Castle Howard Mid-Distance Triathlon

Ever since I started racing triathlons I have predominantly focused on racing over the sprint distance. However, this season I decided to up the distance and race over the half Ironman distance (1.9km swim, 90km cycle & 21km run). This was a well educated decision that I made in consultation with my coach Ian. I have achieved success in the shorter format, qualifying to represent and representing GB in my age-group. However we decided that if I played to my strengths then the 70.3 distance would be my distance. With that in mind at the start of the season I entered Castle Howard Mid-Distance triathlon. I'd raced at Castle Howard before albeit over a shorter distance however I did win my age-group, so this place holds some fond memories for me.

I was going into this race full of confidence as a few weeks prior I raced really well at the Humber Half Marathon, so knew I was in good shape. The race started at 8am, so this meant a nice and early 5am wake up call!! As Castle Howard isn't that far from my house I opted to drive to the race in the morning. As you can imagine driving at 6am on a Sunday the roads were free from traffic so we got to Castle Howard in plenty of time. 

Castle Howard looking stunning in the morning mist. 

Once I sorted and positioned my bike and trainers just how I like it in transition I then climbed waist high into my wetsuit before walking down the hill (which we have to run up for T1) to the lake for the pre-race briefing and swim start. Once the pre-race brief was over we were then given time to get into the lake and warm up. We were then given a 2 minute warning so I positioned myself close to the front giving be a good chance to draft some slightly faster swimmers than me a hopefully get into some clear water pretty early on. The horn went and we were off!! I was able to quickly settle into a nice swim rhythm which makes a nice change for me as during a sprint triathlon in carnage! The swim route was 2-laps of an out and back format with a dog leg at the end of the lap and exit of the swim. This made the most direct line rather congested for the first 400m but after that the field soon spread out. I felt like I paced the swim well went I came out of the water. After exiting the water, I ran as quickly as possible the 500m into T1, however this was easier said than done as approximately 400m of this was up hill so that got you grasping for oxygen! I then quickly removed my wetsuit and grabbed my bike, before making inroads into the 90km bike and picking off fellow athletes. 

The bike course can best be described as tough and I would go as far as to say the hardest bike course I have ridden!! The course consisted of 2-laps of 45km of Castle Howard and the surrounding Howardian hills. I've been regularly in my local tri club (Barracuda) duathlon series' where the bike course has a similar profile, however significantly shorter. In the build up to this I also trained over similar terrain so I was feeling confident that providing I kept to my nutrition plan I would be able to put in a solid and competitive bike leg. My T1 was quick and soon I was out of the castle grounds and onto the open roads. I had two things I had to keep in the back of my head; 1) maintain a sustainable effort and not to race full gas like I'd do in the shorter races and 2) try as best as possible to stick to my nutrition plan, which I hoped would keep fueled for the bike course and onto the run. I felt really strong on the bike and was able to stick to my plans for the first lap. The second lap things got a bit trickier as athletes racing in the Olympic distance race were now also on the bike course. I just kept saying to myself don't get too carried away chasing these athletes down as I still had a half marathon to go. There was only one bottle/feed station per lap and once I got onto the second lap this feed station couldn't come quick enough as I was getting significantly low on fluid. As I approached this section, I discarded one of my empty bottles, sat up and stuck my hand out to grab a new bottle, only to drop it, SHIT!! Fortunately, there was another opportunity to get another bottle and this time I held on to it. From then on it was time for me to resume the aero position on the tri-bars and continue to maintain that threshold effort back to the castle grounds. I completed the bike course in just over 2:45 hrs and as I approached T2 I took my feet out of my tri-shoes and rested them on top before dismounting and running into T2. 

The run course was a toughie and consisted two laps of just over 10km on a mixture of surfaces ranging from compacted gravel (farm track stylee) to through fields, footpaths and Tarmac. The route had a similar elevation profile to the bike with a few long drags and short steep climbs. Getting on the run after racing over 90km was a completely new experience for me so I aired on the side of caution for the first 5km or so, not that my legs could go that much faster to start with! Once I settled into the run I felt surprising good and was able to maintain a sustainable pace only slowing down to get some nutrition from the aid stations and when the route went uphill. Again the course was full of athletes racing in the shorted distance event, but this time I was without changing my speed and effort, overtaking these runners. Just before the loop to start the second lap there was a nasty climb and decent, which really took me into the red! My confidence was now beginning to grow as I recovered pretty quickly after this effort and felt rather strong so decided to kick on for the final lap. Throughout this lap the km markers were coming thick and fast and was soon approaching the final climb before the finish, so I upped the ante for the final km. This time the hill really sent me in the red but I knew I just had to hang on as it was all downhill from then to the finish. As I descended I could see the finish line fast approaching so kicked again to the finish. I completed the 21km in just over 1:37 hrs, which I was ecstatic about as it was only 10 mins slower that the 1/2 marathon time I did a few weeks earlier. 

Heading to the finish after the final decent (hill in background) 

I finished with an overall time of 5:09:41, which resulted in me coming 16th overall and 12th senior male. I'm still over the moon and buzzing with this result even now as I write this. It has certainly cemented in my mind that I'm definitely suited to the 70.3 distance. Moreover I can't wait for next season, when hopefully I will get my Saturdays back thus dedicating more time to train, hopefully resulting in some top 10's and higher. 

Being the social butterfly that Sally and I are with weddings and our holiday to Mexico coming up, late August, this meant that this was my last triathlon of the season. Fortunately being involved in my local cycling clubs TT series I'll still be able to get my racing fix until the end of September.

Thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil.

Thanks to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears)

Humber Half Marathon

After the last 3-4 seasons racing over the sprint distance, with the occasional Olympic distance triathlon in there for good measure I decided to have a crack at the half Ironman distance (70.3). Although I have been really successful at the shorter format and have qualified and raced for the GB Age-Group squad I think I will be just as good, if not better at the longer distance races. With this in mind I though I would enter the Humber Half marathon to test out the legs and fitness ahead of my first 70.3 triathlon at Castle Howard a month later. 

Although this summer I haven't been able to put in a big day of training on a Saturday (like previous seasons) as my PhD has limited this (short-term pain for long term gain) I have still maintained consistency in training. Building up to the half marathon my training has seen a slight shift from an even swim, bike, run split focusing on shorter sharper interval work, to more longer interval based work to get me ready for the increased demands of running 21km. In the final week leading up to the half marathon I was tapering down and felt fresh, so was hoping that this was going to reflect in my time. The Humber Half is quite a tough 1/2 marathon so with this in mind and speaking to a few people that have raced it before I set out with a time of sub 1:30hrs in mind, which isn't too shabby for that course. 

In the build up to race day, I checked out the route map so I could familiarise myself with the water and aid stations. This distance is right on the cusp of needing a top up of CHO. Fortunately there was an aid station (~mile 5) amongst the many water stations so I knew there would be an opportunity to keep up with the hydration and fuelling.    

The night before the race I prepped my race kit; pinned my number on my vest and put the timing chip on my trainer, so when I woke up I didn't have to worry about a thing! 
So it was the morning of the race, I woke up feeling good and started to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and ate my pre-race breakfast. We then (me and Sally) drove off to the race, what I really like about running races is how chilled they are in comparison to tri, we literally drove there, parked, chatted to a few people pre-race, paid the customary visit to the loo, warmed up and chatted to a few more runners and some work colleagues, who were also racing. Then it was race time, simples!! As everyone started heading toward the start I was keen to muscle myself to the front, so as not to get held up by the fun runners! 

 There I am, second row. Thanks for the pic (http://www.humber-half.org.uk) 

The race organisers held us at the start line before giving us a count down. The klaxon sounded and we where off! In the build up to the race I spoke to lots of athletes who have ran this race before to get some advice on pacing as this was new to me. I followed everyone's advice to the letter, so took the first 3-4 miles moderately steady. The first mile through Hessle, across the Humber bridge and along the slip road and into Barton was ran all within myself. The whole length of the bridge and the slip road to Barton was pretty tough as it was into a block headwind. I was fortune enough to be in a group of 6 runners so used my brain and just sat in behind a tall runner to shield myself as best as possible from the wind. 

Once I dropped into Barton I was then able to pick up the pace and really get into my running, this is also pretty much the advice given to me by people who have raced this before. I then ran through Barton market place, where I was able to get the little bit of sports drink that I needed, before heading out onto the only long stretch of flat road where I was able to up the ante just a little bit more, before the route took me under the Humber bridge. The course then took a left turn and onto the most feared and infamous part of the race the mile long stretch up "Cardiac Hill". I made sure I knocked off the pace a little for this section, careful not to go too deep into the "red" as I was warned this could make or break your race. I got to the top of the hill, feeling pretty good, had a quick look at my watch and realised I was on for my target time, so was mega happy. I then turned and started to make inroads into the final 3 miles of the race and headed back along the opposite slip road back toward the Humber Bridge. I think that Cardiac Hill, the slip-road back and the final stretch of the bridge was easily the hardest part of the race. You needed to be right on the limit but at the same time careful not go too deep, so you couldn't recover and kick for the final mile. Once over the mid-point of the bridge it was then all downhill!! It was full gas ahead I made sure I didn't leave anything left in the tank and this helped as in the final 1/2 mile the supporters were out in force along both sides of the course cheering us on! This was great and just what I needed. 

I was absolutely buzzing when I finished and was able to recover enough to see my time, I did it in 1:27.27 so smashed my goal by 2:30 mins. BUZZING!! I came 38th out of a field of ~2000 runners, so again buzzing with that!!  

My face hides the excitement of a good time!! 

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil and to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Picture courtesy of http://www.humber-half.org.uk/

Nottingham Sprint Triathlon

I entered Nottingham at the start of the season hoping to qualify for the European Sprint Distance Championships for 2016. However as i qualified earlier in the season for the European Duathlon championships also in 2016 I decided not to "opt-in" for selection as I think I'd struggle to fund both as well as my best friends wedding in Malta. Building up to Nottingham I was happy with how my training had gone, however I had only raced one pool based sprint so my race fitness especially in the swim was somewhat lacking. 

I travelled down to Nottingham (Holme Pierrepont) the night before, in an attempt to relive some of the stress of travelling on race day, especially as the M1 is a nightmare at the moment with all the road works. I made good time and after registration, I put on my cycling gear and headed out to recce the bike course as in previous years the bike course was laden with potholes. However this year I was pleasantly surprised as these had been filled in, which was wonderful. After the recce I headed to the hotel, checked in, dropped off my kit and then headed out for dinner, with the Mrs. 

It was the morning of the race and I did the standard pre-race ritual; 3-hr pre race breakfast and carb and caffeine-load. After chilling in the room and getting ready we then headed over to Holme Pierrepont. Just like in previous years this was a split transition, so I first made my way to T1 and started setting up my bike and laying out everything I needed for the swim and bike legs. I then headed over to T2 to put my trainers down. I was lucky with T2, in that I had an easily identifiable landmark so I knew where my trainers would be upon entering transition. After setting out all my kit in both transitions I started to put my wetsuit on, whilst listening to the pre-race brief.

Yet again this was a GB qualifier for both the Worlds and Europeans so we were set off in Age-Group waves (M 20-24, 30-34 & 35-39), which is great as you get a good idea of your direct competition. We were able to get into the water ~5 mins before the race start and I started to warm up and get acclimatised to the water temp which was a tad chilly. We then got a 1 minute warning and at that point it occurred to me that I had left it too late to get a good position in the water. The horn went and we were off!! It took me until the first buoy to get into my swim rhythm as it was a constant battle to find clear water. Unfortunately I didn't get into the swim group I wanted to be in, so couldn't take advantage of the better swimmers, but you live and learn. After exiting the water I quickly ran into T1 to grab my bike and start making up for the time I lost in the water.

Just like in previous seasons and has now become the norm, my training consisted of racing in the local TT league so i knew this would help me out on this course. The bike course was 4 laps of 5km (20km in total) and perfectly suited to the “TT’er” as it was dead pan flat, with four 90° bends per lap. The wind was also kind to us so I knew it was going to be a fast time. I felt really strong on the bike and as the laps ticked down I was constantly gaining and passing some of my fellow competitors. After four storming laps I approached T2, just after the 30 min mark, with my feet resting on my tri shoes and dismounted before the dismount line.  

The run was just a single 5km lap of the bike course with a few slight deviations. In a similar story to the bike I felt super strong and kept picking off competitors. I could see the finish line fast approaching so kicked for the final 1km. This last km was pretty tough as the wind had picked up from the bike leg and we were now running into a head wind!! The finish line was down the “blue” carpet in front on the grandstand and the crowds. This was a great way for finish the race. I completed the 5km in just over 19 minutes. 

I finished with an overall time of 1:05:49, which resulted in me coming 17th in my Age-Group, which was a improvement from last years placing, so I'm happy with that especially with my lack of racing and decreased time to train due to PhD commitments. 

The next race up for me is the Humber Half Marathon at the end of June. 

Thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil.

Thanks to my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears)

New race kit looking great (shame about the silly face!!) 

Driffield Sprint Triathlon

I entered Driffield sprint triathlon a pool based sprint consisting of a; 400m swim, 18km bike and a 5km run to get me in the grove ahead of racing Nottingham sprint triathlon at the end of May. I wanted to have at least have one race under my belt, so this fitted in perfectly (2-weeks before). In-season I'm not a fan/believer of carrying a substantial amount of fatigue/training load into a race so tapered down and felt fairly fresh. I wanted to give it a real good smash, as unfortunately my PhD commitments now mean that I cant train on Saturdays. This was going to be a good test of my winter training and to see how I measure up with a good 3hrs taken out of my typical training week.  

Triathlon's are infamous for early starts, however as it was pool based and based on swim times I was actually in the penultimate wave, which was great as it meant I had time in the morning to chill and get in the grove. I set of with Sally ~90 minutes before the start of my wave and thank god we did as we got caught up with a Young Farmers tractor rally. This added over 20 minutes on to our journey time and believe me I was beginning to get stressed as we just sat in the car watching tractor after tractor go by!!! We finally got going again and I arrived at the race with 45 minutes to spare. This was enough time for me to set everything up in transition and get my game face on.   

The swim was very well organised with people counting lengths for you which was a total result as I struggle to count over 10 ha! I was the final of 4 athletes to go off in my lane which meant plenty of drafting ;-) . I had a really good swim and was quickly out of the pool and into T1. T1 was well drilled and I was soon out and onto the bike. 

Once onto the bike course this was time for me to put some serious power down and smash the course. I'd been racing a fair few local TT's so was sure this was going to have a positive impact on my race. I would describe the course as "rolling" with a few steady climbs and some nice descents coupled with a nice long stretch of "A road" so this was going to be a fast one. I was soon back jumping off my bike before the "dismount line" and heading into T2.  

After a good T2 I was quickly into the run and the first of three laps. It took me about half of a lap to settle into my running and then I was able to start winding up my pace over the remanding few laps.  

I finished 15th overall in a time of 1:01:22 and 3rd in my age-group, which was a nice confidence booster especially with my reduction in training. I was also really happy with all components of the race, especially as I was only overtaken on the run by the overall race winner. 

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, as well as my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Now on the Nottingham triathlon (30th May). 

Getting into my stride on the run. Thanks for the picture Freebird events. 

Buzzing with top 15 and 3rd in my age-group

Stockton-on-Tees Standard Distance Duathlon

My season ended early, in late August 2014 and after a 4-week holiday in Auz (see earlier blog for more info) I was keen to get back in the training groove. My trip to Auz was mega and i would do it again in a heartbeat, however 4-weeks of eating out and minimal training meant i was a long way off the condition i was used to. 

Once back and after recovering from the jet lag i was soon back putting in those winter miles and in the gym looking for those gainz!! It was a slow process and slowly but shortly i began looking like something that resembled an athlete. I love winter training and the opportunity it presents to get "off-road" on both foot and on the MTB. During the winter i still like to race as i feel that i need that "full gas" effort once in a while to remind me what its like to go at race pace. That's why The East Yorkshire XC league is perfect for me, as it gives me that monthly option to race in a quite and informal environment. 

From September to Christmas things were going really well with the training and and was feeling fitter by the week. Then out of nowhere on NYE it hit me, the nasty flu bug, that was doing the rounds. This knocked me out for two weeks and it was inevitable that this set me back as the thought of training made me feel worse!! 

Once i got over this i started training again but as a result missed a fair few XC races and one of my favourite 10-miler road races. This was frustrating as like i said earlier i really need that racing stimulus through out the winter and as it turns out i didn't race from early December until now, Stockton. 

In the build up to this my preparation had been good, but could have been better. I had originally planned to race Clumber Park standard distance duathlon a few weeks prior to Stockton. However, I had to change my plans because I was invited to present some of my PhD research at The World Congress of Science and Medicine in Cricket, in Sydney. It was a really tough decision............ Clumber or Sydney!! Anyway this meant that my training was a little interrupted and I only had one chance of earning a place to represent GB at the standard distance European duathlon champs 2016. So i placed all my eggs in this basket! 

The race started at 1pm, which was a really nice change to the norm of being up ready to race at the crack of dawn. This meant that Sally and I could drive up to Stockton in the morning instead of an overnight stopover. Racing at 1pm also posed a new challenge for me, what do it eat? Anyway i decided to work backwards and effectively had two pre-race breakfasts and my pre-race rituals just started from 10am.  

Once we got to Stockton we ended up driving around for a while as the closed roads (for the race) were causing havoc for the sat nav!! Once we finally found a place to park (close to the race HQ) i gathered up all my gear and headed over, registered and set up in transition. This was a quick and easy process which was nice so i just enjoyed chatting to a few "triathlon friends" and just chilled with the Mrs. 

As it approached 1pm the pre-race nerves were well and truly kicking in and the added pressure of racing to qualify for the Euros next year didn't help things! I headed over to the race started and commenced my warm-up and listened to the pre-race brief. After the pre-race brief we all got called forward and gathered on the start line to wait for the klaxon. 

The klaxon sounded and we were off! The first 10km run was 2-laps of the 5km circuit, which looped the river Tees. The pace was blistering as there were plenty of athletes just like me racing to qualify. The lead runners quickly shot off the front, which then left the rest of us to settle into the 2nd/3rd groups. After the first 2km these groups now had splintered and i settled in and was able to stick to a pace i was happy with, on the limit but manageable. i continued to maintain this effort for the remaining 7-8km and was now one-by-one picking runners off as i made my way through the field. 

Just crossing the Millennium Bridge

The run wasn't the easiest or simplest of runs, as it included a lot of changes in direction and a leg sapping run over the Millennium bridge just before the start/finish line. After a hard but solid run i was back into transition; trainers off, helmet on, unrack bike and now time to smash the bike. 

Just heading out to start the 40km bike leg 

Like the run, the bike was multiple laps of an 8km loop, so 5 laps. It was great to be able to race on closed roads which meant that you can smash it round corners and not have to worry, the only downside is that its you're not 100% sure on what position you are in. The bike course was also similar to the run in reference to the changes in direction with a fair few "out and back" branched sections. Once out of T1 and onto the bike leg i was quickly working hard to catch up to the super-fast runners who had put a fair bit of time into me. This bike course suited me, pretty flat but with a few gentle climbs so the strength i worked hard to build over the winter both on the bike and in the gym was paying off. Parts of this course were quite windy, which also played well to my strengths, being able to push a big gear into a strong headwind. The more laps i did the more confidence i had on the course and knew how fast i could take all the corners. I kept pushing as hard as i could and continued to overtake people, however by the 3rd lap onward i was clueless to my place within the field. I normally race the sorter distances so race nutrition isn't that important where as racing for longer nutrition becomes really important, therefore I had my race nutrition all planned out and knew exactly when to take the gels on the bike, which i was able to stick to. After an hour on the bike i was approaching T2 with me feet resting on the top of my shoes ready to dismount and to start the final 5km run. 

Both my transitions (T1 & T2) were pretty slick and i was quickly trying to settle into my stride. This was easier said than done as for the first km my calf's were cramping! once i overcame this cramp i was able to settle into my stride. It was about 2km in before i lost my head. i was running along and then out of the corner of my eye i spotted a dog running up toward me and i kept running thinking that it was going to turn back to its owner, but it didn't it just continued to run and then everything went "slow-mo" as the dog jumped into me!!! What a nightmare!!! i just hoped that i would stay on my feet and fortunately i did, however this really got to me and i found it hard to get back into my rhythm. fortunately i settled in and was able to keep pushing as hard as i could as i snaked my way round the course. All that was left was the leg sapping Millennium bridge, running up and over this well and truly took me into the red!! I knew it was less than a km to go so just dug in and gave it everything i had left. 

Fubar'd crossing the finish line! Definitely a hard day at the office and the lack of racing in the build up didn't help! 

I finished 25th male in a time of 2:05:01. Unfortunately the race results weren't displayed in age-groups, which is rather annoying especially when you are hoping to qualify for the GB Age-Group team. However a few weeks later I got the email from Triathlon England saying that I had qualified for the Euros in so I'm buzzing for that!!  

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, as well as my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears). Also thanks to Trihard and AWOL adventure for the photos.  

I'm back blogging, let's hope it's worth the wait!!

Well where to start............. maybe by apologising for an almighty delay in keeping you all updated on what's been going on in my life and all things tri.

Well since my last race report, I've been a busy boy! I've been to Australia not once, but twice, turned 30 and asked my girlfriend to move in with me and she said yes! My season finished on a high back in August 2014, with arguably my best triathlon performance of the season, top 15 at Allerthorpe. Anyway if you want to read all about that then check out my blog archive.

After Allerthorpe, I travelled back home to Somerset to meet up with my mum before we headed out to Australia via Dubai to meet up with both of my sisters (who were on 2-year work visas) for the holiday of all holidays, 4-weeks of travelling round Australia. 

Before touching down in Melbourne we (mum and I) had an overnight stop-over in Dubai. This was part of the planned trip as one of my best mates Nathen lives there, so it was a great opportunity to catch up with him and to show mum what Dubai's got to offer! After a wind whistle tour of Dubai we then boarded the plane for the final leg onto Melbourne. 

Mum and I in front of the Burj al Arab.

On arrival into Melbourne we were greeted at the airport by one of my sisters. She then drove us to our accommodation, where we unpacked and chilled for a few hours before heading out to watch an Aussie rules match at The MCG. This is also where my other sister met up with us. This was an amazing experience but I couldn't help but think how good it would be when the crowd was tripled to 100,000 for an Ashes Test match. The few days we spent in Melbourne we packed loads in; we checked out the cultural hub of Federation Square, the Royal Botanic Gardens. We also travelled slightly further afield to Experience St Kilda, where we watched the penguins come to sleep at dusk and then ate an Auzzie delicacy of a Chicken parmigiana (palma). 

After a few days in Melbourne we then started the next stage of our journey travelling along The Great Ocean road to Adelaide. This road boasts to be the most scenic coastal drives you can possible do spanning over 150 miles. There is so much to see along this road so we broke the journey up into 3 days. The main highlights of this drive were; Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, The Twelve Apostles , shipwrecks, golden beaches, rain forests and national parks. 

From Adelaide we then flew on to Alice Springs, the red centre of Australia. This is also known as the gateway to Uluru (Ayres Rock). We had a night to chill in Alice and enjoy the warmer climate before getting picked up nice and early the next day to start a 3-day organised tour (Emu Tours) of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon and West MacDonnell Ranges. This experience was by far one of the best experiences of my life, its just mind blowing! What amazed me is that where ever you look it’s just red soil and dead pan flat, aside from Uluru towering above the landscape. 

Uluru (Ayres rock) 

After such an amazing tour we then had one final night back in Alice, before flying north onto Darwin. In Darwin we hired a 4WD, which is a must for that area as most of the roads are just mud tracks and some of the tourist spots were only accessible by a this type of vehicle. Darwin boasts two national parks; Litchfield and Kakadu. These national parks were amazing, as after a good trek through what can only be described as rainforest you were rewarded with secluded waterfalls and natural pools, which could have easily been used in the movie The Beach they were just so beautiful and untouched. We also headed to Katherine a vast region covering almost 500,000 sq. km. this had a special meaning to us as one of my sisters is called Katherine. 

From Darwin we then flew on again, this time to Cairns. Cairns is the doorstep into the World Heritage wonders of the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. After a night in Cairns we took the scenic route towards Port Douglas before embarking on a scuba and snorkelling trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. We boarded a specialist boat for a for our snorkel and scuba trip. I signed up to do one scuba (before lunch) and one snorkelling session (after lunch). Scuba was all new to me so I was only allowed to do the discovery dive which gave me a little taster and allowed me to under guidance get a mini tour of the corral and the wildlife that co-habit the reef. Yet again this was an amazing experience definitely one ticked off the bucket list. The next day we then moved on again, this time to the Daintree rainforest, the world’s oldest tropical rainforest. We travelled further into the rainforest and on to Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef. It's the only place in the world where two World Heritage sites meet. Again we did another trip out to the Great Barrier Reef, but this time for snorkelling. This was a much more back to basics, chilled out, hippy kind of trip unlike the organised one from Port Douglas. 

Now onto the final part of this epic adventure; The Blue Mountains and Sydney. After arriving into Sydney airport we then took a train to the Blue Mountains, where we met up with some family for a few days. We spent a few days doing all the tourist attractions of the Blue Mountains, a vast world heritage area. Its name The Blue Mountains is to do with the eucalyptus trees that give off a blue ora! We also visited the Wentworth falls and the Three Sisters. After a few nice days of walking and sightseeing in the Blue Mountains and get hospitality and a chance to catch up with the family we moved on to Sydney (probably the best city I have ever been to!!!). 

So where to start........................... It’s such an amazing place I really don't know where to start. Fortunately both my sisters have lived in Sydney so they were both able to give us a tour of the city and knew where to go. It goes without saying that we walked across the Harbour Bridge from Milsons Point back to the city. Walked around The Rocks, which is all along the peninsula of the city with the bridge with the opera house in the back ground. After exploring most of Sydney on foot we also took to the skies and took a helicopter ride giving us a birds-eye-view of the whole city. This was organised as a surprise birthday present for my Mum. It goes without saying that she loved it just as much as we all did. We also walked the coastal path from Coogee beach back towards Sydney ending up at probably Australia’s most famous beach, Bondi. The trip culminated with our last supper up the Westfield Tower, the tallest building in Sydney at just over 300m tall. At the top there is a revolving restaurant giving you 360 degree views of Sydney.  

Loving the Opera House! 

As always a massive thanks to my sponsors Meridian Foods and Coconoil, although i didn't get to take any with me. Also I'm sure my coach Ian Mayhew (Gears & Tears) enjoyed me being away as i wasn't hassling him about training, ha.