The Outlaw

So my season was going great......NOT! I decided to go back to the Outlaw Triathlon, a race which I'd won the year before. I was one of the favourites for the race because I'd won it the year before. You'd think there would be loads of pressure on me to win again but a felt super relaxed and confident. I'd changed a few things after Lanzarote, my diet and the way I was training, so was hopeful as to what these changes would bring.
The race itself had a slightly better field than the year before with 4 of the previous 5 winners all racing. I started ok and came out the water in an ok position but slower that I'd hoped even though I was swimming really well in training. But when I got on the bike I felt great, back to what I'm used to feeling on the bike, the power that had been missing all year in races had finally arrived! I was moving through the field pretty quickly and was up on leader Harry Wiltshire after 30km. We pretty much rode together for the remainder of the ride and I felt comfortable. We were taking time out of the guys behind us. I also knew that Harry wasn't finishing due to a foot injury so I wasn't too fussed about what he was doing the rest of the race.
We came off the bike together and Harry darted off, but he dropped out after 15km to leave me in the lead. I didn't know but I had close to an 18min lead which I held to the finish. It was cold wet and windy but I was so pleased to win.
Finally a race to save my season! 

Ironman Lazarote

So from South Africa and back home to recover and then to get ready for Ironman Lazarote. I took a break before starting training again and got back into it pretty quickly. I seem to pull up really well from races and can get back to full training fairly rapidly. I felt ready and headed off to Lazarote. Was feeling ok before the race and was looking forward to having a good go.
Swim went very average, the bike started ok but like South Africa I just didn't seem to have my usual power. I was holding my position and then started to pick riders off and was moving well through the field. It was when I got to about 90km that I just seemed to blow for no reason. I'd stuck to my power zone, taken the required calories but just fell apart. From there I'd given up! I rode to the finish but I literally rolled back to T2 and didn't go out on the run. Gutted again and very frustrated!

Ironman South Africa 2015

My first race of the year was yet again out in South Africa. I was spending 5 weeks out there to prepare for the race, training with South African legend, Raynard Tissink and his group. I went out there in pretty good shape, and again stopped at the same place I'd stopped at in previous years, Endless Summer Guest House, run by the fantastic hostess Colleen. She really goes out of her way to make you feel at home. So I was settled and training well. Raynards group were a great bunch to train with, they trained hard but we also had a laugh and they took me into their group like I was their own.
I had Gareth to swim with, who is a fantastic swimmer and really gave me a good kicking each lunch time. We did quite a few group rides where Ryan would try and ride away from all the time, the boy really does need putting on a leash! We also did group track sessions which were good to get stuck into. I really had never prepared better for a race.
The race itself started ok and was out the water with quite a few of the favourites but had started cramping in my calf about 2km into the swim. It didn't really slow me as I managed to stay with the group I was swimming with. But I got cramp again going into T1 and tripped up, from there the group I was with just went! I lost the group right there and then! Start of the ride and tried to get into my rhythm but it just wasn't there, my calf was tight and kept going into spasm during the ride. I rode ok but not where I wanted to be or should have been.
So onto the run and the less said about that the better........I finished but it was a case of run/walk to the finish. Not what I wanted or should have achieved......Gutted!

Final race of 2015

So on to my final race of 2015, it was going to be Challenge Weymouth but my mate Joel Jameson talked me in to doing the final Castle series race at Hever Castle, The Gauntlet!

It went down like this.......

The race started.......

I went the wrong way......

The end!

Cheers!

First Endurance

I'm lucky enough to be supported by a great sports nutrition company First Endurance. They came on board as part of my team in July this year. 

So I've been using their product for about two months now and since I've been using their stuff I've had two of my best results in long distance triathlon racing! Coincidence? I think not......although results come down to training and recovery your nutrition has a massive role to play in how well we execute our training sessions and just as, if not more, importantly how we recover from them, and also how well we perform in races.

First Endurance come across to me to be a forward thinking, innovative sports nutrition company, basing there products on results based science and athlete feedback. One of the great things I found with First Endurance, when I started working with them, was that they gave me their complete range, which is designed to be used as a system. They gave me all of their products to try, to see if it worked for me and how I got on with it, then asked for my feedback before we moved forward into a more official partnership with me as a brand ambassador for them. Well the proof is in my results! First race using the products, The Outlaw - 1st Place! Challenge Weymouth - 5th Place (after having a chest infection 2 weeks before)

So from that I can say the products work for me and am proud and excited to be using them in the future and into 2015. So below is a list of the First Endurance products I use.

First Endurance MultiV. This is a product is a high potency multivitamin that is to be used daily and has been designed to meet the requirements of endurance athletes. You take three tablets a day with a meal. I have been having one tablet at each meal time rather than all at once. This has everything you need as an endurance athlete from a multivitamin.

First Endurance Optygen HP. I use this daily. Four Tablets a day in the morning with breakfast. This product has got all sorts of wonderful ingredients in to help you as an endurance athlete, all legal of course! The main goal of this product is to enhance your endurance capacity, increase glycogen re-synthesis, increase energy (ATP) levels and also reduce inflammation. All very important in being able to apply ourselves in a training session to our best and to aid recovery after. This is the type of product that you only start to feel the effects after a few weeks/months use. So don't expect  immediate results. A great product though as I'm starting to feel the benefits from taking it.

First Endurance EFS. This is my go to daily training drink. It is a high electrolyte fuel system. I've been using the Tart Lemon-Lime flavor, but other flavors are available. It tastes great and is designed to be mixed at varying strengths, depending on taste and calorie requirements. One scoop of EFS supplies 96 calories and 24g of carbs, so you can add as much or as little to make up your own calorie and carbohydrate requirements. It also contains 1160mg of electrolytes (calcium, magnesium, chloride, sodium and potassium) as well as an Amino Acid blend (L-glutamine, leucine, iso-leucine and valine) So everything you need from a sports drink.   

First Endurance Ultragen. Again I use this daily after every intense or long session. I also have used before and after a race. It has predominantly been designed to be used as a recovery drink. I have been using the Cappuccino flavor. I'm pretty big on my recovery shakes tasting nice as after a hard or long session I wants something that is a bit like a reward, something that tastes nice! Cappuccino Ultragen is just that! It has got everything in it that you need from a recovery drink, 60g of carbs, 20g of protein, vitamins, minerals, BCAA's, glutamine etc. All in the correct dose for endurance athletes. I've certainly been recovering better since I've been using it regularly.  

EFS Liquid Shots. What a great product! I use this when I'm racing and is my main source of calories during a race. It contains 400 calories per shot! Enough for most people for an hour. Over 1500mg of electrolytes and 1000mg of amino acids! The great thing about this product, even though its a gel and is highly concentrated, it hasn't any gelling agents added, therefore has been designed to be absorbed in the gut without having to take on water with it. Although I personally have found it goes down easier with a swallow of water. You could basically fill a 750ml water bottle up with EFS liquid shots and have enough calories for an Iron distance bike leg. Then for the run they come in small bottles of 400 calories that is easily held in your hand. Just perfect for training and racing! 

First Endurance PreRace. Its designed exactly as it says on the tin, to help endurance athletes improve performance! It contains clinically effective doses of Taurine, Citrulline Malate, Quercetin and neuro stimulants that have been shown to stimulate the Nitric Oxide system, increase cardiac output and improve mental activity and focus! It comes in tablet and powder from. I use PreRace before and during a race depending on the length of the event. I've also been using it before certain hard sessions in training to help get me through those really tough sessions. This product is awesome, but be warned its a very potent product.....in a good way. Not the type of product you want to be taking right before bed time, unless........;-)

So as you can see, First Endurance do a comprehensive range of products all with a different goal in mind but all designed to work with and complement each other, so you can get the best out of yourselves in training and racing.

I certainly feel very lucky to be supported by such a great company. Massive thanks to Jane and Shayne from First Endurance UK for hooking me up! Here's to many more victories!

For more info or to purchase any of the products go to http://firstendurance.co.uk/index.php