Well back into it properly at last. Last year was spent recovering after a small bike crash, still left with a permanently sublocated acromioclavicular joint, in common a permanently dislocated scapula!! painful and narky at times but I can get on with it. Yesterday did my first open water swim in 2 years, started back with a 3km. You could tell all my training has been sprint based, I was pooped, but I completed it, no idea of time yet, dont expect it was good though. The water temp was a barmy bermudan 18 degrees, considering your only allowed to wear a swimsuit(speedos) hats and goggles, it was fresh to start with! On a positive note though my sighting went well and my swim route was only curvy, not like my normal tacking up the channel a la yacht style. Well hopefully that will be the start for my master plan for next year. Keep you posted, hopefully :)

Today I did my first ever time trial. Started as always with a 10 miler, course B10/37R for those who might know what it all means. I was very nervous, god knows why its just a bike sesh. I had spoken to Sags and Jase about what to do, bith gave me some good advice and to warm up beforehand. This I duly did on my trusty/rusty turbo, but being a bit of a new boy i got to the start point a bit early and had to wait about 8 mins. Which was good as I wasnt really sure of how the number system worked, as number 8 I would leave at 19:08. Good. I started and must ensure to test whether I am clipped in or not, heard the click but on first pedal foot became detached, quickly put back in out of the saddle to build up the speed and I was off. I had been told to take it staedy for the first 3 mins but I had to tell myself this as I was getting a little carried away too early. It was windy and an angled head wind for the first 4 - 6 miles which I found tough. I tried to keep my speed up and succeeded most of the time. The wind was a killer and Although I had started my clock at the 30sec marker, the more I looked at it on the rolling route the longer it all appeared. I found that the more tired I became the lower my position got on my bike as I dropped behind my Tri bars even more to gain those extra seconds. I completed in 27:35, and once I returned to listen to the rest of the riders I realised that the weather was crap, well thats what they all said so my time didnt feel so bad after all. Will I do it again? Damn right, may even endeavour to get a proper tt saddle, it may stop my left leg going numb, and might even get some of those funky speedy looking overshoes, why? Cos if you feel faster it must help you go faster. Thanks for your advice Sags and Jase, I think the sub 25min may be a way off but its my next target, all done on a budget though, no bling here just hard work and effort.
See ya all soon

Well today was the Dambuster and after the last 3 weeks at Halton on my IMLC with the last 2 hardly getting any training in, I wasnt expecting much. I was up early at 0300 setting of and arrriving at 0500. Having set up all me biz in our own transition i was ready. We set off in our own wave first, a bloody good idea as well. I must have added on at least another 200m by tacking between buoys, my swimming today was dire,30 mins, that was when I could see the bloody buoys, speccy wearer see. T1 settled meself and set off on the bike, christ the wind killed me and I felt it didnt back off till I was past the ripple, it went well after that i was down aero most of the time, then turned back onto the whitwell road and into the wind again arrived back at transition wanting the runafter 1.5 hours. T2 went well and I had sat down to put on my trainers as my feet were numb from the bike. Set off and didnt feel my feet till the dam, it was all a bit up and down on the run, felt slow , got a cramp and had to take a 2 step walk up the wee hill on the return, got passed and thought i could catch the fella but no joy, but still did it in 46 mins so Iwas happy. It wasnt till the end that I thought bugger, gotta do that twice on the Vitruvian. Ah well shit happens as they say. Today PB'd in 2:46, not fast by some standards but better than before, could've possibly got a wee bit quicker had last 3 weeks been better for training, thats life.
See ya all soon

Howdy one and all, well my race went well on wednesday, it was a lot better than I had thought. My plan was to try and go out reasonably hard, I knew I was in a ok'ish shape but had never pushed myself for a whole race, normally I would hang back a tadge on the bike cos my running was that poor, but it all went well. The swim started well but the young lass in the lane next to me shot off like a torpedo, which left me thinking my estimated7:30 was cack, I stuck to my pace and plodded on. Into T1 and a quick change of goggles etc for me helmet and I was off. I managed to stay on my bars for the whole race apart from the tight bends when I shifted to the drops for stability. At times I wanted to sit up like a big windsock but stayed put and just shifted fore and back when it ached. I had overtaken a few people on the way out, after the first turn I spotted the 'torpedo' and reeled her in, passing her and decidedly putting in the distance. Slowly caught another couple of riders and took them as well (cracking feeling). Into T2 and a rapid change with the only problem being the slight inability to stand on one leg to don my trainers. Set off at a comfortable pace, with a target in mind, a big guy who I'd seen on my way in on the bike, soon caught him, then picked other targets and intercepted and passed. What an ace feeling, I just didnt want that torpedo catching me on the run. I had paced the run well with a mental flat spot in the meadow area, I told my self focus once back on the road its a small rise and power through the houses and finish. I pushed on to the end, and literally as I passed the line lent forward hands on knees and started dry puking, yes good effort I thought. Planned to perfection for me. All in all my race went pretty well. Must thank my diet and Jase's plan. Citius, Altius, Fortius all the way.

Had a swim meet on saturday evening, it wasnt too bad but my times weren't as good as i thought they could have been. I got 36:26 for my 50 free, which wasn't brill but I thought I could have kept that pace for at least 100, I wasn't really going till the last 15 metres. As for my breaststroke it was pish with a 43:14, again my stroke felt good but was all too long and not quick enough for sprint racing. Ah well thats the way it goes.

Tomorrow is the first race of my season and I am starting with a sprint at Brize. Dunno what time to expect but I should be OK, hopefully it will be a good one its flat and fast.
Wish me luck!!!

Training has been going well, apart from a small ache in the form of tendonitus, teach me to wear old trainers. Thankfully its gone now, which allowed me to plod on next to the river Nar for a lovely run. Am toying with the idea to have a pop at a 10mile TT, not really sure though, want to have a go but am unsure of what to expect, tired legs is probably an understatement. Will wait and see. Have been chatting to some guys I work next door to about a sport for the 'off season' and may take them up on the offer of Biathlon, after all its only running and shooting on snow, albeit with long planks tied to your feet, cant remember the last time I had a go at skiing,dont think it was much to write home about. Yet another sport to try and bluff past the wife, who has to bear my every crazy sporting thought and cos she is brill she lets me have a go. Ah well we will wait and see!! Have got a swim meet on Sat eve for my masters squad, am only doing 50free and 50 breast, but it should be a laugh, I will be in some of the relays as well. Will post my meagre times for scrutiny after.

Well first race of my season over and done with. I had a few worries before hand , I had a minor calf problem and it niggled a bit, but it wasn't bad enough to slow me down. I was up early and felt ok, the usual nerves but nothing out of the ordinary. We set off into Kings Lynn where it was a bit blustery and chilly and looked ominous. I got prepped and stood in my zone, 45mins section. As the wheelchairs left we all shuffled forward and i ended in the 35 min zone, unlikely I thought. The gun went and it was all go. I immediately picked someone to follow but just after 2km lost them at a narrow section, so picked some guy with a big superstars style no8 on his bright yellow shirt. I had planned to get splits at every km, but some of the markers were hidden by crowds, so it didnt go as planned. 2km in 8:24:49, happy with that, 4km 16:59:37(8:34:88), 5km 21:03:93 (4:04:56), 6km 25:16:50 (4:12:57), 7km 29:35:01(4:18:51), 9km 38:19:62 (8:44:61), 10km 42:44:80 (4:25:18) and the end. It was a good time for me and I am well impresses. I feel that next year I could even possibly go sub 40 mins, we'll wait and see. I was after the immortal negative split, but there was quite a breeze at times and I was tiring. Watch this space!!