Breaking News - May 2012
European Champs and Pre-Season update.
Hi all;
About time I posted something on here. I’ve been getting settled back in the UK for a few weeks now and I think I had a fairly good trip back after my race in Israel. I’m just getting settled back into a routine now. Training changes now I’m home to fit in with all the various goings on including work commitments. Takes a while to get used to it again. Like Tuesday night swims session followed immediately by a track session…ouch!
I’m not sure I’ve seen the sun yet and it feels weird to be running with a definite chill on the arms and legs. Having been training and racing in 30 degree temperature for 3 weeks, jumping straight back into 10-11 degrees is a bit of a shock. I had a decent race in Israel. I was happy with my form there. It is hard to race well at that time of year because it certainly takes at least a couple of races to ‘you’re your legs’ and start to feel fully ‘tuned up’ when racing. Unfortunately even though 5th place in Europe for my age is a very solid performance, I am still searching for that elusive podium position. My form reads 12th .10th .7th .5th in major age group races, over European and World Championships for the past few seasons, so on a positive note there is an upward curve in performances which is motivating.
A few stories to share with you from our Tenerife Training Camp and Israel. First up, a few of us made the trip down to the Canary Islands for some training pre season. I was really able to concentrate on swimming here, we had a 50m pool onsite and some great running trails around the area to keep things interesting. Onto cycling, Tenerife is very mountainous and houses one of Europe’s largest mountains in Mount Teide (3400m). Basically as soon as we left the hotel premises we began climbing for at least a few hours, which was not ideal, as many of us like a warm up. The worst part was coming down believe it or not, freezing cold, poor road surfaces, dodgy drivers. Took about an hour to descend!! Other highlights include running the golf course route (jolly and paddy), Ritter Sport Chocolate, Rong Change Chinese Buffet, and Bargain Hunt at lunchtimes!
Now Israel was certainly an experience…..after a very arduous trip to get there (32 hours of travel), we touched down in the red sea resort of Eilat. As team captain it was my duty to organise some team events including a bike recci. As we made our way up the bike course it became evident that we ‘could’ encounter some difficulties en-route. This included a few stray dogs out on the course, aswell as passing armed guards at the checkpoints with machine guns and tanks and rocket launchers. Certainly an experience. At least we felt safe there! Israel was a great place to visit and it was great to have everything so central (hotels, restaurants) to the competition area which was a real bonus.
And so we begin preparations for a big year of sport for Britain with the Olympics. I have been invited along to be guest speaker at a civic ceremony along with the Olympic torch at Truro Cathedral next weekend. A great opportunity for the county to share and experience sporting success. Not sure if I am nervous or excited to be speaking in front of 600 guests in truro cathedral....should be a great event none the less!!
I am also involved with the Cornwall Schools Games for 2012. I was invited along with dedicated members of the Cornwall Sports Partnership, to kick-off the competition at Carn Brea LC in June. I will be on the lookout for stars of the future, aswell as providing inspirational pre-race talks to the School Competitors, and finally presenting a few medals to the winners in the closing ceremony. Excellent Stuff!
Finally. I will be visiting some primary schools during ‘Olympic Week’ to give some motivational assemblies and also take some groups out for some practical lessons. Once again, with the Olympics taking centre stage this year. We have to make the most of the opportunity!
This season will see me tackle the British Champs for Both Sprint and Standard. A World Cup Quadrathlon Race along with a few local blowouts and mystery races ‘up country’ thrown in. The main aim for this year is to gain Qualification for the World Championships which take place in New Zealand, during October!
Finally I would like to thank everyone involved with media in Cornwall including West Briton & Packet Newspapers. James Craig at Pirate FM, Chris Lawrence at Atlantic FM (now Heart Cornwall), David White and the Team at BBC Radio Cornwall, Felix Hinton-Smith who is my swimming training partner. Felix is an ex-national champion swimmer and his experience has led me to posting my fastest swimming times ever! And of course my loving family for putting up with all my movements over the past few weeks!
That’s about it for me, on a final note I would like to pay tribute to my fantastic sponsors Follett Stock Solicitors, who are the number one South West Law Firm. Keep up the good work guys and Catch you all at the Royal Cornwall Show this year! :)
Cheers and Gone
Mark Lewarne
in Association with
