Sorry for no posts for ages. I am in the middle of a 7 week adventure tour stateside. The first race was the US champs in Tahoe, I've never raced at altitude before and don't want to again without better preperation!! All the athletes ahead of me either lived at altitude or spent 3 weeks or more there before the race. Basically i struggled round the race, all 3 disciplines i felt like i couldn't breath. The following weekend I went to Canada for my cousins wedding, had a really good week, drunk too much and hardly trained at all! I really needed this to clear my head before my Hawaii build up.
I am writing this from Maui currently, been training really hard. Great to have Julie Dibens here too currently as it's easier to drag myself out to the pool with her nagging at me!! 10 days until the race and all is looking good. Then i'm looking forward to a rest for a few weeks. Congrats to Chrissie Wellington on her Ironman result, great stuff. Off to enjoy the last couple of hours of sun. Sam
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Monday, 24 September 2007
Xterra UK
Not quite the race i'd hoped for, but at least i started and made some impression on it. I ended up driving down at 6am on the day of the race, in the back of my mind i knew i shouldn't be doing it. I had tried to run the previous night and again it ended in pain after a few minutes. The plan was to turn up, do the swim, get the quickest bike and not run, but it didn't quite work like that...
I had a reasonable swim, exiting only 3 mins down on the leaders. On the bike i felt great, very fresh from a nice easy week beforehand. Unfortunately in my haste to catch up the leaders i crashed really heavily on the first descent, landing hard on my left quad. I could feel this all the way round the race, gradually seizing up. I wasn't helped either by a slow puncture at the end, which i rode to finish, ending up riding on the rim! How I manged to get the quickest bike split was pure adrenaline.
Instead of being sensible I decided to do the run, to try to defend my 6th place overall in the series and my 6th place on the day where i started the run. Unfortunately as i knew would happen, my knee gave way again. I could barely walk the descents and hobbled to my slowest ever 10km. I dropped to 7th overall and 9th on the day, exactly the same as last year amazingly.
A very turbulent week of lots of extra work shifts, intense physio, the unfortunate break up with my girl friend of 6 years has left me exhausted mentally and physically. One more day of training and hten i fly to Tahoe for the US champs. I am going to do as well as i can here, but with the main aim of getting ready for Hawaii in a months time.
I had a reasonable swim, exiting only 3 mins down on the leaders. On the bike i felt great, very fresh from a nice easy week beforehand. Unfortunately in my haste to catch up the leaders i crashed really heavily on the first descent, landing hard on my left quad. I could feel this all the way round the race, gradually seizing up. I wasn't helped either by a slow puncture at the end, which i rode to finish, ending up riding on the rim! How I manged to get the quickest bike split was pure adrenaline.
Instead of being sensible I decided to do the run, to try to defend my 6th place overall in the series and my 6th place on the day where i started the run. Unfortunately as i knew would happen, my knee gave way again. I could barely walk the descents and hobbled to my slowest ever 10km. I dropped to 7th overall and 9th on the day, exactly the same as last year amazingly.
A very turbulent week of lots of extra work shifts, intense physio, the unfortunate break up with my girl friend of 6 years has left me exhausted mentally and physically. One more day of training and hten i fly to Tahoe for the US champs. I am going to do as well as i can here, but with the main aim of getting ready for Hawaii in a months time.
Friday, 14 September 2007
Bad timing!!
Two weeks ago i helped out my very kind sponsors Fatface at a PGL holiday camp they were helping promote. I had a great time trying all the activities, meeting fab new people and guiding beginners around a simple off-road course. It was here, with my low boredom threshold i decided to practice some technical riding, jumping from one set of roots to another. After a few goes i must have lost concentration and ended up smashing into a tree with the right side of my body. I finished the ride, feeling very bruised, shorts ripped and with a very sore knee and back.
The following day i trained but only gently and felt very stiff, but things seemed to get better during the next week.
In Germany last weekend the knee injury was aggravated with the long, fast, rooty, off camber descents on the run course. So much so that i was limping the following day. I first tryed to run this Wednesday and couldn't even manage 400 metres, before again limping home in agony. That evening it swelled up worse and i could barely walk. Thursday it hurt all day, even when pushing off the wall at the swimming pool. Today I have been pummeled by the physio, popping ibuprofen and Maximuscle ache-free like they're going out of fashion. Sitting here now with ice pack on.
I had been looking forward to UK Xterra for months, travelled down to Wales twice, ridden 3 laps of the course, checking lines... I'd even trained through Germany a bit and planned to rest this week. I am absolutely flying on the bike, but now can't even run 400m!! Still got 36hrs, will try to run tomorrow afternoon, to decide whether to travel down. Please if there is a god....
The following day i trained but only gently and felt very stiff, but things seemed to get better during the next week.
In Germany last weekend the knee injury was aggravated with the long, fast, rooty, off camber descents on the run course. So much so that i was limping the following day. I first tryed to run this Wednesday and couldn't even manage 400 metres, before again limping home in agony. That evening it swelled up worse and i could barely walk. Thursday it hurt all day, even when pushing off the wall at the swimming pool. Today I have been pummeled by the physio, popping ibuprofen and Maximuscle ache-free like they're going out of fashion. Sitting here now with ice pack on.
I had been looking forward to UK Xterra for months, travelled down to Wales twice, ridden 3 laps of the course, checking lines... I'd even trained through Germany a bit and planned to rest this week. I am absolutely flying on the bike, but now can't even run 400m!! Still got 36hrs, will try to run tomorrow afternoon, to decide whether to travel down. Please if there is a god....
Monday, 10 September 2007
Xterra Germany
Not the best result of my season (14th overall), but another solid race and part of the never ending learning curve as an athlete.
In the swim i exited in about 30th place again (21minutes, but it was slightly short), which is a major improvement from last year and certainly heading in the right direction. However with a water temperature of 14 degrees and a similar air temperature i suffered really badly with the cold once i got on the bike. Being very lean naturaly and especially so at this point in the season, I do lose heat very easily.
On the bike I struggled to catch anyone for the first half a lap, even though the major climbs should have suited me. I finished the first lap of the bike 8 minutes down on the leaders and then completed the 2nd lap in the same time as the leaders. Given that I have won the bike leg in every triathlon this year including 3 global tour races, 10th place on the bike was a major disappointment.
The run went ok, but i felt a little flat, possibly due to the hard training i have put in since Austria. I lost 2 places right near the end which was very annoying, putting me in 14th overall in a very strong elite field, where Ironman world champion Faris El Sultan struggled to make the top 20.
This week is major recovery week before one of my seasons big goals, Xterra UK in Wales on Sunday. Sam
In the swim i exited in about 30th place again (21minutes, but it was slightly short), which is a major improvement from last year and certainly heading in the right direction. However with a water temperature of 14 degrees and a similar air temperature i suffered really badly with the cold once i got on the bike. Being very lean naturaly and especially so at this point in the season, I do lose heat very easily.
On the bike I struggled to catch anyone for the first half a lap, even though the major climbs should have suited me. I finished the first lap of the bike 8 minutes down on the leaders and then completed the 2nd lap in the same time as the leaders. Given that I have won the bike leg in every triathlon this year including 3 global tour races, 10th place on the bike was a major disappointment.
The run went ok, but i felt a little flat, possibly due to the hard training i have put in since Austria. I lost 2 places right near the end which was very annoying, putting me in 14th overall in a very strong elite field, where Ironman world champion Faris El Sultan struggled to make the top 20.
This week is major recovery week before one of my seasons big goals, Xterra UK in Wales on Sunday. Sam
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Xterra Austria
This weekend saw the 3rd round of the European tour, Xterra Austria. It was a new venue from last year, so no one really knew what to expect. A small but very happening town greeted us warmly, Xterra posters were positioned everywhere and scantily clad girls in low cut xterra tops handed out flyers at every bar. Surrounded by mountains but with crystal clear lake (warm enough to swim with no wetsuit), it was a postcard perfect location for a race.
The swim went reasonably well for me coming out of the water 33rd losing a couple of minutes less than I did last year. The bike was very hilly, with plenty of technical sections wiht roots and rocks thrown in to cause problems. I managed the fastest bike split yet again (every race this year so far!) catching all but 2 of my rivals. Unforunately my water bottle bounced out of its cage on one of the bumpy descents on the first lap, leaving me without fuel for an hour and a half.
As i started the run, I knew I had pushed it hard on the bike and was dehydrated and tired, luckily so was one of the competitors ahead and to my suprise I finished the first 5km loop in second place, looking for my best ever European tour finish and a posible podium. Unfortunately lap 2 of the run saw me struggle home, losing 3 places to finish an eventual 5th.
Although not my best European result it was my most satisfying, against a very strong pro field.
This result moves me up to 7th in the series standings, with the German course likely to suit me and the home advantage at the final UK round, things are looking good for a top 5 overall. As well as these up coming races, I am also now looking to race the US champs at lake Tahoe in Nevada, on the way out to Hawaii for the world champs, it's going to be a very busy couple of months!
The swim went reasonably well for me coming out of the water 33rd losing a couple of minutes less than I did last year. The bike was very hilly, with plenty of technical sections wiht roots and rocks thrown in to cause problems. I managed the fastest bike split yet again (every race this year so far!) catching all but 2 of my rivals. Unforunately my water bottle bounced out of its cage on one of the bumpy descents on the first lap, leaving me without fuel for an hour and a half.
As i started the run, I knew I had pushed it hard on the bike and was dehydrated and tired, luckily so was one of the competitors ahead and to my suprise I finished the first 5km loop in second place, looking for my best ever European tour finish and a posible podium. Unfortunately lap 2 of the run saw me struggle home, losing 3 places to finish an eventual 5th.
Although not my best European result it was my most satisfying, against a very strong pro field.
This result moves me up to 7th in the series standings, with the German course likely to suit me and the home advantage at the final UK round, things are looking good for a top 5 overall. As well as these up coming races, I am also now looking to race the US champs at lake Tahoe in Nevada, on the way out to Hawaii for the world champs, it's going to be a very busy couple of months!
Tuesday, 21 August 2007
Xterra training weekend and Xterra Denmark
The Xterra training camp went really well. Not a huge turn out, but it was really well recieved. All the feedback was good and we all learned a lot as coaches. Next year it will NOT be on the same weekend as Nottingham relays and it will be anounced earlier in the year. We are currently writing a report for Xterraplanet.com website and news letter. News of our venture reached the head people at Xterra and they heard it was a success too.
Xterra Denmark was on Saturday. Last year I placed 11th on a course that doesn't suit strong bikers at all. This year i was looking for a higher place, preferably a top 5 position. I felt i swum better, losing less time than last year, but still too much to make up. Even getting the quickest bike split of the day by 2 minutes only put me into 6th place. On the run i knew i'd struggle only having been injury free and back training for 3 weeks. I was actually pleased with only losing one position, finishing 7th in the end. Fellow GB elites Jim McConnell and Nicola Duggan finished 13th and 5th respectively. The party of nearly 20 GB athletes had a great weekend with several age group medals including 3 golds.
Tomorrow i am off to Xterra Austria for round 3 of the European series. This should suit my strengths a lot more. Having a great training day today so far and looking forward to a top 5 this time hopefully!!
Xterra Denmark was on Saturday. Last year I placed 11th on a course that doesn't suit strong bikers at all. This year i was looking for a higher place, preferably a top 5 position. I felt i swum better, losing less time than last year, but still too much to make up. Even getting the quickest bike split of the day by 2 minutes only put me into 6th place. On the run i knew i'd struggle only having been injury free and back training for 3 weeks. I was actually pleased with only losing one position, finishing 7th in the end. Fellow GB elites Jim McConnell and Nicola Duggan finished 13th and 5th respectively. The party of nearly 20 GB athletes had a great weekend with several age group medals including 3 golds.
Tomorrow i am off to Xterra Austria for round 3 of the European series. This should suit my strengths a lot more. Having a great training day today so far and looking forward to a top 5 this time hopefully!!
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
London to Paris ride
Last weekend I had a change from training and racing and helped out guiding a charity ride from London to Paris. The ride was to raise money for The Big Issue. Over the 3 days we managed to get 50 recreational cyclists over a lumpy 250 miles in all weathers to Paris, including a final 100 mile day. We didn't manage to lose anyone either (well not permanently!) . Seeing the sense of accomplishment on the riders face when thewy finished was great, they all felt very proud of themselves and rightly so. It was a great weekend, I met some lovely people and no one talked racing or techy gear ratio talk at the dinner table.
In order to get a greater training effect I rode a mountain bike with knobbly tyres, but despite my best intentions I only ran and swum once each. I think the change of routine has helped though and a good night out on the town on Saturday night! This week I have knuckled down to some hard days training with Xterra Denmark looming up very soon. I'm not expecting to be on top running form, but hopefully by the UK round I'll be getting close.
There are still a few spaces left on our Xterra UK training camp in 10 days time, get those cheques in to reserve a place, or check out www.driventotri.com .
In order to get a greater training effect I rode a mountain bike with knobbly tyres, but despite my best intentions I only ran and swum once each. I think the change of routine has helped though and a good night out on the town on Saturday night! This week I have knuckled down to some hard days training with Xterra Denmark looming up very soon. I'm not expecting to be on top running form, but hopefully by the UK round I'll be getting close.
There are still a few spaces left on our Xterra UK training camp in 10 days time, get those cheques in to reserve a place, or check out www.driventotri.com .
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