Team GB - Prague ETU Long Distance Triathlon Championships

It's been a funny month. We moved to Grimsby to stay with Sarah's Mum and Dad, then we popped across to Bolton to support some friends at Ironman UK (well done to Justine, Matt, Strewie, Dougie, Steve. Les and Toby) and saw what was possibly the best ever first ever Ironman start by Phil Graves.

Then we fly off to Prague to compete in the ETU Long Distance Champs Team GB, phew and on top of that almost everything we own was shipped out to our life in Dubai by Ian the DHL man! Apart from that it's been a normal month! With only 5 days to the BIG move I've start to appreciate things more than I have ever, time with Jack esp.

The race in Prague was a real eye opener it just goes to show just how looked after we are when we race WTC Ironman distance events. Quite a few of the aid stations ran out of water! The officials weren't really sure of the course that morning (two and a half laps or three?) and as for the ship that that cut through the swim during the race.......it was just not real I tell ya.

Still I was pleased on the whole with the race, but there still is much improvement to be made. My bike was the disappointing aspect this time, as I expected to go much faster. Still I made up for it in the run and while really I should be running faster, it was a hellish hot day (42C), so I was happy with my efforts. But what I was mostly happy with was my position in the team I came 6th out of 67 team members, I was over the moon so you could say that I am the officially the 6th fastest long distance athlete in the country as of this race - nice! I was 53rd overall too out of 390 athletes.

What was also really great was that we met up with so top guys, Andy, Steve, Tom and Donna. Donna I know from where we used to live back in Somerset and with the Wizards, but the other guys were all off tritalk.co.uk. It was great to meet up with them and we got on really well, they are all great guys and hopefully we'll meet up next year for the same event in Spain.

Cheers guys and stay safe over the winter in cold UK. ;-)

Ed

Grimsby, Bolton and Prague

I'm so sorry I haven't posted for awhile, but my access to the 'tinternet' has been limited, because Sarah, Jack and I are staying in Grimsby with my in-laws for a month or so until we make our journey to the Middle East for Dubai for a new life in the sands.

Training has been going well. I've got around 30 hours a week roughly and I've met some nice people in North East Lincolnshire to train with. One of them is doing Ironman UK this weekend in Bolton and his brother is the Double Ironman* on Staurday too - respect! While I'm on Ironman UK, I'm really looking forward to seeing the guys from the Wizards this weekend who are racing in Bolton,as we are going to travel across to give support big style. A big shout goes to Stevie G, Justine and Matt (who's had hamstring difficulties in the last week - fingers crossed for you pal).

It's also not long till I fly over to Prague to race for Team GB. I've got a mixure of nerves and excitment about the whole event, I just don't know what to expect at that level/distance - it'll be fun. Anyhow I'm now in taper for the event so training etc is winding down, then I've got to go and get my new bike box from Rotherham for the trip. I'll keep you posted reference that.

Oh lastly, and more importantly my best mate Gilbert and his wife Natasha are expecting their first Baby in Feb. What can I say but I'm so made up for them, take care guys, all three of you.

Night.

Ed

*Paul came an amazing 2nd overall!!!! A smashing result for a top bloke, just his double tri-weekend to go now this season good luck Paul, stay strong.

Hat trick - Bon Voyage!

A win is a win and considering I've had some time off training, well structured training it was not a bad result. It was also my last race in the UK before our move abroad to Dubai (bye bye to the UK race scene - I've loved every minute) and it was the first that I have used bunny in 'anger'. So scraping the win was a good win. If I sit back and think about it, this time threes years ago I would never have thought that I would win an event, so to put things in perspective I'm super happy to have No. 1 next to my name.

Over the coming weeks we move to Grimsby (with the In-Laws), continue to train and then make our way to Prague to race in the Europeans, so it's going to be a little bust to say the least, hopefully it's going to be straight forward.

Lastly, a huge WELL DONE to James Cunnama, team member of Team TBB and the brother of a friend of mine. He placed 2nd in Ironman Austria on Sunday, a top result for a super guy, who has worked really hard, plus he is young and has a great future in front of him.

Train hard, train safe, as always.

Ed

Crewkerne Sprint Triathlon

Tomorrow, I'm racing again. It's a super sprint, but I am looking forward to it, it'll be nice to use Bunny in anger. However, I've been bitten by a horse fly just above my knee and it bloody hurts! Unbloody believable, typical - fingers crossed it'll be ok!

I am now officially a free man, as I finished work yesterday for the Summer until we move out to Dubai in mid August - bring on the training. I'm really looking forward to getting to grips with my training since it's been hard over the last part of term. We move in a week and half to Grimsby to live Sarah's Mum and Dad for a month or so, so life is going pretty hectic, what with packing etc. Then we've got ETU Long Distance Champs in Prague in early August so life isn't as straight forward I we thought it was going to be.

Train safe.

Ed

I'd like to introduce Bunny, she's a beauty!

Here she is, in all her glory, Bunny. I picked her up this morning from Chantie who had the odd bits and bobs to sort on her. She is such a beauty and I was able to take her out for a spin later on that afternoon and I have to say - oh my life, she's fast! I averaged 26 mph for a sprint distance race I've got coming up. Sponsor logos on and Polar sensors sorted, I'm so looking forward to getting to know her over the coming few days ready for Crewkerne Sprint Tri this weekend and then the European Long Distance Champs in Prague in August.

Cranks, work and resting!?

It's not been this best of weeks since Ironman UK 70.3. It was Sarah's and mine birthday last Thursday, which was pretty pants to be honest as we just worked all day - 16hours! On the Wednesday my nice, new Planet X arrived, however the joy was short lived as it was minus a couple of key parts and the cranks thread was all wrong so it has had to be sent back. I really haven't enjoyed the last week of resting, I did do one run, which felt good, but really the week has been a waster quite simply, because I have been so damn bust with work. I am really looking forward to the move out to Dubai, where I can really put into action my plans to qualify for Kona.

Anyhow, back to the training this week thank goddness.

Ed

Ironman UK 70.3

Just over a week ago I was bedding down in my tent on the campsite at Wimbleball Lake in Exmoor National Park. The reason, to race Ironman UK 70.3. I really was not too sure how I was going to get on, as I don't think that I had really been able to prepare fully or as I would have liked to, not enough biking and brick/open water sessions.

We got to bed after a nice early evening walk with some friends, Matt and Justine, who we were camping with, they were also racing. The day started pretty early to be honest, as some of the race team were making a real noise, waking me up nice and early - too early! Once 4am had hit it was time to get some food inside me. Once I'd had breakie I popped into transition to sort the bike out ready for the off. Drinks on, tires pumped it was time to put the wetsuit on etc.

6am was coming around pretty damn fast and in the blink of an eye it was time to go to transition ready for the off at 6am. However, due to conditions a mist had formed on the lake and it was unsafe to enter the water. After an hour in transition and a couple pees for Matt and I, we wondered down to the lake's edge. I struggled to get into position ready for the start, as there were loads of athletes not moving from the start/finish chute.

Suddenly the gun went off and it was all start. It was quite a rough start to be honest, but I soon got into rhythm. I found some feet and worked hard throughout the swim, I got out thinking I had swam well, but a quick glance at my watch showed me that I had swam for 31 minutes! What? I couldn't believe it, all my hard work this year and I was slower that ever, I was gutted.

Anyhow, I made my way into T1, wetsuit off , bike stuff sorted and out onto the bike. I felt so much happier once I was sat on my saddle. The first hill was hard, but it was welcome and I soon found myself overtaking many who had finished the swim before me. Half way up and I passed a race mate/rival, Alan Ward from North Devon Triathlon Club much quicker than I thought I would. It was a nice confidence booster and from then on I just thought - right, game on, let's race! I rode with a group of riders for about 40 miles and it was only until the last 5 miles when I really opened up on the bike and went for it, breaking many of those who had ridden with me.

I when into T2 not sure how I would feel, but as I passed my race rig across to the helper and got my legs moving, I felt great and I was pleasantly surprised. Grasping my bag, I got my trainers/sun visor on and headed out onto run section for 13.1miles.

To be honest if I had seen Sarah on the first laps I might have given up, but I didn't and by half way into the second lap I was actually feeling quite good. However, I was cramping going onto the flats, but there weren't to many of them to be honest, so I just soldiered on. I finished the run by lapping a friend of mine and out sprinting a fellow racer who had just bared off ready to finish.

Overall it was a great race and I finished 37th overall, 31st male and 19th non-professional out of 1000 athletes. My finish time was 5.06:02 an 11 minute improvement on last year. I am pretty happy to be honest, I was hoping to go under the 5 hour, but if I'm honest my run time was 2 seconds faster than in Clearwater, the flat World Championships. I had qualified again to race there this year, but I turned the slot down, in preparation for Prague/the Europeans and our move to Dubai both in August.

On the whole a good day at the races, now I'm ready for week off training and the delivery of my age group kit and my new race bike - a Planet X Stealth!

Chill for now.

Ed