Thought

In a time where all the people are feeling the consequences of the crisis I wonder what is better: buying in a supermarket where we are giving money to a big business where 1 euro less is not a problem or buying in a local shop, local butcher or in the markets where people only live for that...?

(of course supermarket have cheaper prices but 50cents or 1euro would make the difference for the local people, don't you think?)

More motivation

Jordan Rapp a professional triathlete was hit by a car. The driver ran away...Jordan just stayed there almost almost on the other side of life.

8 months later - last sunday - he got a 4th place in Ironman Arizona!

(As Jordan said on Facebook: "I was involved in a hit-and-run. I was hit. And now *I'm* the one running! :D"

This story just makes me happy...

My Last Weekend

On saturday at lunch time I met up with my friends from the University Triathlon Club. Bikes packed in a van and we were off to Chippenham. 4 hours trip with a stop half-way and dinner when we arrived.

We were in the our rooms at 8.30pm and everyone came to our room to watch the X-Factor (music show - this is so popular here!). Then time to go to sleep.

On Sunday we had brunch and at 11am we were already at the race spot. It was raining and it was so cold (2ºC). At 2.15pm our race started. My friend Lee from Gibraltar came 2nd! And one thing different from the Portuguese Triathlons is that all the races are non-drafting so all the people have incredible triathlon bikes!

My race wasn't great but I wasn't expecting anything else. I was freezing throughout the whole race because I never raced with this temperature. I was very cautious in the bike part because the track was wet and slippery. 

After the race shower and 4 more hours back!

I have been doing lots of base training and I'm feeling slow but it is normal for this time of the year (pre-season). As a friend of mine says: if I was racing fast now in my key races I would be struggling. 

But most of all I had a good weekend. I had fun with friends and discovered a new place!

Motivation Video

Sometimes I feel the same...

(tomorrow: weekend review)

17 Hours---The Trailer

Can't wait to watch the full movie!

I'm in Chppenham! I have arrived 2 hours ago and now it is time to go to bed :D

BUCS

Castle Combe Village

This weekend I'm off to Chippenham (near Bath) for the Duathlon British University Championships. It will be a 3.2km run/16km ride/3.2km run in Castle Combe - a car race circuit.

Race Circuit

I'm going with the University triathlon club but this is to test my shape now. At this time of the pre-season I'm not expecting a good time or a super race. I will just go there to have some fun and meet some people. It will be my first race here in the UK!

Masochist?

Sometimes...

Impressive

I think this will be the week of videos, so many good ones...



It's amazing what he does with his bike!

Interesting

A new type of bike:

QOTD

Hills hurt, sofas kill!

Weekend

This was an unexpected weekend for me. I normally ride with the guys from Tri-Anglia (Triathlon club in Norwich) on Saturdays and with the University triathlon club on Sundays but this weekend was different.

I went out with the guys from VCNorwich (Cycling club based in Norwich). On Saturday we did 3h - 80km. Sunday 4h - 100km with a stop for 2 minutes silence (Remembrance Sunday) and a stop for a tea, cake or scone.

The routes are amazing: calm, one or two cars passing us and in the middle of the countryside.
Plus the weather was not bad at all just a bit cold for me.

Suprisingly on Saturday I met David Gomes portuguese and former triathlete and pro-cyclist - it was funny and it is also good to speak in Portuguese here.

Now I understand this phrase: "Swim with swimmers, ride with riders and run with runners".
(The pics are from Saturday and Sunday)

On target

Wilhelm Tell or Federer?

English and food

After being sick again now with food poisoning symptoms nothing better than to write about what is good or bad  in english eating habits.

Maybe every Portuguese have a bad idea of english food or the way english people eat. When I was living in Portugal I was no exception. And now that I'm living here for more than a month I can have my opinion: these guys eat bad! Plus don't like to cook.

First, the english people really love take-aways! And for them is just a way to have food in front of them in no time. Adverts from thai, chinese or indian food, to pizzas, kebabs or burguers arrive at my door like mushrooms and all I can see in them is: "order now, just wait 30 minutes for your ready meal to arrive!".

Second, in every shop or supermarket I go what I can see is the take away queue and many people around the ready cook meals. All I can see in people's bags are chips, cokes...

Third, it's impressive the amount of cooking programmes on the TV and some others to teach people how to eat. In 5 channels 3 have cooking programmes at 8pm!

Now I understand all the books and shows telling people to eat lots of fruits and veggies and not to eat processed foods. For me those shows were made for these guys not for Portugal or the Mediterranean countries where some of us can still have a decent diet.

And what it's most incredible is the opportunities and the quality of the food they have here. The amount of fruits and veggies here is huge: i can find many types of potatoes (even with blue skin), the berries are much cheaper than in Portugal, different tomatoes like tiger ones, parsnips (delicious)...they even sell Quinoa in every supermarket!

I can still have the same diet I had back in Portugal with lots of fruits and veggies, nuts, cereals, meat, fish...and my olive oil with bread!



(Apart from the eating habits these guys really have a problem with alcohol. Beer is the main drink but I never knew they like vodka so much!)

Now: cold and dark

I have been very busy with lots of work to do for my master. I had a presentation today and I will have two tests on wednesday.

Days here are getting darker - the sunset is at 16! - and it's getting colder.

Regarding training: As you can see in the right column of my blog I have made a few changes. I have now a new coach. She is Dr. Auriel Forrester, triathlon and cycling coach and she is the director of scientific coaching services. She will help me planning my next season.

But my only focus now and during the winter months will be my bike. I will treat her like never before: ride, wash, ride, ride...I cannot improve all the three sports at the same time.

'Summer is where the results are achieved, but winter is where the results are made’

 In the next week I will have some news about my goals and my 2011 season so keep an eye in the blog.

 Next post: eating habits in the UK