Goodbye Cyst, Hello China!

The last week has been a little worrying to be honest. Just before the Golden Tulip Triathlon last week I seemed to have what looked like a spot appear on the right eye brow, this grew and grew and grew, until it looked like something out of Star Wars (I'm sure it was just all my brain power trying to get out!). It turned out to be a cyst - not good, trust me it was very painful. So I popped to docs to get some help and advice, as it was starting to swell around my eyes and nose (I looked like something out of Avatar). I was starting to get really worried reference to the flight out to China and racing too as I also had a headache with it. After some pills and a small op from the doctor i.e. cutting a hole and squeezing all the crap out (cottage cheese) it felt so much better straight away and I have been able to get some sessions in this week while tapering. I think it just came about due to being run down after all the training and then going into taper I just relaxed and ended up with a second head!
We fly out this coming Tuesday and I picked up the visas yesterday – exciting! I just really struggle to believe that we are on our way to China and that we really going. It seemed such a pipe dream a year ago, when we were still living in Somerset, everything seemed so far away. I always wanted to go to places like China as a kid, but I never really thought it would happen. Now all I've got to do is race as hard as I can and qualify for Kona (fingers crossed). I am feeling the pressure a bit a lot of people have really put their faith in me, giving me time off work etc, we have spent a lot of money and Sarah and I have made a lot sacrifices in order to give me this chance, it's a massive opportunity that I do not want to let go by the way side.

I'll try to update the blog while we are in China in the lead up to the event, as I'm taking my laptop and hopefully we will have wifi in the hotel room.

This weekend all I've got left to do is a small ride with group and a steady 'fun' sea swim on Saturday, before coffee and a farewell to the team. Then that's it really, just finish work on the Monday evening and make our way to the airport.

Lastly, good luck to Marc this weekend at Ironman New Zealand, Taipo. Marc and I have done the lion’s share of all our training together and it's his first Ironman race. We'll be thinking of you mate this Saturday and keeping close taps on how you're getting on, you'll do amazingly well I know.

Train safe, race hard.

Ed

Golden Tulip Tri and only two weeks to go.......

There is only two weeks until we race in Ironman China and only a week Tuesday till we fly out to China. Man, we are sooooo excited, not only to be racing an Ironman again, but to travel the see China, well some of it, not long now!

Yesterday, I race out near Abu Dhabi, Ghantoot in the Golden Tulip Sprint Triathlon. There were quite a few guys racing, including a couple of ones from the area who have been here for a while. The distances were a 600m swim, 26km bike and then a 6km run.

The race went well and it was a mass deep water start. I pretty much missed my draft in the swim, so I was on my own for most of it and I came out of the swim in 7th place overall, about a minute down, co I knew my work was set out. My T1 was fast, even through I was wearing a wetsuit.

Out on to the road on the bike and I was quickly hitting over 50kmph and I hit out at 58km! I quickly saw the guys in front and I knew what I had to do to hit the front. However I also knew that the guys coming up from behind were quick, so I really had to push the pace. As I was flying out on the bike I knew that the way back was going to be hard as! Er it was! 35kmph on the way back, ouch, but if it was bad for me it was going to be bad for everyone else!

I hit the turn around in first place and really put the hammer down to get a good lead off the bike, as I knew the guys coming through were strong runners. After the second lap I flew into T2, threw the trainers on and I was quickly out on the run course. After a loads of encouragement from all the team and the guys watching (esp coach and Sarah) I hit the pace hard for the first 2km, but I struggle a little at the turn around aid station. Seeing the other guys chasing me after the turn around I knew I had push the pace so I really kicked it hard and made my way towards the finish.

I crossed the line in first place. The team also scored first female, 2nd female, third female, 4th male and first vet male. It was pretty awesome to be honest, a great day at the office!

Right thats it from me, the next time I blog we'll almost be really to travel to China!

Train safe and well done to the team Tri2aspire!

Ed

3 weeks till China and the unofficial UAE Championships

Not long now and I have to report it's been a great 3 weeks of training since I last reported. Some the sessions I've been hitting have just been building my confidence further and further. Last week I hit 95kms on the bike in 2hours 30mins and then kicked out 20kms on 4.30mins per km. I was loving in the heat of the day. From next Sunday I will be on official tamper mode, which I'm not too sure how I feel about it. Another journey will be coming to an end, but then another door will open for me.

The foot is still sore, but I got some new trainers last weeks and that has made a world of difference. However, I must report that I didn't that part in RAK Half marathon last weekend. I just really didn't want to risk the foot for China, so I hit a big bike session instead.

This coming weekend is the unofficial UAE Sprint Triathlon Championship at the Golden Tulip Hotel near Ghantoot, Abu Dhabi. It's a 600m swim, 26km bike and to finish a 6km run - I'm looking for about 1 hour 7mins(ish). This should be good fun, but some reason I don't now if it's because I want to do well for the team, my coach, for Sarah, for myself, but I am feeling nervous and I know if I swim well and I'm looked after by the team during it, then ride strong (as I know I can) and then run well (which I have been), I should do well and I'll be happy if I'm top 5 age grouper. I'm told Faris Al Sultan is racing with his team Abu Dhabi, so it'll be interesting to see how strong those guys are.

As for China, Sarah and I are in the process of getting our Visas sorted this week, as we are on half term this week. I've also order some kit back in the UK to my mates house who I work and he's gone home of the hol, so hopefully he should get the new lens (I scratched my jawbone lens!), new tubs and other bits and bobs for China.

Right, thats it for now. I'll report in after the weekend to let you know how the race goes on Friday. Fingers crossed, it'll be odd going to race without Jack mind to keep Sarah company :-(

Train safe,

Ed

6 weeks and counting!

It's only 6 weeks till we make our war to China to race. I am really looking forward to traveling, but we've got bits and bobs to do before we leave, visas, a couple of 180km rides etc! It will fly by and soon the race will be upon us and I'll be stood on the start line - pooing my pants (again). I scored sponsorship with Blue Seventy again this year, once again I am soooo happy to work with this company they simply are the best and I'm so saying that as they are flowing me kit, they really do make the best product on the market for wetsuits etc.

Thanks to Blue Seventy, Guy and Naomi.

Up date on the foot injury - still quite poor but I am just trying to run through the pain to be honest. My plan for this month is not as hard or should I say intense as I thought it would be honest, but the sessions are more about quality. My coach is hoping to keep me fresh and ready for battle in China. An interesting note was that last week I eat a load of crap to you the truth - pizza hut. If I'm honest my training was crap too and I really struggled with motivation. To give you an example of this I struggled to put a ride together pushing an average of 34kmph, where I can normally hit 36/7kpmh! It just showed my how important the fuel that I put into my body is. Equally, things have been full on at work, what with inspections (which was ok) and sports days coming up, its all a little serious and while I'm not afraid of hard work (I do Ironman for goodness shake!), I equally like to work with a smile on my face and for the past couple weeks this hasn't been the case. It's just not me, I don't like it.

This weekend I've got a time trail of 100km bike and then a 10km run. Coach wants me to hit 40kmph (2hr 30mins) on the bike and then a 43min run*. I think I'll be more happy with a 2hr 45min bike and a sub 40min run.

We'll see, I'll keep you posted.

Right, I'm going to slope off to bed to catch soon shut eye. I promise I'll put some new photos up soon too

Train safe, as always.

Ed

*Update, yea I killed the session, 80kms in 1hour 57mins and 12km in 44mins - sweet!

Inspection time, training and the F.A. Cup

Right first of all, lets get it out the way, yes Arsenal have been dumped out of the cup for another year by Stoke, yes Stoke! I mean bloody 'ell! Do I not like that!

On a more pleasant note (yea, right!) Repton School Dubai, where I teach is being inspected at he moment, which is nice. It's ok really, apart from a few hiccups, just like a normal week of teaching then and I'm still getting the training in. I'm starting to feel like I'm peaking ready for China in 6 weeks time. I'm feeling strong on the bike, last Saturday after a (from me) crap swim, Ali, Roy, Clint and myself flew out to Johan's Junction and killed a quick 100kms. In parts we were pushing 40-45kmph. Then on the way back with the wind we knocked off 50kmph average, it was beautiful and I felt great. I did a BIG weekend of training, something like 14 hours in total.

Right, thats it for now. Good luck to the guys heading out for the camp this weekend at Al Ain I wish I was coming out with you for the big weekend, but some of us have to work, as I've touring cricket team coming to stay.

Train safe and take care,

Ed and Sarah :-)

Big Toe, 10kms and the sun again!

Well we've back in Dubai (home) for about three weeks and I'm really getting into the training. It's hard to motivate myself at times, but it's for a number of reasons, mainly my big right toe, which has been giving me some pain for a while. I decided to go to the doctors as last year it had been diagnosed as a Morton Neuroma and I was given a shot of pain relief.

However on my visit this time it turned out not to be case and I certainly would not be a shot. The doctor order a X-Rays and an MRI scan. It turns out that my big toe is not at all flexible in the joint and therefore I over load my poor other toes esp my second one, which has really started to hurt. I've been to see the man who is fitting me with orthics, but this will take time to get used to, but fingers crossed we are on our way to getting it sorted.

On a top note, Sarah and I did the Dubai 10km last Friday just gone gone. Sarah did really coming in just over the hour. I was so proud of her and we've put her medal by the TV in the apartment. I race well placing 28th overall, out of 6ooo, in 37.12, 3RD Brit over the line, but I do feel I could have gone faster if I had sarted at the front. I would have got with the runners group and then been pulled along with them. However, considering I have not been training for the 10km and going way longer it was a pleasing result, but then again I'm never happy.

It is great to be back in the sun. It just makes training so much easier and I've been able to get some top session in with Marc, who is doing Ironman New Zealand and Clint, who is gunning for a sub 10hour Ironman in Roth.

Right thats it from me, I promise to update this more often, it's one promise I'm going to keep from the New Year.

Train safe and take care, always.

Ed and Sarah

December time, sun, sun and a bit of rain, but it's really cold in the UK

It's been a while since I posted on here and this has been for a number of reasons, firstly work has been super busy and life in Dubai has been just as! But I have to report that training has been going well, apart from a week where I had a touch man flu.

I'm fully entered into Ironman China on March 14th next year, training has been ramped up over the last month and I'm getting in some big sessions. Every Friday, I'm bagging at least 160kms on the bike and then I'm hitting the 4kms of swim sets on a Saturday down at the beach by JBR. My body is holding up pretty well, but I have started to pick up a couple of niggles esp in my foot and left calf, which I need to get looked at in the New Year.

I've raced a couple of times now with my new team. I came second in the first sprint and then first in the second. It felt great to have a big hit out and I felt strong. We also had a training camp near to Al Ain, it was good to get together with the team just before they all travelled out to either Phuket Triathlon or Ironman Western Australia. All the guys did super well, sep Roy who came second in his age group in Phuket and Carl who came 5th in his in Oz.

In the coming twos months I've got the Dubai 10km, Wadi Bi Race and the Saucony RAK half marathon, where I'm looking to go quite quick, around the 1hour 20 mark. In training I've running well, even though I'm been focusing on it. Last week in training I had 2 hour run set to do where I covered 34kms. This is great not only, because it's good for my racing, but also, because I've scored a sponsorship deal with Saucony U.A.E. Tony has been great supplying me with kit, trainers etc and I'm super looking forward to getting my new racing Saucony Fast Twitch 4 in the New Year for all my races in 2010.

Thanks Tony and Saucony, U.A.E.

Well, I think thats most of what I've been up. I'm in U.K. at the mo celebrating Christmas with family and family, oh my life it's cold. But it's really good to see our dog Jack, we really miss him and it's the best Xmas pressie in the world to spend some time him. I'm back home on the 5th Jan and looked forward to getting my teeth back into my biking and swimming as well as my running that I'm doing in the cold at the mo.

My New Year's resolution is to post on here more often, honest!

Take care in the snow or in the sun, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Train safe.

Ed