Hey all,

So I've been in Korea (specifically Tongyeong...don't try looking it up, it doesn't exist on most maps) for a couple of days now, and I'm starting to get used to it. My first couple of days were a shock to the system, as I was only the 2nd athlete to get here so the systems weren't really in place to look after us, so I had to crack out my fluent Korean (i.e. speaking slowly and loudly with lots of pointing and hand signals...basically charades) to aquire food, water, transportation etc...though I thought I may have got arrested for using hand signals to convey to the driver than I needed a pee, so I just crossed my legs instead...

Since I returned from California it's been all go. After training (obviously), the first thing on my agenda was checking out my new house and making sure it was nearly ready to move in (by the way, thanks especially to my parents and also Jimmy, Cathy and various others for sorting things out while I was away!) I actually completed on the house 2 days before I left for the States, and at the moment it's over 8 weeks and counting since it was legally mine, and I'm still not in yet...but next Wednesday (T-7days and counting!) is when it's going to happen. Jimmy is moving in as well, which is good...I think without said resident chef/muse/angry-young-man/Pro Evo partner etc my Chi would be well and truely messed up, so it's going to be good having him there.

Training has gone well also. Off the back of all that 70.3-type stuff I was expecting to be less speedy than Lewis Hamilton's new MacLaren (to be honest I don't know much about Formula 1, but I do know Hamilton won lots last year and nothing this year so I'm assuming that witty quip counts as a solid topical gag?! Feedback appreciated...). Anyway, it seems that somehow I managed to smuggle some speed through the whole 70.3 ordeal, and I've hit some good times in some Olympic distance prep-sets, so I can't complain about that.

It's also been that exciting time of year when all the new kit for the season rolls in. My new bike from Giant (TCR Advanced Super-Light) is frankly ridiculous, and I decided that it was only fair to congratulate my bike and not my legs for all good bike sessions in the last few weeks. I'm also really excited to be rocking (yea, I said rocking, I'm down with the kids, see?) the new Nike LunaRacers in T2 this year. They're crazy light and crazy fast, though I guess they should be: they're made out of foam developed by NASA...let's just hope I can do them justice.

Anyway, it's getting late, or maybe it's getting early, I'm not sure, my body clock is all jetlaggified, but either way I'm signing out. Briefing tomorrow (30/04), race Sunday (03/05).

Olly

I'm sitting in LAX, on the way back from a brilliant training camp, which was topped off with the most epic "training session" (yea, whatever Glenn!) of my life.

I raced yesterday. After having been a bit concerned about feeling a bit off for the previous week, I was pleased to be able to stand on the start line (freezing cold and bleary eyed at 06:40 mind you) ready to give it a crack.

After a comfortable swim (though sighting directly into a blazing sunrise made things a little tricky), I was prepared for some serious saddle time on the bike. On the flat, fast sections (most of the 1st half) I struggled to keep pace with monster 70.3/Ironman specialists, who were churning out some big-daddy gears. Having lost a chunk of time on the first half, I was able to cling on a lot better in the second half, where the frequency of hills made the ride a lot more like an ITU style bike, with hard efforts mixed with easier decents. Onto the run, I felt pretty good, and ran a quick and controlled first 6 miles. By then though, my right foot was tingling with pins and needles, so I stopped briefly to loosen my timing chip on my ankle. Anyway, long story short, my last 7 miles were more of a hobble, as my feet were HURTING (according to the medics at the finish line they had lost blood flow on the bike and the timing chip only made it worse...wierd hey?!), but I still managed to make up a few places (not sure how) and finish in 11th.

I was really pleased to cap off the biggest block of training of my life with a 70.3, something I really wouldn't have even considered possible a few months ago, so now I have to get my recovery on, and put the finishing touches on my prep for the ITU season.

Olly