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

It's Kona time, October and it's still sunny here in Dubai.

Hello to everyone in the cheap seats - the UK that is. I've heard the weather has been great there of late, but I'm sure that over the next couple of weeks things will turn and those Sunday morning rides are going to harder and wetter. Here, it's just starting to get nice, it's cooling down, which means mid 30s during the day time, sweet.

I've got together with a group out here and I've been on a couple rides/sessions with them. The first was a nightmare, I blow BIG stylie. It was an easy 3 hours session and after 1 hour /I'd made the front pack and I rode hard, but not that bad if I'd been in better shape (6 weeks the Europeans and loads of enjoying life etc). Which we hit the last 10kms it was game on and racing, however I just fell of the back and my made my way back from doing 37kph on the front, to rolling home at 20kph! I learnt a HUGE lesson that day. Still, I made up for it two weeks later by killing them all and finishing of topping out at 50kph! Beautiful!

Well, this weekend it's Kona, Ironman World Championships. My new coach (who is good friends will Crowie) spoke to him last weekend, he's good shape and looking forward to it, however he's feeling the pressure what from sponsors etc. Whereas Macca is feeling cooling cool and he seems to be just enjoying it. It'll all come clean in the wash on Saturday, best of luck to everyone racing from Pros (esp Chrissie) and Age Groupers alike.

Hopefully next year I'll be there to race too.

Take care and train safe.

Ed and Sarah in the Desert

Hitting the hard stuff

Sarah and I have joined the Aviation Club in Dubai. It's beautiful to be honest, the gym is great loads of free weights and cardio machines. Downstairs there's swimming pool with real lanes, a steam room etc all the toys. It's great to go there after work, put in a big session and then chill and have a nice meal with friends.

I have never had this sort of treatment after training so hopefully it can some way to improving my performances during sessions and more importantly during races. We have joined it with some friends that we've made out here. It's always good to have people around you that you get on with and I believe it's even more important in a strange country.

Training has started well for the season after having some time off to move etc. I'm now concentrating on simply cardio stuff as I mentioned last time and light weight training in prep for last years Ironman China in March 2010, so it's game on, tampon!

Cheers all, peace.

Ed

It's Dubai baby! But it's hot, hot!

We out here in the sand and it's hot! Well, actually it's really hot over 40 everyday! I've been out running a number of times during the day time and it's meant that I'm now getting used to the heat when walking round, but I'll tell you it's hard work the train during it at the moment.

Sarah and I have started the new job and the guys we're working with seem really nice and I'm looking forward to having a good crack with them. The apartment is pretty cool too and we've been really lucky to be placed in one which has two bedrooms, nice. I'm hoping to make contact with a couple of guys reference to racing out here and esp bike training near Nal a Sherba.

It was great to see Gil and Nat last week on their way back to UK from Kenya and we had a wicked time at Wild Wadi. Some of the slides were cool and it was super fun.

All our boxes have arrived last night. It was great to see them again. I gave the bikes a quick over and they seem okay, even if one of the bike boxes have been damaged, so I think I'm going to claim for that. But the new Bike Box Alan stood up fine and I was pleased with it's performance.

It's Wednesday here today and that means that we've only got Thursday left before the weekend. It's going to be odd having a whole weekend off as well as finishing work at 2pm each day as it's Ramadan at the moment. I'm going to post some more pictures etc later on.

Right I've got to get on with some work.

Take care.

Ed

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