Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough

As a sport, triathlon has it all. I just can't get enough of it, and this feeling is shared by every other triathlete I know or speak to.

Whether it be trying to beat your last ironman time, or competing in your very first ironman, or trying to qualify for the Worlds, there’s something for everyone.

Three guys from my tri club have just finished Ironman Nice. Jo, first time ironman, and Musty and Russell who are both ironman veterans. By all accounts it was hard out there, but they all finished and are no doubt enjoying the post race celebrations as I type this week’s blog. Well done, guys, but the big question is will you do it again?

Jev, along with many others from his tri club (Team MK) are flying out to Germany this week to race Ironman Germany next Sunday. This will be Jev’s third ironman (he’s a twice Austria finisher) and so at the moment he’s currently one behind me ;-) Jev is a very focussed athlete, to say the least, and if he performs to his ability then he will no doubt achieve his own personal aims.

Martin, a friend who I met in Italy recently, will be on the same start line as Jev, trying to qualify for Hawaii. Having already qualified for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, he is set to make it a marvellous double with a Hawaii spot too. Top athlete, and top bloke too. Good luck, Martin.

I am, as you know, still trying to qualify for the Worlds in Oz.

And so the list goes on of past, current and future aspirations.

Somebody who is no longer able to look forward is the late, great Michael Jackson, who we all know died this week. An ordinary name, but certainly not an ordinary person, he will be sorely missed.

He may have had his critics, and his life was shrouded in mystery amid accusations of various mis-doings (never proven), but I grew up listening (and dancing!) to Mr J. I remember, like it was yesterday, rushing back from an evening out with my mates to watch the Thriller video which was being aired, if memory serves me right, at 1am on the TV programme The Tube (but I could be wrong).

My children, too, love Jackson’s music and were just as shocked and saddened as I was at his death. His music truly did span generations and nobody can deny that he has had a profound effect on the pop music industry.

Leaving behind the plethora of MTV tribute programmes, I was racing the Northampton Sprint this weekend. The picture up top was taken by Anne-Marie just after the finish and is of me with a small person sitting on my head.

This was billed as a B race, but in reality it was far more important than that. It was after Northampton in 2007 that I decided I would compete for the Worlds and so I was using this race as a yard stick to see how far I have come over the past two years. I DNF’d in two out of my last three races, so this race was a test for my new tyres. So, you can see, this was more than just another race. I had a few things to prove to myself.

And prove them I did, with a 5th overall, 2nd in my age group – behind (far behind!) ex-pro Andy Tarry who not only won my AG but also won the race outright very easily - and taking over 6 minutes out of my time from 2007 (even with the bike route error). So, a very good day at the office and I am now well and truly back on track to consolidate over the next three weeks for Blithfield.





A good week of very specific training:-

Monday – swim - club swim
Tuesday – swim - open water (Brogborough), bike - hard intervals
Wednesday – bike - hard hill session
Thursday – swim - open water (Brogborough), run - intervals
Friday – rest
Saturday – bike - easy spin
Sunday – Northampton Sprint

More of the same next week. It's set to be a week of soaring temperatures, so if I suffer on any planned long training sessions then I mustn't Blame It On The Sunshine (groan, groan).

Cheers.

C