It's been far too long since my last post. Loads has gone on. I won the first round of the national Mountain bike series Master category back in April.
More recently the European Xterra tour has kicked off in ernest. Xterra Italy was also the European champs and more than 350 athletes lined up on the start line in Sardinia. It was a very fast race, which was won by the in-form Swiss athlete Olivier Marceau. I had 2nd fastest bike and got up into 5th place before fading slightly on the run to finish 9th.
Xterra Uk was a stark contrast to the sunshine and heat of Sardinia. Being Wales it rained constantly, but it didn't dampen the spirits or the racing. A smaller but equally quality field lined up and it turned into a battle of the world champions at the front with Nico LeBrun of France the 2005 world champ beating Conrad Stoltz of South Africa in an epic race. I had a reasonable swim, but couldn't get going on the bike and ended up losing 6 minutes to leaders and coming off the bike in 7th, I had a good run and gained a place to finish 6th, retaining my title of British Champion.
This weekend is a weekend off, before Xterra France the following week. Where i hope to once again be in the running for the prizes and improve on my current series standing.
Monday, 23 June 2008
Sunday, 9 March 2008
Merrrell Mudman 2008
Knowing that John Lunt and the crew at Human Race always put on a good event, I thought this would be an ideal opening multi sport event for 2008. The race was an off-road duathlon with 7.5km run, 15km bike and a final 7.5km run.
Over 100 athletes lined up on the start line on this damp day. The first run was led by a french guy called Cedric Lassonde, who I later found out has a pedigree as a top 1500M runner. He was followed into transition by Elliot Challifour and myself. The run course was brutal with 6 climbs that you could barely walk up, and so steep running down that the soles of your feet got bruised. I was very pleased to get onto the bike and into a rythmn again. The bike leg went well for me, getting into the lead comfortably, with my new Cannondale Taurine performing faultlessly. Other bits of equipment I was testing included Canterbury compression top and socks, whether they helped or not is difficult to say, but i had a good second run and didn't cramp unlike a lot of people.
My second run was only 9 seconds slower than my first, which I was very pleased with. Most people lost at least 3 minutes. All in all a very pleasing first multisport race of the year with a 3 minute victory. I still have 3 months until the European series starts, so I am not far off where I want to be already.
I am off to Lanzarotte next week for a spot of training with Julie Dibens and some other athletes, then my next race will be the first round of the Mountain bike national points series, where I intend to wear my National Champs jersey with pride.
Over 100 athletes lined up on the start line on this damp day. The first run was led by a french guy called Cedric Lassonde, who I later found out has a pedigree as a top 1500M runner. He was followed into transition by Elliot Challifour and myself. The run course was brutal with 6 climbs that you could barely walk up, and so steep running down that the soles of your feet got bruised. I was very pleased to get onto the bike and into a rythmn again. The bike leg went well for me, getting into the lead comfortably, with my new Cannondale Taurine performing faultlessly. Other bits of equipment I was testing included Canterbury compression top and socks, whether they helped or not is difficult to say, but i had a good second run and didn't cramp unlike a lot of people.
My second run was only 9 seconds slower than my first, which I was very pleased with. Most people lost at least 3 minutes. All in all a very pleasing first multisport race of the year with a 3 minute victory. I still have 3 months until the European series starts, so I am not far off where I want to be already.
I am off to Lanzarotte next week for a spot of training with Julie Dibens and some other athletes, then my next race will be the first round of the Mountain bike national points series, where I intend to wear my National Champs jersey with pride.
Monday, 29 October 2007
Xterra worlds Maui
600 athletes including almost 100 pros lined up in Maui, Hawaii for the world championships yesterday. The best field ever assembled included Olympic medalists, 8 world champions, several top ITU road athletes, mountain bikers, Ironman champions and the best Xterra pro's.
After spending 3 weeks aclimatising to the heat here on Maui, I was very motivated to try to get the quickest bike and top 10 overall. Unfortunately I just missed out on both accounts, with 2nd quickest bike and 14th overall, however looking at the athletes behind me and ahead of me I know i have stepped up a level, beating many of the top Europeans that have beat me most of the season, and most of the US athletes that beat me in Tahoe a month ago.
Looking forward to a couple of weeks here in the sun, surfing and chilling on the beach. Then back to the grind of slowly improving my swimming.
After spending 3 weeks aclimatising to the heat here on Maui, I was very motivated to try to get the quickest bike and top 10 overall. Unfortunately I just missed out on both accounts, with 2nd quickest bike and 14th overall, however looking at the athletes behind me and ahead of me I know i have stepped up a level, beating many of the top Europeans that have beat me most of the season, and most of the US athletes that beat me in Tahoe a month ago.
Looking forward to a couple of weeks here in the sun, surfing and chilling on the beach. Then back to the grind of slowly improving my swimming.
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Tahoe US champs and Maui world champs
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
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
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
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