When time is too much time.....

I promised myself to start this blog off with a positive and since my last blog I have to say lots has happened in a short space of time. I have built training up after a resting period and found myself really ramping training to new places, which was really nice. Finding some good form and build towards the duathlon world championships Auguest 20th.

I was able to gain a new 5k pb 16.58 which I feel I can most defiantly get down with a little more practise at and speed work.

Maybe negative slipts might have worked better? whoops!


















I also hit a new 10m time trail pb, and again I feel that with better pacing and positioning I can go faster. These were both rather big confidence boosting times due to the fact I hadn't raced or training to the intensity I have this year, it was nice to see how things were moving in the right direction.

10M TT pb, 22.25.....next step 21.....

(Minging right)






BUT......cellulitious.....WHAT? yes my thoughts exactly, but oh my. No one should ever get this, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It has been tough and I have now pulled through it and I am out of the other side and training again. Time, oh time. Things just take time, and being someone who really doesn't value time and is always busy, I have not had this much time to just not really do anything for a long time. I had to rest and sit and ride the pain out...not fun at all. The pictures are just a part of what was really going on. It might have been a lot worse if it wasn't for my MOTHER, oh bless her, forcing me to go to A n E due to the infection line running up the whole of my leg which I dismissed, whoops! After being on antibiotics for a day and no change it was the doctors that insisted that I was given a higher dosage of 8 tablets for 7 days, I have never taken so many pills. After the antbiotics ran their course and the swelling has reduced to a normal state (10days) I was able to train again, oh the job of being able to ride, run and swim (not so much joy). But then the pain of effect, exhaustion and fatigue will soon be back. But this time, I don't care, bring it on!

Getting back to training is hard, but it is always running that takes the hit more than any other sport. Running just takes times to come back and I imagine I am looking at 10/14days of rather painful running before I can find my mojo.

Now to look forwards and onto the World champs in Canada. I have never been and cannot wait to see what the place has in stalled for me. Hopefully a medal! hahah.

Now this wouldn't be a Dan Geisler blog without some food pics...here are some vegan pancakes. I have been developing as many vegan recipes as possible recently since moving towards a plant base lifestyle. I have more energy, training more consistently and been racing faster. I cannot say any more about a plant based diet other than it has been a revelation.

Recipe;


100g oats
100g pea protein
200ml Almond/oat milk
20ml olive oil
2tbsp water
2tsp chia seeds
1tps mix green powder (for that plant power pick)

Mix the chia seeds and water in a separate bowl and leave for 10mins for them to activate.

In a separate down, mix the oats and pea protein together, then after the chia seeds have activated and expanded add the wet and dry ingredients together and whisk well.

Leave for 2/3 mins to settles, whisk again and then add to a hot pan to make the pancakes.

The start to racing 2017.....and now rest.

It has been a busy start to the year, I have already raced 3 duathlons, finished the xc season, been on holiday and now started the road running season.

The xc season, however much I hate racing them, for me was actually the best xc season I have taken part in. My last xc result was most certainly the best as I finished 16th and was very happy with the performance. I really do dislike xc because of the hills, mud and usually more technical course, however I have been able to put this to the back of my mind and just run...simply run as fast as I can for the 10ish kilometres that each race is. Through the season I have improved my results and built on each race, and have felt the benefit from the hard racing. I am not glad it is over and can put the mud and cold behind me!

Bike fit - Echelon Pershore

During the winter I was able to take the opportunity to have a bike fit at Echelon Cycles in Pershore. They now have a fantastic bike fitting service and offer this to anyone who wants to feel comfortable racing and training on their bike, because if you don't already feel comfortable when you race and train, then you need to get into Echelon Cycles and the rest will be made easy...well easier.

http://www.echeloncycles.co.uk/echelon-cycles-workshop/bike-fitting.php

Rough and smooth duathlon 1st

This was one very cold day, but one great fun race. I has a fantastic day, but it was a horrible way to do a duathlon. The first run was on mud, the bike was on road (which was great and I felt very good for this and it was where my race was won) and the final run was on mud. This made transitions very hard because I chose to where spikes due to the muddy conditions. Note to felt in the future, use elastic laces on spikes if I cant a fast transition.

 However it was fun with a good result and a nice race to start the season off. Would I race it again, possibly, but man it was cold!

Malaga training

I has a wonderful time here. Was a great trip with a great friend, with lots of cycling, coffee, food and sunshine, yes sunshine in February. If I go away again, it will be in February! what a time to go away and get some sunshine, just as the winter is coming to an end in the UK. It was great to feel the heat and actually sweat not in layers and layers of winter clothing!

We had one epic 110m mile day out on the bile with 10,000ft of climbing. Lets just way there were some mental and physical ups and downs!

Peoplton duathlon 1st

This race was off the back of the training in Spain. 2 days after returning home. It was needless to say that I found the morning of the race a little tough to get motivated. But man alive I flew and went very well. This was by far the best race I have had this year. My run and bike splits were much better than any other race, my pace was great and I was really happy that I was able to do this after the week in Spain. My race itself wasn't executed that well, but I was able to grind it out and just really go for it.

I was really happy to win even though my poor transition skills made it mighty close at points. My running time and bike power were just where I wanted them to be.

Clumber park duathlon 19th (4th age group)

Clumber park is a race that I have a bad history with, its hilly run, windy bike but beautiful scenery has not been a good place for me in the past. I have tried to always race hard on the course but I have never gone that well.

This race was much more successful, although not my best race of the year to date. Which was again a little bit of a shame.

The race started as always fast and we soon headed into the hills on the run. I didn't feel very comfortable on the first run and struggled to find my race pace which was a real shame (in hindsight this was due to being in a fatigued state). My top end was not there on the run legs for the first or second run which was to my disappointment.

I came into T1 thinking I had a little more to give and hoped it was going to be there on the bike, and it really way. I was able to knock a lot of time off the bike in comparison to previous races around the course, but I was still a little underpar and know I can go faster.

T2 was rubbish, simply rubbish, found it hard to get my shoes on and really needed to get a shift on. The second run was very tough, but was able to hold some form and finish the second run with some decent form.

All in the all the race was solid, and I was able to achieve my first goal of the year and qualify for the duathlon world championships in Canada later in the year.

Aero testing

Watt shop - Dan Bingham.

https://www.shopforwatts.co.uk/

This was a fantastic day, very fun and really found it a true pleasure to work with Dan from the Watts Shop. He was extremely professional and really found all his advice solid and beneficial.

The testing is sound and can only be seen as beneficial to ones performance. Dan was able to test a range of positions and these effected the times and the wattage saved or lost. It was very interesting to find out how positions and kit you might think are faster is not always the case.

I was able to find a good saving along with extra tips and advice even more savings can be made.

A huge thank you to Dan for his time and bottle! whoops.




Now after a lot of racing and digging myself a rater big role I must think abut the rest of the seasona and it is time for a rest....I need to take stock and take some days off and chill. WHOLE DAYS OFF DAN!

Funky nutty chocolate slab

These are amazing, I literally just couldn't get enough once I had made them. It was hard not to eat it all.

 

Ingredients:

Base-

100g crunchy peanut butter
100g mix nut of choice
100g figs, dates or mix dried fruit.

100g funky nut crunchy peanut butter

100g Cacao buttons

20g honey

1.Blend all the above in the food processor.


2.Once all the above ingredients has been blended in the food processer, squish into the bottom of a lined tray and bake for 5mins on 200degrees. Then leave to cool.



3. Meanwhile heat a pan on the hob and add the coconut oil and melt.


4. Once the oil has melted, add all the other ingredients until all melted.

5. Once melted, pour onto the base and leave to cool, and then place in the fridge.

Top-

100g No added sugar chocolate drops Pulsin 

50g coconut oil 

50g crème egg peanut butter

6. Once cooled, cut into slices of your chosen size ;)

February racing

XC - Coventry (last fixture of the season WORC AC)



Rough and Smooth duathlon

Malaga training

Peopleton duathlon