Freespeed rides again.....

Team Freespeed will once again be in action this coming season with a focus on middle and long distance triathlon. The four team members are all based in west London and are some of the best amateur athletes currently racing:

Stuart Anderson fastest British age group athlete
at the Ironman World Championships, Kona 2010, 2008

Declan Doyle fastest Irish age group athlete
at the Ironman World Championships, Kona 2010

Tim Bishop fastest British age group athlete
at Ironman Lanzarote and Ironman Western Australia 2010

Jenny Gowans Norseman Extreme Triathlon winner 2008,
Age group winner at Ironman Austria, New Zealand and Regensburg

We are in the process of finalising some exciting sponsor support for the team, announcements to be made soon, in the meantime here is a sneak peek at the kit the team will be wearing in training.

Freespeed... Anyone need some?

With a new year brings new goals and challenges…..

I wanted to introduce a new Bike Fit studio in West London offering the industry leading bike fit technology, the RETUL fit system. The studio is run by a good friend of mine who is passionate about cycling whether it be road racing, Time Trials, Sportives, Triathlons or mountain biking. Richard is an accomplished rider himself and has raced all the major European cyclo sportives and multiple Ironman events including the coveted Ironman Hawaii. His passion for cycling and experience shows in his FIT's and the time he spends getting you in the most efficient position for your chosen discipline, something which is worth more than any piece of kit you buy for your bike.



A good bike FIT is key to more power, more comfort and injury free cycling. With the RETUL system it is an exact science and you will always have your exact measurements to set up which ever bike you ride.

So what does this mean……?

It means that not only will you be set up in a position where you can maximise your power output over your chosen distance, but you’ll also find you’ll optimise your run potential off the bike. All three of Team Freespeed ran our fastest Ironman marathon splits in Kona this year after being fitted by Richard. Both Declan and I also notched up Sub 5 hour bike splits... I had thought I had my position nailed until, I’d seen Richard. So if you want to run the same set up system of all the top Pros and rule out any race concerns about your optimum position, check out Freespeed.


For all the technical details, specifics and post FIT service its best to contact Richard. He is currently offering a £50 discount for January and if you let him know I passed this on to you he will make every effort to be flexible with FIT times to fit in around your availability.

Start 2011 in the best possible position, its FREESPEED!!

Choosing a coach...

Stepping up from a recreational athlete whose goal is merely to finish, to a competitive athlete who has either a time goal or qualification place at stake is a big step. It requires a conscious decision to up both your game and your training commitment. The first step should be to join a club. I'm a member of Ful-on Tri and regularly swim with the guys there. Ful-on Tri is a great Club based in West London, well organised and well run. The club Head Coach - Alan Hanley sets the weeks training schedule. Members can dip in and out of these sessions, but the general idea is that these sessions provide the base for development and improvement. This should be the first step for many athletes looking to make faster improvements. The structure of a club offers a number of benefits from having training partners to a social network. For many athletes the club structure offers them every thing that their level of commitment and time constraints allow, but for a few willing to devote further free time, hard work and perspiration there lies an alternative or complimentary path..... the personal coach

A great coach is not easy to find and requires a very unique set of talents and skills. Choosing the right coach is a difficult decision. The coach has to understand you, the way you think, what drives and motivates you and on the flip side, what turns you off and de motivates you. They need to be able to push the right buttons to help you achieve your goals, being able to communicate their ideas and strategy. Its really important that the athlete believes in their coach. There needs to be complete trust and respect. Often coaches have had a historical background in the sport and this respect stems from their historical achievements, but this is not always necessary.

I met Richard Hobson in 2005 I went on the Volcano Triathon camp in the early season with a view to kick starting my fitness. I struck a great friendship with Richard on the camp and I really bought into the Tri-living philosophy

'Everyone can always improve, no matter what age and what ability. I always believe this and as long as the athletes I coach believe this then they will improve'

It was shortly after that he began coaching me. Since then we have worked together to help achieve my goals. My advice is to take your time in selecting a coach, there are many that will farm out a generic program dependant on the distance that you're racing, but there are others who will take the time to listen, who lead by example, and are prepared to motivate and innovate....

A coach like this will inspire and empower the athlete to realize and develop their potential. This is the coach that will help you reach your goal......