“Hello from bright and sunny Australia. Sorry to rub it in, i’ve heard reports that the weather your end isn’t too great, but hey I promise to bring the sun back with me in April - so not too long to wait now! All is well my end and it’s same old, same old really. Eat, sleep and train (not necessarily in that order) The training is going well and I’m feeling stronger everyday. Asked for a new chain and cassette from the lovely guys at Wiggle this week as my current one has taken a bit of a battering.

With training progressing nicely and knowing how important rest is in our preparation for the season, Stu (Hayes) and I have scheduled in a well deserved break. At the weekend we are going to Fiji for 5 days. I can’t wait…. We won’t have a complete break and we’ll probably run most days, but we’re leaving the bike box at home. I expect Stu will want to squeeze in some cheeky swim sessions while we’re away too, so I suppose I’ll pack the goggles and swim cap.

I’ll write again after our travels…. Until then remember take care.”

Michelle

Hanka Kupfernagel had travelled to the World Championship in Treviso with a clear statement: I want to be World Champion again. This statement was not just expedient optimism, as she proved impressively. Wish and reality became one.  With her fourth World Championship title in cyclocross the Focus athlete continued her latest series of victories.

The weather was sunny as the 33-year-old Focus athlete won her fourth world champion title, after the years 2000, 2001 and 2005. At the world championship in the North Italian town of Treviso, the 33-year-old time-trial world champion beat the Dutchwoman Marianne Vos and Laurence Leboucher from France into second and third place. From the second lap she set the pace from the front, shaking off all competitors. Title-defender Maryline Salvetat from France was only fifth.

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Bike drifting.

I’ve just heard that this Monday was supposedly the most depressing day in the year. I cannot see why, dark all the time, pouring with rain, windy………

Talking of wind and rain, I raced my first cross-country in over 4 years at the weekend in Cardiff. I amazed myself by winning and actually really enjoyed it. Having not put on my spikes for so many years it was great to feel a bit speedy and put a few of the youngsters in their place! If all goes well I think I’ll race in the National Cross Country at the end of February.
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Wiggle Blog 2. Alex Prince-Osteopath.

18th January 2008.

Well, fitting into the old training routine has come to me relatively easily. Far better than I had expected anyway.
I managed to sort my back out with a bit of Osteopathic treatment. It’s not until you have these problems attended to that you realise just what a state the body is in…But it feels great now.
Usually I really struggle with my early swims, but they have been going really well, and for someone who swims like a brick I am encouraged to keep it up.
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After reading about Paul’s accident, I’m really not missing those dark cold nights in the UK. I’m so glad Paul was not hurt, it could have been so much worse. I hoping it hasn’t put him off of his training?? Keep up the good work Paul!!

Things are well my end and the training continues. The Criterium racing has been hotting up and this week I found myself hanging onto the A graders. Crit racing starts at 7am and we get up extra early to do an hours warm up before hand to make sure those legs aren’t still asleep. The racing lasts 50 mins plus 3 laps. We cover each lap in around 2 1/2 - 3mins, in the boiling heat and 80% humidity. It is really tough and I find myself gritting my teeth for the whole 50 mins. You should see me when I finish, I honestly look as though I have been under a shower - i’m soaked with sweat. Very attractive I tell myself!!

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Eight weeks ago I embarked on a serious get fit, lose fat campaign! Driven by the fact that like many others I work loads, have a young family, enjoy subway sandwiches too much I thought it was time I needed a new sporting challenge in my life.

So I decided for 2008 I’m going to commit myself to some of the big sportive events, given that I’ve not ridden a bike much for the last 18 months It was going to require a lot, plenty of training, less foot long sandwiches and some new kit that fitted me.

Fast forward to today, one stone lighter, some decent miles under my belt and seriously enjoying my cycling again. Today was meant to be a milestone on my path to success for this year’s goal. Why, well we’ve just installed some new showers here at the office so I’d made the decision that come rain or shine I would commute on the bike at least three days a week, a nice hilly 18 miles each way this was going to seriously help my training. The first commute was to begin tonight, so after spending ten minutes squeezing myself into my winter clobber and turning on a collection of wiggles finest lights I set off.

After a nice five minute plod then straight into a decent climb I was soon thinking that despite the pouring rain this was going to be a great ride. Once at the top it was down to a little village called Southwick and that’s where the ride ended some 16 miles short of my house.
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Another new Bloggle contributor will be Alex Prince.
Coming from an Osteopathic background and also a keen triathlete Alex will be able to give us his own personal insight into training.

Read more about Alex in his Profile

Wiggle Blog 1. Alex Prince Osteopath:

January2008.
Having indulged myself in a extended recovery period following my Elbaman (Italy’s Ironman distance event), at the end of last season, and then over eaten and under exercised my way through the festive period, the new year now seems like another mountainous climb back to fitness.
No doubt once I m into it I will feel better.
My new years days plod was much the same as the boxing day one. Waddling along feeling rather flabby and just a tad hungover, hoping that the Garmin is fibbing about my pace and heart rate.
Actually, despite feeling ludicrously out of shape I have got that urge to get stuck into a new season, back to training and then into races.
I have been trying to work out a plan for the year and decided to target a few races but I think I will also leave some of the year open to add things in as I feel fit.
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Some more excellent news for Focus, this time from 220 Magazine who have awarded the Izalco Tria 9 out of 10 in their ‘bikes around £1000′ feature in the February issue. It was also chosen as overall winner beating some stiff competition.

‘…at a penny under £900,(the Izalco Tria) is a stunning buy.’

Hello Everyone
Here I am in Oz, on the Gold Coast, with the sun shining most days which makes my training phase out here a breeze!
I’m really fortunate to have this opportunity to be able to get on a plane and travel across to the other side of the world when the weather in the UK gets to freezing point.

I’ve got a variety of training partners out here at the moment including Michelle Dillon who most of you would know, Doug Friman from the USA, a cycling specialist, Mandar the Indian distance swimming sensation and James Parker, another Brit on the coast who is an Ironman Champion.

Every weekend I race the criterium circuit bike races which are great sessions and this week I went off the front with Doug and to our satisfaction we left an Olympic hopeful trailing behind us.
The following day I do my long run in the morning followed by what I call “Lake Fun” in the afternoon, which is where I swim open water.
What a lifestyle hey! I’m enjoying it all at the moment and will keep you updated on what else is going on out here.
Train hard.

Cheers

Stu