Just four weeks before the Grafman Triathlon I was far from race ready, both mentally and physically.

It had been a tough base training period from December 2013 to May 2014 and the signs of over training had well and truly set into my body. I am a stubborn athlete and the fact that I was consistently tired and I was loosing the enthusiasm to train; was just 'putting up with the job'

I couldn't put up with it any longer and after a disappointing opening season race in Spain in which I DNF, I found myself asking a lot of questions about my future.

Onwards and upwards, I had a good recovery period where I indulged and didn't really train, no structure anyway until I felt I was ready to get my head down and focus again.

Three weeks before the Grafman Triathlon I started with the basics. I concentrated on building my endurance back up while balancing good recovery sessions. About 10 days before the race I started bringing intensity back in and was up to about 25hrs training a week which was good for me considering where I was just a few weeks before.

I wanted a good result and knew I could get a PB if I wanted and possibly get on the podium. For me though, the most important thing was to perform well and enjoy the race, anything else was a bonus.

My wife and I travelled up to Cambridgeshire on the Friday and the race was Sunday.

Race morning arrived and the usual pre race routine commenced.

SWIM - It was a run in start and a two lap course. I had a good swim, finding my rhythm quickly and trying to get with a pack that was holding a good pace. I exited the water in 29:18, a PB for 1.9k.

BIKE - Conditions were set for a good ride as the air temperature was slowly rising and a light breeze. The course was undulating in places but mainly flat. I had no heart rate or power meter to go off, just feel as I felt I needed to get rid of the gizmos on this occasion. I had a relatively good bike split competing the 90k course in 2:29:11. More importantly I enjoyed it which was a world away from where I was in May.

RUN - A quick T2 and off on the final 21k's. I was in relatively good running form and as I passed a number of athletes that had passed me on the bike course, it gave me the morale and confidence boost I needed. I continued passing more and more, never getting passed myself. It was a tough run on an undulating, mixed terrain course and the temperature was nearing 30 degrees. There were a couple unfortunate athletes who had collapsed due to the heat.

I crossed the finish line in 4:21:45, and a run split of 1:20:51. It was a middle distance PB and I loved every minute of it. Later as my wife Lauren, and I were relaxing with a couple of ice creams I found out that I came 2nd in my age group and 16th overall for the English Middle Distance Championship.

Since the race I have gone from strength to strength and feel I've rekindled the love, passion and desire to succeed in this sport.

Thank you to Lauren for showing her support and getting me through the bad times.

COMPRESSPORT UK & ZEROD UK, your awesome race gear is without a doubt some of the best there is and recommend it to anyone.

Cheers to the team at Rock and Road Ltd, you guys did a great job in getting the TT bike ready for the race.

My next race will be The Outlaw Triathlon, Nottingham on the 27 July.

My name is Kyle Follett and I'm a 27 year old GB age group triathlete in my 2nd year of triathlon, competing for Team Dillon..

As a very promising athlete I am dedicating myself to training full time and hope to turn Professional in the next 12-18 months or sooner. I have been working hard with my coach (P. Agass) of Team Dillon, since June 2012.

Having only been competing in triathlon little over 18 months, I have learnt a lot about myself as a person and the potential I have as an aspiring professional triathlete. Perry is a great coach and I'm very happy to be working with him.

Since entering the world of triathlon I have competed for Great Britain in my age group at the Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2012 and the Standard Distance Duathlon European Championships in Nancy, France 2012. In 2013 I competed at both Ironman 70.3 & Ironman World Championships.

It has been a really positive start to the 2014 season and I'm making great progress in training. During the early training weeks, the focus was on swim technique and endurance. A favourite session of mine is a strength set using the new Speedo paddles which offer comfort during long sessions and great for developing technique. I've been using the paddles extensively over the base training period and have noticed massive gains in my pull strength which has improved my speed through the water.

I was fortunate enough to spend a day in Wales late last year modelling and trying out some of the new 2014 Speedo range. Pictures below is myself with Stuart Hayes wearing the new tri suit range.

In January I had the opportunity of spending some time training with Stuart Hayes out in Spain. We focused a lot on cycling and covered a lot of miles and elevation which has definitely improved both strength and cardiovascular fitness. A good pair of bibs was certainly needed! I gained valuable experience and knowledge from him and have been putting everything I have learned into practice in my own training.

Here's a picture from Spain after having a intensive session with the team.

Training camps, a busy race schedule and getting married to the love of my life, 2014 is certainly shaping up to be a great year.

I'm so happy to be a part of Team Dillon and the fantastic support the squad and my coach provide.

It's about time I share my experience of competing at both 70.3 & Ironman World Championships in Vegas and Kona, and the 2013 season.

I competed at the 70.3 Ironman World Championships back in September. If I'm honest I didn't feel like talking about it then, and I don't feel like talking about it now but it's important to share both the highs and lows of an athletes season.

I was excited to be there but I wasn't confident, particularly about the swim. Training had gone well in the build up but I was missing that edge. I arrived a few days before so was well into the taper and had just a few sessions to keep the legs sharp. Adjusting to the time difference was not a problem but the heat was going to play a part in everyone's race.

Race day, and the conditions were poor. My wave was one of the last to go, just before 08:00. A little later than I like. As our wave was called, we walked to the swim start and waded into the water and headed to the start line. The horn went and it had begun. There's not much else to say about the swim apart from how shocking it was. I exited the water in 37:00. When I looked at my watch I wondered if I had started my watch early somehow?! No...it was just a very poor swim! No excuses! It knocked my confidence but I still had a long way to go to the finish so I forgot about it momentarily and got on with my plan.

The bike course is a challenging course with big rolling roads and some challenging climbs. Especially the last 10k where it would be all up hill. I had so much time to make up from the swim, I knew a good place finish was out of the question. I tried to claw back some minutes on the bike without going too hard and having nothing for the run which is my strongest discipline. My bike split was not quick but within my target range if not the slower end.

Running of the bike, the legs felt good but I knew it was a hard run course. I knew I would make up a lot of time here and I could regain some dignity back. I ran well and did gain a few places in the process.

On reflection, I don't think I pushed as hard as I should or could have. It's been a long season, one consisting of various distances and pacing was definitely an issue at Vegas.

However, it was a great experience and I had achieved one of my season goals. I still had the biggest race of the season ahead of me and used the Vegas experience as preparation for the Ironman World Championships in Kona.

I arrived a week before the race. It was an epic journey and unfortunately took its toll on my immune system and I became ill the day after the journey. I was worried that it might happen but I had a week to try and get over it. Over the next few days I had some practice swims on the course, got out on the bike course and ran sections of the marathon. The work was done so it was just a case of keeping everything sharp without expending too much energy. Fortunately the cold I caught had not gone to my chest which would have made things a lot worse especially with the humidity! I loaded up on lemon and ginger tea and rested at every opportunity.

Hawaii is stunning! In between training and the obligatory registrations and check-ins I did get a chance to visit some interesting places. It was an opportunity to relax and take my mind of the race.

Soon enough race day had arrived. I was nervous but really excited. This was my biggest goal of the season and I was going to enjoy every experience no matter what as well as testing myself against the best long distance athletes in the world.

After body marking I checked my bike and attached my nutrition. The adrenaline was pumping and I was in the zone. We gathered at the swim start and pored into the sea.

After Vegas I was expecting the worst. As I've said the swim is by far my worst discipline so when I exited the water in1:10, which is still a slow swim to many other athletes, I was pleased. It was about damage limitation and achieving a sub 10 hour race which I was confident in doing.

The bike course is undulating with a few challenging climbs. The biggest test was the ascend up to Hawi. It wasn't a steep gradient but about 25k of just sitting in the saddle and grinding it out. Their was a tail wind most of the way out so the legs were feeling good before the climb. At the turn around point it was downhill the majority of the way so it was a good opportunity to spin the legs out although the wind was now playing a major factor in the race. For the last 50-60k, the wind was directly against us. It was a mental and physical battle with the elements. Intensity was at my upper range but it was a risk I was willing to take.

Coming into T2 I wasn't feeling as good as I wanted but that's racing. Sometimes you have to push beyond your limits to see where you are. You don't know the possibilities one can achieve unless you really test yourself. Kona was as much a learning experience as it was a race to me.

The first 20k of the marathon was good and my pace was ok. Out along Alii Drive the support from the crowds and volunteers was unbelievable. As I reached the Queen K and halfway point I was still feeling good. The QK is a long stretch of undulating road. You can see far into the distance at what lies ahead. It was hot and I was putting ice in places you'd never put it on normal occasions!! As I reached the Energy Labs I really started to tire. I still had about 10k to go and this was the toughest part of the race. The finish is within reach so the brain urges you to ease off. I believe every athlete will go through that stage at some point and is definitely a challenge a chance to see how mentally tough you are. Sometimes all it takes is a surge of intensity or hold race pace and the body will accept it again. This was not happening for me unfortunately. As I neared the finish, I soaked up the atmosphere and crossed the line in 9:56. I was pleased to go under 10 hours but I know it was not my best race by far.

After a successful season I have learned so much. I've made a lot of mistakes along the way but I've become a better athlete because of it.

I have to thank my coach Perry who I've been with for 16 months now. A great friend and coach who I'm really looking forward to continue working with and achieving bigger and better things for the 2014 season. Also a very big thank you to Team Dillon for their great support throughout the season. I want to thank my fiancé Lauren who has to put up with me, but also gives me the love and support I need to keep me going. Without my Mum, Dad and sister, I wouldn't be able to chase my dreams and aspirations so a special thank you to them.

Myself and Lauren my fiancé, arrived in Copenhagen a couple days before my first Ironman race. It was a lengthy car journey; nearly 4 hours but the time seemed to pass quickly as we admired the beauty Scandinavia had to offer.

Finally we arrived in Kalmar. Fairly tired from the journey, we set out in search if food and it was an early night.

The next couple days were spent doing the usual routines as I would for any race (athlete registration, bike rack etc etc). I like to get all the obligatory jobs done ASAP as it gives me more time to relax, get focused and in the zone and do my last couple training sessions before the big day.

The 04:00 alarm clock sets off after having a pretty restful nights sleep. I consumed my usual pre race breakfast, the only difference being the amount of calories consumed, (600-700 kcal) due to the duration of race time ahead of me. I was feeling calmed and relaxed sitting quietly with my thoughts and visualising the race.

We arrived down at T1 early so I could put my nutrition on my bike, make sure tires were good to go and get my wetsuit on. I made the decision not to have a swim warm up as it was a chilly morning and the water temperature was a little on the chilly side and didn't want to risk getting too cold before the start! So I ran through my dry land drills to warm up before kissing Lauren goodbye, and setting off on my first Ironman race.

I put myself at the front of the swim pack as I knew it was gonna be a free for all when the canon blew. 07:00....boom, we were off, i dodged in and around other swimmers trying to cut a clear path to the first buoy and after the first turn I was into a good rhythm. The swim was two laps and bit extra around the marina. My target was 1:05 and I exited the water 1:07 so not bad. A lot of work to be done in what is by far my weakest discipline and will be working closely with Perry over the remainder of the season and going forward into 2014 to make some serious progression.

Out of T1 after a slow transition and on to the bike. It's regarded one of the flattest courses on the circuit, however, the wind was so relentless in large sections of the course you might as well have been cycling up hill and there was a wicked side wind that battered my rear disc and deep section Front wheels. My pacing was good as I closely monitored my normalised power output making sure not to burn too many of those valuable matches. My nutrition and hydration was sound, taking in fluids every 15 minutes and consuming carbohydrates every 30 minutes. I felt good on the bike and as I neared Kalmar, before entering T2 in a time of 5:02, I was confident of delivering a solid marathon time.

The marathon, the final leg. Running out of T2 I felt really good, holding a steady pace not feeling any real discomfort. This was good. Mentally I broke it down into 10k splits. The course was 3 laps and as I started the second lap my pace was still good. I took advantage of the aid stations taking on fluids and carbohydrates. It wasn't until about 26k I started to feel my pace drop a little and my legs start to tire. My body was also starting to reject the sweet tasting gels and fluids that my body needed. Just over the 30k mark my pace starting dropping considerably and this was the early signs of the dreaded 'bonk'. I kept telling myself just one foot in front of the other, keep my cadence and length of my stride up. Those last K's were tough but the crowds of Kalmar spurred me on and as I turned out of the last corner onto the finish straight, I saw the finish line and took in the moment of becoming an Ironman in 9 hours and 24 minutes.

It has been a massive learning experience with lots to improve on. I have no doubt in my mind that good things lie ahead of me in my journey to going Pro. 

"Initiative is key. Anybody who wants to be somebody is going to work as hard as they can to fulfill that dream."

'YOU...ARE...AN...IRONMAN'

the words that are repeated for every athlete to cross the finish line.

It's fair to say that it has been a long tough season to date and I still have approximately 15hrs of racing ahead of me and achieving my goals. Here's why....

In September 2012, the decision was made between myself and coach Perry Agass of Team Dillon to compete in an Ironman. It was discussed in great length, what distance to focus on for the coming season (2013), and based on what we believed to be my strengths and strongest disciplines, half Ironman and Ironman it was.

My 3 key races were Ironman Austria 70.3, Ironman Norway 70.3 and Ironman Sweden. My goals were to qualify for one or both 70.3 & Ironman World Championships in Vegas and Kona.

In between my key races I competed in both duathlon and Olympic distance triathlons to act as pre season warm ups and the hope of trying to clinch a spot at the London World Championships which unfortunately, I did not achieve. This leads me to talk about something I find difficult sharing with others but inevitably happens to every athlete.

After a hard and gruelling pre season training and a very successful TDC training camp in Lanzarote with coach and fellow athletes, I was in great shape and felt invincible going into Ironman Austria 70.3. I had a great race and posted a 01:16 half marathon time which was the highlight for me. Unfortunately I didn't qualify for Vegas on that attempt, which took away the sense of achievement I should have been feeling after completing my first 70.3 and finishing 5th in my age cat. 

This is where my season fell apart a bit. I had misplaced that all-important self belief and the aggression I had in Lanzarote. I was running myself into the ground, training as hard as I could everyday, which I knew was completely the wrong thing to do but did it anyway. Things only got worse while during a track session with Perry when I just wasn't meeting basic targets, I was fatigued and to be honest, a broken athlete. A couple of weeks after was the Dambuster triathlon. The one and only chance to qualify for the London World Championships. My confidence was at an all time low. The only good thing I can say about my performance was I achieved my targets in the swim. For the first time I doubted myself and my ability to achieve my dreams and aspirations.

Ironman Norway 70.3 was nearing and I had to pull my finger out if I was going to have a chance of qualifying for the Ironman 70.3 World Champs in Vegas. My training went really well in the run into the race, i regained some of my confidence and I started to feel like the athlete I was before Austria 70.3. It was a very tough race and again I finished 5th in my age cat but I also clinched a slot to Vegas!!!

Since that race, my season has gone from strength to strength. I'm stronger than I ever have been, training is going great with Perry and my confidence is at an all time high.

This weekend, 17 August in Sweden, Kalmar where I competed in my first Ironman I not only achieved a 09:24 and 3rd in my age cat, I qualified for the Ironman World Championships in Kona. If someone said to me at the beginning of the season I'd be going to both Ironman 70.3 & Ironman World Championships in what is my first competitive season having only been working with Perry for just over a year now, I'd have laughed.

When I arrive back in the UK I will discuss with Perry, the approach to both races and come up with the plan of attack. With just 3 weeks until the 70.3 WC's in Vegas, time is of the essence and getting the right mix of recovery and quality training is important. 

It's time to get focused again for the races ahead.

Race report to follow.......

I arrived in Haugesund, Norway on the 4 July, for the 70.3 Ironman race. Upon arrival, it was windy with a chill in the air and showers. I couldn't help but think to myself that the bad weather was following me this year following the horrendous conditions that were experienced in Austria. The weather was forecast to improve for race day though.

A few weeks before the race, while back in the UK, I had not had the best preparation. Both physically and mentally! During the course of a season I believe every athlete will have go through a bad spell, be it physically, mentally or a combination of both. Unfortunately I was still experiencing the effects leading into the Dambuster Triathlon which definitely showed in my performance.

After that race, I put everything behind and focused for Norway 70.3! I had an extremely good couple weeks of training under my belt and my mind and body felt like the one it was coming back from a fantastic and very successful Team Dillon training camp in Lanzarote in April.

During the couple days before Norway 70.3, my confidence was high and I was feeling in good condition. I went out on a course reccy organised by Nirvana Europe the day before the race. It was very undulating, technical in places and knew I would have to dig deep to meet my targets. After that, I racked up early so I could relax the rest of the day and get an early night.

Race morning - I woke at 04:00 to have a breakfast consisting of my gluten free muesli and cereal I had brought from the UK, bananas, coffee and green tea. (Not mixed together of course, but I'm sure it would taste too bad??!) haha... A couple hours before I would sip an energy drink to keep insulin levels steady.

I arrived at transition early, I hate rushing around, and if you're anything like me, I'll check everything 2 or 3 times before I'm happy. Conditions were very poor. Rain, wind and a chill in the air. I thought **** it, you're gonna deal with it.

I got my wetsuit on and begun my warm up (fired the glutes up and stabilised my swim muscles) I was also lucky enough to get a 5-10 warm up swim in the lake just before the Viking horn blew to initiate the start of the race. The wave consisted of the pros and another 400-500 AG's. I started well, getting into my rhythm quickly and making my presence felt amongst the other swimmers! ("Like your throwing punches" coach Perry Agass would say) I exited the water within my targets and raced into transition.

Onto the bike. It was cold due to the rain and wind chill but keeping focused on my aim kept it at bay. It was a very challenging course and I had to burn a few matches to keep the pace going (matches are when you are led to go beyond a pre determined intensity and you only get a certain amount in a race depending on the individual athlete) basically, if you burn too many, you BONK! Your body cannot remove the lactate quick enough or in the later stages of a race, glycogen stores are severely depleted! Monitoring my pace and intensity closely I knew I would enter into T2 within my targets. A quick transition and I was onto the run course.

I knew I had to start well and focus on achieving a high cadence and long stride from the glutes. A focus of Team Dillon Coaching and Perry drill into their athletes which improves efficiency and pace which has been shown by TDC athletes in recent weeks!

By this time, the weather had improved dramatically. The sun was shining and was very warm (was this a sign) I pushed on, again monitoring my pace and perceived exertion. The course was undulating, but a few short climbs certainly got the legs screaming! I had pushed hard all day, quite possibly one too many times but something that stayed with me was something that coach, Perry told me just 12 months ago when I first started being coached by him.

"You have to be prepared to lose, to win" something that I didn't quite understand at first but I believe it means sometimes you will have to go to depths you don't want or haven't been before. Experience pain that surpasses anything you've done in training and battle the demons or 'chimp' inside your head telling you to ease up or stop! Inevitably you will find out how far you can push your body before it breaks!

During the last 3k I experienced most of these things and reminded myself why I'm doing this and what is at stake, what lies beyond that finish line. I left nothing out there and finished in a time of 04:22:09, 5th in AG and 41st male in what was technically my first 70.3 due to the swim being cancelled in Austria.

A 'few' tense hours of waiting to hear if I had been lucky enough to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships passed and the time came when my name was called. I came with the intention of qualifying, up against another very competitive field but I made that slot mine and the blood, sweat and tears I had put in since November last year, and continue to work hard in training, had finally paid off!

PHOTOS TO COME....

I arrived in Austria, for the St Polten 70.3 IM race 23 May. I was going into my first IM 70.3 race off the back of a 4 week intensive training camp with my Team Dillon coach, Perry Agass.

During the taper, I could feel my body getting stronger from the countless amount of hours training I had accumulated in Lanzarote. I was ready and focused.

What I was not prepared for, and the majority of the other athletes that were competing was the weather! I thought I had got away from the cold, wind and rain but no...it had followed me and there was no sign of it f-ing off, haha......

The couple easy sessions I had leading up to the race gave me a taste of how the conditions were going to effect my race. On the bike I was cold, on the run I was cold...brilliant, and a swim before all of this. The thought of getting on the bike after an open water swim, with a wind chill factor forecast to be 0 degrees was somewhat daunting, especially rocking in my new Team Dillon LD two piece ; ) Brrrrr.....

Nevertheless, I didn't let it phase me. Everyone else was gonna be in the same boat, and I had my game plan to stick to. Plus us Brits are as tough as nails when it comes to poor weather training and racing. 'Just deal with it'

It wasn't until the race briefing on Saturday, before the race, it was announced that dew to the conditions, the swim was to be cancelled!!! Hmmmm...interesting, will it be a Duathlon then? Was just one of the questions going through my head. No, well sort of. It was to be a 'Le Mans' start, whereby athletes would be sent off in waves of around 15, every 30 seconds. This did change things a bit and I knew that the start of the race was gonna be a sprint for the first 30-45mins.

Race day....and the usual pre race routine commenced. I got down to transition early to ensure water bottles were filled, nutrition was on the bike, shoes clipped and tires pumped. Everything was set to go. It was very cold, the winds were getting stronger by the minute. What was reassuring though, was the fact that the sun was rising in the distance. I did my warm up and then made my way down to the start. Trying to stay warm was difficult as I left it right until the last moment to take my warmer gear off.

Here I was, on the start line of my first IM 70.3. I was really disappointed not to have the swim, but that was the decision. We were off...15 athletes sprinting to enter T1 to get on our bikes. I had to laugh to myself as one of the athletes slipped on the plastic mats leading into transition, that's one less competitor I have to worry about ; ) 'I do hope he didn't hurt himself, LOL'

I started well on the bike, getting into my rhythm early on. The first 20k was on the autobahn, and with a tail wind I was making great progress up the field. I could see in the distance all the other athletes, and just kept picking them off one by one. I eventually found myself in a pack of strong riders. We took turns in attacking, just seeing what the other had in the tank. By the start of the first major ascent, I had made ground on some of the pros, passing quite a few in the process. I had also lost the pack of athletes I was with earlier. This was a big climb and pacing right was the key. Something we worked a lot on in Lanzarote. I was still making good progress, passing athletes at a steady rate. By now the winds were very strong, around 30km/h gusts and as they hit the side of my ZIPP 808's, I had to fight to keep myself from being sideswiped and blown into a ditch. My arms were physically aching! The last 10km into St Polten was ridden solo. There were no other athletes around. I remember thinking this is either good or bad, haha... thank goodness I hadn't gone wrong and in no time I was heading into T2. I had missed my target time by 5 minutes. It could have been dew to a number of factors.

I still had the run to finish, so stick to the game plan. I was confident I could make up the time. Again, I was passing more and more athletes. I felt strong and consistent, and as i quickly glanced over at others as I passed them, they were looking laboured! The new running technique, Perry of Team Dillon Coaching and I had worked so hard on in the build up was certainly paying off. My pacing was bang on and I was well on target.

As I neared the end, the music was pumping, the crowd was cheering. I turned back into the stadium for the final time, up the ramp and across the line in 03:49:19. I smashed my run target and got a half marathon PB in 01:16:01, nice work coach ; )

I knew I had a good finish time but was it good enough for a Vegas slot? Eventually I found out that I finished 5th in my AG, and 39th overall, in a very competative field and bad conditions. I knew 5th wasn't an automatic qualification slot but my time was certainly worthy. The waiting game began. After a tense few hours, watching other athletes grab their slot to Vegas, it eventually came to my AG. I had a lot of emotions going through me when I realised I had missed out on a slot by one place! My fiancé, Mum and Dad, who were there supporting me, flying the GB flag, shouting encouragement "get aggressive" haha....would have thought I'd been disqualified or DNF by the look on face. To say I was gutted would be an understatement. But as a wiseman says, "what doesn't break you, only makes you stronger" is truly the case and I am even more determined to get that slot I deserve in Norway.

For my first IM 70.3, I have to be really happy with my result, and first Brit to cross the line, haha...I've gained valuable experience from it and learnt a lot about racing in a 70.3. As always, there are areas to work on, but so many positives to take from the race. This is just the start of my journey and there is loads more to come from me yet!

So the end of week 3.....

I can't believe how quick the time is going. Perry is obviously working me too hard I don't what day of the week it is : )

It has been a hard week. We spent the week focusing a lot on race pace efforts due to the fact that my first key race is only 3 weeks away! Better start training harder ; )

As usual the training week started on Saturday, following a good rest day loading up on frozen yoghurt! The other TDC athletes will tell you I'm obsessed, haha...

It was a 5 hour ride, back out on the Ironman route. This time, I was going solo. I think the scooter needed a recovery day! LOL.

Perry likes to add 'mental toughness' to some of my longer training sessions as it builds character and inevitably makes you a better athlete. Thankfully the conditions were favourable, and the heat I experienced on that 'epic' ride had subsided. The wind was still a nagging irritation though!! It was another great ride and i felt strong. I even found myself riding amongst other triathletes competing in a local triathlon which started at Club La Santa. After the ride, it was just a short run and swim to finish off the day.

Sunday was a key session, and my target for the session was to run for 2 hours 45 mins, which is my target time for the marathon split in an Ironman race. This session was certainly a test of my 'mental toughness' and character. My body felt tired and flat probably due to the accumulative volume and intensity over the past few weeks. This happens from time to time when training for Ironman as its not normal for the body to train in excess of 30 hours a week. I did prevail, and I did meet my targets, but my body was shattered. I was feeling a lot more fatigued than I usual do after a long session. A short recovery swim followed later that day which made me feel better, flushing the body of some of the lactate.

Monday and Tuesday were easy active recovery days as my body was in need of a rest after some really hard key sessions. The volume was kept relatively high (3-4 hours a day), as it would actually have had an adverse effect on my body if I did any less.

Wednesday was the next key session, and with another very promising TDC athlete in the camp (Kim Morrison), Perry decided to give us a mini triathlon to sink our teeth into. It was to be a 750m swim, 23k bike and 4k run. The friendly banter flowed between us all but it wasn't long before there was silence, tension was building as the triathlon approached. Even though it was not a competitive race, it brought about all the familiar feelings of competing at a Long Distance or Olympic triathlon event. It was also a great opportunity to run through our game plans and transitions for key races coming up in the next couple months. Kim is a very strong swimmer, and it showed as she pulled away from me. I tried sticking with her as long as I could, using drafting techniques we had worked on earlier in the week. Both bike and run sections were tough, and tested us both, but as we finished, we could be very happy with the way we performed. Later we reflected on the session, discussing what went well, and what we could improve on.

The hard work wasn't over and we undoubtedly had the hardest key run session of the week Thursday AM. Kim's was specific to her race distance (Olympic). My session focused on race pace efforts (5x4k intervals), to achieve my target race time (01:18), for the half marathon split of a 70.3 Ironman race. I had to pace myself consistently. As usual I started off to fast, but it felt "comfortably hard" ; ) The easy couple of active recovery days earlier in the week certainly paid off as I surpassed what I set out to achieve in the session, hitting well below my target times for each interval, and pushing as hard as a sub 14 minute 4k split. It certainly capped a great finish to another week here in Lanza.

I feel in great shape, and with a lot of hard work still to come in the fourth and final week, I feel ready to race IM Austria 70.3 and come away having achieved my desired result.

Kim, who has already qualified to compete for GB in her age group at the World Duathlon Champs later this year, has had a very productive week. I can see the improvements she has made since spending time training with her under Perry. She is developing into a very strong, young athlete and wish her all the best of luck this season. "Get out there a smash it"

TDC athletes Jamie Whitcombe-Jones and Pete Longworth, along with fellow athletes, Kieran, Jules and Angela have joined the Team Dillon training camp this week. I'm looking forward to training with them and finding out what their goals and aspirations are for the current season and beyond.

Well....another week done on the TDC training camp with coach Perry Agass. Time is flying by and the days just seem to amalgamate into one and I find myself pondering what day of the week it is!?

The 2nd week for me has been a real test, physically and mentally. The week started with the challenge of conquering the Ironman Lanzarote bike course. I was excited, nervous, but most of all, determined to get round and finish. The day started with a restless night of thinking about what lied ahead. I woke at 05:30 to get a good breakfast in and at 08:00, the journey began.

For the first couple hours I slowly built into the ride focusing on keeping my cadence relatively high (95-100 rpm) and my power consistant, making sure not to burn too many matches. Perry stayed with me on the scooter during this time, always reinforcing confidence and keeping me mentally sane.

After two hours of riding, I was on my own. I was heading out across the lava fields at the foot of Mt.Timanfaya and down to La Santa which was the other side if the island! I made good time as I had most of a tail wind and a downhill section into La Santa. It's such a great feeling when your riding along with the wind behind you, legs pumping like pistons and cruising at 92km/h (current speed record) haha....

I knew that once I reached La Santa, that would all change. From La Santa to Teguise, where I was to rendezvous back with Perry, was a real slog. By this time the wind was smacking me in the face and temperature in the mid 30's being blown down my throat as my breathing got heavier, and legs started hurting.

As I reached Teguise, at the foot of the first big climb I met with Perry to refill water bottles. After the last section, I was actually looking forward to this climb! I had done it twice before so I knew how to pace myself. I made it to the top in record time but not without pushing to my limits and beyond. The descend was incredible. Steep down hill sections with hairpin after hairpin all the way into Haria. From this point I had about 10k to reach the highest point of the island. The fact that I had reached this point was amazing but I still had a long way to go.

The next part of the ride was certainly the toughest, mentally and physically as I was now beginning to hurt and once again the wind and heat was against me. My focus was on cadence and power, keeping it consistent and making sure I took on fluids. Perry was great at pushing me on. I was heading back to Teguise and familiar tarmac before the last leg of the ride where I knew the majority of it was downhill.

6hrs were on the clock...salt crystals had formed over my arms and legs, my hands were sore, I felt dehydrated and had the sensation of pins and needles in my body as my glycogen stores had been severely depleted. I remember thinking 'its all down hill from here' and all the way back I thought of what I had achieved. I was elated to have completed the 180k bike course, and a journey of physical and mental toughness I will never forget.

Sunday was an active recovery day before the next key session on Monday.

Mondays session was a steady 3hr bike loop out to Yaiza followed by a 2hr brick run w/ 1hr at race pace. There was an elimant of fatigue still in the legs but that's something that I have come accustomed to since training for Ironman Distance. It was all about getting off the bike feeling strong and building into the run, ready for the race pace effort. The first 30mins I found my rhythm, focusing on a more economic run technique which I had been working on for a few months with Perry and has made such a positive impact on my running. The next phase was 1hr at race pace. I was running out on the Ironman run route with wind and heat battering me, testing me, making me ask the questions 'have you got what it takes'. My pace got quicker and was feeling stronger and was holding around a 3:50/km pace. I had Perry supporting me again, this time on his bike. The 60mins were almost up and the final push to my limits begun. Again this was one of the hardest sessions I had done but I knew myself I had achieved another milestone that day.

The following day was to be fairly light. We still had 2-3 sessions to do but the intensity was lower to allow the body to recover and adapt to the previous sessions.

Perry assured us that the last big session of the week was gonna hurt so we took advantage of the active recovery day.

So the last hard session of the week....it was to be a brick session that consisted of a 15k bike and 2k run, which i had to do 4 times. My aim for the session was to pace well and for the last couple splits go as hard as I could sustain for the remainder of the distance. I have to admit that it didn't start well as I was feeling quite tired from the weeks volume and intensity. The last few days had been abnormally hot which took its toll as well. The session was a real test of my character and because I felt I was not performing, I pushed through it with shere grit and determination and was pleased with the result by the end. It had capped a very successful and progressive week for me. Lanzarote is definitely one of the toughest places to come and train but as my coach Perry says, 'what doesn't break you, will only make you stronger', was certainly the case this week.

I'm now enjoying a 36 hour period of down time, ready to attack whatever is thrown at me next week.

I'm am also looking forward to more of Team Dillon athletes joining us here on the training camp in the next few days.

Its amazing to think that the first training week out here in Lanza has been completed already! I made the descision to come to Lanza to train with my coach Perry Agass of Team Dillon Coaching, in September, at the end of the 2012 season.

Together, myself and Perry agreed that 4 weeks of intensive training would be great preparation for the first of my key races in 2013 which will be Ironman Austria 70.3 on the 26 May.

After a really tough winter base training period in the UK which saw me build up my training volume gradually to 32 hours a week, I was relishing the thought of coming to a warmer climate to train.

I arrived last Thursday 11 May, and shortly after I had settled in, I went out for a steady 13k run along the Ironman run route to shake the legs out from the journey. It was great to get out and have the sun beaming down on me. After some lunch and a bit if down time I was back at the airport to collect Perry.

The following day was a rest day so we took the time to assemble our bikes, do a food shop and I was shown some of the routes that I will be doing in the weeks to come.

In the first week of training out here on the Team Dillon Coaching training camp, we have spent time reinforcing swim and run technique and getting a considerable amount of time in the saddle. I've been witness to the changing conditions on the island and the wind and heat is nothing like I've experienced before! It really tests the mind and body but I know that I will become an even stronger athlete by the end.

I feel that my body is adapting well to the conditions here and after some pretty intense sessions in the first week, the really hard work is yet to come as I start to get race fit for IM Austria 70.3.