Ever Fallen in Love with Someone (you shouldn't have fallen in love with...) ?

I love that song. Used to play it at home when I was younger - in my punk days - hard to imagine I'm that old, isn't it.

Isn't it?

Anyway... like I was saying, I love that song - as far as pop songs go I reckon it's pretty much perfect. John Peel may have had 'Teenage Kicks' but I have 'Ever Fallen in Love' by The Buzzcocks. Now John Peel knew a lot more about music than me, granted, but I reckon I know a bit more about bikes than John (rest his soul) ever did, even if I have been cycling for only twenty months or so.

My Specialized Allez has served me well. I've used it for all my triathlons, it's seen me through two winters of training and it's been slapped on and off the turbo more times than coach Kleanthous has laced up his running shoes. It has well over five thousand miles on the clock (excluding the aforesaid turbo miles) and it's been nigh on time that the bike cavalry came charging over the hill to the rescue.

Cue the hero of the piece - my Audie Murphy - pictured above. Namely a Cervelo P2C. A fine piece of kit, I'm sure you'll agree. It's pretty much all carbon and I've invested in a set of HED wheels which certainly look the business. Coach K and I set it up last week and I've been out on it a few times to tweak the arrangements. The idea is that I'll be able to get some serious miles on it before IronMan Austria to get used to the new aggressive position. As most of you who know me can vouch for, I'm a reasonably laid back guy, not used to aggressive positions, so fingers crossed that I get used to it in time. I'll report back but, in the meantime, let's just say I'm a happy bunny.


Actually, the photo you see above wasn't the original photo until my pedantic Ironmates Mark K, Colin B and Tom W pointed out that I'd photographed it incorrectly - the bike was facing the wrong way, the cranks weren't level, the chaing wasn't in the big ring yadda, yadda, yadda. What are you guys? The bike police? I mean, really... is this so different than the one above. Anyway, I guess you've saved me from ridicule on www.tritalk.co.uk so thanks.

So... to the week that was. Coach K had sent me two key swim, two key bike and three key run sessions to work into my schedule this week and I'm pleased to say I managed six of them. I started slowly and the weather hampered my long ride plans but I managed to get one in on Thursday. I rode for 20 minutes warm up, then 20 minutes at 10 mile TT pace, followed by 10 minutes spinning, followed by 20 minutes more at 10 mile TT pace, followed by the rest of my long bike. In windy, wintery conditions, with my bike in winter mode, I rode 84 miles at 18.8mph average which is faster than my IronMan average in Austria last year (albeit for a distance of 112 miles). But the cycling is certainly heading in the right direction.

I also completed my first race of the season, the Merchant Taylors Olympic Triathlon. In reality this was a C race for me, to get me used to stitching the three disciplines together. I enjoyed the event and came home in 2 hours 31 mins which, given the hilly nature of the bike course, was a very creditable time. Pro's were that I felt strong in the bike and run and, compared to last year, had tons more energy in the bank at the end of the race. Cons were that my transitions weren't slick enough and my swim stroke wasn't as smooth as I'd have liked. Still, a good day at a well run new tri.

Last week's training was as follows:

Monday - 60 minutes cycling with seated climbing

Tuesday - 45 minutes swimming with 2 x 800m Ironman pace efforts plus warm ups and downs, 2km total. Temp run, 50 minutes, including 30 minutes at 6:45 min mile pace.

Weds - 45 minute swim, 75 minute run at slow 8:15 min mile pace

Thurs - One hour cycling, new bike technique and set up

Friday - Long bike as detailed above. 4 hours 30 mins. 15 minutes run off the bike.

Saturday - 1 hour open water swim, easy 2.25 km including open water acclimatisation

Sunday - Olympic triathlon - 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run. 2.5 hours

Total training time this week - 13 hours 50 mins

Last week's film quote was spoken by Robin Williams in DEAD POETS SOCIETY.

Any ideas on this one?

"Rosebud"

Come on, folks... you have to know that one...

I remember seeing The Buzzcocks in concert at Blackpool Tiffany's Ballroom in 1979. Great concert. Tonight we're off to see Roger Waters perform 'Dark Side of The Moon' at the 02 Arena (a concert we saw a year ago at the Birmingham NEC but just HAD to go back and see again). I shall return home knowing that the one I shouldn't have fallen for will still be waiting for me. :-)

Have fun out there...

Plot Point...

I’ve started up a film society at home. On an occasional basis I’ll get together with a group of mates and we’ll watch a movie in the cinema, discussing it afterwards – all washed down by a few ales and buckets of popcorn, of course. Sounds most un-Ironman like I know, but there were five of us present on Friday night and we had eight Ironmen between us – so I guess we’re allowed a night off once in a while!

Anyway, our film on Friday was ‘CIDADE DE DEUS’ (CITY OF GOD), the brilliant Brazilian gangster movie. It’s labyrinthine script gave rise to my explaining to the boys that every film is made up of three acts, essentially a beginning, a middle and an end and that to change acts, a ‘plot point’ must occur.

What is a plot point, do I hear you say? Well, put simply, a plot point is an action or event which turns the current action on its head and propels the action into the next phase.

Here’s an example. A kld called Peter Parker is a bit of a nerd. Picked on at school etc. We see all of this – him being bullied, him being shy, him going un-noticed by girls etc. Then… whaddya know… Peter Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider. Wham. Plot point one. And, Act One of Peter Parker becomes Act Two of Spiderman.

Interesting, huh?

Anyway, this week I had a BIG DAY. Many of you will have followed the link on the right of this page - or just click here - to Tom and Helen's Ironman Blog (and if you haven’t you should). T and H are going at it big time in an event to qualify for the Ironman world champs in Hawaii at the end of the year. This necessitates being a serious athlete and these guys don’t disappoint. Tom did sub 10 hours at Switzerland Ironman last year and is looking to go sub 9:30 at Germany this year, whilst Helen is looking to go sub 10:30 at the same event. We’ve kept in touch since meeting at Ironman Austria last year and they invited me up to their home in Leeds for a training day.

As it happens we didn’t stay at home for any length of time!

The day began with me rising at 4.30 am and driving up to Leeds, meeting T and H at their gym before 0800. We swam 5.35 km (214 lenghts of the 25m pool) at a steady pace in 1 hour 45 minutes. From there we drove back home and got onto the bikes where we cycled into the hilly Yorkshire Dales for a 48 mile ride, stopping off at Betty’s Tearooms in Ilkley for a legendary Fat Rascal scone.

Once back at the house (or rather the garage which had been converted to Transition) we slipped on our running shoes and took off to run the Leeds half marathon route, coming home in 1 hour 50 mins – a strong pace considering what we’d already done and the heat of the day. A brief respite for some much needed food and we packed the bikes into the cars and drove to the Pool 20km bike Time Trial where – amazingly there was a little something left in the legs.

Bed at 2200 and the next thing I know the alarm is going off at 0500. We’re in the pool by 0600 doing a series of swimming sprints for an hour, followed by a weights session for another hour. They left me bloodied and beaten in the café (this week’s photo), wandering off and talking of doing a 100 mile bike ride the next day…

In all seriousness it was a fantastic 24 hours, part of my plan to occasionally surround myself with better athletes to take myself out of any comfort zone I may be slipping into. I felt I turned a corner with Tom and Helen and, in some small way, may well look back at that day as one of my own personal ‘plot points’ that has taken my training to a new stage.

Thanks for a great time and wonderful hospitality guys. I’m looking forward to hosting you here in the summer and I’ve NO DOUBTS that you’re going to go large in Germany.

So, without further ado… let’s begin Act Three of this blog – the summary:

Monday – 53 mile bike ride at 18.8 mph average including Dunstable Downs and Bison Hills. 2 hrs 45 mins.

Tuesday – 55 minutes swimming

Wednesday – 1 hr 45 mins, 5.35km swim, 48 mile bike easy bike ride, 3 hrs 20 mins, 13.1 mile run, 1 hour 50 mins, 20km Bike Time Trial, 40 mins including warm ups and downs.

Thursday – 60 minutes swim sprint set. 60 minutes weights session.

Friday – 60 minutes recovery bike

Saturday – 45 minutes tempo 5.6 mile run

Sunday – Complete Rest Day

Total training this week 15 hours.

Last week’s film quote was:

"Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It's just not really widely reported."

And was spoken by David St Hubbins from Rob Reiner’s THIS IS SPINAL TAP.

Answers in the comments box to this (easy) one please:

“They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? - - Carpe - - hear it? - - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.”

And finally – a word for my coach, Mark Kleanthous, who gave me a mild bollocking following my 24 hour training frenzy in Leeds. Mark, you’re playing a blinder this year. I feel terrific and it’s down to your sessions. I’m looking forward to this next month of key sessions you’ve given me.

For anyone who hasn’t visited Mark’s site, do so… NOW…. Just click here.

Enjoy the sunshine, everyone.

Must have Sleep...

Since arriving back from my golf weekend I've been incredibly tired. As my mate, and three times Ironman, Colin Bradley succinctly put it... "you've been training like a nutter".

And he's right. For me... I have... not only have I been training long but I've been training smart and training hard. Gone are the days of junk hours which I don't mind admitting I succumbed to last year. In their place have been structured sessions, each designed to elicit some improvement from my creaking body.

So I decided to have an easy week this week and not be afraid of bringing it all down a notch or two. I did what I wanted and no more and, most importantly, I decided to try and catch up on my sleep.

For too long now I've neglected this aspect of training. An athlete is only as good as their body allows them to be and, when you're training every day, recovery is as important a factor as the sessions themselves. And the finest recovery aid known is, of course, sleep. For many monthis, when I should really have been in bed at ten o'clock, I've been hanging around watching crap TV with a bottle of beer until midnight. And that's not good. So for several nights this week I've forced myself up and got at least eight to nine hours sleep per night for three or four nights.

I'm noticing the difference. Energy seems to be slowly returning and I'm sleeping better and stronger over longer hours than I was over shorter. I think, frankly, I've been a little over trained and under slept. But hopefully I can turn that round.

Another reason for 'easing back' is that I don't want to peak too early. I feel that for last year's Ironman I was 'over the hill' and that I was ready for the event a month or so before. I don't want that to be the case this time. So a week or so with a quieter agenda will give me the rest I need to push on to the final stages of my training.

That said, when I counted my hours this week I was extremely surprised to see how long I'd trained. Take a look yourselves:

Monday - 60 minutes swim 2.4km swim (6 x 400m with rests), 45 mins 5.6 mile run with 35 mins at 80% Heart Rate pace.

Tuesday - Olympic Tuesday (part of my quest to do at least an Olympic distance every Tuesday) 55 minutes swim ( 2.6km made up of broken speed 150m sprints), 1 hour 45 mins very windy bike (29 miles) 45 minutes 5.6 mile run (back to back with bike ride at 7:32 minute miles average).

Wednesday - 50 minute 2.1km swim (including a broken speed 1500m), 70 mins 8 mile cross country hilly run

Thursday - complete rest day

Friday - Olympic Friday (God knows how I ended up doing another Olympic day?!) 45 minutes 2.2km swim, 82 minutes 25 mile bike with Colin and Joe, back to back 10km run with Colin 50 minutes at 8.15 min miles and 130 bpm avg HR

Saturday - 2 hours 45 mins solo bike. 50 miles at 18mph and 122 bpm HR average. 26 minutes off the bike run at 8.14 min miles and 136 bpm Average.

Sunday - complete rest day.

Total training this week 13 hours 18 mins.

I suspect many of you got last week's film quote.

"I could hardly piss straight with fear. He was a man with 3/4 of an inch of brain who'd taken a dislike to me. What had I done to offend him? I don't consciously offend big men like this. And this one's a decided imbalance of hormone in him. Get any more masculine than that and you'd have to live up a tree. "...

was spoken by Paul McGann's character, Marwood, the 'I' in WITHNAIL AND I.

Remember, no internet allowed in searching out these quotes...

This week we're staying with comedies:

Who said (and in what film)

"Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It's just not really widely reported."

I'm off for a bike ride. Have fun... :-)

Shhwing...

Greetings all. Forgive the brevity this week as I'm about to rush off for a meeting and have, for some reason, decided I'm going to be managing my time a lot more efficiently from here on in.

We'll see.

Strange week this week - slightly inverted as I went away for the weekend on a boys' golf weekend. The Ebola Golf Society (don't ask) was formed 13 years ago and has been meeting up once a year ever since to play bad golf and drink ludicrous amounts of beer. As we've got older the energy levels have dropped but we always give it our best shot. If you take a look at the photo I'm second on the right. If you consider I'm over 6'2" you'll see it's also populated by some fair old monsters.

Anyway... the weekend was great. Just what I needed after a few weeks of what has been hard training. Too much beer but, as coach Mark wryly commented - 'at least it's good practice for being dehydrated'.

So, the week's training (nothing at all on Saturday and Sunday) was as follows:

Monday - 60 mins swim drills, 45 mins pyramid 10k.
Tuesday - OLYMPIC TUESDAY - 55 mins 2.6km swim broken sets, 2 hours 36 mile cycling to and from Aylesbury, 45 minutes back to back 10k a 7:59 min miles average
Wednesday - 50 mins 2.1km swim including broken 1500m, 3 hours 50 mile slow bike with Simon
Thursday - 1 hour 45 mins bike with Dave Harvey (torrential downpour), 30 mins back to back run also with Dave.
Friday - Long slow run. 23 miles at 3 hours 7 mins run at 75% average heart rate and taking Ironman breaks (walking for nutrition etc).

Total training time this week 14 hours 37 mins.

Film quote? Last weeks quote of:

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die."

was spoken by Rutger Hauer's character Roy Batty in the film BLADE RUNNER.

In the spirit of drunken weekends away... you should be able to get this one :

"I could hardly piss straight with fear. He was a man with 3/4 of an inch of brain who'd taken a dislike to me. What had I done to offend him? I don't consciously offend big men like this. And this one's a decided imbalance of hormone in him. Get any more masculine than that and you'd have to live up a tree. "

What was the name of the character that said this - and in what film?

Answers on the blog please, not by email to me :-)

Laters, people.

A walk in the woods...

Good morning bloggers. Here's hoping you had a productive and enjoyable last week. Slightly strange here - something of an inverted week. Our good friends Jonny and Alli came to visit on Thursday evening, bringing their two young children Solly and Matilda. Which, of course, meant that in addition to drinking a little too much ale over the weekend, most of my volume training had to be squeezed in prior to their arrival on account of me wanting to preserve:

1. My friendship with them.
2. My Marriage.

The girls were also back from their jaunt to Filey - which they loved (not because I wasn't with them, I hasten to add) but still on their Easter holidays from school - so it was all adding up to rather a hectic week squeezing things in. Fortunately business has abated slightly after a manic time and I'm enjoying the respite and not feeling guilty about getting to grips with this phase of my training.

The highlight of my training week was on Wednesday when spring was truly in the air. You know the thing... a certain warmth which brings out the smell of the newly cut hedgerows and the delight of the countryside and, for me, evokes memories of childhood and a feeling that suddenly, anything is possible and everything is worth looking forward to.

So, with that feeling of optimism and a celebration of the human spirit coursing through my veins I decided to make myself a sandwich and take off on the bike for a long ride. I'd never done anything like this before, with all my rides - in my mind - being 'training'. I figured it was finally time to enjoy the bike and see where my legs and lungs took me.

Northampton. That's where they took me. And, of course, back again. Against the wind. But it was a great afternoon. I clocked up 90 miles in near enough bang on 5 hours on what was quite a windy day, with the wind in my face all the way back. And I enjoyed pretty much every minute of it - which is what it's all about, isn't it?

Other training highlights? Well, I'm no great shakes in the pool and hence have rarely timed myself at 1500 metres or other distances. I'm not too bad in a wetsuit but the pool seems to slow me down. But, buoyed (excuse the pun) by last week's 6'24 400m I figured I'd stick the watch on myself for 1500m in one of my sessions. I've just switched to bilateral breathing for training sessions and although not flat out in this session was pleasantly surprised to find that I'd clocked 26'27" for the distance. That's comfortably a minute faster than I was swimming the distance at this time last year. I guess tumble turns would make a difference but some new tricks are beyond this old dog.

So, last weeks training was as follows:

Monday: 45 minutes swimming drills and broken short distances with Erin and Alice (swimming with me in the fast lane!!), 44 minutes run - 10 mins warm up, 8 mins at marathon pace, 8 mins half marathon pace, 8 mins 10k pace, 10 mins warm down.

Tuesday: Olympic Distance Day! 45 minutes swimming, 1.9km total including timed 1500m at 26'27". Back to back with - 75 minutes cycling, 23 miles at 19 mph average. Evening: 5.8 miles fast run at 6'52" per mile average.

Weds: Long solo bike ride. 90 miles in 5 hours. Evening - Tring Running Club 8 mile run, 61 minutes at 8:22 minute mile pace, 141 bpm average HR.

Thursday: Complete rest day.

Friday: 70 minutes swimming. 3.2km non stop.

Saturday: 45 minutes, 5.8 miles tempo run.

Sunday: 64 minutes tough cross country run over Chiltern beacons. 8:09 mins per mile average, 139 bpm average HR.

Total time training this week: 13 hours 31 minutes

I'm obviously getting soft with my film quotes. Tom and my Dad both got last week's quote:

"Yeah, he's fast! But he won't go any faster. He's a gut runner, digs deep! But a short sprint is run on nerves. It's tailor-made for neurotics."

was from the film 'CHARIOTS OF FIRE' and was spoken by Sam Mussabimi about Eric Lidell.

See how you do with this one:

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die."

Who said it and in what film? And yes, I know you can find it on IMDB... but see if you can find it in your mind first.

And finally, the highlight of my week relates to the photo. Spending time with my best mates is always a highlight. And when my best mates happen to be my fabulous daughters it just makes it even better. We do lots of things together, the girls and I ( and Fiona, of course) but on Sunday the three of us went out for a walk while Fiona recovered from the weekend. We had a great time... laughing a lot and enjoying ourselves.

And that, after all, is what life's all about isn't it?

Have a good week.

A very busy week...

Good morning all. Fiona took Erin and Alice to Filey for a week's 'girls only' holiday with her sister Clare. Filey was where they used to spend their family holidays and this time round it didn't disappoint. My girls loved it and, more importantly, I had a week here to myself at O'Neill Towers.

So, how to fill said week? Well, training immediately sprang to mind and I planned a busy week.

The centerpiece of the week was to be a long ride on the Wednesday in Snowdonia with an Ironman friend, Iain Parsons. More of that a little later. It was to come after a Tuesday night visit to Anfield, where I'd once again secured tickets for a European night. For those of you who've never experienced one, they are - no matter what your club affiliation - truly nights to remember, unique amongst any other footballing occasions I've encountered. Tuesday was no exception. From our halfway line seats five rows from the pitch myself and my mate and client Paul Keen watched a fantastic 4 - 2 victory over Arsenal where the overall result was always in the balance until Ryan Babel slotted the fourth deep into injury time.

One thing that really caught my eye was the behaviour of Pepe Reina (the Liverpool goalkeeper) following the Arsenal equalizer four minutes from time. Reina was in no way at fault for the goal and turned after picking the ball from his net to find his team mates almost literally wilting before him. You could see from the demeanour of even seasoned pros like Jamie Caragher and Sami Hypia that they thought the game was all over... Arsenal's second goal had put them through on away goals and they were high fiving and celebrating a game won.

Yet Reina had other ideas. Man by man he galvanised his team, telling them that it wasn't over. That they were good enough to score again. Yes, it would take a superhuman effort but it was possible. All they had to do was believe it. The crowd seemed to pick up on his conviction and roared on the team. Within a minute they had sent Ryan Babel into the box where he won a penalty, Stevie G coolly slotting it in front of The Kop. Babel's late goal secured the win but the real hero for me was Pepe Reina and it re-affirmed my belief that most times, nothing is impossible, no matter how hard it might seem. You have to find a place deep within yourself and you need to operate what Sir Clive Woodward called 'T-CUP' (Think Clearly Under Pressure). If you can and you do... you'll win.

Following this excitement, what better way to unwind than to 'enjoy' a ride into Snowdonia from Iain's place on The Wirral... the tortuous route lasted 118 miles and took in some 10,000 feet of climb - the toughest of which was the infamous Horseshoe Pass.

The weather was suitably brutal and we stopped for an elevenses and lunch break, the lunch break being particularly welcome at the renowned Ponderosa Cafe atop Horseshoe Pass. I was over seven and a half hours in the saddle and at one point... going up 'the Shoe' I thought I was going to have to quit. But Pepe and Austria's Rupertiberg Hill came to mind and I soldiered on, manfully grinding away to the top. Another long ride in the bank for Austria. Thanks, Iain (who's now at a training camp in Lanzarote prior to his IronMan there in June) for all your hospitality and a great day.

As usual all of the training can be seen below. Another strong week with injuries, hopefully, kept at bay. The only problem at the moment is an ankle strain which is a running injury but I seem to be able to operate fine with this as long as I rest and ice post run.

Speaking of runs HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to my friends who ran the London Marathon at the weekend. Dave Jones ran another sub 4 marathon, getting round in 3:57 - a great result, Dave. Tom Williams and Helen Turton, my IronMan friends who are gunning for a place at the IronMan world champs in Kona, Hawaii, have been training furiously and were both looking for a PB in their build up to IronMan Germany this year. They didn't disappoint. Helen came home in 3:20 (beating her PB by two minutes - and mine, damn !) whilst Tom smashed his PB by over eight minutes, coming home in 2:49. Great work both of you. Keep your foot on the gas... not long to go now.

So, training this past week:

Monday: 60 minutes swim drills and broken short sprints. 45 minutes tempo cycling.
Tuesday: 60 minutes cycling - brisk and steady.
Weds: 7 hours 43 minutes cycling. 118 miles, 10,000 feet ascent.
Thurs: Rest day.
Fri: 45 minutes swimming. Broken 1500m including PB at 400m of 6'24".
Sat: Back to back cycle and run with Team MK. 50 mile bike in 2 hours 53 mins. 7.5 mile run in 61 minutes.
Sunday: 1 hour recovery cycle and 30 mins running back to back.

Total training time this week: 16 hours 39 minutes.

So, just a couple of things to tie up. Today's main photo is from my friend Trevor Brown. Two years ago, his nephew Harry was diagnosed with Leukemia. During his interminable treatments and long stays in hospital he was visited by many of the Liverpool players (he is an ardent Red). I'm pleased to report that he is now in full remission and, for the game against Blackburn on Sunday was able to be the team mascot. Well done, Harry. Great result after a strong fight.

To less important things... last week's film quote was:

"28 days... 6 hours... 42 minutes... 12 seconds. That... is when the world... will end."

and was from 'Donnie Darko'. The words were uttered by Frank, the giant rabbit. For those of you who haven't seen the movie - I urge you to rent it. Make sure you see the original version though and - unusually - NOT the director's cut.

So... who said this sports-themed quote (c'mon, Tom... I have high hopes for you on this one):

"Yeah, he's fast! But he won't go any faster. He's a gut runner, digs deep! But a short sprint is run on nerves. It's tailor-made for neurotics."

in which film, and who was he talking about?

Have a good week out there...

The Green Eyed Monster...

Envy is a terrible thing. It brings out the worst in all of us. But we're all humans and sometime along the ultra marathon of life it's going to happen to us. The monster will strike. So it was with me over the weekend when I took part in a small scale Team Milton Keynes training session.

Most of the club had gone over to Belgium for the Tour of Flanders bike ride, leaving half a dozen or so of us IronMen to train on our own. We organised a back to back session of 50 mile bike and 4 mile run, the bike session starting off with a 10 mile Time Trial so we could quickly simulate the fatigue of IronMan.

Anyhow... session smession... what I really want to talk about is the presence there of two Cervelo p3C cycles. Boy... what a machine. I jest you not... I have literally been dreaming about owning one this past week. And, the annoying thing is... I could go and get one. But something's holding me back. I feel I need to dedicate myself a little more to cycling before I splash out £ 4k on a bike... (having already forked out £ 1.5k just over a year ago on one which would be suddenly relegated to my winter training bike)... somehow I need to prove to myself that I'm worthy of such a carbon-built monster. We'll see how things stand by the end of summer and, if I'm still hot to trot with cycling and dedicated to keeping it high on my list of training priorities, then who knows... a P3C could be mine !!!

So, I hope you're all well. This week is London Marathon week. Good luck to Dave Jones, my good mate from Tring Running Club who is doing the marathon for the second time. Looking good, Dave... I like to think it's that little extra O'Neill training that's turning you into the fine athlete you are though! Good luck also to Tom and Helen - I hope the race works exactly as you want it and it fits into your training plans as you intended.

I decided not to run the marathon this year as I felt it took me too long to recover last year - albeit that I was carrying a minor injury which turned into a major. But my long running continues to develop and this last week saw me run an 18 mile training run on Wednesday night at an average of 7:47 per mile, whilst keeping my heart rate to a creditable 146 bpm average.

Last week was another enjoyable and fulsome training week:

Monday: 45 minutes run (recovery, tempo pace)
Tuesday: 75 minutes swim, 3.2km concentrating on technique and bi-lateral breathing.
Wednesday: 75 minutes swim, as above. 2 hours 17 minutes 18 mile run at sub 8 minute mile pace.
Thursday: Rest day
Friday: 75 minutes swim, 3.2km concentrating on bi-lateral breathing. 1 hour cycling including 10 mile Time Trial in new PB for course of 25'54".
Saturday: 3 and a half hours 50 mile bike and 4 mile back to back run with Team MK.
Sunday: 1 hour bike turbo and running bricks, 15 minutes stretch and light weights.

Total training time this week: 12 hours 15 minutes

Congratulations to Tom for correctly identifying last week's film quote. The conversation came from The Coen Brothers' FARGO and the woodchipper was used to grind up the remains of Steve Buscemi's body, specifically his leg.

How about this:

"28 days... 6 hours... 42 minutes... 12 seconds. That... is when the world... will end."

Who said that... and in what (brilliant) movie?

Let's be careful out there...