2014.

As it gets to the end of the year i suppose i am starting to reflect on the past 12 months and also the next 12 months coming up. Im excited, nervous and about every emotion. Finishing uni, finishing in Plymouth, going big in the triathlon season, and figuring out what to do with my life!

However looking back at 2013 i have had a fantastic year, there has been a lot of big changes and decisions in my life and definitely in sport. But i now feel i am in  great place, happy and ready for big things next year. Triathlon has brought me new focus, determination and hunger for success. I have worked hard this year had some results i am very proud of and met some great people through all 3 disciplines of the sport. I have great friends to train and drink coffee with in Plymouth who continue to push me and keep me motivated. I'm working with a great coach who believes in my potential and i feel i am already improving.

Since coming home for Christmas training has kept going, i have done some analysis sessions with Graeme in the pool where we are looking for improvements in my technique and where we can find new speed in my swimming. We have also worked together on the track and some trail running. As Graeme is based in Dundee its great to be able to work 1-1 when i come home and really show what i am capable of. And the analysis is ideal especially as swimming is such a technique specific sport and my weakest discipline. However now we have spotted some areas of weakness i feel with some drill work i will begin to swim a lot faster than before! My running and cycling seems to be getting much faster due to the specific speed sets i have also been doing so i am very pleased with that. I had a few days off over Christmas but for me training is very enjoyable and so i would rather be training!

On Boxing day i ran a local 4km race the plum pudding plod. This is a family tradition and 220 competitors took part. I did fancy my chances going into the race and ideally aimed for top 3. The race was extremely fast and there were some great runners from Dundee hawks there so the race was going to be tough! However i managed to lead the first 1km before i was passed by someone, i then ran hard in a pack of 3 sitting in 4th until around halfway when myself and the man in second dropped the other guy. He then tried to shake me off with constant bursts of pace but i dug deep and held on running right on his shoulder. With around a quarter to go i pushed in front and dropped him running hard and crossing the line in second! I was extremely pleased, it was a very fast race and a result that brought home another Christmas pudding! It really showed my training was working and im getting a lot quicker.

Im now back into my training before i will have another of couple of easy days around New Year celebrations. 2014 for me is going to be a really exciting year. I am scared to finish university and all the work that goes with that but i believe i can use my motivation in triathlon into my work and hopefully come away with a decent degree! I will keep training hard through snow and rain in winter and hopefully come out the other end injury free and ready for the new season.

I want to thank anyone who has trained with me, raced against me, supported me or read my blog this year. It really has been a bloody fun journey and i can't wait for next season. I have a lot of work to do and many meters to swim, km to run and cycle before then so i will leave it here.

Thanks for reading. Merry Christmas and Happy New year.

1. Bringing home more Christmas Pud!
2. Not all rain and snow in winter
3. Swim analysis screen shot.

BUCS Duathlon

BUCS Duathlon, 24th November
2 mile run, 10 mile bike, 2 mile run

Finish time. 48:29
Result. 77th out of 481
Run 1- 11:23
Bike - 23:52
Run 2 - 11:20

So after a very tough week with a lot going on  Yesterday was BUCS Duathlon at Castle Combe racing circuit (a car racing circuit). The race was BUCS which means it is the university championships and meant that there would be extremely fast and good guys there. We left Plymouth for the not so far drive up and left in a beautiful but very cold minus figures morning. A slight inital concern on how cold it was!

Before the race i had plenty of time for a good warm up, to set my bike up in the hectic and busy transition and also have a think about how i would attack the race. At 1:35 we were called to line up on the most busy start line i have ever stood on, hundreds of us all packed in and wanting to be at the front.

As soon as the race was underway there was a lot of pushing and shoving to find a good position. My first 1km wasn't great i was going fast but i kept having to run off to the side or push people out of the way. There were just so many people on a small part of route to run. However fortunately after a while it died down and i was able to settle into a fast pace. This was my first race using a running watch and i was able to watch my speed and know where i wanted to be. I had a couple of accelerations to get out of the way and through gaps in-between people. But overall the first run was fast and strong and i was into transition.

Transition was chaos there were so many people and so much kit but i knew exactly where to go and grabbed my bike. On approaching the mount line there was again some more madness. A lot of guys were just standing with their bikes or being real slow about it and a few had fallen over or dropped bikes. After a bit more pushing and slight aggression i was onto my bike safely (just) and beginning to get my head into the ride. The cycle was brilliant. I felt really good and strong and the route was on a closed road racing circuit. This meant it was fast, smooth and pretty flat. My average speed was higher than any other triathlon and i felt really good in the big gears down on the tri bars.The track was good to ride on but a couple of tight bends had to be taken with care. Also as there was so many people on the track i had to stay focused, i had a couple of near misses and saw a couple of guys hit the ground. We had 5 laps to ride and so i knew when i could push harder and what cadence to hit. After 4 laps i threw my water bottle away as i realised going that fast and on such a short ride i wouldn't need it. (I did almost fall off in the process). With one lap to go i pushed as hard as i felt i could with a run coming up and went into transition feeling good but with bloody freezing hands.

T2 was a little slower than i would have liked, my hands were frozen so getting on my shoes was a bit of an issue but soon enough i was onto the second lap of the run. I knew i just wanted to go as fast as i could. That was my only plan. Run fast and run hard. I had a really shit week previous to the race including being assaulted so i tried to use all the bad thoughts and use them to push me on. It seemed to work as by the last 1km i felt like i was going really hard. I came around the corner to the finishing straight and went for it. I ran as hard as i could and in the final 100m i overtook about 6 people. I never really understand why people don;t run hard to the line! But when i crossed the line i felt like i truly gave everything.

Im very pleased with my result, it was a massive field to race against and there were some incredible athletes there from fantastic sporting universities so to be top 80 of university students feels very good being my first season. Plymouth as a university also managed to come 15th out of 101!My second run was also a bit quicker than my first which im pretty pleased with! And i felt good and strong during the whole race.

I want to thank my coach Graeme, he is working very hard with me and i believe his training and advice is really taking me to a new level already. I'm excited to keep working with him and really value his time and effort with me.

This is my final race of the season! It's been a fantastic one, one i just wanted to try out the sport and see what happened but turned into being very competitive and training extremely hard. I have big goals for next year and Graeme and i will now work on those over winter. A rest day today and back to the grind on Tuesday.

Thanks for all the support and reading this. It means a lot to know people support you.

More photos to follow when they go up.

The not quite end of Season.

After my last blog post i thought i had put this season to bed and was hitting winter training and relaxing a little. However i was quite wrong! I have entered my definite last event of the season! BUCS duathlon on the 24th of November.

This race should be really interesting and fast. It takes place on Castle Combe race circuit so flat, closed circuit which should be very smooth. The race is a 2 mile run, followed by a 10 mile bike then a further 2 mile run. All around the track. The event is BUCS so i will be up against many other students from across the country which should make it very interesting. There will be guys of elite racing level to just your average student. But i am looking forward to racing against people in the same life positions and just to have one final blast of the year!

I am now a few weeks into my training with coach Graeme Stewart. I can honestly say it is the best decision i made, every day i will check Training Peaks and look what i have to do that day. It's always different, fun but also challenging. Some days i will work all 3 disciplines other days i will just do a long steady bike. I am really enjoying the new challenge and pushing myself harder and harder. I am in the pool more than i ever have been, i used to do around 1-2 sessions a week in the water now I'm swimming about 4/5 sessions a week. Every session is thought out and i am doing new drills, technique work and fine tuning every aspect of my sport.

Using Training Peaks and various watches and computers on the bike and running Graeme can analyse my data and we can compare it to similar sessions to see where improvements are coming. Training peaks is a great tool and i am just getting used to being able to use all the features!

Training this hard isn't easy i wont lie. Im pretty hungry all the time and usually in bed by 10pm. But i can feel my body changing and improvements coming already. I have fresh motivation and knowing that you have someone to tell me what to do and to check if i am doing it is very helpful. Im also really enjoying the routine, knowing when i will train, when im hungry, when i need to sleep, which locker i need to use at swimming otherwise things go wrong (slight OCD). I feel once you use a routine your body gets used to it and begins to respond.

For the next couple of weeks i will keep training hard leading up to this Duathlon. I am very excited to race again but i think after this one the season will definitely be over and the winter miles begin. I have also gained myself a job at Evans cycles and i believe with them it will help me go in the direction i want too and also i may be able to afford some winter kit! But thats another story.

Thanks for reading, i will report back after the race.

Moving Forward.

So that's the end of my first Triathlon season. One where i was planning on just doing a bit of learning and competing but turned into, training hard, racing hard and realizing i could do pretty well with the sport. I have loved this first season, i have spent time training in France and done a whole mixture of races all with a good amount of success. I have had incredible support from family and friends and really felt people were behind me which is what i need.

However i now need to step it up. To be where i want to be i needed something big. And thats why i have now teamed up with a coach. Graeme Stewart is the 2013 Celtman winner, he also holds the Scottish Iron man record and has a very impressive race CV. Graeme as well as being a fantastic athlete and in my eyes the best long distance triathlete in Scotland, is also a coach. After meeting him in Dundee before i left for university after Summer i decided he is what i needed ; focused training, scientific measurements and the ability i believe to take me to the next level. I believe having Graeme as my coach i will see big improvements in my abilities specifically swimming and speed in all 3 disciplines. No longer will i just be going out and riding and running but now everything will be focused, planned and set up for me to do.

I have decided not to take time off between this season and winter training so as of tomorrow i begin my coaching programme with Graeme. It wont be an easy winter and i won't be backing off and having a break. I have big goals which i have discussed with Graeme and he believes these will be achievable. However none of this will happen without me putting in the hours of training and hard work.

Hopefully next Season will be something really special for me, i'm looking forward to working closely with such a great coach and athlete and having someone to keep me in gear (pardon the pun).

I want to thank everyone for this season, my parents have been amazing and supportive something i think is very important and also my friends who have sent me good luck messages or come to races. I really do appreciate the support.

Im going to keep working hard and come out of winter injury free, strong fit and ready for 2014. I will report here during my winter training.

Wadebridge Sprint Triathlon.

Wadebridge Sprint. 13th October

Swim 400m (pool swim) -  7:18
Bike 24km - 44:36
Run 5km  - 19:17

Finish time, 1:12:49
18th overall, 11th in age group (17/39)

Today was Wadebridge sprint triathlon, the last event in the Cornish series and also my last race of my first triathlon season.
My good friend Will came down for the weekend and so was kind enough to drive me to the race, fortunately unlike most races this was a bit of a later start so i had a good nights sleep and a big breakfast to set me up. We arrived in good time for me to have transition set up and get a good warm up. The swim was in a pool which was something new but also meant that the water would be much warmer than normal so i looked forward to that.

The swim was also shorter than a normal sprint and not being the best swimmer i was again pretty excited! Once my number was called i jumped in the pool and got ready to go, unlike other races this season i was less nervous and had a solid race plan in my head. The swim went really well, i got into a steady rhythm and felt very comfortable. Initially i went a bit too fast as i was excited but soon settled down. Annoyingly the bottom of the pool and the pool wall were both blue making the ends of lengths hard to see so this made a few of my turns a bit clumsy. However when the float was tapped on my head with two lengths to go i pushed on and came out the pool knowing i swam well.

Transition was fast and after thinking i was lost i was safely onto the bike section. I was really looking forward to this, i had my new bike tri bars clipped on and the garmin all set up. The bike course is 12km out and 12 back in, the out course was hilly. I didn't really study the route so wasn't that ready but as i a a strong climber i pushed on and made up a good bit of time. Once i was on the tri bars with the new bike spinning beneath me i felt like i was flying. I felt fast in control and good there was also a strange silence from the bike and no gears jumping that im used too! After the turn around i picked up the pace, i wanted to catch a couple more people on the bike and really push the second section. The bike responded and i was picking up pace again, myself and another competitor who was on a tri bike kept going head to head but after two climbs i managed to drop him and was feeling really strong. In the last couple of k's i started thinking about the run and making sure i was hydrated.

Transition 2 went well and i was off on the run. The run has a long steep downhill to begin with so this was good to get the legs going it was 2.5k out and back however meaning i would have to go back up the hill! The run was good however my chip timer on my ankle was way too tight. I felt like my ankle was being stabbed and that it may bleed, however i was never going to stop to change it. I picked up the pace after the halfway mark and lengthen my stride. The uphill near the end was quite comfortable even with another competitor throwing up all over the place next to me. I pushed on for a sprint finish and crossed the line exhausted but feeling like i ran a strong race.

My aim as 1 hour 15 so im very please with 1:12, i also finished 11th in my category and could't be more happy it was a really strong field and a tough course. The race went great for me, the new bike and my fitness felt really strong. It's a great way to end my season and very encouraging.

I would like to thank Will for driving me, his support and the following photos.

End of Season.

So as it's almost a week until my next and last event of the season i thought i would update my blog a little. Also notice the new title of the blog..lift has been removed as i realized i don't really do weights anymore..

Anyway, My next event is next Sunday the 13th of October and is Wadebridge Triathlon, it is a small race 400m pool swim 24km bike and 5km run. I am very excited to race as i managed a late entry and thought i would not get a place. It will be my last race of the season and hopefully a fast exciting race. It is also in the Cornish Triathlon series that i have already done a couple of events in so hopefully i will pick up some more points.

The last couple of weeks i have been in Spain in France travelling and surfing and also a Uni field trip. I managed a lot more training than i expected, one of my lecturers is an iron man and long distance athlete and therefore every morning i was up at 7am doing a 8/10km run with him. It was great to run with him as he was much quicker than me and we pushed each other on the flat coastal run. Also the surf died off when we were on the fieldtrip so i spent a lot of time swimming in the sea and the outdoor pool. I was training twice a day and felt really strong. I unfortunately had a small calf injury towards the end of the week so spent a couple of days resting but now it is healed up and i am back training.

This Sunday is my 20th Birthday and i will be receiving my new bike, a Trek Madone 3.1 2014 model. This is a huge deal for me, it's my first Carbon bike and actually the first road bike i have ever paid for! I spent a lot of time looking for the perfect bike and had a bike fit to make sure it will be perfect for me. The guys at the Tri shop in Edinburgh were great and i am happy that i bought from them and feel it will be the perfect bike for me!

After my Birthday i will have a strong week of training, plenty of pool work and on the bike and faster runs. Hopefully the weather will stay dry and i can get some solid miles in. Im really excited to race again and the pool swim will be very interesting as i have not yet done one!

After my last event i will report back and i also have some very big news to announce after this race. I'm very excited about it and its going to be a big step for me. But you will have to wait and find out!!

Thanks for all the support so far.

Glen Clova Extreme Duathlon

Saturday 14th September

27km Bike
15km Mountain run over two Munro's
7km bike

Time 2:38:58
Position 8th

So on Sautrday i was up at 6am for my 5th race of the season and my second Duathlon. We were blessed with great weather as the sun was just rising as i drove up to Glen Clova, this was a good sign as the days race involved a mountain run so i did not fancy that in bad weather.

The race was structured that groups of ten would set off on the bike then another group 3 minutes later, unfortunately i was in the last group so had a bit of waiting around and was worried that there would be a lot of cyclists on the route. However it gave me plenty of time to warm up, stretch and chat tactics with my parents.

Once i set off on the bike i immediately felt good, i switched up to the big gears, dropped into the tri bars and just set out to ride as hard as possible. Immediately i was overtaking people on the ride and used others as targets to get too. The road had its bends and bumps and occasional head on car but i still managed a fast strong pace. After the halfway mark i began to push even stronger knowing i needed a quick time on the bike. After passing the hotel and heading into the last 7km two other competitors jumped on my wheel to draft, there was no rules about drafting something i wasn't used too. So at first i was a bit annoyed but they took there turn at the front of our pace train and it worked well for me in the end.

Coming off the bike i went into a fairly busy transition but luckily my parents were waving next to where my box was sitting. I switched shoes, grabbed my camel back threw on a cap backwards for reasons unknown and set out on the run. I knew the first section of the run up to Corrie Fee was relatively fast so i tried to up my pace and took on some water. Once i arrived in Corrie Fee it was a beautiful sight, competitors all along and up the back wall. I noticed most were walking up the back as it is extremely steep so i made it my goal to run as much as possible. It was a tough jog up the back of the corrie but i pushed on only walking in places where running was more or less impossible. I glanced at my watch and set myself some time goals to aim for. After the Corrie it was a steep run and a little muddy up to the top of the first Munro Mayar, i reached the checkpoint had a gel and began the descent over the ridge. I pushed hard on the descent knowing i could make up time and ran hard over the ridge mainly to keep warm in the bitter wind. After the ridge the route looped onto the ascent of the second Munro Mayar. The run to the top was again steep and very rocky so i just took it as fast as i could. Once at the top i was feeling good, i had done the hard bit on the mountain and was looking at a pretty fast time. I knew i could push hard on the way down.

The Descent was tricky, it was very rocky and narrow in places and i had a couple of slips. Fortunately nothing major. Once i reached transition i saw my Dad who was telling me i was running a good time. At this point i was feeling exhausted, my legs began to hurt and energy was low. But i knew i needed a final sprint on the bike.

I jumped back onto the bike and began the final push to the finish. My parents were able to follow me in the car on the final leg which was really awesome. It made me want to ride faster and so i dug deep and crossed the line knowing i had nothing left to give.

I finished in two hours 38 and came 8th overall. I am massively happy with that as i am not a mountain runner, i knew i gave everything and a top ten result was incredible. The race was fantastic, with amazing views of the mountains, great support and overall a hard strong day out!

My dad was able to film some of the race from the car please have a look here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJxxwGSy3t4

Here are a few photos from the event.

One week to go.

So it's one week to go until my next event, and a race i am extremely excited about. The glen clova extreme duathlon (see last blog post).

Training has been going almost perfectly, i have been getting fast shorted rides in on the bike and working on my positioning on the tri bars as to increase speed. I have also done some longer rides with a few climbs to build up more strength in my legs. I have been doing gradually longer runs and including ones with big hills and running up the glens, as well as fast shorter runs. I feel i am hitting the speeds i know i am capable of and i am happy with my level of fitness.

I have cycled the race route twice now and feel comfortable where i can push hard on the bike and other spots where i need to hold off the speed. I feel it is important to know exactly where i can hit high speeds as the road is quite narrow and has many twists. I have also today ran the mountain route including the two Munroe's with my Father. I don't want too give away too much about my training but the run was strong and i found the places where i can push my pace and where it will be tough. The route seems good and i have taken some compass bearings in case the weather closes in. The descent from the mountain is a little tricky with some big rocks and wet underfoot but i feel confident going at a faster speed.

I now know the exact distance of the run and it should be a tough but good route on the day. From now until next week i will train hard make sure i have all the correct gear and keep working on the hills. I will also be watching the weather very closely!

I have a race plan structured out and i know where i can push myself hard on the day. I just hope that it will go to plan and its a strong race for me.

I will report back after next Saturday.

Some recent training photos.
1. Hitting the speeds on the bike.
2. Trail running up Loch brandy
3/4 Mountain running with my Father

End of Summer.

As some of you may know my last event was more or less cancelled. Due to a burst water pipe on the bike leg the cycle was cancelled. I therefore took the hard decision as to not compete, the race was a two and a half hour drive from home and i have been all summer working on my cycling. I therefore did not want to turn up just to swim and run when it was not what i had trained for.

Instead on Sunday i managed to find a very late entry to the St Andrews Sportive a 144km cycle ride around Fyfe. I don't have too much to say about the race, the weather was misty and dull and therefore the ride lacked excitement. However i believe i was one of the top ten of 400 to finish and put down a good time of 5 hours 8 minutes. It was good to be able to still use my training however i was disappointed with not 100% racing.

This disappointment quickly faded when on Monday thanks to a friend i was shown the Glen Clova Extreme Duathlon (14th September). This event is not like many others, it is a 24km cycle from Glen Clova Hotel around the valley then into Glen Doll car park, from there it is a run/hike up to Corrie Fee then across two Munros, Dreish and Mayar ( For my English readers a Munro is a mountain in Scotland over 3000ft) from there you descend before jumping back on the bike for the final leg to Glen Clova car park. The event is described as follows on the website :

"You have 9 hours to complete 20km or 40km cycle around the stunning Glen Clova valley, 7km into Glen Doll ranger station transition point to begin your run/walk approach into magnificent Glen Doll forests where you will come out in the breathtaking amphitheatre of the Corrie Fee, from here a steep ascent to 928m summit of the mountain 'Mayar', then traversing over the broad 3km ridge, where, if you are within your time limit you may ascend the second munro reaching a height of 947m and the summit of mount 'Dreish'
Returning back on the rocky and challenging Kilbo path back through Glen Doll forest returning to the ranger station to cycle the 7km road back to the Glen Clova hotel finish point"Returning back on the rocky and challenging Kilbo path back through Glen Doll forest returning to the ranger station to cycle the 7km road back to the Glen Clova hotel finish point"Returning back on the rocky and challenging Kilbo path back through Glen Doll forest returning to the ranger station to cycle the 7km road back to the Glen Clova hotel finish point"Returning back on the rocky and challenging Kilbo path back through Glen Doll forest returning to the ranger station to cycle the 7km road back to the Glen Clova hotel finish point"

This race will be like no other i have done. Racing up and across the mountains and very steep uphill running. The weather will also be a major factor, up the back of Corrie Fee if the weather is bad it is very hard to navigate and find your way. However i am extremely excited. This is a race on a road i have cycled many times and regularly train on and Dreish and Mayar are hill walks i have done many times. However never have i ran them!

Between then and now i will put in hard hours on the bike and running. Already i have been up to Glen Clova and cycled the route and done a couple of Brick sessions. Making my runs longer and gradually steeper. I will also re walk the mountains and gain better knowledge of the route. Training will not be easy, i hope to be able to put a fast time into the course and so will try and run as much as possible through the mountains on the race.

I will start to think up a race plan as unlike other races i know the course and where i can push hard. 

I am extremely excited for this event and relish the fact i have new focus in my training. I have also entered what i think will be my last triathlon of 2013 on the 16th of October. The fistral beach tri fest, another race i am excited to be part of. 

Thanks for reading and i will keep up-to-date with how my training is going before the race.

France Photos

I'm home from France now and already missing the big climbs, beautiful roads and stunning villages. Here are some photos on some of the rides. Mainly taken with an iphone and without much preparation. Thanks for having a look.

France. How my training looked.

My time training in France is unfortunately almost coming to an end. So i thought i would update with what i have been doing.

For the first couple of days when I arrived in Laghet - a small spot just outside Monaco- i was using the mountain bike to do some big trail runs and hill sets. I would cycle to the bottom of a climb and run to the top three or four times each time trying to beat the previous time. And other days i ran from the village down to Monaco and back up. All quite a fun adventure aswell as great training.

On Monday of last week i picked up my hire bike from the shop in Nice a Scott Speedster a fairly basic road bike but it certainly did the job. From Nice i cycled to Monaco along the coast passing some beautiful spots along the way and a relatively flat ride. (flat in France is very difference to flat in Britain). I stopped in Monaco for lunch and a swim on the boat and did my first big climb in the midday heat back up to the village. 39km altogether.


http://www.strava.com/activities/72361402

On Tuesday i had planned out a route that began quite flat to get the legs spiining and war, and then a climb up to a beautiful village called Peille then a descent and flat ride back to Laghet. This was my first proper climbing ride and although soaked in sweat i felt rather strong. After this ride i rode down to Monaco to practice my descending and had a 10km run along the coast and a swim.
 40km ride then 16km to Monaco and 10km run.

http://www.strava.com/activities/72572314

On Wednesday i wanted to test out my legs with a bigger ride and some big climbing so i set out a vague route using Map my ride and headed for the mountains. The ride went from La trinitie to Sospel, Sospel to Menton and Menton to Laghet. Initially the ride was downhill and then flat but after 10km i began to climb. First up Col de Nice which is a long steady climb in a beautiful valley, after this i came to the foot of Col de Braus this is a 10km climb which starts fairly steep with some alpine bend, it then flattens out for 1km or so before the top push which is bend after bend and very steep Climbing. The climb was tough but the road was beautiful and my first real French climb. I then did the tricky descend into Sospel before the long ride back into Menton and a very steep long climb back up to the Village.

Overall the ride was 74.1km with 3544m of climbing and taking 3 hours 40.
http://www.strava.com/activities/72863294

Thursday i had a rest day as i had planned earlier in the week to have a big ride on Friday with two Frenchmen.

So on Friday at 6:30 am i headed to Menton to meet my companions for the day. Two 60 year old men, they had told me we would do 100km in Italy so with their age i thought it would be a gentle slog. However once we left France and headed for Italy along the coast i knew i was wrong. These guys were fit and fast. On the flat we were storming the pace overtaking any other cycling groups and on the climbs we sat on each others wheels heading up quick. The ride started through Italy after Vantemilia and San Remo, we then headed along the valley to the mountains. We passed a small village and began the first climb of the day a long steady 10km going higher and higher, we took in turns to lead the climb and i made sure i did my bit. These men were seriously fit and great fun to ride with. After 60km we had a coffee stop and chatted about various cycling things, my slight French made them understand that no this was not an easy day out. We then continued up another beautiful climb sheltered in the woods, this was the first poor road quality i had seen! once at the top we had views all across Italy and back to France. We then began the descent, i was much slower than them as im not French nor a majorly confident descender. On one long straight at 60km an hour i hit a puncture. I avoided a skid and had a quick fix however just as i replaced the wheel i saw my two french friends climbing back up to see if i was okay. True Gentlemen. After the descent we rode flat out back to Ventemillia taking in turns to pace out the front. After going through the city on Market day avoiding being run over and many french and itlain swearwords we rode back into Menton. While these men both live in Menton i had another 13km climb to get home. I was seriously impressed with one of them who decided to ride back up with me and help me in the last bit of the climb. At La turbie we shook hands and went seperate ways. I think this summed up the day all we needed was a shake of the hand to show how much respect we had for the other and how we needed each other all day.

The ride was a total of 120km and with 4599m of climbing and taking 5 hours 48.

http://www.strava.com/activities/73326581

On Saturday i rested as i was taking on Col de La madone the next day.

Sunday was to be my ride on Col de La Madone. This is a very famous and beautiful climb. Starting at sea level in Menton it is 13km to the top. The climb was made famous by Lance Armstrong who used to train up it constantly to see if he was tour fit. After this it had becom the norm for riders to see how fast the can climb the route, the top times around 30 minutes. However many other non drugged up inspiring athletes still train on this today. Something i spotted first hand as a week before whilst driving the route Chris Froome and Richie Porte were climbing metres away from me. I left the house at 8am to descend into Menton to begin the climb. This was a great way to warm up and prepare for the climb. Once through Mentons centre i took the turning off and began to slowly ascend. I began the climb with a steady cadence starting my watch and gradually moving further away from Menton. The climb starts in amongst trees before climbing steadily over a large motorway bridge a rather incredible sight. I felt strong as the road increased and the bends along with it. The climb pushed on uptoo a village called Sainte Agnes, after this the roads become much narrower and steeper. I gave it a little push knowing i was about halfway and took on some food. The road then was truly amongst the mountains and goes through some rocky tunnels, i spotted a couple of cyclists infront of me and made it my goal to overtake them. I lifted my body opened my lungs and pushed even harder, my legs felt on fire but i turned the last bend and made it to the top in 1 hour 40 seconds. The view from the top is nothing special if im honest it was the views all the way up which made every ache and pain worth it. After feeling some great achievement on the top i descendend fast down to the village for a big deserved lunch!
Total distance was 42.6km

http://www.strava.com/activities/73773282

On Monday i once again did the Peille route i did earlier in the week, it has some long flat sections so it was good to spin the legs at a quicker pace after so much climbing.
Ride was 36km
http://www.strava.com/activities/74097237

Tuesday it was safe to say i was feeling tired and getting a bit sick, however i wanted to ride and keep training so i planned to ride to Menton and then too a village called Gorbio. However the road to Gorbio starts on the same road as the Madone climb. I bit the bullet and decided i would once again do the climb and see if i could beat my time. I wont go into as much details but as i knew the climb i knew where i could push the pace and cadence my gear work was better and although my legs were screaming i pushed hard. I made the climb in 56 minutes; 4 minutes quicker than the previous. I was over the moon. Standing at the top i had never felt more fit or Strong in my riding.
Ride Distance 42km.

http://www.strava.com/activities/74336096

So thats all, that was how my week went today i rode the 30km back to Nice to drop off the bike so over the week have rode over 430km, i have climbed higher and harder climbs than ever before and ridden some incredible scenery. I have cycled with some great people and in three countries (Monaco is classed a country). I feel fit, strong and fast on the bike im also starting to quite enjoy climbing. This is my first of 3 posts coming up i have pictures and whats next for me so thanks for reading and ill report back soon.

Mid Summer.

I have now been away from home for a month and a half and decided I should update my blog with what has been happening. 

After my last events in Scotland I took to the road and have been travelling since. I had a fantastic month In Korea, island hopping hiking swimming and much more. Then I flew straight onto France stopping off in London with just enough time for a 50km cycle with my good friend Corbin. 

Now I am in my second of 3 weeks in France. This past week I have been travelling the south coast with my good friend Will and visited Cannes, Nice etc. but now I am based at my Uncles house just outside Monaco. 

For the next two weeks I plan to train hard and relax. I will hire a road bike and do some big rides. Swim in the Mediterranean and run the trails over the surrounding mountains. Having the most beautiful sea so close by is very beneficial all the swimming I have done this summer has been open water and distance and when coming up to breath looking across the alps or the riviera it doesn't get much better. 

I have already had one day on the road bike and cycled some big climbs. Cycling in France is unbelievable. The road quality and respect I have received from drivers is unheard of in the UK! I plan to do plenty of climbing to build up my legs but also long flat rides along the coast to improve pacing. 

Where I am staying there is plenty of trails and hills to be run so again I plan to push myself with long runs that have big climbs. 

I will write myself a training plan and I am really excited to be getting into a routine. An average day will involve cycling down to Monaco, a long paced sea swim. Returning up the mountains and then a run in the evening.

Many professional cyclists and triathletes including Froome live and train around this area of the world. To be training on the same roads is a very exciting prospect. 

After the couple of rides I have done in between travelling I have felt strong and still have my fitness. Hopefully France will push me and I will return home much stronger. 

I will look for events to enter once I am home and already have some exciting big plans for the future. 

Thank you for reading I'm off for my first run in 30 degrees South France. 

Photos. 

1. Monaco 

2. A quick picture while riding in London. 

Next Steps.

I have now done four events so far this season, two in England and two at home in Scotland. I feel these events have gone really well so far, starting the season on the podium was a big step in the right direction and i feel my finishing times have been exactly what i expected and better considering i have only trained since Christmas.

I feel the step into Triathlon so far is working for me and i am enjoying the training, pushing myself to the limit and the adventure that the sport of triathlon has. I have learned a lot about pacing myself whilst running, getting quicker on the bike and finding rhythm in chaotic open water swimming. I feel i understand where i can push myself more and i have found area i need to improve and where i can start reducing my times.

Next for me is a Summer of travelling, one month in South Korea and one month across France. Unfortunately in Korea i will not have my bike however my goggles
and running shoes are packed so whenever the chance is there i will do any training i can. In France i will be heading out with all my kit and my bike and i hope to challenge myself on some big alpine rides so that will be very beneficial training. I am really excited to do a bit of training in different countries however i will miss competing over the next couple of months.

I hope to be back in action late August in Scotland and then compete again in the Cornish triathlon series and gain some more points once i head down south.

Over the Summer i hope to keep my body weight where it is, my legs strong and not to loose too much fitness. However i have been training really hard since Christmas and not had a drink since April so i may loosen off a little! I have learned a lot so far this season and every race and training day i have been pleased with and have felt myself truly improving. I'm noticing my strengths and my weaknesses and i hope to develop these over Summer and later in the season.

Thank you anyone who has supported me be it a massage, advice, training partner or watching a race. It really means a lot to me.

I will report back sometime during my travels and hope to remain fit and strong

Bruce Sprint Triathlon 16th June

Finishing time. 1:17:27 (2 minute time penalty so actual time was 1:15:27)
Swim 750m
Cycle 24km
Run 5km

Yesterday i competed at the Scottish Sprint championships at Lochore meadows. It was an incredible experience and race and i learned some valuable lessons. There were around 400 competitors so i arrived early as to claim my spot in transition and have a good warm up, fortunately again my parents drove me to the race however this meant leaving the house at 6am as the race began at 9:10.

The swim was a mass start on the beach, the water was 14 degrees in an open loch so rather warm and comfortable to swim in. From the start the swim was chaotic, there were so many people and hands and feet everywhere, i was kicked, hit, swam on top of etc. This is just the hidden parts of open water swimming. However i soon managed to set a rhythm to the first buoy, things again were chaotic there with everyone bunching up and some swimming in front instead of behind. After the buoy my ankle was pulled and this messed up my rhythm however i again stuck in and swam hard for the beach. I was late out the water so i knew i had some time to make up on the bike.

Once out the water my wetsuit came off very quick and i was into my cycling shoes and off on the bike. The course was 24km and relatively flat with around 5 climbs. I began the cycle strong and knew i could push hard, the ladies wave started before the mens and it meant there were always targets of people to aim for and to overtake this meant i pushed harder. Unfortunately around the 15km i was cycling through a town when a car pulled in front of myself and two other riders, the car slowed us all down as it was going a lot slower than us. This was extremely frustrating and all 3 of us cyclists were evidently pissed. However on a steep downhill i took a risk and overtook. On the climbs i stayed in my seat but dug deep and came in from the bike feeling strong for the run.

After T2 i was out onto the flat run course that hugs the loch. The run felt quite difficult it was very hot and i pushed hard to overtake as many people as i could. For most of the run i was running side by side with another athlete, i made it my aim to finish ahead of him and so pushed the pace.

Crossing the line i felt i raced a strong race and was rather pleased. I raced as hard as i could and after a not so great swim i made up a lot of time.

Unfortunately i soon realised i was given a two minute time penalty. As it was the Scottish champs the rules were very strict and race referees watching closely. Just before i racked my bike in T2 i unclipped my helmet. I do not remember doing this but under the pressure and adrenaline of the race simple mistakes are made. I was extremely frustrated 2 minutes is a long time and i worked very hard in the race. However rules are rules and i won't let it ruin the day.

I believe i was around the 20th senior to finish before the time penalty and also top 50 out of 353.
I was extremely pleased with how i raced and it was a true experience to be there. I'm annoyed i made a mistake but these things happen and for me this year is about learning.

It meant a lot to again have my good friend Catriona there to watch and also my parents.

Thank you for reading and i will be posting soon about what is coming next.

Pictures thanks to my Dad.