How hard is it to complete an Ironman?

After Kona this Year I was interviewed by the Daily  Telegraph - This is the transcript of the dialogue

1. Presumably a lot of the preparation on the day is psychological, as there’s not much more you can do physically?

The race is very physical, from start to finish. There is a almost a continuous level of mental pressure and you need to be able to find a balance between enough pain to ensure that you're competitive, but also be mindful that its a long race and you'll only be competitive if you make it to the finish. On race day you need to be able to draw upon 'your bank ' of training that led you to this race. It's this that gives you the confidence to push though the pain when your mind is telling you to stop

2. When you start your swim, what’s going through your mind – and how do you feel by the end of the first section? Do you think of it as 1 down, 2 to go? Or are you knackered already?

I've taught my self to be totally calm on the start line of a race. In an Ironman I'm treading water surrounded by a couple of thousand athletes until the start cannon fires, and then I propel myself forward fighting for clear water. It’s not unusual to take a kick in the face or to be knocked around when so many athletes are in such close proximity. This isn't normally intentional... It’s just racing! I don’t think of the next segment of the race until I'm within 400m of the shore, only then do I rehearse my transition from swim to bike in my head. I plan every thing, from the order I'll put my cycle helmet and sunglasses on to exactly where upon exiting the transition area I'll jump on my bike. This is crucial to ensure that valuable time is not squandered. At this stage my only concern is to exit the transition zone safely without an incident or crash with another athlete.

3.With the cycling, how hard is the transition? Because clearly your legs will be doing completely different things – so that must be hard?

Typically for 2.4mile (3.8km) swim I'm in the water for just over an hour swimming flat out. In Hawaii this is an out and back and at the turn point it’s about 30m deep, it can be very choppy when there's a swell and this always affects how you feel when you exit the water. This year it was reasonably calm and I felt in control exiting the ocean. In previous years it’s been rough and I've swallowed too much sea water. This can leave you feeling a bit disorientated when you reach the transition zone.
4.Do you get to eat and drink as you’re running for your bike? How does nourishment work during an Ironman? Do you know how many calories you use per discipline/overall?

Overall during the race I'll burn about 8000 calories. During the race there's no way that I can replace this level of nutrition. My refuelling is done on the bike and the run. On the 112 mile (180km) bike section I will eat 2x Clif Bar Blocs every 20 mins. These are like fruit pastels but will provide me 100 calories + electrolytes each 20 mins. I'll eat 300 calories and drink 1 litre of water every hour. This equates to 1500 calories and 5 litres of water for the whole bike segment. On the run my heart rate is higher and its harder to take solid food on board so I'll switch to Clif Bar gels. These contain 100 calories but are in a liquid form. I'll take one every 15 mins and aim to drink 30ml of water each aid station ( every mile).

5.Whilst you’re cycling, do you get major uncomfortable? Presumably cramp happens occasionally throughout the race, and chafing must be an issue?

My bike position has been tailored to my physiology. This means that the components perfectly fit my body shape. Freespeed London are a specialist bike fitting business and the owner  Richard Melik has created my optimum cycling position which is a perfect balance between power, aerodynamics and comfort using a Retul bike fitting system. This means i can stay in the most aerodynamic and fastest position for the whole 112 miles. My race suit is also aerodynamic and creates minimal drag to ensure each watt of power isn't wasted.

6.Is the transition from cycling to running easier, or is it really disheartening to feel as if you’re going much slower once you transition to foot?

The transition to the run is the hardest one, when I  step off the bike my legs feel really wobbly. They have to transition from being gluteus and quadriceps dominant to the calf and hamstring muscles taking over. They feel really strange like they're not firing properly. I know this is normal so I try not to let it concern me and any involuntary twitches or pain I simply ignore. After about 3miles (5km) they normally feel OK so I just keep moving forward.

An aero bike position can save valuable watts and help you keep a higher average speed

7.Your legs must be feeling it by the time you’re well into your marathon – how do you deal with that pain?

The first 10 miles are free, every thing hurts, but its imperative that you establish a rhythm and hit your target pace. I say its for free, this simply means that before you know it you've run 10 miles. I think that it's possible to marginalise the sort of pain that comes through attrition. I've found that at this stage in the race every thing hurts, bet generally if you increase your pace it doesn't always hurt more. Conversely if you slow down it doesn't hurt less... so its best to stick to your target pace irrespective of how much pain that you're in.

Exiting the notorious Energy Lab with just 8 miles to go

8.What’s the hardest discipline on the day, in your opinion?

The run is the hardest part of the race, ideally this is where you utilise every ounce of energy. You leave it all out there.... what ever you have left is completely rinsed from you being, both physically and mentally and I will be broken when I cross the finish line. Running a fast marathon on top of fast swim and bike is what completes a competitive Ironman race.

9.Is the hardest also the most energy-sapping, or is it hard for other reasons?

It’s hard because it's completed in one day. I've completed in other Extreme Endurance challenges like the Norseman  and Cape Epic and  Ironman ranks among them. Although the distances in Ironman are the same irrespective of where you race there are different factors that can make one race harder than others, like temperature, wind, amount of vertical assent or descent. Ironman Hawaii - Kona is hard because its an open ocean swim without a wetsuit. The bike segment is windy with 1300m of vertical ascent and its hot (34 Celsius) .The run is also crazy hot. This year it peaked at nearly 40 degrees Celsius ( Tarmac temp) for 1.5 hours  before it clouded over and settled at 32 Celsius

10.Finally, in a few words, could you just answer the headline: How hard is it to complete an Ironman (overall)? My coach Richard Hobson, would say that with the right attitude, any one can complete an Ironman with right training programme, conditioning & mental attitude and I agree..

Team 'Frazzled' Freespeed - Alison Rowatt & Richard Hobson - Podium Winners

To view the Telegraph edit - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/how-hard-is-it-to-complete-an-ironman/

Ironman World Championships 2010 - Kona Hawaii

The lead up to my race hadn't been perfect; I'd qualified in Wisconsin the previous year. Since then I'd had to pull out of both IM Lanzarote and IM Nice due to injury. I had torn ligaments in my left ankle which had affected my running for the rest of the year. My early plans of a sub 3 marathon were slipping away...



Kona would be my first Ironman of the year, with this came the uncertainty of how I would race. I arrived earlier this year than I had in the past, this was to be a very special couple of weeks for me and few weeks that would shape my future. Mette and I were married in St Peters Church, Kailua Kona - Hawaii on the 3rd October. It was a very special day for both us and made even more special by all our friends and family who were there


My race didn’t have a perfect start I had positioned myself two rows back in the middle. As the cannon sounded the paddle boarders were too close to me and blocked my swim. I had to go sideways before I could go forward and this wasn't easy with around 1500 other athletes behind me. From that point onwards I tried to relax in the 'melee or thrashing arms and feet' that was the swim. Exiting the swim, I felt good, relaxed. I hadn't been any where close to the red line; I was conscious that this was where I could make up some time.



I ride to watts and quickly settled into a rhythm passing the faster swimmers. I’ve recently been Retul’d by Freespeed and my position felt strong even in the Trade winds at Hawi. This gave me confidence and a sub 5 bike was the result!! my first ever in Kona…..... I put this down to having a plan and sticking to it. I use a concentrated Infinit Speedfil on the down tube and have a profile torpedo with water on the bars. This is all I carry, no bars, saltsticks or any other nutrition.




The run was hot, and although I was just off my target pace I felt like was just hanging in there...At the turn point I saw Declan Doyle was about 200m behind me and Tim Bishop was a little further back. Both looked strong. I train with both Dec and Tim and know how capable and talented they are, I wasn't sure if I could hold my pace. I saw a sign at the side of the road that said ’ Pain reassures you that you’re alive’ I was alive alright… and hurting!! From the start my run felt hard, I didn't remember 2008 being like this. But this year I was shooting for better than 21st in my age group and it came at a cost. Richard Hobson, my coach, was just ahead and it spurned me on to see familiar faces. I could see that he was hurting too, thank goodness for that as Tim and Dec still looked fresh. Heading out onto the Queen K into the lava fields, I felt alone and strangely took strength from this, my race was in my hands and it was mine to let slip away. I took solace that I was still passing more athletes.

I was so glad to see the finish, there’s nothing quite like the finish on Alii Drive and I will cherish that forever. My friend’s from Disney Tri were there cheering me on and for the first I shared the finishing flume with no one.... It was mine and mine alone.



My fastest race to date in Kona, 89th overall including all the Pro's. 36th Amateur and 10th in age group. 1st British Age grouper again

Swim 1:06.21
T1 3.03
Bike 4:55.30
T2 3.10
Run 3:09.15

Raise a glass to the supporters

I pulled out of Ironman Lanzarote with a heavy heart, knowing I was in peak shape, but for my damaged ankle ligaments. Watching the race was difficult as I had mentally planned my race in each day dream for months. I knew as the clock ticked where I'd planned to be, where the pain would come and also where I'd need to dig in and hold on.

The morning of the race, I'd hired a scooter and my plan was to follow the race and support all my friends, especially in areas or parts of the course where the support was very sparse.

This seemed like a simple plan, how hard could it be to support Richard, Tim and some of the other guys. They had arrived in Lanzarote with a view to qualifying for Kona. This race was their only chance and their hopes and dreams to race the World Championships in October depended on it. It was going to be a fantastic day!!

Dawn broke and the long day ahead beckoned. It was important for me to give Richard and Tim their positions in their age group on the run. This I found was much harder than I expected because not only did I find myself looking at athletes as they passed trying to guess their age, but it meant that I had to get a close look at each competitors number when they ran past, both of which I found really tricky as the front runners were running some fast marathons. Next time I'm racing, I'll be much more appreciative when someone shouts at my position in a race , as I really didn't understand how difficult it was.....get the info/intelligence wrong and you risk the competitor holding back in the belief that they're safe within the qualifying zone. Get this wrong and you become the reason they missed their slot and that is just bad karma!!!

Watching Richard Hobson and Tim Bishop, both excellent athletes but they both have different strengths and race very differently. Richard was out front from the swim and Tim was muscling his way through the pack taking scalps as he went. So the danger was there were faster runners behind Richard that were catching him and how many more athletes Tim would need to overtake before he made it to safety within the qualifying zone. All of this was very stress full.....

Thankfully both athletes excelled themselves on the day, Richard lost a few places but still remained well on track and Tim motored through bulldozing those fellow agegroupers ahead.

What I'll take away from this is how tough it is for the loved ones and partners who have supported their husband, wife, Mum or Dad and the level of stress they go through worrying about thier partner whilst they're watching them carve out their dreams.

So the next time we race, lets make it requirement that the first beer post race, we toast the supporters, who if they could..... would be with you your whole journey.

Ironman Lanzarote 2010 - A DNS....

With over 20 days on warm weather training camps in Club La Santa –Lanzarote this year. My coach Richard Hobson and I were feeling confident about shape and form to race Ironman Lanzarote. It’s a strange feeling.... but as an athlete, you feel channelled, directed and focused especially when things have been going well. I was really excited at the prospect of laying the smack down…

My training camps in Lanzarote, were all about acclimatising and adjusting to the heat and ferocious wind that Lanza is famous for. Richard Hobson had organised two 10 day camps one in February and the other in April. This was the perfect opportunity to train with a great group of athletes.

I returned leaner and stronger, having dropped down to my race weight. All in all the tide was turning and my body was transitioning to a weight and body fat content that I’d only be able to hold for a couple of weeks. Carrying less weight really impacts on my run. A few less kilos’ on the marathon and it makes for an easier day.
In the build up to a race Richard reduces my training mileage, which allows my body to recover, but introduces a few tempo sessions to make sure my training doesn’t go stale. This called a taper.

I’ve heard Richard say many times that

‘The hardest thing about racing is making it to the start line’.

And he’s right; there are so many things that can go wrong – Illness, injury etc
I’ve always been very fortunate on this front as even when I’ve picked up injuries and had to take time out, I’ve recovered well. In the run up to this race, I seemed to be on fire, I clocked sub 33 mins for two laps of Richmond Park (an undulating 24km) so I knew I was ready.

It was 5 days out from the race and I was on a 20km training run into work, it felt good as the sun was out. Mentally I was in a good place as I was already rehearsing my race in my head when suddenly I turned my ankle over on an uneven paving slab. There was an audible crack and I was reduced to a hobble….

That was it…. Game over!! It was X rayed and fortunately it was just the ligaments. I’ve had this sort of injury before so I knew the routine and the method to improve recovery. I saw the Physio and started my treatment.

I travelled out to Lanzarote, not as an athlete ready to race, but to support my coach Richard who would be racing an Ironman for the first time in 17 years. It was a difficult decision to make to tavel and when I arrived, I was asked by so many friends ‘What was wrong?’ and ‘Why can’t you race?’ My friend Vince said I should tell them
'I slipped on a lime in salsa competition….'

Despite this it was great to get out on the course to cheer on my friends, Tim Bishop,Lee Holdaway,Kit Stokes, James Pete, Steven Lord, Pete Slater, Tom Newman and of course Richard. It was a super day and in his first Ironman race for 17 years..... Richard smashed it!!! coming 41st overall, 2nd in his age category and qualifying for the Ironman World championships in Kona - Hawaii. My good friend Tim Bishop also put in an awesome performance notching up Pb’s in both the swim and the run on his way to being the fastest British Amateur in 37th, also qualifying for the World Champs. Congratulations Tim - I know how much you wanted this.....


So with three of us already qualified … there’s just Declan Doyle, Lee Holdaway and James Pete to go…

Come on fellas...

Congratulations must also go out to Pete Slater & Steven Lord both qualifying again to race in Kona. Both raced with their heart and soul and deserved the result.

Speedfil - is it another Aero Advantage??

I'm just back from having spent 10 days training in Lanzarote, it was an awesome eye opener to how windy the island can be. When I arrived with Richard Hobson and some of the Athletes registered on his Long distance Triathlon camp we encountered the tail end of the hurricane that had been causing damage & devastation across France.

I was concerned by the fact that I'd decided to bring my time trial bike with deep wheels. This meant I was faced with the prospect of being blown off the road and maybe there days where I was unable to ride at all. I had also agreed to trial a new water bottle - Speedfil
This is both aerodynamic and has a 1200ml capacity. It has a simple bite valve and easy to refill. It took me less than five mins to install.....
The Speedfil is a revolutionary product designed to minimize air disturbance while creating fluid-carrying capacity. The down tube-mounted cage creates smooth airflow around the frame while the rider is in motion. Fluid passes through flexible tubing, allowing for easy output through the bite valve. Hydration is immediate as the bite valve keeps fluid at the ready for whenever its needed. It fitted well on my Specialized Transition and having the straw in front of me encouraged me to drink regularly.
On a 60km/10km/40km/5km/20km/5km Brick session I only lost 200grams of weight, compared to some of the other guys losing over a kilo. This demonstrates that I remained well hydrated throughout my session.

In the wind, it seemed to pick up the wind like a sail, blowing me a long - Yipee!!! the only problem I had was when I was caught by gusts, but so long as my weight was over the front wheel on my aero bars it wasn't a problem. Clearly this is the next step in 'aeroness', much better than having the normal parachute that most athletes have attached to their seat in the form of cages, spare tubes and tools.....

For longer distance races 70.3 or Ironman its got to be a winner!

Great South Run 2009 - Racing out of shape!

So I was roped into running in this 10 mile smash fest, after doing nothing but eating burgers, drinking wine and destroying family size bars of Cadburys Whole nut...
Following Wisconsin I'd decided to take time out to catch up with friends, so Richard (my Coach) had reduced my training and we decided within the downtime to focus on my swimming(more about that later)

Anyway with just three runs in 6 weeks it was never going to be pretty...I'd agreed to race as part of the Daily Telegraph race team, in conjunction with a piece of editorial we were running.
I toed the line with the 21'000 athletes, only I was on the front just behind Mo Farah(GB 2012 Olympic Gold hopeful). What was I thinking.... in for a penny, in for a pound!!It was gonna be fun....

The cannon went and we were off... Within the first 500m I noticed Iwan Thomas running beside me, Iwan is arguably the best GB 400m runner ever and he was running for Macmillan Cancer, he's one fast dude.. We were into the wind so I sheltered at the back of the pack out of the wind. The pace was fast and we went through 2 miles in 10 min 44 secs. This was my finest point I think.... as my limited conditioning and the rapid pace was starting to take effect. I was struggling into the wind and I started to slow.... I was in the hurt zone... Ouch!
At about 4 miles a strong group caught and passed me, I knew this was the Sub 60 min guys, probably running at 57 min pace. They had just been more restrained and controlled off the start. I tried to stay with them but soon fell off the back. Oh dear I thought, this is what happens when you don't train...

I was in no mans land, people in front that couldn't catch and people behind that I was trying to outrun. It was so tough, but I pushed on telling myself not be such a 'whinger' and to push on despite the fact I was hyperventilating.

I went through 8 miles in 47.48 mins and felt good realising I only had to nail two more 6 min miles. I would be home with time to spare and would be on target for a sub 60 minuter. Ordinarily this wouldn't be a problem, but as we turned to complete the last two miles along the promenade, we turned into a full on headwind. This was really hard work and I tried to make myself really small.... I pushed on catching the guy in front, signalling for him to drop in behind me, so he could shelter and suggested we take turns on the front. He nodded but when it cam e to his turn, the wheels had come off and he'd fallen behind... doh!

I looked at my watch....there was no way I was going to make 60 mins. The headwind meant that I was running over 30 secs slower per mile. With the finish ahead I pushed on and tried to enjoy the last 400m and all the crowd support.
I came in 61.18 mins over 6 mins slower than my PB, but hey never mind... It was fun to be out of my comfort zone. Overall I was 77th and 7th in my age group category. Mo won and did in just over 43 minutes...Wow!!
Its a great race to do and I recommend it as a winter sharpener.. The weather was super and organisation superb.

The Wisco Disco - Ironman Wisconsin 2009

Short Report
2nd 35 -39 Age group, 5th Amateur, 18th Overall out of 2400 in a time of 9.33:18
Qualified for The World Championships in Kona- Hawaii 2010

Detailed report
My early decision to take a year out from Kona in 2009 wasn't taken lightly. When I qualified again this year in Lanzarote, turning down that golden ticket and all that it meant to me was the hardest race decision I've ever made. My friends all thought I was clinically insane... Tim and Dec my training buddies, who had targeted later races, thought I was nuts!! I had a plan that 2010 would be my special year and I was confident that with the right coaching and support from Richard Hobson, Mette (my girlfriend) and I could make it happen...

I arrived in Wisconsin and hooked up with Tri legend - Ken Glah. Ken had organised my accommodation and transfer. Ken now runs a Ironman specific travel company called Endurance Sports Travel The following day we rode the course. It was every bit as hilly as I was led to believe, not on a Lanzarote scale, but tough enough to play to my strengths. Thank goodness I had selected the right gearing, I was running a 56/39 with an 11/26 on the back. There were lots of fast corners with intermittent steep sections. With the 56 I could make time up on the downhills, where other bikers would be using their brakes or free wheeling.

Come race day I was ready, I woke at 0430hrs for a 0700hrs start. Experience has taught me I need to eat at least two hours before a race in order for nature to take its course! The Ironman had truly rolled into town and nothing would stand in its way. I later found out that the previous day a fisherman had drowned in Lake Monona and they had been dredging all night looking for the body. Thankfully they had found the poor soul, but this wasn't good Karma. I put my thoughts about this aside...but the water was so cloudy and murky that I found it difficult to think of any thing else, whilst tredding water on the start. BOOM..... the cannon sounded and I was off. I had positioned myself on the pace line, a little optimistically in fairness, but I was used to a bit rough and tumble. I normally just put this down to racing. I don't believe its due to anyone being purposefully malicious. At about 800m into the swim I realised I'd gone marginally off course, the sun was in my eyes and I'd gone maybe 70m off course. I had basically been ploughing through other athletes but heading in the wrong direction!! I quickly corrected this and continued to work hard to regain the distance I'd lost. I began to leave the pack and edge up to the athletes ahead. Either they were dying or I was so far off course that the normal guys I'd be up with were long gone!! No one passed me on the second 1900m loop...My Sailfish wetsuit felt great, super comfortable. I exited the water about 3 Min's down of where I expected. In distance terms this is about 100-200 metres and this accounted for my poor sighting....Grrr! I later found out I was 293 overall at this point with a time of 1.04:39.

Transition One - This is totally crazy, it must be the longest transition ever. After your encounter with wetsuit strippers, who make you lay on your back before they peel your suit off. Then you run from ground level up the helix of a multistory car park to the 4th floor, pick up your bag and change before running out to the car park to pick up your bike to descend down another helix....
All this took me 5.07. The fastest pro guys were 3.58. It has to be seen to be believed......
The bike was a 23km out and back from Madison with 67km loop in the middle which was repeated twice. I liked this idea taking the race out on to quiet country roads so the main roads, in and out, of Madison weren't effected. For the first 90 Min's of the bike I pushed really hard trying to make up for my lost time in the swim. From time to time I'd pick up someone who'd try to hold my wheel, but confidently I'd push on. After two hours I caught a group who were riding legally, but clearly rotating through and working together. I knew there were three hills coming up and I left my attack until then, leaving them in my wake. I needed to push and hold over 400 watts to break the group and this would come back to haunt me later. A stronger Czech guy stayed with me but was later red carded for drafting. For the remainder of the race, I had caught two guys, one from Boulder called Shane and German guy called Stefan. Both were strong and we were riding the same pace. We had to keep out of each others draft zone as we were constantly shadowed by the race marshals. At around 3 hours I started to lose sight of them and they pulled away. My mega power intervals had pushed me over my red line and up came my breakfast.... I eased off and left it 15 Min's before I tried to take on some water. Thankfully the answer was yes, this gave me the chance to take on more Infinit energy and within minutes, I was back. I used only 2 bottles of concentrated Infinit on the bike and diluted this with water from my aero bottle. I reeled in other bikers passing the female Pro's who had started 10 min prior. I knew then that I was ii the sharp end of the race and I was charged...I'd biked 5.05:01 averaging 35.5kmh....

The second transition from bike to run was shorter and I tore through it, equaling or beating most of the Pro's in 2.06 Min's

I stormed out of the Monona Exhibition Hall transition area hitting the tarmac hard. I knew I had a 3 hour marathon somewhere, the question was would I find it here in Wisconsin...The first part of the run took us into downtown Madison and I was able to settle into a relaxed pace. I felt good, hydrated with no stomach issues. I was taking a gel every 15 Min's, chasing it with water. After the first 10km this changed.... the course became difficult to maintain a rhythm, It was up down, left, right, onto a sidewalk and then back onto the road and my pace began to wain.. Note to self, always recce the run course too, this was simply bad admin on my part. I should have biked it before the race. It really is a crazy course... at one point we ran into the 100'000 seater 'Wisconsin Badgers' American football stadium, round the touch line and back out!!!

At the half way point Mike Reilly shouted over the speaker that I was the 5th amateur, third in my Age Group and that number one was just in front..... this was like a red rag to a bull, I pushed on. Suddenly I saw a guy walking in front. He was the lead guy in my age... great I thought, 1 more to go. I could see him in front, Brian was his name. I was catching him each mile, but the second lap had become really congested. At the aid stations It had become increasingly harder to be re supplied with sponges and water. Each aid station was laid out in a different format and I found myself having to stop and often walk back to the water supplier, who had missed my shouts for water as I ran passed. This had began to annoy me as I kwew I would have to burn the precious seconds that I had worked so hard for... Eventually I caught Brian and passed him decisively. I could hear his feet disappear, and knew he hadn't come with me. I was now leading my Age group and was third amateur overall. The race was mine too lose.... and this became a real possibility. I had used GU gels for this race,which were not my usual choice and they were giving me gas!!!Not good.... at this point I was concerned about having a You tube incident, so had to duck into a portaloo. Can you believe that the first two were both occupied. Typical ehh...I really didn't expect this, I even mindlessly started to queue. I frantically ran through the next aid station looking for the loo, and thank goodness found one.... I was almost disappointed having burnt all this time to find out it was just wind. Brian had re passed me and was now 200m up the road. I had just the up hill stretch home to catch him..... I had run out of road, despite upping my pace I wasn't able to bridge the gap. I was now surrounded by so many athletes on their first lap he was difficult to pick out ahead. I took solace that I was now finishing my marathon and that my race was almost over. I decided to enjoy it, ignoring the the younger age grouper who ran by me, Thorsten was his name. I celebrated with the crowd, high five-ing everyone and doing a 'Tim Don' aeroplane down the finishing flume... It felt just awesome!!!

3.16:28 not my fastest Ironman marathon, but it had put me 18th overall, 5th amateur and 2nd in my Age Group. I missed 1st by just 41 seconds.....

Job done - Kona 2010 here I come - Hooray!!!!

Time away is precious .....La Garenne - France

Juggling a full time job and trying to train anything between 15 and 25 hours a week isn’t easy……
I’m fortunate that in the 10 years I’ve been at the Daily Telegraph I’ve accrued 30 days holiday. I’d like to say that over the last 5 years that I’ve taken some leisurely relaxing breaks, but when the truth is told most of my spare time is taken up by either training camps or travelling to races. I’ve raced in some fantastic locations around the world, and after a race there is always an opportunity to unwind and kick back a little and soak up the culture...

I’ve just come back from France. Richard Hobson, my coach has a business based just an hours drive from La Rochelle http://www.livingfrance.org/index.php They have six gites that they let from March to October, and I stayed there for a week to train with Richard and take advantage of the warm dependable climate. The surrounding area comprises of pure agricultural land, fields and fields of sunflowers, which seem to be the main crop surrounding their properties. Once you’re in this region of France, it really becomes evident how much of France is devoted to agriculture. There’s even a vineyard just across the lane, which sells a very drinkable wine at just €3 a bottle.

The terrain is rolling and hilly, there are no real mountains, but it’s certainly not flat!!! Smooth traffic free roads….. I just love it…

This undulating countryside was perfect for my training. We would ride for 5 hours a day and see maybe 2 cars and a couple farmers harvesting their crops. Not like the traffic congested roads I’m used to riding on around Surrey and Windsor. Before breakfast I’d hit the trails for a run around the property. There are endless trails through the woods and farmland that are easy to pick up and I’d run from a steady hour to a more intense 30km off road weaving through the woods and fields….. I love this, it’s a real opportunity for me to de-stress from my Monday to Friday, grind at work. I’m racing The Danish National Championships http://www.tri09.dk/ in August and than the big one….. My Ironman World Championships Qualifier for 2010, Ironman Wisconsin http://www.ironmanwisconsin.com/ on the 13th September and this has really given me the base I need. 7 weeks to go and counting….

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......

Who are Skinfit????

It’s interesting as I’m often asked who makes my kit…. Who is Skinfit???

It’s by chance that I discovered Skinfit. I’m coached by Richard Hobson and he chose Skinfit for his team ‘Tri Living’ kit.
I hadn’t heard of Skinfit before either, but some friends of Richard had acquired the UK distrubution rights of the business. They had seen how popular it was in Europe, especially Austria where it originates, and Germany and had brought it to the UK.

Ant and Eve Roberts are the founders and distributors, here in the UK. Both from a triathlon background they understand the rigourous demands of today's athletes.

Eve and Anthony Roberts

(0) 1332 552255 - office

(0) 7811 384393 - Eve Roberts

(0) 7977 403089 - Anthony

skinfit@skinfit.uk.com

http://www.skinfit.uk.com/

Triathletes in general are what I would call early adopters, embracing innovation always looking for faster, more comfortable products that might give them a legal advantage over their opposition. As far as kit goes for the last four years Skinfit has given me that, so much so that when I had to revert back to Orca kit for the European and World Championships the difference in performance was evident. The Orca kit was ill fitting and after the run leg of both races, I’d developed a nasty case of nappy rash – Ouch!!!

As my confidence grew in their brand I branched out and road tested their other technical products and they lived up to my expectation. What I like about Skinfit is their design is so simple and they manufacture clothing designed specifically for active people and Pro athletes alike. It surprises me is how comfortable to wear their products are. Their Ethos is to design functional anatomical cuts which are extremely lightweight and skin-friendly. Its true their simple robust design ensures uncompromising functionality.

I can honestly say I am a big fan..... if only I could keep them a secret!!!