At the end of 2014 I had to inform my coach what my objectives were for 2015. This was fairly easy. I wanted to podium at an international 70.3 race and qualify for the 70.3 World Championships. As part of my strategy in doing so, I picked an Asia-Pacific race in Malaysia. Secretly, I didn’t think I would be able to qualify. 

I just proved myself wrong.

The build-up to the race in Thailand was pretty idyllic but once I arrived in Malaysia it got real very quickly. I had only allowed four nights in Malaysia so after registering on the first day and putting the bike back together (yet again), there wasn’t an awful lot to do but start loading up on carbs (my favourite part!).

After almost getting arrested and put away for a (highly illegal) practice swim in the lake (apparently Malaysian law takes it very seriously and it’s worthy of jail time), I had a last spin out on the bike and had to climb over the central reservation of a highway to get back, because I couldn’t find out how to turn around without feeding onto yet another highway! Eventful, yes.

Putrajaya is a beautiful city, far more so than I ever expected. It’s home to all the national government buildings so is extremely well maintained; think manicured lawns, immaculate streets, attractive architecture and flowers and greenery everywhere. Even a few monkeys hanging out in the trees.By the same token it’s also only about 30 minutes from Kuala Lumpur so we headed there for an evening of traditional Malay cuisine (which was spectacular – think coconut flavoured everything!) It’s a very cool city, especially with the iconic Petronus towers sparkling in the skyline which somehow, you cannot stop staring at.

On race day morning my usual pre-season pre-race nerves kicked in with full force. Oh wow. By the end of last season I had almost shaken this, but with a new season ahead of me and the first race which I wanted to perform well in, I was feeling sick to the bottom of my stomach. Luckily the extremely hardcore drum and bass playing in transition took my mind off it – it was like being in a crack den! Had to laugh though; the only pills I had were salt sticks. Rock and roll.

Sadly my friend Claus had to pull out of the race due to an irreparable problem with his Di2. Cue lightbulb moment – NEVER GET Di2. So I was also going to get support along the course, which was obviously good for me but I would rather that he were able to race!

The rolling swim start was unusual but actually really chilled. All swim starts should totally be like this. Just line up and stroll onto the pontoon, jump off with a few others and you’re off! Job done. I’d had a quick warm-up swim so was good to go, and set off at a nice steady pace (until I got kicked in the face). Obviously it was non-wetsuit and the 30 degree water definitely made it feel harder work – kind of like swimming in a bath. I got kicked in the mouth again and my goggles had leaked from the first kick, but I was overtaking quite a lot of people so all was good. The swim felt long though, what was that all about!?

I ran out of the water feeling quite strong in 36 minutes, not the fastest but I later found out I was 22nd female out of the water and 111th overall, so not too bad I guess. 

Smooth T1 and out on the bike to tackle the two loop bike course. I set off not wanting to go too hard to begin with, conscious of the fact there were two loops and by the second loop it was going to feel like cycling on the surface of the sun. Even at 7am it was over 30 degrees and the humidity was choking.

I was pleased to be overtaking a lot of people on the bike, cruising along at 34kph without exerting myself too much. The course was a lot more undulating than I thought it would be though, there were continuous ups and downs so you couldn’t really get into a good pace/rhythm before the next long upward slope. That kind of course eventually feels quite wearing on the legs!

Smashing back energy drink and GetBuzzing bars was keeping me strong, but I reached the end of the first loop feeling a little tired, but on target for a 2:45 bike split. The sun had started to come up and you could really feel the heat starting to sap every bit of energy. But that wasn’t about to be my worst problem.

Oh no.

One of my aero bars had come loose and was rattling around. This was not a good situation to be in. I contemplated trying to stop a support vehicle to tighten the screw but didn’t see one and didn’t want to waste time. There seemed to be less people on the course now as well, where was everyone!? The aero bar situation became quite perilous. I was struggling to change gear as the whole bar was sliding up and down, loose in its holder, and spinning around where I needed to change gear at the bar end. I was trying to decide what to do if the whole thing actually came off. All sorts of things crossed my mind, including ambulances and hospitals, and stuffing it down my tri suit. I found it was easier if I actually stayed on the bars as it held it in position, but when I needed to climb, brake or take a drink, it just rattled around and got worse. Oh god. This could end badly.

10k from the finish, I heard a ping. Yep, that was definitely the bolt coming out. I now had one aero bar which was swinging around and sliding up and down, making it virtually impossible to change gear. Interesting. Just power through, not far to go now. I made it through to T2 and ran off the bike with my aero bar swaying around carelessly like a demented raver. Yeah, I’ll deal with that later.

Suffice to say my bar issues had cost me time. I’m not going to blame it all on this though – at this point in the day, around 11am, the sun was really hotting up and the climate was beginning to take its toll. What’s more, I was tired from pushing on the bike and hadn’t been able to eat a great deal as I wasn’t feeling very much like solid food on the bike. This meant I had slipped time on my second lap and ended up finishing the bike in 2:55.

As soon as I started running I knew I was in for a long, painful, torturous experience. The heat was searing, oppressive, claustrophobic. It was hard to breathe and walk, let alone run and race. I have never experienced anything like this. 

I started out at sub 5:30/km which isn’t particularly quick, thinking I would just hold that pace and keep it steady. I couldn’t. It soon slipped to 6:00/km and I was waning fast. I got into a routine at every aid station. 

–    Avoid the guys chucking buckets of water over people’s heads like the plague (soggy shoes = blister hell)
–    Grab two cups of water and DOWN them (one was simply not enough!)
–    Grab two iced sponges and drench my head and face (and my ludicrously hot ears) in one; stuff the other one behind my neck in the back of my tri suit. 
–    Intermittent gels (right before aid stations so I could actually dilute the stickiness – think dry mouth/dehyrdration/gels. Yeah, not a nice combo)
–    Try not to die

The first lap was completely deserted, there was hardly anyone around and it made for a really dull, painful run. After the first lap (which felt like a lifetime, especially with the dawning realisation that I had to do that all over again), there were many more people piling onto the course so it made for marginal entertainment as I plodded round. Even the Malays were walking! What!? Everyone was walking! Come on people! 

Finally, I was nearing the finishing chute and a Malaysian guy next to me said, “one lap?” – to which I very smugly said “nope, two done, I’m finishing!” His face was a picture of shock: “WOW!” Yeah. Wow. A half marathon in over two hours. Hmmm. Anyway, there weren’t many people finishing and I finished with a nice strong sprint to top off 5 hours 40 minutes of racing, before being drenched in an ice cold towel. That felt like heaven. 

As soon as I finished I found out that there had been a problem with my swim time and it was recording 52 minutes!!! OH MY GOD! As if! The first thing that came to mind was that people tracking me would think I’d had a right epic in the swim. It was also making the difference between 3rd and 4th place, but I wasn’t too worried as I had been assured they would sort it.

Overall, I finished 119th out of 1,000 ish competitors and was 25th female (including pros). My very first podium with 3rd in my age group. 

After some chill time, refuelling session and a much-needed shower we headed back to the auditorium to the awards ceremony. Hearing 5x Ironman World Champion Craig “Crowie” Alexander talk about how he “nearly quit the race 40 times today” because of the tough conditions reassured me that my time probably wasn’t so bad when you factor that in. All the pro times were slower than they are at European races so that reflects how the conditions affect performance!

I waited anxiously (for a very long time) while they were allocating slots for the 70.3 World Championships. Come on, come on, come on. My age group was the second to last called out, and with only one slot allocated to my age group it all hinged on whether numbers 1 and 2 were going to accept. Finally, they called out the names. Nope, number 1 wasn’t here. Number 2? Nothing. They had barely finished calling my name when I started jumping up onto the stage to accept the slot! (Desperate?! No of course not…!!) I was beyond excited. Obviously. 

It hadn’t really sunk in for a while afterwards. I’m not sure it actually has even now. I think because I am a bit disappointed with my overall time and know I am capable of much better than that it makes me feel like my podium and qualification were a bit flukey. But I guess I am hard on myself! The climate was the toughest I have ever raced in by far, and it’s totally not to be underestimated. It has a huge impact on performance and the fact that I was 116th finisher even including pros and men says a lot to be honest.

Ultimately, the fact that I have achieved my 2015 season objectives in my very first race is a huge confidence booster and an extremely rewarding feeling. I have qualified for two World Championship events this year and when I think about where I started a few years ago, as a non-swimmer and coming almost last in local UK races, it makes me realise what I have achieved. Perspective is a wonderful thing.

Robert Twells April 11, 2015

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Sometimes, it’s very important to remember why you do things. Triathlon is one of those things. It’s kind of easy to get lost in the numbers, the data, the positions, the PBs and the hype of achievement. But it’s supposed to be fun, right?

I guess this is a marginal reiteration of my last blog; that life is about more than just being a slave to training and racing, especially at age group level. But if you can experience some incredible stuff in the process, I think you’ve reached something pretty spectacular as your achievement has become part of living life to the full.

I have just spent 10 days in Thailand to acclimatise before my race in Malaysia this weekend, and I can say unequivocally that I’ve had one of the best times of my life. And you know what? Training was just one part of that.

When I first signed up for this race I was keen on acclimatising somewhere with amenable training conditions relatively close to Malaysia to get used to the climate before the race. Thanyapura sports resort in Phuket seemed like a really logical option, with amazing facilities and endorsed by the one and only Macca, it had to be a good shout.

I ended up having to go to Bangkok for a few days with the friend I was travelling with, Claus, because he had work commitments. Initially I wasn’t 100% sure about this – “but where will I train!?” That became a slightly secondary issue as Bangkok is one hell of a place, one hell of an experience, and one hell of a place not to miss. It was crazy and extreme in every way imaginable, and I took the experience for what it was.

A few days later and we were in the serene tranquillity of Phuket set amidst the vista of tropical jungles and white sandy beaches with turquoise waters. I’ve been taking Klonopin from https://mi-aimh.org/klonopin-online-1-mg/ for three years already. I have an essential tremor. My hands and head are constantly shaking. The medicine helps me. I take it constantly (at 0.02 grams per day). But it is far from harmless. Since morning I have a constant heartburn. Also, from taking the remedy, allergic rhinitis developed. I am not helped by any other medicines. It is necessary to live with side effects from it. Thanyapura is very health-focused, with calorie and macro-nutrient breakdown on the food menus, fresh fruit, vegetables and coconut water aplenty, and some longer rides and serious training to counter my (only slightly!) debaucherous few days in Bangkok. It was going completely from one extreme to another. And I loved it.

During that week I had some serious training, and training in 36 degree heat and high humidity is certainly not to be underestimated. I had a few dark moments, especially while on the run (one of which involved almost being attacked by a stray dog!), but I think the acclimatisation process did the trick. The rest of the time was holiday time. I guess I originally planned this to be a serious training trip but when all the training is done before midday, what else is there to do but explore one of the most beautiful places in the world? (Oh, and lie by the pool).

We visited the famous paradise island where ‘The Beach’ was filmed, saw tropical lagoons, floating villages on stilts, the archipelago (one of only three in the world) where ‘James Bond island’ is situated, visited bars with endless pools, drank fresh coconuts, ate fresh, delectable Thai food for less than £10 for two, had Thai massages most days, lounged by the pool, rode on longtail boats – the list is endless.

It was a rewarding time, and I think there’s something kinda cool about training specifically for a race while experiencing these things. This really is what life is all about!

I have now arrived in Malaysia and suddenly it feels like the serious race stuff is happening. In Thailand it didn’t feel real; I couldn’t quite grasp that I would be racing very soon, I felt so far removed from that race vibe, but maybe that’s exactly what was needed!?

I am in a country I have never visited before but I feel well-acclimatised to the heat and humidity, I feel fresh and healthy from quite possible the perfect pre-race prep imaginable, and I’m once more feeling confident about my abilities. Let's just hope it all comes together on race day.

But in spite of all this, whatever happens on the day, it almost doesn’t matter. Because this trip has enabled me to experience moments I will never, ever forget, and train and race in one of the most incredible locations in the world. And when you put it all into perspective, that’s pretty special stuff.

Robert Twells April 4, 2015

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How often do you find yourself amazed at how quickly time passes? My time in Lanzarote has finally come to a close and I have to say, it's scary how quickly the months have flown by. I think honestly it has to be one of the best things I have ever done. 

Apart from enabling me to complete a very substantial block of training averaging around 18 hours per week, which would definitely prove challenging in the UK at this time of year, I have also created memories and experiences that I will never forget, and that's really what life is all about, after all.

I have spent time with some amazing people which has not only enriched the experience but has also been invaluable in terms of pushing me harder to achieve my goals. It's not every day you get to train alongside some of the most talented professional triathletes in the world, and also be coached in the pool twice a week by an eminent world champion and winner of 16 ironmans.

I have been extremely lucky to train at the fantastic Sands Beach resort, thrashing out massive 4k+ swim sets with the sun shining down on me, and having Bella Bayliss critique my swim stroke and keep a watchful eye over my progression has knocked big chunks of seconds off my pace. I have seen vast improvements, and why wouldn't you, with 6 days a week in the pool and an average of 15,000 – 20,000 metres of swimming per week!? Pros in abundance in the adjacent lanes; you can really learn a lot from training close to the people who will do anything to be successful in this sport. And wow, they really are. I'd like to thank John Beckley and Juan Carlos Albuixech for providing me with one of the best opportunities I have ever had in my life.

I can't write a blog primarily around Lanzarote and not talk about the hills and the wind. That godforsaken wind. I have to admit I probably won't miss the wind too much! It can render some rides absolutely soul-shattering. On the flip side, cruising along at 55kph on the flat is also pretty damn rewarding! Let's just say I have been to some pretty dark places on some of those rides, but everything comes with its highs and lows and this is what sport is made of (among many other things). Riding for 8-12 hours per week (have I mentioned the hours I have put in much!?) would definitely not be pleasant (in my world, not really possible #fairweathercyclist) and I am bound to have built strength and endurance from this decent stint of training. 

It's the biggest, most prolonged training block I have ever done in my life, and I just really hope that it pays off as I've certainly put the work in. At the risk of launching into a gushy soliloquy (I will try to refrain), I do feel immense gratitude for my fortunate position in being able to do this, and being around people who have also helped make it happen.

Outside of training, I have had a lot of thinking time in Lanzarote and I am coming more to terms with what I am doing with triathlon. I have always maintained that I am doing it as a sport for the enjoyment and the experience, after all, I will never be a world champion. This sentiment hasn't changed as I definitely don't possess any special talent and in all honesty probably entered the sport too late. But I am enjoying seeing where it will take me. In the meantime, I want to have a life.

There are many things outside of triathlon which shape who you are, who you become, and how much you get out of life and the biggest thing I think I have realised recently is that I don't want to sacrifice anything. This doesn't mean to say I will relax on my training, my commitment or my dedication. It just means that I think I have things in perspective. I can't argue that triathlon does kinda dominate my life but I like it, I am very happy with this arrangement, otherwise I wouldn't do it. But to the detriment of other things? Depends what it is I guess but I want things in balance.

Spending a LOT of time with my good friends Hollie and Nathan has made me realise that while one day we might be out burying ourselves on a big 4 hour ride followed by 4k in the pool, and the next we might be enjoying dinner and cocktails while watching the sun set over the mountains, or lying on the beach with a cold beer. As my coach stresses to me on a regular basis, recovery is important! But what's also important is spending time with friends and enjoying the downtime, because this makes it all worth it.

Taking training completely out of the equation, I had one of the best times of my life out in Lanzarote and I owe it largely to the friends I have made along the way. I have laughed every day, and laughter can never be underrated. We are all in this together and we are all on our own individual missions, but if you take triathlon away, you still have a damn solid friendship which doesn't revolve exclusively around training, racing, and energy gel chat.

How 2.5 months has gone so rapidly I do not know, but what I do know is that as I leave this beautiful, rugged and majestic island, I feel sad that this era has come to an end (for now). 

The next phase of my exciting year is about to begin as, after a few days settling back in the UK, I am off to Thailand to figure out just how much extreme heat and humidity affects race-day performance! It's going to be a learning curve, but you know what, I think I am fully prepared for it, because hard work doesn't come without some kind of pay-off.

Robert Twells March 17, 2015

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Probably one of the things I think about most in terms of my training is whether what I am doing is working. Otherwise there’s no point, right? We all have goals and objectives and we want to see them come to fruition as a result of our hard work. Usually, this translates in my head as “am I doing enough?”

I have never ever had a problem with motivation (apart from the odd day or two) – on the whole I have this in abundance. The only reason I first got a coach was to make sure I wasn’t overtraining, because if I was going to go either way, it would definitely be by doing too much. I never gave myself rest days because I felt like I didn’t need them. However much I did I always felt like I could do more.

Having spent a few years in the sport now, I am older and wiser. But, my mentality hasn’t changed that much. I still get THE GUILT. We know how this feels, when you skip a training session because of some other commitment or time issues, and it eats away at you like some parasitic worm. Until you get to the point where you can no longer ignore it, you MUST add that session back in the next day or you will FAIL AT EVERYTHING. 

Yes, it’s stupid, and yes, any coach will tell you that once you have missed a session just leave it, it won’t make any difference if it’s just the one anyway, and that by adding it back in you might be compromising the rest of your training on those days. And we know all this. But somehow, it is SO hard to take the advice and shut up.

I am very guilt of this scenario. Some people may find it easier and think it’s sad to be a slave to training, but it’s not that, I am so motivated and I feel like every training session counts. 

My coach knows what I am like and recently wrote to me about adaptation. I struggle with rest days sometimes (althopugh other times they are very welcome!) and when I had an easy recovery week scheduled in, I panicked after looking at the programme thinking, “I cannot cope with that little amount of training”. Mad, I know.

He refused to add in any extra training and stressed the importance of adaptation. “It’s not during training that you generate performance gains, it is during recovery.” As it happened, I flew back home to the UK for a week to recuperate and quickly engendered all the signs of overtraining – no motivation and very little desire to train. I was tired all the time, headaches every day, and knew this was my body telling me to chill the bloody hell out for a change. So I did just that.

I am back now for a final two week stint in Lanzarote with some big volume training before my first race in four weeks time, and that recovery week will be key to my performance at that race. Yes I know my coach knows best but sometimes I struggle with my inherent motivation to train ALL the time and the completely wrong philosophy of ‘more is better’!

I’ve spent some time thinking about it over the past week, about adaptation and how the body adapts to the workload by recovering and restoring its muscles, imprinting muscle memory (the old 1,000 hours theory) and how this is such a crucial part of athletic performance.

If you think about it on a far more macro scale, adaptation is the key to survival. It is the absolute essence of evolution and longevity of any species. So it makes perfect sense that by allowing the body to sufficiently adapt to its environment (large training volume without wearing the body out), then it will ensure longevity and ability to perform when challenged.

I have had coaches where big training volume underpinned the entire plan – it was all about masses of training, without factoring in much rest and recovery. It works initially. It’s quite simple – increase an athlete’s training and they improve. Until they stop improving. And then see a performance decline. Because it’s simply not sustainable to train hard and long all the time without recovery.

Not only is it wearing the body down until you begin to feel ‘a bit tired’ ALL THE TIME, but it’s also mentally tough. As I mentioned in my previous blog, it’s not sustainable to be motivated every single day all the time, so that rest day, or recovery week, enables you to not only let your muscles and your body adapt and restore itself, but also for you to mentally switch off.

In an endurance sport like triathlon, I think this is really important and I have realised how critical it is to not only sustaining mental motivation but also physical load. I have experienced it myself and seen others do the same – overtraining eventually leads to burnout, mentally and physically. 

If this was a species, it would probably fizzle out and die. Sounds dramatic, I appreciate, but fundamentally, we are going through a mini process of evolution. 

We challenge ourselves mentally and physically, we adapt, and we evolve…

Robert Twells March 10, 2015

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I get asked this question a lot. I have to be honest, I don’t really know how to answer it. For me, motivation isn’t as simple as “oh I have that race to train for”, or “I am inspired by that person”. Yes, of course, these things factor in, but it’s far more complicated than that.

I can say for sure that I’m not exclusively motivated by results. Of course I would like to get better/faster; don’t we all? But it isn’t about that. It’s not about any one thing really. 

One thing I do know is that you HAVE to enjoy yourself. Otherwise the motivation to train really does start to swirl down the proverbial plug hole and you’re on a fast-plummeting descent into nothingness. 

Nothingness.

We’ve all been there. That moment when there is nothing, not one iota of motivation to get up and train. A mental and physical void, it’s like some sort of energy vacuum. We often ask “how can I find my motivation again?” but the truth is, you can’t. It’s not a game of lost and found, and sure, you can go and watch those excellent Ironman marketing videos which effectively proffer the clichéd goosebumps and scalp-tingling sensations for a transitory moment, but suffice to say, it has an expiry date.

Motivation, for me, is something deep, inherent, inside of yourself; and any amount of YouTube-ing, inspirational speeches and social media encouragement will not get you what you’re looking for. This is not to say it won’t help. Yes it does, but what we need is more deep-rooted. It can’t come from an external source, not if it is for motivational longevity, anyway. 

It is hard. God damn it is hard. People often say to me that they don’t know how I have the motivation to do what I do. I’m sure many of us get flippant comments like these from lazy office co-workers and the like. But I have a revelation for you. I’m NOT ALWAYS MOTIVATED. 

Yes, most of the time, I am extremely motivated, but in truth, it is unsustainable to be 100% motivated all the time, and I’m going to put it out there – I think it’s impossible. Even elite athletes and world champions will have days where they struggle, where they don’t feel like training. Usain Bolt famously (and boldly) said that on days when he doesn’t feel like training he just doesn’t turn up at the track. (That just kind of makes him even more of a legend actually). But it goes to show, we all get days like that. 

It can be circumstantial, and I won’t deny that a freezing cold, pitch black winter’s morning is a pretty tough environment to muster up your motivation – it’s half the reason I decided to spend the winter months in Lanzarote. It’s definitely easier to get up and train in the sun, but there will always be other factors which creep in and try to stifle your motivation. The hills, the wind, the mental and physical fatigue of being in the pool six days a week… etc.

Sometimes it can surprise you. When you're not feeling it, and then you push through the other side, give yourself a talking to (and a healthy dose of MTFU) and boom, there it is, an amazing training session. In general, this drug can be preferred if fast reduction of symptoms is necessary. During the course of treatment, Xanax at https://www.indianpueblo.org/buy-xanax-online/ is safe and well tolerated, there is no need to increase the dosage, and the risk of developing dependence among patients with adequate use is negligible. "Woah, I very nearly skipped that one". Yep, we've all been there too. How do you know the difference between genuinely not feeling up to training and your mind just playing tricks on you? Stealthy little devil… Truth is, you just have to learn about yourself. And we won't always necessarily get it right, but this is what life is all about, right?

We need the dark days of the motivational abyss to then come out the other side and realise why we do what we do, and what’s more, why we love it. 
People often feel despondent when they’re not motivated, struggling to come to terms with it; they desire that gravitational pull towards goal-setting, achievement, relentless training, and yet mentally, it’s not anywhere to be found. 

I’ve learned, over the years, that this isn’t a problem. I accept that I may not feel as motivated as I should, and that this is perfectly normal. Because underneath this masked creature is my motivation, glowing, as it always does.

The fire will never burn out.

Robert Twells February 5, 2015

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On the 5th January I flew out on a one-way ticket to Lanzarote, with the primary purpose of training in the warmer climate and tough terrain for the next few months. Ok, so I’m only 1.5 weeks in, but I think it could quite possibly be one of the best decisions I have ever made.

It’s not even about the amenable weather. Instantly, I was transported into a world which is the very nucleus of triathlon training; the heart, the soul, the breath of life that any triathlete needs to thrive and grow. It’s here; it’s all happening here.

I am spending my days at the fantastic Sands Beach Active, hijacking a bit of their office space, throwing weights around in the gym, and smashing up kilometre after kilometre in the pool. I am living the dream.

As soon as I arrived I discovered that the uplace-BMC pro triathlon team are here on a two week training camp, soon followed by a host of professional photographers, videographers, journalists, and sponsors. I had the chance to interview the Team Manager Bob, which you can read here.

Getting an insight into these guys is incredible. Seeing them swim in adjacent lanes to me in the pool, ride past them (on the other side of the road, not overtake them, obviously!) on the bike, see them out running, in the gym – it’s awe-inspiring. I was extremely lucky to be invited to an exclusive dinner hosted by one of their sponsors in this breath-taking location – a hidden lagoon amidst caves high up on the hill side, and to socialise, chat, and mingle with the people at the top is a wonderful opportunity.

But this is what the island is like. I haven’t stopped training and hanging out with people who are immersed in the sport. I am living and breathing triathlon, and I would never get this opportunity at home. Ever.

Training on this terrain is also going to do wonders for me. Every corner you turn there’s a big hill to climb, a headwind, a cross-wind; it just all comes at you here. There’s a reason the ironman here is billed as one of the toughest in the world, because Lanzarote, in all its majestic beauty, is brutal. Simply brutal. Speaking of brutal, I had the go ahead from my coach Martin Hill to train with Bella Bayliss, who lives at Sands Beach with the equally legendary Stephen Bayliss, frequently seen upon the podium! Having heard about Bella’s Brett-Sutton-esque coaching style I have to admit I was a bit nervous. I knew she would critique my swim for being ‘too pretty’, and she lived up to her reputation!

“Do you know what you’re swimming like? A fluffy little kitten.” Oh. Well that told me. Although I have refined my swim technique with the brilliant help of my coach Martin at Tri Train Spain, I need more power, and we both knew that. So Bella was just fast-tracking me – “Grrr, just smash into the water, more aggression!” Yep, that feels good, but DAMN does it hurt.

This kind of stuff will be instrumental to me getting faster, more powerful, and more successful this season, and Lanzarote, I have to say, is proving to be the absolutely perfect place for me. I am managing to balance a decent amount of work to keep my clients happy and my business thriving, while living the life many people dream of. The weather is amazing, the people are amazing, the landscape is amazing, the opportunities are amazing – did I mention that it’s amazing?!

Before I lose a lot of friends I will say that this isn’t going to be forever, but at the moment, for the next few months, I am going to take what I can from this island. My training is about to get even more serious and it is going to be the scene of a lot of pain, suffering, sweat and probably tears. But I’m going to make sure I don’t regret a single second of it.

Robert Twells January 15, 2015

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It’s true what they say – that having the right support around you will take you further than you can go on your own. Whether being around people with the right positive mental attitude, people who back you and don’t doubt you, and having strong support networks which help you to achieve your dreams – it’s all invaluable stuff.

I’ve been very lucky to be supported by some incredible sponsors this year – something I never believed would happen in a million years. It’s not about winning races though – it’s about providing value for money for a company by promoting their brand to the right people. And as a professional marketer, I will not-so-humbly say that this is something I do know a lot about.

The people I have worked with over the past year have been instrumental to my results and how far I have come. As we all know, triathlon is a pricey little endeavour, and racing on the European circuit certainly isn’t cheap! But having kit and services to support me means I can race in some incredible places, and if I can get to see cool parts of the world in the process then that is a win-win! (Usually without a win, FYI.)

It’s testament to my relationships with my sponsors that virtually all of them will be continuing to support me throughout the 2015 season – I must be doing something right! I am also very excited to be working with a couple of brand new sponsors, a couple I changed due to different opportunities. There will be no excuses not to be smashing my season up next year now!

Ceepo bikes and Rotor Power UK (Velotech Services)

This one happened a bit by accident, as I met these guys at the Birmingham Bike Show and stopped on their stand to admire their Ceepo bike, knowing I hadn’t seen many in the UK. Conversations then developed and a few months later, I was at their office in Stratford-upon-Avon getting fitted up before I drove away with an absolutely stunning Ceepo Venom in the back of my car, fully equipped with Rotor power cranks and QRINGS! I’m extremely chuffed to be supported by Velotech and cannot wait to train and race on this bike, with the new addition of power to measure and attain improvements on the bike.

The Road Room

This is a local bike shop which is conveniently located a few hundred yards (old school!?) from my house! They specialise in road bikes and will be supporting me with regular services of the Ceepo, advising me of bike stuff (I AM ignorant) and giving me lots of opportunity to buy more kit! They also stock Rotor components so I am sorted for the rest of the year!

Keith Tucker Personal Training

I knew Keith through previous connections, and coming from an elite kickboxing background, he knows some serious stuff about strength and conditioning. What’s more, he practices genetic metabolic typing nutrition, which basically provides the right type of nutrition for your genetic metabolism, which means a complete shift in the food I use to fuel, sustain and refuel me during training. Keith is SO fun to work with as he has a permanent sparkly attitude, it’s infectious (although difficult to complete matrix lunges and squat presses when he’s making me laugh). One to one sessions make so much of a difference and I can’t wait for Keith to get me strong and lean!

I feel so lucky to be working with these people and maintaining great relationships with my 2014 sponsors – I can’t do this without being cheesy and annoying but THANK YOU SO MUCH to all my wonderful sponsors. To have these people believe in me makes me remember why I am doing this on the days where I don’t have the best training sessions!

As for 2015, I’m coming to get you…

Robert Twells December 27, 2014

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“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” 
― Leonardo da Vinci

There has become something which I do when I want to escape. To avoid the hoards of people, the traffic-laden roads, the daily tediousness life can sometimes bring. And the biting cold. We all know how much I hate the cold.

It’s an island, nestled off the coast of Africa, majestic and beautiful in its volcanic grandeur. Yes, Lanzarote. It is my bolthole, and I don’t know why. I just keep going back. It does this ‘thing’ to me, which I can’t even articulate. 

Recently, I went out there for another week to kick start my training. I have been privileged to be sponsored by Lanzarote Retreats, and this time, I stayed in the luxurious Tiagua 81 in a beautiful setting – probably the poshest triathlon training camp base ever. Serenity matched by functionality. Yes please.

I pretty much always go to Lanzarote on my own, and this was no exception. I had befriended Hollie Cradduck at the Challenge Paguera race in October after over a year of tweeting each other, and with her having recently moved out there, we planned to hook up. And we did just that. A lot. It was one of those instant friendships – I don’t think I stopped laughing for most of the week. We created memories that I won’t ever forget, and forged a friendship I will always have. 

The Lanzarote social scene is pretty much like its training scene – enthusiastic and full on! Plus I know many people on the island already from spending time there – it was practically an endless string of activities: training sessions, coffee at Lanzarote Retreats office, lunch at Tabla, more training sessions, dinner at Cantina Teguise, drinks, even more training sessions, dinner at Barstro, more training, more drinks, a triathlon go-karting afternoon courtesy of Mike and Julie at Lanzarote Information, a photoshoot with the brilliant James Mitchell for Zone3 wetsuits, even more drinks… the list goes on. And I’ve probably already bored you. But you get the picture.

It was SO. MUCH. FUN.

Good times don’t seem to fade out there – no matter how many times I go to the same place, do the same rides, visit the same restaurants, train in the same pools, drive the same roads, do the same runs – it’s always an incredible place. Each experience is unique.

Anyway, before I land myself a job at the Lanzarote Tourism Board, the reason for this is that I had some thinking time on the bike. As many of you know, I am self-employed, something which happened to me at the beginning of the year (yes, it did happen to me rather than me forcing this choice) and as a result, this has afforded me great flexibility with racing and training abroad. But why stop there?

While in Lanzarote (and it doesn’t really take a genius to work this out), I realised that I could train in this incredible climate, be around some awesome people, and live a pretty elementary lifestyle on this sedate, serene island. Carpe diem.

Apart from the fact that the climate is so good; the terrain is tough – and next year I want to ramp up my performance and train as hard as possible. I know that hours and endless hours of riding on these hills, in this wind, with a whole plethora of top athletes roaming around is going to do me a lot more favours than sitting on the turbo for an hour. No relentless cold, no endless darkness (OK I may be dramatizing it a bit) – this is going to be quality training. And a quality life.

I am so lucky to have the flexibility with my work to make a decision such as this. And while I can, I am going to. It was one of those moments where everything just fell into place, and all of a sudden, it’s happening.

So, my plan is to move out to Lanzarote for two to three months in the New Year, come back and enjoy a Summer season of racing (mostly abroad), and maybe even head back out for the Winter again. And from there, who knows. 

For now, I want to keep my roots in the UK and my heart in Lanzarote, because right now, "there I have been, and there I long to return"…

Robert Twells December 14, 2014

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I've probably mentioned it a few times, but this year has been pretty crazy. 

In January, I was made redundant completely out of the blue, and this was one life-changing step which has affected my triathlon season in many ways. After wondering what an earth I would do, I quite by chance landed working as a freelance marketing consultant for a client, while I looked for something more permanent. Coincidentally, it was through a contact I had made on New Year's Eve in Lanzarote during a solo training trip. Why is it that everything comes back to triathlon?!

After securing a few more clients, purely through introductions (weirdly, more triathlon contacts), I set up my own Limited Company. Wary of how long this strange and fortunate situation would last, I carried on working for my clients and acquiring a few new ones; all the while managing to maintain a nice balance between work and training (hello flexible working).

In all honesty, this has been instrumental to me.

If I were still stuck in a 9-5 job, or even longer hours, I may not have had the opportunity to continue with consistent, solid training. If I were still limited to a meagre 20 days holiday per year, I certainly would not have had the luxury of training and racing abroad even nearly as frequently as I have, and what's more, I probably wouldn't have been able to fund it.

Call me an idealist, airy fairy, or whatever – but I think all this happened for a reason. I'm a strong believer in this, in fate, in opportunities coming your way, and I make sure I take them. 

This year, Mallorca 70.3 in May was my first race of the season. When I knocked almost 30 minutes off my PB for that exact same course since a year earlier, and came 12th in my AG at one of the largest 70.3s in the world, I was over the moon. This was serious, serious progress for me.

From that race, the season unfolded in the strangest way, as for the first time in my life, I started to see results. I qualified to race for GBR in my age group. Twice. I won a local sprint triathlon and came 2nd in my AG at the National Middle Distance Championships. I was still passing all this off as fluke. Then I came 5th at Budapest 70.3, my best international result so far. The season really culminated in a bronze medal at the Long Distance European Championships, and finally, a "disappointing" 8th in AG at the Middle Distance European Championships.

If you read my latest race report, this disappointment was probably unfounded. I have to keep reminding myself of where I have come, from last year, absolutely nowhere, being a 'finisher' of these type of events, to a few podiums this year. Of course, it hasn't exactly been groundbreaking stuff and there is a whole host of talent out there with performances which far exceed mine, but for me, this season has been totally incredible.

But only when I stop to think about it. It's so easy for us to be hard on ourselves, to always be chasing the "could do better" attitude, of course, it's human nature. But really, we need to appreciate how far we have all come in our own individual ways, and not lose perspective on it.

The most crucial part though, is to not focus too much on the results, because it is not by looking back that we can see change, it is by looking forward.

The reason it's been incredible for me is because it's outside of my wildest dreams. Really. I'm not the one who is any good at anything, never have been. I was always a 'trier', a 'have a go, get bored and move onto the next thing' type of person. 

Why have I persisted? I've considered giving up so many times. More so in the early days when I was last out of the water in every triathlon I entered. Less so nowadays, as I believe I am tapping into potential. I'm nothing special though. This is potential that every human being has, all you need is to apply yourself. And you know what? I damn well have.

Right now I am sat on a plane after spending 12 days in the Caribbean. Some of you lot may jest about me 'always being on holiday', but I have worked extremely hard this year, and I (probably like many of you), have deserved some time off to recuperate. I was beyond excited that for almost two weeks out of 52, I got to lie on a beach, not worry about work or training, and eat and drink nice stuff at leisure (think – all inclusive.)

Because at the end of triathlon, we are only human.

The two weeks off training has hopefully recalibrated my body, providing it with some sufficient rest so that when I go back into training and start an intense Winter  programme, I will be ready. Not only physically, but mentally. 

The mental application required for this sport, and probably many others, is relentless. Training to be decent at three sports takes not only physical effort, but mental dedication and commitment, every single day. It's the mind that needs that rest, as much as anything else.

What a season. What a year. Really, I am honoured, I am so grateful to have fallen in love with this sport, because it has enabled me to see some amazing places, meet some wonderful people, and most of all, achieve things I never thought possible.

I would like to do the obligatory thank you to my sponsors, friends, and family, because without them, this definitely wouldn't have been possible. Thank you so much for believing in me, especially many of my sponsors who I approached when I had next to nothing to offer them. I am absolutely delighted that I will be working with virtually all the same sponsors throughout the next season. It just shows what good partnerships can bring you. Fulfillment.

With thanks to:
– Martin Hill, Complete Fitness Coaching/Triathlon Training Spain
– Frogspark 
– Fitnaturally
– VO2 Sportswear 
– Bonk Triathlon
– Ffwd Wheels
– Get Buzzing
– Cherry Active
– Emma James Physio
– Lovelo Cycle Works
– Catlike
– Zone3 
– Lanzarote Retreats
– Lake Cycling
– Sportspace
– Trojan Training
– Sigvaris Sports

Robert Twells November 20, 2014

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Earlier this year, when I found out I had qualified to compete for GBR at age group level at the European Long Distance Championships at Challenge Almere, it was going to be my ‘A race’, the pinnacle of my season, and my last race for the year. Then I found out about the European Middle Distance Championships in Mallorca in October, and after much (hardly any) self-debate, I entered. 

Double GBR qualifier, yeah that’ll do. Sure I’ll be fine, I have a whole five weeks to recover after Almere. Famous last words.

I knew that by the time Almere came around, I was already starting to tire. I was squeezing the last few drops out of my season and actually, after finishing, it felt like the end of my season,more psychologically than anything else, because my A race was over. I could relax. Challenge Paguera-Mallorca was just an end of season tick really, a last week in the sun before the off-season proper. I needed to just keep ticking over until this race.

Arriving in Mallorca, it was just as you'd expect. Or not. Imagine strong winds, torrential rain and choppier seas than a surfer’s paradise. Not boding very well. All week, I felt very disinterested in the race, and was already lusting after life after Paguera. Looking at all the holidaymakers chilling out drinking beer in the sun was making me very envious. This off-season couldn’t come soon enough.

A few pool swims (one of which was spent trying to keep up with Helle Fredriksen. Believe it or not, I failed.Yes really!), a couple of short easy rides and a run off the bike were all I needed to get to the start line this week. Already, as the week progressed, the heat mounted up and the sea calmed down. Not necessarily a bad thing though. Or was it!? My attitude probably was though; lying on the beach all week, all I could think about was some stodgy food and copious amounts of cocktails after the race, and it was this sentiment that was keeping me going!

This isn’t normal for me. I love racing, and while I don’t always get excited to race (I think this is now my natural, almost instinctive pre-race strategy, to not get caught up in the hype beforehand in order to conserve energy, excitement and adrenaline for race day only), I am quite positive and look forward to it. My overriding feeling going into this race was “I can’t be bothered”.

It sounds a bit dismissive of my GBR qualification but it didn’t feel in the slightest bit special to me. I wanted it to be over before it began. I guess this pre-empted how I would feel on race day to some extent but with racing you never really know until the day arrives and you’re out there on that course giving it your all.

I knew it wouldn’t be a PB course. The swim was non-wetsuit, the bike was hilly and the temperatures would be hot. I knew I needed to pace myself on the two lap bike course ready to smash the run. The run, although I am not the fastest by any stretch of the imagination, is usually where I gain places. Especially in the heat.

So race day arrived with a leisurely start, the unusual absence of an alarm, and a scorching midday gun time. It felt strange just standing there on the beach amongst all the holiday-makers, without a wetsuit, the crystal blue sea shimmering in the sun. I felt so relaxed, it didn’t even feel like a race. I was feeling more excited though, so this was a good thing, my mojo was back and I was ready to go.

I lined up at the front, this, as I have mentioned in recent blog posts, is my new strategy in order to avoid getting caught up in the mosh-pit. I won’t be first out the water by a long way but I like to get a clear run and position myself at the side where I can relax into a good pace without the distraction of fighting my way through the swim. This worked well and I felt pretty good, going nice and steady and not pushing too hard. The sea still felt surprisingly choppy despite its apparent stillness, I guess you always get some degree of movement in such a large body of tidal water. The salt was burning my throat a bit but other than that, I felt ok. Not rapid (as if I ever am), but ok.

I exited the swim in 35 minutes which wasn’t bad for the lack of wetsuit, and I didn’t feel like I had pushed myself that hard, I just tried to keep a steady pace and conserve energy for what would inevitably be quite a tough day. Oh and watching the fish swimming around kept me a bit distracted.

Transition was characteristically massive, probably around 1km, and I felt like I wasn’t really rushing as much as I usually do, it was almost leisurely. I jumped onto the bike and off up the hill into the searing heat. The bike course consisted of quite a long steady-ish climb up into the mountains with some ups and downs in between, and I was careful to go quite steady in order that I woulnd’t suffer on the second lap. The heat was penetrating, there was little in the way of a breeze and aero bars weren’t really much use with all the climbing. 

I had decided to go sparse on drinks bottles, opting for a small 500ml one with my usual energy drink given that the firs aid station was within 10km. I was a bit aghast when on reaching the aid station, the clear bottles were only one-third filled with water. In this heat!? Are you kidding me!? I knew I had to get to 30k before being able to get any more liquid on board and that this wouldn’t be enough… No choice but to push on.

A lot of undulations later and we were cruising down into the clubber's dreamland of Magaluf, with a flat section along the seafront. At the aid station I opted for iso drink as well as water, hoping to compensate in some way for my not-so-ideal hydration situation. I was managing to eat my usual solid foods and at this point, felt ok. Again, I didn’t feel like I was pushing very hard but I was conscious of the heat and getting to the run start in quite good shape so I was holding back more than usual. And maybe the 30 degree heat factored in somewhere here?

The second lap was a slightly different story. I knew as soon as I hit that first mountain climb out of Paguera that this lap was going to be a struggle for me. I was only 45k in and feeling it in my legs already. I could feel myself slowing down but I couldn’t really be bothered to do anything about it. During the second lap I started to struggle to take on nutrition. I had some stomach cramping and wasn’t feeling particularly great. The heat was intense, over 31 degrees, and I simply felt tired.

Quite a lot of people were overtaking me and at one point my chain fell off. Where in previous races this year these things would have bothered me, I didn’t really care that much. I casually put my chain back on and trudged on. By the second half of the second lap I couldn’t eat anything and I was struggling to stay in the aero position because of lower back pain. This was all not normal for me either! Help! Shall I bail? Where's a mechanical when you need one!?

It was at this point I kind of realised that I’m not going to be a contender in this race anymore. This swiftly became a mission to finish. I was even steadily overtaken by a guy in the 60-64 category. Tragic. But he was probably nails to be fair. The open category athletes were also overtaking me, but I just didn’t have the inclination or the energy to try and keep up with them.

Back into T2 and there was a rather unsympathetic run around the whole perimeter of transition, which I only realised when I started running the wrong way. Oops. Again, I didn’t feel that pressure to rush as much, I knew I was losing some time but I didn’t really care that much.

Onto the run and into the heat. It was permeating through me, almost unbearably so. Just. Keep. Going. 

Instantly, I felt rubbish. Where in Almere I felt amazing on my first lap of the run, I knew that this was going to be very different. I was instantly suffering. I lacked energy and competitiveness; again, it hammered home to me that I “just need to finish”. At best, actually, as even finishing was looking a bit tenuous here!

Next strategy, get a gel down when my stomach has settled and then I may pick up a bit. One 5km+ lap down and my stomach hadn’t settled. I thought I should try and attempt a gel anyway, but my stomach cramps persisted. It was strange, I never get this problem these days so I couldn’t work out why. Maybe the 300ish mls of foreign isotonic drink I’d had on the bike? Maybe the different food I’d had because it had been a midday start as opposed to an early morning? The heat? Dehydration? Who knows.

Two laps in and I had reverted to coke to try and settle my stomach and while initially I think this may have started to work (or perhaps placebo effect), it soon worked against me and the moment I took some on board I had chronic cramping to the point where I thought I might even have to walk. My pace was just a plod really, I had completed two laps, just over 10k, in an hour and I knew I was gunning for a 2-ish half marathon time. Absolutely rubbish but I could not do anything about it.

The third lap was painful, I thought about quitting (but then I had considered this even on the second lap of the bike), but I knew it would be stupid, I could definitely push through. I was only on water a this point, and apart from a gel and a few sips of coke I hadn’t had any proper nutrition since the first lap of the bike.

On the last lap, as usually happens, I picked up slightly and in fact my stomach had only just started to settle. I took half a gel half way round, just to push me through the last couple of kms without collapsing or something. I did feel light headed and was just focusing on keeping hydrated, although by this point, the sun had started to dip down and it was feeling more pleasant.

Every time I had come round past the finishing chute I had wished I was there. Now I was there. I finished with a nice strong sprint (ish) and felt absolute, unadulterated relief. That’s it, for six months now. My last race in the bag. THANK. GOD.

My overriding feeling was disappointment, I had come somewhere near the 6ish hour mark which was not what I had hoped for or expected. In fact quite far off that. I was gunning for sub-5:30 but I hadn’t been able to pull it out of the bag. Not even close. I felt emotional, teary, and completely and utterly drained.

This was not the drained feeling of having just raced a tough course, this was me, absolutely and utterly empty after six months of performing at a high a level as possible, for putting 110% into every race, every training session, every day.

I was spent. There was literally nothing left.

I couldn’t eat anything, I cried a little. Then I got over it.

I had just come 8th in my age group at the European Middle Distance Championships, representing GBR, where I was contending against people who had all qualified to be there. Come on, get a grip. 

It dawned on my at some low point during the bike that this time last year, I would have been happy just to finish this race. I was a novice just getting into it and had no idea or even iota of interest in chasing times, and here I was, at a European Championship event disappointed with my time and a top ten placing.
I guess I am always striving to do better, like manyof us. But considering I had crammed in a full iron and two half distance races in the space of eight weeks, at the end of what was already a tough and quite fulfilling season, it was way too much to expect high performance at this event, especially competing with such amazing fellow athletes who have been in the sport longer (and are probably more naturally talented) than me. And I haven't even mentioned the conditions, as they were damn hard! 

But on reflection, I should be happy with that. I am actually happy with that. Every athlete I spoke to said it was the hardest triathlon they have ever done, with no exaggeration, and I really think it was – all the times reflected that. But as someone said to me recently, it’s the tough races where you really learn, and there is stuff to take away from it.

I’m now going to enjoy the off-season before getting stuck into a serious Winter training programme, with new goals and horizons set for next season. My big thing to take away from this experience is to live, learn, and be grateful for what I have achieved so far.

Robert Twells October 22, 2014

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