that I didn't enjoy as much as usual due to tiredness and slippery conditions. Had a hot bath straight after to warm up but it made me feel 10 times worse!

Just a short note on non-training stuff - as you know I like to download what is on my mind!

The reason for the title of this weeks post is due to the historical event taking place in America this week. Barack Obama is filling the world with optimism about positive change. Driving home tonight I heard John Lennon's Imagine, what a great track for this week (and all weeks). Lets all imagine a better world, and then make it happen...

See you in seven...

PS - Check out this great site which I read about on howies site - designyak.co.uk

Let's make it simple

2009-01-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

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:

Life is complicated, sport is simple.

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

Where do I start?

2009-01-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

Well, its taken a while but here is my much anticipated (by me) second post....

I've been pondering over what subjects to cover off this week, as I see these being a weekly occurrence, but i've got so many thoughts and ideas flying around that I am going to try and share these more regularly to begin with.

So where do I begin...

Let's get the basics out of the way first.

Training over the last seven days has been sporadic to say the least. So, therefore, I will say the least about it. I haven't been terribly motivated and the festive celebrations knocked me for six - leaving me feeling tired and weak.

I did manage a couple of good sessions over Saturday and Sunday (today). It felt great to be back in the pool yesterday morning & even better to be in the company of like-minded people. At the pool I heard about a 100km MTB race called Hell of The North Cotswolds which I rushed home to enter. This gave me the kick to get out on the bike and experience the beautiful cold, crisp weather. A short, tough session helped blow some those Guinnesses away!

This morning I flew out of bed as I knew that my favourite session of the week was waiting for me. I travel back to my parents house in Ross on Wye and get out on the trails. Its amazing - I can go out for hours (just 90 mins today) and not see a single car or run on any roads....I'll share some photos I took later.

This years Xmas period was the clearest indication that my life has changed for good. I no longer miss the "cheeky few with the boys" back in my home town, those days have gone. The fond memories will remain but they will just be memories, time & people move on.

I'm moving on. I truly feel on the brink of starting a new period of my life. I feel an urge to be more creative and do more meaningful activities. Where has this come from? I don't know but I do feel it is related to me being less materialistic than ever before.

Times are hard for all of us, and will be getting harder. However, I welcome this challenging climate as I feel it is what society needed. If we all begin to realise that the greatest pleasures in life are self-driven and not purchased by money then we should all learn to be more tolerant, sharing, compassionate and generally "better" people.

There has been a lot written recently about "surviving the credit crunch" but the best piece I have read was in todays Sunday Times. It was a piece written by Bryan Appleyard. I'll try and dig out a link to the article for you all. I also read another piece which had an image in the background quoting 3 simple lines:

Work like you don't need the money

Love like you've never been hurt

Dance like nobody is watching

I'm going to hold onto these lines as they really encapsulate my current state of mind....

Speak soon,

Here we go...

2008-12-19T05:15:00.000-08:00

This is my first ever post on my own blog, so bear with me (not that anyone is reading this yet!).

My goal for this blog is to share my thoughts on how my life is going, specifically towards achieving my key personal objective for 2009: Quelle Challenge Roth.

For those who don't know, this is an Ironman distance triathlon. One of the biggest races in the sport of triathlon and a legendary event.

I'm going to end this first post here as I wish to provide more background over the coming days...