Lost Blogger! Sorry!

I cannot believe how fast time has gone during 2016! I had wanted to maintain this Blog with regular monthly posts! At this rate the posts will be regular but every 6 months! Maybe I can recover the situation and post every 2 weeks for the rest of the year! Rewind to the end of 2015; IM 70.3 Bahrain completed. A short break over Christmas with a visit to the UK and the intention was to race the Riyadh Triathletes event series during 2016. This comprises 16 races of various formats – Swim/run, Duathlon, Triathlon – and distances up to Standard Distance. It was my intention to race some of the Riyadh Road Runners events as build up to the Tri season. Add to that a couple TTs with Riyadh Wheelers and race season prep should be good. . . . . Plans never seem to go as planned! The word plan should be replaced by the unknown word of ‘letseewhathappens’. I have mentioned the issue I have with my knee (potential Rheumatoid Arthritis – not good). Well this problem remains. It has almost been a year since the onset and I am finally seeing a consultant about the pain on 25 May 16. So for a year I have been taking the man-up pills and training as best I can. The main impact is that I have been unable to complete the conditioning training that I normally undertake. I am not sure if the actual illness/injury is impacting my training/performance; or whether the lack of conditioning training has negatively impacted me. The upshot is that I am not performing to expectation – yes, I am slower. Could it be age getting to me? I don’t think so as the decline has been very sudden and only since this knee issue. Somehow, I am just not ‘firing’ properly. Running is slower and more difficult to undertake (can’t remember when I last had a run that felt strong and fluid). My biking is slower also. Anyway, in case anyone is still reading, let’s not make this post all about complaining! In January I completed a couple of Riyadh Wheelers 25 mile TTs. I was a shade over the hour in each race with 1:00:22 and 1:00:28. These are the slowest times I have ridden for years. I suppose the country and environment make a difference. . . . . . Coughexcuses. . . . .! I only managed to enter a single running race; a 10k at Al Bustan. This was the same race I entered the previous year having recently arrived. I cantered round uncontested at that race in 36:58 feeling strong. This year I struggled round in 39:12 feeling terrible! The first Riyadh Triathletes event was a Biathlon (Swim/Run). I ran ok but not great. Swimming has been ok but Luca from Italy has always been a real fish in the water. His swim was far too fast for me to catch him on the run – plus had had improved his run massively. This was the pattern in the next race also and I had to settle for second in both races. So far I have completed 2 more races – both full triathlon events. The first was a short race over 800/16/8 and the second a bit longer over 1200/48/8. A win at both these races was nice but Kris Ahlin was missing from both events. This Swede is a bit of a bike monster! Our runs are similar and my swim is better. Hence a showdown is required to see hoe a full triathlon balances out between us! This should be fun! Recently I was lucky enough to obtain a new training bike. I have long been a fan of single speed bikes. They are relatively inexpensive. Easy to maintain and offer great training value. The terrain here suits a single speed too. So I updated my Specialized Langster and now have a nice blue 2016 version. I selected a frame size smaller than my previous Langster in order to get lower at the front end. I placed some Deda Parabolic tri bars on and the position is spot on to replicate my TT bike. The bike is the fixed version and I am really enjoying the different riding dimension that a single speed provides. So, onwards and upwards for the second half of 2016. Lord willing, I can get my knee sorted and commence conditioning training again – I need to do this at my age! I must mention my good friend Mal Rose. This gifted triathlete was wiped out by a car in Jan 16 and is now confined to a wheel chair and undergoing rehab. His positive attitude and outlook on life is nothing short of amazing. I know that I would not cope anywhere near as well as he has with something like that. I am quite upset over the whole episode to be honest. We only actually meet up at races and some fb banter but I have huge respect for what Mal achieved – European Duathlon medallist, no less! I will watch his sporting progress eagerly as I am sure that we have not seen that last of his sporting endeavours. Remember Mal, coffee and Jaffa Cakes will make everything ok!! Pics to fiollow