I have recently had the pleasure of working with Power bar to test some new products they are going to launch into the UK soon. They are a European based company and after meeting with some of there representatives at the cycle show at the NEC I have understood that they want to establish themselves with this product but at current don’t offer a range of flavours that agree with the UK branding and racing community.

The three flavours of the sports product I have tried are blackcurrant, lemon and tonics water. The product has been designed to increase performance both in training and racing, and help you get the most out of every second.

Blackcurrant: This was the best of the three flavours and defiantly my favourite. I found this very easy on the stomach and didn’t get any kick back from drinking it through speed and endurance based training. The product helped my performance during a bike TT interval session allowing me to recover sufficiently during each rest period.

Tonic water: This product had an added caffeine kick, and was defiantly evident when I was training. It gave me the added kick during a long bike TT effort to get the maximal from myself and stay focused and push through the whole effort. The caffeine kick was evident but wasn’t overwhelming in taste. Although the tonic taste wont suit everyone but majority will like it.

Lemon: This taste was actually a very nice taste and performed much like the blackcurrant, the flavour of lemon was suttle and the performance advantages were also very good. I used this when I did a very tough track session and the hydration benefits were very good. I was very impressed with the way that my body reacted to the drink and was able to continue to push through till the end of the session. It was light on the stomach and didn’t give me any after effects.

All in all they were three good products, I am undecided if people will enjoy the tonic flavour, but the lemon and the blackcurrant are defiantly going to be popular with UK customers. 

Forest of dean disaster, Worcester run bike run pleasure and Paula Radcliffe.

The past 3 weeks since I posted have included lots of training, advice, pain, recovery, darkness, cold temps, warm temps, puncture, celebrities and a lot more.

I have been training for around 12 weeks with one major final race at the end of the season in Oct, so have been trying out a new program to see the benefits. I have also now started to race and really aim to sharpen up for the race, I firstly raced the EXTREMELY tough HILLY Forest of dean duathlon. The distances was 11k-44k-5k, the run was a off road trail run and was 2.5k uphill and 2.5k down hill (man alive didnt I feel that in my legs the day after). I was in first place coming into T1 and was really feeling like I was running well, I headed out onto the bike and realised very quickly that a disc was a very very very bad idea for such a hilly course. I was able to make time up coming down hills, but going up was a nightmare going up them. I was winning the race but was tiring fast after 40k on the bike, and then bang!!!! blow out and the end of my race, I rolled into transition and ran the final 5k hard as a training effort, I was happy with just how tough the race was and it wasnt important in the grand scheme of things, but it would have still been nice to win. I have not entered this race three years in a row and something has gone wrong eveyr year, 1st I got lost due to having my head down after being in 1st place, 2nd I broke down on the way to the race and wasnt able to get there until 10mins before and the race blew my socks of and out me into alot of pain, and the puncture this year just adds more salt to the wound. Next year I will win!

After the Forest of dean duathlon I was very tired, and felt horrible all week. I wasn't able to open up at all and just ticked along with a few easy session to start the week and then tried some small efforts later on in the week as I knew the Worcester run bike run race would be  tough race, my feelings were,take it easy, race hard and recovery the week after. 

The race started off fast as it was actually a 10k race (that yes included Paula Radcliffe), I strangely felt a lot better than I though I would and was able to sustain a decent pace, and in hind sight probably could have gone harder, I was able to keep the leaders in sight all the way  through to the finish of the 10k. I was also able to pass Paula t around 8k which was a nice confidence boost. I went into T1 in 3rd place, and actually after a bit of a calamitous T1 from Ben Price (the eventual winner) I was able to make up alot of group and leave with him, The bike route was literally a joke, having to cycle past spectators on an open foot bridge, dismount and run up hill and down on the way back. Lets just say it wasnt fun and I pray that no one has to ride that same route again. I came into T2 in 3rd and was very happy with that knowing I ran well for the 10k I was thinking I would be able to do so for the 5k. I set out fast and with the way the 5k was set up I would see 1st and second the whole way, they were a little to far to catch but I still wanted to try and get some time back so I went hard. I was able to stay on course but lost the leaders, they had actually taken a wrong tern at around 4k they appeared on the wrong side of the route, if it were not for 1st place knowing me and shouting my name I would have ran into win! But I actually got them back onto the route, let them cross the line in front and settled for 3rd! Still very happy! 

Letting 1st and 2nd past on the way to third. Might be a little to kind in some peoples eyes, but hopefully it will maybe happen in the future to me and someone else will have the kindness to also let me back in front.

Sneaky little picture in Athletics weekly tweet about Paula. 

I now continue to build towards the British Championship in October, I need to improve my run to bike strength and then I will hopefully enjoy a good race. I have been training hard and have received lot of great advice and hopefully this will all pay off!

Breakfast cakes

Now being back at work sucks.....yep I love my job but it still sucks. Less time and less energy!

So to cut down on time in the AM and to extend training sessions I have not needed to invent breakfast on the go, and have come up with this.


It only really works with pea or soy protein (gluten free), I haven't tried it with normal protein but think it would work, You have it mix up the protein in the shaker and make sure that it is thick, almost the consistence of yogurt. Once you have done that all you do is add it all to a mixing bowl, stir till the consistency is sticky enough to mold into a simple shape and then bake for 8-10 mins at 150, turn oven off and turn them over. Then let them cool naturally and bake a little more and then they are ready to go. They will last about 3-4 days.

3 scoops of protein powder (water to mix and a little bit of soya milk)

400g oats

100g Nuts chopped (preference to the maker), I used almonds.

100g mix fruit (of your choice)

50g coconut oil melted.

(I also added coca nibs for flavor, but you can add anything really, coco powder would be really good for a chocolate hit).

Week 6 - Make the final week of holiday count!

Well where on earth has my summer hi days gone! Disappeared and just vanished! Miles in my legs and we now approach races, I have signed up to my next three races and am very excited to get racing again. The season will be done by October and I will be well I. For a rest so can't wait to race my but off and earn the rest!

With a lot of help recently I have been able to really get some structure and millage into my legs, weight, strength and mentality are all on track and as I approach getting back into work I still need to keep on top of all this because I have loved living almost like a pro, not quite the financial help or actual training hours but I am getting there! 

Monday 

Am - 12mile run (last 3k hard)

Tuesday-

Am- 7mile easy run/ 1.5k swim. 

Pm -  10m tt WSJ (30mile Total)

Wednesday 

Am- 15x15 sec 40milw ride 

Pm - 7 mile run easy - TRX 

Sushi fun with my girl! 

Thursday - 

Am - 6x1mile efforts - TRX 

Pm- 40mile ride

Friday - 

Am - 40mile bike (10x30sec reps) 3mile run off. 

Pm - 2k swim 

Sat-park run 5k -15mile tt effort. (25mile total)

Sunday-am WSJ morning ride 60miles

Pm- TRX 

Total:

Run - 30miles

Bike - 240miles

Swim - 3.5k 

Week 5 - where has the summer gone!

Well it's week 5 of 6 out of the summer Holidays and I have literally no idea where is has gone! It's madness. And the sun and warmth has completely evaded us all, cold morning and chilly evenings are not back. Watching the velta is the only thing that keeps me warm! 

Back in the uk and really building thins towards the British champs, 8 weeks to go and things are steadily progressing. Feeling happy with the work and effort I am putting in and really trying to get the balance right between hard work and rest. Although I only have 1 more week left before work commences again and that is not so cool! 

Another very enjoyable training week, just a shame I can't stay and train in Spain all summer, heat was amazing. And the downtime spent with my amazing girlfriend is fantastic! 

Monday - Spain

Am - 10mile run

Pm - 50mile hilly ride 

Tuesday - travelling day 

Pm - 10m tt 5 miles there and 5 miles back. 

Wednesday - 

Am - 50mile ride 

Pm - 7mile run - TRX 

Thursday - 

Am - 4x2mile 

Pm - 40mile easy ride 

Friday 

Am - 25mile easy ride

Pm - 2k easy swim 

Sat 

Am - 5mile run --- 1.5k swim

Pm - 25mile tt (58.58pb)

Sun

Am - 10mile run - TRX 

Pm - 20mile ride easy 

Oh and a new fancy coffee machine! 

Total:

Run - 39miles 

Bike - 240miles 

Swim - 3.5k 

Week 4 - Spain - hot hot hot

This week I have had the amazing pleasure to be able to train in Espainia! It's been hot hot hot. But oh so much fun, it's hard to train when it's so hot and my body is trying its hardest to acclimatise but with it being 15 degrees hotter it's almost impossible to do that. 

The views when riding are stunning and I would love to just be out on the bike all day and explore the Spanish mountains.

Monday uk -

Am - bike 80miles. 

Pm - TRX 

Tuesday - Spain 

REST

Wednesday - Spain 

Am - run 1x6mile reps

Pm - 40m bike (plus a huge mountain) 

What a ready....every cycling should read this book! 

Thursday - Spain 

Am - run 3m hard, 6x800m 8x60m

Pm - 30mile hilly ride

Friday - Spain 

Am - 9mile run

Pm - 50 mile hilly ride 

Sat - rest day - 

Sunday - Spain 

Am - 7 mile easy run

Pm - 50mile hilly ride 

Monday - Spain

Am - 9mile hilly run

Pm - 50mile hilly ride https://www.strava.com/activities/181362374

Totals 

Run - 42miles 

Bike - 320miles

Swim - 

WEEK 3 - NEW PROGRAM NEW GOALS

Week 3 is the start of a new program with a huge focus of making me run and cycle fast...simple really. Sort out mile splints, repeat and make them consistently fast. How can you expect to run and target time if u have never ran the speed you want to in training. Train to run and cycle faster repetitively and you will go fast! 

Monday

Am - 70mile group ride, hilly and and challenging route. 

Pm - run 10miles tempo. 

Tueaday 

Am - 7mile easy run - TRX 30mins

Pm - 30mile easy bike

Wednesday 

Am - swim 3k easy

Pm - Castle Combe Duathlon 2-10-2

Thursday 

Am - 60mile bike - 20miles changing pace

Pm - 8mile run (worc AC) changing paces. 

Friday (rest day)

Am - 2k swim

Pm - rest 

Sat - 

Am - 2mx3 max effort - 15 tt bike - 1m easy run off 

Pm - rest 

Sunday - 100m tt day!

Drive to Monmouth - didnt do it, due to impossible conditions, I'm sure you all had similar days! 

Am - 3k easy swim 

Pm - 7mile easy run 

Not quite the end of the week as I had planned, it was meant to end in a huge time trail and a crack at my local clubs team record! But hay ho that's the way things go sometimes! 

Still a hugely successful training week, and very happy with how the new program has turned out and made me focus on things! 

Total:

Run - 37miles

Bike - 180miles

Swim - 5k