Sunday 11th May:

Since my last blog I’ve had a short break in the Marin area of northern California. The excuse was a close pals wedding, and despite a bit of disruption to regular training there was an opportunity for a few fantastic bike rides. In great weather and fantastic countryside I couldn’t help but love the biking (on and off road). Hilly, challenging terrain, but fantastic road quality with considerate car drivers!! What a pleasant change. The off road trails were tough, but in that environment one hardly notices. I also slipped in a fair amount of surfing. Now, I wouldn’t usually class this as training, but a couple of hours out in the Pacific surf was plenty tough enough to let me know I had endured a work out, and with lots of paddling I am sure it must have helped the swimming. The main training conflict was a certain amount of boozing that had to occur (California wedding and all that)…but that’s good for the soul…right?
Returning to fantastic weather back here has been a wonderful motivating factor in terms of training. And, I now feel injury FREE, for the first time in ages. It is great to be out training and not feeling twinges, and not having to hold back.
My running however, is poor by my standards and I think it has suffered the most through my winter of injury troubles and low motivation. But, I am getting out there regularly now, 3 times a week, mixing up the sessions, and really enjoying it. However, I am way off my usual pace and this will have to be one of my focuses.
The cycling has pleasantly surprised me. I still feel quite good on the bike. The sharpness I have lost, but I still have good endurance and reasonable strength on the hills. The rides in California certainly helped that. I am now riding 3 times a week and mixing intervals, hills and long rides. Today was a good benchmark for me as I did a 65mile ride (averaging 16.5 mile/hour), after a 2K swim…It looks like Triathlon may be attainable in a month or two after all. I was really pleased how it went today. It was a really good boost.
My swimming is steady, as usual! I will never be swift, but we had our first open water session today. 2K steady and I felt really good. I am so much more comfortable in the open water, with a wetsuit on. The buoyancy really helps me.
So, all is looking brighter again. I held back from entering any events as I wanted to avoid any more disappointment if I wasn’t fit, but now I am looking to the diary for forthcoming events. Late June early July I hope to be getting into reasonable/raceable shape. And then a couple more races through the summer would be good. I have no great expectations, which is actually quite nice, but a race in the diary will give me a target. In the meantime I have a small matter of moving house, oh yes, and work as well!
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We have just been handed a fantastic prize of two entry tickets to the Etape Caledonia taking place in Highland Perthshire, Scotland next Sunday, May 18th. Each ticket is worth £49 and the winners will be drawn on at Wednesday 14th May!

Following a tremendous opening year in 2007, The Etape Caledonia wheels back into Highland Perthshire on May 18th, promising to be an even bigger and better event. It is a revolution in British Cycling as the only cycle event to take place on closed roads; this made an immediate impact in the cycling world and was recognized in The Independent newspaper’s 50 best bike rides. Last year there was overwhelming feedback from participants as 92% rated it 8/10 or higher as an overall event.

The stunning course winds its way through 81 miles of spectacular Highland Perthshire scenery. Starting in Pitlochry, the cyclists navigate their way through the hills and valleys including passing two of Scotland’s most scenic lochs, Loch Tummel and Loch Rannoch. The route then leads cyclists through Breadalbane, passing Weem and Strathtay, and finally finishing in the centre of Pitlochry. The route provides a great challenge to experienced cyclists, yet remains an achievable target for a beginner seeking some fun.

If you would like to be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is answer the following question:

How many miles long is the Etape Caledonia?

Send your answers including your name and phone number via email to marketing@wiggle.co.uk.

Fun BMX backflipping game.

…using the ATC 2000 helmet/handlebar camera.

A new product on the site is Udderly Smooth Cream. Originally developed as a cream for cows and the effects of chafing through milking the udder cream is now more commonly used on humans and in fact counts for 90% of sales.
We have Hand Lotion, Body Lotion and Chamois Cream available.
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As you can see from the pictures of Michelle collecting our new bikes, I’m back in the UK for the summer after 4 and half months away. It was the best winter I have ever had so things look good for the season. I was 12th in Mooloolaba, and improved on that with 9th at New Plymouth, New Zealand. I was a little disappointed with my first two World Cup results because my training had been going so well, but its my best early season results to date so I can’t really complain.

I’ll be based in Loughborough for the next few weeks in the lead into Madrid World Cup. It’s our Olympic selection race so it’s a big focus. My training has stayed pretty much the same, just changed a little to get some speed in my legs. I’m in great shape and doing some PB’s in some of my hard sessions and so I’ll be giving it my all, and if I don’t make the team, then it wasn’t meant to be.

I’m looking forward to it though because my track record in Madrid is good. I was on the podium in 2004 and lead the race for 7km of the run last year, so it one of my favourite World Cups. As a warm up, I’ll race the first round of the French Grand Prix in Dunkirk the week before. It’s a sprint race but lots of the top boys should be there so it will be a fast one!

Take care, Stuart.

The Dyfi Enduro has to be one of my favourite events of the year; it has a killer combination of lots of long climbs with very steep, technical descents crammed into a relatively short 60km. There is no time to rest, no flat sections or easy downhills. The event is starting to get a reputation and many top riders travel to compete in what is a tough but rewarding race.

The morning of the event I was a little tired, but looking forward it. As always it starts with an escorted 4 mile road section which suits me as it gives me time to get into it and warm up. As soon as the road section ends its immediately into a very long fireroad climb used to spread the 600 strong field of riders, in years gone by this is the moment where I watch the lead riders disappear not to see them again, but not this time.
I was feeling great and by the top of the climb I was in the front group of 4 riders, including Nick Craig and Stuart Bowers. I stayed with them for the first few up and downhill sections before Nick kicked a little harder on a tough grass section, I wasn’t able to go with him, but I did hang on to the other 2 riders. On the next rough downhill I heard a banging coming from somewhere on the bike, I couldn’t see anything wrong but kept looking and loosing a little time. Eventually I found the problem, my saddle bag with spare tube and tools was wide open, everything had fallen out and a lone C02 canister was knocking about inside. I can only guess how it came undone, as it would not just unzip on its own accord. By this point I was in 5th, but feeling comfortable. I was taking my time on the downhills, looking for the smoothest lines, as a puncture would now mean race over.
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After returning back from Australia to the Uk i have been a busy bee, firstly I vistied the wiggle hq and picked up my new bike.
Awesome!
Then the following day I had a photoshoot with Runners world magazine who are bringing out a new triathlon type magazine around June/July time and was chosen to be on the front cover of there first issue, very exciting.
So I found my self climbing up hills on my new bike, but I can tell you it was definately alot easier with those lightweight wheels they are a dream. I had lots of fun and look forward to seeing how it looks when the magazine comes out.

Meanwhile Im looking forward to getting some riding in on my new bike so catch you all very soon. happy training everyone.

MD

This is a pretty fun downhill mountain bike game (DHMTB game for those in the know) and hopefully this one won’t crash the whole page like last weeks one did.

Mike sent throught some more photos in relation to his last blog entry and in preparation for next weeks installment.