I love fig rolls..

I do.. and I'm not too proud to admit it. Although, I have noticed that the actual taste of fig rolls varies depending upon what I have been doing beforehand. For example, If i'm sitting and watching television before eating one they never seem to taste as nice as they do following a long mountain run or bike. I've just got back, just eaten half a packet.. and they have prompted me to write this blog.

The answer to this quandry is pretty simple, when you do something which is difficult and causes suffering, pain or exposure to cold, wet and miserable weather, it heightens the experience of things as simple as a cup of tea, a warm fire, an embrace and of course.. a fig roll. Exercise reminds us of how it feels to be 'outside' our comfort zone and for that reason we appreciate our comfort zone considerably more (usually when we return to a warm house and close the door behind us).

Appreciating your comfort zone is very important, once you stop appreciating your comfort zone, you stop appreciating all those simple joys (such as fig rolls), many of which we are lucky to have and to some extent we take for granted every day.

I love fig rolls..

Here endeth theenduranceblog..

Someone pick me up please..

So only 3 weeks after the dreaded crash I've just been out for a 15 minute jog.. oh my lord the back and ribs were not happy.. but how good it felt to be out. It wasn't a training session as such but it was cold, clear and dark and the air smelt pretty fresh and it's times like these which make it clear just why we exercise.. how good it felt. I consider myself pretty lucky to be back so quick and I'm looking forwards to getting back on't hills.

The shoulder may be another matter and it could be several months before I can swim again (not sure I actually ever could swim). If I'm being honest.. keep this to yourself but I don't like swimming anyway.. staring at tiles and chlorinating myself never appealed so given the option, swimming would be the one out of the 3 which I would choose to break from.

Looking forwards to the winter months and some long social rides, long fell runs, cross country and cafe stops.. cold clear days, there really is nothing quite like it.. see you out there!

Here endeth theenduranceblog..

It's a fine balance

It's a fine balance indeed, sometimes you feel as though you are running like a whippet and riding like wiggins and the next thing you know it's all taken away..

I'm riding down a relatively tame bridleway in West Yorkshire being 'careful' as Helvellyn triathlon is only 7 days away and by my own standards.. I'm on form. My swimming, cycling and running are stronger than the year previous and to add a little extra zip I've lost 3kg from my already light frame to help deal with the hills.. things couldn't be better.

Then.. I hit something.. I'm up in the air, I fly heels over head (if i'm being precise) and find myself unable to move or see on the floor.. 45 minutes later I'm on gas and air as I'm lifted into the helicopter to be airlifted to the local hospital.. this wasn't part of the taper plan

Shoulder has dislocated but fortunately my suspected broken pelvis is in fact muscle damage and a rather irate sacro illiac joint.. My initial reaction is devastation as my 'Helvellyn triathlon world' collapses in.. but this is soon followed by.. get a bloody grip.. it's a race and you can still walk.. lets put things in prespective.. at least I can marshal!

So a painful lesson to end the year but realistically it has been a very good year for me and my disappointment at not being able to compete this weekend should not over shadow this.. roll on 2010!

Here endeth theenduranceblog..

45.. gusting to 55 mph

That was the forecast but it never seems that bad in the car park.. looking up into the mountains we actually couldn't see anywhere close to the Helvellyn Summit.. it was clear from the start that there would be poor visibility (pardon the pun).

As we got to Swirrel Edge we were still sheltered from the strong Westerly winds and it wasn't until we went onto the top that we were blasted with the full force. We headed North to lower man.. "keep the drop on your right or you'll miss the path"..

we'd ran 300m and I shouted against the noise of the wind.. "You've missed it already!!" we corrected our course but visibility was 20 yards at best, the rocky drop off lower man is always reassuring then the horrible drag up Whiteside.. wind now so strong that I'm leaning at almost 45 degrees.

Off lower man and start the zig zag descent, we are now on the East of the ridge and suddenly silence and respite.. it's a different day.. the temperature starts to rise again and we run steadily out past the youth hostel down the long alpine like valley chatting as we go..

We'll all be back again in 3 weeks time to battle it out on the mountain, dragging our aching and burning limbs over the rocky ground and no doubt taking a few tired tumbles on the loose descents.. I think we're ready..

Here endeth theenduranceblog..

Sit thee doon and put it in'th big chonker...

Did a 25 mile TT at the weekend in Cumbria, good ride I thought until I saw the winners time of 50:49 and that I didn't even make the top 20 with my 58:20.. More to my amazement was the size of the chainring on the bike owned by the chap next to us in the car park. Basically if he cornered too far right his chain would hit the ground, must have been 65-70 teeth!! Interesting that a similar chain ring was chosen by last year's British Best All Rounder competition, Lance's high cadence obviously not the only option for success.

Pure moment of comedy a few weeks back when riding up a steep hill somewhere near Blackburn with a friend, as we passed some old bloke in a flat cap, smoking a cigarette he looked in disgust at the small chain ring I had chosen and shouted..

"Sit thee doon and put it in'th big chonker.."

We laughed so hard we nearly fell off our bikes..

Here endeth theenduranceblog.

Living the dream...

Perhaps one of the great things about triathlon is that you get the opportunity to compete for your country no matter what your age.. Last weekend coach Paul competed in the European Tri Champs as an age group athlete.. here is his story..


Last weekend I got chance to live the dream as a pro triathlete. I tried once before to qualify but didn’t make it finally I qualified to race in Holten, Holland at the European champs and wow! What an experience.

At first I was a bit down about my finishing time, I was hoping to go a bit faster. But when I look at it and think top 20 in my age group in Europe and sixth Brit home in my age group that’s not bad for a first attempt.

I struggled in the swim without the wetsuit having legs like lead, but it made you feel like you were actually racing elite and the dive in half way through was mega and best of all my swim cap and goggles stayed in place. Quick transition without the wetsuit and on to the bike, great bike course, closed roads and although narrow at some places I didn’t get stuck behind anyone but I was nearly taken out at one point by a crazy German dude racing past at 100 mph. Oh and I did do a bit of grass tracking when I took my eye of what I was doing for a second, good job there were no kerbs.

Into T2 and off on the run where I again struggled with the temperature, for some reason the heat seems to really effect me on the run and although tried as hard as I could I just seemed to lose all strength in my legs. The run course itself was great bringing you back into the town on every loop through crowds of partying locals and loads of GB athletes who had all stopped after their earlier races to cheer on the remaining athletes, plus my brother and sister in law who had flown over from the UK for the day to watch the race, a big thanks to them for their support. Water stations where plentiful with even some extra ones where the local families had set up their own station and hose pipes for cooling us down

All in all racing doesn’t get much better living the dream being a pro athlete for the weekend, great race, outstanding organisation superb hotel and country and finally not forgetting two trusty team mates to show me the ropes. Cheers Guys!

Bring on the next GB race I’m hooked now..


*I have to say Paul.. the photo does remind me of 'chips' aka California Highway Patrol (showing my age), but I can't help feeling that if you'd eated less of them you would have finished even higher up the field.. Well done pal! (ml)


Here endeth theenduranceblog..

Everybody.. needs somebody

Due to work commitments and coaching duties I rarely get to train with the club any more and spend most of my time training alone. Swimming has never been a personal strength and I have to admit that staring at the tiles can often lead to me leaving the water after 2000m have been completed.. I just can't take anymore. Needless to say, swimming has suffered somewhat but this week I joined the guys at COLT (City of Lancaster Tri) for a couple of sessions and as I hadn't swam with a group for some time it made me realise just how much easier it is as 3000m cruised by without any thought.

There has to be some sort of social element to training, if not, the end result will surely be burnout and failure to complete the schedule.. as I'm working up that way frequently and they were such a welcoming bunch, I'll definitely be swimming there again!

If you swim alone.. why not make an effort to find a local tri club session and do this once per week.. without any doubt you will feel the benefits!

Here endeth theenduranceblog..