Its nearly the end of 2011 and finally I have ironed out the issues with the blog that have stopped my posts from going live.
The last post was for September at the Bude European Quadrathlon Championships but since then I have picked up an inguinal hernia and had a laparoscopic repair(keyhole for the non-medical) and I have raced twice pre-op.
The first race was the Quagmire race 1 which I won but not without controversy. I won the first run leg and reached the kayak with a small lead which I extended during the kayak leg. Young Tom Stead pushed hard and was gaining on the bike leg but I manged to hold off during the second run. The controversy was whether I did 5 or 6 laps on the bike!! I counted 6 but maybe I didn't. Who knows?
The second race was different. I wasn't able to run due to the hernia but I could paddle and bike so I called upon my mate Breezy to do those legs. Tom lead out onto the river but I set about catching him before the turn and took the lead through onto the second run giving Breezy a 20second lead on Tom. Tom decided to run in his MTB shoes which possible hindered his run for the 1-mile loop allowing Breezy to come home first. Despite this Tom now leads the series and I will still be unable to train or race the next race in January. That leaves the February race to try to win the series if I can recover and train.
Plans for next year are in progress with consideration to kayaking faster in a faster kayak. Getting some proper bike training in and remaining injury free on the run side. Swimming has always been strong and I am able to knock out 22min 1500's with little training. I'm planning on getting in with a kayak club and try to get some coaching. I'd like an kayak ergo but they are like hens teeth. I'd also like a good (not so tippy) lightweight carbon kayak, a Marsport Raven or Epsilon or a Kirton Tor. I will have to sell my Laance to buy it! I'm also gonna need a new wetsuit so a few letters will be going out soon to potential sponsors. Hopefully Blueseventy will come up trumps again.
Racing wise its all about the British and World Champs and possibly the World Cup series again, and try to move up the podium. Sponsorship would be nice as money is always tight. If you are a kayak dealer an offer will be gratefully accepted.
So for now its all about recovery from surgery, taking an unexpected break from training and contemplating 2012 onwards.

Have a merry Xmas everyone and a happy New Year. See you in 2012 somewhere

test post

I have had issues loading my update so this is a trial post

end of year update

Well these posts are getting to far between each other so I'm making an early New year resolution to keep more up to date.

A quick summary since the last post:

My daughters 18 birthday on the Friday night before the Awesome Foursome race at Bude on saturday morning!!! hmmmm only 2-3 hours sleep after leaving Spalding at 2100hrs and getting to Bude at 0230hrs. Up early for breakfast and drop the tent and get to race HQ. A quick recce of the swim course shows up some big waves crashing in to make an interesting race. Luckily my swimming is my strongest discipline this year and I exit the 2 lap swim with a long sandy beach run in 5th position among the relay competitiors. I chase the pre helmeted and prepared relay cyclists up the hill and start to make headway overtaking one or two but tiredness kicks in later in the horrendously hilly(1:4) course and Steve Clark and Leos Rousavy catch me and leave me behind on the climbs. Back in transition I nearly run over a few people milling around in the middle of the bike finish area and despite shouting to get out of the way I catch someone with my kayak as I move it to the water. Bloody chaos! Organisers take note please!

The kayak goes as expected, steady but I lose a bit of time on the very tight turns. I make it under the low bridge tho without dramas. This course has everything!

Heading out onto the run I am now chasing a Navy triathlete and this spurs me on. I'm running well but not fast enough to make up the minutes lost on the bike and kayak. The Czech are streets ahead when it comes to paddling. The run course is mainly cross country and takes in the cliffs. Add strong winds and narrow coastal paths and bright sunshine for the complete picture.

I finish 5th overall which makes me 3rd in the World Cup series for 2011. I win the Vet 40 European Championship and come 2nd in the National Trophy series overall but win the Vet 40. I hate getting old!

Well it was a great year and a baptism of fire with great expectations. Plenty of highs and not so many lows. Really hoping for a better year next year and learning to get more kayak speed.

I have completed another Wadenhoe Quagmire race. A run/kayak/bike/run format all cross country. I won the race but was chased hard by 15 year old Tom Stead. I did a quicker time than last year despite thinking I was taking it easier.

I aim to race in the next one on the 4th Dec, just a week before I have a small inguinal hernia repair! No training for a month then. I am concentrating on the biking at the mo since it doesnt hurt to bike and went out for my first night time paddling session without falling in. Good job really as it was cold enough in the boat.

Thats it for now. More within the next month!

more news!

Wow I have forgotten how to use the blog its been so long. The last blog was written last week but found it in draft as I forgot how to publish it despite pressing publish now repeatedly.

Ah well...think I've sussed it again.

So the Sprint Quad.... I was really hoping to win this and gain some valuable points in the National Trophy series. Despite being the leader I can still lose the top slot depending on the last race of the season. the swim was good in the Box End ski lake and I was pushed all the way by eventual winner Steve King but I did manage to enter and exit T1 in 1st place covering the 750m swim in 10:55. Arriving at the kayak I quickly launched and was about to pull my first stoke when I thought....hang on, this ain't my paddle! I can only assume the racking had been bumped by an overzealous triathlete in the 400m swim and mine and Ali's paddles had fallen over and re-reacked wrongly. A quick dask back to transition and swap paddles and off after Steve. I had never heard of him before but boy can he paddle. I never gained an inch and to add insult to injury I was caught on the second lap by Ian Smith, looking very smooth and rhythmical. I managed to beat Ian out of T2 and lead for 2 laps of the X-country bike course and only fell off once trying a back wheel slide around a downhill corner. On the third lap he dropped me into the headwind but I was confident my running would be good enough for the catch. Out of T3 I set about steadily catching Ian then put in a little dig before the hills to break the hold. We never saw Steve during the whole bike or run legs. Steve won, 2 mins ahead of me with Ian 3rd.

So the last race of the series is in Bude and the kayak stage comes 3rd this time which may suit me better. Wait out on that one.

Update at last

Hi followers

Long time no writey!!

so whats been happening??? so much so much.

Since last year I have completed another ironman but being injured at the time and I was walk jogging the marathon but set my heart on a sub 4 run and I did by seconds although it took a bit of effort for the last few km. But mission accomplished. The swim that day was a disaster and I nearly drowned......no really I did. A punch on the back of the head when everyone jumped the start and I went down like the Belgrano. A puncture on the bike didnt help matters and I was glad to get away with a finish in under 10 and half hours.

After that I didnt really get up to much and started kayaking at Solihull Canoe Club, trying to master K1 kayaking. Did you know that the canals are bloody cold in winter.? I can testify they are colder than rivers as I fell in quite a few times.

In late November I started the Quagmire series(run/kayak/run/bike/run). Again I fell in in the first two races but was still coming in the first few finishers. In the last race I managed to stay upright thanks to a lowered seat and was able to power round the course and finished first with the second fastest time of the series to win the overall series.

I then looked to doping the national Trophy series Quadrathlon. I wanted to do all the races to improve on my multisport ability and I travelled to Aberdeen to race a point to point. The race went well with my first win. I had the fastest big leg, a good solid run and a tiresome paddle after 15.5 miles in a big heavy sea kayak afer my attempt in a wild water racer resulted in getting wet...again

A few straight forward kayak timetrials and races saw me elevated from a novice to division 6.

Onto the Challenge race where last year I was 3rd I managed to improve by 10mins on the kayak and a few mins on the run to come 2nd and the most improved athlete.

A couple of weeks ago I did the British Quadrathlon Champs and came 2nd again but this was my first full quad and I lead the group of swimmers with only 2 swimmers ahead, one of which was a relay racer. A good kayak, the fastest bike and an average run followed but still the fastest novice too.

I also have done a few triathlons. Dambuster.... 5th RAF and 1st Vet, The RAF Sprint triathlon....3rd overall.

So we are upto date except for the bike TT's I am also doing but they are by the by.

looking forward to more updates soon.

Got a Sprint Quad this weekend and the World Champs in August...

keep ya posted!!!!!!!!!!