Dates in my Diary this month … in this section ill update you with my plan for the month ahead - I have a yearly structure set up with my advisors, Federation and Sports Institute but within this plan there is a degree of fluidity …… 

I will set out my monthly race calendar and whereabouts here and let you know the focus of my training ……

December 2009

October and November are all a daze - spontaneous training during the week, adventures at the weekend . . . I shouldn’t really go into it. At the end of November I arrived in South Africa ad I will stay here until mid January - some winter training in the South African Summer - I can’t complain

September 2009

Where did August go ? I miss it already.

I spent most of my time on the road - training in Switzerland and racing in London and Japan. Only a couple of days into September and I am planning ahead - winter training camps, 2010 races and all that goes with it.

I am having some time off and ill get back into training in the middle of the month in a relaxed manner. During October ill ‘pick it up’  . . . but just a little

JULY 2009

July 5th: European Triathlon Championships, Holten, Netherlands

July 18th: European Cup Athlone, Triathlone, Ireland

July 20th + : Triathlon Ireland Training Camp, Switzerland

July is an important month both in terms of racing and training. My first race of the month will be the Elite European Championships in Holten and then I will look forward to heading home to Ireland to Athlone - home of Triathlone which attracts the biggest crowds on the European Calendar. Triathlone is also a dress rehersal for next years European Championships !!

Straight after Athlone I will travel to Switzerland with the Irish team for a training block at altitude - this camp hopefully helping me to finish off the season in August and September strongly

JUNE 2009

June 7th: Blenheim Triathlon, England

June 21st: Washington ITU Word Series

June will be a month of new experiences. My first time to the birth place of Sir Winston Churchill; my first World Series Event and my first time to the USA. Somehow I have managed to miss out on racing in America - I have been to Canada and South America but I have never set foot outside an American Airport. Its all very exciting I’m sure you will agree.

After recovering from the weekend that was Athy I am back in Stirling and will base myself here for June. Training is beginning to follow a very regular routine - I have a list of sessions I need to do and I am getting through them in between travel. My swimming has improved and I am loving the running track and short hill reps - ill start off the month with a 20min time trial to determine my Functional Threshold Power on the bike and then work from there . .

MAY 2009

Time to get things started

May 3rd /  4th: Some cycle racing miles in my legs - Super 6 Sam Robinson Memorial RR and the Falkirk May Day Gallop

May17th: Corus British Triathlon Championships, Strathclyde Park, Glasgow

May 30th: Tri Athy Triathlon, Athy, Ireland

By the end of May my racing will have begun. The British Championships fits well into my plans - it will be a high calibre race and its close to my home in Stirling. The race means I miss a training camp to France but I feel the need to know “where I am” and what I have to work on - sometimes only a race can do this - 8 laps around Strathclyde Park should be a brutal introduction to 2009 !  Two weeks later Ill head home for Tri Athy - a non drafting Olympic race - a different kind of race than Strathclyde but another early season indicator.

Theres more anerobic threshold work coming into training, especially on the running track - I still have improvements to make in the pool to get back up to speed - my biking will follow a familiar routine of long rides, local races and easy spins.

If your starting your season soon too, may the roads rise to meet you and wind always be at your back

APRIL 2009

April 5th: Titanic 10k, Belfast

April 11-13th: Gorey 3 day bike race, Ireland

April 26th: ITU World Cup Ishigaki, Japan

April 17th: travel back to Stirling

Although the bulk of my time will be spent in Ireland there is quite a lot of travelling to do during April. I will move back to Stirling before ending the month in Japan and competing in my first triathlon of the season …. As you may have read on the blog, plans change.

The training focus wont change dramatically during April - consistency is still key to my preparations. With racing at the weekends my long run duration will come down to around 90mins and I will have to pay more attention to rest and recovery. The Gorey 3 day bike race provides me with a great stimulus on the bike and will serve as a bit of a ‘crash course’  in bike intensity and racing (without any crashes!)

Ill end of the month back in Stirling and back to a Swim/Bike/Run routine. My first race of the year not until May

MARCH 2009

March 1st - March 23rd: Training in Stellenbosch South Africa

March 23rd - April 1st: Home in Enniskillen - with some meetings in Dublin and Belfast - I will have an easier training week when I land, catch up with some friends and family and marvel at my mums stocked fridge !